Escaping from the wolf
18

I stood frozen, not blinking, completely stunned; this couldn't be true, it couldn't be real... But how? Apolo was trying to read my face, trying to understand my expressions, but I had none, or maybe I did: total bewilderment. That was it. "W-what did you say?" I whispered.

He slowly sat down on the couch and rested his elbows on his knees.

"It was the day before Kayler's party that I realized it. I had some doubts about our parents. When I told my dad who you were and what you meant to me, he asked who your mom was, and since you once told me her name, I told him." He recounted. I sat beside him, attentive to the story. "He said we couldn't be together because we were... siblings."

It was utterly impossible, but how? I only have two parents, and now Apolo is telling me this.

"Wait... Are you saying one of my parents... is also yours? I don't understand." I stammered. Everything was so confusing.

"Your mother, Anne... Apparently, she is... Mine too." He confessed.

I felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over me. My mom? Apolo and I siblings?

"It can't be." I muttered.

"It can be. That's why we couldn't be together, we can't."

It was the most logical explanation. That's why he had been so distant with me. However, why am I not devastated by this? Why doesn't it hurt as much as before?

"My mom needs to give me a good explanation for this, you and I can't be siblings, Apolo." I said seriously, standing up and heading upstairs in search of Carolina, hoping not to find her in any uncomfortable situation. When I reached her door, I knocked twice.

"Come in, Anne."

I opened the door, but she was alone. Where did Kayler go?

"And your boyfriend?" I asked.

She was sitting with the Scott Diary in her hand, still unopened.

"He went out through the window," she replied. She sat up and put the diary under the mattress. "Did something happen with Apolo?" she wanted to know.

I looked down.

"Apolo told me that..." I took a deep breath and looked at her. "That we are siblings."

Her eyes widened in shock and then she frowned.

"How? Siblings? That can't be." She murmured. I shrugged and tried to forget everything. Carolina watched my behavior with a frown. "Wait... You just told me that Apolo and you are siblings, and you're acting like it's nothing."

I sat on the bed, it was true, I was surprised myself. Apolo, my ex-boyfriend, whom I had recently liked, to whom I gave my first kiss, was now something different. It wasn't the same since... Thomas arrived.

"I don't know, Carolina, I'm a bit confused." I rubbed my arm, my gaze on the floor.

"Hey, it's okay, being siblings must just be a mistake. Apolo is confused... Anne, you're his mate. If you know what that means, right?"

I nodded, not very clear on what that meant.

"I know but..." I stopped short when I realized what I was about to say. My feelings for him had changed, everything had changed and I didn't know if for better or worse.

Ugh, why do I have to be so confused? I just wanted to be the protagonist of one of those romance stories, or Disney stories, to be a princess who finds her prince and lives happily ever after, despite the evil witch trying to keep them apart. Love endures. Always.

"But what?" she inquired softly.

I shook my head dismissively and stood up. The sound of people laughing on the frozen lake gave me an idea.

"Come on, let's go to the lake." I extended my hand to her.

She scrunched up her face in denial.

"There's no need to go on it, I just want to forget everything, please." I pouted.

She glared at me as she took my hand.

We left the house and headed to the entrance, where many people were putting on their skates and heading out to skate. There were couples kissing, others holding hands skating together, some were alone, and others were just watching. There were a lot of people, really.

"I miss when no one was here." Carolina murmured as she navigated through the crowd. The ice on the water was solid, meaning further down was a sign that you couldn't pass; I suppose the ice is thinner there.

"Just find something to entertain yourself." I told her.

"I'll call Kayler instead."

I noticed that Kayler and Apolo were talking in a more secluded spot. Had he told Kayler? I think so because he was trying to cheer him up.

"You don't have to call him. He's right there."

She followed my gaze and her expression relaxed.

"Will you come with me?"

I looked at her incredulously.

"No, it's fine, I'll be back soon."

And she went off, weaving through the crowd in search of her boyfriend. I stood there with my arms crossed, not knowing what to do. I could take some skates and go skating for a while, but it would be awkward to go alone. "Wow, wow, little Anne wanting to go skating." Thomas's mocking voice made my skin crawl. He appeared in my field of vision with his usual heart-melting smile. It seemed he was completely healed now. Good for him.

"Aren't you supposed to be doing something important?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He crossed his arms.

"I already did it, so I decided to come bother you for a while. I was bored." He shrugged.

I faked a smile and didn't reply. Thomas definitely has the power to put me in a bad mood. And I don't know why, he also has the power to cheer me up. Just sometimes.

"I see you're fully recovered." I murmured.

"I told you I heal quickly."

I looked at him. His dark, penetrating gaze was unreadable; I couldn't decipher his expressions... Well, he was just showing his perverted side.

"Stop drooling over me already. I know I'm irresistible, but the creepy look you're giving me is uncomfortable too."

"Excuse me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'm not excusing you, Anne. You need to learn to hide it." He replied.

What a nuisance.

"And the annoying Thomas is back." I murmured to myself. But obviously, he heard, so he just laughed quietly.

"I need you to come with me to a place." He said, taking my arm and leading me into the forest.

"Where? Carolina will be looking for me any minute."

"Carolina can wait."

The snow seeping into my boots was annoying. Thomas kept leading me deeper into the forest without saying a word.

"Thomas, tell me where you're taking me."

"Shh, it's a surprise."

At that moment, he stopped abruptly, causing me to bump into his back.

"Hey," I complained, annoyed.

"Shh..." He put his hand over my mouth.

I removed it immediately, growling at him. I was about to say a few things, but he kept interrupting.

"Don't talk."

I frowned and immediately understood what was happening. He sensed something. The sound of people was gone, and the forest was in complete silence. And that gave me a very bad feeling. "It was a mistake bringing you here." He said as he started to lead me back, but before taking another step, a pasty, sinister voice stopped him.

"Well, Thomas, long time no see."

We turned to the voice... My surprise was finding Clark and the older man who had gone to Apolo's house. He was wearing a suit, and his pale face had a scar under his nose. It was small but visible. Clark's eyes were black, dark. I don't know why, but I sensed that this vampire was Clark's boss.

"What are you doing here, Elleon?" Thomas snapped.

Only now did I realize that our hands were intertwined.

Elleon gave a small but macabre smile and looked at me.

"So, she's Anne Stevens, the girl we need. Good job, Thomas, you succeeded." He said. And I didn't understand anything. "You managed to make this girl fall in love with you." And that was something I really felt hurt.