HYBRID

In another place, not so far from the residence of the Argent Family, a woman seemed busy - going back and forth here and there, hawking various kinds of food that they were going to eat that night.

Erin Cooper. A single mother who has been the backbone of the family since her husband left ten years ago.

Morning to evening she will be busy with all kinds of office work, at night she fulfills her duties as a mother to her twins. Gabriel and Ashton.

At first glance, the small family looks like an ordinary family in general. But in reality they are not from ordinary families.

Erin is the wife of Dennis Cooper - the most respected werewolf in Moonwood City.

Dennis died ten years ago during a dispute between the werewolves clan and the vampire clan, Dennis's death is still a mystery and only a handful of parties know exactly how it happened. Charles Argent one of them. 

Since that day the werewolves Moonwood clan lost their leader, –Ashton and Gabriel whom they hoped to become the next Alpha.

One year ago Ashton has officially become an Alpha. The leader of all the werewolves in Moonwood City.

Erin's worries are getting worse — worried that her two children will have the same fate as her late husband. Both Ashton and Gabriel managed to convince Erin that they could carry out their duties well. 

"Gabriel! Ashton! The food is ready!" shouted Erin from the kitchen.

"Yes, mom. I am coming ...!" said a young man who had just put his two feet on the last step that faced directly into the dining room. 

Erin turned to greet the second child with a smile. 

Gabriel, or just call him Gabe, like most people. The owner of the tiny face looked at his mother, then turned to the dining table which was filled with various kinds of food.

"What's the matter? Why is there so much food? Just dinner as usual, right?" Gabe asked, one eyebrow raised as his eyes caught the presence of a chocolate cake with several candles burning on it.

He also brought his leg to the dining table, then sat beside his mother while looking at the chocolate cake. His chocolate bead explored each letter neatly written on the cake. Happy sweet 18th, Gabriel and Ashton. That sentence was written on the cake.

"Looks like I have to blow out these candles now," Gabe said without looking at his mother's face.

The woman swept her gaze across the corner of the room, looking for another figure who had not yet joined in their midst.

"Where, Ash?" Erin is curious about Ashton's whereabouts. Gabe leaned over Erin.

"He's out with Archie. They want to check out the newcomers who occupy Mitchell Hills." Gabe explained. 

And ... PYUHHH!

Gabe blew out the candles without asking. Erin's eyes gasped in surprise when she found the candles extinguished in one blow.

Gabe chuckled softly at the rare sight. "Never mind. Let's just start dinner." he said. "Besides, Ash wouldn't care about things like this. As usual." continued Gabe calmly.

"But Ash must be grinning when he blows out the candles with you, Gabe." snapped Erin.

"All right. I'll light the candle back, ma'am." Gabe sighed in resignation.

He immediately pulled a lighter from in front of Erin, split the flame among the eighteen candles. "It is done, right?" added Gabe.

PYUHHH!

But Gabe was acting up again. The candles went out again in one blow. Erin was annoyed at the annoying behavior of her son.

"Oh, honey! Come on!" Erin protested.

"We'll turn it on when Ash is really home, mom." he replied accompanied by a small twitch at the end of his sentence.

"That is, if he doesn't come home past midnight." he continued.

Gabe smiled a little to find Erin who was still bending her face on the other side. "Excuse me. Are you Mrs. Cooper?" Gabe asked. 

Gabe shook his head with a chuckle. Want to tease the mother back.

"Ah, I don't think so. Mrs. Cooper has never bent her face like this." Gabe continued as he gently stroked Erin's hand.

"Excuse me, miss? Where are you hiding my beautiful mother?" Gabe teased as he glanced over his pair of round blinds as he managed to catch Erin's attention.

In the next split second, Erin smiled a sweet smile when her nethermen managed to catch the same smile from her son who was sitting at the same table with her.

"All right. Let's eat now! The soup is almost cold." exclaimed Erin as she placed the spoon in Gabe's bowl.

"Do not forget to pray." She continued. 

***

As Gabe said earlier, Ash and Archie went to Mitchell Hills. A classic style mansion that from today has been occupied by its new owner, the Argent family. 

Ash and Archie scanned all parts of the mansion from a distance. Not too far, but close enough from their reach. Archie's sense of smell sniffed out a distinctive scent that no other werewolves, apart from Alpha, could pick up.

"Tsk! This smell ..." muttered Archie.

Whether he realized it or not, his words sounded quite loud, unlike normal murmurs. The sentence succeeded in making Ash turn all his attention to Archie who was busy rubbing the tip of his nose.

Ash looked at Archie with his eagle eyes sharpened. "There are other creatures besides vampires, right?" asked Ash without hesitation.

Ah no. Ash wasn't asking. More precisely, he wanted to try to get rid of his curiosity about Archie. That question is just an inducement.

Since they arrived in Mitchell Hills, Ash saw a lot of strange signs that his friend showed. And now, he's trying to make sure something is bothering him quite a bit with Archie's weird behavior. 

Archie gave a faint nod in response. Unconsciously he was pulling the bait that Ash threw at him, then said, "Human ... And ... Human Hyb-" Archie immediately closed his mouth after realizing that he had swallowed the small bait Ash had given him.

Bingo!

Ash smiled with satisfaction when he got what he wanted. Archie did have something to hide from him.

"Only the Vampire, Alpha, and Hybrid itself can smell the existence of other Hybrids." Ash explained at length.

Ash tilted his head slightly to the left, staring at Archie's bright yellow bead that looked different from his when he was about to or was transforming into his werewolves form. "Tell the truth. Who turned you into a Hybrid, Archie?" demanded Ash.