Eden let out a small sigh. Her hand squeezed the back of her neck. She had been reading the same manuscript since she came back. After her class ended early afternoon, she met with Allison at their campus library to discuss the assignment, which will be presented by next week. 15 minutes after 6 pm, she went back to her apartment. She sat on the same chair and table, reading the same scroll. Unmoving and not knowing it’s midnight already.
If it weren’t for her stomach, the rhythm of ‘Jingle Bells’ sounds. She wouldn’t aware she’s been there for a long time. Decides, she would read for a few more minutes before getting up and preparing herself a dinner, but the loud sound from her stomach forced her to give in. She got up from her seat and walked to the kitchen. The place is quite spacious for her who just lives there alone.
A kitchen island separated the kitchen and living area only by the kitchen island. Which she placed in the middle of the room to create an open space. Distinguish the two rooms practically. It also used her kitchen island as her dining table, apart from where she prepares her meal ingredients. The sink on the side of the island made it easier for her to wash her cooking ingredients. It also placed four bar stools on the side of the kitchen island.
She likes her apartment very much. In her apartment, she liked the kitchen the most. Because she loves to cook, she cooks her breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday single day and that is why she made a kitchen island inside her not—so—enormous apartment. Although the space is quite limited, they quite satisfied her with the size of her kitchen island, 40 inches wide, 80 inches long, and 42 inches in height. It’s worth it even though someone told her not to install it. She would also place a medium—sized bowl full of fresh fruit on her kitchen island because she liked to munch fruit at night to be replaced with her dinner when she worked until late at night.
Since nowadays she works until late at night and can’t prepare her meal more often than before. She eats less healthy food and munches fast—food much more often than not starving herself at night. Because her sister had organized a party three days ago when she was out of town due to work, most of the food stock she bought a week ago was gone. And they left all that only two bottles of sparkling water and one bottle of beer inside her refrigerator.
Hailey holds a party event after their college football team wins in any of the competitions they take part in. The place is a fancy establishment. That doesn't mean her place is excluded from her sister's activity. Seeing her sister as the leader of their cheerleading team in school has become her priority to organize such a party for all their friends on and off campus to celebrate together. The only thing left Eden regrets is that every time the party is ending, her apartment will look like a wrecked barge. She has to spend hours cleaning it up again without help.
Fortunately, she likes to lock her bedroom and no one can go in without the key. Every time she cleaned the guest toilet, it was filthy. Eden’s apartment comes with three rooms, and one spacious living room, which is also shared with her open kitchen area. The two toilets are inside her master bedroom and one is between the two other rooms.
One room is for Eden’s guests. She does most of her assignments at her workplace in another room. A simple balcony space that houses one lazy bench, one small table, and three flower pots placed on the edge of the balcony. At first, she want to ignore her hunger by drinking her sparkling water but the loud growling noise inside her stomach made her blush with embarrassment. Even though she was alone in the house, she could not avoid feeling ashamed. She needs food and water to survive. And can’t neglect her own body and needs energy so she can continue her work.
The time on her wrist shows less than 15 minutes before 1 am. In the area where she lives, there is a convenience store that is open 24 hours and she can buy some snacks for her to eat tonight and do her groceries again tomorrow. She then took her wallet out and put on her oversized black hoodie before walking out of her apartment. The street looks so empty and quiet. She could see the situation because the lamppost worked.
No one dares to walk late at night after the incident that happens to one of their college students two weeks ago. The student was ambushed and bitten by a large, wild, dark dog with thick fur on the way back to his dormitory after watching a late-night movie with friends near the college residential area, where hunting for prey is still a novelty and a hot topic. According to the victim, as soon as he awakens at the university hospital. To most humans, it is a normal wild dog attack.
That is not an ordinary wild dog. A wolf causes the attack. The werewolves are known as the rouges. That is rampant to gain recognition for their powers and superiors in the supernatural world and organization. It is only a few people are aware of the incident — only those involved with DPO know how the organization will handle it. The Rouges are not a pack you can make peace with. They like the opposite of DPO. The wolves want to eliminate human influence forever, which is against the law.
As soon as Eden reached the convenience store, she went inside. Ignored the opinions of others who were watching her. She then took the basket and continued to choose the items she needed, regardless of their views. chose 2 cups of ramen, 2 packs of sausage, 2 bottles of milk, 6 carrot cupcakes, and a bottle of strawberry juice. Before she leaves the store, she makes the payment at the counter. The night is getting late and it can turn dangerous. She needs to leave the area to avoid becoming the next victim.
The rouges choose humans to be victims because they think humans are very weak and not good at taking care of themselves—which makes them easy targets. Rouges are unlikely to dare to attack other factions because they know their level of courage and power. Eden herself is a werewolf pack member known as the Silver Crescent pack and is the second-largest park after the Bloodmoon pack. However, the Bloodmoon recognizes the Silver Crescent as the bravest pack because it has many warriors compared to Bloodmoon and other werewolf packs. The reputation of the Silver Crescent in the supernatural world is greater than that of any werewolf pack. They appointed their Alpha as the leader of the werewolf's world and also their king.
Even though she is one of the Silver Crescent pack but she is not a werewolf and that also makes her easy prey for the rouges. Eden itself has no smell of werewolves. A chain around her neck made her smell like a werewolf. The chain contains the blood of her parents, which is placed in a crescent-shaped container from a crystal covered with gold and blessed by the elders. They gave the chain to her when she was still a baby and was first accepted into the Silver Crescent pack seventeen years ago. The chain is her new identity in the supernatural world and allows supernatural beings or the werewolves to smell her more easily.
Just about to open the door, her cell phone rang and made the quiet corridor of her apartment filled with the ringing tone of her phone. Before answering, she sees the caller ID. She hates to answer calls from strangers and tries to make stupid jokes with her. She placed the plastic bag that contain the things she had just bought on the island while trying to answer a call from her drunk sister. Lately, her sister has also often gotten drunk frequently. That is odd because she is she wolf and can drink without having to feel drunk like a normal human being because all werewolves are immune to alcohol. And Hailey is also not a light drinker as she is.
“Inks! E... inks! Where are you...now?” Hailey had hiccups while talking. Hearing her sister’s drunken voice made Eden worried about her safety. As a she-wolf, Hailey can protect herself better because she is one warrior in their pack. However, she was worried about the other packs. Because of her sister’s stupidity, the werewolf clans become exposed easily. And make the entire werewolf clan into a human hunt. This make the supernatural world chaos and had to form a new alliance with humans again. Who wants more power in the council?
“Where are you now, Hail? why are you keep on drinking when you know you’ll get drunk again like this...” said Eden in a worried tone. Hailey just laughed at her sister’s words. She was busy laughing and giggling while mumbling online and not answering Eden’s question. At first, Hailey mumbled nonsense about her condition and whereabouts to Eden before answering the question.
“I’m okay, mom! You don’t have to worry about me, duh... ihks! I’m at Damien’s... ihks! I just want you to know that I’m okay a... nd...” Eden cut off her sister’s words.
“You’re not okay, Hail! Take a cab and come home!” Hearing her sister’s laughter made Eden even angrier with her careless attitude. Jacob might be furious with both of them if he knew what was happening. Most likely he will also make them return home and finished their studies at their community college and not in the big city.
Eden needs to find her sister before she does a stupid thing or gets involved in an incident that would endanger her safety and the werewolf’s world. The rouges are now waiting for them to make mistakes. With few mistakes can endanger their clan in a matter of seconds. This makes them a useless, helpless, and incapable pack of the supernatural world.
Before their king, who is also their Alpha, knows the matter, Eden must take immediate action. Even worse, if any of their pack members see Hailey’s condition and report it to Alpha Aedion Blake. Is possible that Hailey will be pulled out from the list of their pack warriors for misbehaving in public and endangering the entire wolf clan?
“Hehe... ihks! Okay then... I’m waiting for you, sis! Ar...” Hailey mumbled using an alien language back again while hiccupping on the phone before an intense sound like a falling object was heard. Hailey fell in there already.
“Dammit, Hail!” ignoring her stomach, Eden run down the stairs and grab a taxi to pick up her sister from Damien’s place. After almost 15 minutes, Eden reached the luxury residential area where Damien’s mansion was located. The house looks like a freaking enormous castle with a luxurious courtyard decorated with a fountain on its driving roundabout that is carved with a mermaid statue holding a jug in her hand-illuminated by neon lights.
Eden let out a small sigh as soon as she saw the vast area. She then adjusted her oversized black hoodie while looking at her reflection in one of the luxury cars parked in the courtyard. Seeing her condition like that made her lose her self-confidence. No one knows about her genuine relationship with Hailey. Allison, who is also her lab friend and her only good friend in college, also did not know about her relationship with Hailey, who is the leader of their college cheerleading and also one of their college beauties.
Allison herself is more attractive compared to Eden. She is also an excellent student with good grade results and can be one of the cheerleading team members if she is interested. From the main door, the smell of the reeks of alcohol welcomed Eden. Sniffing such a scent already describes what might be the worse situation inside there. She will see a lot of weird stuff when she gets inside. Such a wild party that gathers almost the entire supernatural creatures among them is not a good idea. Since everything is clear about the laws by DPO, they will not dare to do such stupid things when among ordinary people. Eden took a deep breath. She hopes she will soon find her sister in good condition so that they can leave the place.