Blood Rose

16

"Never had something driving me to the edge."

"I sense tension, and maybe it's because we're both families of past opposing packs? If that's it then I hope we can put all the rivalry away since we're both mated to each other." It was the first time I heard Alessandra speak, and the ways she said things made me feel like she was more educated than me.

"We'll get over it for sure. If not then we're screwed." My mom shrugged and looked me over, as if searching for signs of harm. My face still had some fading cuts, but the bruises and small scratches were mostly healed by now. Hopefully she didn't think it was Fox that did this.

"Well I'm finishing dinner up, so I'm going to go work on that." Fox spoke, leaving the living room. I suddenly felt bad for Alessandra because she was left alone with a bunch of Shadow pack members. Well, technically we switched places.

"Mi," My mom caught my attention. "I want to steal you away for a minute, catch up on a couple things first." I nodded and motioned my head for her to follow me into the dining room. I sat down at the head of the table and she sat in the chair beside mine, grabbing my hand.

"That felt intimidating, being in a room with all werewolves."

"Mom, you've lived that way for the past eighteen years." I laughed.

"Well my family would come sometimes, they kind of brought reality back into my fantasy world. Although this is reality."

"What'd you want to talk to me about?"

"I just wanted to know how he's been treating you. Your dad used to treat me like I was a chore, or maybe I did that to him... can't remember."

"If you're hearing rumors about him beating me and taking the cuts from my face to connect the dots don't, it's not true. Got this when I was jumped." She perked at that and looked at me fiercely.

"By who and why weren't you protected?"

"Everyone hates me so I can't quite remember everything. It's either because I'm Fox's mate and will be Luna, if everything with the Luna Trials works out, or because I'm from the Shadow pack, rivalry."

"My poor baby." She pouted and gently touched the cuts on my head, her accent music to my ears. I missed my family, and her warm accent brought back the sad feeling in the pit of my stomach, knowing they would be leaving shortly. "At least he's good looking, right?" She smirked and nudged me, but I rolled my eyes when my cheeks flushed.

"That helps I guess." She gave me a grin and nudged me again so I hid my face in my hands. "You're not helping me feel any less like a cringey teenage girl."

"But you are a teenage girl, speaking of, how old is Fox exactly?"

"He's twenty-one, almost twenty-two but then again I'm almost eighteen."

"That's still four years, damn I wasn't expecting him to be that old. He doesn't look his age."

"So why did Nicholai come? He probably knew I wouldn't want him here." My mom tilted her head and looked at me with disbelief.

"He was doing what he had to for the pack, and if you tried to out run your mate then you'd hurt yourself and him, and the pack. Learn to be selfless like your brother and make up with him. You can't be mad at your twin forever." She stood and walked back the way we came and I eventually followed.

"Nicholai." I spoke across the room to get his attention, nudging my head behind me. He nodded and said something to Alessandra before following me inside, but we didn't sit.

"Because I can't be mad at my twin forever, I have to forgive you at some point, starting now." His shoulders sagged and he breathed a sigh of relief.