Another pack, another life.

Two cousins, two worlds.

***Nensi POV***

I desperately needed something to say, I couldn't stand this silence one minute more.

"So Elisa, I saw you travel light. Waiting at the luggage claim is always a pain in the a**, I also do the same when I fly..."

She looked at me puzzled: "Wait, are you saying my luggages aren't already arrived at the pack house?? Here I have just the basics for a day or two but how you rightfully said boarding and waiting luggages is sooo inconvenient I usually send my belongings by currier."

I blankly stared at her thinking who, in the world, at seventeen, needed to travel with so many things to use a currier instead of doing as all the normal people do.

Super-mega-top-top-rich fashion models I suppose.

"Uhm, well, to tell you the truth I wasn't aware we were expecting a suitcases' delivery, I can't say if they are arrived or not...But I am sure that, in the worse case scenario, they will arrive in a day or two...I can always borrow you someth..." But the words died in my mouth as I realized my clothes wouldn't fit her, not even in a million years.

"Miss Elisa, if you are in need of some shopping there is a pleasant mall not far from us, about thirty minutes drive from the pack there is a medium sized city and there I am sure you can find a couple of boutiques that may fit your needs".

I looked at Brian with a skeptical expression on my face.

Hearing him using the word BOUTIQUE was pretty, pretty weird.

I couldn't help but notice all the furtive looks he was keeping on giving to Elisa through the rearview mirror and I couldn't help but thinking he was damn right, she was a real hit.

I was sure she would become the star of the summer and everyone would have eyes for her only.

EVEN MARK.

Ok there was nothing between him and me but in my mind he was my ideal mate and in my most secret dreams I dreamed to match him as his mate in few weeks.

No-one knew this thought of mine,not even Cara, but I can't help but finding him amazing in so many ways.

I sighted out loud, so loud I had to disguise the sight with a small cough.

***Elisa POV***

I had the feeling I wasn't meeting Nensi's expectations.

She was looking at me with a sort of concern, maybe because I've almost missed to greet here when we first met.

Totally my fault but in my defense I had to say I lost my focus in that moment because of Brian.

I was a little worried about my luggages, I might have a little too many clothes but Matriarch organized carefully what I had to bring and one does not simply says no to Matriarch as one does not simply walks into Mordor.

Brian was very kind although really professional, I tried to sneak some views of him through the rearview mirror and a couple of times I met his gaze, this made me blush!

Now I had to find something to say, I could not stand this cringy silence one minute more.

"Oh Nensi, right before I left my mum told me you are going to start a training course this summer. Is it true? If so I would love to join in.

I don't know your training level but I am used to training and I'd love to experience a different kind of work to improve myself..."

I said all this with my best, friendly smile, hoping that finding common interests would help.

***Brian POV***

I couldn't help but looking at Elisa now and then in the rearview mirror, she was so beautiful...

She was young but sophisticated as a real lady.

Polite, kind, with a sweet smile yet quite reserved and quiet.

I was listening carefully at every word of her, trying to be helpful yet professional then she came out of the blue speaking of the summer training course.

I couldn't believe, she said she would love to train with us.

I squeezed the car wheel in excitement repeating in my mind STAY PROFESSIONAL, STAY PROFESSIONAL!!

"Oh miss Elisa, you are used to training!

This is definitely a good thing!"

I said smirking in the mirror looking at Nensi.

"Do you train just for fitness purposes or do you take some self-defence classes?"

Elisa moved on the car seat to come a little closer to my seat, which was in front of her.

"Oh, I actually am a trained warrior. Of course in human form as I am not eighteen yet and I don't yet have met my wolf but I love fighting and my trainer, Bruno, usually is quite fain about my work. I know that every pack has its own techniques and routines and I would really love to learn something new..."

Oh god! She was as beautiful as heaven, she acted like a queen and she was a trained warrior.

What else???

I heard Spock in my mind stretching in excitement:" Bro, she is not eighteen yet, she has not her wolf but we liked her so much it could mean something. I would tell you to keep an eye on her, but I think you don't need encouragement about it as you are looking more at her in the mirror that at the way in front of us. Please Brian, I don't wanna die in a car crash the day we *maybe* have found our mate..."

Mate?

Was Spock kidding??

Could it be true?

I had to ask, no matter how unprofessional I could seem!

"Miss Elisa may I ask you when is your birthday?"

She smiled at me, coming even closer to my seat, stretching her seatbelt: " it will be soon, on 21st of June".

"WHAAT???"

I heard to say from Nensi.

***Nensi POV***

I was looking outside the car window, seeing the grey asphalt of the highway running in front of my eyes.

I was deep into my thoughts, as grey as the asphalt, while listening the two of them flirting trying to sound totally casual when it came out she is a trained warrior.

Oh God, good.

I mean my cousin is a super-mega-top-top-rich WARRIOR fashion model, nothing special after all.

The more news from her I had the more I felt insufficient.

I pinched the top of my nose, right in the middle of my eyebrows trying not to loose my sh***.

It was definitely too early.

Then I heard when her birthday was and I shouted a not so kind "WHAAT???"

She was born in my same day.

Considering she was going to turn eighteen like me we were born the same exact day.

It would be meaningless, but I suddenly realized she would be still here on that date and that meaned I would have to share the day of my eighteen birthday with her.

My birthday party with her.

My parents of course didn't tell me that, not even by chance!

If I was upset before now I was fuc**** angry!

" Nensi! What is the matter?"

Elisa seemed puzzled, she might not be aware of the thing after all.

I was on the edge of answering her when Brian talked in my place.

"Nensi is also born on that day and, as she is going to be eighteen this year too, I could say you were born in the same day!"

Elisa seemed delighted by the news.

"Do we really share the birthday's date Nensi? Isn't it incredible and amazing? No one told me that before!"

She said that shaking her honey blond hair a little.

"No one told me that either" I answered with a gloomy voice.

Elisa seemed genuinely amazed by the fact; why not after all? She would be the star of every party why not of our??

I still tried to play the(quite) nice: " it has been a surprise, for sure. How it's you are going to spend such an important day far from home? It's pretty unusual..."

Her smile faint a little: "Well, I would have loved to spend it with my mum and close friends, I have to admit that, but Matriarch said that this is the perfect time to come, she said one mature far quicker when is far from home..."

I could say she was a little doubtful about what she said at last but my attention was for the name she dropped.

Who the f*** was the Matriarch?

Who the f*** could decide where someone could or couldn't spend his or her eighteen's birthday?

Was it too rude if I asked?

I hoped not as I've never been that good at holding my mouth.

"Who the Matriarch is?"

I could say from the gaze he gave, Brian was not aware about this figure too.

Maybe it was just a mocking way to call her mum but for what I knew about aunt Beatrice she wasn't so bossy or dictatorial to be called Matriarch.

"Well the Matriarch is basically the same as an Alpha" Elisa said now serious, as it was a very important topic.

I wrinkled my nose: "but Matriarch stands for a woman".

"Yes" she went on "She is, in fact, a woman. Our Matriarch is called Elena, she is about fifty and she runs our pack."

I got stunned.

I tried to catch Brian's gaze to see his reaction but he was busy surpassing a couple of vehicles and gave no signs of astonishment.

I looked at Elisa, trying to decide whether going further on this topic and showing all my ignorance about how the werewolves' world works outside my doorstep or not.

She spoke instead: "I know here almost every pack is runned by a male Alpha but I am aware some exceptions exist. In Italy it's often a leading shewolf who runs the pack. It's not a rule but I can say it's quite the standard.

This started as males too often had to fight against each other in packs' issues or other magical creatures, hunters or simple humans stirred up by the church against us.

This brought too often to vacant leading positions and women stepped in to give more continuity to the packs' management".

She went silent then and started to look outside the car window.

I knew she passed through some serious sh** losing her dad by a hunter.

She might be too posh and fabulous to click with me but I was not a monster and I felt really pity for her.