We arrived at the place where Casandra lived. I thought it was an apartment, but I was quite worried when I saw the place where she lived. It was a mansion, a few kilometers from the city. The entrance was closed at several points by fences and there were many trees around it. For a moment I felt like I was in jail.
She was holding my hand as if I were a toy to show everyone.
I tried to stay calm. My life had been saved by her and her father, I could only listen to what they told me.
We walked around the place until we came to a room, there was only a bed with white sheets and a window.
-Well, you'll be here in the meantime. Just call your relatives and tell them where you are.
-Can't I go home?
-No, it was decided that you couldn't leave here. Some preferred to put two guards so you wouldn't escape. The trial is not over yet, we just bought some time, we investigated you a bit and you don't seem to have any links with the vampires, but it wasn't enough to convince the other families.
I was a little afraid they would do something to me. She gave me a cell phone and I called my mom. I lived in a dysfunctional family, my stepfather was an office worker and hardly ever went home. He did a lot of odd jobs like fixing houses. That's why I had ended up here. As the cell phone rang. I began to think that he was the spy and maybe they were right to accuse me, but quickly all those thoughts were diluted when my mom spoke to me.
-Good morning.
-Mom, it's me...
-Mathues?
-Yes, yes .... I had a problem. Well, uh...I'm accused of being a vampire spy...luckily my girlfriend helped me out.
-Girlfriend?
-Yeah...this is Cassandra.
-Since when are you dating that girl?
-It's a complicated story, in a few days I'll explain it to you, don't worry. I'm at my girlfriend's house, she will protect me.
I hung up the call and looked at her. I didn't know how to explain all that to her over the cell phone.
-You are going to stay here...
-Here... I thought that... -I'm not...
-I'm not going to sleep with you just because you want me to. You may be cute and all, but I have my dignity. I did this just to humiliate Denver. I don't think I'm capable of touching another man. I'm sorry.
I felt rejected, when I talked to her I didn't mean that she and I would have sex, I thought we would actually be boyfriend and girlfriend and start a relationship from scratch.
-So...how are we going to sustain this lie?
-No one needs to know that it's just something to annoy Denver.
She left the room with those cold words, but what totally shocked me was what I heard when she left. The doors were so thin, I could hear the discussion.
-Casandra...you are due to have a child in the next few months. I am not able to leave without knowing that my entire lineage is in good hands. You are the only heir I have.
Hearing that, I concluded that the person they were passing off was not her blood brother. The conversation did not end there and was a little more intense.
-I know it's a bit hasty, but it's likely that a war against the palefaces could possibly happen, and I could. It is my duty to protect him. That's all I ask of you.
I was terrified to hear about the war against the vampires, I didn't think it was so serious. I panicked a little and walked away from the door. I wanted to call my mother and talk to her, but they were both still talking and everything became too interesting.
-I don't care if you have him with one of my guards.
The family must go on or most likely one of your uncles will claim my position. You would be under his orders and would no longer be able to make your own decisions. There must always be an alpha leading the Marquez family, remember there are more than 30 of us.
-Dad, please don't rush me. It's not my fault that Denver did all this. I was willing to do anything, but he was the wrong alpha for me.
-I know, but an attack is imminent at any moment and you being my daughter would be his favorite prey.
Imagine a vampire touching you for revenge. You're not getting out of this place for now. Things are horrible out there.
I stayed listening to the whole conversation and came to the conclusion that this was more complex than I thought. Cassandra's father had the position of the leader of the herd and was in charge of everything about it. He was the face of the Marquez family, he was afraid of losing his position because of Denver's infidelity and the instability it brought.
Even I was in serious trouble, for being her fake boyfriend and for being an alleged spy. Even if I proved my innocence, I was in danger for being a member of this family. My head was spinning and I didn't understand how I ended up this way, if only I hadn't crossed paths with them that day. None of this would be happening to me, although the war against the vampires was not something I could avoid even by running away.
[...]
A few hours passed in those rooms, they brought me food and clothes in the course of the day. Everything was like that. Until night came and someone knocked on my door.
It was that man who inspired respect among all the wolves in the city. Cassandra's father was a descendant of a lineage of very possessive and violent Alphas. I was a simple Alpha who tried to hide. Now I was totally in expectation of the decision they would make.
He walked two steps and addressed me.
-Young man, you may come in for dinner. From now on you will have to, while everyone thinks you are my son-in-law.
-Tell me, they will force me to marry her.
-What are you saying? It's impossible, you are a simple common Alpha, you don't have the capacity to lead this family, you would only serve to please my daughter and give me a grandson if she wants to be with you. I don't see what else you can do here.
They only looked at me as a simple hobby, so for now I had a chance to live, although deep down I knew that the best thing I could do was to fall in love with Cassandra and I could avoid death completely. They would never let them kill me. That was my only way out. As much as I thought about it, the evidence was against me.
-I offer to marry her daughter and give her a grandchild.
-You know what I said was a joke... seriously, did you believe it?
-I am willing to do anything to save my life.
The man kept looking at me and approached me.
-Okay, I understand that you think that way, but the only thing I need from you is to keep pretending to be you. Is that you keep pretending to be Cassandra's boyfriend, for now nothing else. Just come to dinner, I need the guards to see you as a member of the family. You never know if there is a traitor among us.
[...]
After hearing the man's words I was completely stunned. I didn't know what to do, keeping a false attitude was difficult. Cassandra was heartbroken because of her ex-boyfriend's infidelity, she preferred to be alone obviously, and that made everything a bit difficult.
By order of the father of the family we all sat at the dinner table. There was his wife and son. For me it was embarrassing, I didn't know what to do, Casandra was a little uncomfortable with my presence in that place. She wouldn't look at me.
I tried to pick up the silverware and pretend not to notice Casandra's mother looking at me. She looked just like her, but with long blonde hair and green eyes, her face was somewhat elongated, and she looked quite young. Out of nowhere she turned to me.
-I see...so...this is the guy you cheated on Denver with...he's cute, but I don't see anything special about him...is he good in bed?
That was the most offensive thing I'd heard anyone say to me since this whole thing had started. I crossed my arms and tried to calm down a little. I tried to ignore what the woman had said. While Casandra looked at her mother in a threatening way. As if I was calling her attention. I avoided looking everyone in the eye after that. Maybe if her husband, and her daughter hadn't told her everything.
[...]
When dinner was over. Everyone got up from the table and Cassandra signaled me to wait for her.
I was very anxious, I didn't know what she was going to tell me. We both looked into each other's eyes, a little embarrassed by her mother's statement.
-I'm sorry about that...she's a little complicated.
-Yes, I understand. My mom is like that too.
-Well, dad gave you his blessing. He's worried about the war that's coming. He was sorry you got caught in the middle of it.
-Don't worry, thanks to you guys I'll be able to defend myself at least. I just want us to get along and maybe fulfill your father's wishes.
-That...uh...I'm sorry, but for now, I prefer to be alone.
I was quite a bit sad with that answer, for a moment I thought we were going to be a real couple to please her father, but I was stupid. A woman of that upbringing wasn't crazy enough to have sex with a stranger like me. My face showed a little bit of my expression.
Noticing that she looked at me and tried to change the mood.
-How about we talk about your life, first we should get to know each other a little bit.
Those words surprised me a little with her change of attitude, it was as if she wanted to have something with me, but not so fast. I kept listening to each of his words.
-You look like a Beta, but I can tell you're an Alpha, which somehow attracts me. Not that I like you.
-Ah...that...well, some people say I'm weird, like I'm on both sides, but I never wanted to be a werewolf. I just wanted to be a normal person. It's too much pressure being an alpha. Everyone expects too much of me and I don't like it.
-So, your dad is?
-My family is diverse, we are just the weaker members, well before at least we were respected. My dad died and my mom remarried, but to an Omega and our position fell. Although I am an Alpha, my stepfather is the leader and the one who determines our position as he is the patriarch.
-Mmm, I see...
She said those words and decided to come closer and kiss me on the cheek.
-How about, if we give ourselves some time, maybe a relationship between us will work out, but you can't leave even if the investigation they were doing on you ends.
I blushed a little when I heard that, it was too hasty, but I started to get my hopes up for her.
[...]
I returned to my room a little tired, the movements through different places left my body a little sick, besides the travel time from one place to another was quite heavy for me.
Now I was a little calmer with the conversation with Casandra, at least I knew that she was a girl a little more relaxed, at first I thought she was a credulous person, but today I found out the opposite.
I got a little deluded like her at that moment, but I tried to keep my composure, I was getting myself into trouble. Falling in love with her might be a mistake for me.
While I was sleeping I soon heard an explosion a little way from here, possibly coming from the city. I peeked in the window and saw a cloud of smoke coming from the center of there.
What the situation was like at the moment. I was feeling a little scared. It was all kind of scary, as it possibly had to do with the coming war between vampires and wolves.
[...]
The next day someone knocked on the door, I was a bit surprised, they treated me as if I was part of the family. I didn't hesitate for a moment and went to open the door.
It was one of the guards of the house, he had that black suit and glasses that he usually wore. He looked a little sad. My suspicions from the night before were correct.
-You are needed in the living room, please meet the family.
I put on a shirt and walked out of there, a little nervous, I didn't know what news I would get. I just walked down the lonely corridors together with that man who seemed to be escorting me. Until I got to the living room.
There was Casandra, her mother and brother. The living room had four long black pieces of furniture, it looked quite comfortable, and there was a small table with a flower in the middle.
I sat down on one of the pieces of furniture away from everything and the lady spoke.
-Well, since you are here you should know. Yesterday there was an attack on the most important alphas in the city. Nobody knows if my husband is alive or not, so we will leave this house in an hour. It is your right to follow us or go your own way.
I was left wondering about this. I was being investigated, and they had helped me buy time on all this. Maybe they would get in trouble by letting me go free, so without hesitation I asked.
-What about the investigation they're doing on me?
-That takes a back seat. We are in a situation that is too dangerous, if you die everyone will not care.
The answer was simple, but I felt I had to return the favor to them, because they saved my life. I decided to be with them as a precaution, I didn't want someone to try to do something to me....
-Well, I will go with you.
-Okay, Cassandra, you will go somewhere else. Your brother and I will join the other families in a few days.
I started to think about it a little bit and I came to the conclusion that they had some respect for me for being alpha, besides they trusted me. It seemed that I would go with Casandra to another place.
Suddenly everyone got up from their chairs and I did the same, only this time the girl took me by the shoulder.
-We are going somewhere else, don't worry, it's a safe place.
I got a little nervous, every approach was very strange for me. I couldn't organize my thoughts, I hated being an alpha for me it was a responsibility I hated. Everyone expected me to take initiative and leadership for everything, so most of my life I said I was beta or omega. Now I was feeling that suffocating pressure again.
[...]
We left half an hour later from that place quite impatient. We didn't know what we would meet in the course of the trip.
We were both in the back of the van that was taking us. Casandra wore a cap that covered her face a bit and tried not to look out the window.
I was dressed normally and was on the right side of the car. I could see the magnitude of what happened. The streets looked a bit lonely. Which was too strange, it was almost noon. Fear had frightened all the people who passed through this place regularly.
Just out of anxiety I started talking to Casandra.
-Don't worry, everything will be fine.
Perhaps out of anxiety she leaned on my shoulder. I felt that the woman was trembling a little, it was obvious that she was very afraid. That gesture made a total change in me. It was very strange for me to be like that, but little by little my body began to act in a much stranger way. I felt superior as someone dominant. That I had a girl who needed someone to protect her and give her love. Unfortunately my instinct was calling me to be an alpha. It made me want to do things I never thought about. For a moment I wanted to kiss Cassandra and take my place in her family as the leader since her father was gone.
I was mentally fighting against my own self. I could only take Cassandra by the hand and wait for my hormones to calm down a bit, but I felt like even she was accepting me as her alpha.
My thoughts made me feel guilty I couldn't do what my mind was telling me it was too much. I just tried to look out the window and find something to distract myself a little. It wasn't the time for this kind of thing, but I was to blame for avoiding taking my place as the alpha I was for so long. Maybe that's why my stepfather hated me a little. He was an Omega and married my mother when my dad died. He had to raise a son who was superior in many ways to him. Despite having children with my mother he didn't like my presence and felt threatened, but I could no longer deny being an Alpha.
I didn't know how things would be from now on, but I agreed to give Cassandra comfort. I put my hand around her neck, until I reached her shoulder as if we were a couple. She was quite sad, she didn't say anything to me, but she didn't reject me. Which made it clear to me that maybe she agreed that I could be her partner, but for now it was not the right time.
