Marcelo backs away and covers his mouth with his hand, "I'm done with you." Even when he's trying to hide it, I could see the full-fledge smile that desperately desires to surface.
I rest an elbow at the table and lean my face against the open palm. I waited for Marcelo to finish laughing before saying: "You wanna play with me?"
The joy left his face almost entirely.
"For the next few months. Do you wanna play?"
"Play?"
"Hook up."
"And you're not afraid I may bite you?"
"I already told you. I'm not afraid for me." If Marcelo bites me on a closed territory without my consent, it would mean disaster for his pack. As an alpha, he should put his pack above all else, even his soulmate.
An alpha - a leader.
I noticed that the group is slowly moving elsewhere. I stood up, pressed a hand against the table, and leaned towards Marcelo's ear. What I'm doing is most likely my stupid teenage side. "If you're not afraid. Take a ride with me. I'll be in the limo." I grabbed my jacket and made my way towards the door.
Even if Marcelo doesn't show up, I'm going to go home.
The limo driver can take me home and come back here on time to pick everyone else up. I mean, my parents did rent out the limo for the whole night.
Outside of the auditorium, it was cold. The low temperature gave me some brain cells. I smack my face, "What did I just do?" I cannot believe I invited a guy who may potentially bite my neck and chain me down for the rest of my life on a sex marathon.
The more I walk, the more the warmth seems to disappear.
I hate it, but I miss Marcelo.
I know what it is.
It must be the cold.
I look towards the dark sky and exhale, "I want that dick." I slap my face again to wake myself up.
On my way to the limousine, I caught Lana and Lucio. They didn't say anything except stare intensely at each other. I walk backward to hide behind the wall.
Tears fall off Lana's red cheeks, "I love you," she says. "No matter what other people said, I didn't believe them because I trusted you."
It seems like I stumbled upon a little ex-couple bickering.
"You want to know why we didn't work?"
Yes! I do want to know!
"It's the fact that you can't get over that girl!"
Which girl? Rosario?
"Tell me! What's so good about Julia?!"
Hold the fucking phone.
They're talking about another Julia...right?
"She hurt you. She was the one who made you like this. But you still want her. You still defend her." More tears.
"Then, let me ask you." Lucio exhales a white breath, "Do you even love me?" This conversation is getting too deep for me. "Or did you enjoy the fact that you can flaunt to everyone that you tamed me?"
Lana shook her head, "That's not...That's not it."
"Really? Because being with an alpha seems to speak otherwise."
"He forced himself on me."
Lucio's face scrunches, "You don't look like someone who's trapped. Someone who needs help." I have to side with Lucio on that one.
"You don't believe me. Even when I believe you."
Lucio chuckled, just a single one. "Funny. Because I remember you leaving." He steps closer to Lana, "You may think you're different from everyone else. How everyone else is so...basic," he said. "But, at the end of the day, you're no different. And at least Julia, recognize that."
When Lucio disappears, Lana shrieks so loudly, the birds fly away. More tears fall from her cheeks.
At least I know why she hates me so much now.
A strong scent made its way into my nostrils, and I turned around to see Cole. His eyes were pinned onto me. Even on a warm day, I wouldn't be able to control my shaky palms. Cole passed me and made his way towards Lana. He grabs the coat around his arm and wraps it around her shoulders. "This is your fault," she says.
It seems like it's everyone's fault except hers.
Cole didn't say a single word. Instead, he embraces her and strokes her head. After a few minutes, they headed into a car and left the school grounds.
"Did I miss a show?" Usually, I would be scared, but not anymore. Plus, I spotted Marcelo a while back.
"Yeah. Apparently, I ruined a guy's life." My jaw went from left to right, "Huh."
"That sounds like something you would do."
I look at him, "Pardon?"
He shrugs, "I only agree with you."
I gave him a sarcastic smile, "Maybe I'll go fix his life right now."
Marcelo exhales warm air and folds his arms, "Fixing the bad boy. I didn't think you were that cliche."
I smile, "Life is a big fat wad of cliches."
"If you're thinking of making me upset, it's not exactly working."
"Maybe, I will go sleep with Lucio."
"I know you won't."
"And why not?"
"Because you're not into incompatibilities. Isn't that the reason you've been avoiding eye contact with him for years?"
I glanced at Marcelo before I walked away. I could hear his footsteps following me from behind. I knock against the window, and the chauffeur rolls it down. "I would like to go home, please. My friends are still inside, so you may have to come back here."
"Alright. Hop in." He looks behind me, "Your friend coming?"
I turned around, "You coming?"
"Yeah."
"Alright." I walk towards the passenger door. "Cleaning is extra."
Marcelo snickers.
Inside the limo, Marcelo and I were both quiet.
When I looked outside, I could barely see anything because of the sudden fog.
Marcelo is staring at me.
I turn towards the limo, "Will you stop staring at me?"
"What else am I supposed to look at?"
"Well, stop."
He smirks, "Feeling nervous?"
"About?"
"Tonight." He leans closer, "It's not too late to back out."
That is a very tempting offer. Sweats break out again. "Can I ask you something?"
Marcelo exhales softly before he leans back, "Go for it."
"If we weren't soulmates. Would you still be into me?" I'm not sure why I asked that question. Probably to pass the time or give me a chance to calm my nerves.
Marcelo twists his lips to the side before his eyes scan my body. "As a werewolf or as a human?"
"Would it change the answer?"
"Yes."
"Human."
"Yeah," he says. "I would ask you out."
"Werewolf?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Marcelo's eyes wandered around for a moment before he made a popping sound.
I studied Marcelo from head to toe. Despite his messy appearance and most likely lack of preparation for the ball, he still looks quite dashing. I'm pretty sure he threw on a white shirt, black pants, and casual shoes, then called it a night.
The quieter Marcelo became, the more anxious I got.
Then, the deduction arrives.
I thought of all the possibilities why Marcelo would date me if he was a human, but not if he was a werewolf.
"You're afraid that you...may be into me...really into me," I said slowly. I may be wrong and am thoroughly embarrassing myself.
But, judging from how quiet Marcelo is, I don't think I am.
"And-" I fought against the smile that desperately desired to surface, "And if you're into me. You're scared that if your soulmate came then-"
"Enough." Marcelo looks away. I can see a tint of red on his cheeks.
How cute.
Marcelo clears his throat, "It's a serious problem in our world," he says.
I can only imagine.
You develop feelings with someone. Spend time with them. Create all these beautiful memories.
Only for it to all crumble down in a matter of milliseconds.
"What's your take on it?" I ask. "The whole werewolf soulmate thing."
"My take?" He said. He leans back and stares at the roof of the limo. "I would say...complete bullshit."
I stay quiet.
"You...humans...do not understand how lucky you are."
There's something in his voice, something painful.
"To have choices."
"What about rejection?"
Marcelo chuckles, "It's a myth. Werewolves could never reject their soulmate." He exhales, "We could only live with the pain."
"I don't understand. Aren't soulmates your perfect half?"
"Yeah," he said in a low voice. "But, what if we don't want to find our perfect half?"
"You don't want to be whole?"
"You know." He looks at me, "There's a saying." The tip of his tongue made its appearance, "It's not about the destination, but the adventure. To know who your soulmate is the moment you look at them, where's the adventure in that?"
"So, you want to spend your whole life searching?"
"I want to spend my life with...decisions. My decisions. My mistakes. My regrets."
I chuckle, "Why would you want all that?"
He smiles, "Because it makes me feel alive."
That night, I understood Marcelo a bit more. He doesn't necessarily hate being a werewolf, but it doesn't mean he loves being one either.
He feels as if the soulmate connections are chains.
Not his choices.
Most likely, he feels the same about his positions.
They are not his choices.
But, he has to live with them.
Live with being an alpha.
Live with the acceptance of his position as a leader.
Live with having me as his soulmate.
Live with knowing he cannot abandon who he is.
But, the longer I look at Marcelo, the more I see it - his acceptance.
His status.
His position.
Who he is.
He had already accepted it all.
Because...
It is what it is.