Love Makes Blind

[Elia's Point of View]

I ran ahead of Paul, my brother and Leah as we reached the path that led to the beach. My mood was so uplifted; I still missed my mom terribly, but she was with me. I loved the feeling of the light breeze on my exposed skin. I let out a laugh that surprised me. It was as if someone had come and spread joy over me again; I had a pretty good idea who it was.

“Elia, wait up.” Paul called and caught up with me.
I grinned and stopped. “I love you.” I said and wrapped my arms around his neck.
He smiled and kissed me. “I love you, monster.”
I squealed when he picked me up bridal style and rushed down the rocky path faster than I had before. I was laughing so hard I fell to my knees when he put me down, I didn’t even notice the people around me. Paul smiled when he took my hand and helped me up again.

“What’s so funny?” Luca asked when I had control over my laughter.
I looked up at him but couldn’t help but start laughing again. I looked around at everyone, but they just stared at me weirdly; which made me laugh even harder.
“Do you think she’s losing it?” Leonardo asked.
“No, she is becoming herself again.” Angelo said and pulled me into a hug.
I hugged him back tightly.

“Are you okay, Elia?” he asked quietly in my ear. I had always had a closer connection with Angelo; I didn’t know why, maybe because he too lost a parent at a young age, his mother. He had been like an older brother for me, sticking up to me and helping me when I was blind just a little more than the rest.
I let go of him and stared up in his dark brown eyes. “I’m much better, Ang.”
“Your mother loved you very much.” He said and kissed my forehead. “I know your missing her, I do to.” Angelo had been very much at my house in my up growing, my parents used to look after him while his father was at work.
I wiped away a tear and smiled. “Thank you.”

“Hey, do you guys plan to join us soon?” Dino called from the water. Almost everybody was out, except Leah and Sienna.
“Yeah, we’ll be right there.” I called back.
“Don’t forget that I’m here for you, sorella. You just call and I’ll be on the next plane. I really wish you will move back here soon.”
“I know. I’ll think about it.” I said before getting out of my dress. “You ready to hit the waves, bro?” I grinned at him.
Angelo threw me over his shoulder before running into the ocean and throwing me under.

I was laughing again when I had got my breath back. “You’ll regret that Angel!” I screamed and made my way over to him and jumped on his back, trying to push him under.

In all the happiness I got a glimpse off Matteo, he was frowning but looked away quickly when he saw me staring at me. I turned my head in Paul’s direction and saw him smiling at me. His eyes was happy and I knew he was happy just because I was.

^^^

“Come on! Story time.” Mario said and headed for the beach and everybody followed. I was on Paul’s back.
We had a tradition to tell stories – preferably scary stories – after we had been swimming. I felt exited when I jumped down from Paul’ back and sat down on the blanket. We all sat in a wide circle; Paul had his arms wrapped around me to warm me, Leah was next to Paul and Leah next to me. Matteo sat across from me and I understood that he would be the one telling stories when everybody turned their attention towards him.

He had changed so much; not only his looks, but I knew they had changed too even if I hadn’t seen him before. But he looked so grown up and his personality wasn’t the one I remembered – he had used to be so goofy and outgoing, now he looked upset all the time and didn’t say much. It worried me because he was my friend.

“This is a story we have known for awhile now, but I want to tell it to our guests too before they leave, seeing that they are all one of us.” Matteo smiled a little forced, I smiled back genuinely. I was glad they still considered me one of them.

“Someone would say the story is just old folklore and someone would say they believe it with their whole being. It takes place in our province, Vibo Valentia, but it changes villages every half decade, because every fifty year it changes focus from one group of chosen ones to another. The chosen ones are seven young men destined to protect the whole province from the enemy. The enemy being cold, dead creatures who thirst for human blood. The reason there are chosen one is because they can smell and know how to tell the creatures from humans; they changes into wolves at will when they need to fight them.” Matteo took a pause to build the tension.

I stared at him wide eyed as I clenched my hands around Paul’s arm. The other, my Italian friends could mistake it from fear, but I knew Paul, Darin and Leah would feel the same as me. Paul tensed under me, suddenly at guard.
“You’ve got to me kidding me.” Leah whispered beside me and moved a little closer to me.

“The chosen ones would have to risk their own lives to protect the humans. But they can’t let the humans know their true identity because then the humans would become a target of a large coven of creatures that just live a little up north from us. The chosen ones lives closely together and forms a bond between each other at a very young age to prepare them for what will happen when they get older. Their up growing will decide what part they will play in the group. The first one to change is the one that will end up as the alpha; it isn’t decided by age but by the personality and skills. And it has nothing to do with genes, but it happens when seven boys meet. The group can’t be bigger or smaller. The change doesn’t happen before there is just one left from the earlier pack. The last one is always the alpha and has the duty to pass on all the knowledge to the next alpha. They tell about the dangers and what to expect. One of the most important thing is the connection each chosen one will find with the woman they will marry. It is even stronger than love.” Matteo stopped and Luca took the word.

“This time it was Parghelia who was the chosen ones’ home. It happened one year ago at this beach. It was just like any other day; we had been out swimming when the old alpha came to let us know and within the following week Matteo changed. I was the next and the rest followed one each day. Each change took one day to be complete.” Luca looked over at us searching for a reaction; my mouth was hanging open.
“You’re joking, right?” I asked.
“No.” Angelo answered.
“But why are you telling us this if it can put us in danger?” Darin asked calmly, obviously managing to hide his true emotions better than me.

“Because there is something more you need to know.” Matteo said. “Your father was in the last pack.”
“What?” Darin asked shocked.
“But he managed to stop the changing when he met Mirella and got a connection with her,” Mario said and wrapped his arm tighter around Gina. I stared at Gina wide eyed; Mario had imprinted on her.

They had kept it a secret from me, all of them. I stood up from the blanket and walked away. I couldn’t manage all the information. I couldn’t take more drama. I needed to get away from it.