Chapter 36 36
POV EZEQUIEL
I knew where I was.
I could recognize the smell of my city, and my bed as well.
I was home.
My body was naked and I grabbed the sheet from beside the bed.
I lowered my feet to the floor and ran to the bathroom, kneeling beside the toilet to vomit.
My body trembled; nothing came out of my mouth—my stomach was completely empty.
“Master Ezequiel.”
Milena entered the room, and from the scent I knew she was bringing me food.
How many times did I have to tell her not to call me master? That I wasn’t a child anymore?
“Here is your food. Do you need anything else? Your parents are waiting for you. You must be ready in about half an hour.”
“Thank you.”
I stood up and grabbed a towel—surely they would keep coming into the room.
I picked up the tray of food from the table and sat on the bed.
I was far from her.
Very far.
My parents had dared to block my wolf so he wouldn’t feel pain.
The only real way to go through this process was by feeling the pain caused by her rejection, by the things we did.
If it didn’t hurt, I wouldn’t feel that she had ever been mine too.
I got myself ready to go to my parents.
To my surprise, they weren’t alone.
Enzo was there—the leader of the largest and most powerful vampire clan, with whom, luckily, we were at peace, thanks to Owen.
I didn’t understand what he was doing here. Or what he had to do with me.
I took his hand and lowered my head respectfully. I hadn’t seen him for several years—maybe ten—and he looked exactly the same as I remembered.
He always wore a white linen suit, chest open and bare, with a long necklace that reached halfway down his chest. At the center hung a strange stone only he possessed, granting him the ability to walk in daylight. His hair was a light blond, always braided into two strands on each side of his face.
Looking into his eyes was like staring at a light that never stopped shining.
Enzo was definitely superior to us. To me.
Rumor said he was the son of Owen and Jara, but that had never been confirmed—it was just gossip. All that was known was that she had had a daughter; the rest were stories people invented. But why was Enzo the leader of the strongest clan, and also a friend of my father?
Something told me he was the son of the Great Owen, and that the necklace had no power—that Enzo could walk under the sun because he was like his father.
But like I said, those were just stories. That was only my theory.
“He’s grown a lot,” Enzo said to my parents, looking at me.
“He’s already a man,” Mom said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“In a few years Emmanuel will take command of the pack and become Alpha. I’m trying to find the path for Ezequiel until the time comes for him to be his brother’s right hand.”
“Weren’t they at the university?”
“Emmanuel still is, but Ezequiel no longer. As of now, he isn’t.”
“And what is my role here?”
“To take him with you, Enzo.”
Take… take me with him?
“To a place full of vampires? You think that’s the best idea for your son, just to keep him distracted while his brother takes charge of the pack?”
“It’s not distraction. I want you to prepare him, Enzo.”
Prepare me? For what?
It made no sense.
Once Emmanuel became Alpha he would have a Beta as right-hand, a line of warriors under his command, and even a special protection unit for the Alpha in any circumstance.
Prepare me for what?
My mouth wanted to open to object, but I held back—they would send me even farther. How would I see them if I was in the vampire kingdom?
Emmanuel had said he would come here with Lois!
If I left… I wouldn’t see them.
I looked at Mom, but she looked just as convinced as Dad.
“Are you sure about this? I’ll be taking your son to a place full of vampires, let me remind you.”
“We’re very sure,” they both answered.
Enzo came to my side, placed both hands on my shoulders, and those eyes lit up mine. It was hard to look at him for more than five seconds, but I put all my effort into it.
“Do you want to come? Your parents can ask me anything they want, but I’ll only do it if you ask me.”
“What will I find there? Besides vampires?”
“A world completely different from the one you know, and if that weren’t enough, your wolf will not be able to come out during your stay.”
“Will my life be in danger?”
“I promise you it won’t—not even once—unless you put yourself in danger. We abide by laws you don’t know, and our way of life is not like yours. There are few things I can offer you, but we have excellent training resources if you want to strengthen your body during that time; it could also help clear your mind. And not to mention the thousands of things you’ll learn about everything.”
He placed a finger on my forehead. Vampires loved studying—or so they said.
“You look very troubled, Ezequiel.”
“I don’t want to go,” I said, looking away from him. “But maybe I should.”
Enzo leaned close to my ear.
“You’ll get into trouble if you stay,” he whispered. “Here, it will be a serious problem if you keep loving your brother’s mate—even if he agrees with it or she does.”
My body stiffened when he said that. How did he know?
I was sure my parents would never tell anyone, so a rumor wouldn’t spread.
“It would be inconceivable for the future Luna of this prestigious pack—besides being a simple Omega—to also be shared with her mate’s brother. A shame to the Alpha, a disgrace to her, Ezequiel.
Will you be the one to bring shame to your pack and your family? The twin without powers? Anyone would say you’re jealous of little Emma and want what’s his. If anyone sees a threat rising against the most powerful twin ever born… they won’t hesitate to eliminate you. You’re just the other brother—hasn’t that been made clear to you?
Do you need your parents to spell it out?
Emmanuel… Emmanuel. Every border knows that name—every corner of this world has heard it, and they will know it even more once he becomes Alpha. An Alpha does not share, Ezequiel. Your brother won’t.”
He grabbed my face, his mouth beside my ear.
“I’ll tell you a secret. If you had any power… you both would have to be Alphas, since you were born at the same time. The only advantage is that he’s stronger than you. Shall I see if you have any ability?”
He released my face and looked into my eyes again with a half smile.
“Two Alphas and one Luna doesn’t sound so bad.”
His voice echoed in my head, and I had no idea why.
He stepped back two steps. I couldn’t lift my head again.
“I’ll go,” I confirmed. “But not without my wolf. I want the block removed. I won’t shift in the vampire kingdom, but I won’t leave without him.”
“You can return his wolf to him,” Enzo said.
Mom approached, placed a hand on my stomach, and I prepared myself for the pain.
Not the pain of my wolf returning.
The pain left inside me from not having Lois.
I fell to my knees and placed my hands on the floor when I finally felt him coming back. I wiped my mouth from what had spilled over my lips, and used all my strength to push myself to my feet.
I was ready.
I was ready now.