After the taxi driver helped me with the groceries I paid him and he went on his way, I made my way inside and found Chanel coming down the stairs.
"You're just in time" I sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing...i just don't want to be stuck putting all the groceries away by myself." I lied.
She put her hands on her hip, "you're lying, I can always tell when you're lying to me."
"It was nothing, really." I sighed restlessly.
She squinted her eyes to get a really good look at me, then she stepped forward before circling me.
"What is that?" She asked knowingly as she pointed.
My hand flew up to my neck, "you've got to be shitting me!" I said before dropping the bags and running to the nearest bathroom. Once in front of the mirror I examined my neck and there it was, like a billboard...a small reddish-purple hickey on my jaw just under my ear lobe.
"You ran into loverboy didn't you?" She smiled.
I looked down, I hated knowing that he made me feel like this, "this shouldn't have happened."
"I'm glad it did" Chanel said seriously, "Evalina, he is your mate...you need to woman up and claim what is yours!"
"Says the girl who prays every night that she never finds her mate." I snapped before calming down, "besides, he's Gia's."
She gave a look so pointed that if looks could kill I might just be on the floor bleeding out, "I'm so tired of hearing that Evalina!" She yelled. "You called me because you needed help. I'm your fucking best friend and I'll be damned if I'm going to watch you play the victim, This is NOT the girl I've known nearly my whole life!"
We just stood there for a minute.
"Now I'm gonna go put the Damn groceries away and you better come up with a plan to get Cesare!" She said before stomping away.
I put both hands on the sink and let my head hang down, she was right.
When had I allowed myself to become the weak pushover? What's mine is mine and I've never been one for sharing. I love my sister, but as my sister she should understand, Cesare and I are mates, we didn't choose this, it just happened. And if she can't take it, tough luck. It'd be different if he were her mate, then again if she found her mate in my boyfriend sure I'd be a little sad at first but I would get over it and ultimately end up being happy for her.
It was there in that bathroom that I looked up at my reflection and decided to listen to Chanel and follow my heart instead of overthinking things.
Come Thursday I would get my mate.
...
(Thursday-Thanksgiving)
"Please be extra careful with those." I said worriedly as Chanel held the cheesecake and Gianna took the chocolate cake.
"Dude you look amazing!" Chanel commented on my outfit.
"Thanks" I said low, having attended an all girls school you don't get very many compliments unless it's on cute shoes or a nice bag, so it's always awkward having to accept them.
"You really do look good baby sis." Gianna said, "oh did you get yourself with the curling iron?" She asked as she leaned in to inspect the small hickey Cesare had left on me.
"Yeah, I was sort of in a rush this morning, plus I wanted to make a good impression for the Alpha and Luna."
She nodded her understanding before leaving us to get into her own car. Once mom joined us in her car we finally drove off to the pack house.
It was a grand house that reeked of elegance and sophistication. I was thoroughly surprised to find that it truly was a family gathering as no other pack members lingered about.
"Welcome welcome," a tall elegant man greeted us happily, he didn't seem extremely old, but I could tell he was Cesare's father. The two had the same shade of hair and carried themselves in a very similar manner, their was also a poshness that one is raised with that seemed to exude from him the same way it did with his son. "I'm so glad to have your family joining us this year, and if everything goes according to plan, perhaps this won't be the only holiday we spend together."
I didn't miss the smile he sent specifically to my sister, of course he would want his son to marry someone as equally strong and powerful...and of course that's Gianna to the T.
"Alpha, thank you for having us." Mom said as she hugged him then moved on to his wife, "Luna, your home smells amazing, I can't wait to try a little of everything."
"Beverly, it's so good to see you again." The Luna spoke to mom. The Luna was a warm sort of woman. She was just as tall as her husband but where he seemed regal and elegant she seemed to have a sort of effortless grace. Her smile reached her soft brown eyes, the same color as her shoulder length hair. "Please, won't you all come inside out of the cold." She offered sweetly, her sweetness only enhanced by her deep dimples.
"Good evening Alpha." Gianna sounded sweetly after we had removed our jacket and placed out purses on the coat hanger.
"Gianna my dear it's always a pleasure."
Just then Cesare entered the room.
I didn't fail to notice Chanel's eyes bug out of their sockets momentarily before she righted herself.
"Alpha, this is my baby sister Evalina and her best friend Chanel."
Chanel stepped up first and shook his hand, "thank you for allowing me to join you all on such short notice Alpha Minicci."
The alpha chuckled, "Any friend of the DeLaurentis' is a friend to ours, and I see you've made us a dessert as well."
"Actually Evalina made it." Chanel smiled.
"Oh yes that reminds me Gianna, did you bring your desserts?" The Luna asked.
Gianna made a troubled face, "I'm sorry, I got swamped with work so I asked my sister to make a couple of dishes."
"That should be fine, but I was really looking forward to seeing your culinary skills." She smiled.
"You must be Evalina" the Alpha suddenly said and in that moment all eyes fell on me. "Allow me to introduce myself and my wife, I am Giovanni and this is my lovely wife Florence."
"It's a pleasure to meet the both of you Alpha, and Luna."
"My dear girl, I dare say the pleasure is all mine" he said as he and his wife smiled on..."you're just as pretty as your sister aren't you?"
"I'd say she's rather stunning."
I looked over at Cesare and watched him step forward, like before he lifted my hand to his mouth as he kissed my knuckles...in front of everyone. "I'm glad to see you again Evalina."
"I have to agree with you son, this little one is truly a beauty." His mother smiled as she walked over and put her arm around my shoulders. Something about the moment sort of made her eyes sparkle with laughter as well. "Won't you sit next to me sweetheart?"
"It would be an honor Luna."
"Please, call me Florence" she smiled.
"Oh Luna, I couldn't" I protested.
She gave me a sweet but pointed look, "I insist."
As Florence showed us into the dining room she gave everyone a seat.
"Darling you go on that end and I am on this end." she told her husband, "okay, where's Evalina, okay you will sit to my right and your lovely friend may sit to my left." She said almost giddily, like her best friends had come over for a slumber party.
"Let's move this along" the Alpha grumbled, "I'm hungry, son you're on my right and Gia on my left, Beverly sit in between your daughters."
"But that won't do!" Florence stated with certainty. "It should be male female, male female...it will throw everything off, Beverly sit next to my husbands right and Cesare dear, take a seat next to Evalina."
The Alpha simply waved his consent and sat back as mom and Cesare switched spots. I didn't want to point out that her arguments was virtually invalid as myself and Chanel were seated right next to her, plus, everyone knows the Luna is ALWAYS right.
The dinner was laid out on the table and the Alpha carved the turkey before everybody began passing the dishes around to be served.
"Thank you" Cesare smiled as he let his hands brush against mine when I passed him the bowl of corn.
I couldn't help but smile as the warm currents filled up my body, "y-you're welcome."
Once everyone was settled with a full plate a small silence filled the dining room before the alpha spoke.
"Your sister tells me that you've been attending St. Magdalene's, that's a fine learning establishment."
I put my fork down and gave him my full attention, "yes sir, I've been there for some time now, and while many times I've missed home, I'm truly glad for the experience."
"So well spoken" Florence said with admiration.
"Thank you, St Magdalene's instills in us the regular learning curriculum as well as etiquette classes so I'm merely a product of my upbringing." I smiled.
"Seems like they've done a mighty fine job." The Alpha praised me.
"Is it true that for the senior prom they get the boys of The Incarnate Academy to go over?" Gianna asked.
I nodded, "yes, and many of them find their mates on that night, of course they later go on and get married and have little legacy babies."
Everyone laughed.
"It's funny you bring that up, marriage, where do you stand on couples getting married who aren't mates?" The Alpha asked.
"I don't like it one bit."
"Oh" he questioned.
"No sir, I think it is a pointless Union to marry someone who isn't your mate, because when one or the others true mate comes along then it can leave a messy path." I said.
"How so?"
"Well first off one will inevitably be broken hearted, then there's the expensive and sometimes drawn out divorces, and the worst is if they have a child or children, imagine having a loveless baby...sure they will love their child, but the kid is too young to realize what's going on and could grow up resenting their parents...all of which can be avoided by simply waiting for your mate."
"My my" he sounded.
"I'm sorry you feel that way." Gianna glared at me.
I simply shrugged, "you can't possibly think Cesare will marry you, you aren't his mate." I said calmly but my words stung with coldness.
"Shows how much you know," she smirked, "he actually proposed the other night."
I looked at her and then at him, he had squeezed his eyes closed, before standing up, "Gianna, a word please."
Something about his calm demeanor and him not outright denying it made my heart race with anxiety, it couldn't be true...could it?
"I know you wanted to keep it a secret, but what better time than when our family is all together."
His father clapped and my mother couldn't have looked more proud. Chanel looked shocked and his mother, well she was stabbing at a piece of turkey rather violently.
"Gianna! A word please." He growled as he stood up before they both left the room.
I excused myself from the table before I found my way out the back door.
'This can't be happening.' I thought to myself as I began to hyperventilate a bit, 'it's not true.'
Too bad my heart was too hurt to trust anything at the moment.
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A/N:
Cesare's parents...originally I had described them a bit differently but have since went back and changed things up a bit.
Alpha Giovanni Minicci- Jude Law
Luna Florence Minicci-Jennifer Garner