To love and to hate

Untitled

chapter one

Caleb

as me if he were alive.

“Do you have a twin brother?” I asked, shaking myself from the petrifying grip.

“No. It's just me.” The boy replied, making a face.

“I came with my parents, maybe you should speak to them.” He added with a laugh, and I peered into his face.

Was it just me or was he rudely confident? That confidence I wanted so badly to crush, like I crushed Rowan's. He wore a blue flannel shirt over loose fitting pants and a pair of sneakers. Exactly Rowan’s favourite dress style.

“Good for you.” I replied, without taking his hand.

“Wait, I hear that I look so much like a boy who was murdered five years ago. What was his name again?” He made a mental note, but I could clearly see that he wasn't trying to recall anything. “Rowan Victor! Wow! Maybe I am Rowan, but Rowan Paul.” His eyes lit up like the sun, and he smiled. “You see, I suffered from amnesia, so I can't remember so much from my past.” he added, and I wondered what he was trying to prove.

“Do you go around telling such tales to others?” I asked, not wanting to care, but unable to shrug off the feeling looming in my heart.

“Oh no, I don't. I just don't know why I can tell you so much. Can you keep this a secret for me? Please?”

“Why would I do that?” I asked, regarding him for a second.

“Because we're friends.” the boy spewed unashamedly.

“No, we're not.” I scoffed, making a face in disapproval.

I've met a handful of boys and older males, but no one was as shameless as him.

“Really? But I think I like you already.”

“Suit yourself.” I scowled and went to lay on my bed. Don't give much thought to this guy, my mind whispered, and I should've lived by that, but the new guy was a pain in the ass.

“I heard there's a baseball tournament going on outside, do you want to watch with me?”

The f**k! I blurted in my mind, c*****g my head to look at him. “What are you? Do you like me? Are you….gay?”

“What? No. I love girls. Why would I be gay when there's a sea of pretty girls I could pass the night with?”

“You can never tell. Boys like you always end up that way.” I answered, took my key and waltzed out of the room.

There's something about this guy, I just can't figure it out yet. And wait, was he growing interested in Rowan or just playing pranks?

Wait, did he say he suffered amnesia? What if he really is Rowan? But there's no way Rowan would've survived. I saw him turn to ashes.

***

“I wonder why you still come here, alpha.” Manning quizzed, arching his back as he crouched to fix the tires.

His voice tore my mind away from the nagging worries of the new kid. “Why? You don't want me around?” I tossed back the question at him, completely diverting from the answer.

“Crazy, but you know what I mean, don't you?”

I did, but I wouldn't let that discourage me. Manning and I had been childhood friends before I got admitted into the Alpha's college. He was one of my closest friends and sometimes, he felt like family.

“Because you're my friend and I don't give two f***s what scandals hang around this place like a cloud.” I replied, and then bit on my lips. Wasn't that the same words the new kid said to me earlier?

“You haven't changed one bit.” Manning smiled, digging his head under the hood.

“You see me everyday, don't you think you're late about that observation?” I joked, decking under a hood too.

Truth was, this was the only place that was peaceful. Being in the same space with the crazy lad did shitty things to my mind. I had to keep him off my mind.

Caleb Ryder, that's me. A fourth generation alpha who'll end up taking the reins of leadership after my father. In my pack and beyond, I was labeled the Beast but not by the female folks. The ladies saw a different side to me, that sensuous part. I liked that part too. It kept me sane. So, it's safe to say, I am the beauty and the beast.

There was a short moment of silence, and then I heard a whistle which sounded like a cue and raised my head. Manning nodded towards the gate, and my lips dropped open as I stared at the gorgeous five feet seven beauty with wavy brown hair chatting with one of Manning's workers.

“I heard she just moved into Full Moon Fury pack with her dad.” Manning explained, if he saw my expression, then he must have ignored it.

“You know her?” I asked, tearing my eyes briefly away from the newcomer to Manning.

“Are you serious?Who doesn't know her? That's Lisa Cleopas.” he replied, as if saying you must live under a rock if you do not know her.

“Who the hell is that?” I asked, making a face.

“Lisa Cleopas?” Manning asked, then he hesitated as if wondering if telling me would be a nice idea. “Alpha Cleopas is your dad's biggest rival. He once challenged your grandfather to a war to win the title of true alpha. History has it that your granny beat him to a pulp after which he disappeared.”

"So, why is he in our pack?"

“Isn't it clear? He's trying to say that he's back to claim the pack.”

“Not in my time.” I muttered, wounding my fingers tightly on the plier.

Just then, the lady glanced in my direction as my eyes diverted towards her again. She held my gaze for a short moment with an impassive look on her face. I stiffened, not knowing why I did. She seemed older than me. Twenty - four, or more, I guessed.

“She isn't like the other girls,” I observed, still staring at her.

“Why would she be? She's got the money and everything else.” Manning whispered, looking from me to her.

“She's got a man?”

“Ask for yourself.” My friend challenged, shaking his head dismissively.

“Oh, I intend to.” I suddenly reacted to the challenge.

Manning dropped his plier on the engine and gazed straight at me “Wait, alpha, what about her dad?"

"Don't you know the saying?" I asked, turning to him.

“What's that?”

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” I whispered as I dropped the pliers and walked towards her.

Right, just my first day in school and not only do I have one puzzle to solve, there's another arch enemy and a daughter who must be the bait.

Immediately, my mind raced back to Rowan or whatever he was called. Whoever that guy is, I have to keep him at all cost even if it means killing him too.

He said that Rowan had a twin sister. I had to find her before the Howlers did. Thinking about it now, how come I never tried to find her until now? And where the hell would she be?