anti-hero

Unknown

A four lettered bitch.

Something cruel and unfair. A tyrant who everyone feared. None questioned it. None could challenge it to a fight. That was what life was.

Life wanted me to be like everyone. Accepting the shit it threw my way with open arms. It was an absolute impossibility for me to succumb because none of it made sense. How was it that one was favored, and the other person disposed of like garbage?

Alessio Salvatore wasn't better than me. He hadn't been taller nor with more powers. In actual fact, we both—like other babies—had been born with zero abilities. He hadn't been more facially endowed, nor blessed with an angelic cry. We'd both had the potential to keep our parents up at night with our wails. Yet, he'd been chosen over me simply because he'd been the first to arrive.

I had been seen as the lazy one. Belief had it that I still was attached to the other world, and so would have a negative impact on the true born and everyone around me.

They hadn't blinked before discarding me for the elements to devour. The innocence of a newborn hadn't matter to them.

Seasons had changed, the earth had revolved and everyone had carried on with their lives, acting like our caste wasn't established upon the blood of the innocent. Many before me, twins, had gone in gory ways. Terminated in the womb, depending on whether they shared a placenta; others killed right after birth like an experimental lizard, and others tossed away for the wild animals to take as food.

I'd been befuddled that nobody saw the evil in this except me and of course my guardians. Those who'd been affected—those unfortunate parents—simply went with the flow, offering their children to be butchered. They deserved much worse retribution than the proponents of this taboo.

This was the reason I empathized with those society had written off as evil, like my role model—Orcus, the god of death. Better the devil you know than the angel you don't.

A pigeon descended upon a shrub, nodding his beak into it. I basked in the afternoon warmth, not minding how blinding the sky was. It always was this way when spring rolled up.

I didn't know what my life would have been without Zio Emiliano and his wife. Very different, yes, but to an extent I couldn't imagine. Zia, who'd been working for my birth mother, had quit her job to raise me. However, this bit hadn't been cheering when I'd first heard it. At 14, I had been more interested in regaining my position and forgetting the poor life I'd been raised in. I hadn't had revenge in mind, but had simply wanted to live the life that had been meant for me. Thank heavens for Zio who'd opened my eyes.

The only reason I'd spared my mother was because she'd spared me. She'd given Zia the go-ahead to dump me in an orphanage run by monks in Cambodia. To her, it was better than offering me to be slaughtered.

Aren't I lucky?

The past had been successfully stacked aside ever since Father died. But it'd rudely visited. It'd been an uphill battle containing my emotions as Rina placed my hands on her belly. I hadn't closed an eye at the motel because I contended with a lot: shock, confusion, anger, sympathy, numbness.

I'd been touched by her determination to save her kids—something my mother lacked.

I reached for the banister and leaned against it. A lost look settled on my face.

I pulled away, eager to do the right thing. Distance made the heart grow fonder. My hate for Rina had fizzled out with her absence from school. And I had to be honest. I'd only hated her because she was connected with Alpha Moreno.

I walked the hallways, passively aware of Mia's presence, and went upstairs. Pulling the closet open, I lingered around the doorstep; then got in and made sure nothing here would serve as a weapon. I went about freeing her arms and legs, trying not to be mad that Mia tied the rope tight. Rina wouldn't look at me. Not even as I remained squatted next to her.

I leaned to inspect her head for a bruise; Tina pushed me away. I staggered because I hadn't expected it.

"Don't you dare come close to me." Her eyes sparked with tears and fury. I understood. That was a natural response.

"Mia hit you; not me." Not much of a surprise, her eyes got wetter. She looked away. ". I don't know what to say to explain all this and make you understand, but things aren't as they seem."

She sniffed.

"Mia shouldn't have been here. You shouldn't have been hit. None of this should have happened."

"Who are you?" she rasped, and turned to me. Face drenched with tears. "You deceived me."

My eyes faltered, ultimately landing on the floor. I had nothing to say. And so, I turned to leave.

She sobbed just then.

"I still stand on my word that I won't hurt you. But there's a price." I reached for the door, almost stepping out.

"Alessio," It was a pained whisper. "Don't do this. You promised, remember. You promised me."

Still for some moment, I closed the door—ignoring her rising sobs. The moment I got to the foot of the stairs, I switched to anger.

I stomped into the kitchen, finding Mia biting on a French toast. I rushed towards her and spun her around. The juice in her hand spilled onto her clothes.

"Hey!"

"I call the shots, you hear me? The fuck do you go about doing as you like. Can't you see she's pregnant?"

"And can't you see she caught us red-handed. Oh, I should sit back and let her tattle to the whole world that I've got the moon statue with me?"

I looked at her with disdain, unable to believe she was saying this.

She squirmed. "Do you mind? You're crossing your boundaries."

I didn't obey, so she pushed me and turned to the sink, cussing.

"You've freaking ruined my shirt."

"Who told you she knew the statue belonged to the Morenos? Only the alpha and few people know what it looks like, so why did you? Except you're so motivated by hate that you don't mind knocking her unconscious."

"Why is that your problem? No, tell me. How have I become the wicked one, when you've got more skeletons in your cupboard, planning to overthrow Alpha Morenos? Oh, no, it's simply because it is Rina. You all have got to tell me what's so special about her! Gosh." She flung the towel she'd been using to wipe her stain away, taking off.

I held her back. "This should never happen again. Get that? Whatever issues you've got with Rina shouldn't cloud your reasoning. We need her alive."

"No, you do. Not me. This is your fight. You stand to gain it all."

I glared at her long and she yanked her arm from my grip.

"I can't believe this. Because it's Rina, I've suddenly become the bad one. Stupid, fucking…"

Her voice trailed off as she walked away. I took some time to control myself, then marched to the fridge to help myself with some yogurt and drive—even though transiently—my torments.