Chapter 3: Continuing the Facade

-Present day-

A loud bang sounded in Alexis's room, the door had been slammed open as a Royal Guard barged in, the guard stood frozen at the door as he slowly removed his helmet to reveal his face. King Alfonse stared at Alexis and Athenos as he walked closer to Alexis in shock.

" No way..." He whispered as Alfonse suddenly cleared his throat in annoyance as Athenos didn't show his respect. Athenos looked at King Alfonse and quickly panicked. " M-My King!" Athenos bowed and stood at the door, Alexis wanted to laugh at how funny Athenos looked standing there as a bad dog that was about to recive a good wooping, but she held it in as she knew it was bad to laugh after showing a sign of respect. King Alfonse left the room and closed the door. Athenos relaxed and stared at Alexis still quite shocked to finally know who she was.

Tension began to fill the room so Alexis smiled softly trying to settle her nerves. " Hey.." Athenos smiled back and sat next to her. " It's so weird seeing you like this." Athenos wasn't used to seein Alexis like this for 4 years straight he always knew him as Alex. They had been best friends ever since the day they first met at the Royal Guard, after that they trained hard for 7 months challenging all the most powerful Royal Guards. After a while they had gone on their first wars and succeded even if they had a few deaths among them. During 2 years Alex and Athenos would fight side by side as the top two best warriors, sometimes King Rupert would be among those wars and Alex would lose it, Athenos would always try to hold back Alex as each time his eyes met with Rupert's they would be filled with pure hate.

-6 months ago-

Athenos was near a lake with Alex as they sat down. " Man that last war wore me out.. but.. how does it feel to be Captain now? Are you okay?"

Alex scoffed as he layed down . " Not sure, it's kinda just all so sudden, I mean, I know I've worled hard for it but don't you deserve to be Captain too? and well I'm not okay. I really hate Rupert.. I want his death by my own hand just as he killed my family.."

Athenos shook his head, he know that Alex's family was a very touchy subject, King Rupert had just killed his family when Alex was still young and Rupert had begun to reign over the Edinton Kingdom, so he decided it was best to just push the subject aside" Technicly I am Captain, it's just I'm second-hand Captain. So when you're not there to lead us I will." They both chuckled. After a moment of silence Athenos looked at Alex " Hey! Let's go for a swim we earned it!" Alex flinched and shifted uncomftrably in place. " I'm... I'm not sure."

Athenos stared at him, Alex was always weird around guys, during the time Athenos knew him, he would always walk away and stand in akwardness as women would try to flirt with him. Athenos thought at first that Alex just wasn't intrested but after 2 years Athenos came up with a theory and he decided it was time to test it.

Before Alex could protest any further Athenos took of the top of his armor, he didn't want to brag but after years of training he was well built, some of the Royal Guards still werent built and Ales was among them but he was damn strong, threw the edge of his eyes he looked at Alex roaming his body with very lustful eyes, instead of being weirded out Athenos felt cocky and decided to tease his best friend further, he was about to pull down the bottom part of his armor when Alex suddenly screamed out " Don't you dare!" Athenos laughed hard as he stared at his best friend's flusterred face. " I knew it! You're gay! That's why you keep pushing all those women away!" Alex face became blank at Atheno's words but once he noticed Athenos was still topless he grabbed the top armor now on the floor and threw it at him. " So what if I like men?" Athenos smirked feeling proud of being right. " Don't worry buddy, I won't tell anyone. It will be our little secret." Athenos said as he wrapped his arm around Alex's neck pulling him close into a bro hug.

 -present day-

   Staring up at the new Alex, Athenos felt his face pale recalling the memory. " Wait.. The time at the lake.." Alex quickly blushed and she looked away from him. " I never said I was gay.. I only said I like men.. " She whispered loud enough for him to hear. Knowing now that Alex was actually a woman and that he had technicly stripped infront of her made him feel weird, but his cockyness came back so he had to ask " Did you enjoy the view? Cuz those eyes were full of lus-" Athenos was cut off when Alex threw a book at his face, he cought it before it hit and laughed at her blushing face. " This is priceless!" He turned the book over and read the cover " Romeo and Juliet.." The title made his heart ache and he quickly threw the book away. Alex quickly stared at him a bit shocked at his reaction " Hey what's wrong?"

  Athenos smiled weakly " I found my mate.." Mate was the short term of finding their other half, for werewolves and lycans it was different, the male was always the one to notice this first there always this feeling, like a pull. She smiled thinking it was good news but it wasen't. Atheno's mate was from the Kingdom's Village, and for a Royal Guard that wasen't good. A Royal Guard has to be almost 24/7 protecting the King from any danger and it was hard for those who had their mates in the village and not in the castle, they could bearly spend time with them and if they had kids they could bearly see them grow. But Atheno's no longer had his mate. " She rejected me." He told Alex, the smile on her face was quickly smacked away.

  "She what?" Alex didn't like rejection, she said that it was horrible for both the human and the wolf, now he belived her. " She rejected me Alex." Shaking her head she asked me why. " She didn't want to be with me because she's from the village, she said she didn't want to be with someone who didn't give her part of his time or atleast come back home every night." The anger on Alex face told him if she ever saw the woman she would kill her, well more like teach her a lesson. " Hey, it's okay! I'm already getting over it." Atheno's would have told Alex he found his second chance mate but he didn't wanna scare her. When werewolves or lycans are rejected by their first chance mate they are granted a second chance by others that were also rejected.

  " Alex, I'm wondering what's gonna happen now? Females aren't suppossed to be among the Royal Guards and well.. You're a woman." Alex sighed and looked at Atheno's with a frown. " I have to go see the Council about that, King Alfonse can't do anything about it, but the Elder's want to give the final word on the situation. I have very high chances of getting kicked out the Royal Guards." At her words Atheno's fliched but he knew she was just sugar-coating it. " Alex... We both know that's bullshit... You can eitehr be exiled, sent to the village or even sentenced to death!" Atheno's wolf growled loudly at the thought of someone trying to harm Alex, his wolf and him were protective of her since we meet at the Royal Guard's Academy but now even more. Alex sighed and walked to the window, staring out it she bit her lip nervously. Over the time he knew her he knew this meant she was afraid of what's to come.

  "I don't want to leave the Royal Guards... I don't wanna leave the castle... I don't want to die either..If I have to give up my title as Captain then I will but I can't leave or die yet, not until I finish my goal, when I do that I won't have to care about the rest." Atheno's heart broke at her words, he couldn't help but say " You wouldn't even care if I was hurt over your death or even you leaving?" She stared at him suprised, giving him a light smile she shook her head. " I would care Athenos, you've been there for me for 4 years. I'm sorry, I was just giving, what you would call, an example." 

Athenos was quite for a while he had a look of hurt in his eyes. Alex laughed abit " What's wrong? Does the little puppy have an attatchement?"

Athenos got up as he walked close to her as he stared into her eyes while Alex began to get nervouse from how close he was to her. " What if I have?" He lowly whispered.