“Okay. Let’s get back to the parking lot, then.”
I don’t say a word for the whole trip back. I know Tonia keeps glancing at me, but I ignore it. I just feel anxious for some reason, and I can’t shake this weird feeling off. I really wish Damian was here. I’m nervously playing with my phone, but I can’t bring myself to call him. I know he’s busy, and I don’t want to bother him for something so trivial. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid.
Once we are back at the apartment, Bobo is stuck to me. I know he is trying to reassure me, and I’m thankful for that. For a second, I wonder what to do, but I decided to go change into one of my gym outfits and grab my boxing gloves from my room. Without asking Tonia anything, I just head to the gym upstairs, Bobo following me as usual.
I don’t like this feeling. I try to punch it off on the sandbags, irritated. What is Alec planning? He clearly wanted me to see him, so what now? I never know where to stand with my brother... Alec has never acted like a sibling to me. He was the worst back when we were still in the Jade Moon pack, and showed no remorse hitting me. Yet I could never wholly resent him. Because he is my brother and I know what happened to our parents messed him up a lot. Maybe I was blinded all along.
I remember the last time I saw him. He was ready to let Marcus rape me and to kill me. He would have if Bobo and Tonia didn’t intervene. I throw a couple more punches, with all my strength. What is wrong with him? Why does he hate me so much? I feel like I’m missing something here, and I can’t let it go anymore. I need to settle things with my brother for real. For good.
I keep the punches coming and even fail to notice Tonia entering the gym. I only realize she’s there when she starts talking.
“I see someone needed to blow off some steam.”
“Did you find him?” I ask, panting.
She shakes her head and hands me a few black-and-white pictures. I take off my gloves to look at it while she puts my hair into a ponytail.
“The surveillance cameras caught him at the west entrance of the mall, but that’s all we could gather. What do you want to do?”
This is the first time she is asking for my decision. I take a while to think, but I already know what should be done. I give her the pictures back.
“I need to find him. I need to talk to my brother seriously. You have his full name, and we know he’s still in town. Without a Clan, I doubt he would go anywhere on the other Clans’ turfs, and I think he is watching me. He’s probably somewhere in the Blood Moon Clan’s territory.”
My wolf agrees with me, though she wants to go find him herself. But that would be reckless, and I promised Damian I wouldn’t do anything dangerous. Somehow, I feel Alec is up to no good following me, and I just can’t leave it like that. Tonia nods with a big smile.
“Now that’s an Alpha talking!”
I roll my eyes. Since we discovered this whole mystery about my secret birth, Tonia and Nathaniel have been going on about my hypothetical Alpha genes whenever they get an opportunity. I don’t really want to have to think too deeply about it. This whole matter about my non-recorded existence is already enough of a headache as it is. But, as a matter of fact, I also believe my brother may be able to enlighten me about that. Even more reasons to get ahold of him.
A couple more days pass without any sign of Alec.
It’s nerve-wracking. I try to chase my worries away by keeping myself busy, switching between my studies and workout sessions, but it’s no use. We can’t confirm Alec’s location. I have no idea what he wants, but I really want to ask him some questions about our parents and the mystery surrounding me.
Damian barely has any time to call me at all. It seems like he really is as busy as Tonia said. I only manage to have him on the phone a few minutes a day. Apparently, they are about to reach an agreement with the Gold Moon Clan, making the neighboring packs uneasy, and thus, some conflicts are bound to rise.
“My brother said you made your decision,” says Damian the next day I have him on the phone.
“Yes. I’m not sure this is a good idea yet, but... maybe it’s worth trying. I need to end things once and for all with the Jade Moon Clan.”
I’m sitting on the couch, brushing my hair with my fingers while holding up the phone. It’s almost midnight, and Bobo is sleeping like a baby against my legs. Damian sounds dead tired, yet he gave me a call, as promised.
“You can do it, Nora. Put that scum back into his place, or I’ll come and do it for you.”
I can’t help but smile. I’ve noticed Damian is more straight-forward and less polite when he is tired.
“I’ll do my best.”
“We’re still looking for your brother. He really knows how to stay under the radar. Nathaniel even gave the word to our allies, but no one has spotted him yet.”
I have been thinking about this matter a lot. Recently, I had an idea about how to get ahold of Alec, but I’m not sure this will work.
“Damian, I think I know when we can catch him.”
“Tell me.”
“I think he will be there at the duel against Vincent. Alec is rancorous. Peter and Vincent banished him, so I’m sure he will want to be there to see the Alpha being demoted. He will definitely find a way to see the fight, we will have a chance to catch him.”
“We can have people watching the grounds. Two days is more than enough to prepare; I’ll ask Nathaniel to take care of it.”
