Chapter Twelve

      I sat on the chair opposite the window, reminiscing about the kiss with the prince. No matter how much I tried to forget it, it kept on coming to mind over and over again. My heart would beat widely beneath my chest and I would be hopping every time. A knock sounded on the door and I hopped towards it. I hummed mum's favourite tune that she uses whenever she's cooking in the kitchen. When I opened the door, Mason stood before me in the flesh. He was breathing hard and his eyes were furrowed, glaring at me.

“Where's my mate?” he growled.

       His breath came in small puff and yet he tried to catch my scent. I knew that he was because he kept trying to inhale the air around me. Within myself, I spoke a magic spell and threw him off the porch. The neighborhood was a residential area and I knew that he wouldn't risk the humans knowing by going wolf. I turned to go back into the house but I heard a loud growl. I turned around really quickly. He has assumed the position that wolves usually do whenever they want to shift. His bones were cracking and he had twisted his neck in an awkward angle. 

He's very angry, I thought.

    I concentrated on my magic supply and said my first and easiest spell that I had to learn the hard way from my mother's spell book,  in oculis mortalibus eris.

        I have used this spell to protect myself and my sister while we were at our real home before we came to this neighborhood. The spell is like a force-field. It covers the caster and makes humans, not supernaturals, see things contrary to what is really going on. It's been long since I've had to cast this spell but it still held on. As long as I don't deplete my magic supply, I will be alright. Alpha Mason growled at me. His red eyes glared at me while he got ready to pounce.

      I looked at my fingers. I'm a half dragon meaning that I can't fully turn into a dragon but I can shift mid-shift. A long red dragon tail grew from my tailbone, creating a hole in my trousers. My face shifted, elongating my nose into a snout and my lips aligned with my snout. My skin changed its colour to the colour of red and claws grew from the tips of my fingernails and toenails. My knee bent backwards making my toe claws grab the earth. I growled at him and watched as his eyes grew darker.

       He charged at me and I waited until he was a few seconds away from him. Then, I bashed his face with my claws. He took the blow very hard but it didn't take time before he stood up. He charged towards me again and this time, he raised his right paw as if he wanted to claw me. Knowing this trick, I jumped off the ground and somersaulted over him. In midair, I scratched his back and used my tail to hit him on his side. He fell to the floor and howled in pain.

      I stalked him and waited for him to get up. He got up but instead of charging towards me, he ran towards the door. I ran after him, grabbed him on the tail with my mouth, which I know wolves hate with passion, then, I threw him opposite our house but not too close to the barrier. I raised my arm, releasing my dragon fire. I surrounded him with fire. It glowed red, just like my hair. I was planning on covering him with fire, then, I would use a spell that would make him disappear and maybe, appear in school. But before I could do that, I heard a voice scream,

“Stop!”

      I looked back at the porch. Alee stood erect on the porch while staring at me with pleading eyes. I don't know which one is more surprising. The fact that Alee could walk even after not being able to walk since birth or the fact that Alee can talk even after not being able to speak since our parents died. She gripped the rails on the porch and said,

“That's my mate that you are trying to kill.”

       Suddenly, everything made sense. It's impossible to have two mates at the same time. I looked at the fire that held Mason inside. I almost killed my sister's mate, my brother-in-law, if I were to use a better word. I released the fire and screamed when I saw a naked Mason standing erect instead of a wolf. He stood still and watched Alee.

       Alee got off the porch and even if she almost fell from not using her legs for a long time, she was able to run to him. He ran towards her too and they hugged each other. A deep emotion formed within me. I didn't like what I was seeing. I felt like she didn't deserve it. I've been slaving all this time and she could walk but she didn't tell me. 

Jealousy, I thought.

It's not her fault, I told myself. It's my fault that I pushed my mate away and she accepted hers. For a while, they stood hugging each other but then, Alee pushed him off her and said,

“Eww, you are naked.”

“Babe, this is me in my whole.” he said, like they have been best buddies since birth.

“My sister's over there.” Alee said.

        Speaking of sisters, It didn't occur to me that I am looking at a very naked Mason. I closed my eyes and said,

“Alee, take him inside. I don't need a second trauma.”

        I didn't think to filter what I wanted to say until I said it. I knew I made a mistake but I can't take it back. For a while, no one said anything but then, Alee said,

“Hey, my mate's not a trauma. Come on, mate.” 

“The name's Mason. In case you are wondering, I'm a natural born alpha.” Mason said.

      Their voice growing farther away as they go into the house.

“The name's Alejandro Brown. You can call me Alee.” she said.

“Your eyes are beautiful.” he said and she giggled.

       I sat on the floor. For some reason, I felt like crying. I hadn't rejected my mate. I still have him and he said that he would wait for me. But why do I feel bad and sad? Should I call him back? I can't. Elias will try to kill him. Why does Alee seem to have everything and I have nothing.

“Minty, are you coming?” Alee said. 

        I used magic and cleared the area Mason and I fought before I released the force-field.

“Coming!” I said.

       I went in and found Mason sitting on the couch. He was smiling but when he saw me, he frowned and looked away. I went into the kitchen and asked Alee,

“Do you need help?”

“I've got it. By the way, how about you stop flashing my mate.” she said.

“What?” I asked.

“Your trouser's torn, Minty.” she said.

“Oh, thanks? But when were you ever going to tell me that you could walk and talk?” I asked her.

      She stopped what she was doing and stared at the window in thought. For a while, the kitchen was quiet which made me think that Mason might be eavesdropping.

“I couldn't. Whenever you come back from school as Alee, you always carry this scent that gets this reaction out of me which is unusual. At first, I tried to pretend like I didn't perceive it but I think I held it in for so long that I reacted badly to it whenever I perceived it...”

       I remembered when she would growl at me for no reason in particular and I would wonder what had gotten into her.

“... Today, I heard noises outside and decided to check it. It didn't hit me until I was out of the basement. Immediately, I felt my legs grow stronger. I wasn't really thinking. I just rushed into the scene and screamed the first thing that came to my mind.”

“Oh,” I said.

“I'm happy that you are back, Alee.” I said before I went downstairs.

      For some reason, I wasn't really happy that she was back. I want us to go back to how we used to be. My life always revolved around taking care of Alee, protecting Alee, making sure she's hidden from the world. It looked like my world had come crashing down. What does it mean to live in this life again? How have I been living?

      I sat on Alee's bed and took the white bed sheet between my fingertips. It's soft like silk. Alee would always be here whenever I come back from school. She would lie on the bed and count the ceiling. Then, she would turn towards me and look me over to see if I came back in one piece. 

       Whenever I go to work, I would think that I need to make enough money for Alee. Alee needed money. I don't know why she needed money when she rarely comes outside but she would need it somehow. At school, I try to listen because I think Alee would need the education more than me.

      During exams, I will purposely fail one question on my script and help Alee pass all of them. I did everything for Alee and yet she's behaving as if she's the one that has been suffering. Mason is the problem. If he's out of the picture, maybe I and Alee can go back to normal. 

Hmm,...what says scary but also says wolfy boy hates you.

       After a while, a thought occurred to me. I'm a half dragon and Mason must have seen me while we were fighting. If I am, then Alee must be a dragon as well. She might not be but if she's not, it doesn't matter as long as Mason believes his enemy is his mate. I got dressed very quickly and walked back up. On the landing, I heard snippets of their conversation and tiptoed closer to hear better.

“Is she really your twin?” Mason asked her.

“Yes, she is.” Alee said.

“But to lock you up in a basement is too evil. She's a wicked person for doing that.” he replied.

       I held my breath and waited for Alee to defend me but she didn't. Instead, she said,

“The food's getting cold.”

     Is she hiding the reason why she stayed in the basement from him? Suddenly, I came up with another idea. If she wouldn't defend me, her secret wouldn't stay secret anymore.

“You know, that she took your identity in school, right? She pretended to be you. Why don't you stay with me?” he said.

“I can't. If I go, she has no one to stay with her.” Alee said.

“The witch can live alone for all I care. All I care about is having you with me.” he said.

The prince will never leave me alone like you, I thought.

“I will go to school with Minty. Is that okay?” she said.

       I decided that I had heard enough and decided to come out of my hiding place. Taking my seat, I sat opposite Alee on the unused dinning table. She stared at me for a while and I said, like we usually do,

“Let us pray.”

     Everyone, including Mason, bowed his head and I said,

“We thank God for this food and pray that you shall bless this food in Jesus name, amen.”

      Mason took Alee's plate and cut the beef. I stared at him for a while and started cutting mine.

“Minty, I want to go to school.” Alee said.

“Do you have to ask for her permission?” Mason asked.

“Why?” I asked.

“I want to see Mason at school and I want to experience school like you are.” she said.

      I didn't have the heart to carry out my mischievous plan. So, I spoke with indifference,

“Do whatever it is you want. Since I, ultimately, decided to lock you up in the basement and refused you from seen the world.” 

“Minty, it's not like that.” she said.

“Oh, I know. The fact that you were lame and dumb never occurred to me. I might have been drunk, blind and deaf not to have seen you at all.” I said.

“Look here, witch...” Mason said but I interrupted him.

“Stay out of family business.” 

“Minty, this is not fair. I know what you did but this is my life too. You don't get to decide for me. You should have asked me what I wanted before you took matters into your own hands. Mama didn't raise us that way, Minty.” she said.

“Oh really? Is that why you didn't tell me that your dragon came alive after sensing her mate?” I asked her.

“Minty!” she shouted in annoyance, “You were not supposed to know first. I wanted to tell him first not you, Minty. Let me live my life the way I want it. I don't want you messing with me, Minty. I won't ever try to seek your permission for anything again.” sh said.

“Is that all eight years of protecting you ever meant to you, Alee. You would jump into the first guy that gives you goosebumps but your long term sister, you would treat like trash because she didn't agree to your whim. I don't care anymore. You can go with Mason. I hate him anyway.” I said.

“I'm not going anywhere. I will stay here. This is my house too.” Alee screamed.

“Fine! I'm out of here.”

     I left the house and walked around aimlessly. After a while, I came back and collapsed on the couch. When did things start going wrong?