Elian's passion

Elian's passion

Part One: "New Tie"

Chapter One

Secundina

"When you are born to be a failure, no matter how hard you try, you never stop being a failure"

That is the motto of my life, I am not exaggerating, let's see when I was born many years ago, I won't say how many, but there are many, well enough, I already deviated from the narrative, the thing is that the day I was born the next day my mother he died before they say it was my fault, no, it wasn't me, the day I was born, mom found out that dad had a lover, her pain was so great that she decided to end her life, her sadness was stronger than her motherhood, for consequently dad took care of my older sister and me.

From that moment my life was marked, first by losing mom and second by the name I mean! In what head can I be named Secundina? And with the last name García Anguamea, if it's okay, I give you permission to laugh, even I already laugh at my misfortune, well let's continue, my father in an act of repentance decided to stay alone to be a decent widower, he never married and as long as he García, widower of Anguamea, was presenting, to which I was aware of that he kept calling him "ridiculous old man". As I was saying there, my life was marked forever, let's continue, elementary school, those damn Mother's Day festivals were the most tragicomic six years of my life, I really came to hate them, for eleven months I was happy, everything was that May came when my torture began, from the television commercials to the school activities, that month both Dulce and I got sick, although dad knew that it was not like that, he overlapped us during that month, I don't know why but that month it hurt much, neither the date of his death nor Christmas hurt as much as the month of May, the six years passed and finally secondary school, yes! High school, without a doubt the best time of my life, I would live it again as I lived it, although at that time my heart was broken, as a good high school teenager my body changed, but not for the better, I'm still waiting for the duck to transform swan, my one seventy-five helped a lot, yes, yes, being one of the tall ones, with care and training for the second semester I already belonged to the basketball team and not to the bench, no, to the official ones, and that's how I met the love of my life or so I thought, why not? Yes, he was the tallest in school, stocky, dark brown hair, honey-colored eyes and his way of playing basketball stole my heart, tremendous disappointment when he told me that he would never, ever hang out with someone like me, ugly, fat and stupid. nothing intelligent, with what little dignity I had left I collected the fragments of my tender heart, I really tried to glue them but I never could, no matter how hard I tried, it didn't help much that in high school Damián told me that he would never hang out with a woman so tall and That she was a champion in shot put. What fault do I have that he was six foot tall? And what was my fault for being good at sports? I mean, it must have been funny, right? If I wasn't pretty or intelligent at this point in my life, at seventeen years old, I hated my fatness and my height, and before I criticized myself and said nutritionist, exercise, etc., etc., etc. I tell her that I ran two kilometers a day, I walked fifteen kilometers, I had a good diet, but I could never lose weight, I suppose that was the way my physical complexion was, but my adolescent never understood it and to be frank, neither did my adult.

What was a good athlete was bad in love, so resigned to the fact that this area was not my thing, I concentrated on continuing with my training, both basketball and shot put, even going to the nationals and belonging to the official team of my city and my state with pride I can say that I belonged to the red wave, at university things did not change so much, with my sports history I tried out for the basketball team of the Faculty of Nursing and Nutrition of course and As expected, I was among the starters, things changed when the selection for the official team of the University was made, then if I was left on the bench I was player number eight but I did not care, I was from Las Adelitas for me it was a lot, between training, classes I didn't have time to think about love, anyway, that man and I didn't get along, one day I was very comfortable doing a difficult anatomy homework, when a classmate sat next to me, for Of course I didn't pay attention to it, believe me when I say that the peripheral nervous system had all my concentration, you will understand my astonishment when the boy in front of me told me "you are the prettiest girl in the entire college" I looked up, I don't know what a look I gave him that I saw how he backed off, but I remember well that I grabbed my things and got up from the place but not before telling him "go make fun of your fucking fucking bitch." The next day half of the faculty was amazed because I told him that Prudencio, who by the way was a model, drummer in his rock group and was studying nutrition, but come on, who can blame me for not believing his words? Or yes, as you already know that I am "tall" and fat, white, large eyes without exaggerating dark brown color, wavy dark brown hair, straight nose, full lips and natural eyeliner that if the lips and my eyes were my greatest pride, like I said fat but not the pretty ones, yes, you know the ones with a marked waist, good chest and a good buttock, no, rather I was or am like a round cylinder, flat with concave curves, yes, that's how I am, Since I think about it, I think that the only beautiful thing in me was or is my face, let's continue, hardly and after four years I finally finished my degree in nursing, from there to my internship year, practically being a slave to the base staff and I have to say that that year was a good year, I think it is the second best thing that has happened to me and I would live it again, there I met my best friend Esther Cantú better known as Tete or yes, the famous Tt, we live together We went to the movies, danced everywhere, we walked together, and in my social service I met Doctor Rojas, I literally drooled when I saw him and that made Tete laugh a lot, to my misfortune the doctor found out that I was drooling on his lips. little bones but! Unlike other occasions, he didn't call me ugly, stupid, or fat, nothing like that, he just said, you're too young for me. What? For God's sake, you're only ten years older than me, he never stopped being kind and gentle with me, not in fact we became friends, also with Lujan, although I was never a doctor's girlfriend if I made good friends, they even helped a little with my car He estimates that the truth was that he was on the ground mmm... yes... I think he's still down like this, I ended that year with good friends that I still have to date.

Three years passed and I met the cause of my misfortune, if my heart was stuck he ended up breaking it, also my emotional stability, what happened to me that, to many, I fell before his smooth talk, his handsomeness, believing it was love, and! saz! He left when I was six months pregnant, devastated, defeated, I no longer wanted to know anything about anyone, nor about life, I think that's how my mom must have felt when dad broke her heart, drawing strength from weakness, with the help of my sister, my dad and my granny can come out I went ahead, the big day arrived, and after three and a half pushes Emilia was born or yes hahaha if I have an exotic name my daughter too, I said thank you and I keep giving them because she doesn't look alike to his father, although there are days when he is his spitting image, but hey, nothing is perfect, is it? put me in front, my life turned into chaos, when my daughter turned seven I met a man two years older than me, named Fernando, who sang it to me face to face "I'm married, I like to walk cobrón, are you going in or No?" and I play, well, we dated for three months, during that time, he paid my house bills, bought groceries and even bought clothes for my daughter and he never set foot in her, because I will be or rather was the The most whore of whores, but no one other than my father or my uncles entered my house. I cried bitterly with Fernando because of that misbegotten, but he always found a way to raise my morale "I don't know why you cry to that asshole having me "That still makes me smile to this day, although we don't walk anymore, we never stop talking, no, since he's a lawyer, he helped me when the sperm donor wanted to take my daughter from me, Fernando went out of his way and almost sent him jail just because I didn't want to and as a nurse I have had to help him when his children have a fever or things like that and no, it's not that I enter his house no, no, it's more than I don't even know the wife everything is by phone, WhatsApp, working in a private hospital I have to attend to his parents in the operating room, first his father underwent surgery on his gallbladder, then his mother for a fracture in her left arm, as you can see we are more friends than anything else, although sometimes Sometimes I don't get risqué messages.

My daughter is already sixteen years old and I am almost forty-one, we are still alone, at this point in my life I pray every day to whatever pantheon they tell me so that she has a better life than mine, I ask that she not be a failure of A woman like her mother, everything indicates that she is on the right track, she is doing well at school, she is a geek, she cosplays that before the fucking pandemic although it fell like a glove on her, she does not leave the house and I am thankful that I inherit a body that is not from me, I suppose that he owes that to his fucking father, if I never speak badly about his father, what for? Enough with what she has suffered with the ridicule of her partner for me to hurt her by speaking badly about him, something that I must also be thankful for is that since she is only mine, she does not have her paternal surnames, I do not struggle at all, we already have passports and visas what we don't have is money and that's why two years into the pandemic I'm still working double shifts and that's the summary of my life, what do you think of Doctor Makris?

The named was looking at the paper that comes out of the electrocardiogram, he takes the piece of paper with the results.

_Time of death - check the time-_ Four thirty in the morning. About what you have told me you are very broken. Nobody is going to love you like this. -she hugs her from behind- but for that you have me.

_I know I'm broken - he lets himself be cuddled by the doctor- thanks for being my friend.

_You know I think you must be born again so that the perspective of life changes you.

_I suppose - she begins to remove probes and catheters- the labels, I do them or you.

_She already has them-if she gives them to her-_Now you can call the orderly to take the corpse to be cremated, I will notify her relatives.

_Yes doctor, another one that is leaving us.

_So is this. What are you thinking about?

_In that I envy her she wanted a corpse.

_Want to die?

_With all my heart. - the doctor's black eyes see her sadly-

_Secu, my dear, think of Emily, that girl loves you.

_She will be happier without me, she adores her aunt, if she saw her when she is with her she would agree with me.

_I don't think so, I've already seen her and she goes out of her way for you.

_If it weren't for the fact that suicide isn't given by life insurance, she would have done it a long time ago.

_For whatever you want, do not say that, even if you do not believe it, there are people who love you, care about you, it is true that it is not a love like the one you would like, but it is love.

_ If that's true, why do I feel empty?

_I don't know my love, but we are going to find out, I will take you to a professional, but I want that idea not to appear in your head anymore.

_A year in psychiatric treatment paid off, although that idea is always latent in my head.

I hope you don't.

_Humanity will not even feel my loss, I am not a good mother, nor a good daughter, nor a nurse and not even a woman, so if I am useless, what am I doing stealing oxygen? what do I do here?

_Wait for something surprisingly good to come into your life, something to fill that void.

_I'm just waiting for my death, it's the only thing I'm waiting for. - sighs- let's go out and we must deliver shift.

_Yes of course. Secu, leaving we go for Emily to your father's house, take the laptop for her classes, my house is very big- She is the one who hugs him-_ As long as you live I will always be by your side.

It's time to leave, everyone at the check-in counter waiting anxiously, it's seven thirty in the morning, the night shift leaves exhausted from a long day of work, Secundina leaves later after bathing, headphones come out of her ears at all volume, she sings not at the top of her lungs, but if for her, she passes by several workers, says good morning, waits for Darío Makris to arrive, friends for eight years now, from the first night they met they had chemistry and that was something very notorious. He sees his friend coming, thin, tall, one meter and ninety two centimeters, white, black hair and eyes, straight nose, thin lips with a natural pale pink outline, he has a scar on his right cheek that was like a scratch, but that does not detract from his beauty, on the contrary, he drew attention to either men or women but he had no eyes for anyone, they were all his friends with the only person he had some intimacy with was Secundina, Darío arrives in his car and tells him opens the door for her friend makes a caravan for her, she answers get in the metallic red 2020 BMW sedan. As Darío said, they go for the teenager who, as soon as she sees the doctor, runs to hug him "dad Dario" he picked her up a little and kisses her on the right cheek, he has that confidence since she has known him since he was almost six years old and already he is sixteen years old. The three of them go to Dario's house, when Emily arrives she goes directly to the library to start her online classes, Secundina to the kitchen and Dario to bathe.

_ - Dario enters the library with breakfast for the girl - _You eat everything, and your mom goes to sleep, I don't want you to be bothering her.

_ Yes dad Dario, no dad Dario. Rest you too.

_ I will do it, thanks.

_ Dario - closes the laptop, the young man sees it- _ What are you and my mom, friends, friends with benefits, boyfriends, lovers?

_ Just friends.

_ You don't like why she is fat, right?

_ It's not that, your mother is a wonderful woman, but she didn't love him that way.

_ So? I don't understand.

_ Your mother awakened in me the desire to take care of her, she has already suffered too much, she has gone through a lot on her own, it was time for her to have someone to offer her sincere support and affection and I offer her that with my friendship. I don't care about her physique, but she does.

_ Good answer. Thank you for loving my mom like this.

_ You're welcome daughter Emily, by the way, I love you too, how my daughter really forces.

_ I love you too dad.

The adults sleep while the teenager is in class, the afternoon comes, they wake up, while Dario exercises, Emily does homework, Secundina reads a book, night falls quickly, mother and daughter go to sleep, Dario makes sure that they both sleep He goes out to the backyard to wait, his gaze travels from one side to the other until, his ears change, protruding from his head, he closes his eyes and waits patiently, minutes later he hears the neighborhood dogs bark, a roar that silences them, a malicious smile appears on his face, when he sees them he removes his clothes already naked, he raises his right hand, one of the newcomers takes it from the doctor's hand and throws him into the air when a white wolf on all fours falls on the floor appears joining six others, the six accompanied by a man in a white-skinned loincloth, honey-colored eyes, slightly slanted boys, bushy eyebrows, light brown hair, one meter eighty centimeters tall, on his back several swords as well as his bow and arrows.

_ The howls come from the north. – He points out, starting the six of them- _ I hate that they do this to me- he takes a breath and in a two by three joins them-

A tired-looking brown wolf growls, in response more grunts indicating a change of direction, the wolves led by that old wolf follow instructions, upon reaching the outskirts of the city, to be exact, they pass the Sonora baseball stadium and stop when they see with which they face a kind of greyhounds with super developed xoloitzcuintle, tall, skinny, emaciated, without hair giving a kind of sick appearance, the white wolf stands in front giving the order to attack, but the "enemy" points out the real danger to the hearing the howls of pain, frightened the strange creature flees the place giving way to the real enemy, a huge lycanthrope, bloodshot eyes, like rage the foam comes out of the mouth, its musculature is impressive several of the wolves stick their tails between their legs, the white wolf walks towards its opponent, appearing a two-meter white wolf, its musculature does not resemble that of its opponent, even so it does not show fear, it growls, and without giving time to react, it attacks the creature, other huge wolves appear the remaining five make a team attacking the others.

The white wolf fights hand-to-hand against the beast, his opponent sinks his teeth into his left shoulder causing him to howl in pain, the white wolf plunges his claws into his back making his way up and down from left to right, thanks to the pain that he felt the white wolf loose, it is when the white one uses his right claw to rip the throat of the beast which falls lifeless to the ground becoming a man on his back in the skin of a man, the white beast changes to a man, leaving Dario in instead, he picks up the human skin, he recognizes the tattoo on his back, a bowling ball inside the howling moon with an olive garland, the tattoo of the first herd, the one that has lived since the age of myth, he does not realize that one of the beasts are going to attack him, receiving a dry blow, throwing him into the air, losing consciousness for several minutes when he comes to, several men are already fighting, the man in a loincloth is taking care of him.

_ Don't worry, we're winning, my brothers are fighting well, and there's Jon-Jon.

Darío gets up, doubling over in pain, he puts both hands to his abdomen, which is still bleeding.

_ May your brothers not expose themselves. – stands up- _ They are not natural werewolves, they are magical.

Elian & Dario

The heat of the Mediterranean wreaks havoc in southern Europe, to be more specific in Loutro, a small town in Crete, difficult to access, calm sea, a phone does not stop ringing. From the other side of the living room of a small house, sitting in his favorite chair, with black hair, black eyes with his chin resting on the palm of his right hand, he does not stop watching the phone that did not stop ringing, three years passed like this. quarter of hours, until he decided to answer, he pressed the green button, puts the cell phone to his ear, listens carefully, frowns, grunts, ends the call, hits the cell phone against the wall, runs his fingers through the hair, his anger is such that he punches the wall, piercing it completely, goes into his room, fixes everything, at night as if he were fleeing from something or someone leaves the town under the cover of darkness and a sky without moon.

At dawn he arrives in Athens in search of an old friend, it takes him two hours to find her, he receives him with open arms, they exchange a couple of words, the woman nods, asks him to wait a couple of minutes, tells him He leaves the room, the hostess returns with clothes, suitcase in hand, as well as a legal-size manila envelope, shows him the way to one of the rooms in that house. The man enters the room, takes a bath, finishes cleaning himself, shaving, changes his clothes, leaves the room with a suitcase in hand and this time with a rectangular briefcase, says goodbye to the woman. On the way to the airport, he makes a couple of calls, he hates technology, claiming that they are things of the devil and for a creature from hell as he calls himself, that is a lot to say, on more than two occasions he wanted to hit his laptop against the ground, he She armed herself with patience, opened her laptop, beginning to catch up on the last seventy-seven to be exact, she knew about cell phones, television, her favorite was the radio, she hated the internet, she knew of its existence and its use by Artemisa that every I used to visit him so much, the last time that was five years ago.

Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, an intercontinental plane takes off for the Americas, ten hours of flight later and about two in migration. He is waiting at the Benito Juárez airport in Mexico City until the next day, to transfer to his final destination, take the opportunity to buy a cell phone and thus be able to communicate with his brother. He decides to wait in the common room of the airport for the flight that would leave at four in the morning to the north of Mexico, to kill time he starts moving his cell phone and trying to understand the damn technology.

At eight in the morning he landed in northern lands, got off the plane, breathed in, smiled, bit his lower lip, ran his fingers over his lips, put the suitcase on his shoulder, on the right the rectangular briefcase, left the airport, see few people go by.

_Hundreds of years without coming here, it feels good to breathe these airs.

_At least something doesn't change, she likes to talk to herself.

_ Ha! Lorenzo, my old man, how have you been? . - A man with gray hair, honey eyes, brown skin-

_From what I see better than you boy.

_Did you see me well? -Opens his arms turns on his heels-

_Elián, that you are almost five thousand years old in my eyes you don't stop being a simple boy.

_Four thousand five hundred forty-five, do you forget? He left me in forty-five years, he was already an old man.

_In those times, in these you are not.

_Now what am I? A teenager?

_As I know I'm not going to beat you, I close my mouth, go get in the car

_Thank you.

They get into a modest car, a 2020 Sentra sedan, nothing out of the ordinary, Elian settles in the passenger seat, leans his forehead against the glass watching the route, Lorenzo gets in, turns on the air conditioning and starts driving, silence He takes over the place in motion, the newcomer turns on the radio, the announcer begins to speak, Elian behind him, imitating the accent, he speaks a couple of times until his Spanish voice is heard like that of the locals.

_ And Dario? He was the one who called me.

_He is at work, in Hermosillo.

_ Oh! Too bad for him, with this pandemic.

_Even though it doesn't affect us, especially if he has hit us hard, like everyone else.

_Yes, I'm up to date.

_As? If you are never in important meetings, nor are you on social networks, to communicate with you is quite an odyssey.

_Not for Artemisa and Kadir, they haven't had any problems for four hundred years.

_In a month the next meeting will be, we have to be the hosts.

_ I will talk to the boys so that everything is prepared.

_Are you going to do it here? But we are in a pandemic, we are still in a pandemic.

_It will be done here and end of discussion.

_Yes, yes, as the boss says.

They take the road towards Aldama, a small agricultural town, quiet, surrounded by forests, very close to the Chuvíscar river, after almost half an hour they arrive home, Elián was the first to go down, to where he is standing The strong aromas of his family reach him, Lorenzo honks, Elian was going to get out of the car, but Lorenzo doesn't allow it.

_Dad came!

_ Children, his grandfather has arrived.

_Grandpa!

Everyone, regardless of age, comes out to receive him, seeing the children is when Lorenzo lets him out, the one-meter-ninety-six-centimeter Greek kneels, opens his arms to his grandchildren and even great-grandchildren do not hesitate to jump on top of him, the The older ones wait patiently, he can finally "get rid" of all the little ones, his children are the next to receive, two men, two women, Calix being the one who formally receives him, before lunch he locks himself in stone and mud in her room with Calix. When these happen, everyone at home knows that they should not interrupt them, although the order is obeyed, it is impossible not to hear the reproaches, screams, invocations of countless supernatural beings from both the son and the father, in the end an uncomfortable silence, everyone hates that silence, they would rather hear the screams.

The first to leave is Elián, who goes to the backyard, slams the door, looks up, growls loudly, massages his temple, everyone in the house makes worried faces.

_In these moments is when I miss mom

She _ she was the only one who got in his way, but she shouldn't get angry with Calix, she's doing his job well, being his successor.

_Briseida, if Calix was doing his job well, dad wouldn't be here.

_You too Cristel? – claims the eldest of the brothers-

_It's true, if you had known how to handle the situation, Uncle Dario would not have called him.

_I'm here, I'm here! Has he arrived yet?

_Don't get close to him Denes.

_ Whoo! Damn, I'm dying to see it. Which of you is going to calm him down?

_Don't even look at me, just because I'm Omega doesn't mean I'm going to calm him down, you go. - says Cristel-

_You know well that I can't, I'm Alpha.

_I am also Alpha.

_Dad needs mom.

_We tell Delfina to revive her.

_As if that were possible. The oracle of Delphi is not for that.

_I will go, but be attentive.

_Dad wouldn't dare raise his hand against you Briseis, after all you're Beta.

_I will go, I am directly responsible for this problem. Do you still like chocolates?

_Yeah! Here I have some here! Make it a peace offering, good luck little brother. -the eldest arrives with his father who continues silently looking at nothing, puts the chocolates in front of his eyes-

_Have I? - take one-

_Briseida says that they are still one of your favorites. - in response a grunt- _I bet my weight in gold that I make you more angry.

_Hum! I'm not going to bet against me, she speaks.

_We were talking about our father needing an Alpha, a partner.

_They don't care, I was very comfortable in my exile.

_The thing is that we bet two against two that it would make you angrier, the girls say no, you can't be more angry, I say yes.

_ What did they bet?

_Nothing of monetary value, if that's what you mean. -shrugs-

_ Ha! Ha ha ha! I'm not going to allow them to be their servants, they don't like it, it's humiliating, I don't understand the desire to humiliate them like that.

_ In my defense they were the ones who proposed the punishment.

_ and if they win?

_We will serve as a mat.

_I do have to see that, go inside, I have to call your uncles, seeing them lose you and your brother is priceless.

_That hurt a lot.

_Es that or my blows decide.

_Alright.

Hermosillo, Sonora.

_ - A cell phone does not stop ringing- He already has me fed up, he already answers!

_Don't get into what you don't care about Secundina.

It doesn't let me concentrate on my work.

_What, invented nursing notes?

_At least I'm not a quack, he already answers, it's been ringing all night.

_No, I will not.

_I didn't think you were such a coward – he snatches the cell phone from him- Doctor Makris's cell phone.

_Who are you? Put him on the phone.

_Good evening, at the moment the Doctor cannot treat you, he is in the operating room.

_What kind of surgery is it? I've been calling all night.

_I don't know, they called him to go support, he left the phone on the floor. -a growl is heard, she likes that, she frowns when he stops hearing the growl- _Any message you want to leave?

_It's five o'clock in the morning mmm...mmm...it's Saturday mmm...mmm- speaking to himself- _ To all this, who are you?

_Work colleague of Dr. Makris.

_And your name is? I demand to know

_ Bastard! If you tell me who you are I tell you who I am.

_I am not for games. say who you are – she hangs up, the owner of the cell phone turns pale-

_Not even my dad talks to me that way, except this stranger. Who was that guy?

_Someone who shouldn't be calling, at least not at this time - the cell phone rings again-

_Funeral home "we want them well dead".

_Tell Dario that he has twelve hours to come or I'll go for him.

- he hangs up again- _ you have twelve hours to go with him. Well, who are you messing with?

_There are two times that you hang up on Elián.

_It's your fights, not mine, he's also rude - a WhatsApp message enters- _Do I read it or do you read it?

_Please - she opens the message, gives him the cell phone-

_You really have to be involved up to the mother with this vato, she wrote in another language.

-She twists her lips, she takes the cell phone- "Tomorrow night at home or I'll go for you"-she reads aloud-

_Tell him you can't go, tomorrow is the meeting, we already have everything ready, he didn't say anything, but it will be at your house.

_It's true – quickly type the answer- done! Let him wait for me

_I already knew you weren't so cu..

_Hey!-she laughs-

_ Coward hahaha! I would be unable to tell you ass (scary)

_ Listen to me! -he pulls her, hugs her by her neck-you said it, you're bad.

_ Listen to dating to the street.

_ We are not boyfriends - both shout-

_ Girls are about to strike six, we are going to give the last round and the medicines, so Dario fluffs the wing, he lets work.

_The boss has already spoken, girls I'll wait for you tomorrow night, don't take the toxic ones. -she goes to her office-

_ Really you and he never nothing at all?

_No never. Chio, he and I are friends, for the rest I have Fernando.

The time for departure arrives and the night staff begins to disperse, Secundina goes to her father's house for her daughter, she goes straight to bathe, her daughter is already awake and prepares breakfast for her, the two have breakfast together, thanks her father, they go to his house, the two are talking, he tells her that they are going to a party at night, his companions already knew that he always took her with him.

Afternoon arrives, they prepare to go to Dario's house, in the Loma Linda neighborhood, on the way, they go to buy soft drinks, especially for the youngest, when they arrive there are the children of other classmates of different ages, Emilia He goes with them and they organize themselves to play, the adults start to talk, roast the meat, make the sauces, put on band music, bring out the beers, that's how the party begins. The time to serve arrives, the children are called first, they are given dinner, then the adults, all calm, out of nowhere the dogs from the neighboring houses begin to bark, a howl is heard as if by magic dogs are silent

_How strange right?

_TRUE.

_Yes, very strange

_Turn up the music.

_ I'm coming!

_ No, I'm going, I'm going, I'm going - Secundina says hurriedly - I'm going to the bathroom.

_Okay friend.

He turns up the volume on the horn, rushes to go to the bathroom, goes in safely. She was calm about her own, she leaves the bathroom, goes to the backyard, forced passage through the living room of the house, she hums the song that is on at that moment, she is about to leave, she stops her steps and suddenly returns, blinks several times when she sees stopped at a tall man with a grim face. The man sees her angry, fixes his gaze on her, approaches intimidatingly, he is going to take her arm, but Secundina punches him straight in the face, runs off with Dario, the newcomer's black eyes change to yellow, he takes his right hand to the site of the blow, smiles sideways and begins his walk.

_Call the police, a thief got in! From her - she screams scared, the man goes after her, everyone starts screaming-

_ He is not a thief, he is not a thief! Don't worry, it's my older brother, Elian. What are you doing here? Why are you bleeding from the mouth?

_I warned you that she was going to come for you, she hit me - he points to Secundina, without stopping to see her ugly-

_You scared me, you come in without warning, you see me ugly, who knows what you were going to do to me, I defended myself.

_I was going to ask about my brother, impulsive woman.

_ Let's go Emilia! – ignoring every word- _Plebes see you.

_Yes mom, see you guys, send me whatsapp.

- He takes a bill out of his wallet, puts the wallet back in the front pocket of his pants-_ We are going to walk to the peripheral, from there we are going to take a taxi, so give me your cell phone - the two leave the house, it was already two in the morning, they both leave-

_Are you going to let them go just like that? – Dario asks- _I have already told you that sometimes you are scary.

_What do you want me to do? Take her to her house? She crosses her arms

_Taking into account that a mortal punched an immortal lycanthrope, leader of her pack, her clan and her family, she deserves it, she wasn't afraid of you and that, my brother, is to be admired, don't you think?

_She doesn't know who or what I am, however, something is true, if I am scary sometimes and she was not afraid of me, on the contrary, she was filled with courage, I could smell it, hm? It was a strange mixture of fear with courage, it was sweet, I'm not going to deny that I liked that a lot- he growls pleased-.

_Who would say that a mortal could be your partner.

_You are not stupid, nobody is going to be my partner.

_ Aha, yes, well I warn you that I love that woman very much, so take good care of her.

_ I do not come to look for a partner, I have come to solve a problem.

_No she is so bad, she is not at all like "her" but you must make way for the next level.

_Stop saying nonsense, give me the car keys.

_ In your hands, I hope you remember how to drive.

- Walking down the semi-dark street - _ Mom, now you did go too far.

_I already told you that I get very scared, I just reacted.

_Ma, you didn't apologize.

_It's true, she didn't do it, she'll get over it. – Dario's red car stops but his friend doesn't get off, his brother gets off-

_They live far away?

_A little, but it shouldn't take long for a taxi to pass, by the way, it wasn't my intention to hit you, the truth is that I was scared by you.

_I had a bit of guilt.

_ Come on, here comes a taxi! – He signals to her, but she goes by the way-

_None of that, he took them, and Darío was not happy that they came from the party, as they were going to sleep with him.

_ Have I? yes, whenever we get together Emi and I stay with him.

_ Come up I'll take them.

_I'm going behind – Emilia doesn't even think about it, she gets in the car- come on ma, get in, I'm sleepy.

_Yes ma, she's already up. He makes a funny face at her, but she looks ugly, he laughs, opens the door for her, she gets in, takes a tamarind candy from the glove compartment, turns on the radio, adjusts the seat Elian looks curious at all of this-

_ Emi, those feet, respect.

_ Yes mom.

_ My brother defends you from me, you get in the car as if it were yours-he approaches her, sniffs her wavy hair, closes his eyes- _You smell like him, are you a couple?

_- Emily stands between the two seeing Elian-_ I wish my dad Dario was mom's boyfriend, no, she and he are nothing.

_ To you, no one asked you, to your place. No, we're nothing in that regard, just friends.

_ Dad Dario?

_ Yes, I adopted him as my dad.

_Okay - he puts his hands on the wheel, he is going to start up- _Hey... where are we going?

_ Or yes, she goes down, to the right, then to the left throughout Morelos.

She sets off on the peripheral heading north of the city, the woman's aroma suddenly enters the depths of her being, she moves in her place trying to hide what is happening to her. A howl makes him forget about the situation, he turns his head a little to the right of him, seeing the chestnut's profile, sharpens his gaze to see if they are following him, making sure that they are not, he relaxes his posture.

Yes, it is my alpha

Half an hour later, the red sedan stops in front of the modest social interest house in Secundina, the black-haired man watches a blond leaning on a gray Pontiac, he gets out of the car and sniffs the air, to make sure that no one is following him. However, what he does perceive are the blonde's nerves, he can feel them between closing his eyes and getting into the car.

_Yes, you live far away.

_Not so much, thank you for bringing us Mr. Papa's brother Darío - Emilia goes down first-¡Apache! Apacheeeee! – The girl calls her dog, the blonde, seeing the girl, moves from the restless place-

_A strong guardian I suppose. - without stopping to see the man, he frowns, closes his hands on the wheel-

_Yes, my dad gave it to him, he came to his house alone, he gave it to Emilia. It was a pleasure hitting you.

_A pleasure to be hit - The blonde can't stop looking at the BMW a little annoyed, the black-haired man realizes that - _I think that man is waiting for you

_Me? At almost three in the morning? - He looks with his eyes- _ But what the hell? Thanks for bringing us - go down quickly to meet the blond- _ What are you doing here Fernando?

_I need, no, I urgently need to talk to you, it's important - he hugs her tightly without removing his green gaze from the car- _Again with that bastard Dario.

_For you to come here it is urgent and leave my Dario alone.

_No, that's not Dario, who is that vato? -looks down at her- _She's my wife

_Has he already discovered you?

_Something like that - sighs- you're the only one who can help me.

_What do you want me to do, get a twelve-hour medical record?

_Can?

- He shakes his head- _Go away, I'll see what to do...

_Thank you, thank you for that I love you. -she hugs him happily- _I love you, I love you, I love you.

_Yes, it shows that you love me- pull out your cell phone, make a call- _Go to the emergency room, look for Iván Sotelo, he's a friend, he's going to help you, give him a good tip with him and I'll charge you later.

_I already knew that he could count on you – He spanks her and Elian feels his blood boil with anger-

_If you don't buy, don't bruise - she opens to enter her house-

_ You say it for that other one who brought you home.

_ I'm surprised that you talk to me like that, what's wrong with you. Besides, you know me well, I'm not one of those.

_ Yes of course. -angry he left the place-

_You didn't know you had a boyfriend, it's weird you don't smell like him.

_ Haaa! – hits him in the chest- _Don't scare me like that, I thought you had already left.

_I was waiting for you to come home, that's all. - enters the house, observes the place, puts his right hand to his nose- _Your house stinks my brother.

_He's not my boyfriend, he's a friend, how does your brother stink? -sniffs- _I don't smell anything-she approaches him-_You smell like him.

_That blonde is a friend, friend or "friend"?

_Depends on the day, the time and the desire.

_ In other words, lovers of occasion. We will not continue to see man beater. She comes out and slams the door shut.

_ Well, this man! Who do you think?

She locks the door, fifteen minutes go by, her house remains in darkness, the BMW parks again on the opposite side of the house, the black-haired man gets out of the car, goes to an abandoned house in one jump, climbs onto the roof, jumps off Roof to roof until he reaches her house, he goes down to the patio, the dog begins to bark, Elian sits on the floor, his black eyes shine white, he growls, the Apache lowers his head, with his tail between his legs, he goes with the Greek, who caresses the head, takes the head of the dog with both hands, stares, the dog's pupils dilate, and the dog makes strange sounds as if trying to speak, the Greek affirms from time to time and asks questions emitting a kind of growl. By seven in the morning, Darío's house was already alone with the two brothers in the living room, the younger one offers the older one a cup of coffee, he accepts it without saying a word, he sees Dario sitting next to him.

_The night before you arrived they attacked the locals. I want to think that you are also going to call Ciro.

_I was very comfortable in my exile, I receive a call from Lorenzo saying that not only our clan is being massacred but also mortals, Calix instead of calming things down made them worse with the natives, and then your call.

_Both I and Lorenzo, with the collaboration of the natives, are investigating the deaths, all of the clan are cooperating. Calix, it is true that he did not act well, but believe me he knew how to mediate well with those here, but you know that our friends are proud.

_I want to talk to the alpha of this area, Kadri will be the mediator.

_Will you send an omega to negotiate?

_That omega is the best politician I've known since the reign of Darius III.

_I see it as unnecessary, you are a much better politician than him, your tongue is made of silver.

_Even so I must have him by my side, two is better than one.

_You are the alpha, I will give the indications, on Monday I will go to resign, I will concentrate on these events.

_I'm very sorry, I know you love your profession, but things are like that, it's only preventive.

_It was very difficult for me to pretend to be a native, get the papers, identity, imitate the accent.

_When this is over you can come back, you will have all the support as always.

_As always and going back to the topic, this is what we know – he shows him images on a Tablet, scenes of mutilated bodies- _If you look closely, there isn't even a trace of a fight.

_-Observe the images attentively- _This is execution - the minor enlarges the image, the tattoo of a full moon with a howling wolf with a garland of oblivion- _It is the shield of our family, our clan.

_You are right about everything, because of the battered tattoo it seems to be the Cretan wolf.

_ So that only his right arm will remain intact, they treacherously attacked him.

_ Felipe Buitimea is the alpha of this area, they have also treacherously executed their own.

_I must go see the scenes.

_Will you take Artemis?

_Most likely, yes, I'll think about it. I want to rest for a couple of hours.

_ Do you really feel tired? You don't notice.

_Not much, but I want to be alone, meditate, think.

_Tell me please that you are going to think about the subject of your alpha.

_Briseida is always doing well with the support of Artemisa, my brothers and most importantly mine.

_Older brother, Briseida is your daughter, not your wife, she is respected for that, without a doubt she has managed to live up to her mother, Artemis is your best "man" they have been together since before your grandfather died in Arcadia... but not once of the two are your partner, every pack needs its guides.

_You said that Calix does it well.

_I had not bothered you for four hundred years.

_If I remember correctly, my son earned it, I didn't inherit it, did I?

_Your son won his place, no one disputes it, but if you are going to retake your place in the pack and before everyone, you must introduce yourself with your partner.

_ Let's clarify something, okay?

_OK, i hear you, but follow me.

_I won't be the first Alpha to show up without his partner.

- Gives him the pass to the basement- _Yes, but there will be many magnifying women interested in you.

_That as soon as they know that I am not interested in power, they will move away.

_I agree with you, they are going to walk away knowing that the werewolf king is not interested in the crown. Maybe my friend is not enough for you. There's nothing wrong with her, is she?

_Is a mere human

_She will not be the first, nor the last to be converted.

_Has a daughter.

_And you five.

_You know what I'm talking about, I'm not going to come and say "you are my alpha, now you belong to me"

_The sense of belonging has changed in the last twenty years, you would know it if you left your island.

_ In the early morning that I went to leave her there was a man waiting for her.

_ Tall, white, blonde hair, green eyes?

_ The same-the two at the same time frown annoyed, growl- _ he dared to spank her and she said nothing.

_ I can't stand it, I really want to kill him, I don't know how he tolerates it, he's married, a scoundrel, promiscuous and it's a matter of him saying jump that she obeys.

_ And they two are? -without ceasing to see her brother who is still angry when Dario says "occasional lovers" they both growl annoyed-

_ I hate when she comes smelling of him, I swear it makes me want to vomit, but she accepts it, I can't do anything but swallow my courage.

_ You know, if it weren't for knowing our nature, I would say that you feel something more than friendship for her.

_ Have I? -surprised by the words- _I... she... no, even though we have shared a bed, no, I have never perceived her jealousy, nor has her scent changed for me. Wait, you're telling me all this because you don't want to accept that she's your partner.

_ She is not her, nor is she going to be my partner.

_ Why not? she is a good woman.

_What I can do if it is so urgent for her to have someone by my side is to offer her a position in our organization.

_Lady in company, how is she? If she, sure, sure she accepts her on the spot.

I don't see anything wrong.

_We are talking about the most insecure woman that can exist on the face of the Earth.

_I know a few things about them, Apache told me everything, I know that she will not accept the position of Escort, that such a personal assistant, she would accept it willingly, especially if we offer a full scholarship until university for Emilia.

_Can work. But if you are going to take it with you, you should mark it, not so much for yourself, it would be to protect it from everyone. If the scent of her reached you, maybe others too and not exactly for Alfa.

_- She closes the basement door- _She would go to my side, I don't think they dare to harm her.

_Then do not say that I did not warn you

_ Enlighten me with your wisdom. What should I do with it?

_We know she's not like us, but we know who she is, mark her - Elián growls - _Yesterday they met and look how that Fernando called you. Elian, answer what are you going to do when he goes into heat and his scent reaches you.

_Forget that point - She lies in his bed-

_ Suppose she agrees to be your assistant, you take her with you to meetings and she goes into heat in front of everyone. She will be unaware of that for sure with her usual behavior, but not the others, if she gave you her scent, maybe others without your mark, the best thing that can happen to her is that they kill her.

_ I'll try something when she goes into heat I hope that's enough.

_ Great, now I can sleep peacefully, at least you accepted that she is your alpha.

_ Accept the situation, not her, there is no more alpha in this pack than my late wife.

_ And the repentant dog returns! Leave that memory where he belongs in the past, turn the page.

_ We are one for life and after it.

_ Elian, not even your grandfather thought like that.

_ He was a bastard.

_Yes he was.

_Write the contract, good salary, without forgetting the scholarship for Emilia, come up with something to take her home, tell Ciro and Calix about her.

_Yes sir, what else does the sir want?

_ Rest, not think. Before you go, I want to know why Emily calls you dad.

_ I met her almost when she was going to turn six, once she was crying because she didn't have a dad.

_ Oh no! my little girl

_ I told her that if she wanted she could adopt me as her dad, so since then I've been her "Dario's dad".

_ Somehow if you are.

_ But if everything goes well I will be his uncle.

_ Out of here.

The youngest leaves his brother, goes directly to his bedroom, goes in to bathe, comes out with the towel wrapped around his waist, opens his closet, to his left he sees Secundina's pajamas, takes the blue T-shirt with the Superman logo, spreads it out, sits he remains pensive about the words that his brother said to him regarding her "something more than friends" he denies, puts the garment away, puts on only his underwear, drops onto his bed, covers only his waist with the fingers of his right hand, hits the bed over and over again "more than friends, my Secu and I more than friends" with that thought he falls into a deep sleep.

Secundina gets on a passenger bus with her daughter, the bus starts up, leaves the urban sprawl fifty kilometers away, the howls can be heard, which makes the driver nervous, despite the fact that it is night, he begins to see shadows due to an accelerated reaction The howls are heard getting closer and closer, causing the passengers to become alert, one or the other leaning out of the windows, Secundina was no exception, she tries to focus to see better, she thinks she sees something but the speed of the bus is not he lets her make out, the bus brakes suddenly, she bumps into the seat in front of her, the grunts and howls make her heart pump faster and stronger, instinctively she places her daughter behind her, all the while howling she thinks she hears her name, she approaches the window, some red eyes stare into hers, terror invades her entire being, instinctively she takes a step back when she sees that they are the fierce eyes, they do not stop seeing her, terror becomes Valor does not know what will happen but she must face it, the owner of the eyes jumps through the window, the blow, the glass hits her face, the wolf remains in front of her, she closes her eyes waiting for the attack, the jaws they open to take the neck and to give the bite, close the muzzle, this time she returns the fierce gaze, with that the wolf lowers his guard, she places her hand on his head, the ferocious beast transforms into a cub, Secundina He kneels down, takes the cub in his arms. He opens his eyes, looks at the ceiling, sighs in defeat, it had all been a dream, a dream in which he was taming, he internally curses himself when he realizes that he has been taming, now he has two problems, knowing who is carrying out the massacres, finding the culprits, doing justice, and two convince a perfect imperfect that she is destined to be his companion for life, the alpha of the oldest pack on planet earth in fact of the first family of lycanthropes. He sits on the edge of the bed, he doesn't need a mirror to know that her eyes have changed and that with that blow and that mixture of exquisite aromas Secundina Garcia Anguamea marked him for life. He gets out of bed, stands in front of the mirror, takes his right hand to the reflection, his face is serene but the reflection is not, he even looks anxious, the black of his eyes changes to yellow, the reflection tells him yes, he shrugs and sighs, after arguing with his wolf they both finally say "yes". She leaves the basement and reaches the kitchen where her brother is already cooking.

_What a face, you shouldn't have slept, you're worse than when you arrived.

_Do not tell me? mine well cooked please.

_I'm not your slave.

_Worse! you are my little brother – he smiles, mocking- _ The contract?

_I haven't printed it yet, I already made the calls, especially with Briseida who arrives tomorrow.

_ I must have that woman close to me.

_ Has he accepted it, right?

_ Yes, but! But I don't have time to go around conquering a woman.

_And even so, you are going to keep her close to her. For what purpose?

_ Simple, she's mine, period. What's the computer?

_ The red "hire my Secu"

_- goes for her, opens the file she begins to read- _If you knew that she wants to die.

_Yes, as well as her three suicide attempts, she has stopped because of her daughter, but I fear that one of these days even that tie will not be strong enough and achieve her goal.

_"A soul condemned to never cross the Styx"

_Would you mind?

_ I don't know, after all I want the same thing. - he pauses- _Last night I dreamed it.

_ - Dario almost chokes on the coffee- Shall your wolf tame your alpha? Tell me yes.

_ - Divert your gaze to the ceiling- Emm... to my misfortune.

_You know, I always believed that if you found one or a partner again, the joy of life would return to you, but apparently when Elora died you died, just like Secundina you are only tied to this plane by your children.

_Ujum - ignoring his words- _Well, well, this point that does not sound like harassment or obligation ¨ must accompany your employer at all times to each event, whether public or private, where you will have your absolute discretion of what is said there or make

_ It will be your personal assistant, it sounds good to me.

_ Sounds good to you, let the lawyer see it.

_Yes sir. -serves the two dishes-

_ You must get that Fernando away, I don't want him near her or Emilia, fix everything so that he goes to school in...

_Stop there brother, she is not your Alpha yet, nor is she your daughter and neither is one of the two...

_ They owe me a lot in that school so they don't forget it – he growls loudly-

_ You will go talk to the director. You know you have to wait for her to agree to "work" with you.

_ Believe me, she will accept - she looks up and a triumphant smile appears on her face-

_ How I would like her to reject you.

_ You're bad brother- try the first bite- _Perfect, I'll buy a house here in an exclusive area, a house big enough for everyone.

_ I recommend one outside, a ranch type, a ranch, yes a ranch.

_Isn't that very presumptuous?

_ You want a house for everyone, let's see, five children of those five three are already parents, you have nine grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and twice as many great-grandchildren and all of them are still under your command as leader of the pack, problematic yes, presumptuous no, Difficult to explain especially to your partner.

_ Let's put aside the fact that he is my alpha, that when he comes into heat you must put the silver chains on me.

_I like that, hehe! submit to my will.

_ Ha! That your eyes will never see.

_But what about hers? I must install cameras to see that.

_Ha ha. If she gets me to accept that she sincerely doubts it, she'll be the only living thing to see that. She already leaves that topic alone, I want you to remove that stinking human from her.

_- Dario sniffs the air- _Do you smell that? No? They are called the jealousy of man, Elián Licaón, the lycanthropic king after fifteen hundred years is jealous.

_I have to take care of my things.

_Bravo! You have accepted it, but she is not a thing, she is a person.

_ You know what I mean.

_A question, big brother, how come you, the werewolf king, are jealous of someone like Fernando who pales before you? You are handsome, you are more than a millionaire, that is... you are king.

_Ahem...because he is a man.

_You are a fool!