Chapter 3

He was silent for a full minute. "Whoever your biological parents were, Mum and Dad are still your family. They love you as much as they love me. We can find out your parents' information later, I promise. There's something else I want you to know right now." His brown stared at me expectantly, while part of my brain has processing the information that just came out of his mouth

He looked at me fixedly with his brows furrowed

"Cara, I'm a Werewolf."

I looked at Alex with a feeling between wanting to cry and laugh

"Are you kidding me?" My voice started to rise out of the anger I felt.

Alex shook his head quickly. "You are my mate and I knew it from the first time we met. That's why I asked Mum and Dad to adopt you."

My almost exploding anger made me really want to punch him right now. I pulled my hand from his grip, Alex just replied with a slightly hurt look.

"Show me." I almost laughed at my own words because I almost believed what Alex just said. He looked at me before standing up from his seat, "Just a moment." he muttered then he walked towards the shadow of a large oak tree opposite, a few moments later there was a sound like a log being broken and a painful growl from Alex. My hands gripped my chair tightly when I heard a soft squeak from behind the tree.

Then silence.

"Al-Alex?" I called before standing up from my chair while continuing to look at the tree where Alex was hiding. "Alex don't mess with me, I'm really mad-"

A huge wolf appeared from behind the tree. Maybe the wolf was three times the size of a Great Dane. Its abnormal size made my eyes blink a few times then my feet took a step back until my chair fell to the ground. Its black-brown fur glistens in the reflection of the moonlight.

The beast walked slowly towards me with its eyes fixed on me, for a moment I couldn't breathe because of panic.

"Oh, God." I muttered as my body froze. Then a second later my brain started running normally, with shaking hands I grabbed whatever was on the table and threw it at the beast-Wine glass, flower vase, grape juice bottle, chairs until nothing was left on the table.

The wolf only pauses every time I throw things. After a while the beast started walking towards me again, this time more slowly than before.

"Al-Alex? Alex!" My tears were flowing fast thinking about what happened with Alex. The wolf was getting closer, now only 10 meters away from me. Its huge claws traced the grass with certainty, shortening our distance.

"Stop! Stop!" Now I'm sobbing, dying from being bitten by a wolf in the middle of the forest is not a pleasant way to die. To my surprise the wolf followed my order and stopped, then let out a low yep.

"You killed him." I muttered with tears still flowing, my body trembled because of my crying and fear. Its golden brown eyes stared at me with focus before the wolf finally turned around, then ran towards the first place it came from. I hugged my limp legs while crying hysterically. I don't know what happened to Alex, the wolf must have attacked him.

Suddenly a silhouette appeared from behind a tree.

"Method?" Alex's hoarse voice made me speechless, I wiped my tears with the back of my hand. Alex stood a few feet from me. His neat appearance before was now messy, he was only wearing his black cloth pants barefoot, his brown hair also looked very disheveled.

"Alex!" I stood up from my spot and ran towards him. Tears flowed again, this time more swiftly. "Alex ... wolf ... you disappeared ... " my words flowed indistinctly. I bumped into his body and hugged him tightly. Her body felt very hot in my arms.

"The way ... that's me." Alex's voice still sounded hoarse, but I could hear it clearly.

I slowly let go of my hug and looked into his brown eyes ... the same eyes as the wolf. My face turned pale when I realized it, now my steps are away from Alex who still hasn't moved from his place. "You ... are the wolf ... " I repeated slowly.

Crazy. My brother has gone mad. Or am I the one who's crazy?

Alex nodded and walked towards me. The strange expression on his face made the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. The man in front of me was indeed Alex, but he also looked like a foreigner at the moment because of the wild look in his eyes. I looked at him with a look of confusion and fear. His hands cupped my cheeks and tilted my head slightly tothe right.

"Cara, I'm sorry ... " he muttered in a growl. Then what happened next I can only vaguely recall. Both of Alex's canines were elongated, he licked the hollow between my neck and shoulder then bit it.

After that my vision turned dark.

My head hurts-it really hurts. It felt like a huge drum was being hit so hard inside my head, the thump vibrated in my brain. My hands massage my forehead slowly while my eyes are still tightly closed.

A sudden feeling of nausea shot through my stomach, I slowly opened my eyes letting the bright light get used to them. Sunlight peeked through the curtains of the window in my room and the clock on the wall showed ten in the morning. A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I realized it was too late to go to school.

"There's no use going to school any more than to do some stupid Prom anyway." I muttered while getting off the bed. I forced my legs to walk to the bathroom even though my whole body ached, the nausea still coiled in my stomach and this time it was worse than before. What did I eat yesterday?

I'm trying to remember what went into my stomach yesterday while trying to vomit my stomach contents into the toilet. But nothing came out of my stomach, only sickening nausea. I wash my face while looking at my reflection in the mirror, my hair looks disheveled andmy face is, well, there's nothing wrong with my face it's just ... there's something odd about my face.

As if there was a glow radiating from my face, there was not the slightest sign of sickness or paleness that could be seen from my face. I frowned when I saw the clothes I was wearing, T-shirt and leggings? I'm even still wearing a jacket. Where are my pajamas? Then the corner of my eye caught something at the nape of my neck in the reflection of the mirror, I brought my face closer to the mirror and examined it. Tattoos? A pair of small black dots with a reddish bruise covering part of my neck.

My face froze when I noticed a necklace hanging around my neck. The emerald green pendulum flickered under the light of the bathroom light. At the same time, my memories were rushing through my head. My breath caught in my throat, I felt a few drops of cold sweat running down my back. My hands squeezed the edge of the sink tightly while trying to balance my slightly unsteady body.

'Cara ... " A very familiar voice called me from behind the bathroom door.

Alex.

My body jumped when I heard his voice again, I slowly locked the bathroom door then backed away from the door until my back hit the wall behind me. My heart was pounding really hard, as if my body also had memories of last night. I leaned my back against the wall opposite the bathroom door.

Cara, open the door. Now Alex's voice was urgent. I covered my mouth with my hands to hold back the sobs that were about to escape.

"I can break down this door easily .. " he said softly.

"Way.. "Alex warned me one last time before a loud bang opened my bathroom door easily accompanied by a loud scream that escaped my mouth. And there he stood, Alex looked at me who was now slumped sitting on the cold bathroom floor trying to hug myself. Alex approached slowly while raising both hands, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Don't-don't come any closer." I was a little choked by the tears that have flowed since earlier. The image of a brown wolf flashed through my head.

Alex froze in place at the sound of the tremor in my voice, his face hardening for a moment before he turned to leave me alone, disappearing from behind my bedroom door. He's not Alex, he's not my brother. He's a ... Monster. I stared at my bedroom door in a bit of panic, hoping he wouldn't come back again. A few minutes later Mum came into my room looking worried, her eyes red as if she had been crying.

"Oh, Cara dear ... " Mum walks over to me and hugs me, my trembling stops instantly. Even though she is not my real mother but Mum always has a calming effect. "Cara, I'm sorry honey." Mum stroked my hair and then kissed my forehead.

"Mum ... are you, you too mons-"

"No honey, I'm human too. And don't ever call Alex a monster, or Dad." Mum said softly. My brain was still processing Mum's words, then I realized that Dad ...

"Dad-" I paused before continuing, "Dad too?" I whispered in disbelief. My father can also turn into a wolf?

'We have a lot to explain. But it's better if Alex explains it to you. He is your mate." Mum is still stroking my hair.

'But ... he's not human Mum ... I-I can't." My answer stammered with tears still flowing.

"Cara, give him a chance to explain. Alex would never hurt you."

"Alex ... He bit me. My God, he bit me." My whisper shook again. Mum suddenly froze. 

"I'll talk to Alex." Mum kissed the top of my head then helped me up. He left me to go downstairs. When I felt calmer I changed into shorts and a baggy gray T-shirt. A few minutes later I hear the sound of something breaking followed by Mum's angry screams, curiosity leading my feet towards the stairs where I can hear their conversation - Mum, Dad and Alex.

"I can't help it!" Alex hissed angrily.

You have no right to hurt my daughter. Alex." Mum sounded really angry.

'Alex didn't mean to mark Cara, honey." Dad's voice was soothing.

"But he hurt my daughter! And ... You Alex! You didn't even give her a proper explanation! Cara was scared to death!" Someone banged hard on the table, I'm sure it was Alex.

"Cara is listening to us." muttered Alex short. 

I don't know what to do now, join them or go back to my room. But I've already been caught red-handed.

Alex emerged from the dining room and walked towards me "Cara ... We need to talk." he said while trying to stand as far away from me as possible.

For a few moments I just looked at him, his face was still the same as the Alex I knew-my brother, not the monster from last night. I nodded then stepped back into my room, Alex followed me from behind then closed my bedroom door slowly.

"How ... I don't know where to start ... " He started hesitantly, a rare thing because usually Alex was always confident. He leaned against the closed door. His hair was messy as usual but a pair of dark circles were clearly visible shadowing the bags under his eyes, he looked tired. A few moments later he slipped his hands through his hair with a little frustration. Whatever Alex did, he always looked ... handsome. I ignored my pounding heart while trying to divert my thoughts.

"Was-Was Mum and Dad just acting all this time? Because ... because I was your 'mate'?" I asked slowly, just imagining it already makes my heart ache.

"What? No Cara! They really do love you. They have considered you as their daughter ever since you came to this house. Didn't you hear what Mum said just now?"

I nodded. I really love Mum and Dad, and I can't imagine them just pretending to love me.

"So what is mate?" I still don't fully understand.