I will be back
25. Another one, please

Aleida’s POV

A few days pass, and finally, I get my own bedroom. That doesn’t get me any more normalcy, however. If it didn’t feel like a prison before, it sure does now. My windows have bars. Freaking bars! My room isn’t tiny, but it isn’t big either. I have a bed, tv, stereo, couches, minibar, and a connected bathroom. The satellite dish must be broken, considering that the channels are “gritty,” which makes me occupy myself with only two things: music and booze. All that about us werewolf’s not being able to drink is bullshit. We can get drunk just like anyone else; we just don’t stay drunk for as long as humans because of our high metabolism. This also means that we can drink more. King has told me that if I want something, I should ask for it, and I do. The whole minibar is now full of vodka bottles. If I don’t get out of here soon, I will be an alcohol addict when I do. Right now, I’m dancing and scream-singing to “So what” on the coffee table, drunk as hell. Hey, don’t you dare to judge me! I may be a mother, but I’m also just seventeen. I’ll be eighteen soon, with just two months away; I wonder if I will be back with my family by then? Probably not, but hey, let us hope a little, huh? I feel eyes on me and turn toward my bedroom door; King is standing there with a big smile. I turn down the volume and take a big swig from the bottle. My legs are shaking, which isn’t weird considering that this is like my third drunk day, I think? Ugh, who cares? I’m in penitentiary anyway; at least let me use a lot of his money during my stay here! King is still smiling at me, but not cruelly or mockingly. No, this is a genuine smile. A smile you get from a friend or someone close to you, like a brother. I don’t return his smile. Instead, I glare at him. We may have a blood pact about us not hurting my people and me escaping, that doesn’t mean that I have to like my stay here or be happy about it.

“What?” I ask in a dark voice and take another swig from the bottle without stop looking at him.

He chuckles at me and seems to be amused by my manners. I find that strange, though, considering that he screamed at me to behave and watch my attitude the last time I was here.

“Always charming, aren’t you? I was just wondering if you would like to have dinner with me this evening?” King asks.

That’s suspicious as hell for some reason. He commands me to eat with the others; he never asks me if I want to. This time though, he asks, and he looks really hopeful doing it.

“What are you playing at, King?” I ask and look at him with narrowed eyes.

His gaze moves down at the floor instead. He sighs and looks vulnerable in a way I’ve never seen him. What’s going on here!?

“I understand your suspicion; I would probably be the same if I were in your shoes. I’m not a bad person, Aleida. Not even once since you came here have you been violent. I’m very sorry that I hurt you the last time you were here; I really am. I know that I seem to be ruthless and aggressive to others around me; that’s okay because I’m used to being judged for it. But I don’t want to be seen in that way by you,” he says in a sad voice.

Okay, I never thought I would say this but, I actually feel sorry for him. I know that I shouldn’t think like this, but I do. Maybe I got ‘Stockholm syndrome’ or something.

“Fine, I will wine and dine with you. What time?” I ask with a sigh.

“Who said anything about wine?” he asks with a big smile.

“No wine, no dice, King,” I answer and gulp down my bottle.

He chuckles at me, and still not in the wrong way. Something must have happened; he almost seems... Nice. Does the hybrid have a heart, after all?

“It’s Victor, not King,” he says before walking back outside.

Yeah, I heard him call himself Victor when we made the blood pact. For some reason, that feels weird. In some way, I’ve painted him as a monster and not the person he is under the rugged surface. Everyone has a soft side, and I guess that he came out to play some time along the way. It isn’t unpleasant or anything, just freaky. The man I’ve feared is now asking me to dinner. Does it feel weird to you, or is it just me? I guess I’ll never find out, considering that you’re not even here. Anyhow, I should be happy about this, to get out of this godforsaken room for a change.

Someone knocked on the door and gave me a long black dress earlier. I guess I’m supposed to put it on for dinner. What other occasion would there be? It’s not like we’re going to a party. The bathroom is full of all sorts of “girly” things like make-up, skin routine products, shampoo, conditioner, hairdryer, curling irons, flat irons, and so on. Since I’m not much for make-up and such, I finish rather quickly. Which means that I pace in this room back and forth for the last hours, just waiting for someone to tell me where to go or what to do. It seems like someone listens to my prayers because a knock echoes in the room suddenly. I walk up to the door and open it. On the other side, King or Victor is standing in a black suit with a smile plastered on his face. If I didn’t know about his violent tendencies, I would think of him as proper and charming.

“Good evening, Aleida. I hope that you found everything you needed to get ready?” he asks.

“Yes, thank you,” I answer, trying to be polite.

“Shall we?” he asks and gives me his arm to take.

I take it and walk beside him, arm in arm down the long corridor. The colors are dark in the hallway, and the interior is much better here than it is upstairs where the cells are. It’s almost beautiful. He takes me into the backyard, where a table for two stands, waiting for us to use. The trees are full of fairy lights that twinkle like the tiniest stars in the dark. This feels like a date. Is it a date? Victor drags out my chair and pushes it in slightly under me when I sit down. He sits down opposite me and motions for one of his goons, who fills our glasses with white wine. If he serves strawberries later, this is definitely a date.

“I hope that you like Italian food; I didn’t know what you wanted. Maybe I should have asked you...” King says and looks very uncertain.

“That’s okay, no worries. I like it,” I answer and smile slightly.

The tension in his shoulders disappears slowly, and he begins to relax. This version of Victor isn’t the hopeless and cock-measuring man I met the first time. Now he seems almost human, although I know I’ll never be able to love him the way I love my mates. Maybe at least I can see him as my friend in time. It’s going to be tough, though, considering that I have to marry him and bear his pups. Yup, this isn’t going to be that easy as I first thought.

“Are you all right? What is going on in that cute mind of yours?” he asks and leans his elbows on the table.

“Nothing, I was just thinking,” I answer and poke around in my food.

“I can see that; what are you thinking about?” he asks and takes a sip of his wine.

Should I be honest, or would that be a great mistake? I don’t know why, but something inside me tells me to be honest. I’m petrified to face his possible anger but decide to answer truthfully.

“I was thinking how different you are now in comparison to the first time I met you. If you continue to be like this, I would gladly see you as a friend,” I answer and try to smile.

“But never something more...” he sighs sadly and looks down at the table.

“Sadly no. I have two mates that I love with all my heart, and I would do everything to be with them. But you already knew that. Now when I can’t, my heart aches for them. But as long as they’re safe, I can endure all the torture in the world.”

He sighs and nods his head like he makes a decision about something. A small tear falls from his right eye; he looks completely heartbroken. I reach for him and wipe the tear away.

“You aren’t that bad, Victor Kingsman,” I say and smile a little.

His hand engulfs mine and squeezes it softly before releasing it. I feel terrible for doing this to him; it doesn’t feel right. But at this moment, I can’t lie to his face. It’s better with a truth that stings than a lie that warms. King hasn’t met his mate yet; if he had, he wouldn’t do all of this to me—he should save the love for his mate.

“You are going to meet your true mate one day, Victor. Don’t you think that your love and affection should be for her instead?” I ask in a soft tone.

He smiles sadly at me and shakes his head slowly. His breaths are rapid, and it looks like he’s about to start bawling his eyes out. I’m beginning to get worried. He puts his head in his hands and sobs.

“I wish it were that simple, Aleida, I really do. But I have a debt to pay, and now when you have shown me your heart’s true desire, I have to do the only thing I never wanted to do.”

“What are you talking about, Victor?” I ask in a slight panic.

“A long time ago, I was simply a sadistic vampire. When I died, I somehow ended up in hell by coincidence. Like you know, hell is the home of demons and not vampires. For us, there’s only darkness and void, nothing like you who gets to be with the moon goddess. Anyway, I met the devil himself and made a deal with him.”

“What kind of deal?” I ask and begin to become suspicious.

“I was going to create aggressive and violent creatures who would create chaos on Earth. That’s what the devil wanted, but since he can’t enter the Earth himself because of the moon goddess, I would perform it instead.”

“But there are lots of demons out there,” I point out.

“Yes, it is. But neither one of the demons is strong enough to create the end of the world, the eternal doom. That power only consists of two living creatures. The devil and you,” King explains.

So this is what the moon goddess talked about when she told me only to use my powers for good. My mother always told me to show consideration and kindness to others; did they know?

“You were promised to me, Aleida. But not in the way you think. The moon goddess made a peace offering with the devil and said she would create the werewolf queen. He could try to make her create hell on Earth as he wanted, and if he succeeded, she would let it go. But he didn’t know that you would refuse and use your kindness to save your people. No evil in the whole universe can fight against the morals and love for others inside your body. And now... We’re here, and I’m bound to do the only thing I really don’t want to do...” he trails off.

“What do you mean?”

“You have to know Aleida that I was young and angry when I made the blood pact with the devil himself; this is like when an alpha commands a lower rank member. I can’t control it...” he’s sobbing his eyes out now.

“Victor, out with it!” I growl, losing my patience.

He sniffles and looks broken. Who’s that stupid, making a deal with the creature who’s responsible for every painful thing in this world and the next!? I have to admit that I lose some respect for him now...

“I have to kill you...” he answers, and I feel my heart stop for a moment.

Yup, it’s happening, and I prepare to do it for my people and my family. I’m going to die. I’ll go out with pride, and my head held high because I’ve protected those who needed me.

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