ARIA.
Pretending would be useless, they already got me. I turned to them and flashed a dry smile. "Hi, Damien." I pursed my lips but kept eye contact.
It's been years, I'm not scared, I'm not scared!
Get yourself together, my wolf yelled. I shut my eyes and braced myself for what was coming next.
"Unbelievable," Selene laughed. "I must be dreaming. You haven't really changed since I last saw you, sister." She sized me up. "Are you here for the interview?"
It took me a while to notice her swollen belly. I glanced at Damien and quickly looked away. They are having a child together. She should have been me. I should be having his baby!
I fisted my clothes. "No," I forced the word out of my mouth. "I only came to make some enquiries. It's good seeing you both."
Selene walked closer with a smirk. "I told you it was her," Selene said to Damien. "You don't need to lie, I saw your resume. At first, I thought it was someone else, or your ghost but you really are alive, and you have come to work at our restaurant. I feel bad for you but don't worry, since we are sisters, I'll sneak you in since you didn't have all the requirements."
I felt hopeless. I shouldn't have returned. I wished I could open the ground and just bury myself in it. I stood up with a weak smile.
"You own this place?" I asked and looked around. "It's a great place. You don't need to review my application, I'll never work here."
I walked past them.
"Aria," Damien called. It was the second time he was speaking since seeing me, and he said only my name. I didn't turn but I waited for him to say something.
"Good luck finding a job out there. Things are nasty now, you should have remained dead. I can't wait to tell mom and dad," Selene added.
Deep breath, deep breath… self-control…
Without returning any word, I kept going and left the restaurant as fast as I could and took the other way so they won't see me walk away through the see-through glass wall.
Instincts tell me to call Ivy and tell her what has happened but there would be very little that she could do. I waited at a bench spot under a street lamp and waited for any other call.
The city had indeed changed. There was a park opposite where I sat. Kids and parents had fun, some trained their little pets while others were riding one thing or the other.
A chill ran through me, knowing I may never be able to give Dimitri this freedom.
I remained seated for about three hours, no other calls came in. I stood up and did the one thing I should have done since I came here.
I went to my adoptive parents' house. I almost got lost on my way there. The doors were open. Standing opposite, I could hear loud music coming from the house and a lot of cars parked in the garage.
Bad idea.
I tried around.
"Aria!" Selene's voice shot out. "You came!" How and why do they have to arrive at this time?
"Come on in, everyone is waiting for you. I am sure Mom and Dad are waiting for you," Selene added.
I shook my head. "You go ahead, I'll come some other time."
"Don't tell me you are still scared and afraid? Come on, Mom and Dad have forgotten all about that. They miss you."
I gulped and crossed the road while my body pulled away.
Bad idea
My wolf warned again.
I could stop walking. I could turn around and just leave and no one would ever question me. But as I walked towards the house that destroyed me, I couldn't pull back. Perhaps I longed to see their faces, even though I hate them to my bones. I wanted to see if they truly missed me, or if they thought I was dead and didn't care. I wanted to know if they had peace, if they were doing well.
Damien was with Selene but he didn't make any attempt to talk to me.
Finally, I got to the entrance and every eye turned to me. Selene had gone in to inform her parents and they were approaching, while I still stood outside.
Memories about how they had dragged everything I had outside stung me. I shouldn't have returned.
"I could never believe it," Mom appeared. She looked even younger than she used to, richer in fact. Then father appeared with a glint of guilt in his eyes. I could see it.
"You're alive," Mom said and sized me up with her eyes, the same way Selene did. "Good. Didn't you eventually get to marry someone reasonable?" She sized me up again, with pity and disgust. "I don't think so."
"Mom," Selene chuckled. "She just came back from hiding. I'm sure we can hook her up somehow. Since she is still part of the family, you can send her to the old man at Lycan Ridge. Perhaps, the old man could give her some babies and make her useful."
"You're right," Mom agreed.
I still stood there, never uttered a word, yet, they were already selling me off, like a piece of wood. I scoffed. I shouldn't have come back.
I turned around to leave but a hard pull on my hair yanked me back.
I yelped and turned around to see Mom fisting my hair. "Didn't five years teach you some manners?"
I grabbed her arm, squeezed hard till she left me alone. "I do not belong to you. I am not a member of your family anymore."
She laughed hard. "Legally, you are my daughter, Aria. And don't worry, if you go to the old man, I'll make a legal arrangement to disown you. I'll even give you some money. Think about it, you have nowhere else to go."
A thousand words hung in my belly but I said nothing. I locked gaze with my father, then Damien before turning to leave. As I walked away, I felt their eyes on my body, their claws and sharp teeth, I felt everything eating me up.