Roses's Dark Knight
Chapter 5 - Truth is scary?

Matteo

I am in my office, thinking about Rose.

How her brown hair falls on her shoulders, about her lips that are not plump but just perfect.

Moon-Goddess made her my mate, of course she is perfect. But her heart, how am I going to tell her about me, about mates, about my world? Please Goddess help me!

I don’t think I am going to come up with a solution if I rip my hair out. So, I might as well start working on this pile of documents. Budgets and transfers and school document don’t wait for me to put my love life in order.

„Alpha?” my beta Santo, who is Blanca’s father, interrupts my chain of thought regarding some transfers from another pack.

„Yes Santo.” I look in his eyes and see something I am familiar with, determination. Even if he was my father’s beta, I know it is hard for him to feel the same connection with me, but I can also see that he is trying his best.

„Is it ok if we talk? About your mate and the beta position?” he says with something more than determination in his voice.

Santo is a great man. He has stepped in for his daughter. She was supposed to be my beta when I became alpha, but the rules at that time did not allow women to have roles considered male-only. And he wanted his only pup to have an education. Which I admit is pleasing, because any position brings duties hard to carry on if you aren’t smart.

„Sure. But I think I know what you want to say. At least about the beta position.” I have a feeling I am not going to like what he is going to tell me.

„Well, I was thinking. And I want to tell you that Blanca has found her mate…” Santo looks at me trying to figure out my reaction. I should have felt it in the pack-link but I was too distracted by my mate and how to let her know about our kind.

„Wow, that is great news. I am happy for her. Who is it?” My wolf surprised me today or maybe he was thinking about Rose because all I could feel from him were tingles, leaving me to have a more relaxed answer for my beta. Not happy about it but I try and be as sincere as I can. I am happy because she brought me Rose.

„It’s Marco.” Santo said with an almost whisper voice.

„Marco as in my best friend Marco. As in alpha of Blood Moon Pack?!” I ask Santo to confirm the fact that I heard it right.

„Yes. And she is there with him now. They found each other at the pack clinic when Blanca went to get Rose some medicine.” Santo is now looking from me to the door.

I often ask myself if I am that a cruel and bloodthirsty alpha as everyone thinks I am.

„And he just took her without saying anything?” my voice is now raised. But my wolf is calm, thinking about his mate. I can’t believe I have such a sick love puppy as a wolf.

„You know Marco. And how he has been searching for his mate for over 10 years.” Santo is near the door and ready to leave in any second if I lose my temper much.

„I know. But are you okay? I mean … you know …” Santo asks in a fatherly voice.

He started laughing. Even as a kid I could never read him all the way.

„Yes. I trust the Moon-Goddess! What I was scared was your reaction was going to be a bad one. Considering she was going to be announced as beta in a few weeks.” Santo learned the hard way he can diffuse my bad-temper. He started now to be a pro at it.

„I am happy for them! As for the beta position, I will figure something out. Might talk to Marco about his twin brothers. They might have the same alpha father but it seems that those two are betas.” Now I know why Marco came to talk to me about his brothers and a transfer for them, at least as head warriors he said. Cheeky old alpha wolf.

„That would be great. But for the time being let me help you with paper work. I know you have a lot on your mind.” Santo made me come back from my thoughts and helped me finish my work.

„Yes. Thank you.” I said before we started working in silence.

It was silence for the most part, good for concentrating and working. Only the sound of the pencil was heard from time to time. And on an occasion, I caught Santo looking at me to see how I am.

It is a lot of work. Some think that being alpha comes with the responsibility of protecting the pack from outside threats, but it is so much more. We finished the paper work in due time. Just before dinner. This gave me more time to think while Rose was sleeping. I think I am going to have to explain to her that shifters exist, that some creatures believed by humans to be part of fairy-tales are real. Oh, Moon-Goddess help me.

Rose

I usually wake up really early. But today seems I overslept. Must be the air, or the fact that the blinds are closed making it impossible for the sun to shine in the room.

I wonder where Blanca is. Her bed is untouched.

Might as well start my day taking a shower, brushing my teeth and doing my hair in a ponytail.

I think I will gather my courage and go looking for Blanca since she isn’t even answering her phone. I am also hungry. Maybe because yesterday, I didn’t get to eat anything.

As I open the door the most wonderful smell hits my nose and I instantly start drooling. Now I know Blanca must be in the kitchen because only she knows how much I like baked potatoes with eggs and cheese. Only Blanca knows how to add just a little garlic so it doesn’t smell too bad on your breath later. I love her so much for that I am willing to forgive her for not answering her phone and not sleeping in the room.

I follow the smell in the kitchen, which is on the ground floor.

To my surprise. There is no Blanca in the kitchen. It is Matteo.

He must have heard me on the stairs.

„Hi sleepy-head.” His voice is so sweet, and for a second there it looked like his eyes went from a bright color to a darker one. Must be my imagination, because Blanca sometimes had the same tint in her eyes.

„Uhm, hi. Where is Blanca? And how do you …” I start bombing him with questions but he interrupts me, how rude.

„First let’s eat and then we can talk. Does that sound good?” Matteo has a voice that makes it impossible to have an argument against him.

„Okay. But how did you know this is my favorite dish in the world? Did you torture Blanca?” I had to make him smile, he has a sweet smile. I like him.

His laugh made my heart grow. It is a warm smile and his voice ugh, make me want to hug him am stay in his arms forever.

Wait a second, what and how did I start to turn into a love-bug. This is so like me. I mean look at him, he is so good-looking, and even has girls fighting over him. I am sure he is not interested in me.

„No. Blanca is safe in the arms of her….” He started to spill the truth but I had to of hit my head because Blanca has someone and I never knew until now?

„WAIT, WHAT?” I am shocked, angry and sad all at the same time.

„Ops, can we rewind that a little?” I think Matteo feels like a puppy caught in the headlight of a car. My anger tends to make Blanca feel like that. I guess it has the same effect on someone else.

„Yes, sorry. But when did she replace a guy? And under her parents’ nose. Did she leave me to go with him? That is so not like her! Is she okay?” I keep doing this, spit out question after question and I don’t get any answers because it makes them feel like drowning.

„Blanca is okay. Her parents know about him. And they had to sort out somethings and they will be meeting us here.” Matteo seems to understand me and he answers me with a smile on his face. And a sparkle in his eyes I don’t understand.

How is it that Matteo isn’t annoyed by my personality like others?

„And how about the baked potatoes?” I ask sheepishly.

„Ah, that one is easy. Blanca told me!” Matteo has an answer for everything I see he has done his homework about me. Maybe he likes me? Just maybe I have a chance.

„Of course, she did. She feels guilty. And she knows that this will keep the beast calm.” Matteo said with a grin.

The look on his face was priceless. He outed Blanca on what she called me when I was angry. This means that Blanca trusts him.

„The beast?” I ask him squinting my eyes, faking that I am angry

„Yes, I kind of have a beast in me. Metaphorically speaking. It feels like a different person inside of me and comes out only when I have a bad temper, it protects me!” I try to explain to Matteo what it feels like when I get angry and it consumes me.

„That makes sense. I like your beast already.” Matteo must think I am crazy but did he say that he likes my beast mode?

„Really? Because it might scare you …” I am not sure about Matteo liking my beast mode.

„I also have a beast.” Matteo said.

„And what’s his name?” I must be dreaming. Is he for real?

„Damon.” Matteo said.

„Can I see him? I mean Damon.” I am curious. But most of all I feel like I need to see Damon, like Damon need to see me.

„Sorry, excuse me? What do you mean …? Do you know?” Matteo started to panic and I could see it in his eyes that he was scared.

„I am not sure what you are talking about. But I have a feeling …” I am not sure about many things. But about this I am sure.

Matteo was looking at me like I have two heads. How am I going to tell him that I dreamed about him and that in my dream he transformed into a magnificent black wolf. I am so stupid sometimes. Why do I do this to myself? Now he might just throw me to the wolves, pun intended.