Salvador woke the next morning unsure of himself. It's not like talk about religious molding was getting to him because he had no religion apart from himself. He sat on the couch lackadaisical, looking at the fireplace.
He had been quiet since morning. He didn't know what to say, or how to react, so he did neither. Maybe it had something to do with the overlooking part. He can overlook some sins but not the ones that would make him feel fear.
He had felt fear when he got home and found those men looking for his wife. It wasn't a good scene to behold. He felt fear when he couldn't find her, when he saw her crawling behind the couch. He heard voices, but couldn't fathom what they were saying.
"You've been out." He heard someone close to him. Shaking his head, he tried to bring back his head to reality. He turned and saw Ella sitting beside him. "Are you feeling okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine." He said resting his head on the couch. When he remembered what she said about building trust, he quickly added, "I was just thinking about what you said yesternight. The thing about forgiveness."
"I see, but that doesn't have to make you spaced out like that. You'd have spoken up about it. More answers, more understanding and better execution." She said.
"Sorry, I'm still having trust issues, I guess. I do trust you, but not them. And had I voiced this out to you earlier, I'm sure you'd have told me to trust them too. I can learn to trust Harvey but not Felix." He replied.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because." He didn't know what else to say.
"Because what?" She insisted.
"Don't make this hard on me, I'm already trying to trust you and Harvey. To me, that's enough." He replied, eyeing then.
"That would've been enough if Felix is not part of our family. The best thing about life is that we all make mistakes, and those mistakes learnt means there is progress, but when we don't learn from the mistakes, there will be no progress in whatever we're doing." She said.
"But what are we doing?" He asked, he didn't understand why she was being adamant about trusting Felix.
"Marriage. We are in a turmoil called marriage that we have to fix every single time something goes wrong. That's what we're doing." She replied.
"What are you all talking about?" Harvey asked, sitting beside Ella.
"Trust, nothing else. I've missed your voice though." Ella answered.
"Me, too. What are we going to do about him?" Harvey asked, looking at Felix.
Felix seems reckless and nervous sitting by the counter. His eyes were on them but couldn't come close to them.
Felix knows that he was wrong, but what can he do? All of them were thinking ill of him, he seemed alone. Everyone was against him, why? All he can do is restrain himself and remain where he was, he didn't want to make the matter worse.
Try to trust, you don't trust anyone but yourself. There is nothing anyone can do for you at the moment because there is nothing you want us to do for you. He heard a voice say in his head. He knew it was Ella. Looking up, he met her gaze and smiled.
Oh he wished it was easy. He trusts them, but not enough.
Make it enough then. He heard her say. He was shocked because she was human, how could she possibly hear his thoughts.
I love you and I'm sorry for everything. He said.
Make it real. He heard her say.
How can he make it real? Make what real? He wonders what to do about it.
"He can manage, for a while." Salvador said, "Let him put us in his problem, at least for once."
"But that won't be necessary." Harvey said.
"Aren't we talking about trust? Let him have the benefit of doubt." Ella answered.
"He still has to pay his one month's punishment." Salvador said.
"But what if he let us in on his problems? Will that make a difference in his punishment?" Ella asked.
"Maybe, I'm not sure. But first thing first, when he lets us in, then we'll have a rethink." Salvador answered.
Two weeks passed, yet nothing from Felix. He neither let them in his problem nor his business. It made Salvador agitated and restless. He thought that he had a well built self-restraint, but Felix seems to have more than he did.
Taking out time, he thought of something more severe than no touching. Walking out to the parlor, he found everyone seated.
"Hey, honey." He called.
"Yes." She answered.
"make haste, you're travelling with me today. We'll be back in a week or two." Salvador said and to Harvey he said, "you too, get ready. We leave in twenty minutes."
"But where are we going and why didn't you mention it before?" Ella asked, standing up and walking up to him.
"Because I was still planning on where to go and when. Now I've decided and so we're going. Make haste." Salvador replied.
"Okay but what of Felix, isn't he coming along?" Harvey asked as he rose to his feet as well.
"No." Salvador replied.
"But why? He's part of the family." Ella argued.
"Yes he is, but he can't touch you. If you ask me, there is no point in him coming with us because he won't be of any use to us. He'll be fine without us for a week or two." He answered.
"But-"
"But nothing! He still has his punishment two weeks upfront. He will be fine without us for a week or two. Make haste and hurry. Don't want to be late." Salvador said and left the room, leaving no room for discussion.
"Come on, let's go get ready." Harvey said and took Ella upstairs. He knew if he let her stay, Felix won't keep his hands to himself.
"But, wait…" Ella protested as Harvey took her upstairs. She followed him up and got packing.
They packed and left the house before the twenty minutes elapsed. With Salvador, nothing is certain but haste is. He always wants what he wants.
Felix held himself back, he had to. He waited until the car drove out of the yard. He groaned in pain as his fangs elongated.
Felix sat on the porch and waited. His body was killing him. This is not meant to be. She hadn't bitten him yet and she was still changing to a werewolf. She'll always be his, he tried to recon with himself.
He sat on the porch throughout the rest of the day and through the night. He loses track of time just looking into the nothingness of the environment.
He can remember vividly each and every morning and night he goes and comes back home, just to find someone waiting for him. To hear voices in the house. He guessed it wasn't the house that makes it a home, it was the people in the house.
There have been times he remembers, when he had been happy and down to earth with companions that thought of him – in few ways though – but still, they listened to him and sometimes, did as he say.
Now the house remained quiet. No more voices, except the one in his head. He had been there before, he didn't find it amusing as being out of his head. He'd learnt to voice out his thoughts through marriage.
How was he going to tell them the truth? Yes they knew he was responsible, but didn't know what he did or what happened that he became responsible for their chase.
Sitting down, he tried to reflect on his decisions and find a solution to his current problem. He sat out through the morning till sundown, but didn't notice when the sun set.
Some of his pack came to find him. As the alpha, being away from the pack for long without a word, was a terrible leadership example. They came and found him sitting on the porch. He was still wearing the clothes he'd worn two days ago.
They knew they couldn't ask him why he was still wearing what he wore two days ago, so they only enquired what they came for and let him handle his problem. It's not like he was going to tell them what happened anyway.
When their job was done – that is, to enquire about him and why he had been away – they left. One remained though, Melanie.
"You better leave, before I change my mind." Felix said to her, but she didn't budge.
"Do your worst. Your mate's gone and you're all alone. What can you do that you haven't done before or I haven't seen before?" She asked, sitting beside him.
She was already used to him, they both know that. In fact, they're both used to both of them. They sat side by side for a long time without a word, till he snapped and pulled her to him.
"I've missed you." He said as he crashed his lips on hers. He knew that she missed him too.
It wasn't as if anyone was going to visit him, that he knows very well. Because no one ever did. On the porch outside, they had sex. It was already late in the night, so one can fathom if anyone is outside or not.
When they were done, they lied still and waited until their breaths calmed down.
Felix pulled her to his side as he slid on the floor. They made out as many times as they wanted, until they finally collapsed and dozed off.
Melanie woke very early in the morning and woke him up and they both showered, got dressed, ate and left the house.