Twelve Full Moons

Chapter 3- A Secret Revealed

Tammy woke up thinking it would be a great day. She took a bath and prepared for school. Her uniforms were already too small for her as puberty was changing her body.

She developed larger breasts and a bum which was the first thing people notice even when she wore baggy clothes. Her pixie haircut was something she chose to have so it would be people’s first sight of her.

Her green eyes complimented her gray hair. She got her eye color and hair color from her mother. These features made Tammy a grey-colored wolf with green eyes.

Such unique features made her look attractive but not impressive enough to be the alphas of alphas.

But that was not mainly Tammy’s concern. Right now, she was bothered by the fact that she was betrothed to someone.

She went downstairs and went to the dining area. There was her father and mother eating their breakfast already.

“Good morning,” Tammy greeted in a small voice.

Boris and Vilkas smiled at her. Tammy went to kiss their cheeks before sitting on her spot. Her father sat at the edge of the table and her mother to his right and she, on the left.

Tammy sat and was served her breakfast. On her plate were her favorite scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast. She gladly forked some eggs and bacon before sipping her hot coffee.

“Well, had it been good with your future husband, babe?” Vilkas asked her.

Her mother, Vilkas, was a tall woman. Just as tall as her father. She was originally a lone wolf and was adopted by Boris’ parents. Her parents left her to die at Mount Orion and were lucky enough to be found.

Vilkas was introduced to Boris as his sister but he was then old enough to know that she was not his sibling. As time passed by, they developed feelings and got married.

“He is okay, mother,” she answered shortly.

“That’s it? You didn’t match the first time you meet up?” Vilkas asked.

Tammy sighed as she took a bite from her French toast. “Well, mating isn’t a thing now, is it? I am to marry someone whom I don’t feel the love with.”

Boris frowned. “Tamaska-…”

Vilkas raised her index finger to stop Boris. “Well, it’s quite practical, love. Fixed marriage is a way to keep two clans strong together.”

Tammy dropped her fork, trying to keep her cool in front of her parents. She heard the discussion about this practicality since she was a kid.

“Why does it feel like I was born to be just a wife and not the actual alpha of the alphas? Is it because I am a woman?” Tammy asked.

Boris smacked his hands on the wooden table. “Tamaska, you know very well that is not true! You are born to be my heir and the alpha of alphas!”

Tamika went silent and forked a bacon and ate it. She looked at her mom who had the same anger in her eyes. “I don’t need a husband to fulfill my duty.”

She left her parents hanging. She was not rebellious but the idea of marriage always made her furious. Firmly, she believed that alpha can function well without a partner.

Hollis and Nymeria were waiting for her at the front door of the Wulfgar mansion. Looking like someone ready to kill whoever got in her way, Tammy glared at both of them as she entered the car.

The three of them were sent to school by their driver, Simon. He was one of the oldest werewolves in the pack but wanted to retire doing service to the highest-ranking family, which was the main family of the Wulfgars.

Nymeria sat on the seat beside the driver and Tammy and Hollis stayed at the back.

“My lady, you have a date with Lord Rafe after classes. Your father informed me about it this morning,” Nymeria said in a calm voice.

Tammy remained to frown as she looked through the window. “Gods! This marriage thing is going to be the death of me!

Hollis and Nymeria glanced at each other nervously. They have seen an angry Tammy and they knew her wolf was just as large as her anger sometimes.

“Cousin, what’s the matter? I thought you were having a nice breakfast with your parents before coming out of the mansion?” Hollis asked.

Tammy remained angry and silently frowning. She looked through the window to school.

“Thank you, sir Simon!” Nymeria thanked the old man.

The three of them were standing right in front of the schoolyard. Hollis and Nymeria were waiting for Tammy to walk to the gates but she remained standing by the front of it.

“Tammy, we’re going to be late. I have a report to prepare,” Hollis said frustratingly.

“Just go, cousin,” Tammy murmured.

Hollis looked at Nymeria for confirmation and the latter just nodded uncertainly. The two were left behind the front gate.

“Tamaska, what happened?” Nymeria asked.

Tammy turned to her with eyes that were on the verge of tearing up. “I argued with them. I spoke my mind and it angered them immediately. I feel like I cannot be as free as I used to be when I turn 18, Nymeria.”

She broke down crying and fell to her knees. Nymeria was quick to pick her back up as she dragged her to the side of the school.

“No, you know that’s not true. You will be as free as you were. Parents are like that, my lady. They think their children should not answer them back rudely. Coz they taught us that it’s a sign of disrespect.”

Tammy sobbed as she embraced Nymeria. She rested her chin on her shoulder as she trembled. She had always been a sheltered kind of child and disrespecting her parents was not her goal in life.

“I disrespected them,” Tammy whispered in between her sobs.

Nymeria rubbed her hand on Tammy’s back to comfort her. “Talking back to your parents isn’t a bad thing as long as you’re pointing out the right side, my lady. They will understand your frustrations. Marriage is a big deal.”

They stayed right there for as long as Tammy had calmed down. She was shocked at how this topic of marriage had been affecting her and her behavior. She decided she would apologize to her parents once the date she had with Rafe would be done.

After 15 minutes, the two decided to go inside to attend their classes. Both were enrolled to take up the business course so that they would have full knowledge of the family business.

The school they were attending was Red Stark University. It was a prestigious school for the rich community. It was one of the oldest institutes in the country and is made up of stones that were arranged in a mosaic.

It formed a large shoe-horse design and in the middle of the large and long building was the football field which was the main sport played at the university.

On its northern side was the large library named Alexandria Library. It was named after the first female president in the country. And on its southern side was a student building.

Tammy and Nymeria walked to their classroom. The halls of the building were wide and on its walls hang all the pictures of the former headmasters of the university.

To the tenth door on the right of the halls, the two went in and saw their classmates. And to Tammy’s surprise, Rafe was sitting alone on one of the desks.

Tammy looked at Nymeria and signaled her that they should sit beside Rafe.

“Oh, a Wulfgar,” some guy bumped into Tammy. And was none other than Balto Ulmer, a member of her family’s greatest enemy?

Nymeria walked in front of Tammy and looked at Balto intensely. “Any problem, Ulmer?”

Balto looked intimidated by Nymeria’s towering height compared to his. He quickly left and went back to sit beside the heir of the Ulmer clan, named Randall.

Tammy personally hated Randall. Besides the fact that she had an innate loathing for the man, he was notorious in the university for breaking rules and sleeping with teachers.

Randall looked at her with intense eyes and Tammy was not surprisingly angry about it instead she raised an eyebrow at him. He just gave up the staring contest and switched his attention to his phone.

As much as she loved the challenge Randall was fuming out in his aura, they were not allowed to fight in school. It was one of the places where they were forbidden to interact with one another.

Tammy turned to Rafe and the latter smiled politely at her.

“Hello, Lady Tammy,” he greeted.

Tammy and Nymeria sat on either side of Rafe.

“Hello, Lord Rafe,” Tammy tried to smile politely but her reddened eyes showed her sadness.

“Where would you want to go, later?” Tammy asked as she sniffed.

Rafe avoided her gaze. “Your father reserved us in the Italian restaurant called Pasta Lito.”

Tammy’s eyes showed how surprised she was. “Oh, alright.”

The day had gone by like usual, and Tammy could not be more upset about dating someone she didn’t personally know.

The pressure of the wedding was getting the best of her and she didn’t know how to handle the emotions that were building up inside her.

Tammy rode in Rafe’s car as they went on their way to Pasta Lito. It was a great restaurant that her family used to go to on special occasions. And she was sure why Boris brought them there.

They went inside the restaurant and Rafe politely volunteered to ask for their reservation.

“Reservation under the name Wulfgar, please,” Rafe asked the attendant at the front desk.

“Let me show you your table, sir. Lord Boris Wulfgar has prepared your meals as well, sir, so you wouldn’t need to order any more. The crew will serve you your food immediately,” the man told Rafe as he walked them through the restaurant.

Tammy knew where they were seated but didn’t say anything yet. The attendant showed them a private room with a table enough for two people only. The candle lit at the center of the wooden table smelled fantastic as if calling them to sleep.

The attendant pulled the chair for Tammy and Rafe sat on his own. “The crew in-charge in your table will come shortly.”

Tammy smiled at Rafe as they stared at each other awkwardly. “I know why my father brought us here.”

“Why?” Rafe asked.

“This is one of his favorite restaurants and this very spot is where he and mom had their first date. He tried to buy this but the owner did not want to because it was a family business passed down from generation to generation. So he decided to just invest in it and the owner agreed.”

Rafe smiled in awe. “I didn’t know this meant so much for your father.”

A man came to them and served them their first course. “Good evening madam and sir, my name is-…”

“Simon…” Rafe cut off the waiter.

They stared at each other in surprise for a moment. Tammy wondered why. It was a look that showed so many emotions that couldn’t be put into words.

“Rafe?” Tammy called him.

Rafe suddenly turned to Tammy with a surprised expression. Probably caught up at the moment.

“Tamaska, sorry my lady. I just happen to know him.”

Tammy smiled politely, hiding her wondering what these two men’s relationship. “It’s okay. Why don’t you catch up? I’ll just go to the comfort room.”

She turned to Simon as she stood up. Simon bowed his head, avoiding her gaze. But she didn’t mind.

“What are you doing here?” Rafe asked Simon in a whisper.

“I work here, Rafe. I told you, I need extra money for school or else I can’t attend Red Stark anymore,” Simon answered.

Tammy overheard them in from the thin wall. She didn’t want to think that Rafe was gay but it seemed like he and Simon had a deep connection. As a wolf, she could sense emotions.

She came back to them after 5 minutes. Tammy found them hugging so she stopped by the entrance and waited for them to release their hold on each other.

When Rafe finally released him, Tammy came in.

“Alright, shall we eat?” she asked, pretending that she didn’t see them.

Simon bowed to them as he left. Rafe stared at Simon’s retreating form.

“A former friend?” Tammy asked.

She could feel the regret and sadness in Rafe’s aura and his eyes were on the verge of crying.

He nodded as he bowed his head to wipe the tears from his eyes. “A boyfriend.”

Tammy nodded slowly as if trying to let the information in her head. “Oh, I didn’t know-…”

“I didn’t mean for you to find out about it like that,” Rafe closed his eyes as he bowed his head in embarrassment.

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to react like that. I’m sorry.”

“No! I am sorry. If you want to back out from the engagement, it’s okay. I understand.”

“If you want to, I would. I can’t be the person that stops you from loving someone. I don’t have anyone so it’s okay with me whether you back out or not.”

“We’re not together anymore, anyway. If I back out from this engagement, my parents would know it’s because of him. And he is not our kind. He’s an ordinary human. If they found out, they will kill him.”

“Oh, are they that cruel?” Tammy was stunned.

“Worst,” Rafed bowed his head. He was not proud of his parents at all.

“I’m sorry,” she was shocked and sorry. Tammy knew Rafe didn’t deserve such cruelty, especially from his parents.

Tammy reached out for Rafe’s hand to assure him that she was there for her even when they were just engaged. But deep inside her heart, she was a bit happy to know that there was a possibility that their wedding would be canceled.