Chapter 461 - FOURTEEN YEARS OLD (12)

"Why don't you tell me earlier that you know their parents!?" Hope demanded an explanation from Kace on their way back home, inside the car, after witnessing the interaction between Kace and Sophia and her husband, Sterling. 

They were an old friend and very close on top of that. They were comfortable of exchanging threat or growl at each other most of the time during dinner while the children could only grimace by the scene that unfolded before their eyes. 

"Because it will spoil the fun!" Kace exclaimed while laughing out loud. 

"You almost made my friend got a heart attack, you know?!" Then Hope mumbled. "I almost got a heart attack."

"Why?" Kace couldn't contain the happiness in his eyes after successfully fooling his innocent little mate. He glanced at the sullen expression on Hope's face and couldn't help to not pinch her rosy cheek. 

"I thought you will go berserk like last time." Hope swatted Kace's hand away from her cheek while glaring at him for pinching her out of the blue. 

"Last time and this time is different case, sweetheart." Kace parked the car in front of their house. "I will never do any harm to someone you love."

And Kace meant his every word. 

"Really?" Hope was slightly skeptical when she heard that, remembered the last people who made friend with her were not able to recognize her anymore. 

Kace replied as if he could read what was going through his mate's head. "If you are referring to your friends, I will say that I was innocent about that. It was Serefina and when it was done, nothing I could do to help them, I am not a witch after all."

Kace was right, if the decision was left on his hand, he would never do that to Hope. Having someone, who once very close to you, suddenly forgot about your existence was simply very suck and there was no way in hell he wanted Hope to experience that kind of feeling. 

"I know." Hope replied sheepishly as she lowered her head, he was just very upset at Serefina and wouldn't be able to voice out her frustration so she took it out on Kace. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to blame you for something that you didn't do."

"Don't be so down like that. I don't like it when you are upset." Kace tousled her hair and this time Hope let him do whatever he pleased. Her hair already became a bird nest because of Kace's habit, so she didn't see the use to stop him now. 

Kace got off of the car after turned off the engine and was about to walk toward the house when he realized Hope was still inside the car. 

With a small frown, he walked back to her and knocked on the window as it rolled down and revealed Hope's sullen expression. 

"Are you still mad?" Kace asked, his blue eyes stared at Hope's black one, trying to figure out what happened with her. 

"Kace, do you think I am really your mate?" Hope blurted out. 

Kace was slightly taken aback with her question, but didn't avoid to answer it. "I don't think." He shook his head. "I can feel it."

"But I am too young for you." Hope argued. "How old are you?" suddenly Kace's age became her concern. 

There was a fleeting amus.e.m.e.nt on his blue ocean eyes when he heard this question. Kace didn't answer her immediately and enjoyed the impatient look on Hope's face. "Hmm… let me think… I don't know the exact number. We don't celebrate our birthday after all…"

"Your estimation?" Hope leaned over, afraid she couldn't hear Kace's answer. 

"I am around seven hundred years older than you." Kace grinned and laughed out loud when Hope let out a loud gasp in horror. 

"You are old!!!" she exclaimed. 

"I am, but I am as good looking as any of your peer." Kace wiggled his eyebrows. "I know you think that I am handsome."

He realized the way Hope looked at him. 

"No way!" Hope huffed, crossing her hands as she was trying to conceal her embarrassment by feigning her anger. "Don't you think that you are quite a pedophile?"

Kace chuckled, Hope was indeed raised by Serefina and inherited her sharp tongue. "If you calculated it with human time, well, all of the shifters are pedophile." Kace nodded in his own statement. "Most of the shifter will find their destined mate after fifty or so years."

"You know what? I have read this article, it said; normally the big gap in age difference, can be a problem in a relationship. It will not work." 

Hope tried to look like a grown up woman when all Kace saw was a teenager who didn't want to be treated less than she expected. 

"That article was written by human. I am not human and we will not be a normal couple, so it will not count." Kace replied, efficiently made Hope tongue- tied. 

The little girl needed more and a lot of experience to outspoken the cunning Lycan before her eyes. 

"You are a big bad wolf." Hope groaned, but both of them were laughing in the next second.

In the fresh and clear air of the evening night, the sound of their laugh was like a pure bliss of heavenly melody that rang through the front yard of their house. 

"Let's go, you will catch a cold if you are out here for long time." Kace opened the car door and helped her to get down from the car.

Both of them walked toward the foyer as Kace fished out the key from his pocket and shoved it to the key hole.

But, he stopped midway when the door was slightly opened, his nose scrunched and he whipped his head toward Hope direction with horror dancing in his eyes.

"Hope are you hurt?" Kace grabbed her shoulder and made a quick observation on her body.

"No." Hope was confused too.

"I smell blood on you."