"Hey mom " Lia pecked her mom on both cheeks as soon as she let her into the house.

"School is over? Where is your brother? "Jenny asked, still holding the door and peering outside curiously.

" He's sorting out garbages in the Schoolyard as punishment for - "

"Yeah, right? " She remembered her son's punishment had already begun.

Jenny was thankful they did not send him to a juvenile detention center for a crime she herself doesn't understand how it happened.

Her son was a good boy, so why would he joke around with such drugs not to talk of hanging around with those students.

"Where is Rex? " Lia asked, searching around for her most loyal family member.

"He went out moments ago, said he had training or something like that?"

Training? Lia scrunched up her face in confusion. But how could her mom let the little boy leave the house in such a critical time?

"Seriously mom? In a period like this, how could you let him go out all by himself! "

"I didn't let him! He sneaked out when I didn't grant his request of leaving. Do you think I'm that stupid? "

"I didn't say you're stupid or something, but be a little security conscious. Don't let your kids disappear anyhow, don't just date strangers…. " Lia blurted out unknowingly.

"Wait a minute, are we still talking about your brother here or is it now about Raphael and me? " Jenny asked for clarification.

"I was not planning on saying this but since it has come to this, I'm going to say it out loud" Lia took a deep breath before getting on her knees.

Jenny was mystified, why was her daughter kneeling for her? " What are you doing Lia? "

"Mom, I know this is very rude and selfish of me to ask but please, break up with Raphael "

Jenny was stunned, she almost didn't hear her daughter right.

"Y-you say? "

"Please, break up with Raphael for the sake of your children "

"Get up "

"Mom, please "

"Get the f*ck off the ground, Lia! "

She scrambled to her foot upon seeing the livid expression on her mom's features.

"What do you mean I should not date Raphael? " She asked calmly but Lia had a feeling she was a thread away from snapping.

"He is not the right one for you," Lia told her mom but cringed inwardly when she remembered her brother had said the same thing about Daniel weeks ago.

"Who are you to tell me who is right for me or not?" Her mom's voice wasn't high but one could sense the iciness coming off and it cut through Lia.

Lia was conflicted, she hated hurting her mom but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't just tell Jenny that Raphael, the one she's been locking lips with for the past few weeks, was a vampire and for his own selfish reasons, was after her daughter.

She knew unlike her, her mom didn't have a strong heart. The preferential treatment meted out on Lia during her childhood had made her tougher, so there was nothing coming her way she couldn't handle with time.

As much as she hated bringing up her late dad, Lia understood within herself that she had no other alternative than to comply with this method.

"Dad's departure had not even reached a year yet, you're already getting cozy with another man! "

Jenny was taken aback, yes she was guilty as charged but she deserves some damn happiness.

" So what? "

" Mom ..."

"Don't mom me! " Jenny yelled at her daughter furiously, "What did that father of yours do for me when he was alive?!"

He did nothing because he was busy protecting the world from supernatural attacks, Lia answered inwardly.

"Nothing! All he used me for was a baby producing machine! "

Lia admitted that fact but she knew their father loved their mother, he had just too many secrets to cover hence didn't get the chance to show it - if only their mom knew.

"Mom! But still - "

"However, I've discovered what I've been searching for long "

" Raphael is dangerous! " Lia confessed.

Her mom laughed, sarcastically " Dangerous? I didn't know you would go to the extent of making up such stuff just to separate the both of us " Sneered her mom.

Great, she didn't believe her

" I am not making this - "

"Did I come in between you and Daniel? "

Lia scratched the back of her head, "Mom, Daniel and I are totally different - "

She interjected "Even though your brother was clearly against your relationship, I supported you. So why can't you support me? Why am I not permitted to find my own happiness? "

"Mom, I'm not saying you shouldn't date, but not Raphael okay? Just not him! "

Jenny shook her head in sheer disbelief, "You're just like your father, as selfish as him, you don't care about others happiness, just yours "

"I do care about your happiness a lot, but not Raphael. That bastard doesn't care a shit about you, he's after something else! " Lia tried to knock some sense into her Cockle-headed mom.

Jenny snorted, "After what? Your father's insurance money? Oh please, Raphael is a responsible young man with his own wealth, far more than your father ever accumulated "

Wealthy? That one was obvious, Lia had not seen a pureblood vampire who wasn't filthy rich. Their immortality helped them access and gather a lot of resources over the years.

He's after me! Lia wanted to say, but she couldn't. It was obvious she wouldn't be able to hide her secret from her family forever, but it wasn't the time yet.

Until she settled her mate issues, the council, and whatever business the Burning Eaglet wanted with her. Yes, until then.

But with Trevor now joining Hunter's league, she had a disturbing feeling her secret was going to be exposed sooner than later.

"Also! " her mom added, rousing her from her thoughts "I would not have you disrespect my lover in front of me "

Lia sighed in disappointment, her mom was really a birdbrain to the end. She was too slow to comprehend things, how could she not notice something was weird and different about Raphael.

What charm or manipulation did that psychoactive vampire use on her mom to be so oblivious to what's going on around her?

"And you know what? I'm so disappointed in you! "

"Yeah, the feeling is mutual " Lia sassed back, heading towards the door.

"Where are you going? " Jenny demanded.

"Getting out of your hair and don't be so glad, the door won't hit me on my way out "Lia retorted without looking back as she took huge strides.

"Get back here! " She heard her mom order despite that, ignored her and went her way.

Lia was angry, her wolf was angry too. Werewolves were territorial creatures who lived in packs and her wolf had considered her mom as a member of her pack and so would do everything possible to protect her from danger.

Yet, the very person she was shielding from danger, was happily mingling with danger itself. It made her blood boil, she wanted a release.

She called Asher at once, he was the only mate who would be close enough to get her before she explodes in anger- Kinney village was too far for Daniel to arrive in seconds.

"Where are you? " she asked as soon as he picked up.

"On my way home, is anything the matter? "

"Come and pick me up, please "

"Alright, be there in a jiffy," He said to her and ended the call.

Lia took deep long breaths to keep herself calm as well as her wolf. Holding their temper was quite a huge job for werewolves, especially new ones, thanks to their aggressive genetics.

It must have been a while but she was lost in her thought and was startled when a car honked beside her.

"Get in " She heard Asher say.

Lia got off the walkway and entered the front seat after her mate stretched his hand and opened the door from the inside and they drove off.

"What's wrong? " Her vampire mate asked her but she ignored him, afraid she might transfer her aggression on him if things go wrong.

Asher sensed his mate was having a bad time, so didn't press forward when he didn't get a reply from her.

"And you know what? I'm so disappointed in you!" Her mom's heated words rang continuously in her head making it throb painfully.

"Stop the car " Lia barely spoke above a whisper.

"What? " Asher asked, he had been distracted so he hadn't caught what she said.

"Stop the damn car! " Her voice closed in with her wolf's, coming out as one deep, ferocious roar.

The car skidded to a halt but before Asher could say a word, his mate climbed onto his lap and straddled him, then kissed him hard and forcefully.

Lia's mood swings were getting confusing, one moment she's in a bad mood, the next she's barking at him and the next she's kissing him like never before.

Asher had to jerk out of his thoughts when he felt her hands slide into the inside of his long-sleeved cardigan, running her hands down his chest.

" Lia " He pushed her away; however, he was shocked when he saw her yellow eyes.

"Y-your eyes… the wolf… ."

"Don't worry, we're one now, " Lia told him with a smile that worried him rather than assuring him as she delved down for a second kiss.