~Alex~
What Nico said was uncalled for. All I did was show concern for him, but as always, he can't accept it. It makes my blood boil just thinking of the way he dissed Kayla. There was no reason for saying those things. I can't stand the way he pushes people away. It annoys me to no end. Who knows, maybe he's right: maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore. Because it seems that all we ever do anymore is fight with each other over every little thing.
It's been about two hours since that argument, but it's still fresh in my mind. I groan, I can't focus on my assignments at all. If I'm going to be avoiding Nico from now on, then I need to stop constantly thinking about him. Just the thought of him makes me angry. Heaving a sigh, I slam my textbook shut. It's useless.
Outside, a blizzard is raging. White snowflakes whip around in a frenzy. It seems like we're going to gain a couple inches of snow tonight. I push my chair back and stand up, stretching my limbs. Maybe I'll make myself a snack.
The house is warm and toasty. Even a bit too warm. Mom and dad are cooped up in their respective offices, working, so the house is quiet except the howling winds outside. Halfway down the stairs, I stop, I could've sworn I heard a thump. Shaking my head, I continue down the steps-- it's just the wind.
In the kitchen, I stand, looking inside the fridge for anything worth eating, but see nothing. My ears perk at the sounds of a couple of dull thuds. Worry creases my brow. What is that sound? It seems to be coming from the back door. Quietly, I close the fridge, trying to hear any signs of the sounds again, but there's nothing. Maybe I should go check it out just in case.
I leave the kitchen and head toward the back of the house. A loud slam makes me jump. Did someone just come in? My muscles tense and my senses are on high alert as I stalk toward the hall. I turn the corner and I can see a figure hunched over in the dark, I get ready to pounce.
"Who are you?" I call out. Is it a rogue?
"Alex?" A soft voice calls out wearily.
"Nico?" I ask, incredulous. Why in the world is he here? Didn't he just get finished with pushing me away? Maybe he's here to apologize. I quickly turn on the hallway lights. "What are you doing here?" I inquire.
Nico is leaning heavily against the wall. His hair is limp and wet against his forehead. His clothes drip water onto the hardwood floors. His lips seem to be tinted blue and he's deathly pale. He stutters out a few words that I can't hear, so I take a step forward. What's wrong with him? What happened this time? And of all the places, why did he come to me?
"Nico? What the heck happened to you?" I inquire aloud. My brow is scrunched with worry. His current state seems questionable, but I also don't want to make him mad by being concerned. Why does he have to be so complicated? I can't seem to figure him out.
I can barely make out the word he whispers. "Cold..."
He falls to the ground with a dull thud. My eyes widen in fear. "Nico?" I ask, feeling panic rise up in my throat. He's curled up, shaking like a leaf. Ignoring what he said before, I run to him. I rest a hand on his cheek and feel that he's deathly cold. His pulse is weak, almost gone. What happened?
With shaking hands, I pull off his coat, then shirt, and proceed until he's naked. I leave the clothes in a damp pile while I scoop Nico up into my arms, holding his freezing body close to my chest. I run through the house, my feet flying up the stairs as I bring him into my room.
Frantically, I search through my closet and pull out a pair of sweatpants, a sweatshirt, somes socks, a pair gloves, and a hat. I pull all the clothes onto Nico's unconscious body except the beanie. I'll need to blow dry his hair before I do that-- his wet hair will only hinder him if left unchecked. I run to my mom's bathroom and steal the hairdryer from there, plugging it in where my phone would usually go. My fingers run through Nico's feathery soft hair, drying every inch until I'm satisfied.
Even fully dressed and under the covers, he shivers. My fingers dig into my scalp as I look at his helpless form. What do I do? How can I help him? Maybe I can't, but the doctors at the infirmary should be able to. I stalk over to my desk and search for my phone, swiping books off to find it. My hands are unsteady as I dial in the number for the health center.
I bite my lip harshly as the phone rings once and then twice. Just when I think I'm about to go crazy, the call goes through, and a girl's voice answers.
"Hello, this is Brooke at the Infirmary speaking, what's your emergency?" The nurse inquires calmly.
"It's me, Alex. Nico's in trouble," I say.
"What?!" The girl screeches, "What happened? What's going on?"
"I'm not sure what happened to him, all I know is that he suddenly showed up at my house, half-dead. It looks like he was caught out in the cold. His lips are blue and he's shaking like crazy. He just passed out a couple minutes ago." My voice is calm despite my thumping heart.
"It seems like he may have hypothermia," Brooke says.
"What should I do? Can you come over and treat him?" I ask, at a loss.
"It's impossible, this snow storm is brutal. It's as though the moon goddess is angry or something. No, you will have to take care of Nico yourself. I'll tell you what to do and you do it."
"Got it."
"OK, first, get him out of wet clothes and to somewhere dry. Cover him with blankets--"
"I've already done all of that," I reply.
"Good, if you can, you should get a warm compress and apply it to his neck, groin area, and chest."
"Uh, what if we don't have a warm compress?"
"Ugh, then lay with him and warm him up. Throw some towels into the dryer to warm them up."
"OK..." I hold the phone close to my ear as I jog out of the room to the laundry closet.
"While the towels are being warmed up, you should lay with him and keep him warm. Did you check his breathing? His pulse?"
"His pulse was weak the last time I checked," I say, turning the dryer on.
"What about his breathing?" Brooke inquires, her voice almost hysterical.
I jog back to the bedroom, "I'll do that right now." Carefully, I hold my hand over his mouth and nose. Air is coming in an almost steady rhythm.
"OK, he's breathing," I heave a sigh of relief.
Brooke's relief is audible over the phone. "That's great. Now you better get to warming Nico up. No excessive rubbing, Mr. And when he wakes up, no alcoholic beverages or caffeine. It should be something sweet and warm, if possible. I'll leave you to it, call me the moment he wakes up."
"OK, will do. Thank you so much, Brooke. I'll talk to you later then." I hang up.
I drop my phone onto the top of my desk and look at the bed. Lay with Nico? Is that really OK? Don't be silly, self, it's a life or death moment. Hesitantly, I crawl onto the bed beside him. His skin is icy cold, even through the clothes he wears. Sadness wells up inside of my chest. Why does Nico always get it the hardest? He doesn't deserve this. Reluctance gone, I pull his small frame close to me and wrap my arms around him. I rest my chin upon the top of his head and close my eyes. Without meaning to, I drift off to sleep.
~*~*~*~
It's really warm and soft in my bed. I've never felt so comfortable in my entire life. I breathe in the smell of wood smoke and sea salt greedily, enjoying the delectable scent. My eyes open softly. I glimpse the top of a beanie sticking out from beneath the covers. Suddenly everything snaps into place and I sit up with a start. What's going on?
Dang, I guess I must have fallen asleep. My heart pumping with guilt, I check on Nico. His breathing is even and deep. His shivering is gone and there even seems to be some color in his cheeks now. Relief floods my system and I flop back down onto the pillows.
Nico's eyes flutter and he twists towards me. He reaches out and grabs my shirt, pulling himself close. I wonder what he's dreaming about. Giving a shrug, I pull the covers back over us and close my eyes again. I mine as well enjoy the moment while it last.
~*~*~*~
"Alex," A muffled voice calls out, "it's time for dinner!"
The room is pitch black. I wonder what time it is. How long did we sleep for? I sit up and stretch, feeling a tad bit groggy still. Nico groans and begins to stir as well. It seems that he's finally coming to. I kick off the covers and swing my legs over the edge of the bed, waiting for Nico to wake up.
"Nhhn, where am I?" Nico says, his voice laced with exhaustion.
"You're at the Head house, Nico," I say. At the sound of my voice, Nico startles and sits up.
"Alex?!" He exclaims, "What happened?!"
"I was hoping you could tell me that," I say. My voice is gruff, I'm still trying to maintain distance from Nico. It's not like we made up or anything. But I'm shocked when I feel his arms wrapped around me.
"I thought I was going to die, Alex. You were the only thing that kept me going." Something warm and wet soaks my back and I realize that he's crying.
"You're okay now, Nico, you're okay." I say, as he sobs into my back. I pull his hands off of me and stand up. "I know you're hurting, but you shouldn't come crying to me."
All I can hear is the sound of Nico's sniffles. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that I don't want to deal with taking care of you every time you're in a crisis situation. You think you can just keep pushing me away and then pulling me right on back? That's not cool, Nico. It hurts. I don't want to hurt because of you anymore," I walk towards the door and set my hand on the handle.
"I-I'm sorry," He sobs quietly.
Pain shoots through my heart as I open the door. "Well, sorry is not going to cut it anymore, Nico." I walk out of the room, closing the door softly behind me. My heart aches more than it should over that. I know he was my best friend, but lately he's been nothing but toxic. So why does it feel as though I've just lost a piece of myself?I continue down the stairs, feeling terrible. It's what had to be done. I can't keep being played on Nico's whims. I just hope the pain will go away soon.
Mom and dad are in the kitchen eating dinner. They barely take note as I walk in to make myself a plate. Mirabella notices my sullen expression.
"What's wrong, Alex? You don't look well," She says.
"It's nothing, mom, I'm fine." I set my plate on the table and take my seat. I see mom exchange a worried glance with dad.
At just that moment, Nico walks into the kitchen. His eyes are puffy red, and he looks uncertain about his place. Mom and dad seem surprised to see him. Well, I guess I did forget to mention that he's here.
Mom speaks first, "Oh, Nico! I didn't know you were here. Come! Please, take a seat." She gets up to make Nico a serving. Nico looks like a wary cat as he approaches the table to sit beside me.
"So, what brings you here?" Mirabella inquires cheerfully.
"Oh," Nico says, "you know, just a run in with Nyx is all."
My mother drops the plate in her hand and my father's fork falls to the ground. Silence follows. What just happened? I glance between mom, dad, and Nico. My parent's faces are white as sheets, while Nico looks both depressed and angry at the world at the same time.
"What did you say, Nico?" My mother asks, trying to retain her sweet tone.
"I know what you did, Mirabella. To me and him." Nico stands up, his glare is fixed to the table.
"Let's not talk about this right now," my mom says, something like fear in her voice. She glances at me in uncertainty and guilt.
"Why me? Why do I have to suffer so much? Why does he," Nico points at me, "get to be so ignorant and blissfully unaware?
My dad looks confused and my mother looks utterly horrified. What is Nico talking about? I'm ignorant and unaware of what?
"I've got so many questions," Nico continues, practically spitting out the words, "like, what happened to my parents? Why is Nyx after me? What is the prophecy? And more importantly, who in the hell is Eleanor?"
Mirabella takes an unsteady step forward. "I don't know what happened to your parents-"
"Lies!" Nico shouts, making me jump.
"It's the truth!" My mother insists.
"Answer the other questions then," Nico says vehemently.
"The prophecy is ancient. It's been written for many centuries now. Nyx is after the strongest of the twin stars, you. Because you're so much more than you know," Mirabella says.
"I bet I am, but for some reason... I can't remember!"
Mom flinches and looks down guiltily. My blood begins to boil. Who the hell does Nico think he is? Talking like that to my mother? I push back my chair so hard that it topples over. I'm not going to let him talk to my family like that. I grab him by the front of his hoodie, my hoodie.
"Don't talk to my mom like that!" I growl.
Nico's eyes are defiant. Ignoring me, he looks over at Mirabella. "Who is Eleanor?"
Mom looks as though she's going to be sick before she answers. "Nico, Eleanor is your sister."
A sister? Nico has a sister? Since when? How have I never known nor met her? My eyes snap to Nico. It's as though a sudden drastic change overtakes him. His eyes begin to glow blue and his teeth grow into fangs. "How dare you! How could you?!" He's practically jumping out of my grip, trying to reach my mother, but I hold him back.
"I want my memories back! Every one of them! Alex too! Give back his memories! Make him remember who he should really love! Why? Why would you do this to your own son? And to me too?" Nico's rage dies down into tears, but that doesn't keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Mirabella meets Nico's eyes, looking pained. "I can't..."
"You can't? Or you won't?"
"I can't. Your mother was special, a Druid. She has magical abilities that let her do fantastic thing, but also dark things too. I have no Druid magic in me, so I can't reverse the spell."
Nico looks up at me helplessly. It seemed that every bit of hope he had was crushed by her words. He searches my eyes, but his just fill up with tears at what he does or doesn't find. He pushes off of me.
"I'll fix this somehow. I'll break this damn curse and save you and me. Someday." Nico's eyes look dead as he heads toward the front door.
"Y-You're not going to put on a jacket or shoes?" My mother inquires as Nico opens the door.
He looks back at us. "I don't think the cold will bother me anymore, Nyx saw to that."
At the name Nyx, my parents flinch. The door slams behind Nico as he disappears from sight, leaving all the broken pieces behind him. Sometimes I wonder if he acts the way he does because he wants everything and everyone to be as broken as he is.
My father and I stare accusingly at my mother. Waiting for her to tell us what Nico was on about. She bites the bottom of her lip and looks at the both of us with immeasurable guilt. I wonder what she's about to tell us.
"It all happened five years ago..." She starts, slumping against the counter.
That's around the last time I saw Nico. That's when we were in the 6th grade.
"Belladonna and I discovered the prophecy when we were going through old documents. Bella used her Druid knowledge and I used the Wolf knowledge to try and figure it out. And when we did reveal its meaning..." Mirabella stops herself for a second, tears forming in her eyes. "We found out that it was about Nico and Alex."
"How could you possibly know that though?" My father asks, his voice too calm for the current situation.
"Because it talked about the next alpha in line intertwined with the fate of a half-wolf half-witch. It can only be Nico. It spoke of a terrible fate if the two were kept together, so we did the only think we could think of: we separated you two." Mirabella's eyes are strained on the floor.
She separated us? But how? It was just by chance that Nico got sent away, his parents disappeared so he had no choice but to go away right? But wait, my mom and his mom are really good friends, so why couldn't we have just taken him in?
"We made sure Nico went to his uncle's house, far away from here, from you." My mother says.
My jaw drops. She and Belladonna made Nico go live with that monster of a man? That's just sick.
"So, Belladonna and I performed this ritual that can take away something from each person in the ritual circle. We took away Nico's memories."
"If it takes something from both people, then what did I get taken from me? I remember Nico perfectly fine."
My mother wrings her wrist and avoids looking into my eyes. "We took away your love."
"That's not true, I love Kayla-"
"We took away the love for your mate. You may not know this, but even looking at someone other than your mate for a romantic partner is unbearable, but you can do it easily. Because you don't love your mate any longer. You can kiss Kayla and hold her hand guilt free, while your real mate could be standing right in front of you and you wouldn't even know it."
"What?!" I yell, "Is this true?"
"It is, like right now you can't even think of who your mate could be, even though it's as obvious as day," Mirabella says hollowly.
I grind my teeth together, trying not to yell at her, even though I want to scream in her face. How could she do this to us? "Fix it," I seethe.
"Weren't you listening?" She says, "I can't! I don't have any magic that can reverse this. Belladonna is missing, so she can't help. You guys are just going to have to live that way."
I shake my head. "I can't believe you. You expect me to live without a mate? And do you know what you've done to Nico because of this? Do you know how much he's been through? In the darkest times of his life, he didn't have a single good memory to rely on because you erased them all."
"Alex-"
"No, don't talk to me." I stalk out of the room, unable to contain my rage.
~*~*~*~
My bedroom door slams behind me. I sit on the edge of my bed, my head swimming. I won't ever get to meet my mate because of this. Even if someone told me they were my mate, I couldn't believe them because it wouldn't feel real. My head rest between my hands.
This whole time I kept bagging on Nico, calling him broken and damaged, and thinking that there was seriously something wrong with him, but now I know that none of it is his fault. He was set up five years ago. His own mother along with mine pushed us down a hill and we're still rolling down it. I wonder where it'll end. But where ever that it is, I know it'll be with Nico.
Sighing, I roll onto my back. I wonder if Nico got home to his cabin OK. Seeing him like he was today was like watching a stranger. Just what is happening to him? Does it have to do with that Nyx person he was talking about? Maybe I should ask him... No, I can't do that. I'll leave him be for now. It's for the best.
If the entire world is telling us to stay apart, maybe it's best to put a little distance between us. It's not like we're on the best of terms. Everything I said was true, his indecisiveness hurts. I just hope I'm doing the right thing.
~*~*~*~
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I saw that I've got up to 500 views/reads on this story and I'm really proud. Thank you so much for sticking through. I hope you are enjoying this story as much as I am. I'm so happy!
Please comment your favorite part or the part you thought was the hardest to read. I really enjoy reading comments and seeing that there really are readers out there. So thanks again, see you in the next part. Bye, bye.