Chapter 2 After me

"Stop smiling!" Mona said, glaring at him.

Romeo immediately straightened his facial expression. He tried to look as serious and as worried as possible.

"Do you know what I heard yesterday?"

"What is it? Who did you eavesdrop on this time?"

Mona glared at him for a moment. She chose to ignore what he said. A wolf can't change its fur.

"The Elders were having a meeting about the troublemakers in the pack. They were contemplating chasing them from the pack for good."

"So?" Romeo asked with a shrug.

"So?" Mona repeated, incredulously. "So? It means that they want you out of the pack. They all voted 'ayes' when your name was mentioned. They are tired of you. All of them. Even your mother's mentor did not hesitate. She has given up on you."

"Had they not given up on me all these while?"

"You... I... what.... Aaaaaaaaahh!" Mona sputtered, pulling at her long hair in frustration.

Romeo ignored it and continued.

"I simply have been very crafty and cautious in my planning. And by the way, it wouldn't change much. I already don't live with the pack, the alpha's howl doesn't stir anything in me, and like you said nobody likes me." He shrugged. "I am basically an Omega already. I've always been. Just that, I had a talisman I could use, who goes by the name, Jake."

Mona opened her mouth but no words came out. Her face reddened as a result. Her chest rose and fell heavily over and over again.

Romeo confidently watched at her. That small smile of his, was back on his face. His most sincere thoughts at that point was how her current heartbeat sounded similar to when they made love. He had come to see it as a sign that she was genuinely worried. And that put a smile on his face. He did not care much for his so-called friends as he could never confirm whether they were actually friends or they were only using him to have some fun because he was different and did not care about being punished. But with Mona, he could easily tell and it sincerely, warmed his heart.

"What is wrong with you?" Mona screamed at the top of her voice. "Can't you ever be serious?"

Romeo's smile widened, exposing his snow-white teeth.

"If I were, you wouldn't have fallen in love with me." He replied. His eyes glinted mischievously.

Mona did not notice the glint in his eyes. She opened her mouth but no words came out. It vexed her badly that he was so right. She closed her mouth and exhaled heavily. What could she possibly say in this case? She dropped her head in defeat.

Romeo's smile fell. He went down on a knee in front of Mona. He touched her left arm softly.

"Mona." Romeo called.

Mona raised her head. Romeo immediately caught her eyes.

"Why are you so hurt? What happened? What changed?" He asked. His eyes had a soft glow to them, compelling Mona to tell the truth.

Mona hesitated.

"Mona! Say it. There is no need to worry. I can take it." Romeo reassured.

Mona too in a deep breath. She held it, then, she exhaled.

"I have been chosen to be the next Luna. It will become official during the next full moon."

Romeo grinned.

"Well, that's good news. That's what you have worked towards all your life, isn't it?"

Mona maintained the gaze. Romeo's grin fell. There was a problem that came with the position.

"What is the 'but'?" He asked.

"I've been betrothed to Jason."

Romeo blinked. He blinked again. He blinked the third time.

"What?" He asked. His voice almost a whisper.

"We will be getting married in the next full moon."

"Why?"

"That's just how it is. You can't become an official Luna without an Alpha. And Alpha Jake is old and more than willing to pass the seat." Mona explained.

"Hold on. Just to be clear. Who is Jason again?" Romeo asked.

"Jason is Alpha Jake's only son." Mona replied.

Romeo's voice rose.

"Hold up! You mean Jason. As in, that proud, fat, bald head that is always pretending to be nice to everyone and smiles lewdly at every lady, young and old, with his bloated lips and misplaced charisma and ego?"

Mona opened her mouth again. She closed it. She shook her head and spoke.

"You know, I have come to know him in these past few days, and he is very much like you."

Romeo laughed a bitter laugh. It sounded like someone grating stones using a manual blender.

"We are nothing alike!" He yelled. "How can you compare me with....."

He paused. A few seconds passed in silence as his brain gears spun at full speed.

"Hold on! I have a rival now?"

Mona looked away. Romeo's voice increased in pitch. Not volume. Pitch. Like from Bass to Tenor.

"Don't tell me you are actually considering that fatty."

"He's actually not that physically different from you either. Just shorter."

"Ah, F*ck!" Romeo cursed and walked downstream. He went on his knees and pounded his fists against each other, thrice.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Then, he raised his head and yelled at the night sky.

Mona watched him yell out his frustration, worriedly. Not once, had she seen him lose his cool. He always seemed to be in perfect control of his emotions. But, as soon as he thought that she was considering another man, he had to scream his lungs out. It warmed her heart. She smiled.

Romeo turned around and walked upstream again. Much calmer this time. HE stood in front of Mona, his hands on his waist.

"Mona!" He started, catching her gaze again. He looked into her beautiful green pupils. "Let's run away."

It stumped Mona.

"What?"

"Let's elope. Let's leave all these behind. We can even have our own territory. Start our own pack. Just the both of us."

Mona's mouth opened agape. She could never have thought of Romeo saying such. She never even considered such an option. The pack was her life. She had friends and families, both biological and 'adoption-by-pack'. She had never considered leaving them behind and going her own way. She wanted to become Luna and worked towards it her whole life so that she could improve the pack, protect it, cherish I, further empower it. Won't leaving the pack mean leaving her whole life and dreams behind? Could she do that? Could she live with herself if she did that?

Mona looked at Romeo's sincere face. Straight into his intense dark-brown eyes and for some reason, the answer was clear to her.