Wereball Series - Along Came A Mate

Chapter 13 ~ Part 1

AN/ Thanks for voting!! Here the next chapter! <3

Also guys, when I say I'll post the chapter when we reach100 votes, I mean I'll post the chapter on the day that happens! :)

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Part 1

Working in the hospital, I faced death more than ordinary werewolves or humans would.

Death. A concept that frightened the most. A concept understood by few.

To me, death was the beep of the heart signal that stopped. The heartbeat's line in a cardiogram monitor flared. A brain vein that exploded. A tumour that returned more malignant than ever.

To me, death was watching the world of a mother and father crumble down, piece by piece, after receiving the dark news... News received from me or my colleagues, as if we were personal messengers of death itself.

To me, death was also a doctor who made a fatal mistake.

I figured that we, mere mortals, had never really thought about the concept of death until its radar decided to target one of our loved ones.

Death and my family walked side by side, arm in arm, since the birth of my little brother. It was a constant fight between us and death. Between the progress of medicine and the unknown. Between hope and failure.

As I stared at the door of Ian's bedroom, I took a deep breath to ease the guilt.

Since I had arrived at my parents' house, two days ago, I had not yet had the courage to visit him. I had always postponed, like the coward excuse maker I was.

And then, the evening before returning to campus, here I was, with my hand resting on the doorknob. 

Uncertain and weak.

I could hear a stable heartbeat and regular breaths.

Ian, a ball of perky energy, was forced to bed most of the time, wasting years of childhood, one after another. 

When I finally convinced myself to open the door, careful not to make any noise, I saw the little werewolf sleeping soundly. His small body covered by a thin sheet was in the same red car-shaped bed, in the same colourful room, with drawings and pictures hanging on the wall, with little-used toys in the baskets. And it was at that moment that the taps of my eyes were turned on. I began to cry like a weak soul.

Tears of rage, against the injustices of the world. Tears of frustration because I loved him so much. Tears of anguish, for those years we would not share together. So many memories where Ian will not be part of.

Ian could not see me like that. He would eventually smell my scent and wake up from his peaceful sleep. From a world of dreams. That piece of land that allowed him to escape for a while from a painful reality.

I rushed out, closing the door behind me.

Worst sister of the year.

I sunk to the floor and leaned my head against the wall.

My arms wrapped around my knees, as if a self-hug could comfort me.

The setting sun cast deep shadows over the decorations of our gods in the ceiling. It was getting late. My father and I had arranged to run again in the woods before he took me back to campus.

And I sat there for a long time, letting myself be drawn into blue sadness.

In that same corridor filled with childhood memories. Smaller versions of Lachlan and I,  sprinting down the hall. Our Dad who scolded us countless times for breaking or dirtying something, Mom who gave us high five behind him.

The phone rang in my pocket but I ignored it, determined to remain in my gloomy thoughts.

It was probably Tiziano or Makena, wondering about my whereabouts.  Probably they wanted to organize a roommates' dinner  or a movie night, in our perfect little ecosystem.

I had shut down the mind link with everyone, even my wolf. High walls fortified my mind.

The phone rang again. And then again.

In a trance, I stared for a few seconds at an unknown number that lit up the screen, with my vision blurred.

I didn't feel like talking to anyone, yet I replied.

"H-hello?" I sniffed. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back against the door, realizing that Ian was still asleep.

"Hello there, witch! I recommend you fasten your seat belts because my revenge is-" The cheerful voice that gave my heart hard time and palpitations, stopped when I sniffed again.

"Are you crying?" Rudolph asked cautiously.

I marvelled at how my body and mind relaxed.

"Not anymore. You have interrupted me," I said as I ran a hand over my tear-stained cheeks.

I expected him to make fun of me, I could almost hear his sarcastic comments. 

Oddly, he didn't.

"What made you sad?" The genuine concern laced in his voice surprised me. 

"Nothing ..." I trailed off, pondering what to answer to this perfect stranger.

"If it's about the messages, don't worry," He sighed, "I'll remove your name, but come on, don't cry."

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Third POV

On the other line, the so-called Rudolph, who did not look at all like Santa's tiny, skinny reindeer as his nickname might suggest, felt something break when the unknown girl cry.

Running a hand through his blonde locks, the werewolf  paced back and forth. His size was not meant for that tiny space he'd holed up in to call the girl... To inform her of his brilliant revenge in progress.

"Rudolph" had to admit that this Yvaine girl and her idiot friend had a fine imagination. That prank they came up with had caused great irritation. He still got messages from those creepy, old men looking for a submissive to dominate.

Ultra-competitive, Rudolph was a werewolf who never lost. Whether to win a girl or a match. Victory was in his blood, no matter the consequences.

And the girl with the most angelic voice had thrown the gauntlet. 

"Rudolph" was an annoyingly intelligent werewolf with a brusque sense of humour and no inhibitions. There was practically nothing that could embarrass him. He solved every problem with a confident smirk or brush it off with a shrug. Some may say his personality was intense. Others may find him arrogant.

Nobody, however, would dare to contradict him, let alone challenge him.

Since that night she texted him, he ha felt excited, challenged, and speechless for the very first time. This female may be special, perhaps different, somehow. Rudolph did not want to give it too much importance, nor he had time for it. 

But when he heard her cry...

"Excuse me, what messages are you talking about?" Yvaine asked from the other line, raising a eyebrow in a perfect arc.

AN/ Part 2 coming soon!

<3 love u!