Chapter 36
Sunday 20th September, 2020 (Continued)
Star’s POV
The Quads and the bandmates all gasped. Even Chet raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“I do?” I said.
“Yes, you do!” Said Jillian. “I saw you shift outside the cabin about a week ago. I guess I didn’t say anything because I assumed you already knew your wolf was white.”
I felt so moronic. It had been more than a week since I had first shifted and I didn’t know the colour of my own wolf. My cheeks burned.
“You shifted for the first time about a week ago? So your birthday is in early September too, Movie Star?” Asked Harper.
I nodded.
Everyone was staring at Harper and me.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.
“It’s the same day as yours, September 12th. We both turned eighteen on September 12th,” I said, staring at Harper. He was gazing right back at me. I couldn’t read his expression.
“And we’re both white wolves,” he added. I couldn’t decipher the meaning behind his tone of voice either.
“So…what does this mean?” Jillian said.
“It could mean nothing or…it could mean that Harper and I are…” I paused.
“Twins,” said Harper, finishing my sentence. “It could mean that we’re twins.”
“That’s preposterous! You would know if you were twins! Star’s parents are dead!” Blurted out Chet.
I couldn’t help but wince. Jillian swatted Chet’s arm.
“Sorry, Star! That was…I’m sorry. But, Harper’s parents are alive and they’re extremely rich so why would they give up their daughter? And then what about Star’s deceased parents? Who were they?” Said Chet, thinking out loud.
Jonah looked slightly panicked for some reason.
“Well…I…I just found out that I’m adopted most likely,” I admitted.
Harper raised his eyebrows. The bandmates gave me sympathetic looks. Jillian looked shocked. All the Quads nodded except Jonah who furrowed his brow.
“Who told you that?” Jonah asked.
Before I could respond Jonah turned to Noah. “You told her, didn’t you?!” Asked Jonah, his eyes wide. Jonah gasped as though something had just dawned on him. “That’s the real reason why you ended up over at Star’s dorm after hours! You were in a rush to reveal what we’d learnt!” Said Jonah.
Noah looked away from Jonah.
“You weren’t gonna tell me?” I asked Jonah. “Is that what you’re saying, Jonah?”
I was horrified. How could he think of keeping something like that from me?
“No…no, Star! I was gonna tell you eventually! I wanted to wait until we fixed at least one problem first before I added to your plate. I was just worried! I just…” Jonah trailed off, noticing the look I was giving him.
My eyes were wide and glassy.
Jonah sighed, shutting his eyes tightly.
“No matter what I do, I’m always the bad guy when it come to you. I give up. Think whatever you want,” said Jonah.
Jonah walked out of the infirmary without another word.
“Star! I’m coming back! Just give me a few minutes to talk to him! He’s just overwhelmed that’s all!” Said Noah.
Noah went after his elder brother.
I didn’t know what to think anymore.
“We find out our parents aren’t who we’ve always believed them to be and Jonah manages to make it all about him,” muttered Harper. “You deserve much better, Movie Star!”
I sighed.
My mind was reeling. My wolf was whimpering, trying to make me go after Jonah but I was tired of trying so hard only to be let down. I had other things to figure out right now.
“So…you think something’s up with your parents too?” I asked Harper.
“They said they needed to have a chat with me after I told them about you,” Harper said.
“You told your parents about me?” I asked, feeling flattered.
Harper nodded. “Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “And then they said we needed to have a talk in person tonight and they said not to rush things.”
“Your parents probably had a heart attack thinking you might already be boinking your own twin sister?!” Said Chester incredulously.
Harper, Zaya and Eli all growled.
“Whoa, tough crowd. Sorry, Harper. That just slipped out!” Said Chester.
“Watch it from now on,” Harper said.
Chester put his palms up like he was under arrest which made me giggle. Harper and the two younger Quads calmed down when they saw that I wasn’t upset.
“So what should we do now?” I asked.
“Play twenty questions with my parents?” Suggested Harper.
“And my grandmother! I have a lot of questions for her too!” I said with a small sigh.
Harper nodded.
“Do you really think we’re twins?” I asked.
I didn’t wanna get my hopes up for nothing.
“Can’t you feel it?” Asked Harper.
I looked into his eyes. I knew what he meant. Harper wrapped him arms around me tightly. I held him just as tightly.
“Twinning!” Said Chester in a voice that reminded me of the cheerleaders.
“Can’t spell twinning without winning!” Said River in that same voice.
Harper and I broke apart and both rolled our eyes at them.
“My parents are expecting me tonight. Probably around seven,” said Harper.
“What time is it now?” I asked.
“Half past noon,” said River.
“Let’s go see my grandmother first…together!” I said.
Harper nodded. “Together,” he said.
****
Before we’d even left the parking lot of the Academy, Zaya, Eli and Harper had begun to argue over whose car we should take.
“Does it matter?” I asked meekly. All three guys were on edge and I wanted to calm them all down.
“It’s not confirmed that Harper is even related to you yet, Princess!” Said Eli.
“That’s why we’re going to her grandmother’s house and then to my parents’ place! To find out!” Said Harper matter-of-factly.
“If you are related, brother and sister or even twins, aren’t you creeped out, Rock Star?” Said Zaya, glaring at Harper.
His bandmates were with us too. I kept looking around hoping to see Noah bringing Jonah back. I sighed. Jillian and Chet were holding hands and staring at the three guys arguing.
“Why? Should I be?” Retorted Harper.
Zaya’s eyes were wide in disbelief. “You were grinding on her at Chet’s party!”
Harper shrugged. “I didn’t know then. I don’t even know now. It makes sense but we have to find out first, right Eli?” Asked Harper with a smug smile.
Eli scowled.
“I thought you’d be happy,” I said softly, looking at Eli and Zaya.
“Of course we are,” murmured Eli, cupping my face in his hands.
“We want you to be happy!” Insisted Zaya.
I smiled.
“Then, let’s go!” Said Harper sternly, grabbing my hand and leading me towards his sports car.
Eli and Zaya jumped in the back of Harper’s car. Harper looked back at them surprised. His bandmates shrugged their shoulders and piled into Brink’s car instead. Jillian went with Chet in his car.
“As if we’d let her go with the likes of you alone,” muttered Zaya.
Harper rolled his eyes. “If I really am Movie Star’s twin, you’re gonna need my blessing to be with her so watch your mouth!” Snapped Harper.
Zaya looked outraged but his eyes widened as though he hadn’t considered that. Alphas were very old fashioned a lot of the time when it came to courtship. I knew my alphas would in fact want the approval of my closest male relative. That was usually a girl’s father but I might have a twin. They would definitely need to impress him. He didn’t even know about the curse yet I realised. How were we gonna explain that to him?
Harper followed my directions to my grandmother’s house. I steered him wrong by accident and we had to double back.
“Sorry, I’m not very good at directions!” I said, frowning.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Movie Star! It’s not a big deal,” said Harper soothingly.
I smiled.
We were silent for the rest of the trip. Harper pulled up to the tiny house where I’d grown up, the only home I could recall knowing. He took my hand to the chagrin of the younger Quads. We walked up to the door. I stood on the cramped little wooden porch. I took a deep breath and knocked. My grandmother Hella answered the door in her floral house dress and yellow fluffy slippers. She regarded Harper warily, her eyes trailing over our joined hands.
“Granny, hi, this is Harper and well, you already know Zaya and Eli,” I said.
Harper smiled slightly. Zaya and Eli waved.
“Hey Gran!” Said Zaya.
She smiled. “Come in, come in. Excuse the mess,” said my grandmother.
The house was very small but incredibly neat as always. There was no “mess.” Granny Hella was a bit of a neat freak. There was however some clutter in the form of knick-knacks, ornaments, toys and doilies. Granny had decorated and adorned every corner with cute dainty items. She had a penchants for frills and pastel colours. The walls of the living room were cream-coloured with a floral trim running along the top of the wall. The floor was wooden, creaky and in need of vanishing but swept clean. Harper and I shared a sofa with a few large spongy dolls. Zaya sat on the arm of the sofa next to me and Eli stood behind me.
“What can I get you Alphas and young man?” Said Granny.
“Please, call us Zaya and Eli,” said Eli.
“We’re fine, thanks,” said Zaya.
Granny looked at Harper.
“I’m ok, thanks,” murmured Harper.
“Ok. Hannah, what made you stop by? Everything all right?” Said Granny.
She was sweating. It wasn’t particularly warm in the house. She dabbed her forehead with her handkerchief and then when that wasn’t enough, she used the kitchen towel that had been swung over her shoulder instead.
“Granny…I know,” I said, staring at her.
She looked at me with wide eyes. “Know what?” She tried.
I looked at her pointedly.
There was silence.
“I know my parents weren’t biologically related to me…they took me in and I wanna know more. I deserve to…” I said, trailing off.
Granny sighed. She shut her eyes tightly.
“Your parents were good people,” she began.
“I don’t doubt that! But I have a right to know,” I said.
“I’m not the right person to tell you,” she mumbled.
“Then who is? You raised me!” I said, my voice becoming shrill with emotion.
“Ok, ok,” she said softly.
“I never expected your parents would pass away after they took you in,” said Granny, dabbing her teary eyes. “I didn’t expect to raise another child…but I was so thankful for you even though I didn’t have much to offer you…”
“Granny,” I said, my heart hurting for her and for myself. “I love you and I wouldn’t trade you and the time we had together for anything else but it’s time for me to know the truth!”
She nodded. She got up and went over to her bedroom door. She went in and shut the door. I heard the lock click. Ever since I was little, her bedroom was always strictly off-limits. She came back out holding a normal-looking brown cardboard box. Harper looked at me. I shrugged. She put the box down and opened it. We all bent towards the open box. We gasped in unison.
Inside was a marvellous snow globe. Inside of it, a wintry white storm raged around a magnificent castle that sparkled as though it were made only of jewels. I could spot tiny figures moving in the snow globe. They looked like guards patrolling the outside of the castle. It was so real.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Take it,” said Granny.
I lifted the snow globe carefully.
“What is it, Granny?” I asked.
“It’s a portal,” she said. “A doorway.”
“To what?” I asked.
“To the kingdom you and your twin brother came from…”