CHAPTER 26 ALEX
I feel like I’m holding my breath, waiting for her answer. I just bared my soul and confessed my love for her to her family, and now I’m waiting for her. We had spoken of our love in secret, in the privacy of my home, but here in front of her parents is a different matter. When I told her I loved her, I was serious. Did she feel the same?”
“Yes, yes of course,” she whispers.
I can breathe again, and it feels like after decades of darkness, I’m able to step into the light at last. Her light.
“Wonderful!” her mother exclaims. “Simply wonderful!”
I can’t stop the goofy grin I feel spreading over my face as I look at Mina. We’re really going to do this. Sure, the foundation of what her family believes about us is built on a lie, but at the end of the day, the ends justify the means. We can be together.
“Let’s have some champagne to celebrate!”
Her father nods at her mother in approval and rises to get the bottle. “Of course, dear. Sounds like a great idea.”
Mina’s mother leans across the table, dropping her voice to a stage whisper. “Finally, Mina! After all those other men you chased away, I was beginning to worry that you were going to die al—”
“That’s enough, Mom! Don’t ruin the moment,” Mina interjects. “There was no need to worry. I just hadn’t found my match yet.”
“Of course, of course. I just feared the worst! You know how I can be.”
“Here it is!” her father announces, returning with champagne in hand. “I’ll pour.”
Once we all have our glasses, all eyes turn to me. Oh shit, they want me to toast. I clear my throat.
“To Mina, the most spectacular woman I’ve ever met. Here’s to a long, happy future together. You truly are my greatest wish come true.”
I look into her eyes, and there’s one thought that strikes like a lightning bolt. Even if we have forever together, it won’t be long enough.
I lay in the dark, replaying the evening in my mind. I was scared shitless going into that dinner, and I emerged victorious, a king in my own right. I secured my queen. I had been very careful not to lie outright and say anything about being a doctor specifically; my conscience wouldn’t allow it. But when they pressed me about my work, I told them that my job is to maintain order and patient care across multiple floors, including the ICU and OR. That’s not exactly a lie. It’s not my fault they assumed I was a doctor. I just didn’t correct them. After all, without me, patient care and hospital standards would surely plummet.
My phone pings, and my heart flutters. It’s Mina. I hope the day never comes when my heart stops fluttering at her messages and calls.
I close my eyes with a smile as euphoria washes over me, followed by a wave of exhaustion. The excitement of the last few days is finally catching up to me. I’m sure the dreams I have tonight will be the best ones of my life.
It has been a few days since the dinner at Mina’s house. I still feel like I’m floating on cloud nine. I’m invincible. Between seeing Mina at work, talking on the phone every day, and stealing alone time when we can, I have never been happier. Right now, I’m the happiest of all. She’s curled up in my arms on the couch, attempting to shout the Jeopardy answers before the contestants do. She’s actually pretty good at this , I realize. She’s smart.
A sound from the apartment next door makes her sit straight up. A guttural growl, like a wild animal. It’s muffled, but unmistakable. She turns to look at me with wide eyes.
“What the fuck?”
I can’t stop the shit-eating grin that spreads across my face. “Told ya. Werewolves.”
“No, they must be watching TV or something,” she rationalizes.
“Mmhmm, whatever you say babe,” I smirk, settling back into the couch cushions. “You’ll see in a minute.”
The sound comes again and is joined by what sounds like a second creature. There’s a loud crash, and Mina leaps up off the couch.
“Something’s happening over there!”
“Yeah, they’re turning into wolves, and they’re going to fuck the shit out of each other.”
“There’s no way that’s real. Besides, it’s not even a full moon!” She pulls out her phone and quickly searches for the date of the full moon. “Oh shit, wait. It is.”
Just as she says this, an unmistakable howl pierces the air. No matter how many times I’ve heard it, it still makes my hair stand up. It’s the call of a wolf.
She stands motionless, her eyes big as saucers, her mouth hanging slightly open. The first howl is joined by a second, the calls blending into a chilling harmony. Then the growling and grunting starts.
She finds her voice at last. “Werewolves?” she whispers.
“Werewolves.”
“Holy shit.”
“You get used to it.”
She shakes her head and sinks back down onto the couch beside me, leaning against me. “I don’t see how.”
“Think of it this way. They’re normal people with a genetic condition.”
“Yeah, they seemed nice enough when I saw them outside.”
“They are,” I reassure her. “They’re the nicest people. They just also happen to not be people, exactly.”
She chuckles, resting her head against my shoulder as the growling fuck-fest continues through the wall behind us. “I guess. At least they’re enjoying themselves.”
“And you? Are you enjoying yourself?”
She looks up at me, and I can practically see the universe in her eyes. “Every minute I’m with you is heaven.”