Chapter 1: The Memory

Emily Chloros' POV

I remembered it very well when my parents were being devoured by the mad foxes. Yeah, you heard me right, foxes. But not just any type of foxes that you find cute or anything. No, it was much more worst.

Do you what kind of foxes would devour a complete human being without having any remorse? A fox shifter. That's who. And I have been witnessing the whole thing when I was hiding under the table. It was a Saturday night in which our family was having a normal dinner.

But something happened when someone was knocking on the door of our kitchen door. I was 12 years old at the time and I was obvious to the whole thing until my mother told me to go to my room when she left with my father to check who it was.

But, being the stubborn child that I was, I was sitting alone under the table as I heard the heavy footsteps that came into the house. I was listening to the newcomers before they settling.

"Well, Mr. Chloros," the man spoke in French, "I see that you were having a very good time with your family right now. And here I thought you don't have what I wanted," he said as he was looking at my father.

My father was protecting my mum when they were backing up from the door. I can hear that my chest was beating so hard that I saw a small shadow behind the table. I don't want to move as I was invisible here right now. The shadow stopped in front of the table. I was closing my mouth with my hands to stop any noise.

"You know my son, Jay. I hope that you will not be surprised if I say that he was looking for something, or rather someone in this house. I mean, you don't have my money, so other payment will be…" the man was trailing before I can hear anything else.

"Well, Jay? Do you got anything?" The man that asked his son as the shadow was moving at the table. I think it was the shadow that was his son. God, why I have to be here right now? Why I don't just run to my room when I supposed to?

"Nothing's here, Papa," the sweet voice of the young boy was coming into my mind. Suddenly, I felt safe with him. I don't know why. His father grunted.

"Pity, I would have loved it if your daughter would join us right now and we can take her away from your precious hands," the man said before my father was on his knees.

"Please, I beg you. Spare my child. Please just take whatever you want,'' my father begged as he was looking at the man. I was seeing their shadows before the bad man was smirking at them.

"Anything?" He asked before he was looking at my father and mother.

"Please, just let my daughter go," my father said as I was sobbing silently. The small shadow was moving closer to the table as I was trying not to make a sound. I think it was not a good idea to cry when you can hear everything that your parents are sacrificing right now.

"Well, in that case…" the bad man said before he snapped his fingers. I saw two big foxes that were like the size of werewolves were showing up at the door. My parents were being devoured as the canines sank their teeth into their skin.

I was holding my tears but they fell anyway. I was looking at them before I was trying to recover. Then someone was coming from behind me and I turned to look into the brightest orange iris that I ever saw.

It was a young boy, Jay.

He held out his finger to his lips as I was crying for my parents. I was not happy but I know that this young boy will not harm me. I don't know how I know but I just do. He was soothing me when he held me for a while and when his father was calling after him, he whispered to me in French that I have learned from my parents.

I woke up to the dream that was my memory of 13 years ago. I was opening the lamp next to my bed and I saw that I was not in the broken home of my parents being devoured and I was left alone with the bodies.

The police were not here and I was not being carried away to my relatives. I was in my apartment in Nicosia, hearing the blaring noise of the nightlife that the city has to offer. I was sighing before I was rubbing my face. I cannot believe that I had that memory again.

"So much for trying to forget," I said as I was looking at the window. The moonless night as I went out of bed and I was getting out into the balcony. The night breeze was relaxing before I saw something that was flying in the sky. It looked like a dragon.

I was rubbing my eyes before I saw that there was someone in its talon. What the hell?! I must be dreaming right now cause the dragon has a brown scale and I heard a distant 'Woo!'

God, I was crazy now as I was rushing back into the bed as I was trying to forget that sight just now. And also my memory that I was seeing in my dream.

"Conceal it, don't feel. Just think of the good times," I said as I was listening to the breeze before I was breathing hard. I don���t know what to do but to think of my time at the daycare. It has been wonderful with my best friend, Jonathan and the newcomer, Joanna. But last week, she had to bail out since she will be getting married. It was me and Jonathan now at the daycare.

"Okay, think of the children. Think of their smiles," I said as I was chanting myself to sleep. I don't think that my memory will come tonight of all nights that I have been sleeping peacefully right now. What was this? Was it a sign? Will that boy Jay comes and get me now?

I hope he forgot all about it now.

Jonathan Alepou's POV

I was listening to my sister's chattering that she was not ready to get married and whatnot. I grunted before I was sipping on my wine. It was just me and my sister now, left in this world without anything else.

Well, except for my father's business export and import. It was hard work, really but until I got what I wanted in life, Dana will be handling everything from now.

"What are you thinking about? I know that look," Dana said as she was sipping on her wine. I sighed before I was looking out the window. We lived in a mansion but I felt empty inside my chest. Was this what they called longing?

"I don't know. I have a feeling that I need to speed up my game," I said as I was turning to look at Dana. She arched her eyebrow at me like 'you think?'.

"Well, as much as I love to torture you, dear brother, I can only say that you have been looking out for her for 13 years. I think it's time for you to get shackled and maybe breed some of us," Dana said as I was grunting at her. I don't think my mate as a breeding machine.

No, she was my mate and I respected her as my equal.

"Say that one more time about her and I swear…"

"Blah blah blah. Promises, promises. Why don't you for once you act on your impulse to take her into your arms? I'm sure she would love it," Dana said as I tsk-ed at her.

"It was not that simple,"

"Why not?"

"She's my best friend," I said as I was trying to make her understand. Dana smirked.

"Well, Mr. Alepou, future CEO, you will never know until you try, right?" Dana said as she was getting out of the kitchen and I hated that she was right. I guess I have to step my game after all.