Chapter 4

"Mate ... Soulmate. Every werewolf has a soul mate, whether it's a human or a fellow werewolf. Mates are predestined from the moment they're born, and nothing can change them. Like a puzzle, nothing but their mate can complete them." he answered while rubbing the back of his neck.

"And you are my mate, Caroline." My heart flutters when Alex says my name, I love it when he says my full name.

"Alex ... I am your sister." I said quietly. "Are you crazy?"

"You still don't understand, Cara? Haven't you noticed all this time when I threatened every boy who wanted to approach you? When I hit Joseph because he almost kissed you? You are mine, Cara."

I flinched when Alex said I was his. "I'm not an item." I replied with an angry frown.

"You know that's not what I meant." he said softly. "You are mine, because I am also yours. All ... all. Mate is a once in a lifetime partner for a werewolf."

His words made my stomach feel like it was being surrounded by hundreds of butterflies.

"That's why I begged Mum and Dad to adopt you when we met at the orphanage." He continued, "I know this is wrong, you also think of me as your brother. But I can't think of you as my sister, Cara. I never thought of you as my sister ... " Alex approached me and cupped one of his hands on my cheek, my skin felt like an electric shock which is fun. When I returned his serious look, I knew ... from this moment on I couldn't look at Alex the same way I could look at an older brother anymore.

Whoa, I thought in surprise, is it that easy? Slightly staggered I sat on the edge of my bed.

"I've never begged before. But if you want it I will." Alex knelt in front of me, his hands resting on my knees. Pleasant currents of electricity stung every time we touched. "I know this is all too shocking for you and I explained so badly yesterday. But Cara, give me one more chance." Alex's voice sounded so sincere that it made my heart feel squeezed.

"I don't know. This is all too fast for me." I answered honestly. Just overnight my life changed. Eventually I found out that I was adopted, and then it turned out that werewolves were real and-and I was my own brother's mate. Mate, that word still seems foreign to me. "What should I do?" I muttered to him.

"How about starting over?" he offered while holding my left hand gently.

"What is this? You feel it too?" I asked while pointing at his hands.

Alex chuckled. "I don't know, but I feel it too. I guess it's because I marked you."

"Mark?"

"You remember ... when I bit you? I marked you." His voice sounded cautious. My body stiffens when I remember it, I'm sure my face is now pale.

Alex noticed my change and squeezed my hand "Cara, I will never hurt you, that mark is just a ritual so other werewolves don't come near you. To let them know you are mine. That night I couldn't keep my wolf from marking you as it's mate."

I tried to ignore the last sentence. "Anything else too?" I whispered as I let go of Alex's hand. Any other.

"Some. Almost all my friends are werewolves too. You know Paul? Henry? Lee? Watson? Annelise? ... Jake?"

"Jake too?" Jake is Alex's best friend since they were born. The Jake who used to pick on me, the one who always snatched my cereal, the one who pulled my barbie's head, the one that pushed me off the swing, the Jake that accompanied me to watch Friday 13th. That Jake, also a werewolf?

"Jake too." Alex replied softly when he saw the expression on my face. Oh. "Anything you want to do today?"

"I want to sleep." I replied quickly. I really need sleep, with a clearer mind maybe I can swallow today's information.

Werewolves, I thought. Mate, mark, Jake.

And Alex.

"OK." He nodded and looked at me hesitantly before smiling at me. The same smile that makes my heart feel squeezed every time I see him. Mate, the word kept repeating itself in my head.

I waited for Alex to close my bedroom door before dropping my head on the pillow, my mind still processing what we had just said. This whole thing still feels like a dream ... only I know I'll never wake up. Slowly my eyes closed and my tired brain sent me drifting off to sleep.

***

The heat and pain that centered on my neck woke me up from my nap. I touched my neck with my hand to feel the source of the heat.

Ow ... ouch!" I moaned as the pain got worse.

Outside the sun was almost setting, its orange rays came into my room through my slightly open window. I tried to get up and walked out of the room and down the stairs.

"Mom?" I called hoarsely.

Mum appeared a few moments later with a worried look on her face. "Cara? What's wrong? Are you hurt?" She asked as he approached me and looked at me from head to toe.

"My neck ... It feels so hot." I replied while back groaning in pain.

Mum took my hands off my neck and breathed her cool breath on my neck.

"Felix?" Mum screamed for Dad and a few moments later Dad appeared from the kitchen.

"Call Alex. Cara needs him" Mum says to Dad.

"What happened?" asked Dad which I answered with a groan.

" Felix, call me Alex!"

Dad hurriedly walked to the nearest phone, if I wasn't moaning in pain I would be laughing now because Dad got sprayed.

"I really don't know what Alex was thinking. He should have waited a few days instead of acting like a stray dog." Mum muttered angrily as she led me into the living room then sat me down on the sofa. "I'll get you some cold water, Cara." Mum said while walking towards the kitchen

I dropped my head on the couch and curled up like a cat trying to hold back my groans of pain. It felt like my throat was burning and melting all at once. Moments later Mum returned with a glass of water with Dad trailing behind her.

"Cara, you have to drink ... " Mum said while helping me drink, I took a few sips but it didn't lessen the burning sensation in my neck at all.

"Ow ... Ouch! Ow!"

Dad knelt beside me his hand ran through my hair which somehow calmed me down. I don't know how long Dad rubbed my head, it's clear that with this kind of pain it took a very long time.

Suddenly there was the sound of someone opening the front door with a half slam, I didn't need to look up to know who had almost broken down our door. Alex. He approached me with long strides on the couch, his brown eyes wide and worried.

"How long has the heat been felt?" he asked, kneeling beside Dad. Dad got up and walked over to Mum's side to give Alex room. Alex's large hand lifted my head, then almost immediately the pain in my neck subsided.

"A while. Long time." my answer is ridiculous.

"I should have stayed here. I'm sorry." He said while wiping the sweat off my forehead and then hugged me tightly. And as usual my chest started thumping loudly when it came into contact with Alex.

"What is wrong with me?" I whispered in Alex's ear. 

"It's because of the mark, I have to stay by your side until we get used to it." He replied while still hugging me, I could smell a very familiar pine scent from him. I closed my eyes to concentrate on the warmth of Alex's embrace and distract my pain.

Now the pain and heat in my neck is completely gone, when I open my eyes again Mum and Dad look at us both in silence. I returned their glances awkwardly because Alex was still hugging me tightly. Mum who noticed my awkward expression averted her eyes and pushed Dad out of the living room.

"So I have to stick with you for a while, huh?" I asked Alex in a hoarse voice.

"You're stuck with me forever, to be precise." he said, I could almost feel him smiling from his voice. His heartbeat was palpable against my hand, and I have to admit it wasn't just his chest that was pounding so hard right now. Alex released his hug from me after a while making me almost protest.

"You have eaten?" he asked me, I just replied with a shake of the head.

That evening the four of us sat around the dinner table, Mum cooking salmon and asparagus steaks. While the three of us ate, Mum rambled on as usual. At least her chattering didn't make dinner awkward.

"So when's your prom, Cara?" Mum's question suddenly makes me almost choke on the salmon I'm swallowing. Prom is the topic I've been avoiding the most lately.

"Two more weeks." I answered.

"Has anyone asked you yet?" Mum asked again.

"Ehh ..." I felt Alex stop his eating activity beside me. Mum looked at us with a smile waiting for my answer. "There are a few but I think I'll go with Eric." I muttered quickly.

"Eric?That Eric?" whispered Alex beside me, his words sounded a little annoying. I nodded at him while elbowing him.

After finishing the pudding Mum shooed us away while Dad helped her with the dishes. Alex took me to his room, he opened the door and turned on the light. Alex's room is now almost empty because some of the furniture has been moved to his new apartment, so I just stand awkwardly in front of his door.

He opened his bedroom window then half his body out onto the small balcony before turning towards me, "Are you coming or not?"

Since childhood Alex and I had a very uncool secret base, which was the roof of our house. We climbed from the balcony of Alex's room and sat on the top of the roof, carefully of course because if Mum found out she would spray us all over. Usually we go out when the stars are clear to look at the sky and talk about many things. But since I entered high school we never did that again, I think because we're too old to climb on rooftops.

Like going back to our childhood, I followed Alex up from behind him. We both leaned on the roof of the house staring at the twinkling stars that were clearly visible in the sky. Our house is located on the outskirts of the city and is quite close to the forest so it is far from the hustle and bustle and light pollution, therefore the stars are clearly visible from this place.

I let my hair fall around my head while Alex folded his arms behind his head. Then suddenly he took off his black jacket and handed it to me, he was only wearing his black shirt with jeans.

"Tonight is very cold." He said briefly. Without protesting, I took the jacket from his hand and then put it on. Even though I used to borrow Alex's jacket from a long time ago, but only now did I really notice the smell of peppermint and pine and the warmth from Alex's body that was still left on his jacket.

"You are okay?" he asked breaking the silence.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Three days? A week? Two weeks? I don't know. It depends." he said while turning to me.

"Every couple is different."

"Alex? am I going to turn into like you? After you bit me?" I asked slowly.

"Hmm? No. Of course not, Cara." His serious face looked at me.

"I thought...it's contagious.bLike zombies, or rabies." I added after a while. Suddenly he looked at me with a sullen face.

"I'm not a dog, Cara." he replied then suddenly he laughed.