Chapter 2 Whether Human Or Not

The next day.....

Aria's smile spread across her face as she stretched, arching her back and extending her arms over her head. She let out a gentle yawn, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. The warm sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the dust motes dancing in the air, and the soft hum of the refrigerator provided a comforting background noise.

She was happy for two reasons, the first reason being that she didn't have nightmare about the grey werewolf chasing her in the forest and secondly she was happy that she was going to see Jason again today at school

She tossed off the duvet and slipped her feet into her rabbit-eared purple flip-flops, feeling the soft plushness between her toes. The cool morning air brushed against her skin as she made her way to the bathroom to freshen up.

After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Aria walked into the dining room, greeted by the warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and toasted bread wafting from the kitchen. The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the dust motes dancing in the air, and the sound of sizzling bacon filled the room.

"Good morning, sweetie!" her aunt, Sandra, said with a smile, as she poured herself a cup of coffee. The clinking of cups and saucers accompanied her movements.

"Morning, mom," Aria replied, giving her a quick hug.

"Morning, mom," Kai chimed in, already seated at the table.

Aria sat down beside Kai and poured herself a glass of juice. "Morning, Kai."

"Hey, sis," Kai said, his eyes fixed on his phone.

Aria sat down beside her brother, Kai, who was already seated at the table, his eyes fixed on his phone. The soft glow of the screen illuminated his face, and the sound of notifications buzzing in his pocket broke the morning silence.

Their uncle, Diamond, looked up from his newspaper, the rustle of the pages a familiar sound, his eyes twinkling with amusement,"Stay out of trouble in school, kids." He said, his voice warm and gentle.

"We will, dad," Aria and Kai said in unison.

Sandra smiled. "Good. Now, eat up. You don't want to be late for school."

Aria smiled, feeling a sense of comfort and security. She took a bite of her toast, savoring the crunchy texture and sweet flavor.

As they finished breakfast, Sandra handed them their backpacks, the soft leather creaking as they slung them over their shoulders.

"Have a great day, kids. I'll pick you up after school," Sandra said, her voice filled with warmth and concern.

"We're taking a taxi, mom," Aria said. "You don't have to bother."

"Okay, be careful then," Sandra said, concern etched on her face.

"We will, mom," Kai said, already heading out the door.

Aunt Sandra and Uncle Diamond had told them to call them mom and dad since they had no child of their own and Aria and Kai didn't have a problem with that.

Aria followed Kai out the door, feeling a sense of excitement for the day ahead.

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.....At School....

After Aria had dropped Kai in his class. She quickly went over to her class so she wouldn't miss the first period.

As for Kai, he is a protective and caring sibling who always looked out for Aria's well-being. His rugged features and strong jawline gave him a confident air, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to see right through any deception. Kai is a bit of a loner, but he had a soft spot for his sister and her friends.

As Aria walked into the classroom, the hum of conversation and the scent of fresh paper filled the air.

Fortunately for her, the math teacher walked into the class two minutes after she sat down. Mr Mike could be very strict even if you're one minute late to class but he was a little calm at her because she was the brightest student in class as she always solved any question being given to her.

Aria Nightshade is a beautiful girl with her strawberry blonde hair and cute pointed nose. She had beautiful light brown eyes coupled with long eyelashes. Her pink lips were full and always smiling.

She waved at her friend as she sat near the window side and they waved back at her with a smile on their faces.

While the lesson was going on, Aria searched the class and found who she was looking for, Jason.

She spotted Jason sitting two seats away from her, his eyes fixed intently on the teacher. When he caught her gaze, she smiled and waved, but he looked away, his expression unreadable and she pouted her lips sadly.

Aria felt a pang of disappointment and confusion. Had she misread the connection they shared? She tried to focus on the lesson, but her eyes kept drifting back to Jason, wondering what had changed.

Meanwhile, Jason's eyes were fixed on the teacher, but his mind wandered. He couldn't shake off the feeling of being trapped, of being under someone else's control. When Aria waved at him, he wanted to respond, but something held him back. He felt a surge of frustration and helplessness, knowing he couldn't be himself around her.

"Miss Nightshade, are you paying attention?" Mr. Mike's voice cut through her thoughts.

Aria's face warmed as she refocused on the lesson. "Yes, Mr. Mike."

Mr. Mike raised an eyebrow. "Good. Then perhaps you can solve this equation on the board."

Aria nodded, feeling a surge of confidence. She walked to the board and began solving the equation, her mind still wandering to Jason's strange behavior.

She would ask him after class.

But after the first three periods were over she didn't see any sign of him so she walked with her friends to the cafe.

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.....At the cafe....

Aria sat with Ella and Rose at their favorite cafe, sipping on a latte.

"So, what happened with Jason?" Ella asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Aria told her friends about her conversation with Jason yesterday after school.

" Wait... That can't be all " Ella said with a slight frown on her face.

" That's all...We parted after we told each other our names " Aria said.

" What else did you want to hear Ella? " Rose said in a bored tone.

" I thought...."

" You thought what ? "

" Never mind "

" Today I waved at him in class but he just ignored me,me " Aria said.

Rose frowned. "That's weird. Maybe he's just having a bad day."

Ella nodded. "Yeah, or maybe he's not interested."

Aria sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment. "I don't know, guys. I thought we had a connection."

" That must be why he didn't come to the cafe today " Ella said as she looked around but there was no sign of him anywhere.

" Something is wrong " Aria said and sighed as she rested her on the table and covered her head with hands.

" Probably he made new friends, " Rose said.

" That can't be a reason why he would ignore me like that, I mean he approached me first and I thought..."

" Hey... Don't think about it too much he will come around later " Ella said, patting her back gently as she munched on her pizza.

" Hmm " She hummed.

" There are plenty of cute guys around you..." Rose said but she was cut short by Aria's next words.

" I don't want any of them "

" How do you know if you won't give it a try "

" Rose let her be, " Ella said.

" What ? I'm trying to cheer her up, " Rose said as she ate her sandwich.

Aria pouted her lips as she thought of when Jason ignored her in class thankfully no one saw it or else she would have been embarrassed.

As Aria, Ella, and Rose sat at their favorite table, discussing the strange encounter earlier, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafted through the air, mingling with the hum of conversation.

Suddenly, the cafe's atmosphere shifted, and the air grew thick with tension.

" Hey, heads up moron " Aria heard someone say to her and she raised up her head to see three girls standing a few steps away from her.

Aria's eyes met the piercing gaze of the black-haired girl, who stood at the entrance, flanked by her companions.

The girl's eyes seemed to bore into Aria's soul, her gaze cold and calculating. The red-haired girl's eyes flashed with malevolence, while the silver-haired girl's eyes seemed almost...amused.

Obviously the black haired girl standing in the front of two other girls crossing her arms was a witch judging from her black round eyes and the red haired girl standing on her left was a vampire as she glared at her with her piercing red eyes.

While the short silver haired girl on her right was also a witch. Aria recognized the black haired girl with crossed arms from yesterday who glared at her after Jason left.

The black-haired girl's voice dripped with venom as she approached Aria's table. "You think you can steal Jason's attention?" she sneered, her words dripping with malice.

Aria's heart racing, she met the girl's gaze, her senses on high alert. The sounds of the cafe receded, and all she could hear was the pounding of her heart.

The girl's eyes seemed to flash with anger, and Aria felt a shiver run down her spine. "Stay away from Jason," the girl warned, her voice low and menacing.

"Ella's eyes flashed with anger, and she leaned forward, her voice firm. "Who the hell are you calling a moron and who are you to tell Aria what to do?" Ella fired back, she was also a witch.

" Shut up slut, this is none of your business " The red haired girl said as she bared her fangs at Ella.

" Did you just call me a slut ? " Ella said wanting to stand up and attack the red haired girl but Aria quickly held her hand and shook her head telling her not to.

As the girls turned to leave, Aria felt a surge of defiance. She wasn't going to back down.

"Hey," Aria said, her voice firm. "Who are you, anyway?"

The black-haired girl turned, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Someone who will make sure you stay away from Jason."

The girl's smile was cold and calculating. "You'll find out soon enough. Just remember, Jason is off-limits."

"Even if you try to talk to him again, he would still ignore you just like the way he did today in class as long as I have him under my spell....Lets go girls" She said and they walked away,leaving Aria and her friends stunned."

"Well, that was creepy," Rose said, shuddering.

" How dare she use her spell on Jason when he met you first " Ella said after the three girls left and her black eyes glittered in anger as she stared angrily at the red haired girl who had called her a slut. She was fuming mad as her hand turned and made some crackling sound.

" I knew something was wrong " Aria said after she regained herself.

" She was the one behind all this, " Rose said.

Just then, Jason walked into the cafe with the same girls who had warned Aria away from him. They sat down at a table near the window, laughing and chatting.

Aria's eyes narrowed as she watched Jason interact with the girls. He seemed completely at ease, oblivious to her presence.

"Look, he's with them," Rose said, her voice low. "It's obvious he was under a spell."

Ella's eyes flashed with anger. "We need to do something about it. We can't just sit here and watch him be controlled like that."

Aria nodded, determination rising up within her. "You're right. We need to find a way to break whatever spell is controlling him."

The girls watched in silence as Jason continued to laugh and chat with the girls, his eyes never once meeting Aria's.

" She wasn't lying when she said that she had him under her spell " Ella said, gritting her teeth.

" We have to do something about it guys " Aria said as she hit her fist on the table angrily.

" After school we will follow him and when he's alone Ella will break the spell on him with her powers " Rose said.

" Are you sure those fools won't keep an eye on him? " Ella said.

" We will have to be very careful, " Aria said.

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Alpha Lyrien's park....

Lyrien stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, his black hair shining in the soft morning light. The colorful garden beyond the glass seemed to stretch on forever, vibrant blooms swaying gently in the breeze. He sipped water from the glass in his hand, his cold lips barely touching the rim. His yellow eyes narrowed as he gazed out at the forest, his mind consumed by the weight of his responsibilities.

The scent of old leather and wood polish wafted through the air, mingling with the faint hint of his alpha scent. Lyrien's broad shoulders squared, his presence commanding attention. The soft crackle of the fireplace in the corner of the room provided a subtle background hum, a reminder of the warmth and comfort that lay within the walls of his mansion.

As he stood there, Lyrien's beast stirred, clawing against his chest. He felt the familiar urge to run through the woods, to feel the wind against his fur. But he resisted, his jaw clenched in determination.

Lyrien had been holding himself back ever since the moon goddess cursed them after the war. He had refused to accept a human, the weakest of all creatures, as his mate.

His twin brother Lykon who didn't have a problem with the humans had already found his mate and had introduced her as the Luna of his park members.

Among the two of them, he was the stubborn yet hot tempered one. Lyrien always gets angry for little things and his park members know not to anger him or they will be punished ruthlessly.

The last werewolf who angered him was being strangled to death by his powerful huge claws on its neck after his limbs were broken with a deep gashing wound on its neck and back.

Ever since that day every werewolf knew not to cross his path whenever their Alpha was not in a good mood.

Curse the moon goddess for punishing them for their father's sin and mating him with a human.

Lyrien closed his eyes and took a deep breath and when he opened his eyes they were pitch black and when he blinked them again they returned back to yellow.

[ GET OVER HERE NOW !!! ] Lyrien's voice echoed through the mind link to his Beta, his words laced with authority as he kept the glass cup on the coffee table beside him and he slipped both hands into his pockets.

Within minutes, a young man with brown hair walked into the living room, still wearing his PJs. He bowed his head slightly, his eyes fixed on Lyrien's profile. "Yes, Alpha."

Lyrien's gaze remained fixed on the forest as he spoke, his voice low and commanding. "Get the warriors ready. We're going to search for my mate."

" Huh, " He said.

" I will not repeat myself twice "

The beta's eyes widened slightly, and he hesitated before speaking. "Alpha, but she's human."

Lyrien's eyes flashed with a hint of warning, and he turned to face his beta. "Whether human or not, she's still my mate."

" Alpha are you really going to...."

" Manson, are you questioning your Alpha ?? Lyrien said as he turned his head and looked at his Beta letting out a low growl but Mason quickly shook his head.

The beta took a step back, his eyes cast downward. "I will get the warriors prepared, Alpha."

As the beta left, Lyrien's gaze returned to the forest. He had made up his mind to find his mate, but he would do so on his own terms. He would keep her by his side, bound by the mate bond, but he would not love her.

"I'm coming to get you, wherever you are," Lyrien whispered, his voice barely audible.