I didn't understand Lorcan's words yesterday night but when I came down to the dining table and set eyes on those amber eyes, my face paled. I had to endure an hour of pretending that Lorcan didn't exist and it was exhausting.
While I sit down in my chambers doing what I do best which is painting, a soft knock sounds at my door before Remus peeks in.
"I hope I am not interrupting." he lets himself in. I realized that sooner him and I had to have a talk. The last we talked which was before I left the pack at home, we said to each other some really brutal words.
"You still paint." he acknowledges staring at my half finished painting.
"Yes. This place gets boring." I reply staring at the half finished canvas.
"I realised you are ignoring me since last night. You didn't even call since you left." Remus gazes at me.
"We both know it was the best thing to do." I answer honestly. I am not the dearest of the siblings so keeping my silence saves me a lot of shit from our parents.
"It wasn't always like this Aylin. What changed?" he mutters warily.
Growing up Remus and I were inseparable. One would say we were twins even though we have a two age gap. He never left my side and despite everything, he was always there for me.
When he was crowned Alpha, everything changed. We weren't as close as before. We talked and saw each other less. That is how things made a U turn for us. We could never be the two beans in a pod as we were now.
"People change Remy. You changed, I changed." I mutter. He sighs defeated knowing what am saying is true.
"I am sorry for what I said to you the last time we met. I know this is hard for you and I understand how you feel..."
"No you dont." I interject immediately.
"You got married to Meline, Remus. She is the woman you loved. I on the other hand, you know how much I hate Haakon's guts. So don't tell me you know how I feel because you don't." I spit.
Remus purses his lips knowing how right my words are. None of them knows what I go through to stand Haakon. He is the last person I want to marry on this planet. Apart from his egotistical self, he is an arrogant son of a bitch who doesn't respect anyone.
"Don't worry though, I know it is for the pack." I echo the last part.
"I am sorry Aylin. If it were up to me, I would never make you go through something you don't like. However for the strength of our pack, this has to be done." he explains softly.
"Did mom put you up to this?" I cock a brow at him.
Out of the both of us, I know how our mother is a manipulative snake. She can do anything even manipulating her own blood for her gain.
"No. Seriously Aylin?" Remus scoffs. I stare blankly at him. What does he want me to think now?
"She must be happy I guess." I return back to dipping the brush in the green paint.
"Everyone is. This is the greatest alliance in existence." he alleges.
"Well, it turns out am not and I am the bride here. Isn't it ironic?" I murmur in a mock tone.
"Aylin stop. You know how this is important."
"Don't start with the lecture dear brother. You are starting to sound a lot like our parents." I glare.
"Perhaps they were right about you being childish." he retorts.
"I am not even surprised. They will never seem me as anything important." I scoff.
"Aylin, I didn't come here to fight with you. I came to make peace and also to ask you if you want to race, it has been a long time. I bet your big ass is ready for some whooping."
I scowl at Remus. He knows how to bring out the competitive side of me.
"You wanna bet on that?" I challenge.
"What are you waiting for? They are waiting for us." he smirks. That was the reason he came up, I am sure mother put him up to come get me for the competition.
By the time we reach the grounds, I notice Haakon, our parents, Meline, Azriel and Lorcan. Of course he had to be here.
"Honey," mother coos.
I don't know how mother looks at herself in the mirror each day because I just can't with this woman's change of faces. I can't believe she is pretending infront of everyone that everything is fine between us when we all know it is not. The last outburst we had in public assured of that.
"Hello mother." I don't even bother to hide the distaste in my voice. If she didn't realise, I had been avoiding her the whole of yesterday night. If it wasn't for Haakon's request, I doubt I would have sat at the same table with her.
"You look good. Haakon has been treating you well, hasn't he?" mother smiles.
"Of course Ozyls. I have been treating her like my queen." Haakon smiles. I force a fake smile before I excuse myself from the both of them.
"Aylin, you look good." Meline smiles.
"Not you too." I roll my eyes at my brother's wife. Meline is a sweet girl. She and Remus had known they were meant for each other since they were young. And Meline happens to come from the wealthiest family in the South West of our pack. She and I had been more like sisters while I still lived in the pack.
"I mean it. Have you looked at yourself?" she coaxes.
"Whatever. So tell me, has my brother been treating you well?" I change the topic.
"Better. Infact, we are expecting our first pup." she whispers the last part in my ear. My eyes widen in shock.
"Really? Oh goodness!" I exclaim happily. Meline grins wider at my reaction.
"I am taking you haven't told him yet." I narrow my eyes at her. Meline's face saddens a little.
"It will only be a matter of time. He has been stressed with work and your wedding. I will tell him after your wedding." she smiles.
"He is going to be so happy." I mutter. Out of all the people I know, Remus would make the perfect father. I can't count how many times he has talked about having pups. Good for him.
"The race is about to begin, participants please take position." Rael announces. I smile at Meline before I jog for the starting line. I realise a small crowd behind us while I stand there. When I look on my left, I notice Haakon, Remus with the smug look and Azriel. On the right is Terelisa, Azriel's sister, Niamh, Haakon's cousin and lastly Lorcan.
I catch his gaze on me for the umpteenth time feeling my heart pound so hard. It was always our tradition before any race. We always held hands as a sign of saying we got each other's backs but not today. He instead flashes me a victorious smile which makes me avert my eyes away to the woods.
He knows very well how much his smile affects me.
"The rules are simple, run as long as your legs could take you until you retrieve the red flag at the end of the woods and then hold onto it for dear life till you return. The winner earns one request from the Alpha." Rael announces enthusiastically. This should be easy.
With the many things I know about each of the people on the line, none can come close to beating the fastest runners here. I smirk back at Remus before the whistle goes.
In a second, everyone on the line turns into their werewolf form, their true form. It is survival for the fittest now in the woods as everyone runs as fast as their four legs can take them.
On the line with me, I notice the dark wolf, most certainly Azriel and the brown one which is surely Niamh. Infront of us are Lorcan, Remus and Haakon who are tail to tail. The rest are still behind. Narrowing my eyes at Azriel, I increase my pace until I find the the light furred wolf which is Remus. We both have the same color of fur.
I stare at him before I sprint faster than him. When I hear a growl from behind, I know Remus is angry.
"Never underestimate a woman brother." I mind link him.
He should be used to this by now. I don't spare Haakon a glance before I pass by him crossing the bridge to the further end of the woods.
The only person left for me is the brown furred Lorcan. He is a fast runner but we both know I am faster. However he loves the challenge which means he won't back down without a scratch.
I finally catch up to him before he mind links me.
"I have been waiting for you." he runs past the puddle.
"Don't say I didn't warn you when I whoop your ass." I retort.
"Looking forward to it little pup." I can sense the smirk on his face when he tells me that.
He knows I hate it when he calls me little pup. For goodness sake he is only months older than me. I am going to show him what the little pup can do now. Increasing my pace, I race past him. He is still on my tail but I am leading. We are coming closer and closer to the flag.
"You ready to cry loser?" I mind link him as I race upfront.
"Never been ready." he replies. Before I contemplate what is happening, Loracan races past me. It has never happened. Both of us know I am the fastest runner in the pack.
He turns to stare back at me as he runs further away. However faster I run, he seems too far and soon he is about to get the flag. A few meters to the finish line, he slows down just for me to pass him and retrieve the flag.
I turn back to find him staring at me but before I have time to process, I notice Azriel heading for me. Running to retrieve the flag was the easiest, taking it back is the hardest. Even when I dodge Azriel, what Lorcan just did lingers in my mind for the longest part.