Am I going to marry two men who are from the pack?
1033 Words
My name is Isabella Magno. I'm twenty years old and I have an uncontrollable passion for challenges, old books and good coffee. I was born and raised in a supernatural part of the world, where creatures that aren't human beings exist and live in every corner of the world.
My life seemed to follow its peaceful course within my pack, until something unusual happened, turning my world into imminent chaos.
I never thought that the traditions of lycanthropy could affect me.
It was an ordinary afternoon, with the curtains ajar letting in the soft sunlight, illuminating the bookcase full of books that took up an entire wall of my room. As I was leafing through an old copy, my mother suddenly walked in, interrupting my peace.
"Isabela, dear, we need to talk," her voice was calm, but there was something serious about her tone.
I put the book aside and turned to face her. It was clear that something was wrong. My heart raced and a feeling of apprehension washed over me.
"What is it, Mom?"
She hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words. "You know that our family has ancient traditions and... there's something you need to know."
I felt a lump forming in my throat. My heart was pounding, almost as if I already knew what was coming next.
"What's going on?"
"You know that when something is predestined, nothing can change it. Right?"
"This is about the pack. Did something happen?"
There were only two bad times for a woman in the pack. Arranged marriage and destined marriage.
I felt a shiver run through me.
"Darling, you're engaged. In fact, you're promised to a marriage that... goes beyond the conventional." She seemed to choose her words carefully, as if she feared my reaction. "I'm sorry."
I knew she was.
My mind seemed to stop.
I remembered her telling me that she had fallen in love with my father.
Those words echoed in my mind. Fiancée? I could barely process this information. Even more so when my mother continued to reveal the unimaginable.
"You're betrothed to... two men, Isabella. Two werewolves, the strongest of our pack. You've probably heard of them. Their names are Adam and Black. They're the Sullivan brothers. Twins."
My brain seemed to freeze for a moment. Werewolves? A marriage to not one, but two men? Brothers? Twins? It was a shock, something I had never expected or imagined facing.
I tried to keep my composure, even though my world was crumbling in front of me. My silence seemed to demand an explanation that I didn't know if I was ready to receive.
"But Mom, I... I hardly know them. How is this possible? Why is this happening?" My voice shook, revealing the mixture of confusion and fear that was taking hold of me.
"This is part of our lineage, Isabella. It's an ancient tradition of our pack to ensure the safety and continuity of our species." She tried to sound rational, but the concern in her eyes showed how difficult it was for her to tell me this.
A whirlwind of thoughts invaded my mind. I felt trapped, unable to accept what had been imposed on me. My dreams, my desires, everything seemed to fall apart in the face of that revelation.
The world outside continued on its normal course, oblivious to the hurricane raging inside me. And there, in that room, in front of my mother, I found myself facing a destiny I hadn't chosen, trapped in an ancestral agreement that would determine the course of my life.
And so my peaceful world of Isabella Magno became an uncertain land, where the freedom I cherished so much was about to be taken away from me, replaced by a fate I didn't ask for, with werewolves I barely knew. Uncertainty became my companion, and the fight for my own will an imminent battle that I would have to fight.
I stood up and started pacing back and forth.
"Does Dad know?"
"We were warned this morning. You know we can't do anything, don't you?"
"This is dangerous, isn't it?"
"I know Dad's trying something at the pack council. But I don't think there's anything we can do. You can't deny it. It would have consequences."
The consequences would be expulsion from the pack and dishonor for the family and the name.
"I can ask them to give up, can't I? You see, they wouldn't want to share someone. This can't be happening!"
"No daughter, I'm sorry."
Time seemed to stop at that moment. My mind was a jumble of contradictory emotions and thoughts. Everything I knew about my life, my choices and my freedom was being challenged by an ancient tradition that seemed so far removed from the reality I believed in.
I had always been a free-spirited person, someone who firmly believed in the right to choose your own path. The books and stories that captivated me taught me about courage, determination and the importance of fighting for what you believe in. But now, I was facing a situation that seemed to defy all that.
However, there was something else. In addition to fear and resistance, an unsettling curiosity began to creep up on me. Who were these men? Why me? Were they going through something similar?
"Am I going to marry two men who are from the pack?"
"Yes, you are."
"I... I..."
I remained without reaction or words, inert in the line of thought I was trying to follow in order to think of something. But there was nothing.
All my life I'd been taught about customs and traditions.
"You have to trust. You know these weddings are important."
A solitary tear ran down my cheek.
"When?
"In a month's time."
"I can't do anything, can I?"
"I hope they reject you."
"But Mom, the two men have to reject you. I thought I was free, I... I..."
"Are you still a virgin?"
The question reminded me of my life. It wasn't possible!
"What?"
"You're pure, Isabella. Only the chosen ones have their veils preserved for their mate."
"I don't want to lose that to two men, Mom!"
"I'm sorry."
- Writer
