"So yeah, Evander found her but lost her."
Alex completed his story of how Evander found his mate to Alexander, while Evander snuggled on Isabella's shoulder's dozing.
"Wow, brother. How did you cope?"
He blinked.
"I'm okay."
He said simply and closed his eyes again.
"So now, you are officially single and without a mate. Damn, that's lucky as hell."
Evander rubbed his eyes and sat up.
"You don't say"
he said, smiling at Isabella before he returned back to his position. But Alexander wasn’t done yet.
"Well, you see. There was this girl for me. I met her by accident, you know. Her fiery red hair caught my eyes, but her innocence captured my soul. It was the last time I was here, four years, right? Yeah, four years."
He said nodding as he answered his own question. Evander was a bit sleepy, but was listening anyway, Alex was wide eyed while Jake propped up his head with his elbow, sipping coffee while he listened. Isabella gave him half her attention.
"I went out, strolling, running, hunting...you know. I met her. And her grandma. Guess who her grandma was."
"Who?"
Alec said, his eyes widening more.
"Well, it was nanny Mel. Remember her, Evander?"
All traces of sleep left Evander's eyes and even Isabella was paying attention now.
"Nanny Mel was her grandmother?"
He nodded.
"Well, I thought nanny Mel would be her normal annoying self, but she hugged me and patted my back, and all..you know. Well, I liked the girl you see and we've been together for four years. I lied, though."
"About what?"
Evander asked, his eyes thin.
"I told her I was in split moon. Because I was so close to it when we first met. Nanny Mel knew I had left, so I simply said I was in split moon, so she wouldn’t be scared of the prospect of a long distance relationship."
Evander gasped lightly.
"So, you dated her."
Jake said. He nodded.
"Yes. Recently, she told me she'd found her mate. But she was going to leave him."
Evander nodded. He already, along with Jake and Alec knew his brother's response to that.
"I told her I’d wait."
"Is that why you are here now?"
Alexander nodded.
"Wow. So you dated Sandra."
Alexander was shocked.
"How did you know her name?”
Jake answered for him.
"Because she's his mate"
Alexander's eyes went as wide as saucepans.
"Wait, Sandra is your mate? I.I didn't.."
"Brother. I'm sure you didn't. Its okay." Evander said and everyone knew he meant it.
"Wait. If she's your mate, does that mean.."
“ yes. She's dead "
Isabella said, talking to them for the first time. Evander stood up, urging his brother to follow him and Isabella stood too, just as Jake and Alec followed. They all walked silently, Alec and Jake keeping wary eyes on Alexander for fear of what he might do. He didn't even flinch. Evander stopped at the door to make sure his brother would be ready for what he would see. Alexander nodded, biting his tongue. Evander opened the now empty hall, where her corpse still lay, cold and lifeless. The burial preparations , he knew, would be taken care of by the appropriate people. They walked calmly to the shrouded corpse, Alexander gulping, and Evander squeezing Isabella's hand tightly.
"Are you okay?"
She whispered and he nodded.
"Just feeling a little weird"
she smiled and squeezed his hand comfortingly
"It'll be okay."
He smiled back, just as they got to the elevated stand, Where the corpse lay. Alexander took the few steps towards her, while Evander backed away, holding Isabella back and Alec and Jake both took the signal and stayed away. They watched as he knelt beside her, opening the shroud. He paused, taking in her face, before he held her head, putting it on his lap, his lips quivering as he slowly brushed her hair with his fingers, the other hand holding her waist. Evander backed away, even further as he buried his head in the crook of her neck, pulling her to him as the small sobs came, before the howls. Jake and Alec stayed back as Evander and Isabella left, just in case.
"Why'd you leave him?"
He sighed.
"He needs to grieve alone."
He said simply. She bit down on her lip.
"I feel that you should stay with him as his brother. I feel he needs you right now.”
He stared at her for a long while.
"Isabella, I assure you, he doesn’t. He will grieve alone and come back, without having to see the brother who snatched everything from him, including the one girl he loved."
“But you were hurt too. I doubt he will blame you. She did all of this on her own. Just like I did, then."
He was silent for a while, before he started blinking rapidly.
"Hey."
She said, touching his arm.
"Shhh..... I have a burial preparation to interrupt."
He said and his eyes were shining, as he laughed, before turning towards his home and in an instant, was nowhere to be found.
"I wasn’t expecting this kind of weather today." Alex nodded in agreement.
"How is Alexander?"
"He's asleep, I tucked him in."
Jake replied, putting his hands in his pockets. Alec nodded silently as they watched the clouds.
"And Evander?"
Jake shook his head.
"Maybe with Isabella. I don’t know."
As if on cue, Evander came in, wearing his normal white clothes.
"Where is he?"
Alec showed him in, an unusual aura around him.
"Brother. I have a surprise for you."
Evander looked at him, his eyes puffy.
"Is it Sandra?"
Evander nodded.
"Well, yes. Come.”
Alexander shook his head.
"Stop. Its not funny."
"I said come."
His voice was deep and different, and Alexander slowly stood up. He gave him a small smile as he guided him out to the living room.
"Isabella?"
She smiled and hopped to Evander's side, hooking his arm. He looked at them.
"Are you guys trying to make me cry more or what?"
His eyes were glistening with more tears, but none of them answered and he turned to his front. What he saw made him stop in his tracks, his eyes wide.
"Evander, am I the only one who can see this?"