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-THE PICTURE ON THE SIDE IS LIKE THE MARK

Unofficially Yours

Chapter 11

Adam stirred from his sleep and found Akira still in his arms. She looked like an angel while sleeping, benevolent and harmless. What he was worried about though was what will happen when she wakes up and find out on what kind of position they are in. He gently lifted his arms around Akira and slightly moved her, softly stepping out of the bed and laying her head on the pillow. Akira moved and placed her hands on her stomach, mumbling something on her sleep. He tugged the blanket around her and laid it carefully around her shoulders, caressing her neck and planting a delicate kiss on her forehead. He allowed his lips to linger a while longer, enjoying the pleasurable sparks that seemed to travel from their contact. Adam then pulled away and went into the bathroom.

      He took a fast shower and changed into new, comfortable clothes. He debated on whether waking Akira up, but eventually he went against his decision and settled on shaving instead. It would be better if he allowed her to rest, the day earlier had been stressful to her lately. He allowed his gaze to watch Akira for a while before he finally decided to leave the room, heading straight to his duties.

      Marcus entered his office right after the moment he settled on his seat. He was usually up in the early mornings to roam about the pack’s territory, inspecting the current condition. They will look over strange scents and if they ever stumble upon a rogue, he or she will be brought straight to Adam to judge their fate.

      “Good morning, Alpha.”

      Adam smiled. “Good morning to you, too, Beta.” he said.

      “Everything’s good. The hunters hadn’t returned and everything is in its normal condition. The protective barrier’s standing strong. No hunter would be able to break through. No rogues, too.” he said.

      “Good job, Marcus. But it’s giving me a bad feeling.”

      “It does to me, too.” Marcus agreed, sinking on one of the chairs. “Akira is one of the high-ranking hunter’s daughter, it would give them the reason to attack us with all the chance they get.”

      “I know.” he said.

      “Are you going to join us for breakfast then?”

      “I think I will this time.” he answered.

      Marcus stood up from his seat and headed out for the door. “I’m going to go. Call for me if you need anything.” he said.

      “Just come and get me when breakfast’s ready.”

      Adam reached for the files on top of his table and began reviewing them. Just like the usual, it was either a message from the high court or the status of the amount of money for the pack’s fund. As an alpha, his job was to make sure everything in his pack is balanced. He scanned the boring passages and rubbed his temples. His position was very tiring.

      -*-

Ann knocked on the door to the bedroom, a set of new changing clothes in her arms. She waited for a moment, but no one answered inside. She grabbed the knob and opened the door slightly, poking her head through the small gap. She spotted Akira soundly sleeping on the bed. Entering, she crept inside and walked forward. She placed the clothes she carried on the foot of the bed and shook Akira’s leg.

      “Akira, wake up!”

      Akira groaned and buried her face on the pillow. “Go away.” she mumbled.

      “Come on, you! Get your lazy bum out of bed. It’s almost time for breakfast.”

      She lifted her head from the pillow and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “What’s for breakfast?” she asked.

      “Let me see,” Ann tapped her chin. “Jamie’s cooking pancakes with bacon, some boiled eggs, and some fresh berries . . . I think.”

      Akira rubbed her temples. “So it isn’t a dream? Damn,” she whispered. “I don’t get how that woman can cook for a hundred people.” she muttered.

      “She’s got volunteers, you know. We helped her last night, didn’t we? Oh, and here. I brought you some of Jessica’s clothes. Go and take a bath.” she said, taking the clothes into her arms, shoving them into Akira’s chest. “I’ve already washed your clothes a while ago. Once they dry, you can change back into them. And you can find a toothbrush in there.” she added.

      “Thanks, Ann.” she said. She stood up and stretched, yawning. “I’m not a morning person.” she muttered. She then groggily sauntered towards the bathroom and placed the clothes somewhere the water can’t reach. She stripped off Adam’s clothes and stepped into the shower. Once the water began running, she scrubbed off the dirt on her body and used whatever products there was—even if they are for men.  Ann told her to hurry, but the shower felt good so it took her about ten minutes. She saw the bite mark that Adam had left, catching her by surprise. The supposed swollen blister had turned into an intricate image. It was somehow like a tattoo. She traced the twin, interlacing lines along with the outline of a crescent moon. It was the perfect imitation of the Celtic moon. Only then, there’s a star painted just on the middle. And on the very center, were initials.

      A.S

      She didn’t know if that was quite possible. But the mark was surely beautiful. She turned the shower off and dried herself with one of the towels she found. She felt much more refreshed so she slipped on the clothes Ann had given her. It was a pink tank top along with some shorts. The top had hugged her curves and revealed a decent amount of cleavage.

      She hated tight clothes, but obviously . . . these are Jessica’s clothes, no doubt. She stalked into the bedroom and looked at Ann with a complaining look. “This top’s too skimpy! This short’s too short!” she wailed.

      “Stop complaining. Let’s help Jamie take out those foods again. I’m sure you’re starving.” Ann wrapped her hand around her wrist and began dragging her out of the room. A sound coming from Akira’s stomach startled them both and Ann let out a hysterical laugh. Akira wiggled her toes, willing for the blush that was painted on her cheeks to go away. “Yup. I was correct.”

      They went down the flight of stairs and traced their way towards the kitchen. The dining room was already crowded with people, but not like last night. The people were fewer than the last time. A few looked over their way when they entered and gave them a small nod and a simple ‘Good morning’. Akira allowed her eyes to scan over the long table and found Adam on his usual seat.

      Once his eyes landed on her, he let his heated gaze travel across her whole body. Akira felt herself going hot on his scrutiny but chose to ignore his effect on her. His expressions darkened for a minute before he took a deep breath and dropped back to his usual calm persona. He gave her that familiar smirk. He was sitting on his chair with his ankle propped up on his knee. His back was loosely tilted back, relaxed. She also noticed he shaved. His facial hair wasn't like it was last night.

      “Um, Akira, can you even hear me?” Ann’s voice had broken her line of thinking. She looked down at her small form and raised a perfect brow.

      “Did you say anything?” she asked.

      “Let’s go to the kitchen, before you and Alpha Adam do any funny business in front of everybody.” she said, sauntering towards the kitchen. Akira gave Adam one last glance before following Ann. They both entered the smoky cooking area. Jamie had already prepared more bacons than she could ever see. She was currently flipping some pancakes on her pan, a few more pack members helping her with the cooking.

      A girl ran up to Akira. “Good morning, Luna!” she greeted cheerily. She held up the plate she was holding, a few fresh berries sitting on it. “Would you like to try some blackberries? I picked them myself.”

      Akira smiled at the girl. She was toothless and her chocolate brown hair that was tied back into pigtails matched her piercing green eyes. “Why thank you.” she crouched down and picked a random berry, popping it into her mouth. The taste exploded on her tongue, a sweet, juicy tang filling her senses. She moaned in delight, grabbing one more and taking a bite out of it. “These berries are the best I’ve ever tasted. Not to mention, very juicy and delectable. You sure do know how to pick, don’t you?”

      “Thank you, Luna!”

      “No. I thank you! And call me Akira. What’s your name sweetheart?”

      “Justin,” she answered with a giggle.

      Soon, more girls crowded over her, offering a taste of their own picked fruits. Akira tasted each one of theirs and complimented everything they gave. “Good lord, please don’t make me eat all this. I won’t be able to help myself!” she exclaimed.

      The girls giggled. “We’ll leave you alone, Luna! Come play with us, later?”

      She patted the head of the girl nearest to her. “When I’m free, then maybe we could play some dress-up or something.”

      The girls whined. “But we don’t want to play dress-up!” they whined in chorus.

      Akira gave out a hearty laugh. “Then what do you girls want to play?” she asked sweetly.

      “We want to learn how to fight like you!” the girl whom she supposed was Kayla quipped, throwing heavy uncoordinated punches in the air.

      “Yeah!” All the girls agreed.

      “We saw how you beat up that witch! You were awesome!”

      Just then, Jessica stepped forward with a hand on her waist. She sent the girls scolding looks while pointing at each of them. She cleared her throat, trying to catch the undivided attention they had towards Akira. “That witch is right here.” she told them.

      The girls screamed and ran behind Akira. Akira gently walked forward and engulfed Jessica into a hug, laughing. “Thanks for the clothes, Jess.”

      Jessica returned the gesture and patted her back. “No problem.” she answered.

      “You’re friends with the witch?” the girl named Sarah exclaimed.

      They both pulled away to divert their gazes towards the girl who spoke up. “Not all witches are bad,” Akira answered, lifting her hand around Jessica’s shoulder. “Some are just misunderstood.”

      “Okay girls!” Jamie yelled from behind the counter. “Thanks for your help but outside now! Breakfast’s starting! Good morning, Akira!” she said. The girls let out some giggles as they all ran outside and yelled something about learning how to fight from the best. Akira laughed as Jessica scowled at them all.

      “Little munch-hocking barnacles! Why do kids love you?” she sent Akira a look while crossing her arms over her chest.

      “Munch-hocking? What kind of word is that?”

      Jessica waved her hand in the air dismissively. “Just . . . something I made up. Don’t mind me.” she stalked off and picked a tray of food, sauntering out of the door.

      “Now chop, chop everyone! Let’s get this out!” Jamie announced. She clapped her hands cheerily and carried a huge plate of pancakes with her. Akira smiled and picked up a plate, transporting it into the dining room. As she walked by and placed it on top of the table, she began wondering to herself. She was supposed to be trying to escape, yet here she is, laughing with them, playing to the kids, and even helping serve their meal willingly! She was getting too attached to all of them, and it was only her second day.

      As she reluctantly took the place beside Adam, her mind jumbled. These people are just like ordinary humans living their life. They are innocent and happy people. The only thing that separates them from others is their uncanny abilities to shift into wolves and instinctively know who they are going to be with at first sight.

      The werewolves whom she thought were savaged beasts were actually a misunderstood kind. They grow, they have families, and they die. As much as she hated admitting, she was wrong about them, and especially Adam. But no matter the realizations that dawned at her, she can’t stay. She has her father to mind, and getting herself to decide on staying with them is a bad thing. She has a life back home, a normal life that she’s willing to resume. Living with them in the middle of nowhere is absolutely not normal to her point of view. Besides, she wasn’t really planning on it.

      “Did you make a promise to the children you were going to teach them how to fight?” Adam asked while transferring some food into his plate. Akira reached out and grabbed some bacons and pancakes for herself.

      “I think so.” she smiled at the memory. “They offered me their fresh-picked fruits. I can’t help it,” she muttered. “Children are my weakness.” she said, grabbing one of the syrup bottles passed on to her by another pack member. She poured it over the pancakes and passed it to Adam. He did the same thing and eventually handed it to the boy next to him.

      “Children can be really demanding, but you can’t help and give them what they want,” the girl next to her agreed. “My name’s Sasha.” she said, holding out a hand. “It’s a pleasure of meeting you, Luna. I’m Beta Marcus’s mate.” she gestured more the man sitting opposite to her.

      “Call me Akira.” she said, shaking her outstretched hand. “It’s nice meeting you, too. I didn’t see you there last night. Do you mind me asking why everybody has been calling me a ‘Luna’ lately?”

      “It’s a formal title for Alpha Female.” Adam answered beside her.

      “Oh,” her gaze landed on her bulging stomach. It was an obvious sign that she is pregnant. “When’s your due?” she asked.

      “The next full moon.” she answered. “And I wasn’t here last night because I stayed in bed. You know, aching foot and back.”

      “Congratulations.” she said. “So all of you are born in the full moon?”

      “Every one of our beings conceives and ages under the light of the full moon. Either way, it means a new start.” Sasha answered. “It’s our way of life, and the only time when we are able to be impregnated. So I’ll be having Marcus’s junior here soon.” she rubbed her swollen stomach affectionately and shrieked when she felt a sudden movement. She laughed, “Hey, hon. Your son just moved.”

      “Really.” the man whom Akira thought was Marcus, stood from his seat and rushed over to his wife’s direction. He gently placed his hands on her swollen stomach and leaned his ear down. “Oi!” he jerked and did an awkward happy dance. “My son just kicked!”

      His wife grunted. “And it was one strong lad.” she whispered. “Helped me get upstairs, please, hon. I don’t think I can eat anymore, with this little warrior moving around and all. My food will just get kicked out.”

      They both laughed as Marcus helped her on her feet. “Sure thing, love.”

      “It’s nice meeting you, Akira. I’ll see you next time.” they then disappeared from her line of view.

      Akira turned back to her food and began to swiftly eat it. “I don’t get it.” Akira muttered to herself, catching Adam’s attention. “She looked so young, yet . . . she’s having a child?”

      “We wolves live differently than humans, get used to that now. When we turn sixteen, we find our life mates. That’s the start of our bonds. It isn’t strange for us to conceive at that age because of the mating urges. As much as possible though, we avoid mating under the full moon.”

      Akira shoved a piece of folded pancake in her mouth, drenched with butter and syrup. “Bwat wit was so stwangwe.” she stated with full mouth.

       “What?”

      Akira swallowed and poured herself a cup of water, downing it empty at one drink. “It’s kinda strange.”

      He reached out his hand towards Akira’s face, but she jerked away from his touch. “Relax.” he told her and wiped off a stain on the side of her lips.

      “Why did you do that?” he asked as he pulled his hand back.

      Before Adam could answer her question, a bevy of girls ran forward in a chorus, calling Akira by her formal title. The sound of their footfalls echoing together was deafening. They crowded over Akira and Adam with high-pitched pleas and proposals. They tugged fervently on Akira’s arm, practically yanking her out of her seat.

      “Luna! Join us!”

      “To what?” she asked, stumbling on her own feet.

      “It’s time to pick berries!” they all choired in singsong voices. Giggles echoed in the whole room.

      “Yeah!” one of the girls agreed.

      “Hey, Alpha.” Kayla tugged on Adam’s broad arm. “Do you approve of Luna coming with us to pick berries?”

      “Of course,” Adam answered. They all cheered. “Only if you let me come with you.”

      Kayla looked like she contemplated for a moment before she ran over to her group. They formed a small circle, ducking their heads while whispering their decisions into one another. Akira regarded Adam with a questioning look before raising both of her brows, hands hanging loosely on her sides.

      “But he’s a boy!” one girl whispered.

      “I agree. Boys don’t pick berries.”

      “They pick their own berries.”

      “Shut up, Fiona! Your mind is always dirty!”

      “I didn’t mean anything dirty. I’m just saying they have their own berries. Why don’t they pick it?”

      The girls grunted in chorus. “That’s not what I meant!” Fiona protested.

      “Should we let him in?”

      “There’s nothing to let him in, girls. We’re going out. Unless . . .”

      “Shut up!” The girls said in chorus.

      “We’re only eight years old and mama said it’s inappropriate for us to think like that.”

      “But they teach that in school!”

      “Not to us, Fiona. They teach that at high-school. Not elementary.”

      “Girls! What? Should we let Alpha come with us or not.”

      “You should agree with Daphne. She makes her sentences clearer than you guys do.”

      There was a pause.

      “Okay, it’ll be fine with me.”

      “Fine by me!”

      “Okay!”

      The girls lined up and faced Adam and Akira. “By the decision of the official Bourne Harlem berry-picking . . . what’s the last word?”

      “—pack, should we call ourselves a pack?”

      “No. I think it would be more appropriate to call ourselves a group. We’re already in a pack.”

      “Okay. By the decision of the official Bourne Harlem berry-picking . . . group. We hereby, grant you permission to accompany us to our morning, berry-picking ritual! If you will pick berries, you need to be acquainted to poisonous and non-poisonous ones. So, if you found a clump of berries, you should consult us first. We know.” a girl announced. She speaks so professionally that if she wore glasses, you would think of her as a nerd.

      “No, Daphne. You know.”

      “Okay, fine. This month is the start of a month when berries often are found in these parts. We can commonly find the rosehip, raspberries, blueberries, bilberries, common elder, sloe, and many more around. Okay, girls! Grab your baskets and let’s gooo!” she stopped and turned at Adam. “And gentleman.” with that she ran off.

      Adam stood from his seat, aware that his pack-members were sending curious looks his way. Akira just rolled her eyes and retraced the path the girls took. What’s gone into his mind to go berry-picking with girls?