Chapter 16: The Human Mate

Alpha Brandon stopped midway the moment a feminine name was mentioned. His face twisted and Zarion’s face contorted as soon as he beheld his brother’s remorse. “Why are you looking for my fiancee?” Wait, was it jealousy that I’ve heard? Hestia must be Alpha Brandon’s girlfriend, and maybe that is why he fears that I am his mate.

“Call Hestia,” Zarion commanded. “And let us see if there was a mistake that happened earlier.”

“Why would I follow your order?”

“I said,” Zarion's husky and steel voice echoed in the room, “call your fiancee and tell her to get her ass. Right. Now.”

Alpha Brandon’s head turned upwards and I saw how his jaw clenched. Silence reverberated in the temple for as long as I can remember. I believe he was now calling her fiancee—or let me change that term—he was mind-linking Hestia to come here to the magnificent Moon Goddess’ Temple. It didn’t take any more time because a fairy-looking woman was sauntering towards our front; her glistening skin was as white as Snow White, complimenting the vibrant bloody red dress she was wearing. Hestia is utterly gorgeous and contradictory, dead-looking. I saw how her sleepy eyes struck me with judgment, staring at me from toe to head. And by the looks of it, I’m a hundred percent positive she doesn’t like me.

Good ‘cause I don’t like you, too.

“Oh, we have a human in here.” Hestia did not mistakenly look at me. She knows just by the look of my eyes, I am the different one here—the only non-werewolf at this place. She feigned a welcoming sweet smile that wholly radiates disdain and spite. “And… Zarion,” Hestia’s smile faded when she and Zarion shared a look. Like the rest of the pack, her reaction was telling me she had seen a ghost. Unabashedly frightened. “W-What are you doing here, Zarion?” Hestia’s throat bobbed. “You’re mysteriously back.”

Zarion completely ignored her and turned his attention to Alpha Brandon. “Do the test. Now,” he commanded with ease and pride.

Alpha Brandon stifled a sarcastic laugh, though irritation reverberated beneath it. “You know, brother, may I remind you that you’re not the Alpha in this pack anymore.”

“I know.”

Alpha Brandon scratches his nose and slides both of his hands to his pocket pants. “Then why the hell do you keep on commanding me, huh?”

“Because I’m your older brother?” It was a sarcastic response, truly. The ghost of a devilish smirk from Zarion made me beamed as well though my jaw almost fell open to another realization. They are… brothers? No wonder they share the same traits. No wonder they share the same hair-raising grin. They have a close-built body, yet somehow, their personalities were wholly not the same. If Alpha Zarion is a deadly, cold-hearted, devilish, and brute man, Brandon is the funny, witty, and sarcastic type of dude.

“Step-brother,” Alpha Brandon corrected, chin jerking. He was no longer the funny guy anymore though. Thankfully, Hestia stepped in between them. “What’s going on here?” Hestia glanced at me and followed the drops of blood on the cold temple floor…until she was now looking at my wrist covered with blood.

She was quick. “You did the test. And you’re…” I saw her throat bobbed in anxiousness, “…someone’s mate. Either of the two.” She gaped with incredulity and took one step backward like she doesn’t want to conclude anything more from this. “Whose mate is this human, Brandon?”

Brandon ignored her fiancee’s question and looked at me. “Kill her.” His eyes, cold as ice, spoke finality with his decision. This started as his game to mock his step-brother, wasn’t he? And now that it turns out I’m his mate, he no longer feels the fun in the air. Perhaps his amusement will light up again if he sees me bathed in blood.

But with Zarion at my side…he somehow got himself in trouble rather. With Brandon’s desire to dispose of me like trash in his eyesight, Zarion’s made it quite impossible. Or at least not that easy to be possible.

“Zarion… what’s the plan?” I asked, whispering in a shaky voice in front of me. His stance is still stoic as ever, like he didn’t even fear what Brandon had said or about to do.

“Did anyone not hear me?!” Alpha Brandon turned to the wolves around him, others shifted into their wolf form with his bellowing voice. “ I am your fucking Alpha. Kill that girl!” His unwavering growl may have shattered my hearing if it wasn’t for Zarion’s protection.

“I want to see you try,” Zarion breathed. And in a heartbeat, everything turned into havoc.

“Uhm, Zarion?” God, I thought I had already escaped the wrath. It turns out there is a part two of this sorrowful path I have taken. “Shhh,” Zarion whispered calmly. He looked at me and brushed his thumb on my chin. “Just stay with me for the rest of the night, okay?”

“Okay…” I nodded, inhaling deeply. “Now, if you please, close your eyes and open it when I tell you to. Do you understand, Cass?”

“I do.”

“Good girl.”

Following his order, I shut my eyes and tighten my hold on him. His silky hair was the last thing I felt before we sprinted away from the Moon Goddess’s temple. And with my tight grip on his body, I could feel him transforming into his wolf form.

“Zarion? Am I allowed to open my eyes now?”

Not yet! He answered, voice vivid in my head. I hugged his body and tightened my hold on him even more. I don’t want to fall to my death. And most importantly, I don’t want to die tonight either. We must be outside now because I can feel the chilling bite of cold. The air is frigid, and fuck myself ‘cause I didn’t have enough layers of clothing wearing now.

Cassidy?

“Yes?”

Are you alright? I’ve been calling your name twice now.

I sniffed, “I’m o-okay!”

Good. Tighten your hold, little girl. We’re near.

He remained talking to me gently and I remained shouting at him.“Where are we going, Zarion?”

Away from your mate.

Mate. I still couldn’t believe it. “So you do, after all.”

Do what?

“You believe I’m your step-brother’s mate?”

I watched his huge wolfish head covered in glinting white fur nod, and for the first time in forever, I did not know what the shit I should react.