The Forgotten Son

1

How to end the world in a year. That was a rhetorical question. I already know the answer, and that is me, Roman Saint, or otherwise known as Roman Morningstar. I am the son to John and Julie Morningstar, the last born, the forgotten one.

“Roman, come downstairs now, please,” I hear my mum say.

I groan as I head downstairs.

I say, “What’s up?”

As I enter the front room, I see some people sitting on the sofa.

I say, “Hello, who are you?”

Mum says, “This is Xavier and his family.”

She gestures towards the male to my right, who is very attractive. I look him up and down, making him c**k his eyebrow at me.

I turn to my mum and say, “Why are they here?” and she tries not to roll her eyes.

She says, “Your marriage proposal is to Xavier. They are here to arrange some details.”

I feel the air starting to get tight as I look around at everyone, and I notice my brothers, who weren’t here a minute ago, have new tattoos.

I say, “Oh mum, look you…” and I get cut off by the darkness taking over, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you start the apocalypse.

When I wake up, I hear laughing downstairs, and I feel someone’s presence. As I turn to my left, I see Xavier sat there, and I jump out of bed as I say, “Nope, not happening. Leave, you are…” “Nope, just no.” “Leave my room right now.”

And he laughs.

God, why is his laugh so attractive? Like, not manly, but just so soft.

He stands up and says, “Look, it’s obvious you didn’t know about the arrangement, but I plan on this union going to plan.”

I stare at him, wanting to hear his voice again, the soft, thick Italian accent. He says, “Why don’t we get to know each other just a little?” “Here, I will start.” “My name is Xavier Russo, but I prefer Xavier Blue.”

I look at him and say, “Xavier Blue…” and he nods.

I laugh and say, “Sorry… sorry,” and I put my hands on my stomach and say, “C… can’t breathe.”

He sighs and just shakes his head.

“Fine… my name is Roman Saint, and I will not be changing my last name to Blue or Russo,” and he smiles and nods.

He says, “I am 19 years old and the youngest Alpha in Italy.”

I nod, slightly intrigued, and say, “I am 17, I am human, and my 18th is in two weeks on Valentine’s Day. Be prepared. I like to be spoilt and selfish and celebrate them both separately.”

He smirks and says, “Now that I can get behind.”

He walks closer to me and says, “Just so you know, I don’t typically like smelling other men all over my future husband’s bed, so if I were you, I would buy a new bed.”

I scoff and say, “If I am going to marry…”

He cuts me off and says, “You are a human. I am a shapeshifter and an Alpha. You will obey.”

He heads towards my door and says, “Tomorrow I will take you shopping for a new bed,” and he looks at me and says, “It should only smell of us two, no one else.”

He leaves, and I sigh. I look in the mirror and see my eyes are glowing white.

I hear a loud thud as I look at my window and see another bird hit the glass. I smirk and say, “Welp, one day down, 364 to go.”

Chapter 2-

The next day is a bit of a blur, having to listen to my brothers and parents and these strangers plan my wedding. I look as they go through books. I see a woman who wasn’t here a moment ago talking about dates, and I say, “What about 363 days away?”

They all turn and look at me, and I roll my eyes. Mum says, “Oh look, he has a voice, and that is too far away.”

I say, “No, actually, that is perfect timing. Remember, our family are busy, and I am sure their family is also busy.” I nod my head in Xavier’s direction.

Mum says, “I am sure…” and I cut her off as I say, “363 days, no sooner, no later, otherwise I am not marrying him.”

They all look at me, and I say, “Also, I want to graduate first.”

Mum says, “The most beautiful weddings are always spring.”

I say, “I think all weddings deserve a big bang more than anything. 363 days, final offer, or I withdraw.”

Xavier nods and says, “Fine. 363 days.”

I stand up and say, “Good. Then I am leaving because this is boring and, quite frankly, depressing.”

I stand up and make my way to the front door as Xavier says, “Where are you going?”

I say, “None of your business. You aren’t my husband yet.”

As I open the front door, it slams shut. I turn and see an arm holding the door shut, and then I turn and see Xavier stood there, his glowing blue eyes burning a hole into my soul.

He says, “Where are you going?”

I so badly want to punch him, but I say, “T..to the library.”

He hums and says, “I will drive you.”

I say, “Not needed, thanks,” and I kiss his cheek, catching him off guard, as I open the front door and run out the house and down the street, heading towards the cemetery.

Who the f**k does he think he is? Like, seriously? He is insane.

I head towards the gathering of kids my own age. This won’t end well, but then nothing really does end well.

When I next check my phone, I see it is now 4 a.m., and I have so many missed calls. I laugh, and my friend says, “Everything okay?”

I say, “Yeah, just an alpha.”

He smirks at me, and I smile at him and say, “Nothing I can’t handle.”

He says, “Well, only time will tell. Just 362 days to go.”

I smirk and say, “362 days to go.”

We drink to it, and then I see flashing lights and shout, “Police! Scram!”

We all take off running in different directions, my friend out the gate, but me… I run into the place I grew up. The woods.

As I run through the trees, I feel something following me, chasing me. I turn and see a white wolf, and it lunges at me. I run to dodge it, running through the trees, only for Xavier’s brother to run out from behind a tree and catch me.

He turns me around for me to see the white wolf shift back into that beautiful, tanned, fair skin of my future husband, Xavier.

I groan, and he says, “It is 4 a.m. right now. We should both be asleep. I gave you enough time to get used to us.”

“Tonight was meant to be our first night sharing a bed.”

I scoff and say, “You decided to wedding plan instead of taking me bed shopping. How was I meant to know we were going to share a bed after all…”

“My bed smells of many men, remember?”

He scoffs and says, “Malcom, you can leave us,” and his older brother nods. He turns and walks away, and I say, “So now we are alone, what do…”

I get cut off by him walking towards me and putting his warm and surprisingly soft hands on my face as he kisses me. I can’t help it, but I kiss back, and he pulls me closer.

He says, “You taste like vodka and strawberries,” and I smile.

He says, “And you are turning into a strawberry.”

I push him away, my smile falling, as I say, “f**k you,” and I turn and walk away, feeling stupid and violated.