Chapter 20: Chapter 19

I had an odd thought about destiny.

Odd, simply because I had never wasted an ounce of mental energy on the concept of Destiny. I had never believed it. I called myself a rational person, where Science was my religion, and Wisdom my god. The only mystical power that made everything happen was me.

I was the sole architect of my success and how my life was going.

Before meeting my mate, I firmly thought I wasn’t a marionette in the hands of fate and Moon Goddess, but I was the owner of the strings of my puppet.

But - because there is always a but - as a werewolf, considered by humans a fantastic creature belonging to myths and legends, with a mate created to mould into my own soul, a part of me had always believed that the world was sprinkled with a little magical dust.

Before meeting my soul mate, I hadn’t given any weight to certain encounters with people, or random events that took shape around me, in silence.

After what would have happened to me in this year full of events, new encounters, shed tears, broken hearts and butterflies, the year I met my mate, I never took anything for granted again and began to respect ‘destiny’ and ‘fate’, and acknowledged them.

That little thread that pulled my soul and brought me closer to my mate, studded with encounters and episodes, was all about destiny.

The difference between now and then was that I didn’t know it....

~~~~~~~

Last night’s events came to my mind as I was heading to the kids’ hospital that cold morning.

And not because of the date...

Speaking of which, my meeting with Alex was... filled with interruptions.

That was the perfect way to describe the experience. At least at the beginning.

He had picked me up from home, like a gentleman, punctual and respectful, waiting for me right outside the door. The boy had ignored Makena’s whistles from the window and Amaia’s embarrassing reminders to ask if he had ever had STDs.

The icing on the cake was Tiziano, with his damn bullhorn that he used in the wereball games, that had shouted various (unwanted) advice that he considered important, including using a specific brand of condoms customised for werewolves, or for the ‘were-swimmers’ as he called them.

As if we didn’t have werewolf ears and couldn’t already hear it perfectly without that terrible device that would have come to a horrid end when I would return home.

At first, we had gone to that book café Alex had bragged about only to leave 20 seconds later, as Alex’s ex-girlfriend worked there and neither of us wanted to be poisoned. So, we ended up in a popular werewolf bar, frequented by different packs. A large group of Dark Diamond was there that evening to celebrate a winning and Alex, as a defender of the Comet pack, risked his life by simply breathing in the same crowded space as them, without his group of Comet to back him up.

We still agreed to stay for a bit, and I had insisted on getting the first round of drinks. Not because I wanted to show equality between males and females, where even girls can invite the guy on a first date, but because I wanted to check and smell the drinks myself.

When I managed to pass through several bodies, with two glasses filled with coloured sugar and ethanol, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a crowd of Dark Diamond on the second floor. I didn’t pay much attention, and, above all, I didn’t want to be known as the Highlander’s twin. I hated fights, especially hurting people unnecessarily knowing that they would most likely need a fellow doctor who probably had more important things to do than fix injuries caused by alpha blood like mine.

The smell of sweat, alcohol and werewolves was intense, so much that my nose decided to strike.

While I was on that train of thoughts, someone bumped into me, pouring half of my drink out. I whirled around, fangs already lengthening. If I avoided unnecessary conflicts, my wolf craved them as much as she adored fresh hare.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” said a female voice.

A very tall girl, taller than me, with ash blonde hair and a pair of piercing grey eyes stared at me in concern. The she-wolf was very fit, with well-defined muscles and abs that appeared from her short tank top she was wearing.

“I hope I haven’t spilled your drink! Otherwise let me buy you another”

She was very pretty, and based on what she said, she wasn’t beautiful just from the outside.

So, I grinned at that friendly amazon.

“Do not worry.” I chuckled, “You actually helped me speed things up”

She smiled sympathetically and her eyes sparkled with amusement, “Bad date?”

“Mmmh, not sure yet” I glanced at the corner, where Alex was waiting for me.

He was tapping his foot and running his hands through his hair.

“If you’re interested, I have great single were-friends.” She winked, nodding at somewhere behind me. “I’d introduce you to my brother, but you seem too good for him.”

I chuckled at her spontaneity and straightforwardness.

“Nah, it’s ok! I have a lot of Cupido-friends already on that. And I’m here with Alex tonight.”

After asking who he was, she whistled softly, eyeing him. “Not bad... but wait! Isn’t he a Comet’s defender?” She looked at me with surprise.

“And you’re from Dark Diamond” I completed the sentence for her, “Please don’t tell me you’re one of those types who judge someone by the pack.” It would have completely ruined my opinion of her.

“Only if you play on the Comet female’s team.” She patted my shoulder, “But you don’t, or I would remember you,” Something sparked her interest.

“No, I don’t like wereball very much. Oh, sorry, I didn’t catch your name!” Before she could answer, someone else yelled from above us.

“Hey Bella! Come! We are about to start!”

Three female wolves were around a billiard table with sticks in hand.

“That’s my call and my name” Bella beamed at me,

“What’s your name?” She then asked,

“Yvaine” I smiled, holding out my hand for her to shake, which she did eagerly. As imagined, her handshake was firm and strong. Like her.

“But it was a pleasure to meet you, Yvaine from Comet!”

“Same! By the way, you have the same name as my mother” I added before waving at her and laughing when she ordered me to shout her name if I got bored with my date.

That was the second - third, if I included Rudolph - Black Diamond’s packmember I had personally met outside of a wereball context and they weren’t bad at all.

“Hey, why did it take you so long?” Alex asked when I returned to the table, standing up and taking the drinks from my hands.

“I met a cool girl and we chatted for a second,” I smiled at his frown.

After that, we continued talking and, against all odds, I ended up enjoying the conversation. Alex had told me why he chose the medical field and how he wanted to go to Africa to help orphaned children and study rare diseases’ vaccines. Ultimately, his strong passion, perky mind and pure heart had drawn me to him.

“Shall we go out of here?” At one point he proposed.

The more alcohol flowed, the more dangerous it was for Alex to stay there, without reinforcements. So, we left, especially after sensing some turbulence from the corner of the Dark Diamond’s gang.

Once outside, in the fresh air, I resumed my breathing and reactivated my olfactory senses.

As if the universe were somehow against our date, his wereball mates appeared out of nowhere, drunk as skunks, with a couple of female wolves from the pack. Fortunately for me, Lachlan wasn’t there as he had gone to the pack to spend some quality time with our father.

“Look at the cute couple!” They all snickered, wiggling their eyes.

A wasted Caius hugged me and shouted with sloppy words, “You know, I hope you guys never meet your mates! That’s huuuuge crap.”

Then he burped and laughed loudly, with a girl attached to his hip, like a living purse.

I frowned at his behaviour and noticed how Caius rubbed his chest. It somehow reminded me of my own chest issues.

“Caius, man, why don’t you go home?” Alex suggested, patting him on the shoulder.

“Not until I do this chick.” He looked at me with a smirk, ignoring the gasp of the girl.

The battle between Makena and Caius would never end. The mystery of why it started would never be revealed as the two stubborn werewolves had never uttered a word about it.

“Does your brother know you went out with our Chainsaw?” That was Alex’s wereball nickname.

“Yes, he knows. But, does he know you are all drunk within a short distance of the next game?” I retorted with a glint. The six players looked at each other in fear and swallowed, starting to utter compliments and say Alex and I were the perfect match.

After we got rid of them, who practically scurried away, we continued our date strolling around the park.

“Damn, you can be scary sometimes” Alex grinned from my side as we went on chatting lightly. I felt more and more comfortable with him and his simplicity.

“Sorry, I know this date was a bit messy” At some point he said, scratching his neck with one hand while the other was next to mine, grazing it, not grabbing it.

“No, it’s fun,” I replied gazing at the stars above us. I had only checked my phone three times since the date started.

He chuckled, shaking his head, and peering at me. “Ivy ... I know we’re not mates, but I really like you.” He admitted, “I admire you a lot as a person and I feel very proud of who you are and what you do with your time.” The big man halted and grabbed my hands in his large ones, facing me.

“If you decide to share some of your time with me.” His words sparked my interest. “I’ll show you that it is worth it”

I opened my mouth to say that I wasn’t interested in dating, I didn’t have the time for it, but that I really liked him... as a friend, to share our thoughts and maybe study together... but he didn’t let me say any of it.

“You don’t have to answer me now, I know you feel nothing for me.” He said with a sad smile before adding a ”Yet."

“And you have much better to do than sharing your big brain with us, mere mortals” He teased with a small laughter, and I joined him. It was impossible not to.

“But there is one thing I would like to do” he whispered, taking a step forward, “If you let me.”

We were under a large oak tree, the moonlight brightened his inhuman eyes .

“Ivy, I’d love you to give me a tiny chance...” The great wereball player blushed cutely and it broke my heart.

Then Alex stroked my cheek and scanned my face, his eyes lingering on my lips.

A heartbeat later, he leaned forward and placed his lips on mine.

And, without thinking, without reflecting or analysing the fact, I kissed him back.

AN/ Next update on Monday!!

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