Unofficially Yours

Chapter 8

Adam sat on his leather seat, contemplating what he should do about his mate. They were meant to be together, like he said. They were meant to understand each other. But they were the complete opposites. It seemed as if the world had gone upside-down. He was always trained to be the obedient kid. So everyone could say that he was a bit restricted and all his crooked ways were straightened. In other words, he was Akira’s total opposite.

     How could they ever get along if they both have different point of views and ideas? The situation will be hard.

     Adam had always been a ladies’ man. He was blessed with that devilishly handsome face and he does swear he worked a lifetime for his tight abs and muscled biceps, but he didn’t regret it. It all paid off eventually. But the sole reason he worked for those is he wanted to impress his mate—but it seemed to have not been working at all. How was he supposed to get Akira to trust him when she keeps pushing him away? All of her walls have been put up since she met him in his office. She was basing everything on the fact that he bit her, that he was crazy and he took her away from her father.

     It wasn’t her fault. He was hers. But then he remembered the fact that she told him she wasn’t anyone’s to be owned. Could he ever see that he was hers as well? If he didn’t recognize the great resemblance of Akira from her father then he could’ve already killed him—one that he’s sure he’ll be regretting forever once she discovers it. But to thank his lucky stars, he didn’t. There will still be a million ways where he can woo her. Hopefully.

     But what?

     Flirt? It won’t probably work. Dates? She definitely won’t agree. Gifts? She’ll certainly give them back. Talk? That would probably a good start. Maybe he should start a conversation or two when he gets the chance. But the problem is . . . her father. It isn’t because she constantly tries telling him she must go back, but it is because he is a hunter. He hunts his kind down, kills them—slaughters them. How is he supposed to tell his pack about this? Maybe he should call for a pack meeting tomorrow or later. He’ll give them a short speech. It was all he can do, hoping they would understand the current dilemma he’s in.

      He so wanted to read her mind. Although he swept that option aside, knowing she would like having to be able to keep her thoughts to herself. How could she begin to trust him when he can’t even hand her a little bit of privacy? But of course, if the situation gets out of hand, he’ll need to use every ounce of his abilities to put it to balance. If Akira tries to escape again, he’s afraid of anything he might do.

     A knock on his door came, sounding frantic. He shouted a permit to the person to enter and his beta came barging in. He looked excited, startled at the most. “You should come see this.”

     -*-

Ann had whisked Akira around the pack-house, showing her every room—except the bedroom. The tour was quick and sooner or later they have been in all corners of the entire building. It was finally time for Ann to tour her around the exterior. They both encountered numerous amounts of couples. They looked happy either just holding hands or locking their lips constantly. This place was surely filled with happy people. Too bad she isn’t.

      As she was taken to look around and familiarize the twist and turns, Akira started formulating a plan of escape.  If she couldn’t go far because that pain will strike once she gets into a further distance, then she must find a way to know what is the source of that pain—and why one single kiss from Adam would make it go away. There have to be something she can do where she can go to places without limits. And that Adam guy was hiding so much more.

      “Akira! Are you even listening?”

      Her thoughts dissipated by the sound of Ann’s voice bringing her back to reality. Akira sighed and nodded at her. Her mind slowly drifting back to her jumbled thoughts.

      Ann began ranting on and on once more, “As I was saying, this is the room that leads to the meeting room.” she told her as they meticulously walked pass by a door with a faint red paint. There was a plate of gold with bold letters inscribed on the flat, glinting surface, ‘Meeting Room’. “This is where all of the pack gets together once a month the day before the mating moon. Sometimes when necessary or when it’s an emergency, we meet up to discuss or when Alpha Adam would simply announce what he needs to say.”

      “Mating moon?”

      “Yup. That was the night before. You know . . .” a sweet, innocent blush crept up from her neck and stained her cheeks. Her face looked a shade darker than the last time. “when he marked you.”

      “What exactly is the mating moon?”

      Ann led her out of two, grand-looking, double doors. They were wide open, allowing an intense amount of sunlight to beam through. It was midday, maybe. Akira did not take notice of it because the only thing on her mind was her escape. It was made of neatly polished wood and the knobs were a molded from bronze painted a bright gold. She could tell for the paint was slowly wearing off, leaving a few spots bare. The door led to a magnificent and wide courtyard. The ground was lush, full of green growing grass the crumbled under their very steps.

      “Did Alpha Adam tell you everything about mates?”

      “Could you quit the Alpha-title and just call him Adam?”

      Ann flashed a look of fear. “He’s our Alpha. We must respect him all the time.” she told her.

      “Trust me, calling him with that title is tiring.” she rolled her eyes and looked out into the courtyard. It was like it was built as a training ground. There were different equipments that are fit to improve either the stamina, speed or maybe the fighting abilities of someone. People were either throwing punches or swinging their foot, performing constant movements until they perfected their moves. They’re either training with a partner or individually.

      Ann stayed quiet for a few moments until she chose to spoke up. “This is the training yard. Where we train our fighters. Men or women—all of us start our training when we reach the age of five.”

      “Five?”

      “Yes, five. Our previous alpha said it was better to be safe than sorry.”

      Akira remembered her child-self starting her black-belt lessons when she was around four or five. Although it seemed young in her point of view, her father had taken private lessons only for her. It was his idea in the first place. He keeps telling her that she needs to be able to defend herself if ever he wasn’t by her side. Now, she was thankful he suggested it.

      “So you know how to fight as well?”

      “Sure. But I’m not that good.”

      “Okay.” Akira nodded understandingly. “Tell me about the mating moon.”

      “The night of the mating moon is an occasion when we werewolves feel the connection between us and our mates at its strongest point. We still can find them during normal events, but our pulls are not as strong as it is during the mating moon. We can find our mates at a larger distance, and this gives us chance to fully know where they are no matter how far—except across the country, that would be impossible of course.”

      “Adam told me that the word ‘mates’ is a short term for ‘soul-mates’?”

      Ann nodded before speaking out. “Yes, it’s true. Humans have soul-mates, too, you know. Their bonds are not just as strong as we werewolves have.”

      “So it allows you to know who exactly your soul-mates are?”

      “Yep.”

      “Wow, you guys are lucky.” she muttered.

      “No, Akira. We are lucky. You’re even triple-lucky. Your mate is Alpha Adam, and trust me, many girls desire him not only for his money and position, but because of how he looks as well—I heard someone say that a couple of moons ago.”

      Akira refused to allow herself to listen to Ann’s previous sentence and decided to change the topic. “Geez. This mansion is so big. How many people lives here anyway?”

      “About sixty or something-y. Bourne Harlem Pack has about two hundred pack-members,” Ann began counting her fingers. “Including the newcomers about to be born this month and the next. So let me guess, about . . . three hundred and eleven.”

      Akira gazed at Ann intently. “Three hundred? Don’t tell me you all keep . . . reproducing.” her voice had a tone of disbelief.

      Ann rolled her eyes at her exaggeration. “It’s a normal circle of life. Besides, because our bonds are stronger than humans, so at some point we all have to . . .” Ann began making circling gestures with her hands in front of her, unable to continue the sentence as if embarrassed. Ann mouthed the word to her, causing Akira to sigh and roll her eyes. “Besides, our elders told us not to be shy about it because it’ll eventually come to us at some points of our lives.”

      “True. So true.” Akira shifted on her position as Ann simply placed her hand behind her back and kicked the grass on her feet gently, looking at the ground. “But why do you have to . . .” Akira gulped. “Do it so soon?”

      Ann smiled at Akira. “Boys. Urges. Blah, blah, blah.”

      “How do you know all this?” she queried. “You’re just thirteen, but I bet you know about protection."

      “Oh, please.” Ann flicked her wrists at Akira while she obliviously flicked her wrists at her in dismissal. “I’m already fourteen, by the way. Have your school teach that to you,” she gulped. “that kind of education. You wouldn’t be much disgusted now, are you?”

      “They teach that at your school?!” she looked Ann over with wide eyes. “At that age?!”

      “It’s actually for werewolves. But still, I’m two-third human so I’m uncomfortable with everyone else in the school. For them, it’s kind of normal. But I’m a hybrid and more than fifty-percent of me am human, so I’m feeling different about it.”

      “I am so with you. But I’m not a hybrid.”

      “What?” Ann gazed at Akira questioningly. “No ordinary human could’ve been mates with a werewolf if she or he has no blood of a werewolf. That’s how everything works in our ways. So one way or another you may have some genes in you.”

      “But then again,” Akira breathed, not really paying much attention to what Ann said. “I’m not your ordinary girl.”

      “Yeah, you aren’t. I’ve noticed that mostly about you.” Ann laughed. “Jessica should’ve broken a few backbones on you by that blow. I wouldn’t have survived that either.”

      Akira was lost in the depths of her memories, staring at the small girl who looked like four or five run into the training yard. Akira thought she was adorable, with her pale blue dress and lacy stockings. Her shoes were a shiny black, polished and small. Her face flashed a cute par of dimples every time she giggled and her hair was dirty blond, bouncing in voluminous curls around her face, clipped back by a butterfly clip.

     That child somehow reminded her of her childhood. Except she had brown hair. She used to run around like that and have fun. With her father. But where are the child’s parents? Akira glanced around and saw no one looking after the little girl. The training yard was full of young-adults and adults, teenagers and children. It was wide and luxurious as well. It would be impossible to recognize to whom which this child belongs to.

      Ann was babbling aimlessly beside her, but she hasn’t paid any attention to what she had said for the past few minutes. “Ann, whose child is that?” she gently tapped Ann’s shoulder, grabbing her attention. Ann redirected her gaze towards the child.

      “Oh, that’s Junín,”

      “Where are her parents?” she began walking forward to the child. She was crouched on the ground, picking on the grass on the ground.

      “Uh, Akira, you don’t wanna—“

      “Hello there,” she greeted. “Where are your mama and papa?”

      The girl rose from the ground and looked at Akira with her eyes. They were a color of hazel and she admired the cute button nose sitting on her face. Her gaze was piercing and she herself was hypnotizing. She clutched a bunch of grass within her hands as she watched Akira intently.

      “They’re training.” she answered. “Are you new around here?” her voice was squeaky and youthful.

      “Yeah, I am. Is your name Junín? I’m Akira.”

      “I’m definitely that.” she answered. “You’re the new Akira, then? Are you a wannabe?”

      Akira’s smile fell. “No. Why?”

      “How about a liar?”

      “I do lie. But only occasionally.”

      “Is that now?”

      “Huh?”

      “Cause Jessica said you were.”

      “A liar?” Akira’s brows met in confusion.  “And a wannabe?” she straightened her spine angrily. “Where is she?”

      “She’s over there, practicing some fighting tactics like she said.” she pointed at their right, referring to the group of people in their athletic outfits. They formed a circle where two fighters would fight in, one of the ones who were sitting in among the others was a raven-haired girl.

      Akira sighed. Jessica.

      “Listen to me, Junín.” Akira knelt in front of the girl and played with the locks of her hair. “What good did Jessica do to you?”

      “She, um . . . I don’t know. She didn’t do anything.”

      “See? So you have to believe me. Jessica is the liar, she is an evil bi—“ she cleared her throat. She surely didn’t want to mess with child’s innocent mind. “She is the evil witch, the wicked villain. She is not a good person and she is very, very, very bad.” she said.

      Junín stared at her with an understanding expression. “I believe you.” Junín answered. “I think she’s a bi-atch.”

      Talk about keeping the girl’s mind innocent.

      “Okay, then. Later, come to me and we’ll get some ice cream.”

      “Can I have some latte?”

      A smile twitched on Akira’s lips. “Lattes are coffees, and coffees are only for adults. How about some milkshake?”

      “Do milkshakes taste better than coffee?”

      “Yes, they do. They’re more fun because they have milk, chocolates, strawberries, and bananas.”

      “What about coffees?”

      “They’re coffees—just that.”

      “I think it’s boring.” she commented.

      “I know.”

      “Will you play with me?”

      “Not now. Maybe later.”

      “Aw, ok.”

      Akira gave the girl a kiss on the cheek and a smile before leaving her side and heading for the direction of Jessica. She felt really infuriated for having someone talk rumors behind her back. They aren’t even true. Besides, why would that girl even tell it to a child? She isn’t thinking—as if she even has brain. Or maybe she plotted it in the first place.

      “Hey you.” She grabbed Jessica’s shoulder, causing her to fall back on the ground.

      Jessica snarled and rose from the ground. “What’s your problem?” the moment her eyes landed on Akira, she placed an annoying smile on her lips and cocked her lips to the side. She lifted her hand and gently placed it on the curve of her side. “If it isn’t for the wannabe.”

      “You’re my problem. Why would you even be telling something that isn’t true to the child? She does not have anything to do with this. So leave her out of it.”

      “Listen to me, and listen good.” she shifted from her position and pointed a finger at Akira, advancing forward while plating a threatening expression on her face. “You are a wannabe, and—“

      “Are just going to speak and point a finger at me? Are you all just words?” Akira confidently crossed her arms. “You listen. I’m here because your alpha bi—or marked me, whatever. I have no desires to stay here, except leave. But you’re making it worse. This day is my first day in this hell. So don’t make it any worse, because you’ll regret it. And, just to inform you, I am not on a very good mood right now because you ruined it—starting from the point where I just began eating Jamie’s special banana split! So stay out of my way.”

      A couple of ‘ooohs’ echoed from the people around them.

      Jessica flipped back her black hair. “Ya know what?” she drawled on an irritating imitation of a southern accent. “Let’s take this one on one. It’s just pure luck that you happened to take me down a while ago.”

      “I’m not looking for trouble.” I just had some a while ago.

      “Oh, so you’re a coward? This isn’t trouble, darling. I’m offering you a fight. Fair and square. Think of this as a match on a karate lesson.”

      “Is that all? I’m on.” After this, Jessica is going to learn one thing—fear her and most of all, respect her. She’s gonna have to teach her a lesson. “After this, I want you to never talk to me, or talk about me ever again—you’re going to have to stay out of my way. And primarily, don’t be such a bitch.”

      “How about you give Adam to me? He’s all that I want.”

      “You want him?” Akira scoffed. “Tell that to him.” she said. “It isn’t my decision if he would follow me around even if I stay away or give him away.”

      “Oh my gosh,” Ann ran up. “I thought you promised to never fight with her again!”

      “Ann, this isn’t a fight. It’s a match. Fair and square. Besides, I have unfinished business. And I’d like to make something clear with this witch.”

       This girl has to get ready. She doesn’t know what she’s getting herself in.

       With a toothy grin, Akira stepped inside the circle and prepared herself for the match.

      “You do know she’s a werewolf, right?” Ann blurted as crowd started gathering around.

      “Yes, I know. And I’m just your not-so-ordinary human girl. And I won’t let myself get any lesser. I will never back down without a fight.”

HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT!