Chapter 6

"Tell me what's wrong, fratello." I demanded softly, cupping his hand and gently squeezed it. Then he took a deep breath and stared in front.

"Am I too possessive?" He asked out of the blue.

I blinked many times, trying to process his words.

"Am I too territorial and suffocating?" He added.

"No," I whispered then he turned to me with a hint of scowl but immediately disappeared as he stared at me. "You're not suffocating, you're not territorial, you're not too possessive."

"Then why did she break up with me? She told me she's so sick of my attitude."

I looked down and removed my hand from him. I could not find any word to reply.

"She wasted our five years of relationship!" He rose his voice that made me flinch. "She told me she doesn't love me anymore. Goddammit!"

I abruptly gulped once, scared of his dark side. But I understood him. I understood how he felt because I was there too. I had been there, though we weren't in a relationship. It was just a fling or he got bored so he chatted me and then everything went on.

"What the hell happened? Why did she fall out that easy? Did she find someone's better than me?"

"M-Maybe she's not for you?" I concluded which I wished I didn't say because he stood up abruptly and hollered a curse.

"Fucking bullshit! I gave everything to her, Alpha! Weren't they enough?!"

"Calm down, fratello! Please..." I whispered my last line. Tears pooled over my eyes. I was scared of him already. Anxiety was creeping into my fleshes. The idea of him hitting me scared me so much.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Alpha." He frantically said and came to me and hugged me. Tears escaped from my eyes. "Shsh... I'm really sorry. I just want to release my anger." He shushed me soothingly while rubbing my back. Then he eyed me and planted a kiss on my forehead. "I'm so sorry, baby. It wasn't my intention to scare you." He hugged me again and this time, my lips formed into a smile. I loved how he played my emotions.

"I-It's okay," I murmured and he loosened up from me. He held my jaw to level our eyes. I could see regret in his eyes but I remained stern though I wanted to smile or burst into a laughter. "You know I'm not used to your anger. You always speak to me like an older brother of mine."

My last line stung my heart a bit. That's right, Raphaela. You were just his so called younger sister.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and cupped my face. He planted a kiss on my forehead and remained his lips on it for a couple of seconds before he looked at me straight again.

"A-Are you okay now?" I asked, cowering. I felt embarrassed in front of him.

"Yeah," he sighed and held my hand. "Thanks to you, Alpha. You always make me feel better."

"Same as you to me, fratello. Without you, I have no idea of what's going on in this world."

He smiled. His eyes were screaming adoration. Or maybe it's just me who assumed that he felt something stronger towards me.

"I'm hungry." I pouted.

"What?" He chuckled. "Well, even me." Then we both laughed because of that.

Royal insisted to cook a meal for us. Mind you, they had a restaurant. I remembered Desirque was working for them just to earn money. Poor, Desirque. How I wished I did something that could help her. I guessed I was really a worthless bestfriend.

"Where do you think Desirque is?" I asked all of the sudden. He's currently mincing onions.

"She's safe with her father now. And I heard she's doing better. She's been through a lot, you know. She suffered so much because of her mother."

"Well," I shrugged. "Wherever she is now, I do hope she's doing well."

"If I'm not mistaken, she'll finish her school in Manila."

"Who will provide her the education she wants?"

He stopped from slicing potatoes to look at me.

"Probably her dad, Alpha. I don't know. Mom doesn't want me to meddle with Desirque's life."

"O-Okay." Was all I could say. I wished I'd have some updates about her. I guessed she had no social media accounts up to now. Her mother didn't want her to have one.

I helped him in cooking though he didn't want me to. I told him I wantes to learn how to cook in case I would get married and I would be the one to serve meals for my husband. And I wished it's him.

"Your husband will be lucky to have you," he commented, amused.

"Maybe? I don't know. I hope I deserve to have him."

"Why not? If he loves you, he loves all of you. Even if people think and say you don't deserve him."

"Yeah," I frowned. "I wish he will fight for me."

I looked down. I really wished he was the one for me. Why not, right? If he's really meant for me, why did people barge in and tell us we're not for each other?

He held my hand all of the sudden and I looked up, confused.

"I wish I could be that man you will love for the rest of your life," he says in pain and I took a deep breath and held his hand.

"And I wish I am that lucky girl you want to be with." I sighed in regret and faced my back at him. This wasn't good. We shouldn't say these things. We couldn't be together. Our parents might forbid us. They would take us away and it would kill me so much.

We talked few stuff while eating and we ended up about the pool party.

"Rocco invited me to Gero's pool party. I assumed you know him." He said in the middle of our meal.

"Yeah," I replied. "Will you be there?" I eyed him, whose eyes were on me while sipping his juice. Then he brought down his glass on the table and wiped his lips with napkin.

"I don't know. Rocco told me Ria will be there."

"Ah," I nodded. That explained to me why Riley mentioned Ria's name who happened to be his cousin 'cause Riley is a Venturi.

"What about you?" He asked, boring his eyes on me.

"I'm... not. Maybe I won't."

"Maybe?" He mouthed. "Maybe means there's a possibility that you will change your mind."

"My friends will come but you know I'm not into pool because it only reminds me of Omega."

He nodded and never said any word. I guessed he understood me by now. He knew my story as well.

"I just don't know why Gero wants you to be there," he said as we were inside my room. After having our dinner, we caged ourselves here. He said he had no plan of getting home yet.

I tilted my head at him, puzzled.

"I know he knows your story. I just can't understand his eagerness of winning over you."

"I think he knows I love him."

"You love him?" He mouthed, as if it's his first time to hear me saying that line.

"Why? What term do you want me to call it?" I scrunched my brows, still bubbled.

"Oh, baby." He groaned and sat beside me. "You're not in love with him. You just find him attractive."

"Attractive?" I repeated in furrowed brows.

"Yes, baby." He set aside the loose strand of my hair and tucked it behind my ear. "You're not in love with him. You're in love with someone else."

"And who could that be?" I asked curiously.

If I was not in love with Gero, who was I inlove with?

"Why don't you ask yourself instead?" He asked back.

I pouted and he chuckled at my reaction then he pinched my nose, making me squirm a bit.

"You love hurting me, don't you?" I scoffed but he just gave me a teasing smile.

"I just love it. Do you have any problem with that?" He cocked his left brow at me, mocking me.

"Yes." I answered quickly. "You know I'm no good when I'm pissed."

"Then try me harder." He announced confidently and I curled my lips into a smirk.

He sighed while smiling. Crazy, eh?

"If only you're not my sister, I would marry you right away."

"I'm not your sister!" I whined and rolled my eyes. "But if I'm you sister, probably I'm gonna kick your ass right now."

"Oh, baby." He chortled. "Why are you so violent?"

"Royal!" I groaned and stood up. I felt his eyes watching me.

"Say my name again, baby."

"Baby, your ass." I rolled my eyes and walked towards my closet. I thought I needed a cold shower. My body was heating up. "I'm not your baby." I added.

"Hmm," he hummed sexily. Felt like my blood went up into my face.

"Stop it, Royal. I'm starting to hate you."

I heard footsteps towards me and I fidgetted because I knew he's getting nearer to me.

"Why don't you love me instead?" He asked playfully and I whirled around to face him who was just few inches away from me.

"W-What are you doing?" I stammered. I bit my lower lip to cage my nervousness that's tugging my knees down. Then he hunched a bit just to level our eyes.

"I know you don't see me as your older brother." He stated with confidence. His eyes are screaming confirmation from me.

"I-I don't know what are you talking about." I said, stuttering. Then his lips curled into a smile.

"I'm giving you enough time to think, Alpha. Don't worry, I can wait." He said as he faced his back at me and returned to his last location. I sighed in relief but I knew it was only temporary.

After that moment, I decided to take a cold shower. My body felt numb. My mind was wandering around the universe. I was so lost with my thoughts. I didn't know what to do.

Was I too obvious? Or he was just assuming that I didn't see him as a brother? What did he mean? Like, I saw him as the man of my dreams?

After almost one hour of being inside my bathroom, I decided to get outside because I might get sick if I would still stay for a couple of hours.

I changed my clothes into a short shorts and loose grey shirt that made me feel comfortable. I loved loose shirt because I always felt free to move.

"One hour, six minutes and thirty nine seconds." He stated. Startled, I turned to him who's sitting on my bed. His back rested on the headboard while sluggishly looking at me.

I bursted into a laughter.

"Seriously?" I chortled. "You're good in waiting, aren't you?" I scoffed but he just snapped his tongue bluntly. "Anyway," I started changing the topic. "What time you'll go home?"

"I'm staying here for fuck's sake, Alpha." He rolled his eyes and sat up straight, piercing his deep set eyes on me.

"But why?" I frowned. "You mean, you'll stay here in my room?"

"Why not? I've been allowing you to stay inside my room."

"It doesn't make any sense." I protested. "You're a man for heaven's sake."

"And you're a woman." He quickly replied. "And you're staying inside my room. Unless you have a rough face to do it."

"Fuck you," I muttered but he just laughed at my line. My cheeks started to heat up when I realized what was my last line.

"Fuck me, huh? Come here." He playfully voiced out.

"Oh god, Royal." I muttered and faced my back at him. My cheeks burned. I felt my blood rushing, face turning red.

"Call me again, baby." He demanded and few seconds passed when I heard footsteps towards me. I swallowed hard because I already felt his warm body. His scent penetrated in my skin.

Oh, goddess! What was I thinking?

"Alpha..." he called out silently and I swallowed again and bit my lower lip. This wasn't good. My heart was hammering inside my chest.

"Please... stop." I begged. Tears pooled over my eyes. The feelings were so overwhelming, punching my heart and making me breathless.

"I can't..." he said in agony and held my hand. "Please look at me."

"This isn't right, Royal." I cried.

"Then tell me what's right." He demanded. He whirled around to face me. He's now standing in front of me while I'm looking at the floor. "Is it right to watch you fall for someone else?"

I looked up to see him clearly. His eyes were begging, pleading and hurt. But all I could do was to watch them. I could do nothing to change them into a brighter shade.

"You're my brother-"

"Fucking brother!" He cut me off. "You're not even my sister! How come I'm not allowed to love you?"

"To love me?" I mouthed. "As far as I know, you're in love with Ria."

He remained silent after what I said. He looked away and I gulped once. He looked down but looked up quickly to catch my eyes.

"You see? You can't even answer me."

"You're not asking."

"Bullshit!" I quickly replied. "Fuck everything off! You know what?" I took a deep breath. "I may have loved you from the start but we can't be together."

"But why? Why can't we be together?"

I ran my palms down on my face and gripped my hair in frustration.

"No, Royal. Please... stop ruining my life. Let's just keep it this way." I said and faced my back at him. I shook my head in disbelief. No. This ain't right. We couldn't be together. He was my brother. I was his sister. Everyone knew that. My parents trusted him the most. What if they would find out soon about us? They might kick him off and prohibit to see me again. I didn't want that. I might die wanting to see him everyday.