Sexting With A Vampire
Chapter 78

Rebecca

I like my new life. It's peaceful, and I love my job.

I've worked as a tutor and a nanny for two entire months. It feels like I'm one in the Howler family, which they call themselves.

Stella has become like a stepmom to me. Raphael is the funny dad, and Evan is the organized dad making sure everyone has food on their plate.

He doesn't eat human food, but he did in the past-his cooking skills are exceptional.

I shift in my bed, pausing when I notice I'm not alone. A laugh escapes me, and I turn around to face the fugitive. William gives me a sheepish smile, so I arch an eyebrow. "Aren't you a bit too old for this?" I poke his nose. "I thought you said you were soon a grownup."

"But I like sleeping here..."

I laugh at him. "You know, at some point, this will stop being cute. You might be a kid now, but if this goes on, it will soon become inappropriate."

His eyes meet mine. "But I'm doing this because I need you, Rebecca. You know I suffer nightmares when I sleep alone... I feel safer sleeping with you in your bed."

Damn those puppy eyes.

I sigh and give up on trying to get rid of the hybrid because I do know about William's nightmares.

His screaming kept me up the first week I came to live here, so I've been letting William sleep with me. The poor thing won't stop seeing demons at night, but it seems he can sleep just fine in my bed. For some reason, he is calm in my presence. It soothes him to fall asleep wrapped up in my arms.

"Alright," I yawn and close my eyes again. "You get to stay."

Immediately, I feel him hug me and press his body to mine. It's sweet, and I fall back asleep while hugging him.

Or I try to...

Seconds later, William opens his mouth to talk. "I tried to make friends like you said, but it didn't go well."

"It didn't?" I'm half-awake.

"No... The vampires are disgusted by me, and the werewolves are afraid of me... I don't fit in at all. Everyone thinks I'm a monster or a freak of nature. I'm all alone." "You're not alone," I brush my fingers through William's hair. "Have you talked to your parents?"

"What are they supposed to do?" William presses his face into the fabric of my pajamas. He is crying. "All the other kids pretend to be nice, but I hear their thoughts...." "William..." I sigh heavily. "I thought your dad told you not to read other people's minds."

"I know! I'm just... I wanted to see if my friends liked me, but my powers aren't a blessing but a curse. My friends don't like me, and I wish I didn't know about that! School sucks!" Dear Lord.

How do I help the kid feel better?

It must be hard for William to be able to read minds at such a young age. The kid is like eight, but he is scarily intelligent. It must come with being a hybrid or something.

"You have to stop depending on your mind-reading abilities," I stare at the ceiling with tired eyes. "I don't remember my past, but... I remember snippets. Does that make sense?" William chuckles. "No... You're a weirdo."

I jab him at the side for calling me a weirdo, and the little cockroach of a hybrid howls laughter.

"Okay, okay!" William cries. "It makes perfect sense! Stop tickling me!"

I stop and blow some hair away from my face. William is recovering next to me, still laughing softly.

"What I was going to say is that I'm a lycan. When I transform, I lose all sense of control, and I remember that people used to fear me. It made me feel lonely. But at some point, I just accepted that I'm a lycan, just like you will come to peace with what you are." William replaces my hand. "You're not lonely now. You have me, and we are the best of friends."

Best friends with a kid?

My heart swells.

It might be weird, but William is right. He is the person I spend most of my time with. We usually watch scary movies together if I'm not tutoring him or burning up his food(since I suck at cooking).

And I do enjoy my time with him. I just wish William also had friends his own age. I'm twenty years old. I think? It's hard to tell since I've been time-traveling so often.

I have no idea where I even came from-the past or the future-but I love my new life.

"We have each other," I say, smiling. "Now, aren't you tired?"

"Yes, but..." William hesitates. "But I'm... I wonder if..."

I replace his odd-colored eyes and search his face. "What is it now? Is there anything else you want to say?"

His lips quiver. "Could I read your mind? I just... My dad says I'm not allowed to read minds, but... can I please read yours? Just to check that you don't think I'm a monster..."

My heart melts when I see the sadness in his eyes.

William has such severe trust issues I feel bad for him. And while encouraging him to read minds might be wrong, I want him to know that he can trust me.

"Go ahead."

William smiles and focuses his mind.

I think about all the movies we have watched together and how much we have laughed. Baking together, discussing my lack of a love life since my best therapist is apparently an eight-year-old kid. Then I think about us playing with water guns, picking candy from the store, and me driving him off to school.

I really like the kid.

I peer down at William, and he opens his eyes. Before I know it, I'm squeezed to death by the little thing.

"I like you too, Rebecca-don't ever leave us. My family needs you around more than you think."

My lips curl into a smile. "Wow, you can be adorable when you put your heart into it."

"Don't get used to it..."

After some cuddling, I fall asleep and suffer a nightmare. I'm stuck in chains inside a basement, trying to escape.

It feels too real. My body is in pain, and my head is spinning from memories returning to me.

I don't like this.

A bald man is laughing while waltzing down the stairs.

He looks to be in his thirties, and his muscles are swollen. His skin is dark like mine, and he has a big black beard and mustache.

An alpha lycan.

I look at him, and the mate-bond zaps between us, yet I don't want him. My stomach is gurgling, and anxiety overwhelms me. Every warning bell is tolling inside my head. Danger.

My memories might be gone, but it's coming back to me...

My mate is dangerous and shares a body with a demon. He cooperates with it, and he is a cruel man. He uses his strength to hurt and mistreat me-that's why my powers activated.

I fled to this period because of the abuse, and I've been running for a long time. Desperately trying to get away from my own mate.

I've been hiding in the future. Hiding in the past. And at some point, I forgot where I was and where I was going.

"You keep fleeing from me, Rebecca, but you can't keep escaping forever. I know where you're hiding this time. You were actually stupid enough to stay in the same country. And now I'm going to summon you back to the future where you belong." "No!" I scream from the chains. "I don't want to go back! I'm excellent in this time period! Just leave me alone!"

"Oh, but I can't do that... You haven't graduated college yet-you must come back and fill your head with knowledge. And later, you will marry me and become my lycan luna."

"No, I don't want to marry you!"

"SILENCE, WOMAN! YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO SPEAK BACK TO ME, YOU SLUT! DO YOU WANT TO BE PUNISHED?!"

"No, I want nothing from you! Leave me alone!"

"f*****g b***h. Once I get my hands on you, I will lock you up in the basement again! You're not supposed to speak back to your future husband EVER!"

"I don't want to marry you!"

Tears fill my eyes, but there is nothing I can do to save myself.

My mate, Davis, is already summoning me back to my own time, wherever that is. I can feel it happening in my bones and shed tears because I know I won't wake up next to William.

It seems my time with Stella and her family has ended. And now, only darkness awaits. I will become the bride of the alpha I don't want but can't escape from.

Life is cruel.

Why did I have to be mated to such a heartless man?