Episode 112 Just Along (part 3 )
Titus looked at both of them.
"From today… you two are going to be viscounts."
Silence fell again in the room.
"Each of you will be in charge of thirty people."
Pause.
"I'll take care of the rest… forty-something."
Walter stared at him.
Sara didn't look away.
"Soon I'll introduce you to everyone," Titus continued. "But before that… we need a plan."
He leaned forward a little.
"They're in very bad shape."
His voice became more serious.
"We have a place for now. A temporary base."
Pause.
"But it's not enough."
He looked at them.
"We need something better."
Silence.
"Ideas?"
Sara shook her head slightly.
"I don't know anything that could work for something like that."
Walter thought for a few seconds.
"What if…?"
He hesitated.
"What if we build something?"
Titus frowned.
"Build…?"
"Yes," Walter continued. "Somewhere we can all live."
Pause.
"A mansion… a castle… something big."
He shifted in his chair.
"Remote."
He looked at them.
"My family owns land."
Silence.
"Past the grove… toward the mountain."
Titus lifted his gaze.
"That land is yours?"
Walter nodded.
"All of it."
Pause.
"We could build there."
Titus was silent for a second.
"I don't think my money will be enough for something like that."
Walter let out a small laugh.
"Don't worry about that."
He leaned back a little.
"Now I'm a viscount."
And he started laughing.
Titus looked at him… and ended up smiling too.
Sara shook her head, crossing her arms.
"Men…"
Titus looked at both of them.
"From today… you two are going to be viscounts."
Silence fell again in the room.
"Each of you will be in charge of thirty people."
Pause.
"I'll take care of the rest… forty-something."
Walter stared at him.
Sara didn't look away.
"Soon I'll introduce you to everyone," Titus continued. "But before that… we need a plan."
He leaned forward a little.
"They're in very bad shape."
His voice became more serious.
"We have a place for now. A temporary base."
Pause.
"But it's not enough."
He looked at them.
"We need something better."
Silence.
"Ideas?"
Sara shook her head slightly.
"I don't know anything that could work for something like that."
Walter thought for a few seconds.
"What if…?"
He hesitated.
"What if we build something?"
Titus frowned.
"Build…?"
"Yes," Walter continued. "Somewhere we can all live."
Titus nodded slowly.
"Yes… that sounds like a great idea."
He paused thoughtfully for a second before continuing.
"I've also been reading the books the Duchess gave me."
Pause.
"And one thing is clear."
He looked at both of them.
"Every clan has to have its own place."
His tone became firmer.
"A place where all the members can live… without problems."
Silence.
"A safe place."
He lowered his gaze for a moment, as if organizing everything that was coming.
"We're going to need training."
"Food."
"Organization."
Pause.
"And doctors."
He looked up again.
"We can't rely on human doctors."
Sara frowned slightly.
"So… what do we do?"
Titus answered without hesitation.
"We need to find doctors who are like us."
Silence.
"Werewolves."
The weight of the idea hung in the air.
"If we're going to do this…"
Pause.
"We're going to do it right."
"From the beginning."
Titus felt his spirits lift from within.
Walter's reaction had completely changed the atmosphere. You could see it: he was excited, invested. That brought Titus some calm.
But…
Not everyone reacted the same way.
The person he had thought would be happiest… wasn't.
Sara didn't show enthusiasm.
Not like Walter.
Still, she spoke.
"Whatever you decide… I'll support you."
Her voice was firm. Without hesitation.
And that was enough.
Titus nodded, barely a gesture.
"Then that's how we'll do it."
Pause.
"Let's get back to class."
The three of them slowly rose from their seats.
"And tomorrow…"
He looked at them.
"We'll go see the new clan members."
The atmosphere turned grave again.
"And we'll make a pact."
Silence.
"Direct."
He took a deep breath.
"With all of them."
He took a second before adding:
"It will be a double pact."
Walter frowned.
"Double?"
Titus nodded.
"Yes."
"One with me."
Pause.
"With the alpha."
The weight of that word hung in the air.
"And another…"
He looked at both of them.
"With you."
Silence.
"With those who will be in charge."
"With those of royal blood."
No one answered immediately.
But this time…
No one objected.
As they were returning to the classroom, Walter spoke first.
"Hey… can we talk for a second?"
Titus looked at him.
"Yeah."
Then he looked at Sara.
"Go ahead. We'll be there in a couple of minutes."
Sara nodded and kept walking without a word.
When they were alone, Walter didn't say anything right away.
He simply stepped closer… and hugged him.
Hard.
"Thank you…" he said quietly. "You're back."
Pause.
"I thought my best friend was gone."
Titus stood still for a second… then hugged him back, squeezing just as hard.
"Never."
He breathed.
"It's just… a lot has happened."
Pause.
"There hasn't been time to talk… or to be like we used to."
Walter nodded slightly, still holding the hug.
Then he pulled back a little.
"I have a couple of things to tell you."
Titus exhaled, half tired.
"If it's about Amelia… please, not now. I'm really tired."
Pause.
"Although… I am fighting for that girl."
Walter shook his head quickly.
"No, no, no… it's not that."
He hesitated for a second.
"It's something else."
Titus looked at him.
Walter took a deep breath.
"First… I'm excited."
Pause.
"The clan grew."
A slight smile.
"Now we really are a clan… not just three people."
Titus nodded.
"And the other thing…"
Walter swallowed.
Once.
Twice.
"I think I'm in love."
Titus reacted immediately.
"What?!"
And he hugged him again, laughing.
"Good, good, good! Who's the lucky one?"
Walter looked at him seriously.
"Promise you won't say anything."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… I promise."
Walter swallowed again.
"It's… Bruno."
Titus froze.
He stared at him.
No reaction.
Processing.
"…What?"
Walter held his gaze.
"It's Bruno."
Pause.
"Melanie's brother…"
Titus took two steps back.
"Wait… wait…"
He ran a hand over his head.
"Are you telling me that you and Bruno…?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Titus looked at him for a few more seconds.
Then he let out his breath.
"…Okay."
Pause.
"Really."
He looked at him more relaxed.
"I'm happy for you."
He smiled slightly.
"It's about time you found someone who loves you."
He pointed at himself, half joking.
"I wasn't going to be the one giving you love forever."
Walter let out a laugh.
Titus laughed too.
He stepped closer and hugged him again.
"Come here."
Pause.
"Congratulations."
He pulled back a little.
"So… when are you going to tell the others?"
Walter shook his head.
"Not yet."
Pause.
"You're the first to know."
Titus nodded.
"Thanks for trusting me."
He gave him another hug.
"Really."
They pulled apart, still smiling.
And walked back to the classroom.
Together.