Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Al watched me closely, and he started to laugh. "Angel, don't be too concerned about it. I will never harm or kill you. After all, you are my girl. But I'm afraid I can't make the same commitment to your parents. If I were you, I'd be a good girl, so they might survive the night. And the first step to that is by accepting this." He handed me the necklace again. "I want you to wear it." He commanded and placed the chain on my open palm. His brow furrowed when I didn't attempt to wear it.

I closed my hands over the stupid necklace and clasped the chain around my neck. The smiley face emoji charm felt cold as it touched my bare skin. I hate it. Especially its mocking smile. He was doing this on purpose.

"Looks good on you. If only you could smile, though, which you couldn't. This charm should do the trick." Then he threw his head back and laughed again.

"Becca, are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's just a scratch, though. Can you get me a band-aid or something to stop the bleeding?"

I heard the conversation in the kitchen, and I am guessing Prick did too since he started sniffing the air then lick his lips. "Mmm. Something smells delicious." Blood. He smells blood. His eyes flared red, and he rushed forward at an incredible speed.

"Don't you dare!!" I ran after him. I fear what he might do to my mother and father if I can’t stop him.

When I didn't see him enter the kitchen, all my anxieties were washed away. Instead, he collapsed on the couch and gazed longingly at my freshly baked cookies on the coffee table.

"My favorite!" He declared and shamefully took pieces from the plate and started eating them.

What? I wondered.

Confused, I slowly made my way to the couch without taking my eyes off of him. Prick saw me looking and motioned for me to sit beside him. When I didn't comply, he broke a cookie in two and raised an eyebrow at me as a warning.

I don't even need to hear the message from him to know that it was a threat.

I slid in beside him, and he took another cookie and offered it to me."Cookie?" He offered.

"I baked those cookies. I should be the one who has the right to offer them to you." I frowned.

His eyes sparkled with unshed tears at my statement. "You bake these for me? Aw, babe, you shouldn't have!"

"I didn't bake them for you. Give me that!" I reached out and tried to take the cookies from the delusional stalker in front of me.

He moved the cookies out of my reach and snapped at my fingers with his fangs. I gasped and drew my fingers back as he grinned at me in amusement. He took a cookie from the plate. "You want?"

"Give them back!"

“Okay.” He licked the cookie that he was holding before offering it to me.

Ugh!

"Never mind." I know better than to argue with a weirdo.

I looked back at the kitchen to see if mom and dad were near enough to hear us. I looked back at him and lowered my voice. "What are you doing here anyway? Isn't it enough that you stalk me day and night?"

Prick shrugged as he ate another cookie. "I wanna get closer to you. What way than to introduce myself to your parents?"

"Liar. You just want a way in."

"Busted." He threw his head back and laughed before eating another piece of cookie again.

"Get out of here," I said and then remembered that I had to be nice to him as possible. "Please." I added

Prick played with another cookie and started picking out the chocolate chips before popping them into his mouth. "Nope." He said in a mouthful before swallowing. "But since you said please, then I will spare your parents for the night. I am still staying for dinner, though. My wolf smells something delicious. I'll be a good boy, I promise.” He winked before shifting in his seat to address me adequately. “By the way, I like your makeup. It makes you look more like a kitty." Then he burst out laughing and even made a hissing sound like a cat as he choked.

"Kids, dinner is ready. Gabby, lead Aelfric to the dining area and get him a plate." My mother ordered from the kitchen.

Prick chuckled. "I like your folks. They remember my name, unlike a certain someone I know."

"Gee, who could that be." I rolled my eyes and got off the couch. Prick followed me to the dining area.

I returned to the cabinet to retrieve an additional dish for the unwelcome guest when my dad grabbed the plate and assigned Prick to sit between him and my mom and opposite me. I was supposed to keep him close to me during dinner to ensure he didn't injure my parents, but I guess that would be difficult to do now.

Well, at least I can still keep a close eye on him.

We all sat down and readied ourselves for a before-meal prayer. Usually I would keep my eyes closed during a blessing, but I was too busy watching Prick to focus.

Please don't let him kill us. Please don't let him kill us. Please don't let him kill us.

The prayer ended, and we started to have our meal. It turned out to be lively as my mother and father threw questions at him as we ate.

"So, where did you and my daughter met?" Father asked.

"Oh, it was just in a random alley." He said and met my eyes and winked. "You see, I was having a bad day. My folks always fight every night that it was hard for me to bear." He said. "So there I was, sitting alone in the alley drinking a bottle of beer when your daughter came by. Our gazes met. She smiled. I fell in love. The end."

Well, that story sucks! And he changed it! Men were ganging up on him!

At the end of Al's story, my parents exchanged surprise looks at each other. "She smiled?!" They asked at the same time.

"Yeah," Al said.

"And you didn't......find it...weird?"

"Or scary?" Added my mother.

Al grinned at them both. "Nope."

At this, my parents gave me a look before looking back at Al. "You're perfect."

"Wonderful!"

"We approve of you dating our daughter."

"Mom! Dad!" I yelled. My parents looked at me. They were confused why I was so against it. I averted my gaze from them and glared at Al, who was making kissy faces at me when my parents weren't looking.

This is all his fault! He probably brainwashed my parents already.

"Honey, he saw you smile and didn't run away like a scared wolf." At the wolf reference, Al almost choked on his food. "No guy has ever seen you smile and not run miles away from you."

"But-" Before I could even finish talking, their attention was back to Al as they talked more about our meeting.

I grew frustrated and stared at my untouched food. Two can play this game. I set my spoon and fork down and started eating with my hands, making sure that I looked as gross as possible.

"Gabby!" My mother screamed, horrified at my behavior. "Use your spoon and fork!"

"Wharf?" I asked in a mouthful sending bits and pieces of food flying around.

"Gabriella." My father said warningly.

Although I was scared of the tone in my father's voice as he said my name, I continued to carry out my plan into threatening Al. I chewed loudly and swallowed my food. "You want me to date a guy. I'm just giving him a favor by showing him what I really look like." With that, I looked at Al and raised a brow at him.

I am well aware that my dress was already a mess, and my mouth was covered in sauce and bits of mashed potatoes.

By now, Al was the center of our attention. My parents looked nervous as they studied him – like seriously! What did they saw in him that they approve of him so much!? Sure he's hot, but he's a psycho and a creep!

The reaction that Al gave me was unexpected. He looked amused at my look that he chuckled. "I like a woman with a big appetite."

While my parents let out a sigh, I dropped the ribs I was picking on back on the plate. I was highly disappointed with my plan. In my anger, I threw the rib bone at him. It hit his forehead, leaving a smear of sauce on it before it dropped to his plate.

"Ow." He said without any emotion at all. I doubt it even hurt him.

"Gabriella!" Both my parents screamed at me.

"There was a fly on his forehead. I just killed it." I said.

At this, Al placed a hand to his heart, looking so touched that he almost cried. "You killed a fly for me?"

It makes me really mad that he looked dreamy-eyed. "Yeah. I killed the fly before it could have a taste of your bad blood. I saved it from you."

"I have never been so jealous of a fly before." He sounded sad about it and even had to nerve to put on a pouting look. Both of my parents gave me a disapproving look just then.

"First rule about having someone courting you: don't make him jealous." Said, my mom.

"Are you kidding me right now, mom? It's a fly!" I was getting frustrated now.

"Actually, it's a real rule." My father said and gave Al a sympathetic look.

"You better apologize to him, young lady." My mother said.

"It's a fly!" I said again with more attitude than I would typically use. "Why do I have to apologize for that?"

"Just because." My father added.

I could feel my head fuming in anger. Not at my parents but at Al, who was giving me a mocking look right now. He’s using his charms on my parents and whatever vampire-werewolf voodoo he has. I mean, he has to have some kind of power over them for my parents to act this way, right?

That or my parents really wanted me to have a normal life and date someone.

My face heated up in anger as I glared at Al. "No," I said.

"Well, then." Al started to say as he wiped his lips carefully with a table napkin before setting it back on the table. "I think I might have overstayed my welcome." He said and started to get up.

Well, it's about time!

"Are you sure? There are still plenty of ribs left." My father offered.

"Nah, it's alright. I've eaten plenty. As of now, I have to leave. I still need to think of a way to court your daughter properly." My parents seemed pleased to hear that while my fingers were just itching to pull out all of my hair in frustration.

"You know you are always welcome, Aelfric. Please do come again soon." My mom said.

"Or not," I muttered.

Al looked right at me. He smiled and angled his face enough for me to see his fangs. "I will." He said. "See you soon, Gabriella." He shamelessly winked at me in front of my parents. I looked at my parents, expected them to dislike Al then and there for openly winking at me. But my father just laughed while my mother swooned.

He's driving me crazy!

Al seemed amused by my look that he was laughing all the way out of our house, escorted by my father, of course.

"I'll be in my room," I said as soon as my father came back. I didn't wait for their reply as I made my way upstairs. I quickly headed for the bathroom to wash off and clean my face from the makeup and the rib sauce.

I took a cold shower to cool myself off because that pesky hybrid really did a number on my mood. Dinner had drained all of my energy for the day. Not to mention that I was scared and nervous as hell that he would do something such as murder us all when we least expected it.

I started to rub my neck when my fingers suddenly brushed the necklace chain that Al gave me. I held the charm in my hands and stared at the smiley face emoji charm. My mood suddenly went a complete 180, and I was fuming with anger again. I grasped the charm and pulled the necklace off of my neck. The chain broke, and I threw it somewhere in my room.

I turned off the light before heading for my bed, closed my eyes, and fell into sleep. I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up to a soft tap on glass. The sky was pretty dark out now, and I saw pebbles thrown at my window that were causing the sound.

"Al," I growled and turned around from my bed and away from my window. Somehow the sound became more audible, and I have a sickening feeling that the pebbles that he's throwing are getting bigger and bigger.

Just ignore it, Gabriella. Ignore it and go to sleep. Dream, Gabby. Dream of rainbow and unicorns.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Dream of unicorns, Gabby. Unicorn and cute leprechauns.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Dream of fecking unicorn-puking-rainbows! Damn it!

Just as I convinced myself that sleep was coming, there came a loud crashing sound that made me jump off of my bed with a gasp. I looked back at my window to see that it shattered and a huge rock was resting at my window seat. I growled, put on some slipper, and ran for the window, threw it open, and screamed.

"AL!"

From down below, Al stumbled on his feet and almost tripped as he ran away from me, looking genuinely scared. "I was trying to be romantic!!!" He screamed as he ran away far from our house as possible.

I looked at the mess in my window. The left side was still intact, but the right side was a complete mess. Great! First my vanity mirror, and now this!

I am going to make him pay for those damages.

☺☺☺☻☻Meanwhile☻☺☺☺

A boy sat in front of his father's desk. He tapped his fingers impatiently as he waited for his father to arrive. He has no idea why his father called him here all the way from New York, but one thing is for sure.

He won't like it.

Not when he still has some football training to do and their upcoming game in two months. He's the captain, to goodness sake! He needs to train his stubborn and butt lazy team!

The office door opened, and his father, the Alpha of the pack, finally showed up. He walked in casually and sat in front of his desk, and addressed the boy in front of him. "Tyrelle." The Alpha address the boy with messy auburn air and silver eyes. His nose was long and perfect; his jawline was sharp and strong like his father’s, thin lips inherited from his mother, and sculpted and robust body from working out and playing football.

"What is it, dad? You know how busy I am this week." Tyrelle told his father.

"I know." His father replied. "But something came up that you need to be here as soon as possible. My boy, we have found a perfect mate for you."

Trylle threw his head back and groaned. "Father, not this again. We have discussed this. I will pick my mate in time, but not now. I want a normal life before I take the position of Alpha. That is the sole reason why I went to New York!"

"But this is different, Tyrelle. The girl that we found is perfect for you. She scared off a handful of our men with just a smile! Also, a hybrid seemed to have taken a liking for her. Surely she's something special."

"Then let the hybrid take her!" Tyrelle said with a wave of his hand and added, "And what is a hybrid doing here anyway? Where did he come from?"

"A trespasser. No one knows where he comes from or why he's here."

"Nevermind." He muttered and looked at his father and said. "I do not want anything to do with this girl you are talking about."

The Alpha frowned at his son. "Tyrelle, do not be selfish. I am not only doing this for your good. I am also doing this for the sake of our pack. The girl has influence and can help you lead in the future."

"I will not!"

"You don't have a choice." The Alpha carefully brought his hands down on his desk. "I have already arranged your transfer to the school here in Oldridge."

Tyrelle jumped up from his seat and slammed his palm on his father's desk."You cannot do that!" He growled. "I am the captain of the football team. We have a game in two months. I have to train them! This is my life, father!"

"I'm sorry, Tyrelle, but the pack comes first. You can go back to New York once you have taken the girl’s heart. And I don't mean it literally."

"Ridiculous." Tyrelle's eyes shifted, a sign that he was about to lose himself to his wolf.

"Stand down, Tyrelle! I may be your father, but I am still the Alpha!! That is my condition to send you back to New York. The longer you stay here and argue, the longer you are prolonging your stay."

Deep breaths. In and out. Tyrelle told himself, and he started to calm down slowly.

His father is right. The longer he stays here and argues, the longer he can't get back to his old life. He only needs to make the girl fall for him to get back to New York. It doesn't seem hard. Girls fall for him all the time to know how their heart works.

He never actually tried dating anyone, but how hard can relationships be?

Also, he is expecting that the girl will be an easy target since he is already a prize, to begin with.

One time during Valentine’s day, he was in his locker room alone, girls ambushed him and showered him with flowers and chocolates –he was only wearing a towel at the time. He smelled their hormones as they eyed him carefully and attacked. He would have been mated then and there if it weren't for his werewolf strength and speed to push them all back.

The only problem that he heard about this girl is that a hybrid has taken a liking to her. Very well then. He likes a challenge.

"Alright," Tyrelle said. "All I have to do is make her fall for me?"

"That's it."

"What's her name?"

"Gabriella-"

"Got it!" Tyrelle hurriedly left his father's office in his haste to go to his room and prepare a plan on how to approach this Gabriella girl.

Gabriella the Killer smile. He'll find her, and he will make her fall for him no matter what.

As Tyrelle left his office, the Alpha blinked. "I haven't even told him her full name yet. Much less give him a picture of what she looks like." He mumbled. "Oh well," He shrugged and leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes. "Let's just see how this plays out in the end."