Alliance of Shadows: NEIL

Threads of Trust

When I went to get more beer, I found Izzy standing in the kitchen with a dazed expression. Her eyes were still sparkling, and her smile told me that the talk with Clara had gone well. Her head moved just enough to look at me with a small, whimsical smile. Hearing Dre yell from the other room, I laughed as she whispered: “Does he really need to shout at the TV?”

“I find it hilarious, but let’s not tell him that, okay,” I asked. “He’s a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but he’s a decent guy.”

Taking her into my arms, I held her close. Her arms tightened around my waist, and I knew I needed to be on my guard. She'd just been given a ton of new information and was still processing it. I had to be there when she broke. I needed to be there. The promise I made was still fresh in my mind, and there was no way I'd be able to break it.

She sighed. “I didn’t even know I had any family left from my father’s side. I can’t believe I have two cousins, and an aunt and uncle living so close and I never knew.”

Kissing her head, her cheeks, then her petal-soft lips, I sighed. Looking into her eyes, I promised: “If you want to get to know them, I can make it happen. As you said, he's family you never knew existed.”

She smiled up at me, “I would love to get to know them. Raphael, my father, is Rowan Cage’s younger brother. Dreson is my first cousin. Neil, I’m so overwhelmingly happy right now.”

That was going to be an easy promise to keep. "You just let me know when you're ready, and I'll make it happen, okay?"

Her grin was infectious as she threw her arm around me. "Thank you, Neil. You've been so good to me.”

With the question of why she had her mother’s maiden name rather than her fathers in my mind, I tilted her head up, searching her gaze. "I'd walk away before I would hurt you in any way, Izzy."

She nodded, a tender look in her eyes. "I know. If the way people treat you is any sign, I don't blame you for being on edge all the time. You haven’t given me a reason to hate you yet, Neil. So, until then, I will keep trusting you."

"Need me to fill in any blanks?" He asked with as soon as we returned.

She smirked, glancing over at me. "Nope, I'm good. Aunt Clara explained pretty much everything to me."

With the prospect of being able to fill in the gaps for her taken from him in one smooth motion, he pouted comically. "Damn, I was hoping you'd say yes."

It was nearly ten at night when we noticed the time. Clara had a few of the Omega's come and tidy up a room for Dre so he could stay the night. Izzy was ecstatic to have the extra time with her cousin, so the three of us stayed up well past midnight playing cards, talking, and laughing.

The morning after, they were on the stoop talking, while I forced myself to give them some time alone. They traded cell numbers, but I had to beat back my jealously when Dre hugged her tightly. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and kissed her cheek while eyeing me knowingly.

It was amazing to see how easily she had accepted her other family members regardless of their particular circumstances. Her eyes met mine when he whispered in her ear, and I knew he was talking about me. I growled low enough they couldn’t hear me.

That ass of a best friend of mine was probably telling her secrets about me.

Clara was suddenly at my side as I watched them playing around by the front porch. I could feel the electric tingles travelling over my body and knew she was using her magic to keep me calm. As a full-blooded Witch, she was strong enough to make me submit without using her Grand Luna command. "He likes to get you going, doesn't he?"

“Yeah, but that’s Dre for you.” I snorted a laugh, shaking off the chills her powers gave me. "You can stop trying to suppress me, Clara."

She scoffed, "I'm not taking any chances. I heard you growl just now."

Frowning, I shook my head. "Clara, I'm jealous, not stupid. He's her cousin, her family. Besides, I’d be a dead man walking if I did anything to hurt dad’s precious Godchild. Not to mention I would likely lose my Mate in the process."

She sighed, “You mean the world to her, Neil. She thinks so much of you, she begged me to let you two continue dating.”

“Sorry?” I turned, knowing that my confusion was evident to my stepmother.

“She told me last night in my office that she would ride and die for you.” She said softly. “My niece loves you, and, as hard as it is for me to get over my sister’s death, I’m glad Izaria has you, Neil.”

My eyes softened as I stared at my best friend and girlfriend while they chatted. She kept stealing glances at me, and I had to fight hard to reign in my desires. Finally, I thought. I finally know how she feels about me.

I was still hesitant about telling Izaria anything, though. There was no guarantee that she would accept me after finding out I was a Werewolf, and there was no way I could put it off forever. I would eventually have to tell her, and I had to be ready for the inevitable.

As I enjoyed a coffee on the veranda after dinner a week later, I felt her slender arms slip around my waist. I smiled as she sighed in contentment. "Well, hello. Did you need something?”

She moved to lean against the rail. "You just looked like you really needed a hug. Is everything okay? You seem mad since I went with Dreson without you.”

"I’m not mad at all, honey. Has Clara told you about the school yet?" I asked her as I sipped my coffee. "The Chairman called her this morning to confirmed that you will be able to take the exams, but you need to score a seventy-five and up for them to hand you a graduation certificate."

Her eyes danced with excitement a second before she pushed the feeling aside. "Don't tease me, Neil. I don't need false hope."

I couldn't believe she thought I was being insincere about this. "Izzy, I'm not joking, nor am I lying to you."

Her lip quivering slightly, "Well, you've been honest with me up to now, which is more than I can expect from any other guy."

"Excuse me?" Regret over my choice of words was instant as I watched her eyes flicker from the door to me and back again.

"I'm sorry,” she pleaded repeatedly. “I-I didn't mean to emasculate you."

"Izzy, stop.” My cup shattered against the stone veranda as I quickly grabbed her by the arms. I was careful not to hold her too tightly, knowing how easily she bruised.

Sobbing, she looked up at me and tried to pull from my grasp, "Let go, Neil. Please, let go."

"Hey, no. Look at me, baby," I coaxed.

Frantically, she was blinded by whatever flashback had her in its grasp. Once again, she tried to get away from me. "Please, let go, Neil. I didn't mean it, please. Please don’t hurt me."

I pulled her into my arms and sank to my knees with her as she cried against me. "It's okay, Izzy. I know you were joking. I'm not mad, honey. Izaria, look at me."

Minutes passed in silence as she slowly calmed down. When I looked up at the second-storey window, I could see my father staring down at us. He'd been listening to everything I'd said to the shivering girl in my arms.

I closed my eyes and tried not to think of the million-plus-one scenarios that were running rampant in my head. One question stood out above everything else in my mind. How the hell was I still breathing, and what the hell did I do to deserve such a sweet, albeit damaged, angel?

Forgetting everything else, I continued to sit with Izaria as she fell asleep with her head over my heart. I loved Izzy, but was it going to be enough to keep her by my side when I needed her the most?

The following Monday, we were scheduled to go to the local school where she'd write her exams. Of course, no matter what kind of excuse I tried to come up with, Izzy shot me down and insisted I attend the meeting as well.

It didn't help that my father and Clara kept pushing her to find a way to make me go into town with them. Despite everyone hating me, she wanted me there to share in her success.

"You're part of the reason I'm doing this, Neil. It was your idea," she argued for the third time that day. Izzy kept pleading, staring me down with the cutest little puppy-dog look she could muster. "I'll make you some of my home-style chilli."

Way to make my ass move, I thought bitterly. Turning my head, I kissed her nose and grinned. "Fine, I'll come, but you didn't need to lure me with food."

"Well, Aunt Clara said that the best way to the hearts of the men around here is with food, so I thought I'd try it," she said as she got up and moved to the door.

I laughed, "Izzy, you already have my heart. Using food is only going to make me fat."

She stuck her head back into the opening and frowned. "Then it's a good thing you're so active, huh?"