IT APPEARS I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CREATIVE JUICES WHEN THEY FLOW. I CANNOT CLEARLY STOP MYSELF FROM UPLOADING THIS STORY, MUCH TO MY DISMAY.

Unofficially Yours

After being expelled from school because of her ‘misbehavior’, Akira Martins went with her father’s ‘little camping trip’ into the woods.

Being the normal, daring, stubborn and rebellious teenager as she is, she went into the forest alone without her father’s permissions or any companions like her father advised—on a night where the moon shone in its fullest phase.

The result? She ended up being marked by a hot, mysterious guy who claims they are mates. Though no matter how much she resisted, she found herself slowly falling for him.

Will Akira end up with a happily ever after if her father comes looking for her? With other men? Not to mention they’d do anything to get her back.

-*-

“You bitch!” The blonde bimbo screamed, glancing down at her ruined outfit. Her previously perfect hair turned tousled and messy. The mascara she applied to enhance her beauty, along with her eye-shadow and other cosmetics ran down her face. The spaghetti-strapped top she wore was stained with a cherry-red cranberry juice, her hair was drenched with the same kind of mixture, the liquid gently trickling down the platinum blonde strands.

       “That was for having my best friend expelled because of false accusations.” Akira replied, her brows quirking as she held an empty plastic cup in her hands.

       “You’re going to pay for this!” she wailed and with no further ado, lunged for the girl in front of her. She tackled her to the ground and started ripping the glossy brown hair from her head. In return, the girl’s hands snaked around her neck, cutting off her air supply.

       The students in the cafeteria started crowding, gathering as they all watched the scene unfold before them. People started throwing cheers in the air, betting upon the girl who holds their trusts of winning.

       Since the bimbo was sitting on top of her, Akira reversed their position. The bimbo constantly tugged on her hair, causing her to get agitated. Because of this, Akira pulled her right arm back and curled her hands into a tight ball. With that, she then punched the girl straight to the nose.

       That hit, she’s pretty sure, will cause the girl to suffer her dreaded days with a broken nose or a contusion—or both probably.

-*-

       “You’re suspended!” The words flew out of the principal’s mouth even before Akira could interfere. Of course, they were sent to the office.

       Akira rolled her eyes as she sat cross-legged on her seat, the principal scolding her in the background. She threw daggers at a sobbing, fake bimbo who was holding a pack of ice by her cheek. A patch of gauze covered her nose with a stain of blood on a certain spot.

       Akira already tried reasoning with him, though what’s the use? He won’t even listen to a word she said. Maybe it was because she had gotten herself into so many troubles before and her records weren’t neat. And even if you flip the world upside-down, she knew she started the fight in the first place.

       No, her rebellious side quipped. The bimbo deserved it.

       Right, if she hadn’t spoken any false accusations against her best-friend, then she could still have her nose in a perfect shape and her face free with any blemishes—but no! The girl’s a good actress she should be receiving an award!

       She sighed, trying to listen to the ramble of the principal, but she was drifting off. “How long?” She cut off the rant of the principal.

       “Let’s say by the damage you’ve done, you’ll be having a month out of school.”

       “Great!” She muttered sarcastically.

       The principal, again, started firing words in the air endlessly, speaking words so fast that he could be compared to an Armalite Rifle. He had a big-mouth, a bald scalp, and a big belly that stuck out of his tucked-in shirt.

       Getting bored from his constant lectures—which she was pretty sure she heard a hundred times, Akira lifted herself from her seat and began heading for the door.

       No sooner when she had taken a few steps, she heard the same, loud, ear-piercing voice ring. “If you walk out that door you’ll be expelled!” He threatened.

       Akira momentarily stopped at her tracks, but then started moving once more. She flicked her wrist dismissively. “Whatever!” She said before stalking off.

       “It’s your choice!” The voice boomed. “If you do, I never want you to step a single foot within the school grounds again!”

       “Fine by me.” She answered dryly and went to get her things out of her locker.

       Some students might go home crying. But Akira felt no emotion at all. With her friend gone, she didn't really have anything to make her stay in that school. Eliana was someone worth behaving for. Staying in that school made no sense at all without her having by her side. How could she stay at a school when they couldn't even investigate about things properly? Sure, it wasn't right to take the law into her hands, but still . . . how could they?

       Akira never seemed to be able to tame that wild side of her. She was rebellious and daring. Sometimes, even if she tried not to cause any trouble, it appeared to be coming for her. She was her normal self—risky, feisty, free-spirited, and believed the fact that life’s too short to behave. Why can't a young, wild girl have her fun without ever being scolded? Although she knew the limits of her actions. She avoided alcohol, avoided drugs, but she could never avoid trouble.

       She boarded her new car which her father insisted giving her. His rare presence led her to the lack of guidance. Although she doubted if it was because of her father’s momentary company, or if it was her mother’s untimely demise when she was newly born.

       Now that she’s expelled, she got nothing to do anymore. The principal had been controlling his temper for a long time, maybe it’s time she leave.

       She pulled the brake and stepped out of her car, the backpack containing all her things slung of her shoulder. She began entering her house—more of a mansion, though.

       Her father was rich—that was clear to her. But he was rarely home. What could all those riches do? When her father isn’t even there at times when she needed him?

       A maid greeted her and took her belongings from her grip, rushing inside and placing it in the appropriate place. She went straight to the kitchen, surprised with the image of her father sitting on top of a stool in front of the counter, munching on a plate of food.

       “Dad?” For a moment she speculated the reason why her father was eating alone. It seems as if he was rushing.

       The man turned from his seat and wiped off his lips with a table napkin. He smiled at his daughter, the familiar violet eyes staring at her. “Hey, hun. Why are you home so early from school?”

       Akira let her shoulders sag as she approached the refrigerator and pulled out a jug of orange juice. She fished a glass and splashed some of the mixture inside. “I got expelled.” She answered before downing the whole glass.

       Her father chocked on his food. “You what?!” He then drunk down the cup of coffee beside him, but spit it out due to bad taste. “I don’t think butter and syrup goes well with coffee.” He coughed. He composed himself and wiped off his lips. “What is it again? How come you can’t behave?”

       “My friend was assaulted with false accusations. I got in fight with this girl . . . and I got expelled." She explained.

       “A friend? I thought getting yourself in trouble would only get you suspended!” He exclaimed.

       “Apparently, the principal’s patience in me was . . . shortened.” She hesitated.

       Her father sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” He asked himself. “Just as reckless and stubborn as your mother.” He muttered.

       There was a sudden noise that sounded like a pitter-pattering of steps and Victor, her father’s most loyal worker, appeared by the door. “Mr. Martins.” He gave him a nod of acknowledgement as a silent sign.

       Her father stood from his seat, his feet gently landing on the floor as he got off his stool. For a moment, Akira watched his father until his spoke. “I have to be going. We’ll discuss about your school later.”

       Although she knows that that “later” he was speaking off would be a month or more away.

       As he began walking out of the door, Akira spoke. “Why don’t I come with you, dad?” She voiced out.

       Her father stopped at his tracks and turned to look at his daughter, his dark-brown hair swaying along with the sudden move of his head. “What?”

       “I mean,” She placed the glass at the countertop and began approaching his direction. “I’ve got nothing to do in school and all. Besides, I want a big break. Why don’t you let me come with you?” She suggested.

       Her father raised his brows. “You want to come with me? But . . . this is a . . . business trip. Besides, you must find a new school.”

       “Are you really gonna go to a business trip when you set up supplies of tents, night flares, blankets, gasoline and a box of guns?” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked her father over with a challenging look. Her father, on the other hand, felt his jaw drop. “Or are you going to the forest and hunt? Come on, dad. I already saw you. There’s no use denying it.”

       “No,” He told her sternly. “You are staying here and find a new school.”

       “It’s summer vacation already!” She whined. “I won’t do anything here besides getting to trouble.”

       “It’s a good thing you know.”

       “Come on, dad. If you let me come along this one time, I promise I won’t ever get myself into trouble ever again!” She swore.

       “That’s what you said the last time I bought you a car! What did you do to it? Crash into a pole!” He  retorted.

       “This will be the last time I’ll get into trouble, I swear. Besides, I did not ask you to buy me a car! You bought it for me.”

       Michael looked at his daughter closely. “Fine,” Her father sighed in defeat. “But only if you promise to stay by my side and never go into the woods without my permission.” He bargained.

       “Woo! Yeah!” Akira cheered. She happily skipped into her room, smiling happily.

       “Pack your bags in ten minutes or we’ll leave you behind!” He yelled after her.

       “Okie dokie!”

       Sometimes, her father contemplated the reason why he can’t get angry with his daughter when she’d done so many things that most likely gets her into big troubles as such. Maybe because he spoiled her so much.

       As Akira’s footsteps faded, her father’s companion who was busy watching his daughter, turned and looked at him. “You do know what we are going to do, right, Michael? Why let her come?”

       “I think I already kept so many secrets from her. Besides, I also am spending too much time away from home that I failed to do my job as her father. Maybe it’s time I do both.” He said, sighing.

       "Don't you think it's better to play safe? What if she gets another impression of what we're doing?" The man was clearly troubled with Akira tagging along. The girl doesn't even know anything about the real business her father was conducting every once in a while, besides the tree-planting cause he was hosting. Akira's father was a well-known man in the name of entrepreneurship, but other than that, he was also one of the best hunter. And not just any hunter, but his fields of expertise extends to werewolves, Aves-shifters, vampires and many other supernatural creature beyond ones' imagination.

       Michael wasn't much of a good decision-maker either. He made choices in the past that got him into trouble besides his curiosity. He regretted them incessantly, but even if he was one hell of a hunter, he still is a being, too. Not much of a human, though. Being a hunter is one of his inherent abilities, giving him perks.

       "I've made my decision," He whispered, slightly rubbing the stubble on his chin with his thumb. He turned to the man in front of him and prodded his chest with his forefinger in a manly way. His voice was low, as he spoke. The calmness of his voice did not spoil the air of authority he held. "My daughter's coming with us and that's final."

       "So are you finally deciding to tell her what those guns are originally for, then?"

       "Yes, and no." He answered. "It is time she knows what I am doing, but she stays out of this business. Never will she hold a hunter's weapon." He said.

       "But I heard from you that you trained her. She's a killer weapon." He told him.

       "For self-defense, not for this very purpose." He opposed.

       "You cannot take her away from her destiny," He argued.

       "But I can drive her away from it. You know how dangerous this is. Her mother died protecting her. And I failed to do anything."

       He regretted having to set out and fall to their trap. While he was out looking for the culprit who had visibly penetrated the impenetrable security of his home, he left his family completely vulnerable without his protection. And when he came back, nothing. His wife was gone, leaving their poor child tucked inside her crib, sleeping peacefully with the gentle twinkling sound of the music box. There were no bloodstains, just an open window. He'd entered the room, spotting the lacy curtain flutter helplessly from the breeze that blew. And since that day, he'd lost any contact from his dear wife.

       She was dead, he thought.

       No one would be able to survive from the hands of those monsters. She must've come to her own accord to protect her child. And because of that, she'd met her own doom.

-*-

       Akira stared at the ballerina that spun inside the music box. The gentle music that rang, ranging from different notes had her trapped in its melody once more.

       She sat motionless on the chair in front of her dresser, her fingers gently curled into a fist as she leaned her head against it.

       Your mother owned this music box, her father used to say. And now, it's hers.

       The melody ended with a soft tune. Of course, she couldn't go on a single day without hearing that music. She felt calm and at peace around it. Sometimes, she thought it was a way of yearning for the absence of her dead mother. But then, maybe that was the purpose of this music box, to fill up her absence. But it still wasn't enough.

       She snapped the box close, and pushed it back, leaving it on top of her dresser once more.

       She was dressed in a green shirt which she topped off with a camouflage jacket and green shorts, along with the running shoes that rested on her feet. She'd hoped this was appropriate to whatever hunting they are going into. Birds, or deers maybe? How come her father doesn't bring any trophy home? And by trophy she meant the head of a deer or their horns.

       She shuddered at that thought.

       She stood up and picked the suitcase that she readied by her bed. Once again, she questioned herself if it was a good idea tagging along.

       Of course it is! Her inner spirit told her. Think of the new adventures we'll meet! The excitement! The fun! Where's your sense of adventure?!

       She smiled and skipped her way downstairs. As she stood on the landing, she spotted her father talking to another man. The other one he was previously conversing with was gone, and was replaced by a stranger. This stranger had green eyes with brown hair. His jaws were sculpted and sharp, giving him a hint of masculinity. His shoulders were wide and broad, his hips narrow. Akira spotted his lean, tight abs bulging from the tight, grey shirt he wore.

       He’s quite the looker, she thought. She took one step and another, trudging down the stairs which seemed to be a longer trip than normal.

       “Ah, there she is.” She heard her father speak. “Bradley, I want you to meet my daughter, Akira. Akira, I want you to meet Bradley, your body guard.”

       The moment he finished his sentence, Akira’s head snapped to his direction. “Body guard? What do you mean by body guard? Are you kidding me, dad? I don’t need a bloody body guard!” She exclaimed. “I’m an accomplished black-belt!” She added.

       “Better be safe than sorry.”

       “ . . . ” Akira remained speechless as she tried voicing out her opinions.