Philip felt annoyed. He didn't know what it was exactly. He didn't know how that annoyance had been caused but he wanted it to end. He had believed it was because the children had acted like idiots and created so much for him to do. Thankfully though things ended more civilized than he had thought. Even after punishing them nothing changed. This feeling on his chest, this weight that was pulling him down kept bothering him and his face, that man's face and his tears were still vivid on his mind even hours later.
He had met with the Alpha, he had talked with a few of his pack members, he had gotten lunch and even slept but nothing changed. His mind was occupied by that horrid image. That blond vampire, staring at him like he had made the worst mistake in the world crying.That was why Philip had decided to head to the hotel's gym. As he exercised he believed that his mind would be able to travel elsewhere but once again he had been mistaken. He dropped the weights he was holding, the heavy metal making a hollow sound as it hit the floor and for a few seconds everyone turned around to look at him. He sighed and his long fingers dived in his hair as he sat down. His reflection seemed concerned, he did not like that but what else should he do? No matter what those eyes were still there, piercing his soul.
"For how long are you going to stay in the gym?" he heard a familiar voice and turned around. It was Mika, his best friend. He had just walked in with a white towel on his shoulders. "Are you maybe running away from something?" he asked him and sat down next to him.
"How did you know?" Philip asked him back and the red haired wolf laughed. He patted his shoulder, disgusted immediately as he felt the sweat transern on his palm. He wiped it on Philips' pants making him scoff.
"You always run away at the gym every time you have something that burdens you. Like the actual meathead you are." he teased him and Phlip looked at him, slightly insulted. "I'm joking, I am joking. Relax. So tell me what has been bugging your smart little mind?"
"You're not funny you know that?" Philip told him and grabbed his towel from Mika's shoulder. He flipped it around a few times and used it to whip him with it. "I am actually very concerned."
"Do say."
"If you keep making fun of me I will fucking punch you. I am not joking." Philip told him. He stared at their reflections. He would soon turn twenty, something that excited most werewolves but Philip wasn't so sure about it. Mika had already turned twenty, he was almost twenty one and when Philip had asked him if they knew each other in their previous lives he said yes, that made him happy, what worried him though was that Mika would not answer him anything else. Especially about the mark on his neck, it appeared when he turned eighteen. An elaborate mark of a half moon. It looked too much like a tattoo but he had never gotten one. Mika had told him it was magical, a remnant from his previous life but he wasn't willing to explain everything else. His eyes would get clouded every time he mentioned it. That's why Philip was a bit scared to turn twenty, scared that he would find out things he didn't want to.
"I'm sorry. I won't make fun of you I promise. So tell me what happened?" Mika said, toning down his teasing for a bit.
Philip took a second to gather his thoughts. There were so many things. In just a few moments he had managed to feel such a disturbing mix of emotions and he didn't know how to describe it.
"In your own words." Mika said and Philip rolled his eyes. He was saying that to make him feel better, that was for sure.
"You know about the incident today, where the kids on my floor brought a vampire into their room together with a human."Philip began and Mika nodded. They were both parts of the wolf warriors so naturally they would know when something important happened in the pack. Especially if the Alpha was meant to hear about it. All information would go through them first then to the Beta to assess it and after everything it would reach their Alpha so naturally Mika was one of the first to know about any news.
"Did the Alpha scold you? I didn't think he would pay much attention to an incident like that, I mean, weren't those guys just kids?" he asked and Philip nodded,
"Yes, yes. Nothing happened with the Alpha. Everything is fine."
"What is it then?"
"It was the vampire. He had been found standing outside my room and he…"
"The vampire? Who was he?" Mika asked him, curious.
"I don't know, I did not ask for his name but I know he was a pureblood." Philip announced. He noticed instantly the change in Mika. Through the mirror he watched his best friend tense, his eyes avoiding any contact.
"And...what did he tell you? What is it that bothers you about him?" he asked hastily as if he was searching to find the right words. Philip was aware of suspicious behaviour but he decided not to comment about it.
"He didn't say much, he was badly beaten up, at first I couldn't even see his face properly. As his wounds healed his face was clearer. He asked for my age and then, then he started crying" Philip revealed and Mika scoffed.
"And are you phazed by this? Since when do you care about vampires? He was probably pretending to get you to release him. They are cunning creatures, they only think of themselves, that's why our pack wants to put an end to them."
"I know, I know and I wasn't….I...I don't know I just cant get him out of my head." Philip said, sounding very concerned.
"Why? If you don't care, why can't you get him out of your head?" Mika asked him, pressuring him. He wanted to know the reason. He had visited Kai, he had warned him to run away but of course he hadn't listened to him. Philip was not even twenty yet and just from a few minutes he was affected badly. This was once more meant to go wrong, Mika knew it. He also knew there was nothing he could do to stop it and it made him anxious. "Tell me Philip, what is it that you're thinking so much about him?" Mika asked again and heard Philip exhale.
"It might sound stupid but…"
"I won't judge you, just tell me." His friend told him and this time he sounded completely serious. Philip looked at him.
"Mika, the moment I saw him I realized, I've never seen a more beautiful person in my life."
"But he is a vampire, Phlip."
"For a second I thought he was an angel." the werewolf said.
"Do not see him. Ever again. He was just pretty, that's it. Vampires do that. They lure you in with their beauty." Mika told him, urging him to forget.
"I know, I know" Philip agreed. But why did he look so disappointed?