"Jack, I told you earlier. You can't be with any man." A lady who seemed to be around her fifties stood up from the couch and walked towards Jackline Carter, who is working in a Private firm as a crime investigating cop. During her childhood she lost both her parents and since then she's been living with her Aunt Adela and Uncle Jonas.

After she joined the private firm she moved out from their house and has been living in the main city. Although she was never in a serious relationship with anybody, the way her aunt would remind her of that she would always try to joke as if she was going to get married tomorrow.

Jackline was about to put up a piece of meat into her mouth when she heard her Aunt. her eyes widened in surprise as she exclaimed.

"Aunt Adela! What are you saying? I am a girl! Why can't I be with any man? Since childhood you have been asking me not to make any boyfriends until I grow up. Now what?"

She squinted her eyes while looking at her Aunt who seemed to be in a helpless state the moment she heard her. Indeed she had stopped her but it was for her own security, however, unfortunately she could not explain this to her. Jackline did not wait for her Aunt's confirmation and she instantly went up to her uncle.

"Uncle Jonas, you are the most understandable man I know. I am sure you will understand me. Why don't you say something to Aunt Adela."

"Jonas, you dare!" Adela looked at Jonas who was just about to say something to her. Both of their faces have turned serious. Jackline could detect that something was off. She stood up and asked to confirm.

"Is everything alright?"

Adela knew she had reacted a bit much, but what she could do. One day or the other, she had to tell her everything then why not today. Mustering up her courage, Adela sat on a chair near the dining table while gesturing to Jackline to come over and sit beside her. The latter followed her words obediently and sat down beside her. She took her hand into her before taking a deep breath and said.

"You know I have always treated you as my own daughter, haven't I?"

Jackline nodded her head while her face turned solemn. her aunt had treated her just as if she was her biological daughter. In fact both of them were best friends just like how a pair of mother and daughter should be. Her uncle and aunt did not let her feel an ounce of memory of her late parents. First few days she was depressed but both her aunt and uncle have taken such good care of her, that she had probably forgotten about the fact that in reality she was an orphan. Her aunt and uncle have just adopted her.

"And you know that I will never wish for any kind of bad things to happen to you and..."

"Of course not Aunt Adela. I know all that. You are probably the one who would wish for everything bad to happen to you rather than me being harmed."

Adela breathed a sigh of relief. Although she knew that her worries were just for nothing but still for some reasons she could not stop herself from asking her such questions. She wanted to know whether she trusts her or not. Since now she was confirmed that there was no ado for her to stop.

"We are not normal human beings. And you need to accept the fact that our real identities stay hidden. We can't even let our closed ones know about it. Of course until and unless you want them to stay safe then you can keep them in the dark or else once you will expose yourself to the outer world, there is nothing which could obstruct the harm coming into your way."

Jackline furrowed her brows when she heard her. her mind started to turn chaotic while she placed the pieces together- 'Not normal human beings'; 'Hidden identity'. She could not comprehend all the rubbish her aunt was talking about. She turned to look at her uncle who was not sitting far away. When She Realized that her uncle was serious as well, her mind started to turn blank.

"We belong to a Royal Lineage of Protectors, we are the Protectors but while carrying out our duty it is normal for one to offend somebody. Our ancestors have also offended someone and those are nobody but the Royal Reapers who are behind us. Are you understanding?"

"Protectors? Reapers? What are you talking about?"

Jackline abruptly stood up from her seat and looked at her aunt with a puzzled look. Adela took in her abrasive reaction and could only shake her head. She let out a deep sigh before looking at her and asking.

"Do you remember the day when your parents asked you to stay with us?"

When Adela directed towards another past incident, Jackline nodded her head and answered.

"Yes, I remember. That was the last time in my life when I saw my parents."

"What did they ask you?"

The crease on Jackline's forehead deepened when she tried to recall their words.

"They told me to be obedient with you and uncle Jonas. I have to be a good girl and follow your words. I have to trust you both with all my heart."

Adela's eyes turned slightly misty when she asked her again.

"Then can you trust us with this? You know we don't mean any harm to you."

Jackline seemed to be very helpless when she heard her aunt. How was she supposed to say that she found all her words very ambiguous? It was very hard for her to believe in such things, especially in the 21st Century where nothing like Protectors and Reapers existed. Everything worked according to the law. Jonas, who was silent all this while looked at Jackline and understood the young girl's thoughts. Breaking the pin drop silence in the room he said to his wife.

"That's enough. Give her some space. Jackline you said you need to report at the Bureau around eleven, right? See it's getting late. Be back soon."

Jackline felt a lot better when she heard her uncle, however, her thoughts soon diverted to the fact that she was getting late. So bidding the couple a goodbye, she quickly left from there. Once she left their house, Adela came to Jonas and could not help but ask him in an annoyed tone.

"Why did you do that? I was just trying to let her know."

"You were trying to force her, Adela. Give her time to at least gather up her thoughts."

==

Do let me know your views in the comment section! ^.^