Mated with a human

chapter 14

Molly & Zoe Worried

Molly searched around until she spotted Zoe walking with her boyfriend. She called her aside.

“Zoe…did you get any reply from Sof?”

Zoe frowned. “No. Nothing. And her phone is off. I’m getting worried. She always tells us when she’s not coming.”

Molly looked around, spotting Jayson heading to his car.

“Jayson must know something. He was the last one we saw talking to her.”

They hurried over.

“Jayson!” Zoe called.

He turned.

Molly asked, “Did you talk to Sofia today?”

He blinked. “No. Why?”

Zoe crossed her arms. “She didn’t come to school, and she didn’t text us. Her phone is off. You were the last one we saw with her yesterday.”

Jayson laughed lightly. “Girls…come on. Yes, I talked to her yesterday, but after that she left on her own. Maybe she’s sick. Or bunking. I don’t know.”

He opened his car door. “I’m leaving. I’ve got things to do.”

He drove off.

Zoe and Molly exchanged looks.

“We’re going to her house,” Zoe said.

“Now.”

---

Luke at Home

Luke walked home quietly, greeted his grandmother, then went to his room. After eating, he showered.

Under the warm water, thoughts of that strange dream filled his mind.

The woman…his mother…

Why did she feel so real?

Later, he dressed and kept busy with schoolwork, though his mind kept drifting back to her.

---

At Sofia’s House

Molly and Zoe reached Sofia’s gate and went inside. Her aunty greeted them warmly, as if already expecting them.

“Aunty…we came to check on Sofia,” Zoe said. “She didn’t come to school.”

Her aunty sighed. “I know. I only discovered this morning—she’s burning with fever. I called the doctor. She’s getting better slowly, but she’s resting now.”

Molly breathed out in relief. “We understand, aunty. Please tell her we came. I’ll save her notes so she doesn’t fall behind.”

They left, feeling lighter but still worried.

________

LUKE’S AUNT — UNWELCOME VISITOR

In another town, Luke’s aunt unlocked her apartment and stepped inside after a long shift.

She removed her heels, poured herself a glass of orange juice, and sank onto the couch.

Her shows comforted her.

Her empty home echoed around her.

But tonight—

A noise came from the kitchen.

She froze.

Slowly, she set the glass down.

Her heartbeat quickened.

She walked to the kitchen—

Nobody.

Silence.

Then—

A noise from the bedroom.

Her muscles tightened with fear.

She grabbed a kitchen knife and walked toward Luke’s old room.

The door was slightly open.

It was always closed.

Cold air seeped out—freezing, unnatural.

She pushed the door wide.

A blast of icy wind hit her face.

The room was dark—too dark.

Something moved.

A shadow.

Large.

Her breath trembled.

“Show yourself,” she whispered, voice shaky.

Silence.

“I—I’ll call the police!”

Footsteps.

Something approached.

She raised the knife—

And the lights suddenly flickered.

A man sat on the edge of the bed, holding a picture frame.

Luke’s childhood picture.

She gasped.

He turned his head slightly—giving her a chilling side glance.

His eyes were brown.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “How did you get in here? What do you want?”

He smirked.

“Your sister looks beautiful in this picture,” he said softly. “But she looks even more beautiful in person.”

He stood slowly.

He turned fully toward her—

And his eyes glowed bright orange, burning like fire.

Her breath hitched.

“W–Who are you…?” she whispered.

He stepped closer—

Then in one impossible blink—

He was standing directly in front of her.

Trapping her between him and the wall.

Her hand shook.

Her heart pounded.

She realized—

She wasn’t facing a man.

She was facing a predator.

A monster.

Something not human.

Something ancient.

And he was staring into her eyes with a hunger she didn’t understand.

He then started…

“Those eyes of yours…” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous, “are beautiful. Just like your sister’s. And your scent…”

She stared at him, but she couldn’t bring herself to look directly into those glowing orange eyes. They weren’t human. They weren’t normal. They terrified her.

She forced out the question, her voice trembling.

“H-How do you know my sister…?”

He laughed quietly, amused by her fear. The sound chilled her bones.

Lifting his hand, he reached to touch her cheek. She wanted to move—her instincts screamed at her to run—but his aura pinned her in place like invisible chains.

“Where is your sister?” he asked.

Her body trembled. Tears slipped down her cheeks.

“M-My sister is dead…” she whispered. “What do you want from her?”

He leaned closer, his expression darkening. “Your sister has something that belongs to me. Now—where is the baby she gave birth to?”

Her blood went cold.

“I… she didn’t have a baby.”

The calm on his face cracked. His eyes flared.

In a flash, his hand wrapped around her neck—tightening.

“Think again,” he growled, his voice vibrating with fury, “before you repeat a lie.”

She gasped, trying to breathe, but the pressure on her neck increased. Her tears fell faster as she choked out:

“There is no baby!”

His rage exploded.

He lifted her off the ground with one hand, tightening his grip until she couldn’t breathe. She scratched at his hand, her legs kicking helplessly, her vision blurring. She slapped at his arm, trying to signal she was suffocating.

Finally, he released her.

She dropped hard to the floor, coughing violently, her chest rising and falling uncontrollably as she fought for air.

He turned to the window, ignoring her struggle as he stared out into the night.

“I hope,” he said coldly, “you learned your lesson. Now talk. I don’t have time to waste.”

He didn’t look at her, but the entire room seemed to freeze at his command.

After a long moment, still shaking, she finally spoke.

“M-My sister…” she whispered, staring down at the floor.

“She… killed herself. A-And she killed the baby too.”

He turned sharply.

His steps were slow, controlled, as he approached her.

Kneeling to her level, he gripped her chin and forced her to look into his blazing eyes.

“What,” he asked in a voice far too calm, “did you say?”

Tears filled her eyes again.

“She killed herself… with the baby.”

His jaw tightened.

“Why?”

She swallowed painfully.

“She said she couldn’t live without him. She never said who she meant. We assumed it was… the father.”

He sneered.

“It wasn’t a man. It was a monster.”

She looked straight into his eyes this time.

“You mean… a monster like you?”

His brows lifted, impressed. He let out a short laugh.

“You speak as if you’ve seen the monster you’re referring to.”

She slapped his hand away from her chin and pushed herself up.

He rose too, towering over her.

She wiped her tears and glared up at him.

“I’m not scared of you. Just because you’re a monster doesn’t mean I should tremble for you.”

She scoffed.

“Go to hell.”

He tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“Becoming bold, are we…?”

He stepped closer, invading her space.

“I like that.”

His gaze dragged down her body without shame.

“Seeing your boldness makes me think… I might need a sexy human around. You’re not bad. Maybe, if you show me what you can do… we could hook up. Don’t you think?”

His hand slid to her left breast.

She slapped it away instantly—and before she could process it, her hand flew again, hitting him across the face with everything she had.

His head turned from the force.

Silence.

Cold.

Deadly.

His cheek reddened where she’d struck him. She regretted it immediately—but it was too late.

He turned back to her slowly.

His eyes were no longer orange. They shifted to brown—almost human—but his expression was terrifyingly blank.

“No one,” he said softly, “has ever put their hands on my face. But you… did.”

He stepped closer, voice dropping.

“That makes you… unique. The strength you have… you managed to make my face sting. My heart is pounding because of your touch. Or should I say—your slap.”

He smirked.

“When I came here, I expected fear. But instead… I found something interesting.”

She frowned, confused.

His expression changed in the space of a second.

Without warning—

his hand struck the back of her neck.

Her eyes rolled back.

Her body collapsed forward—

—but he caught her effortlessly.

Lifting her into his arms, he smirked down at her unconscious form.

“Let’s go,” he whispered.

He walked out of the apartment quietly, carrying her like she weighed nothing.