Aline's Choice

-Aline- Under the cover of the trees that mark the perimeter of Golden Gate Park's Polo Fields, I watch the pack converge over Talu’s broken body. I’m too far away and I can't make out her face, but I know among them is Mei, the girl who has a thing for that vampire who says he’s not out to suck people’s blood. I grimace with disgust, knowing Talu believes she’s his soulmate. I despise the word soulmate and hope I never find mine. The sound of Mei’s weeping carries on the night wind, touching my sensitive ear. It is the sound of ultimate heartbreak and I wonder at that. My own shattered heart unwittingly reaches out to the girl as she climbs into the truck to hold an unconscious Talu. I wonder absently why Mei isn’t following our mortal enemies to their hideaway near the cliffs overlooking the ocean, leaving us to lick our wounds. God, Talu must be in terrible shape if Mei isn’t following her vampire lover home. She should be with him and his merry band of bloodsuckers gloating abou

-Aline-I avoided taking my werewolf form for almost two and a half weeks because I don't want the guys to read my mind. Fortunately, the next full moon that will compel the pack back to the polo fields won’t happen for another week. Also, I’m learning to manage my anger so I don’t unexpectedly shift. I just haven’t figured out how to shield my thoughts from the pack when I am in wolf form. I desperately want my moment of weakness with Jian to stay a secret. He's probably unintentionally revealed it to everyone by now, though. The thought of that rankles. I'm hoping the guys won't believe I had a breakdown. Instead, I hope they discard Jian's thoughts to the pile of his other wannabe hero fantasies where I star as the damsel-in-distress.As if, I snort to myself.I'm lying on my back, on my queen-sized bed. My thumb repeatedly slides against the smartphone’s screen as I absorb the good news that Will, my brother, just deliv

-Aline- Somewhere between Jian's place and mine, I decided that if I have to live the life of a wolf, I will not run around like a shaggy dog. So, I took a quick detour to my new, as of today, very talented hairdresser. To her surprise and admittedly mine, I marched right into the salon with my waist-length, straight black hair to demand she just cut it all off. She left me with just-barely-touching-my-shoulder-length hair. With the bulky weight of my mane on the salon floor, I feel a lighter load on my shoulders. I roll down the driver-side window, wondering why I hadn't just cut it off months ago. My lips scrunch, knowing full well why I hadn't cut it. Lance liked my hair long. I tried to preserve other things, too, I realize, hoping he'd come back to me. The hope died in August on the night of the full moon. Compelled to rush outside, I followed the internal call to go to the polo fields. I phased when I stepped under the closest grove of trees in the Presidio. Even though it wa

-Aline- Mei smiles at the sound of her name falling from my lips, deciding it is an invitation to sit across the table from me. "So, are you with him?" My overwhelming curiosity outstrips my need to ignore her presence. "Talu, I mean?" "Yes, I am," she says. A wide smile splays across her face. I throw up a little in my mouth. "Are you sure? I thought vampire guy, Chasewhatever, was your one and only?" I marvel at her ability to go from her one true love to the recovering werewolf in the next room. The lemonade I gulp to hide my disgust is a tad too sweet. I cough a little. "I’m sure. It's Talu for me. I loved Chase, but..." Mei’s voice trails. I take pity on her. "Let me guess. The leech, this Chasewhatever, shattered the love you had for him when he dumped you for no good reason. The bloodsucker wants you again, but you can’t go back to him. You’ve filled your empty spaces with my wolfy pal?" "Sort of." Mei lets out

-Aline- His T-shirt is soft against my thighs. Fascinated, I study the dark, rugged vision of him, still blocking the sun's fading rays. If his fidgety stance and inability to rest his eyes on my face is any sign, Jian is as shocked by my flirtation as I am. His eyes slide away, refusing to meet mine. Instead, his gaze skims the length of my legs. My heart thunders at his unadulterated perusal. The crashing waves mask the sound of the rapid heartbeat pounding in my ears. While his shout off the cliff was not as masculine as he would have liked, Jian seems to think manly thoughts now. His stance, hands shoved deep into his pockets, hides the evidence of his desire within his dripping shorts. My lips twitch, wanting to curl into a smile. I am pleased by his reaction to the sight of me. For just a moment, I shut my eyes, seeking some privacy to consider what exactly the hell it is I am doing. "Is that an invitation for me to manhandle you?"