I should be your Beta, not your Mate

38 - Movie

The days went by. We studied in school for our graduation, trained for future competitions – I would probably not be part in anymore – and practiced for performances on stage.

Almost every day I spent time with Cassian, though it was sometimes only in the cafeteria or in class where we held hands.

It was like a daily routine clawed at us and on some days it was dry. Doing the same things without any new things every day. In our town nothing ever happened. So, what great thing could we even do?

The cinema could only play one movie at a time because it had only one auditorium – actually, a few years back it was planned that the cinema should be built greater but nothing changed until now.

There were a few cute cafés but most of them were too expensive and I didn't really want to eat cake everyday.

Then there was the Spotlight on which only opened in the evening and normally, I only went to that place if we had a performance.

At the end of my list, there was only the forest, however I knew every centimeter of it.

And the black forest is a popular holiday spot for many tourists. Our village didn't have many visitors and with that not many tourists were in our territory, but if you weren't aware of them, you could still meet humans in the woods who don't keep track of the required hiking trails.

Normally we try to avoid them to not meet humans by accident.

There just was something missing that life wasn't boring like that.

Cassian's birthday came closer too and I still had no idea what I could give him as a gift. We both were in a new kind of relationship and we – or more I – needed to build up trust.

As much effort we already spent, there was something unspoken and my insides already knew what the unspoken was I needed to hear. My scars, the marks of a traitor, my shame.

He swore me he would tell me and I would wait until he was ready.

This deed... wasn't easy to shoulder and he didn't remember it – probably because of the alcohol and the wolfsbane powder in it.

He should take his time, as long as he needs to. I didn't want to force him and it would take much surmounting to tell me his reasons, mostly because we were mates now.

»Kyran!«

Startled, I flinched and pulled my head up. The instruments around me were quiet and six pairs of eyes watched me attentively.

»Where are you with your head? This was your part!« Ethan bellowed and drove his fingers through hair, obviously stressed.

Normally, Ethan was calm when we practiced but I understood his stressed-out behavior pretty well.

He needed to get his completely drunk father four days ago from the police station and not even two days later did Mister Conner get admitted to the hospital with alcohol poisoning. I was truly glad that he would get his place soon in the psychiatric hospital.

Ethan wouldn't be able to hold on much longer, I was sure of that. He wasn't as strong as he pretended to be. He was like me. Would rather put up a mask and act as if he was fine.

And like I, he learned that too soon.

»You missed your part for the third time today! Concentration!«

I slightly lowered my head before I let go of the neck of the e-guitar – the one Cassian gifted me – and tousled my hair.

»Ethan, I think we should stop for today. We already know that Kyran is able to sing this song and he can't concentrate today, as it looks like. How about we postpone our practice? I too need to go home soon. My mother ordered me to go shopping,« Jack came to my rescue and only got a loud snort from Ethan in return.