All Chapters of Aline's Choice: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

52 Chapters

21. Touching Love

-Jian- Aline groans softly and shifts in my arms, drawing my attention back to her. I long to wash the cigarette smoke from her hair and cleanse the stench of alcohol from her breath. Smell. It occurs to me I can use my super olfactory sense to figure out which room is hers. I tilt up my nose, sniffing. The familiar, maddening scent of her perfume emanates most strongly from the room at the end of the upstairs hallway. I carry her to the bedroom, which houses flowers, delicate accessories, and fabrics, all in eye-pleasing rosy hues. It pleases me that there’s a lack of fussy ruffles and lace. Had there been even a hint of girlie-girl stuff, I would have been duty-bound to rib her about it once she was sober enough to appreciate my efforts. The classy, straight, modern lines of her surroundings strike me most. The dichotomy of her personal space with the tough person she presents to the world reveals how Aline’s pack life is not one of

Last Updated : 2022-03-31

22. The Next Morning

-Aline- There is a mind-numbingly bright light coursing through my window. It's the Richmond District in San Francisco for chrissakes. It should never be this sunny here! A very annoying someone is bellowing, but I can't understand the words. Oh, for fu—... Ugh! My head! I clamp my hands to my ears, trying to shut her out. "Stop yelling," I croak. "Geezus, stop yelling." Lord, even the sound of my voice hammers in my head. An ear-splitting ringing adds to my suffering. Please, please make it stop! I promise to be good. I promise never to think evil thoughts, or spout rude and crude things to seek revenge on any man ever, ever, again. Just make the pain go away! Just. Make. It. Go. Away. I wait a moment, hoping for an answer to my prayers. It hurts all over, making me groan. There is no god! The inside of my mouth is so dry, I wonder if I swallowed my entire stash of cotton balls. I am desperate for something to quench

Last Updated : 2022-04-01

23. Letting Go

-Asena Cai (Jian's mom)- A Glimpse Outside From my kitchen window, I watch my son outside with the girl, Aline. He's found her at last. There is a stubborn set to her jaw and a fearless up tilt to her chin as she stares Jian down from her shorter stance. Her loud complaints about finding him packing make me smile. Seems she's got a bit of a mouth. Good. By the looks of her and the glimpse I caught of her future before I paused my powers, she needs this fighting spirit in spades if she wants her happy ending. Pursing my lips and staring at my dishpan hands, I avoid examining how I feel about my son's life entangling with hers. The soapy suds of the dishwater cling to my skin as I wash a barely dirtied pot and consider at the couple. I know what Jian is. In fact, I know what they both are. He thinks he's protecting me by keeping his werewolf self a sec

Last Updated : 2022-04-04

24. Hey There, Sweetpea

-Aline-Labor Day Weekend | Talu’s first time visiting Mei in upstate New York... ~ ✿ ~ ✿ ~ ✿ ~ My finger breaks the seal and glides under the envelope flap. A faint smile touches my lips, knowing who the letter is from. Hey there, Sweetpea. Greetings from Washington! I hope you've finally settled into your new place out in Syracuse. I sent this with Talu, because I didn't know where else to send it. So, hopefully you get it before he locks himself away with Mei for the weekend. The last line makes me laugh since those two are doing a whole lot of nothing. I left them alone after our dinner with some of Mei’s classmates, thinking I'd spare myself of the — ahem — noise. But it turns out I made myself scarce for nothing. A very frustrated Talu met me at home. He thrust a letter and a package at me before headi

Last Updated : 2022-04-07

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

Last Updated : 2022-04-11

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

Last Updated : 2022-04-13

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

Last Updated : 2022-04-18

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

Last Updated : 2022-04-21

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

Last Updated : 2022-04-25

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

Last Updated : 2022-04-29

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