~Chapter 48~
After hanging up on Sergio, I left the room.
I sat down on the couch a little crookedly next to Theo.
"What is it?" He says as he glances at me
"Sergio is coming" I say nervously, but not too nervous, maybe just aware.
It's okay. Maybe it'll help you again" he says confidently
"I don't know what else will help me, Theo. .."
Theo doesn't say anything right away. He just shifts his weight onto the back of the couch and stares at the TV, as if he wants to give me some space to breathe.
"It doesn't have to help you," he finally says calmly. "It just has to be there."
I lean my head back and look at the ceiling. The afternoon light slants in through the window, too quiet for what's inside me.
“You know what’s the most annoying thing?” I murmur. “Part of me wants to tell him everything. Part of me wants to leave out the back door before he gets there.”
Theo glances at me briefly, then smiles crookedly. “Classic Cassian.”
I huff, unenthusiastic. “Don’t joke.”
“I’m not joking,” he says. “I know you. When things get too real, you prepare to run. Not physically. Emotionally.”
I keep quiet. Because he’s right.
“Don’t run,” Brex murmurs, present, steady.
“Not this time.”
I clench my hands together. “What if Sergio asks me directly?”
Theo turns off the TV and turns completely to face me.
“Then you tell him the truth you can bear today. Not the whole truth. Just the truth that doesn’t break you.
”
I look at him. “And if that’s not enough?
”
“Then it’ll be enough for today,” he replies simply.
The doorbell rings.
The sound hits me right in the chest. I get up from the couch too quickly, then stop mid-movement. My breath is short.
Theo gets up too, but he doesn’t go to the door. He stops next to me. “Do you want me to open it?”
I shake my head. “No. It’s my brother.”
I take two steps into the hallway. The floor creaks softly under my feet, a sound all too normal. I put my hand on the doorknob and stay there for a second longer.
“Threshold,” Brex says. “One more.”
I open the door.
Sergio stands in front of me, his jacket half-open and that look I recognize from childhood.
Pure concern, poorly masked by irritation.
“Cass,” he says immediately. “What the hell is going on?”
I don’t have time to answer.
He pulls me into a sudden, tight, real hug.
I feel my forehead pressed against his shoulder, and for the first time all morning, I don’t feel the need to run.
“Come in,” I say quietly.
The door closes behind us.
He sits down at the table next to the couch and begins:
"When I woke up, the Voss were at our house AND THEY WERE SUPER NERVOUS, GEN!
" He says and Theo shakes his head "after they told me to call you, but I didn't understand why I should call you and I said no, after they got mad and left" he says and stares blankly "what the hell is going on?
" He repeats
I look at him hesitantly.
"They lied to me, Gio. About absolutely everything.
!Absolutely everything!
. LITERALLY EVERYTHING, MY WHOLE LIFE" I say with a lump in my throat "everything I needed to know about me, my family.
I didn't know" Tears burned my eyes, barely kept under control.
Sergio suddenly stands up from his chair.
"What do you mean they lied to you?" his voice rises, sharp.
"Cass, don't talk in riddles.
Who lied to you?
About what?"
He runs his hands through his hair, as if trying to force his thoughts together.
His footsteps twirl around the room.
“Ash? Niko? Voss?” he asks quickly.
“Tell me exactly what they told you.”
I swallow hard.
“About the wolf,” I say quietly. “About me. About… things that aren’t normal.
”
I’m silent for a split second. “About another family.”
Sergio stops abruptly.
He turns to me, his eyes wide, fixed.
“What family?”
The air in the room seems to tighten.
I feel my chest tighten with his.
“They said,” I continue, my voice low, “that there were things I never knew. That I wasn’t…
fully informed. That they decided what was safe for me.
that I wasn’t supposed to know…
or that we should know. ”
Sergio’s breathing becomes erratic. He brings his hand to his chest, then to his throat, as if he can’t find a place to put it.
“No,” he says. “No. Don’t do that.”
He laughs briefly, forcedly.
“You can’t just throw this at me and stop.
”
“Gio..”
“No!” he interrupts me. “Tell me everything. Now.”
He comes closer to me, too quickly. I can see his jaw tense, the veins in his neck stand out.
His breathing is out of control.
Theo immediately stands up from the couch.
“Sergio,” he says calmly but firmly.
“Breathe.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” Sergio mutters, but his voice is shaking.
He puts his hands to his knees and leans down a little.
“Don’t tell me…”
“Panic attack,” Brex murmurs.
“Don’t push him.
” so I try to swallow the couch for the rest of my life
Theo slowly approaches and sits in front of Sergio, at eye level.
“Look at me,” he says. “Breathe in through your nose. I’m counting.
”
Sergio shakes his head, but the air comes in jerkily, painfully.
“I can’t,” he whispers. “I can’t breathe.
”
“You can,” Theo replies, calm, unwavering.
“One. Two. Three.”
Sergio inhales sharply, then exhales shakily.
Once more. And one more. His hands tremble, but the rhythm is starting to settle.
I instinctively stand up, but Theo gives me a curt wave: stop.
After a few seconds, Sergio leans over the edge of the table.
He rubs his face with his hands.
“Sorry,” he says hoarsely.
“Sorry, Cass. But… I can’t process.”
I slowly approach.
“Neither can I.”
He looks up at me. His eyes are red, watery.
“Tell me one at a time,” he says. “Slowly. I’m not going anywhere.
”
I feel the lump in my throat again.
Tears burn, but I hold them back.
“They kept the truth from me,” I say.
“Not just one. Several. What they are about. What… we are.”
Sergio freezes.
“What does we are mean?” he asks.
I’m silent for a second too long.
Theo interjects, his voice low:
“It means it’s not a ten-minute conversation.
”
Sergio closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, then opens them again.
“Then we have time,” he says. "Because I'm not leaving until I understand. And I'm not leaving you alone in this."
Sergio sits down next to me, and Theo is now in a chair in front of us.
"So?" Sergio says and I'm already starting to do some self-control.
"He said we had another brother. That there was another family.
Some kind of feeling...about mom" I say and try to keep it short
"another brother?
" he asks and I shake my head.
"That's what they said.
.. It hurts me so much to think that They lied to me so much, Sergio"
Sergio moves closer. He doesn't touch me right away.
He just sits there, close enough for me to feel his warmth.
"Cass..." he says softly. "Look at me.
"
I look up with difficulty. I'm still holding on.
I'm still clenching inside.
"If there's another brother," he continues, calmly, but with a clear tension in his voice, "it's not your fault.
And it's not my fault. And it's not our fault.
"
I swallow hard. “But they took something from us,” I say.
“Years. Memories. The truth.”
Sergio puts a hand on the back of my neck and pulls me towards him without asking permission.
His hug is different from Theo’s. Tougher.
More anchored. As if to say I’m here, even if the world falls apart.
“I know,” he murmurs. “And you’re allowed to be angry.
You’re allowed to be confused. But you’re not allowed to think you did anything wrong.
”
I clench my fists into his shirt.
“I can’t accept this,” I whisper.
“I can’t accept that there’s someone else.
I don’t want to.”
“You don’t have to,” he says immediately.
“Not now. Maybe never. Acceptance isn’t an obligation.
”
I breathe in jerkily. Tears finally fall.
Not many. Just enough.
“Let them go,” Brex says.
“I’m not weakening you.
”
Sergio gently strokes my back, rarely.
“Listen to me,” he says. "If anyone is to blame here, it's those who chose to remain silent. Those who decided for you."
He looks up over my shoulder.
Theo.
Sergio’s gaze darkens for a second.
He says nothing, but it’s clear. A moment later we’re talking in the air.
Theo raises his hands theatrically. “Hey,” he says.
“For what it’s worth… I didn’t hide any of the malice.
”
Sergio stares at him. “Not now,” he says shortly.
Then he looks back at me and his tone changes completely.
“You’re my brother,” he says simply.
“The only one I’ve ever known. And no one can take that away from you.
”
One corner of my mouth involuntarily turns up through tears.
“You’re dramatic.”
“I’m honest,” he replies.
“And hungry. Have you eaten?” I nod and smile inertly.
I snort. Theo rolls his eyes. “Great,” he says. “We’re breathing again.”
Theo gets up and says:
"ENOUGH!" he says and I look at him strangely "enough with the crying.
With the drama. Let's live because high school starts tomorrow" he says and just the thought of going back to high school makes me cry again.
"I don't want to" I say and I cry dramatically
"Maybe I can talk to my mom about not going for the last 2 months, and only when we have tests or projects.
What do you think?" Sergio says and my face lights up.
"Really? I mean... it works?" I say a little more suspiciously now
"With money you solve everything" he says and looks at Theo "I'll take care of you too, poverty" he says and grimaces at him
"eat.
my. dick. Blue" Theo says and I giggle at this comment.
Now their friendship is really gone for a while.
Sergio stretches and you don't even notice that he had a panic attack an hour ago. It seems to be inherited
Martha comes downstairs and we turn our heads to her.
"Good morning" she says
"Morning?" I interrupt "it's after 1pm you know"
"He was at the club last night" Theo says instead of Martha and she sticks her tongue out.
He goes back upstairs, I think to Sophie's.
Just when I think I've gotten rid of this idea called 'pain', I get a phone call.
From who else but Niko.
I look at my phone longer than I should but Sergio appears in my line of sight, takes my phone, answers the call and hangs up.
Sergio answers and puts the phone on the table, on speaker.
“Speak,” he says shortly. “You’re on speaker.
”
No immediate response.
Then Niko’s voice.
Calm. Low. Controlled. Far too controlled for someone who knows he’s done wrong.
“Cass,” he says. He doesn’t ask if I’m there.
He knows. “Listen to me all the way.”
My jaw tightens.
“I’m not calling to ask permission,” he continues.
“And I’m not calling to apologize.”
Theo raises his eyebrows.
Sergio stands still.
“I know exactly what I did,” Niko says.
“I know how deep it hits. And I know you have every right to reject me.”
Short pause.
Steady breathing.
“But I’m not going to stand aside and let you think you were the only weak one in this equation.
”
I tense up.
“No,” he continues. “I was the one who chose to control the situation. I was the one who decided when you were ready and when you weren’t.
And yes, that was a mistake.”
His voice hardens.
“But it was my decision. Not yours.”
My stomach tightens.
“And I say that on behalf of Ash.”
Theo shifts slightly.
Sergio frowns.
“Ash agreed with me,” Niko says.
“Not because he didn’t want to tell you.
It was because he trusted me.”
He takes a deep breath.
“If there’s anyone you should hate,” he continues, “it’s me.
Not him.”
I bite my lip. Not because I’m hurt.
But because his tone won’t let me run.
“I’m not asking for your forgiveness,” he says.
“Not yet.”
Pause.
“I’m asking you to stay.
”
My heart beats faster.
“Not to forgive me. Not to understand me. But not to close yourself off completely.”
His breathing becomes shallower.
“Because, Cass,” he says, “you’re not something we lose and move on from.
”
Sergio clenches his jaw. Theo stops smiling.
“I can’t live in a reality where you’re tearing yourself away from us,” Niko continues.
“Not because I need you to exist. But because we chose to be yours.”
Long pause.
“Me,” he says. “Ash. Everyone.”
I take my phone from Sergio’s hand.
I bring it closer.
“Are you done?” I ask.
There’s a second of silence.
“Yes,” Niko says.
“Now it’s your turn.”
I take a deep breath.
“I don’t like that you decided for me,” I say.
“And I don’t like that you’re still doing it.
”
“I know,” he replies immediately.
“But I appreciate that you’re not hiding,” I continue.
“And that you’re not throwing Ash in my face.
”
My breath hitches a little.
“It doesn’t mean it’s okay.
”
“I didn’t say it was,” he says.
Pause.
“It just means… I’m still here.”
On the other end, Niko’s voice softens a fraction.
“That’s all I’m asking.”
I hang up.
The room is silent.
Sergio stares at me. “That… he’s not the type to pray.”
“No,” I say quietly. “He’s the type to stay.”
Theo sighs. “Damn. Having two werewolf boyfriends is really chaotic.”
I lean back.
“I just… I don’t know what else to say?” I say, rubbing my face.
----
Ash pov:
To say I’m a little sad would be a big lie. But this idea of not having Nikolai or Cassian by my side… I don’t want that to happen again.
"I'm done," Niko says, and I realize I haven't heard anything they've said.
"Hmm?" I say thoughtfully.
"Are you in the clouds again, cookie?
" He says, and sits on top of me, kisses my forehead, and rests his head on my chest. "Cass isn't leaving," he says, more like a promise than a statement.
"Not today."
I lift my head a little, enough for him to look at me.
His eyes are tired, but clear.
"I know," I say, "But I needed to hear him still breathing on our side. " I whisper and kiss him on the lips.
The kiss is not rushed. It is sure. Controlled.
His lips land on mine with intention, not hesitation.
He doesn’t demand. He notices. He gently grips my jaw, his thumb under my chin, forcing me not to pull back.
I answer without thinking. Because it was never a question of if.
Only when.
The kiss deepens, the pressure increases, but the pace remains slow.
Dominant not through force, but in knowing exactly how much to take and when.
He steals my air for a moment, then pulls back just long enough to let me breathe.
We are interrupted right when I put my hand in Niko's panties, by none other than Emy.
"Oh'...sorry. It's important!" She says quickly and turns around.
"Fuck Emy" Niko says and stands up, laughing.
"What is it?" He says and crosses his arms.
"Kael.
His wolf..." She says and then my smile fades.
I quickly get out of bed and move closer to her.
"Explain in more detail, Galli" I say a little confused.
"Kael's wolf needs Vex brothers. It seems that their relationship is already escalating, reaching another level.
He can't help himself anymore, he says it hurts when he feels too much tension for 3 people" she says quickly and I can barely keep up, but Niko is already dressed and at the door.
"Fuck!. Fuck!" Niko says and I quickly reach for my blouse to put it on, and I go out with Niko and Emy.
We arrive at Elara and V's house, but it's Elara who opens the door and says Kael is upstairs in bed.
We go up quickly. Maybe too quickly.
The room is silent, dimly lit. Kael sits on the edge of the bed, shoulders tense, hands clasped.
His eyes search for something, but he can’t find it.
Kane, his wolf, tenses, feeling the same lack.
Niko is next to me, but I stand a little further back, my eyes following Kael’s every move.
“Ash…” Kael begins, his voice low, almost torn with sincerity, “it’s not easy…
To feel this. To feel that… it’s too much.
”
Kane lets out a short growl inside himself, a warning, a cry of need: “Cassian and Sergio. Only them. Only near them can I be at peace.”
Kael clutches the blankets tightly, trying to steady his breathing.
“I can’t… run from this. I try to push this feeling away, but it’s not working.
It’s too… strong. Kane is asking for something I can’t give myself.
”
Niko reaches out to Kael and places his hand over his.
“It’s okay, Kael. Feel what you feel. You don’t have to control yourself all the time.
Not alone.”
Kael closes his eyes, his breath shaky.
“It’s not about me… not just me. It’s… need…
need Cassian and Sergio. Only with them can I breathe.
”
Kane’s wolf vibrates inside Kael. It’s restless, obsessed with the two brothers’ closeness.
Kael trembles slightly, trying to suppress the need, but it’s clearly impossible.
“Ash… Niko… needs to be with them. It’s not an option,” Kael says, his voice low, almost a painful whisper.
“For Kane. For me… it’s the only way I don’t lose control.
”
Niko squeezes Kael’s hand, his eyes steady.
“We’ll do everything we can. We’re not leaving you alone with this.
”
Kael breathes heavily, but a hint of relief is read in his expression.
“Thank you… You… understand… even if it’s hard to accept.
”
The room remains silent, only our breathing and Kane’s unseen tension filling the space.
And, Kael feels a little less alone, even though he knows his need is only temporarily satisfied.
“Contact Colby. We’re going to their house tonight, I’m sure I’ll be home by then. ” I say and Niko nods.
---
Cassian pov:
After staying at Theo's for a while longer, I headed home and thanked God that Sergio came by car and not on foot.
When we enter the house, Sergio looks at me and I feel the need to ask what it is so:
"What?
" I say briefly and a frown forms on his face.
"Do you think Colby... is a werewolf like them?
" He says and I sit down to think. I pull his arm and take him to my room.
He sits on my bed and often.
"There's a 50/50 chance he will," I say and take off my blouse.
"But I say yes, he knew Russian too..." I say and then I realize that I think this hurts Sergio too
"What do we do now.
.. if this is destiny" he says vulnerable and lays down on one side of the bed and covers himself with a duvet.
I take off my pants and sit down on a chair for a bit.
"Does it hurt?" I say and get up again for a pair of pants.
"Maybe it does. But I don't know what to say, like it's only a few days compared to you guys who've known each other since October" he says and I roll my eyes
"Shouldn't this hurt less for you, dude?
" I say as I take off my baggy gray pajama pants and no top.
Maybe it's hot in the house or I'm too stressed.
"Let me go!" He says and I laugh
Sergio sighs and lies down on my bed, still wrapped in blankets, but his eyes follow me carefully. “Let me relax a little,” he says, but he doesn’t refuse when I approach and put a hand on his arm. “It’s okay,” I whisper, almost to myself, “we don’t have to do everything now.”
---
I woke up when Brex called my name.
"Finally!
"
"What do you want?
I was sleeping too" I say nervously in my mind and get up from the bed.
"I'm hungry" he says and slaps me across the face.
"That's why you're awake?" I ask even more nervously.
"Something important" he says jokingly.
"Sure. Sure" I say and get up from the bed.
But then I accidentally hit Sergio, and he wakes up.
He looks at me and curses a little in a whisper.
"What time is it?" He says sleepily and a little dizzy
"It's.
.." I say and look at the clock "5:55 PM" I say and cough a little when I choke on my own spit.
"I slept a little too long" he says and I nod.
He gets up and leaves the room.
I leave the room after a few seconds but go downstairs to feed Brex, who is actually me.
I look in the fridge, and analyze what I think he likes there today.
"How about some meat?
" I shrug
"Pork, beef, chicken?" I count
"Beef" he says and take the beef out of the fridge.
I turn on the oven to heat up and take out another piece for Sergio.
---
(Time jump, 1h)
Sergio and I just finished eating.
I take Sergio's plate of leftovers and put them in Pookie's bowl in case he's hungry.
I'm washing the dishes and then someone knocks on the door.
"You go. I'm covered in foam" he says when I'm at my plate now.
"Okay" he says and leaves.
"Can we go in?
"
I hear myself wiping my hand but then I accidentally trip over the fork and spoon rack, it falls to the floor and makes a loud noise so I can't hear anything anymore.
I bend down to pick them up piece by piece, this time I put them in the dishwasher because I've already wiped my hand.
I get up, hand on waist, maybe I slept badly who knows?
"Are you okay?" A voice says and I wonder and I find Ash.
He looks at me carefully and memorizes my every move.
"I am, the spoons are not" I say and put the other sauces back in the fridge "why are you here?
", I ask and turn around only to be hugged by him, tightly.
"Put me down" I say but he picks me up and I already feel like I've done too much for nothing and I shut up.
He puts me down.
"Finally" I say and turn around.
I remain..
Frozen
I look at the person in front of me and see how he stares at me and Sergio.
He has the same hair color as Sergio, pale blonde, fair skin like him but he has green eyes..like mine
"Hello" he says "I'm Kael"
remain irritated