Rise and my Soulmate

The dark atmosphere, the penetrating scent of the forest that immediately reaches my nose, makes me scan my gaze in all directions. I don't know where I am at the moment. I'm certain that I should be on a plane heading to the place where I will be living in the future. So why have I ended up in this unfamiliar place, I wonder.

" He should have been truly sent into exile." The heavy voice echoes, making me jolt. The voice is so clear, yet I haven't located its source.

" What's wrong with me? Isn't it just a matter of time?" Another sentence I hear guides my steps towards the source of the voice, and this time I see a group of people. But where is this? The ambiance is vastly different from the place I'm familiar with. It's like the setting of a fantasy movie-a royal throne with chairs lined up in front of it.

"This isn't normal. How can he become the heir of this nation's clan when he hasn't achieved his awakening until now?" Someone before their King utters these words while seated with authority on the throne.

They seem to be discussing something. But why am I in this place? I stand quite a distance from them, yet their resounding voices allow me to hear their conversation clearly.

"Is everything my fault, huh? Forget your foolish idea of driving me away from my homeland, because in the end, all of you will have to bow down to me."

"Alpha," the weighty voice resounds, quieting the commotion before him. Everyone falls silent and bows, except for a young man who meets the King's gaze with his arrogant stare.

"Why? Don't tell me you agree with their idea," he speaks again to the King.

"That's your punishment for exile due to the chaos you've caused, not a means to achieve your awakening," the King responds, causing the young man to smirk dismissively.

"Nonsense," he mutters.

"You haven't even found your mate yet. a woman's voice comes from another direction, and for some reason, all the faces that are now not far from me appear blurry. I can't see them clearly.

"You can find your mate in exile, my brother." she speaks again, and after that, I scream when someone firmly pats my shoulder, drawing their attention to me.

I slowly open my eyes, and the clean white ceiling of the room comes into view. I start stretching my arms before pulling the blanket with a teddy bear pattern and rolling onto my side. It's still 9 in the morning, well, it's kind of late morning, but I still feel tired and sleepy.

I fall silent for a moment; it feels like I've experienced something, perhaps a dream that I don't remember even a bit.

My body feels really tired after the journey from my hometown to New York. It took a very long time, so I decide to be lazy in this soft bed. Well, before my phone's ringtone forces me to get up and walk to the source of the sound, then reach for my phone still in my bag. Oh god, the sound of my phone could wake up the entire complex because I had set the volume too high. I quickly answer it before that actually happens.

Seeing the name displayed on the flat object in my hand, I let out a sigh.

"Hello, Mom."

"Hi sweety, how's your first morning in New York?"

"Not too bad," I reply while walking back to the bed and leaning against the headboard.

"Are you still mad?" she asks, a clear tone of sadness in every word. Of course, I'm still mad at her, my own mother. She sent me to New York without involving me in the decision at all. I had to leave my school, my friends, and someone else. I try to be understanding about everything, since I'm already in New York now.

"No, Mom," I reply half-heartedly, because I'm actually confused about what to say.

"Sweety, I'm so sorry. I had to do it. It's for the best for you," she keeps saying those words, and I'm getting bored of it and choose to give in and follow her will. Even now that I'm in New York, she keeps repeating that sentence.

"I know, Mom," I answer, resigned, even though I strongly disagree with her opinion that all of this is for my own good. What she thinks is good might not necessarily be good from my perspective, especially since I'm the one experiencing it.

I get up from my comfortable seat on the bed and walk towards my suitcase, which is placed right next to the white-painted wardrobe. I sandwich my phone between my ear and shoulder, trying to listen to what my mother is saying on the other side. It's like hearing a voice recording that I keep replaying; I even know every word my mother is saying over there by heart.

"Are you listening to me, sweety?" she asks when I remain silent, merely being a listener.

"Yes, I'm listening. I'll study well here, follow all the rules that Aunt Ana and Rex mention, and avoid bad influences," I reply, trying to repeat all the advice she gave. I feel a bit annoyed; if she's worried about me being influenced negatively in the Western area, why didn't she just let me stay in Indonesia?

I pause for a moment and think. Okay, it's not just that reason that's making me upset. One of the reasons is that I have to leave someone who's very important to me.

"Alright, that's good then. I'll visit you at the end of the month. I really miss you." Really? I'm not sure she misses me. All I know is that she's currently having a great time with her new fiancé in Dubai.

"Mom, I have to get ready. Rex is taking me to sort things out at my new school." I choose to disregard her comment; I don't really care if she's going to visit me or not.

"Okay, have fun and love you," she says. After that, I decide to hang up without responding to her farewell.

I place my phone on top of the suitcase and stare at it, letting out a heavy sigh and trying to accept everything with an open heart because it's the only path I can choose.

I'm Aurely, stranded in New York City at the age of seventeen. I had to move to this city and leave my home country due to my mother's unilateral decision. I was born and raised in Indonesia, where my father Dion came from. He married my mother Alice, who hails from America, specifically New York. When I was young, I used to spend my school holidays visiting New York and meeting my mother's side of the family. It was great for vacations, but not for living permanently. According to me, I don't fit in with Western culture-be it their social interactions, way of life, or even their food, which doesn't suit my taste buds. Doesn't that prove that 99% of Indonesian genes flow in my veins? It's evident in my own body's characteristics: a petite frame, dark black hair, not-so-pale skin, and dark brown eyes. I inherited all of that from my father. I grew up in a small, happy family. However, that came to an end a year ago when my father passed away due to illness. Long story short, I couldn't stay there anymore because my father no longer had immediate family, apart from distant relatives. Staying there was practically impossible for me.

That's why my mother, Alice, decided to move me to her home country. And where is Alice? Of course, she's busy with her soon-to-be husband in Dubai. She decided to marry a Middle Eastern man about two months ago. I've met him a few times; he's a good and pleasant man. However, I find it hard to accept new people around me. So, I chose to stay in New York rather than joining them in Dubai. It would be even more difficult for me, and I'd be all alone there.

Of course not, my mother wouldn't leave me alone. She entrusted me to Anna, her younger sister.

Knock, knock, knock!

"Lia."

That must be Rex, Anna's only child. He's a police officer and is eight years older than me.

"Are you awake?" he shouts again, making me have to get up from my seat and walk to the door.

"I thought you were still asleep," he says, glancing at his wristwatch.

"Well, if Mommy hadn't called me, I might still be sleeping now," I reply, walking back to my bed and plopping onto the soft mattress.

"Hey, what are you doing? Get ready. We're going to check out your new school," Rex protests, folding his arms.

"Rex, I'm still jet-lagged. Can't we take care of everything tomorrow?"

"Lia, you have to start school the day after tomorrow, so now get up and get ready," he says, grabbing my hand and pushing my back into the bathroom, which is connected to my bedroom. He's always acting childishly and pushing me around, even though I just want to relax for today, or at least let me think about what I need to do in my new place.

I descend the stairs while occasionally observing every corner of the room around me. In this large house, it's only Rex who consistently resides here. Aunt Anna is always busy managing her bakery, which isn't far from this residential complex. Her bakery is always bustling with customers because her homemade bread is simply the best. Sometimes, she chooses to stay there if she feels tired of going back and forth between the shop and home. Her husband, Uncle Jo, only comes home once a week as he works in a different city from us.

"Morning, aunty," I greet as I see Aunt Anna preparing bread-her own creations.

"Morning, sweety. Did you sleep well?" she asks while gently patting my cheek.

"Yes, I slept really well," I reply, offering her my best smile. Aunt Anna bears a striking resemblance to my mother, though she's more motherly in her demeanor compared to my actual mother. Aunt Anna knows how to treat a child and knows how to give them attention-a quality that sets her apart from my biological mother. One of the reasons I accepted staying in New York is because of Aunt Anna.

Then my attention is drawn to the delicious aroma coming from the table. Neatly arranged bread decorates this not-too-big dining table. I reckon they've just come out of the oven, judging by the lingering steam around them.

"I'm so sorry, sweety. I haven't had the chance to go grocery shopping for rice. I promise I'll buy it later after coming back from the shop, okay?" Aunt Anna's words immediately make me shake my head. I understand her intention.

"No need, you know I'm not a picky eater. I can survive without rice," I reply with a chuckle, creating a slightly awkward joke that still manages to make Aunt Anna laugh.

"Alright then, go ahead and have your bread. I need to head to the kitchen," she says, pushing my shoulder gently to prompt me to sit on one of the dining chairs.

"Auntie, where's Rex?" I ask, realizing his absence from the dining table.

Aunt Anna stops in her tracks and turns towards me. "He's picking up his car from the repair shop. He might come in a little while," she answers, and I simply nod while biting into a piece of bread with chocolate filling. Ah, Aunt Anna's bread is always my favorite. I hardly notice I've already devoured almost half of the bread she prepared, and my stomach is starting to feel a bit stuffed. I never thought my small stomach could hold so much carbs.

"Sweety, has Rex not arrived yet?" Aunt Anna asks from the kitchen, now holding her bag, and I simply shake my head to answer.

"Where is that boy?" Aunt Anna mutters, her annoyed expression clear as she presses the buttons on her phone. I know she's trying to reach Rex.

"Are you going to the bakery now?" I ask, curious.

"Yes, sweety. I apologize, but I was planning to spend today with you and take you around. Unfortunately, one of my employees called with a little issue at the shop," she explains, her face turning slightly red. I can tell Aunt Anna isn't at ease, especially considering her frustration with Rex, who hasn't shown up yet.

"In that case, can I come along with you?" I ask. It seems like a good idea to me. Instead of being alone at home, I can go with Aunt Anna.

"Are you sure?" she double-checks.

"Of course, consider it as you taking me on a tour, and I can help out there," I offer. She responds with a pleased smile. I know her answer will be yes.

"Alright then," she says, making me do a little jump and rush up to my room to grab my sling bag.

"Bake the bread now!"

"Vin, your dough is too soft."

"Hey, get the buttercream!"

I'm transfixed by the people in front of me. They're bustling in this not-so-big kitchen. Aunt Anna is currently dealing with an order from a customer who suddenly ordered a large quantity of bread. Four employees are helping her in the kitchen, working as if they're being chased by ghosts, their faces flushed with nervousness and the heat of the room.

"Anna, the order for Miss Brenda hasn't been delivered yet!" one of the employees, who seems to be around the same age as Aunt Anna, exclaims.

Aunt Anna stops her movements of making the bread and blinks repeatedly.

"Oh my, I forgot. Can you deliver it?" Aunt Anna asks the woman.

"The customers outside are busy, and I can't leave them with only Jacob attending to them."

Aunt Anna then shifts her gaze to the four employees who are assisting her-they are equally busy.

"Aunty, can I help?" I suggest, feeling a bit guilty just sitting around when they're all overwhelmed.

"No, sweety, just sit and enjoy your snack."

"But, aunty, I'm getting bored. I might not be skilled in the kitchen, but I can at least help you with the delivery," I reply, semi-whining, hoping Aunt Anna will accept my help. Eventually, she sighs and nods her head.

I immediately stand up from my comfortable seat, grab the list of orders, and a note with the customer's address.

Occasionally, I look around and then back at the small piece of paper in my hand, as I pedal my bike with a basket full of bread orders. After wandering around the housing complex for a while, I finally find the customer's address. I hop off my bike and walk towards the entrance of a rather large house. Houses here are so different from those in Indonesia. There are no fences separating the yards from the streets, giving an open feel. Maybe there are a few houses with fences, but those can be counted on one hand. I glance around the spacious garden, hoping to spot the person who ordered the bread.

But just a few steps towards the door, I'm startled by loud barking that makes me jump and sit down.

Shit.

I clutch my backside, which now hurts from the fall. What crazy person keeps a large wolf in a residential complex like this? Don't they think twice about keeping it and letting it roam around like this?

I start panicking as the large wolf in front of me keeps barking and approaching. Okay, I don't know if wolves bark or howl, and I don't know if it's a dog or a wolf or some hybrid, whatever, I disregard that. I instantly grab the fallen bread basket beside me and take out a few pieces of bread as bait.

"Hey, hey, go away. Do you want this bread? Take it, but let me go, okay?" I say, swinging the pieces of bread in front of me. But instead of calming down, the wolf keeps barking louder. Come on, someone get this idiot wolf away from me.

I close my eyes, hoping that when I open them, the wolf will be gone.

"What are you doing?" My brow furrows as I hear a deep voice. Slowly, I open my eyes to see a pair of legs standing right in front of me, forcing me to look up and see a tall man with a wolf sitting next to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asks again, bringing me back to reality. I stand up quickly, brushing off the grass that stuck to my butt and thighs.

"I just wanted to deliver the bread to this address," I reply, staring into his beautiful eyes before glancing at the wolf beside him-same eye color.

"Go away!" he says coldly, making me frown.

"The bread..."

"Go fucking away!" his curse startles me, not just because of the high pitch of his voice, but also the foul language that escapes his bright pink lips. My inner voice slaps me for imagining those sexy lips kissing my cheek-probably feels warm.

"What? No, you have to pay for this bread that got dirty because of your pet wolf," I retort, putting my hands on my hips and raising my chin in defiance.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? Go away," he says again, trying to shoo me off.

"No."

"You'll regret it, bread delivery girl," he hisses, a smirk playing on his lips that makes my body shiver, unsure if it's from fear or his handsome face.

"I've already told you, pay for my bread first," I stand my ground firmly.

"Hey, bread delivery girl-"

"My name is Aurel, not bread delivery girl," I interrupt, feeling uncomfortable with the label.

"Whatever, now leave or I can have my friend here tear you apart," he whispers with a sharp gaze directed at me. Unfortunately, my knees start trembling from fear. I shift my gaze to the wolf next to him, which is also staring at me intently. Why do they look so alike? Both seem to dislike my presence.

"What are you waiting for? Go away," he says again, gritting his teeth.

"Fine, I'm leaving, but take this bread and where's the payment?" I say, pulling my hand forward to hand over the bread basket in my grip. After a moment, he glances at the basket in his hand and then at my outstretched hand.

"Go fucking away!!" he snaps, making me shut my eyes immediately, my heart pounding.

What's wrong with him? Why did he order the bread if he didn't want to pay for it? Does he act like this every time he orders from aunty? Well, I have to tell aunty Anna about this when I get back so she knows not to serve customers like wolves, literally. Okay, that was wrong, just like the owner of this wolf.

"At least don't order bread if you don't have money," I grumble in frustration, and I'm pretty sure he heard that, judging by his annoyed expression.

"Rex, I think you're getting the tastiest meal today. Are you ready, buddy?" he says, ruffling the fur around the wolf's head. Wait, did he just say Rex? He didn't really name the wolf Rex, did he? I squint my eyes at him.

"I'll count to three, and if you're still standing here, Rex is having an early dinner," he threatens, making me even more irritated and certain that the wolf is indeed named Rex. What a jerk.

"I can't."

"Three!" he exclaims, causing me to jump, and without thinking, I sprint towards my bike and quickly hop on.

I glance back at him, still watching me with his blank expression. A moment later, he tosses the bread basket onto his front yard.

Weird guy.

"Lia, wake up." I hear someone faintly knocking or rather pounding on my bedroom door, yelling my name.

"Lia, oh god, what time did you sleep? And what's all this?" My eyes are still half closed, and the voice now sounds distinctly close, full of annoyance. Slowly, I start opening my eyes, looking out the window, only to realize that the moon has given way to the sun.

"Don't you want to be on time for your first day of school?" Rex's voice snaps me out of my drowsy state, and I quickly jerk awake, tossing aside the thick fur blanket wrapped around me and scrambling out of bed.

Oh god, I forgot. It's my first day of school, and here I am tangled up in a thick fur blanket. In haste, I throw off the furry mess that's wrapped around me and immediately get up from my slumber.

Ugh, my body feels like it's been crushed since I slept directly on the furry carpet last night. Yes, my insomnia came back again, and as usual, I'd spent the night reading horror or thriller novels. You can tell from the scattered books with various titles strewn around the carpet. I rush to the bathroom, ignoring Rex's puzzled look.

"How much time do I have, Rex?" I shout from the bathroom, starting to peel off the clothes I wore.

"Thirty minutes, not a second more. I'll be waiting downstairs," Rex yells back. Okay, thirty minutes should be enough for me to get ready.

I yawn several times during the journey to my new school, New York Haigh School (NYHS).

"What time did you sleep last night, hm?" Rex's voice pulls me out of my drowsiness, and I turn to look at him with still very sleepy eyes.

"I don't know, around two or three, maybe," I answer, making Rex click his tongue in annoyance.

"What triggered your insomnia this time?" Rex asks curiously. He's my best cousin, and he knows everything about me, including my sleep issues. My insomnia usually flares up when I'm stressed, and I guess it's because I'm still not used to the transition between New York and Indonesia. The time difference is quite substantial.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just not used to being here yet," I reply vaguely and look around again. Soon enough, our car arrives right in front of NYHS. I get out and put on my backpack, taking in the bustling sight of NYHS students.

Thunk.

I turn around at the sound of a car door closing.

"Why did you get out?" I ask, a bit perplexed, my eyebrows furrowing as I look at Rex.

"Of course, to accompany you, why else?" he answers, walking over to me.

"Come on, Rex, I can manage by myself. I'm not a little kid needing a guardian on the first day of school," I retort, disagreeing with Rex's idea.

"Why not? I'm just making sure you can find your classroom. I'm sure you'd struggle," he replies.

"Rex, I have this," I say a bit irritably, holding up a rolled-up piece of paper containing the NYHS map.

"I doubt you can read a map, Lia."

"But-"

"No objections, now let's go in quickly," he says, pulling my hand which I've already surrendered and following his steps. But wait, Rex isn't leading me towards my classroom. Where is he going? Don't tell me he's the one who's lost now.

"Rex, I think we're going the wrong way."

"No, this is the right way," he replies without looking at me, focusing on reading the sign on the door we're passing.

"But my class should be to the left, Rex."

"We need to go to the counseling room first."

Counseling? What for? I mean, why are we heading there again? Didn't we already go there to sort out my data yesterday? Rex and I went to that office too.

"Why?"

"To make sure of something," he answers and stops in front of the counseling room door. Slowly, he knocks on the door with his right hand, probably because his left hand is still holding mine, which has started to get sweaty. Feeling uncomfortable, I try to release his grip, but he tightens it. What's up with him? I'm not a kid who needs to be guided around.

Shortly after, the door in front of us opens, revealing a beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor. Wait, who's this? As far as I remember, the person who was in the counseling room yesterday was a tall black man.

"Hello," she greets with a charming smile. Well, the smile she's showing is directed at Rex, of course. For a few seconds, I'm caught staring at her lovely smile before shifting my gaze to Rex, who maintains a poker face.

"Please come in," she invites us into the counseling room. Just before that, I catch her gaze shifting to our intertwined hands.

Rex and I sit in front of the woman named Brenda, according to the nameplate on her desk.

"So..."

"She's Aurelya, the one I told you about," Rex interjects, causing Miss Brenda to turn her gaze directly towards me. It's a gaze that's hard to decipher, and even her friendly smile fades from her lips after Rex introduces me. I can only force a stiff smile, sensing an unfamiliar tension in the room. Well, there's an odd tension between them, and even Rex is speaking informally to Miss Brenda. Could it be because they're around the same age? I don't know.

"Hi, Lia. Nice to meet you," she responds with friendliness, her smile returning. But why does she call me Lia? How does she know? Oh, it must be Rex who told her. I bet their relationship goes back long before this.

"Aurel, call me Aurel," I correct her as politely as possible. I just don't want random people to call me by my nickname. Only close people like my family and a few friends in Indonesia can use that. Look, her smile disappears again, and this time she glances at Rex. For a moment, they lock eyes, and I'm wondering if I said something wrong. I clear my throat, trying to ease the somewhat tense atmosphere among the three of us, and that prompts them to break their eye contact.

"Alright, Lia-uh, I mean Aurel. Welcome to NYHS. I assume you've got your class schedule and the extracurriculars you need to follow," she explains, trying to sound professional as the head of counseling at NYHS.

"Yeah, I've received it, and thank you, Miss," I reply.

"If you need anything or whatever it is, you can contact me here," she says, handing me her business card. I glance at it briefly and smile back at her.

"Or if that number is hard to reach, you can ask Rex for my other number. That one is always active and only certain people know about it," she explains, causing me to smile awkwardly again. There's something going on between them, and every word she says makes me feel like I should understand something. Damn it, why did I get caught up in this?

After spending a few minutes in the room that felt suffocating, we finally step out. I won't stay silent; I need to ask Rex something. I tug at Rex's arm and lead him into a hallway with lockers lining both sides.

"So, tell me," I demand, folding my arms in front of my chest, waiting for an explanation.

"What?" he asks with a puzzled expression. I feel like banging my head against the locker behind him.

"Come on, Rex. I know you and Miss Brenda have some kind of history together," I ask impatiently, finally getting through to him.

"She's my ex-girlfriend," Rex answers, which surprises me. Well, he is handsome, very handsome. So why did he let go of someone as beautiful as Miss Brenda?

"And?"

"Nothing. She's just my ex and now the head of counseling at your school. That's all," Rex replies nonchalantly, which doesn't satisfy me.

"And you two still love each other?" I guess randomly, causing Rex to fall silent for a moment as if pondering my words. A few moments later, he exhales roughly and checks the time on his wrist.

"You're late for your class, and I have to leave soon since my afternoon shift is about to start," he changes the topic, stepping closer and kissing the top of my head a bit longer before turning to leave.

"I'm not satisfied with your answer, Rex. I'll ask you about this later when you're back from work," I shout, the echo of my voice resonating in the empty locker hallway. Rex just gives a thumbs-up without looking back and continues walking until he disappears behind a wall.

Oh, shit. I forgot about my first class. I start to take off my backpack and pull out the NYHS map, double-checking the location of my first class.

"I'm ready," I mutter, still staring at the map, observing the various symbols and signs on it. I need to find out where the library and swimming pool area are.

My steps come to a halt as a loud thud reverberates right in front of me. Quickly, I move aside and hide among the lockers, peeking out curiously to see what's going on. My eyes widen as I witness someone brutally hitting another person who's already battered. And there are those contemptuous smirks on the faces of a few others behind him, just watching without any intention of helping. They're probably part of a gang.

My eyes narrow, trying to sharpen my vision, which reveals something that surprises me. It's him-the wolf. Oh, God. Please don't tell me he's a student at NYHS. I hide again as his sharp gaze seems to be directed towards me. Hopefully, he won't see me and will never see me in NYHS. With so many students here, my chances of encountering him are slim, like 0.01 percent. Alright, Aurel, there's nothing to worry about.

I tilt my head slightly, no longer spotting anyone there. Thank goodness.