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25. Could It Be?
-Aline-
~ ✿ ~ ✿ ~ ✿ ~
The last time I wrote a letter by hand was in middle school while practicing friendly letter format. We had pen pals from a school in Shanghai, San Francisco's sister city. How different those letters about the latest pop stars and dance moves are from the one I wrote to Jian last night. I can recall every tortured phrase and every nervous thought that occurred to me as I penned my first handwritten letter in over a decade...
Hey, EnviroGuy!
Have you imprinted yet? You know, you'd make my life a whole hell of a lot easier if you just did already. You must tell me when you do. Put me out of my misery. It’s the least you can do. Ha.
Sorry, I know. It is so totally wrong of me to point at the gigantic taboo thing between us. Utterly inappropriate. But perfect
Kaugnay na kabanata
Aline's Choice 26. It Happens To She-Wolves, Too?
-Aline- "Aline are you, OK?" Mei nudges her elbow into my side. I nod, still staring at the mysterious, green-eyed blond standing in the driveway. It is impossible to tear my gaze from his. He appears equally unable to move and just as shell-shocked. Another figure emerges from the back of the moving van. This one is tall, nearly as tall as I am, with a similar lithe, lean, muscular build. Her hair is shampoo commercial-worthy. It bounces lightly, golden blonde, streaked with highlights, cascading past her shoulders in an abundance of waves. Her eyes are as gemstone green as his. There is something ethereal about her. With the face of an angel, she looks exactly like the mystery man, except her features are distinctly feminine and gorgeous. While his look is one of quiet strength, she wears a more lethal, feline smile. Every horrifying thing I've been through since turning into a werewolf failed to prepare me for this heart-p
Aline's Choice 27. The Trouble With Twins
-Aline- Again, I steal a glance at the blond guy with green eyes. The pain in my head recedes. With just one look at him, the peace and tranquility I strive for in yoga are finally mine. I watch the gorgeous blonde woman next to him place a hand on his forearm and the stupor I've been in since setting eyes on his face disappears. Our connection severs, giving me some painless breathing room. I feel lighter, as though relieved of a heavy burden. A quick internal scan reveals a distinct absence of the familiar and oddly comforting pain that I nurture over Lance and Kylie’s pairing. It's gone. GONE! Incredulous, I shake my head as if trying to dislodge any loose memories of Lance. No random guy, a stranger, should have this kind of power over me! This is just wrong. I need that pain. It's been a grounding companion since Lance and Kylie's betrayal. It would have to be through some freaky thing, like a possible im
Aline's Choice 28. Ignorance is Bliss
-Jian- The months since Labor Day pass quickly thanks to the intense work training to prepare me for the Florida trip in ten days. This along with my heavy college course load, and I can barely remember October, as November fades into memory. The training is more strenuous than anyone expected, but it's fun and I'm making new friends all up and down the West Coast. Before I know it, it is early December. A spate of smash and grab robberies greets downtown San Francisco’s tentative return to retail sales. The pack volunteers with Chinatown’s community safety patrols. Aline’s mom buys us dumplings and char sui baos to thank us for taking extra care to check on her at the boutique. The most intrepid store owners stock all the trimmings to make Christmas especially happy and bright. I know this because Lance just dragged me into the nearest tuxedo shop to get fitted in a penguin suit for his wedding next month. I snort at the memory of h
Aline's Choice 29. A Funny Feeling
My finals are done, and I'm just waiting for Mei to finish her semester. She is such the nerd. I tease her even though I know studying is her coping mechanism against homesickness. At least don't have that problem — if you don't count Jian, who's written me 15 real letters, countless emails, and our rare video calls when our busy schedules coincide.Yeah, right, not a long-distance relationship.I file away each letter, every email, each Hey There, Sweetpea. Every so often, I read through our conversations to remind me of him and keep him forefront in my mind. I can't wait to see Jian again and I unfairly resent him for being chosen to go to Florida this holiday break. Regardless, at least just thinking of him makes me forget Stefan, who I, thankfully, hadn't seen since spying him through the front window months ago. Thoughts of Jian help me remember who I am, the person I want to be, and reinforce my refusal to be fate's puppet.On the first day I met Fel
Aline's Choice 30. Lions And Tigers and Bears... Oh My!
-Stefan- It is early December and after three months of near sleeplessness, my dreams no longer feature the almond-eyed woman in Syracuse. Learning that distance and time dull the immense strength of this thrall brings me some relief. Her image framed in the picture window embedded itself in my head. I can’t forget her face, even though I tried. Not a moment passes without a thought of her. It curdles my blood to imagine the potential power she could wield over me. Felicia tells me the woman’s name is Aline. More important is her absolute refusal to acknowledge the connection she has to me. I stayed for three days in September to help my sister move into her new space. Three intolerable days knowing my thrall lay just beyond the wall, made of mere wood and plaster. I spent a lot of time in the woods to avoid Aline. I kept out of sight, hunting, and doing what I needed to do to keep my promise to my twin. Felicia, meanwhile, gathered intel, attempting to befriend the two women livi
Aline's Choice 31. Others
-Aline- The feeling of raw terror I felt of being watched - stalked- in the woods has me trembling as I make my way to Mei’s room. I enter just in time to witness the happy couple engaged in one of their lovelorn video chats. Talu’s on-screen with his guitar, insert eye roll here, and Mei’s making cow eyes at him as he serenades her. It is a vomit-inducing scene, especially for someone as love-deprived as me. But this isn't the reason I elbow Mei away from the screen and move to take her place. I stare into the camera, holding onto Talu’s glare with one of my own a little longer than normal. He seems to catch on to my unspoken message: Contact me later. For good measure, I snarl into the camera and make my own gruff goodbye. I hit the end call button before Mei can get back on. She shouts at me, with her hands on her hips, but I don’t hear her. I am simply relieved she blocks the door since it’s my only way out. "And to think I was going to warn you about Stefan being back to visit
Aline's Choice 32. Unexpected Heat
-Aline-If I were normal, he would have knocked the breath out of me.Instead, the ferocity of his desire inflames mine for him. My inability to give or refuse consent ignites my anger. I still hate him, I still hate this. But I can't seem to stop myself. This is not what I imagined imprinting would feel like. God, please don't let this be an imprint. If it is, this is exactly what Jian described imprinting to be. Lust, plain and simple.Desperately, I reach out for memories of Jian, but the nearness of Stefan and his freakish ability is to wipe my mind clear, neutralize my obstinate efforts to steel myself against this nightmarish obsession for him. I want to sob.A smoldering hunger sets his eyes ablaze, but to my surprise, he pulls away in what I can only guess is shock at discovering my mind’s unmitigated refusal of him and his advances. I glimpse despair in the verdant depths of his gaze.This unexpected confusion and empathy for my plight have him recoiling. When he pulls away,
Aline's Choice 33. Secrets
-Talu- For the first time since Aline answered the phone, I truly listen to her. She sounds... scared. The vibe I'm getting off of her is definitely fear. Aline is not afraid of anything and knowing this makes my hot blood run cold. I called ready for a fight, ready to yell at her for interrupting my time with Mei, but find myself truly concerned for my... friend? Weird. I process the labeling of our relationship at lightning speed. In this space of time, I hear Aline’s muffled, pained mewling, trying to hide her crying from me. On a sigh, I decide, yes, she's my friend. "Aline, hey, girlie-wolf, what's wrong?" My tone is unusually gentle with her, using my regular taunt as an endearment tonight. The unfamiliarity of my kindness toward her seems to unravel Aline’s already tenuous control over her distress. "The girl next door, she... she pulled my hair and threw me out of the house." The whining little girl voice Aline adopts sets my teeth on edge. She's losing it, I think. Th
Pinakabagong kabanata
- Aline's Choice 52. Chocolates Do Not Suck
- Aline's Choice 51. No Backing Down
- Aline's Choice 50. Of Curses and Legends
- Aline's Choice 49. Werewolf Puberty
- Aline's Choice 48. Lessons On Love
- Aline's Choice 47. Something to Consider
- Aline's Choice 46. The Other Guy
- Aline's Choice 45. Mother Knows Best
- Aline's Choice 44. Unexpected Comfort
