That I did not know. If I only know something happens before Razel bumped into my wolf, I could have stopped the incident from happening. But I believe that my brother's action was considered self-defense.
After all, Monbert's sudden death could have been avoided if Lance did not try to prank and interrupted the camping. And he is blaming my stepbrother because of his reckless decision. So, I lifted my feet and rush in his direction but Kendra jumps on top of my wolf, trying to stop me. Compared to Lance, Kendra has the right to get more furious with my stepbrother when Monbert is his older brother. I cannot blame him for that. But Razel is also my brother and is innocent of this tragic incident. In order to stop him and Lance, I have to do what my stepbrother did. Kill him. Because my wolf has more experience when it comes to life-threatening battles, I manage to stain my claws and fangs with Kendra's blood. His mourning howl reaches Lance's attention. Lance's wolf chickens out and shifts his chase in a different direction. But my eyes could no longer glance at Razel and Felise even if next to what I see is the end part of the cliff. As soon as I heard Felise's scream, I flash to the source of the sound and found Razel's right hand holding the edge of the cliff while his left hand was having a hard time holding her. If the situation continues, I'm afraid the two might fall into the cliff together. "Ezra, please, help us!" Razel begs me, his pouring tears squeezing my heart and soul so badly. That was the first I heard my stepbrother begging me. All these years, he did and shared nothing with me but good memories. Memories that are worthy to keep for the rest of my life. And if I let him die, all those wonderful memories might turn into nightmares. So, I analyze the situation as fast as possible. But nothing tick off my helpless brain so I shifted back into a human and reach out to his hand. My body was almost dragged into the cliff when I did not expect their weights combined to be heavier than mine. Good thing my feet manage to get support from those large stones nearby, allowing my hands to harden my grasp. "Please, hold still, Razel," I uttered to him while gathering all my strength into my hands to hold him still. However, I know what I am doing is not enough. Then I ask Felise if she can climb slowly onto Razel's back. She's not responding anymore. All I could see from her eyes was desperation, regrets, and fear. Fear to die. And so is Razel's. He could have let go of the woman to save his life, but my wolf could feel how important she is to him. Who could not be? Felise is his human girlfriend. Not that I am against their unrequited love story, but all I want for my stepbrother is happiness. "Could you lift her for me?" I asked Razel and he did not hesitate and grasped my hand as he forced his other hand to lift Felise. Razel had a hard time but he managed to lift her and she was now holding my other hand. "At the count of three, I will lift both of your bodies, okay?" My stepbrother nodded but Felise could barely raise her brows at me. "All right the count, okay? So, hold onto my hands as hard as you can. One... Two... Three." At first, I thought my strength is enough to hold them still but Felise suddenly loosens up her grasp which resulted in my body getting outbalanced. Razel tries to let go of my grip but I hold him still before everything gets worse. The only thing he could do is scream while looking at Felise falling into the cliff. As soon as I manage to set Razel's feet on the ground, he pushes me by force and started beating me up. Razel continuously punches me in the face with his eyes pouring into tears and he did not even stop until my face ejected drops of blood. But when my body could feel unbearable pain already, I hold into his fists. "Razel, STOP," I beg him before I spewed the blood that was stored out of my mouth. "Stop? Are you fucking kidding me?" he furiously asks. Even grabs the fist-sized stone and was about to smash it into my head but I manage to snatch it from him. "You killed my girlfriend and you want me to stop?" My conscience put forth to explain to Razel everything that happens; that I even killed one of my pack brothers to save them but his heart and brain were already close for a heart-to-heart conversation. He barely listens to me anymore. Instead, he threatens me not to cross our paths ever again or else he is going to kill me himself before he disappeared in front of me. And that he will forget that I was once his older brother. The next morning, as early as before the sun rises to the east, I receive an expected summon from our alpha to explain my side of the story of what happened last night causing two of our brothers to die in our weekly hunting. "Speaking of the traitor." greets Dustine, alpha of the Gemini pack, as soon as I showed up in the village. Everyone, including Cherry, my fated mate, Uncle Robin, and Alexa, was gathered in the village in front of the alpha Dustine's house. And all their eyes were glancing at me with utter disgust like a criminal. "If you are here to explain your side of the story, I highly suggest don't waste your breath," he added. "My son already told me everything. However, I only have one question for you and I need you to answer me with the truth." I don't know what Lance told everyone for them to look at me like a criminal. But whatever that is, my wolf instinct is pretty convinced that it was not the entire story. Or worse, he manipulated it. I know Lance more than anyone. He only looks after his well-being. And he doesn't care to put all the blame on me to make sure his noble reputation will not be stained in everyone's eyes. "Is the wolf who you tried to save your stepbrother, Razel?" Alpha Dustine's questions surprises me to the point that I could not help but drag a bulk of water down to my throat. Razel and I were thorough about keeping our family relations highly classified. And I am not convinced he was the one who sold my name to the pack simply because he was mad at me. He is too smart to do that. "Don't you know that your silence means yes to me, huh, Ezra?" he added after hearing nothing from me for a few seconds. "Okay. I'll give you a hint of what is bound to happen." then he shrugs me off. However, it was not the kind of shrug that is a friendly type. There is something more to it. That is what Lance's vicious beam is telling me. "The council and I decided to disband you from the pack, effective immediately. Once you are disbanded from the pack, you'll become homeless, wolfless, and mateless, because Cherry is not going to follow you once you step out of the village..." "Just go straight to your point, dad. Or should I say it myself what we decided for him?" Lance impatiently announces. "An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth." he said. "it means that we want you to kill your brother for us to give you a second chance. That's what the parents who you killed decided." "What?" I blurted out in disbelief. A second chance coming from Alpha Dustine sounded music to my ears. But killing my stepbrother is the most ridiculous I have ever heard in my entire life, especially when I know whose fucking fault it is Kendra and Monbert died last night. Razel and I are already in an undesirable relationship after the misunderstanding. And I still plan to make it up to him no matter what it takes. No matter how long my wolf would wait. After a thorough consideration, my feet started trekking my uncertainties of being a lone wolf outside the village carrying a backpack of my things with the ground flooded with my tears. My feet lost the will to move forward but I was left with no choice when I cannot return to the village anymore. I don't want to put a burden on Uncle Robin and Alexa as well. For what it's worth, they believe me when I told them my side of the story. It is just they do have not enough power and voice to defend me against Lance and Alpha Dustine. Let alone Monbert and Kendra's parents who lost their son's lives in one night. On top of that, Cherry also broke up with me and confesses that she and Lance have been in a relationship for a while now. That she was simply waiting for the perfect time to tell me about it. Three days later, I found a morning shift part-time job in a convenience store a few meters away from Razel's school. Getting a job is the first thing that comes to mind for me to survive. Apart from that, getting close to my stepbrother as much as possible is the only thing I could do to keep an eye on him. Now that the entire pack knows we are brothers, I believe his life has already been exposed to danger. And I have to warn him even if he does not want to see me again. Later in the evening after school, I plan to inform him about the threats to his wolf. "Don't you know selling expired products is punishable by..." the woman immediately cut off her words the second our eyes landed on each other. Her racing heartbeats and shivering body were telling me the entire story. There is no way my wolf could get mistaken when I have her scent registered in my system. But how? Does Razel know that she manages to survive after the fall?Before I could step a foot forward, the woman flashes outside the convenience store with those items in her hands. Enough reason for me to follow her. "Please, let go of me!" she screams the second I managed to grab her hand. When she confirms there is nowhere else to go for her, she drops her butt on the ground and began pouring into tears. "I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" I said back, but I was the one who was worried because her wailing was all over the place. Humans might think I was doing something bad to her. "But, I have a question to ask you." Seeing her alive and even recognizing me at her first glance gives me at ease even if she doesn't feel the same way. Then I stealth sniff at her to check if something is going on inside her. The last thing I remember from the incident is that my claws leave her wounded while trying to save them. So, I grab her right hand by force and remove the plaster she covers it. And I once heard from Alpha Dustine that
When I got back to the convenience store, Melissa Mondragon, my co-worker who was assigned for the morning shift, got startled upon seeing my entire body covered in soil and blood. I still don't have a decent place to go so I used the store's stock room as my place temporarily. And the only two people who know about it are Melissa and the branch manager, Iniego. He seldom visits the convenience store so my only concern is Melissa. Melissa Mondragon is also twenty years old and was similar to my situation. She runs away from home because her entire family chases her out. However, the only difference between us is that she is a pure human and has her real family, a mother, father, and siblings who are living under one roof. On top of that, she also possesses a one-of-a-kind beau similar to my fated mate, Cherry. My wolf just doesn't know if she is currently in a relationship though. I'm a bit embarrassed to ask her that private question. Needless to say, I am st
"Yeah, what are you talking about, Razel? Wait. Are you sick or something? Or are you on drugs right now?" inquires the other student which caused me to roll my eyes to the ceiling. Razel and I have been communicating day and night over the phone but he never mentioned about consuming drugs or any deadly elements that could harm his body. He was too smart enough to ruin his life that easily. As his older brother, I never miss telling him not to use drugs or any harmful elements to boast his confidence or to make it an excuse when his life turns into a mess. Werewolves don't need drugs in their bodies. Not unless you are in the middle of a crisis or desperate. But I know Razel more than anyone. He fell head over heels for his Felise because their relationship, I believe, is in the middle of getting intimate. "I think your boyfriend needs utmost attention, Felise. He's already talking nonsense things." says her friend before she laughed. "Who says Razel is still
After the second failed attempt of convincing Razel to be on my side, I found myself standing in the corner of the convenience store, completely bothered and helpless. And I have been standing and mute for hours. My wolf could barely hide those consecutive cold sighs of dismay and heavy heart while listening to Melissa at the counter entertaining the customers. I could not force my lips to turn into a smile even if it was required for us. "Don't give the customers that kind of face, Ezra," says Melissa right after she comes out of the storage room. She then slaps my shoulder and smiled, trying to lift my mood. Her shift just started. And she was on her way to check our inventory to get the items that were about to expire. Getting inventories that are about to expire means a huge discount for us if we want to buy them. "Smile." she added. "though your heart is aching. Smile even though it's already unbearable and is breaking you apart. Want some bottle of beer af
"So, it happens that I am completely wondering if Alpha Dustine knows about this," I said back, trying to buy enough time to make a better plan without anyone from Melissa and Razel getting hurt. Based on my quick observation, the convenience store only has two exits. The main and exit doors happen to be connected with each other. And that was built in across from me, behind Robert and his two close relatives. There is no way I could rush both Melissa and Razel out of the convenience store without getting caught by one of them. There were also glass walls surrounding us but I highly doubt if our bodies can break them as fast as two to three seconds. One of them could get us. But getting Melissa and Razel out is the only solution my brain could think of right now unless I have to fight and beat Robert and his relatives in front of Melissa. In order to do that, I have to shift into the monster I really am in front of her. That could be the last thing I must do. Or e
"Is your brother gonna be okay?" Iniego asks me the second I stepped foot into the convenience store. Melissa wants to have eye-to-eye contact with me but I avoided them. Perhaps she has hundreds of questions about my conversation with Robert earlier. Robert mentioned us being wolves and brothers of murderers. "He will be, Mr. Iniego. Thanks for the concern." I said back. "May I know what the cops say regarding the case?" Earlier while talking to Razel in the parking lot, I heard Iniego and the cops talking about the store being temporarily closed for a few days until the case against Robert and his relatives get close. What worried me is if that happens, I no longer have a place to sleep and income to support me in those jobless days. The convenience store is the only place I could depend on. I still have no human friends in the city apart from Melissa and Iniego. "They decided to close the store until further notice," says Mr. Iniego the way I expected. "They give us a week but
Razel, as far as I know, did not blurt out because tonight is the full moon. He already shifted in front of my eyes without the influence of the moon's calling. It means to me that his dad already equipped him well when that happens. What scares and annoys him was because of how upfront my wolf is in front of his human friends. On top of that, Razel is afraid that I might say a word about them being notorious monsters in front of them. He said to himself that my wolf has no more value at all. That no pack will protect me because I am already a lone wolf. Mateless. Homeless. Without someone on my side. Little did he know that being a lone wolf also has the biggest advantage the world could offer. And I have been holding onto that one main advantage since the day I step out of the pack. Everyone's secrets are not safe with me. I can disclose and peel off the mask behind their faces if I want to. If I am desperate enough for him to shut off his mouth and listen to me
"Lay your hands on her or you'll see who I really am behind the mask under the full moon." I furiously announce to Razel and his werewolf friends even though surrounded by a bunch of human drunk and wasted assholes. Everyone, including Razel, steps away from the car upon hearing my threatening voice. Let alone let them notice my eyes glowing for five seconds. Short enough that I manage to scare the hell out of them. "Excuse me?" Razel debated in disbelief. He tried to kick the car but one of their pack members stops him from getting closer. "Know your place, you son of a monster." "Are you kidding me right, now, huh, Razel?" I debated with him. "Want to test me who the real monster between us is?" Cursing me straight to my face was not the Razel I know. His sweetness, understanding, and caring type of brother was already long gone. And I blame myself that he turns into a cold-hearted stepbrother. "Don't cause more trouble, Razel," he whispered to Razel. "Not h