In This Life And The Next ✔️

Chapter 25: Gun's A Blazin'

Alex blushed the longer I touched his cheek. I guess we were both warming up to the idea of us not hating each other.

"Ariana! Let's go!" My mother's voice startled us both. She was standing in the doorway looking at me with disappointment. I looked at her sheepishly and followed her down to the garage, Alex right behind me.

"My mother got into the drivers seat and I got into the backseat. Alex opened the door on the opposite side of me, climbing in.

"Uh, uh, uh. You sit here in the front." My mother told Alex, pointing to the passenger seat.

When Alex climbed in she looked at him threateningly. "I don't know what was going on in Ari's room but I know what I saw. You're lucky I'm patient enough to wait for your father to explain, even though I needed to see him anyways but whatever. Don't go near my daughter again."

Alex bowed his head again in shame, making me angry.

"Mom!" She turned to me, still glaring. "I'm not a little kid okay, I can take care of myself." I stated, annoyed that my mother was telling Alex to stay away from me.

She ignored me and started the car, putting it in reverse.

We drove to Alex's house in silence. My eyes never left Alex and neither did my mother's. I was surprised with her skills of being able to watch the road and Alex at the same time.

"What does Warrior mean?" I asked Alex when we passed through the open gate.

"It's the name of our pack." Alex said proudly.

"What is that? A gang?" My mother spat at Alex. "I'm not surprised to see you're in one."

"Mom!" I was surprised at how much she hated Alex.

Alex was bothered by her words but still said nothing.

When we reached the front entrance, my mother parked the car and got out, crossing her arms.

"Where is your father?" She tapped her foot in impatience.

"Hello! You must be Je-I mean Ariana's mother!" Nathan came out of nowhere, followed by his flock of friends who all seemed to not get over the fact that I look like their dead friend.

Am I their dead friend? I don't know what to believe. I don't even want to think about the fact that the guy I've been dreaming about, calling Shawn, is Alex.

"Who are you?" My mother asked in a not so friendly tone.

Nathan just smiled. "My name is Nathan Lockwood. I am Alex's father. Is something wrong?"

My mother literally got into Nathan's face, making Alex, and almost everyone stiffen. I could see a women standing in the house, glare at my mother. She must be Alex's mom.

"I don't know who you think you are paying off my loans but I do not appreciate it." She accused him.

"Wait, what do you mean he paid our loan?" I asked her. Nathan seemed confused about what we were talking about but quickly looked at Alex who looked away from him.

"This morning when I called the bank to make an overdue payment, they told me that I didn't have any amount due and that they received a phone call from Nathan Lockwood to pay off the loan." She was angry.

"Did you have some kind of statement that you wanted to get across? I know you're a rich guy but that doesn't mean you go around doing something that I could have handled."

"Uh." Nathan said. "I-" But my mother cut him off.

"I don't even know you, so why." She asked him.

"It wasn't my dad that called the bank, it was me." Alex chimed in.

My mother looked at Alex with surprise. "What?" My mother and I said at the same time.

"I overheard Ariana on the phone with you." He said shrugging his shoulders like it wasn't such a big deal. I looked at him, starting to feel a warm feeling in my heart, finally starting to understand what it was.

My mother was quiet for a minute. She didn't seem mad, just taken by surprise with Alex. "This doesn't change the fact that I found you in my daughters room almost about to maul her."

"Whoa, what?" Nathan asked with urgency. He looked at Alex with concern. "Explain yourself."

"Before you do that." I said to Alex, I looked at my mom. "I have something to tell you."

"You know that thing that happens to me sometimes."

My mom looked around and gave me a pointed look. "Yes, we can discuss this at home." She said whisper-yelling.

"No, mom you know how I thought I was alone but you said that I wasn't. Well I'm not." I looked at Alex.

She seemed confused at first but slowly started to understand. "You mean?" She pointed to Alex with surprise.

"Yeah, mom. We're known as werewolves." I said almost proudly. Whoa, what do I have to be proud of? I've done nothing but hate myself for years and now I was actually holding my head up high and saying I'm a monster with pride.

My mother looked like she was going to burst into tears. She hugged me tight. "I knew it! I knew it! Didn't I tell you?"

I laughed. "Yes, you did and I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

Alex growled, making my mother jump. I think I grew used to it because it didnt affect me anymore. He was looking at his dad with anger, his eyes glazed over.

"AM I?" He roared.

My mother jumped again and I placed my hand on her shoulder, calming her.

I knew what Alex was asking his father and his father seemed to be ignoring him.

It only agitated Alex even more. "Answer me! Am I or am I not Shawn?!"

My mother perked up to the name Shawn. She knew it was the name I had been dreaming of since I was little girl. "What's going on?" She asked.

Before I could explain to her, Alex shifted into his wolf, charging at his father.