Sicilia

Sicilia
Ken

“You look like you bumped into a ghost on your way here. Your face looks so pale,” Priya commented the moment I entered my office.

I didn't reply to her, my mind raced fast, and I tried to get the image of Sicilia away from my mind, but it was impossible.

“Brother, are you alright?” Priya asked with a concern-filled voice and tried moving closer to me, but I made sure I kept a distance. And this worried her.

“Brother, how are you feeling? Is the twin's pain kicking in again?” She asked curiously, and I could swear that she was about to cry.

“Humm,” I mumbled and held my chest in pain. I staggered my way to my chair and collapsed in it.

I know I tried to be brave, fearless, and ruthless, but like every other wolf, I had a weakness. And it was my heart. When I was a child, I noticed that I felt a sharp pain in my chest most of the time. I told my mother about it, and she assured me that it would stop. But it didn't, instead, it became more painful. My mother took me to a black witch who performed some dark magic, and I instantly became better. I had even forgotten about the pain until recently.

A few months ago, I was training my warriors when I felt a sharp sword piercing my chest. I tried ignoring it, but it became more painful. The white witch I visited told me that it was a pull. She said I was feeling the pain of my other half, and whenever I was also in pain, my other half would feel my pain. I didn't believe her, and I asked about the whereabouts of my supposed ‘other half’, but she had no answer to it.

Recently, the pain has gotten more intense and painful. My other half must be in a lot of pain. I couldn't tell my mother about it, because she got scared whenever I spoke about it, so I ended up confiding in Priya.

After thousands of research, Priya also came up with a name from my prediction, she called it the twins’ pull. According to her, I was a twin in my past life, and I was feeling the pain she/he felt in the past.

I didn't know who or what to believe, and I ended up getting overwhelmed. But I wanted to meet my other half/twins if I truly had one.

Since I was a child, I was taught to take responsibility for my life. From an early age, I had to become independent. I had to fend for myself and my people. It would be nice if there was someone who could feel my pain and bear my burden with me.

I took a deep breath, and stood up, “Priya, I am fine. I mean I think I am,” I muttered, trying to conceal my pain. Over the years, I had learned to hide my true feelings under a facade of strength.

Priya didn't look convinced, and she sighed sadly. “You don't have to lie to me, it's completely fine if you don't want to talk about it!”

I smiled at her broadly, “You're right. I will be fine.”

Priya was happy to hear my declaration. “You've been smiling more often recently. Humm, I wonder if I am the reason,” she said with a solemn voice.

I arched my brows at her and shook my head playfully, “You should be happy that I survived a panic attack, not questioning me.

“A panic attack?” Priya murmured under her breath. “Well, if you had died, I would have gladly taken up your role as the Alpha of the Northern pack,” she said.

“Alpha?” I burst into laughter. “Priya, we all know about how bad you are as a leader,” I replied to her, laughing hysterically.

Priya pretended to be offended. “That's not true, brother. I am not a bad leader, I just want to travel and explore the other packs,” she muttered in the ‘travel’ part.

I hummed sadly, it hurt my heart to see my sister looking sad and helpless. I wished I could help her and ease her pain, but what she was asking for was impossible. No, it wasn't impossible, it was dangerous. Priya's dream since childhood had been to leave the North and explore the other lands, the only thing holding her back was me.

When we were young, we both vowed to run away from our pack and live in the woods, but my mother got to me.
My mother took me to the pack's hospital, where hundreds of werewolves were dying due to some sort of illness. Then she took me to the war ground where thousands of werewolves were laying down their lives to protect their loved ones.

All these taught me that I had a bigger responsibility. My mother made me understand that I wasn't needed in the woods, my people were in the north, and as the Alpha, it was my job to throw away my stupid fantasies and dreams. I was forced to focus on the pack and my members.

My mother manipulated me and made sure that I trusted no one, to the extent that I was scared of leaving the North. But no one knows how I feel, I doubt they even cared. Everyone saw me as a ruthless Alpha, not knowing that we all have a story to tell.

Priya has been waiting for me ever since then. She promised not to leave until I was ready to come along with her. I wanted to follow her, but my duty as an Alpha, and the weight of guilt I felt always held me back. It shut my heart completely from people, most especially women, and I found it hard to trust others.

While growing up, my only friends were Enoch, Victor, and Priya. I didn't know how to make friends with people, because the minute they saw me, they already concluded that I was evil and I didn't deserve to be loved. The few that stuck around were there just for my money and power. No one was interested in me, no one wanted to protect me, not even my mother. My mother aimed to bury and hide me from the rest of the world.

I needed someone I could talk to and learn to trust, unfortunately, the only person that came to my mind was ‘Sicilla’.