CATRINA

"Why did you abandon me?" I ask directly coming to the main point. I hate beating around the bush. I am quite anxious about it. This is making me so self-conscious. All things that have happened in my life left me alone and I fear that the reason behind my parents leaving me might be something really bad.

"Umm, you should know that I did not purposely give you away. The circumstances weren't favorable to keep you with me. Your life was in danger and you living away from me instead of being threatened everyday was a much better option for me at that time and so I chose it."

The pleading expression on my mother's face make me feel guilty. The pain and fear in her eyes make me think if she is reliving the past and something in my mind tells me that her past was not at all beautiful or bright.

"I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, mother. The thing is I have always felt like an outsider in my adoptive family and that made me wonder if my biological mother also felt the same for me and that's why I was abandoned," I whisper, not able to keep the sadness out of my voice.

Cayden shifts from front of me and comes to take a seat beside me, taking my hand in his and giving it a squeeze. I squeeze his hand back and give him a small smile of gratitude for the comfort his touch offers me. I never knew that one date with Connor would reunite me with my family.

"Baby girl, you should never apologize for this. In fact, I am sorry for your adoptive family's behavior. I should've told Dominic to make sure the family behaved well with you," says my mother and once again I am confused.

"Dominic? Is he my father?" I ask, still not knowing where my father is at this moment? Is he away on business? Or is he not living with my mother? This thought brings another memory of my mother and Cayden having different last names. Maybe they don't live together anymore.

Oh God! She must have gone through a very big heartbreak.

"No, zvezda," laughs my mother as if I've cracked some hilarious joke. She shakes her head and then continues, "Dominic is a very good friend of mine, and thinks of me as his sister. He is your uncle Dominic and I gave you to him. He is your Godfather in human terms, you can say."

The "Human term" clicks differently in mind but just before I ask them if they know about Connor's werewolf heritage, we are interrupted by the Devil himself.

"Hey, Christine. I am sorry to interrupt you all but I need to talk to Catrina, may I?" he asks, quite nervously and it makes me wonder if Connor feels nervous around my mother.

Finally! Connor Lupe nervous in someone's presence.

"Well. I am not happy about it but since you are her mate, I will allow you to interrupt me," chuckles my mother and walks out of the room dragging a not so happy Cayden with her. I look at the scene with wide eyes not understanding this conversation even a bit.

It strikes me later that she said mate. It means she knows about Connor being my mate. It means she knows that Connor is a werewolf. Oh God!

I leave my seat to go and ask my mother but she's already out of my sight.

"She knows you are a werewolf!" I exclaim unable to keep it in.

Connor laughs at my shocked expression which somehow amuses me as well. I think I am slowly slipping into shock where I am going to lose my mind.

"Yes, she knows about it because her own son is a werewolf," he says so casually that even I nod at his words but then I realize that he's talking about my brother. My twin brother?

Oh my God!

"Goddess! I am so sorry, I shouldn't have just dropped it like that," he curses which sounds something like blyat but I don't react upon it as my knees give away all of a sudden and I feel light-headed.

I am in a dream-like state as Connor carries me to the armchair but instead of putting me in the chair, he sits in it with me on his lap. The position is still very new to me which makes me squirm on his lap. He curses again and then holds me rigidly in his arms, that's when I realize that he's aroused. His erection is prodding in my ass and now it's my turn to curse however, I can never curse that violently.

"Malysh, I am so sorry but yes, it is true. Your twin brother is a werewolf and it means that even you have the werewolf gene," Connor explains.

"So you mean to say that you are a different species?" I ask.

"Yes, of course. What did you think?" he asks and I feel awkward all of a sudden because I thought something else.

"Um. I thought that some one of your ancestors were bitten by a wolf and that caused this transition," I say nervously, looking down in my lap which is on Connor's. Connor's shoulder starts shaking so I look up expecting to see his face red in anger but he's desperately trying to hold in his laugh. Looking at my puzzled expression, he throws back his head and laughs so loudly then his entire body is shaking.

It successfully makes me feel embarrassed!

"Where in the hell did you read that shit?" he asks, still laughing at my assumption. I shove him in the ribs with my shoulder and huff in exasperation.

"There are so many sources. Fiction is the best source, Connor."

He shakes his head at my reference and then pulls me closer on his lap so that he's embracing me.

"It's not like that, lapochka. We are a different species, let's say to have been evolved from the Canis lupus but not quite exactly. During the early evolutionary stage of the wolves, the surrounding atmosphere was not very good which led to very rigid surviving strategy. The evolving specie couldn't survive and perished but the existing wolves the primitive ones, they had formed a very good bond with the evolving ones which led them to achieve certain features. Over a period of time it is said that the Full Moon was responsible for them to achieve their evolutionary features but some believe that the Moon Goddess couldn't stand the thought of the evolved wolf species dying out so she made it possible for the wolf to shift his form and make up for the nature's rather cruel decision."

It takes a while for me to process this information.

"So, you are affected because of the moon?"

"Yes but not so much. The moon cycle is like a changing month for us."

"So, you have no control over your wolf on full moon?"

"No! We have full control over our wolf, always. We can shift whenever we want but we shift for the first time during 11 years of age. Females can't shift when they are pregnant or there are some females who choose to be in their wolf state for the entire pregnancy. It's a little easier through the wolf state but once you remain in that state you can't shift back for the rest of the pregnancy," he explains in a factual tone that makes goose-bumps arise on my skin.

"What about me? Why can't I shift?" I ask, not letting the thought of my lost twins to take over.

"You have a dormant gene. Your mother can't shift into a wolf but you might because your father belonged to the royal family therefore, was stronger, more fit."

"Royal family?"

"Yes, I told you Fenris is our king?" he asks and I nod.

"So, your father was Fenris's uncle. You are his cousin and of course a royal princess." He says it but I get the hint of a little stiffness in his voice when he speaks. Is he hiding something?

"So, you know my father."

Just when he opens his mouth to answer me, his mother knocks on the door which makes me scramble out of his lap. God! How must I look? Like a hussy sitting on her son's lap like that?

I sure as hell don't know how to put up a good impression, I think to myself before greeting her.

"Connor, why don't you go to Catrina's house and bring all her clothes here. I think she will want to stay here with her family," says Connor's mother who is expectantly looking at Connor. But before he could reply, I speak for myself.

"No Mrs. Lupe. I don't want to intrude. I can meet my family at my home, I don't think they'll mind," I say but am unsure about my assumption.

"But I mind. You will call me Aurora and I am sure, Connor wants you to live here with him. That's where you belong, milaya moyo," she says bringing back the memory of how I happened to be here today.

Aurora quietly leaves us to our discussion when she feels the rising tension in the room and I turn back to look at Connor who has a guilty look on his face.

"Did you purposely call my family here? Did you know about them? That I am their daughter?" I whisper-yell, not wanting anyone to hear our conversation.

Connor raises his hands up in surrender while shaking his head slightly. The sight of him with that guilty look on his face calms me but only a bit.

"I didn't know that you are Christine's daughter. But yes, I did call my mother here so that she could convince you that I am here for the long haul. I definitely want to be with you, not just because you are my mate but because of what you really went through because of me," he says and my anger turns up a notch.

"So, you mean that whatever you are doing is out of guilt?"

"No, no, Solnyshko. I am guilty, I do regret leaving you but that's not the reason why I want to be back with you. You have to understand I love you."

The look on Connor's face doesn't help me calm down at all as the very haunting thought of him wanting to be with me only because of our history and the mate thing slithers into my mind.

Needing a little space to deal with all this, I think of a way to get out of here.

"I need some space Connor. I think you are not ready to settle down yet and I surely don't want to be with you without knowing the proper reasons. I just can't up and move in with you whenever you feel like. The way you broke up with me, destroyed me. And then my miscarriage ruined me. It took 5 years and more for me to move on, get educated and support myself. I won't trade that lifestyle for a selfish person like you," I say daringly and pat myself mentally for not shedding a single tear while remembering the horrible time of my life.

"I am sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?" he asks and I really feel like slapping him but control the urge.

"It's up to you Connor. I don't want to live here for my family. I can contact them personally without your interference," I say and go to pick up my purse.

"Yes, you can. Just promise me that you'll give me a chance," he says.

"We'll see. I need some time to think," I say and walk out of his room. He follows behind me, picking up his car keys on the way and I pull out my phone to call a taxi for me.

"I can drop you."

"I can go by myself."

"At least inform your mother."

"I'll call her when I reach home. I have already given her my address. We can fix up the time for her to come by my home," I say and that's when the taxi pulls up. Sighing in relief to end our awkward conversation, I catch the gaze of my blue-eyed cousin who's watching me from the doorway of Connor's house. He gives me a nod as if to say that he knows and understands my dilemma. I nod back and wave at him and his wife/ mate before getting into the taxi and not looking back at Connor at all.

When the taxi pulls out of Connor's neighborhood, I see a lot of men guarding the place and it makes me question what kind of a person exactly is Connor? Is being a werewolf Alpha that important or is it because he's alert for some other reason?

Thinking about him, another thought springs up in my mind. Would my twins have been werewolves? Would they have shifted into a wolf like their dad's?

The thought makes my heart race and I stifle the urge to sob but it's too late for the tears to flow and I let myself mourn for my babies, once again.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading!

Let me know your views about the chapter. Vote, Comment and Share.