C3 Chapter 3

'HE MUST BE so shocked because of my news.' Maximilian lit his cigarette and look down on his vest. 'It's the most shocking thing of the century. Not even Jeffrey's birth could surpass its importance.'

"What did you say, Max?" Jeffrey's father, Mikael Duvas, asked for the second time. “I think my ears failed me.”

Max enunciated patiently, "I have met my 'fated mate' just a few hours ago, but that's not the issue. I'm calling you to inquire about the coven's progress. How was it?"

"Oh… the coven is still unfriendly towards the mortals who wants to enter the family business. Your inquiry had me blanked out for a second as to why would you ask me that— an outcast’s husband won’t know a thing. Well, congrats about finding your 'fated mate' but since it's not a big deal then let's forget about that—"

Max frowned. "Don't be shit to me right now."

He needs to tell someone. This is not something to be ignored.

Mikael's carefree laugh grated on Max' nerves. "God, you're so fun to tease, Max. So, how was your mate? Is she great?"

"She's amazing. Can you believe it? Kael, she's a rabbit shifter." Max inhaled deeply on the cigar. "She's my rabbit shifter, and now I had to quit all these vices."

"You're smoking right now? I thought you quitted that already!"

Max winced. "Yeah… it's the least I can do when you know you have a mate but she's living with a guy named Fin under one roof. For Pete’s sake, what a nasty name, right?"

Kael choked. "Yes, Maximilian."

"My name is golden." Max walked to the window. He savoured the cold smoke but it didn’t help his already heated lungs. "My mate's name is Dolly. I'm not going to tell you how does she look like."

"Sir, I'm married."

Max can't see his point. "It's the same. Janette didn't bite you. You're not tied to her, and you don't have any ties with her too."

Mikael hissed. Max on the other hand was pleased with himself. "Don't rub more salt on the wound, Max, or I would jinx you and your mate."

"Don't you dare." Max looked at the telephone. "My house smells like public comfort room. Who puts too much bleach on everything? No. I can't sleep here."

"You don't need sleep anyway. Just stand there or hang yourself upside down and be Dracula for the night."

Max stood silent, seriously considering his words before realizing that the man was teasing him. He sighed deeply. "You brat. Send Janette my words, okay? I will do everything to break the two of you apart. I'll curse half of your ancestry line, Duvas. I won't spare one—"

"Jesus F. Christ— Honey! Honey, listen to your brother. He's angry. He wants to—"

"Lucifer's cry, Mikael! I'm listening, okay? Tone down your voice or he will know—"

"Oh, shit. Okay, love."

Max' mood dived in a second. He stared at his window hard. His face full of incredulity. This is what he hates the most when using the telephone. He can't detect who's listening on the other line!

"Janette, are you this bored that you’ll actually eavesdrop in my affairs?"

Her scorn flew past Max' ears but he played deaf to his sister's snarl. "What affairs? I just happen to hear Kael talking to someone— I didn't know it was 'you'. Don't speak as though I wasn't aware about what you told my Jeffrey. Who do you think you are to send him at Cedric Mallory's office? That uncouth bloodsucking albino horse! My son is so much better! You could have done better! Have you ever thought on sending him to a normal school?"

"Cedric is a friend who's very close to me. He's not a horse— he's a vampire too, just like you. Yes, I forced him. Yes, he was unwilling. But that's only because you know I'm lying. Swallow that pill with a bitter lemon juice, Janette. He's my nephew and he chooses to listen to me."

Mikael's voice echoed in the background. The harmless banter resulted into serious nit-picking between siblings. ‘Not my fault!’ Max resolutely shook his head.

"Stop. Stop fighting! Love— Honey, let the lamp down now. That's worth a couple of hundred dollars!"

"Don't stop me, Mikael. Did you hear him? He's so arrogant! He's used to getting what he wants! I knew he was a little devil when Momma gave birth to him. He must be grinning right now. I won't let him. I'm a hundred years older than that asswipe, Mikael. Let me pull rank!"

Max stopped his mouth from smiling widely. He scowled. "Pull rank? I'm head of the coven, Janette. Who can pull rank on me other than my mate?"

"Who's your mate? Don't be delusional, Maximilian. When the woman was already living with a guy named Fin, do you still think you can be with her? She could be bonded to him by now, kiddo. You're still green after years of collecting bitches, Maximilian. A tad too green for someone named the head of a coven!"

His eyes flared red for a second. Max' breath became troubled as he flounder for a reply. "Once we establish a connection and we mutually consents to be marked, I'll bite as much as I can, Janette. I'm not going to wait for my mate to grow a pair of fangs for herself in order to claim her. I'm not you. Consider it well, sister. Jeffrey has grown up and matured. He'll be old soon… so does your mate. When Mikael can't stop death from knocking on his door, do you think you can save him from old age?"

"…Max!" Mikael shouted, "Stop it, okay. Janette is a woman. She's your sister. Cut her some slack, won't you?"

He laughed. "We're siblings. We've done so much when you're not around. We're shifters. Be weary for yourself and don't mind my sister. Ready your maintenance pills now, Duvas. Unfortunately, for Janette you're not worthy enough to spend her lifetime with you."

Max lowered his cigar. After dropping the call, he felt a little remorse for his sister. But then, it's been a decade since he asked her to think about Mikael's life. Until now, she still hasn't yet decided on what to do.

She can’t possibly turn human overnight. That’s a delusion born from insecurity.

Mikael was stupid enough to endure and continues to conform to whatever his wife wants. Max couldn't bear to see him wither and die all just because of Janette's selfishness.

Mikael was his only human friend. They met when he was bored and decided to enrol himself and study thermodynamics for fun. Kael was a college professor and he accidentally met Janette when she stormed inside the campus to call Max back in service.

Max only managed to attend two classes led by Kael. Needless to say, he failed it.

What the woman does not understand is that Mikael is her 'fated mate'. And once Mikael dies, she would soon follow through. Janette wants to be human while Mikael is ready to be 'turned' for her sake. Max can't catch up to her thoughts. He doesn't really understand Janette and with what she has been doing all this time, Max wouldn't even try.

Now about what the woman said about his mate is true. Fin's origin and his mate's past is quite suspicious for him. There is something about their meeting when Dolly 'escaped' that baffles him. He must free his mate first from the things that strangles her.

Only then they could meet halfway.

'Dolly, my mate, how would I know what you feel?'

Max eyed the road through the wide glass panel of his apartment and blinked slowly. "Dolly, do you know who am I to you?"

A white figure flashed on the street. Max stilled for a moment before his image stirred and vanished in a flash.

He saw a white rabbit tottering with twitching ears. It could only be someone named Dolly Cesaro. Fleeing away from something that's distressing her.

'HE'S AT IT again!' Dolly took a sharp turn to the left. Reeling on the wet asphalt, she clung for her life. A loud howl made her jump twice. She knew that Fin was just around and he's about to claw her back. 'No! I won't come back! I had enough!'

It took long hours to pass before she finally understood that the man who introduced himself as Maximilian Adenhart is her precious vampire only meant for her and her alone. Her mate. A fated mate.

She has one.

Then there's no way is she going to live with Fin anymore!

The moment the vampire went back to check his home, Dolly was swept with restlessness that she never felt before. Fin had always told her whenever he is sane that no one wants them around, that they better be together because they were the same. Losers.

Dolly always felt that there's so much out there in the world for her. Be it with or without a mate. She can make way for herself if there's no path for her to take.

Knowing that there is someone out there that was destined to be hers was just a proof that life has so much to offer other than that dingy apartment she's residing in with Fin.

‘Leave me alone, Fin!’

This is not the first moment that Dolly attempted to escape one of Fin's panic attacks. When she mentioned that he met a man that could be possibly her 'fated mate', Fin started to be restless for full fifteen minutes before breaking into a half shifted state.

When Fin turned into a wolf, Dolly risked shifting to track her mate.

She wants to leave this place and ask her mate to come with her. She enjoyed working at Little Maddison but with Fin in sight, she would never rest assured.

Fin will only force her to be his mate. Dolly said she will think about it but in all honesty, she couldn't. Even without Max, she couldn't make herself do it.

A hot breath fanned Dolly's back. She sprinted with all her might. The people were all fast asleep during this time of the night. And even if they can see her threatened state, there is no stopping a big black wolf from eating her alive.

'Meep!'

The air stagnated where Dolly stood. She paused in her run and turn to face Fin. He was just five feet apart from her. The mysterious thing was, Fin couldn't seem to advance.

"Bold of you to think you could touch my mate, you rascal," a voice so familiar to Dolly echoed in the empty street. Her heart gave a happy lurch. She stomped her feet and waited patiently. Her ears twitched with frantic delight. With another two seconds, Max appeared in front of her with his feet elevated from air. Smoke gathered on both of his hands. The man has dismissed his outer coat. Only his vest and white shirt left. His long, swept-back hair was disheveled. It gave him a dangerous contrast to his pristine clothes. "My, my mate is a strong woman! She escaped successfully from this dog's filthy paws."

Dolly preened with his complements. She attempted to jump on his black leather shoe but she slide through the process. Another bout of stomping her feet with a demanding expression, Maximilian finally understood her complaints.

"Let's take care of him first then we'll talk, darling," he promised. "I guess you already know who am I to you?"

Dolly run around chasing her tail. She couldn't understand him except when he said 'let's'. Dolly liked it when he said it. He considered her presence in this!

Max snorted. "I thought so. Let me introduce myself in another way, then."

"Dolly Cesaro, I'm your fated mate."