Alpha Obsession

Chapter 20.5

Ok, so I know that there have already been 5 chapters this week, but this one is special. I've been thinking about the subchapters I want to write, and wondering if I should post them all over time. So, I'm going to upload this one and let you decide. Even if you normally don't comment, let me know if you enjoyed this prelude to the main story. It takes place a year before the main events of Alpha Obsession and it's told by a character you will be seeing more of soon.

Flawless grace

I really do love China. I enjoy my life here in Beijing despite the downsides. The buildings are tall and the streets are always busy. No matter where you go, it never feels like you're all alone. There's always a loud trucker or a group of children passing by to keep things lively. The popular neighborhood of Wudaokou is host to the city's foreign student population, and it's probably the best place in China for a colored girl like myself. The air may be a hassle for most people, but it doesn't keep me from enjoying school in the slightest.

I've got everything here after all. From my seat at this lunch table, I can see all that I need to be happy. My brother is over at one table surrounded by a group of guys. He's the only dark-skinned guy in the group so he stands out even as they practically circle him. I can see the casual grin on his face and the relaxed swagger in which he leans against the guy closest to him. All eyes are on him as he laughs, and when he talks they listen eagerly.

It's amazing the way he dazzles them. It looks so natural and easy for him to hold their gazes. I can even see the small table of freshmen girls trying to catch a view of him. They all look so enthralled and giddy to see so many guys within range. It's pretty adorable. "H-hi, Emilia." A couple girls pass by my table and smile a bit nervously as they hope for a response. They think I don't know their name even though we share all of the same classes; it shows on their faces.

"Hi, Mei! Hi, Lian! You two look great today. I love the matching hairstyles!" I see their faces light up like a Christmas tree and know how happy they are to see I noticed. They nod and walk away to join their table, giggling the entire way there. It's like that with almost everyone who passes by my table. I happened to blessed with a photographic memory, and I use it to make everyone happy in whatever ways I can. I had the fortune to be the first African descendant to enroll in the academy last year, along with my brother, and it always amazed me how nice the people were here. Everyone is so polite that it makes it easy to call China home. Even though Nicholas is the only family I have here.

I glance over at him again and watch as he winks at a shy freshman that built up the courage to say hi to him. Her pale white skin turned bright pink and she scurried off with a smile. He makes it looks so easy. Doing whatever he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it. The guys he finds interesting always end up within his circle for the same reason. They can't resist the easy affection and attention that he sends their way. The fact that he's beautiful and easy to look at doesn't hurt either.

I remember when we first moved to China and my father passed away. He'd come home one day with a gaping wound in his ribcage that should have killed him instantly. He struggled over to me and my ten-year-old brother. We were in a quieter town that had air fresh enough for people to walk outside without masks. Dad had acquired a nice little two-story in a quiet neighborhood very different from Wudaokou. We knew he'd gone hunting on his own for the past few nights, but we also knew that he went after the entire pack alone that day. When he walked in and I saw the wound, I knew that my father was almost gone.

Nicholas helped me drag him to his bedroom and lay him down. He told us to cry quietly and pulled us into his arms. I can remember his voice clearly even after all this time. Saying, "You are the stars and the moon, my children. I never want you to forget the meaning of our family. You are the light sharpened by the darkness that surrounds you. Never forget that we are filled with light, endless and eternal. You need only remember that in times of distress." My eyes were overflowing and my brother was sobbing quietly like we were asked. It went on that night with my father using his every last breath to tell us stories. He told us about the ancient priest that was our ancestor, and the monsters that lurked in the shadows. When his voice abandoned him, we went down memory lane. My brother and I tried to smile while we reminded him how much fun we'd had growing up and it hurt so much to see dad smile and pass away. The grief on my brother's face must have looked exactly like mine and it hurt to watch as well.

I took my father's words to heart. Even though it means that people look at me like I'm an unobtainable figure in the room. I don't mind watching my brother bask in the glow of male attention while every girl watches me from afar like an idol. I'm ok with sitting by myself every day at lunch because of the way I look and dress. I wear light colors because I've embraced that part of me. They can call me a perfect angel as much as they'd like because that's what my father expected me to be.

I am a girl filled with light. A savior who devours the darkness in the world. An angel at the age of seventeen. The softer half of the Blake's twin hunters. I am Emilia Ugo Blake, the flawless grace.

So, now you know how the 'demon' girl sees herself and her family. I wanted to demonstrate that the werewolf hunters aren't all just going to be crazy bounty seekers who are looking for a quick fortune. Keep that in mind while things start to get more intense in the coming chapters :)