Wereball Series - Along Came A Mate

Chapter 4

Home is where the heart is. The truth is that my love organ had been dissected and divided into several pieces. And these bits were scattered everywhere.

One piece had stayed in my family home, with my parents. Another was thousands of miles away, in the Scottish Highlands, with my grandparents and uncles. Another belonged to my little brother, in his hospital room, fighting against an evil bigger than all of us. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to have a piece of my heart with me, in my everyday life: Tiziano, Amaia and Makena, and, of course, Lachlan.

At that precise moment, I was with that particular piece of my heart, enjoying a night out at the university bar. Except Amaia, who had stayed home, wasn't with us, instead enjoying the solitude of the fortress and a quiet night alone.

"Ehm, Yvaine, darling?" Ludmilla, a member of Makena's gang called me. The two of us had never talked much, apart from the conventional small talk which my wolf and I considered a waste of brain energy.

Sitting on a stool by the window, between Tiziano, indulging in his fourth margarita, and Makena, flirting with a random werewolf with all her might, I looked up at the smiling girl in front of me. "Hey, hello Ludmilla! How are you?"

"Oooh look! The radiologist!" Usually Tiziano's filter was barely effective on that huge mouth. After a couple of drinks, his so-called filter was thrown into a bin. Whatever he thought, the boy would say it. "I think I broke my nail lifting this drink! Could you check if—"

Quickly placing my hand over his active mouth, I smiled at Ludmilla. For some reason, Tiziano hated radiologist and physiotherapists.

"Forgive my friend. He was just kidding"

"I certainly wasn't—"

Ludmilla seemed like a nice girl. A couple years older than us, she had been placed in the category of acquaintances I only met when I hung out with Makena's large group.

Ignoring Tiziano's mirthful gaze, the she-wolf winked at me. "I'm fine! We'll go to the faculty of veterinary later, if you want to join. For a few more drinks."

The amount of time I could devote to these people without getting bored was not unlimited. So, the answer would have been a simple no.

"Oh, I wish I could. But I can't. Next time!"

'Definitely not next time,' Tiziano commented through our mind-link

"Sure, don't worry," she said with a sheepish smile, avoiding my eyes.

'Why is this girl still here?'

"I need a favour..."

Ah, here we go. We had to waste at least five minutes of banal conversation before getting to the heart of the matter.

"Could you lend me your phone, please?" As strange as that request seemed, it sparked my curiosity.

'Of all the people present, why is she asking you?' Tiziano groaned, pursing his lips.

'Behave Tizzy!' I warned with a chuckle.

"So I have to text someone to solve a problem. It's a bit of an emergency."

In fact, Ludmilla seemed a little off. Almost annoyed, with a permanent frown.

'I think the alcohol finally got the better of her werewolf genes. Her skin has started to shrivel.'

Ignoring Tiziano', who was pissed because Ludmilla had interrupted our conversation and because the ice in his glass was melting, I put my phone on her awaiting hand and politely said, "Oh, I hope everything is okay."