5.

BELLO.

“It was nice doing business with you, Yallabai (your highness ). Extend our sincere appreciation to Sabbene (his majesty) for this trust. I promise not to disappoint you both.” Aldick, Alpha to Kandula pack squeezed my hand in what was supposed to be a simple handshake.

But I can't say I blame him for his enthusiasm. Closing a deal with either me or Turk is a huge feat, considering our pack is the biggest in the northern region, and we are the strongest brother duo in power. That, and the steady flow of cash we bring through every business we collaborate with.

Only estate management is not a business I like. Not even my kind of occupation. But with my brother being Alpha, a better part of the family business fell into my hands, even if all I wanted was to be on site, working. Like the engineer I was supposed to be.

“A pleasure, Aldick.” I answered, finally getting my hand free. “I’ll send the signed contract to your email on Friday. See that everything is good on your end before then,” I answered, buttoning my suit and smiling.

“Of course. I will do that. Thank you once again for agreeing to do this with us.”

This time, I simply nodded, turned and made my way out of the stuffy meeting room.

“That was one of the fastest deals you’ve ever finished,” Elliot murmured, the sounds of his footsteps echoing after mine against the pavement as we walked to the car.

“I am tired. And he desperately needs the collaboration, which would make him do a good job at bringing the best supplies for the new round of estates.”

“If anything goes wrong with this deal, the Alpha will find a reason to blame you, and if he pushes hard, even get rid of you from the parliament.”

“Let’s not talk about my brother and his insecurities concerning me right now, Elliot,” I grumbled as he pulled the door open and I slid into the car.

He simply chuckled as he slid in through the other side. “Fine. Let's talk about her. Did you dream of her last night as well?”

I sucked in a deep sigh, leaned my head against the headrest and closed my eyes. “I didn’t. And I think it's because I wasn’t in the pack.”

“You still think she is a member of our pack?” Elliot asked quietly. Even without opening my eyes, I knew he was looking at me.

“I am not sure anymore.” I grumbled.

‘Now, not to be the bearer of bad news, but what if she is just a figment of your imagination?’ Conri spoke, and even if I could tell he was trying to help, for some reason, I couldn’t help but resent the touch of excitement I could hear in his voice. He has been agitated for the last few hours, pacing in my head and grumbling. But now, for whatever reason, he sounded a bit excited. Even more relaxed.

‘Right. Definitely a figment of my imagination. I suppose it was so real that I woke up gasping every time I dreamt of her in pain, and you end up grumpy all day?’

‘Fiiinnneee,’ he dragged the word. ‘When you put it that way, it does sound real. But again, what if it isn’t real? What if it was someone playing tricks on you? After all, Turk is desperate for a way to get rid of you, and this could be it. Him claiming you are insane.’

‘I am going to find her, Conri. Even if it is the last thing I do. I know she is real, and I can’t say why I constantly see her in my dreams, but I am going to find the hazel-eyed girl. I will.’

‘Yeah. you should,’ his voice had lost a bit of its excitement again. ‘But listen, I have a pressing issue here. Do you think I am about to start my period?’

Wait, what?

I didn’t get the chance to reply before Elliot’s voice cut through.

“If she was a member of our pack, I am sure we’d have found her months ago. So maybe we should start looking at the smaller cities and maybe other packs?”

I turned to face him. “I had considered that, but unless I have something to do in another pack, I can’t just visit. It has to be official, and that would make things harder. I can’t even identify where she is. All I see every time is just her face. Sometimes smiling. Other times crying.”

He nodded. “Yes, you mentioned that a few times. I think I can find a way for you to check other packs. Only it won’t be fast so you have to be patient.”

I said nothing and simply closed my eyes again. “How long till we reach the airport?”

“Five minutes I think. Eager to get back home?”

“I miss my bed.”

“Or you miss dreaming about her even if you’ll be in pain afterwards,” he chuckled. “Let me call my wife. I hate being so far away that I can’t mindlink her.”

I made a sound at the back of my throat. One I knew too well. It was the sound of…sadness. Of wishing I was the one who had someone back home to get to.

“Hey babe,” I heard Elliot whisper, and I knew it was my cue to block him out if I didn’t want to get annoyed.

“Send my love to Lois, and ask her to give my kisses to my sunshine. Oh, and ask her to please make me her signature drink.” I said, before doing my best to tune him out and focus on something else. Like the fact that I haven’t dreamt of the strange girl since Saturday night. Or the fact that I still haven’t finished drawing the only part of the room she is always in when I see her. The background I have been working on for three months now. Which should have been a sign of something terribly wrong with me.

I think I am having a block, and nothing I try seems to work. I can’t seem to make new drawings, or finish the ones I began.

‘SOS alert, Bello. I really think something is wrong with my hormonal levels. And don’t ask me if I have that or not, because why else would I be sad one moment and mad the next? Please tell me I am not about to start bleeding like Lois does!’

If he didn’t sound panicked, and if I wasn’t in the poorest of moods, I’d have laughed my heart out. But the genuine confusion in his voice stopped me from doing anything. His dark eyes were wide with something akin to…fear. And the last time I saw such a look in his eyes was when Father died, and Aunt Neisha got sick three years back.

‘Don’t be stupid please.’

‘I am dead serious though. The only problem is that I have red fur, and that makes it almost impossible to see if I am truly bleeding or perhaps, stained my tail.’

‘I think you are overreacting.’

‘You think I am? Well, be in my shoes and then tell me if I am overreacting!’ he huffed, turned and gave me his back. Which means the conversation is over.

I decided to let him be. Because he was definitely overreacting, which wasn’t something he did. Ever.

I unbuckled my seat belt as the car came to a stop. Time to fly home.

“Lois said the Alpha is hosting a dinner party tonight,” Elliot spoke from behind me.

I groaned. “Can I please catch a break? I am sure he expects me to show up.”

“That…”

The chime of my phone cut Elliot off. And just like I assumed, it was a text from Turk asking me to join him in the hall as soon as I landed.

Damn it. And damn him!

*

“Maybe we should go home first and…”

“Let’s get it over with,” I snapped, stepping out of the car that had picked us from the airport.

Conri suddenly peaked, his stance powerful, as though he was about to pounce on someone.

I paused as well, gripping the door as a wave of something…weird hit me. There was a sudden pull in my chest, like a tug, but to what, I couldn’t say.

“Are you okay?” Elliot asked, rushing to my side.

I waved him off, straightening up. “I am fine. Let’s go.”

I had been on my feet since morning, and after a seven hour flight, all I wanted was a good rest. But when you have a brother like mine, that word isn’t in the dictionary. The best thing would be to show up for the so-called dinner and leave after a while.

‘Something is wrong, Bello.’ Conri sounded serious, too serious for my liking.

‘Are you okay?’

He shook his head, eyes wilder than they were before as he began pacing. ‘I don’t know. I just suddenly feel cold and…and my body…it's shaking and…’

“What are you waiting for, Bello? Come now, I have someone to introduce you to,” Turk's voice broke through the haze as he mindlinked me.

‘Let’s discuss this after I see him.’

Then I took off, the sound of voices carrying through the large courtyard of the pack house as I made my way to the diner hall. Guards bowed as I passed them, but I wasn't paying attention to anything but the prancing of Conri in my head.

Quite distracting. As if that wasn't enough, I had to deal with my own shaking body, the eerie cold that had gripped my nerves, biting into my skin.

This was insane! It was a hot season, so what was going on?

“You look…scary,” Elliot commented. “Maybe I should take you home first and…”

“Go if you need to,” I answered, loosening the tie around my neck. “I'll see Turk then go home.”

“Fine. Let's do that together.”

The double doors to the room were pulled open, and I stepped in.

But something hit my nostrils. A scent so…consuming…no, so drugging. A scent that knocked me clean out, as though the rug had been ripped from my feet, causing me to land face first.

Every nerve in my body tightened even before my eyes found her, and Conri’s pouncing had gotten worse.

Was this it? Am I…

“Danuwa! (Brother!)” Turk called, slapping me on my shoulder as he stopped before me. The scent got stronger, making it almost impossible to focus on anything but it.

And that was when I…saw her. Standing beside Turk was a woman. The same woman from my dreams, I knew that the moment our eyes locked. The moment my throat ceased supplying my heart air.

‘MATE!’ Conri cried, trying to take over.

But I stood my ground, hoping the thudding in my heart would calm down a bit enough to utter some words.

But everything changed when Turk spoke again.

“Barka da isowa! (Welcome home!) Meet your new sister-in-law, my soon to be Luna.”