Human a fantasy romance, p.9
Human: A Fantasy Romance, page 9
As he prepared for bed, he washed out all the remants of the temporary dye from his soaked sweater, all while he silently hoped that it didn’t leave any permanent stains.
After he was done with his nightly routine, he flopped on to the bed. Even though the entirety of the night was great, he still had to wonder about what would happen if he were human.
Would he still be compelled to get close to Aria? Would he had even met her? He tried to imagine what it’d be like, but the reality was, he probably would’ve never met her.
They wouldn’t have moved from California if they didn’t have to deal with pack problems. He wouldn’t have had to transfer schools or meet new people. He probably would’ve lived a comfortable and simple life, but it would be a life without her.
Adrian wasn’t sure when this happened, but there would be no way in hell he would be satisfied with anything less in their relationship anymore.
He didn’t even want to tolerate the idea of being just acquaintances.
***
His relationship with Sundays was a hit or miss. Some days he would be able to take it easy, and just train with the younger kids to teach them self-control, meditation, and simple exercises to run out their excess energy; then there were days where he was confined to the office with his dad.
The fancy prison with a nice wooden desk, nice chair, new laptop, and a big window with curtains at least looked the part, and as much as he detested working there; he couldn’t just up and leave whenever he felt like it. The paperwork was his warden, the emails were his guards, and his dad was his cellmate.
As he busted through the fifth packet of paper, he mentally cried to himself. All of it was documentation, reports, and every now and then, a government file which he wasn’t exactly allowed to read.
It was already two in the afternoon and he was going stir-crazy. To think that his dad had dealt with this for six days a week from nine to five?
Gross.
A knock on the door and a curious voice came through.
“Alpha?”
“Come in.”
It was Ben, the beta of the pack. Poor guy was only twenty-four and already deep into the administration.
“We have some news.” Ben closed the office doors, and handed his dad a waterlogged envelope. “I’ve been informed of the large number of attacks recently within the last forty hours.”
“Attacks led by whom?” His dad didn’t hesitate to open the contents of the envelope and start reading.
“We don’t know,” Ben replied as Adrian listened intently. “The claw marks indicated a rogue, but then the bullets led me to believe that it was because of hunters.”
His dad then took out a map from the packet of paper, and Adrian saw red dots that didn’t look like they would correlate with each other. The closest dot was near Lake Tahoe, but the other five were all over.
“Victims are a mix of humans, shifters, and nons,” Ben added.
“Humans and nons?” His dad seemed perplexed. “And does Alpha Joel know?”
Ben nodded.
“You think these are related?” Adrian couldn’t help but ask. “I mean if it were just shifters that are being targeted, then they’re hunters for sure, but what if it’s a weird coincidence that humans are getting involved? Not to mention, nons . . . they don’t really have much to offer.”
“You’re right, but that’s three dead in two days which is the confirmed number for now,” his dad replied.
Adrian kept his silence.
He got that, but why would nons get involved? They were the closest thing to humans even though they technically weren’t. What would they have for them to get targeted too?
“Do you think they’re working together?” Ben looked at Adrian’s dad. “The rogues and hunters?”
“What would be their ulterior motive then? Most hunters are under oath not to kill us,” his dad wondered out loud, referring to the pack that were officially recognized by the human government. “Rogues on the other hand . . .”
Adrian mustered his strength to look at the photos and was thankful he had a light lunch. Otherwise, he was sure that everything he ate would’ve come back out. The entire crime scene was painted red. Parts of the bodies were so mangled up that he couldn’t recognize which chunks were which, and the faces . . .
This was pure murder.
“But these humans were connected to a pack in some way,” Ben said and Adrian’s blood froze.
His dad asked, “What do you mean?”
“Two out of the six were humans that had some sort of relation to a member of the Blue Crescent Pack, the one on the borders of Utah,” Ben informed.
“Like what kind of relations?” Adrian looked at Ben with such intensity that he didn’t even know he possessed.
Ben didn’t answer straight away, but then looked towards Adrian’s dad. The Alpha in turn, handed him the paper from the envelope which contained all the information of the victims including ages, status, and relationships.
Adrian scanned each of the profiles as he tried to make some sort of connection between any of these people. Besides the fact that they were confirmed injured for now, they all had friends within the pack, while one of them had a speculated soul mate connection to one of the members.
Adrian didn’t even realize his hands were shaking until his dad put a hand on his shoulder.
He hadn’t told anyone except his parents, Nick, Leila, and Mira about Aria. He was still waiting to tell Ellie during Thanksgiving.
Aria shouldn’t be in danger. She couldn’t be.
He then looked at the other profiles and realized that the shifters and nons who were injured weren’t just low-ranking members of their respective packs. They trained day in and day out, where even the nons were given contingency training just in case something went wrong, yet they were targeted and victimized.
This wasn’t a simple threat.
For the first time in a long time, he felt a different type of fear.
A fear not for himself, but for the people he cared about. He knew that his pack would be on higher alert, because the Moon Goddess forbade that any one of theirs becomes the next victim. However, they weren’t his only concern.
Aria was among that list of people he needed to protect, but how? Leila might be a non, but it wasn’t like she could impart any of their self-defense contingencies on Aria. He wanted to keep her away from this disaster, but how would he protect her in the process?
God.
Three confirmed dead in forty hours.
More critically injured and hospitalized.
Shifters, nons, and humans were all fair game.
Chapter 12
Aria
It wouldn’t be the first Thanksgiving break she’d spend alone, but she couldn’t get used to it. Her dad had to travel to California for a business trip although he did promise her he’d be back by Sunday, so at the very least, they would have their own mini celebration.
However, it still kind of sucked.
She did her best not to mind too much though, especially considering the fact that her dad was doing his best for them. Besides, Mira already predicted that would happen and invited her over to their usual Thanksgiving celebration.
Although Aria had met Carmen a handful of times and loved the hospitality that waved off of her, she wouldn’t be caught dead showing up empty-handed. Therefore, she channeled Adrian and hoped her apple pie would turn out alright.
As the dough was peacefully chilling in the fridge, and the caramel sauce was cooling off on the side, Aria looked through some old family albums while the television played holiday specials.
Old albums were definitely a thing of the past. Nowadays, everything was digital. In some ways, it was a lot easier because it took a lot of money to print out thousands of photos when you could just take a new one with a press of a button.
Still, there was something special about old photographs and how they were cut and placed inside each album. It was a tedious project; decorating each page and making sure the photos fit in each slot, but it was a labor of love.
A labor of love done by her mom.
Aria traced over the first photograph. It was her mom in a hospital bed holding a wrinkly miniature version of her, while her dad stood nearby with a teddy bear and a teary eyed smile. It was a post-labor photo to commemorate her birth. Her mom might’ve looked like a mess with her hair frayed and eyes exhausted, but the joy on her face was unmistakable.
The photo was an image kept forever, a snapshot of time.
She flipped through a few more pages and found her baby self in a dinosaur onesie. She didn’t look happy in the photo; in fact, she looked like she was on the verge of crying. Although Aria couldn’t figure out why her parents would want to take this photo, she still loved the fact it was taken.
Her lips quirked into a bittersweet smile as she continued through the album. Each photo was as entertaining as the last.
As she neared the end of the book, she felt a new wave of loneliness. Even though Aria really wanted her mom back, she also just wished that she could’ve seen her graduate. It was the one thing her mom harped on about endlessly—school and education. It was also the one thing in Aria’s power that she could do.
Maybe the motivations were a little off, but she’d graduate college for her mom even if she had to sell her soul to complete chemistry this year. She’d figure it out.
Aria took a deep breath and her eyes felt a little wet. Even though graduation was still far away, she wondered what it would’ve been like if her mom was still around.
Aria could see her being as nosey as ever, wondering what kind of new friends she’s made and who that handsome boy was. She could also imagine what kind of dating advice she’d give, and what hairstyles she’d match her dress for prom.
Aria was almost confident that there would be a whole new album filled with the most recent of photos of her as well. There would be cheesy lines and sticker hearts next to each photo with the date written above. There would be one of her first day of high school, one with Mira and their movie nights, and the ever so obliged prom photos.
Aria chuckled at the idea.
On the last photo, she bit her lip.
Aria tried not to think too much about that night, but how could she not?
They had a small fight about something so stupid, and Aria didn’t even bother to greet her mom or say goodbye as she left for school that morning. The next thing she knew, she had been called to go home early. She couldn’t even process what was going on until she saw her mom’s battered body on the white sheets of the hospital bed. Her eyes were closed, the monitor was flatlined, and all the warmth she had was gone.
It was a freak accident too.
A merge on the highway that went wrong.
Nothing special.
No drunk drivers.
No high idiots.
No texting or calling.
Just a freak accident.
Her breathing became ragged, and Aria couldn’t help it. She didn’t want to keep feeling this way, but she didn’t know how to stop. She wanted to live without any regrets, without any second thoughts, but here she was, wishing she didn’t have that fight with her mom.
Wishing she said hello that morning.
Wishing she reminded her mom of how much she loved her.
Wishing that she told her to drive safely.
Wishing that she did something—anything other than what she did.
But she couldn’t change any of it.
The image of her mom’s cold dead face was burned into her memory forever. A memory that could’ve been prevented if she just stalled her mom for a few more minutes that morning.
God, I miss you, Mom. I miss everything.
Aria looked at the picture, and wondered where had all the time gone.
All three of them were at an amusement park with matching outfits and melted ice cream in her hands. It looked like so much fun. She couldn’t hold back now. If she was tearing up earlier, then she was full-out ugly crying now.
After a good thirty or so minutes, she could feel a small migraine forming. Aria gathered her bearings, cleaned up her face, and started working on the pie again. She had things to get done, and she would rather spend the holiday alone than not bring anything to the table—literally.
Once she placed the pie into the oven, she drank an entire glass of water with some painkillers to get rid of her oncoming headache. Finally, after taking a moment to look at the mess on the coffee table, she sighed. If she were honest, she didn’t feel like cleaning it. However, if her mom was here, she wouldn’t have had a choice.
Another hour or so passed, and the scent of apples and cinnamon wafted through the air. So much so, that she had to open up a few windows so the sweet smell wouldn’t become too overwhelming. As the cool breeze came through the window, she enjoyed the mixture of hot and cold.
Autumn was really the best season.
***
“Aria,” Carmen greeted her at the door. “It’s good to see you again. It’s been forever!”
“Nice to see your face too.” Mira looked over at her cousin while she stepped inside.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Aria stepped inside Carmen’s beautiful house.
“What’s that?” Carmen looked at the container in her hands. “You didn’t have to bring anything!”
“Who comes over empty-handed?” Aria joked.
“The people who aren’t getting invited back,” Mira snorted.
“Exactly.”
Carmen added, “Still, you didn’t have to bring anything. You’re practically family at this point.”
“Even more of a reason to contribute to the feast.” Aria slipped her shoes off.
Mira announced their arrival, and after all the formal greetings, Aria took a moment to enjoy the atmosphere. There were a few faces she didn’t recognize, but Mira did mention that she’d have some relatives come visit.
In a lot of ways, the entire atmosphere was that of a big, happy, and slightly chaotic family. Kids were running around while the adults were enjoying the wine, some even cracked open the brandy.
It kind of made her wish she had a big family too. Her dad was the youngest of his family, and the only one in the US, while her mom had an estranged relationship with her own family. As far as she could remember, Aria might’ve met her grandparents once or twice in her entire life, but that was about it.
“Hey,” Mira called out to her. “I think everyone’s here. Let’s get some food before it runs out.”
“Okay.”
“You better hurry though,” Mira grumbled. “Everyone around here eats like its their last meal or something.”
Chapter 13
Adrian
The Thanksgiving feast held a special place in Adrian’s heart. Aside from the endless amounts of food, he was able to spend the day with the people he cared about. Food and family were always a winning combination.
The best part though, had to be when he would go out with Nick and a few of his cousins to the mall around midnight to scout around for Black Friday specials.
This year however, he couldn’t help but worry just a little bit. He heard through the grapevine that Aria would be joining Carmen and Mira’s family for the holiday, and he knew that she would probably be marginally safer there than home alone.
It just put him on the edge. Everyone in the region: every non, every hunter, and every shifter knew what was happening; but no one seemed to have a clue as to why.
“Adrian?” His dad beckoned him to come closer.
“Yeah?”
“I need to talk to you about something,” he replied in his business tone.
He nodded and followed his dad into the office. It was rare for his dad to do anything work-related during a holiday, so for him to call him to the office meant that something wasn’t going well.
Adrian’s anxiety increased.
“What’s going on?” he asked as he closed the office door.
His dad sighed before he held the bridge of his nose.
“That bad?”
Adrian waited for his dad to speak, but instead of speaking, his dad dug into one of his drawers, and pulled out a manila folder. It only added to Adrian’s confusion as his dad handed him the folder in silence.
Inside the folder, he found a picture of a woman who looked older with small streaks of silver found in her hair. Behind the picture were records of the woman’s name, age, and history.
He glanced at his dad who didn’t meet his eyes, and instead kept them glued to the wall. Adrian then took the clip off the papers, and began to read.
Name: Lucia Choi-Kham
Species: Human
Age: Forty-two years
Status: Deceased
Marital Status: Married
Spouse: Ivan Kham
Children: Aria Kham
Adrian stopped reading. Why did his dad have documents on Aria’s mom? What was his point? They were only supposed to have documents that involved werewolves and humans relevant to them, or to their pack.
He looked at his dad. “What is this?”
“Keep reading.”
Adrian scrunched his brows, frustrated.
Why couldn’t he just tell me what the f*ck this all means?
Relationships:
Direct Family:
David Choi [Father]—Strained
Mary Choi [Mother]—Strained
Esther Choi [Sister]—Strained
Lupinus Pack:
Ashlyn Saffron [Friend]
The list kept going and he skimmed down until he saw additional notes at the bottom.
Died because of car crash and medical complications. Highways were not particularly busy, and construction wasn’t in the area. Driver was not intoxicated nor out of rational state of mind. Suspicions of foul play. Lucia Choi-Kham’s car was hit at a perfect ‘T’ angle, and it was impossible for that to occur on a normal traffic day while car brakes were nearly ‘out’. Police have cleared it, but suspicions remain due to the large increase—
