Chapter 440 - THIRTEEN YEARS OLD (4)

As though he just electrocuted, Aidan pulled his arms off Hope's shoulder and raised both of his hands in surrender. "Calm down. I only wanted to comfort you."

Seeing the shock in Aidan's face, Hope's hard gaze softened a little bit, but her lips still pulled into a frown. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you, but I am just not used to people touching my hair." She shook her head.

Yet, in contradiction, Hope liked it when Kace did that, because of the tingling feeling that erupted on her skin, giving a goosebumps all over her body when they made skin to skin contact. 

"It's okay. My mistake actually." A friendly grin appeared on his lips again as he followed Hope to enter the mini market, where they just bought drinks. 

"Why they don't allow you to go out by yourself? I meant your family, you are old enough to take care of yourself." Aidan shrugged his shoulder. "Well, I had travelled to the other city when I was just eleven."

Hope raised her eyebrows, but didn't reply to his statement as she picked a bag of ch.i.p.s from the rack and two bars of chocolate. 

"I will not talk about that if you don't comfortable to share your story." Aidan ran his fingers on his hair nervously. 

"They worry too much, I think." Hope finally answered after a few moment of silence. It was impossible to say that she saw those creatures that no one could see it and that was one of the reason, which Serefina and Kace gave to her when she asked why she couldn't go out by herself.

Some of those creatures were scary, but as scary as they were, Hope used to see them and she was fine with that. 

There was no real danger had fallen upon her caused by those creatures, as long as Hope pretended that she couldn't see them, they would leave her alone. 

Just like what was happening now. 

From the corner of her eyes, Hope could see a dark grey wolf, just as big as Lana's, walked past the street and turned into human form when no one notice it. 

Sometime Hope felt like she was living in fantasy, but here she was, living with those creatures and a witch. A snarky witch on top of that. 

"Hm…" Aidan rubbed his chin. "I heard they were not your real family."

Hope gave Aiden a side glance before she muttered her answer. "Real or not, they are taking care of me since I was a baby."

Hope felt her answer was getting sharp and sharp, she was not in the right mood and would snap every time she could, or at least that how she felt now. 

"Oh, okay." Aidan grimaced, but he didn't give up as he tried to strike another conversation. "You have unique name."

He tried and Hope just answered with a short replied. "I know."

She knew where this name came from, Lana told her. It was Kace, he gave her this name from the only poetry that he knew. 

It quite romantic actually…

However…

What is Kace for her? Or, be more specific, what is her for Kace? A few thing that Hope knew about him was; he was a lycan, an older creature than werewolf and had a great senses among the shifter, and one thing for sure he didn't seem get older.

Kace was exactly the same person in her early memory about him. Not grew old at all. 

And another thing that puzzled Hope was the way he treated her. He was so caring and affectionate. Oh, and the tingling feeling.

Sigh…

Hope had a lot of unanswered question that swirled on her head and every time she voiced them out, Kace would only say she would know when the time is right. 

"Hey." A tapped on Hope's shoulder pulled her out from her reverie. "You are spacing out." Aidan grinned as he helped her to carry the snacks from her arms, walking toward the cashier.

"I will pay." Hope pushed away Aidan's hand, which was about to hand the money. 

Something on Hope's face made Aidan nodded, didn't want to make the girl more upset than this, even though her lips curled into a pout, she looked so cute than ever, Aidan thought.

============== 

The car stopped in front of a huge blue house, which Hope assumed was Sebastian's as they had told her that they would spend time here for a few hours before Sebastian drove them back to their city. 

Alyssa had apologized to Hope because of her ridiculous idea, but since they were already here, nothing they could do now. 

Hope was furious, but she kept it for herself. She couldn't blame Alyssa and Rena for everything that happened, it was her choice too to join them in this rebellious act. 

Feeling stupid was understatement to what Hope felt right now. She felt horrible. 

The second messages that she sent to Kace was mentioning where she was right now and how sorry she was. 

Apparently Sebastian came from well off family, the furniture inside the house screamed how much money that his parents had spent. 

"My parents are not home until tomorrow, just go to the backyard I will have someone to prepare barbecue for us." Sebastian grinned at Alyssa, both of them didn't stop flirting with each other.

"Try to enjoy this moment! You don't know when will you can experience this again." Rena circled her arm on Hope's shoulder. Her hazel eyes beamed in excitement when she watched there was a swimming pool in the back yard.

Yet, the thing that drew Hope's attention was a woman who was smiling at her from across the swimming pool, her golden eyes shone brightly under the moonlight.

She was so fascinating, but also creepy. 

Their eyes locked together and for some reason Hope didn't like the way she stared at her. 

"What are you looking at?" Rena asked beside her.