“Maybe it’s because of your supernatural ability or whatever that is that makes you incapable of feeling cold. I’m sorry. You know that I love you. But what would you do with that love when I’m about to freeze to death here?” I said in a hoarse voice before I spread my arms. I smiled lovingly. “See these arms? They may not be as big as yours, but I assure you, they are strong enough to hold everything for you, Alexandros. And that includes all your fears, your uncertainties, and your pain.”
Insecurities filled his face. Who would have thought that the elusive, powerful, and one of the most respected businessman in the country would be able to feel something like that?
Alexandros was not only giving me his time and attention right now. He was also giving me the chance to see more than just a portion of his self that many people were dying to discover. And I happened to be the lucky one.
After a while, Alexandros rose from the lake but he did not try to get close to me.
“Can I… Can I really keep you, Alison? Not just for thirty days?”

(Alexandros)
“ONLY you can live your life for you, young master. So, please, don’t ever hesitate to do what you want. You once asked me how to fight against the painful memories, against the nightmares, and against the Armethians. And believe me; I have thought long and hard about it these past few days. But I can only come up with the same answer no matter how much I think about it.”
“And what is that?” I asked half-heartedly while looking at the screen of my phone. Alison just texted me the address of the place where she wanted us to meet. And I didn’t know exactly what to feel. A big part of me was excited. Because deep inside, I’ve been waiting to spend some time with her. It was a dream that I never thought would come true. It was such a shallow dream for the humans but not for me.
Until now, I’m still uncertain whether I did the right thing when I said yes to that deal. And I guess I’d always feel uncertain because of our countless differences and because of my past that kept holding me back. The Armethians could show up anytime while I’m with Alison and ruin my remaining chance to be happy again.
“Live your life despite the struggles, the memories, and the nightmares, young master. And make sure to live it well. It’s your way of announcing to the Armethians, to the council, and even to the whole world that you are fighting back.”
I lifted my face and turned to Theron while my head was still preoccupied thinking about Alison’s bright smile.
“You owe it to yourself to live, young master. It is your right to live. It is your right to be happy. That’s why you should not feel guilty or apologetic about having those rights. Arameth was just a part of the big world. There are still many beautiful parts of this world that you haven’t seen. And trust me, one of those parts was the one meant for you.”
Damn. Theron could really be a tease at times. And I feel so close to giving in. “But Alison could be in danger if she stays by my side. You know the Armethians. They don’t give a damn who dies as long as they could have their revenge.”
“I’m disappointed. Do you really think that you are alone in this battle, young master? I am not your only ally here. I am not the only person you had helped before. There are many of us.” Theron smiled. “And you will see them soon. You have actually met some of them. We will help you so stop worrying and follow your heart. What you need to do right now is to reply to that damn text message and tell Alison that you are going before she changes her mind. Tell her the truth.
“And if she truly loves you which I’m a hundred percent sure she does anyway, she will love you regardless of the things you hate about yourself. There’s a saying in this human world that I only heard a while ago and it goes something like this. You either say how you feel and fuck it up or say nothing and let it fuck you up instead. And it’s true.” Theron laughed, amused. “I can’t believe that the creatures the Armethians loathe so much are so smart that in my next lifetime, I want to be born as a mortal.”
For several years, Theron had been preaching me over and over. He was tireless when it came to putting some sense into my thick head. He had spent most of his days giving me advices. But it was the first time that I actually let Theron’s advice sink in. I had to. So I could be with Alison.
“Of course you can keep me, Alexandros. But are you sure about that? Humans have a policy, you know? And it’s no return, no exchange.”
My mind stopped drifting and focused only on Alison’s words. She winked at me before she became serious again. “I’m just trying to brace myself here, you know, because you were always scaring me, you were always saying the worst things that could happen. But I’m trying to be brave because I know that if I let this chance slip away, I am never going to meet a man like you again. And frankly, I don’t want to just pass by in your life. I don’t want that to be our only role in each other’s lives, Alexandros. But if that was God’s plan for us, then I can’t do anything about it. All I can do is to love you with all my heart while we are together.
“You always make it sound like we don’t deserve each other, like there’s Mister Right out there waiting for me when you are just in front of me. Didn’t it ever occur to you that you could be my Mister Right?”