He walked to the table, then picked up the paper. Beside it was a brown envelope. Could she have gone on a trip? He shook the thought away instantly. Jane doesn't keep things from him. If she wanted to travel, she would have told him. Moreover, she has never traveled anywhere without her children by her side.
He opened the paper and read its content to himself patiently.
"Hey, Evans. I'm sorry for doing this the old way, but I had to since your phone is broken. An urgent work came up, and I had to take it because of the pay. I left the money behind so you could repair your phone tomorrow. Please, do so so I can reach you and talk to you soon. Take care."
He finished reading, then looked down at the envelope. She must have thought he did not have enough to fix his phone. He lowered the paper on the table, then dialed Jane's contact.
It did not go through.
He heaved a sigh as he made his way to his room. She must be busy; she never answers her phone when she starts cooking for her elite clients.
He picked up the envelope and weighed it. It was light. A smile crossed Evans' face, he slid a finger beneath the flap, and opened it slowly. Crisp new notes stared back at him, she must still think he's a kid.
With the envelope in his hand, he headed to his room. The faint scent of Jane's perfume still lingered in the air, which means she left not too long ago. He pushed the door open and stepped in, then closed it behind him.
He dropped both the envelope and his backpack on the bed, then slid out of his clothes. He went to the bathroom and freshened up. As he changed into simple clothes after drying himself, his mind went back to the strange man.
He was purposely following him, but what could his intention be? He could smell the unpleasant aura from him, but what could he want with him? Could it involve the mysterious girl?
He clamped another dry towel around his head, then realized.
He has not noticed the presence of the shadow since last night. Guilt and uneasiness crept into his chest.
Was it gone finally?
If it was hiding somewhere in the house, Evans would feel it, but he felt nothing.
He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her hands, too many questions spiraling in his head, but there were no answers.
Was he overthinking things because of the recent stress?
"Get a grip," he muttered.
It was probably a coincidence…everything could be a coincidence, but he knew better.
He lay down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He never anticipated meeting Jasmine and even driving her, but it happened. The previous events replayed in his mind until he fell asleep.
•••••••••••••••
The next morning came faster than he expected. The sun was brighter, and birds chirped at his window to wake him up. He stirred, then rose from bed.
He slept peacefully last night without nightmares.
No shadows.
No visions.
No distorted voices in his head.
He prepared for school and eventually talked to Jane during a free period on the phone.
The day ended peacefully. The days that followed were the same.
It was boring, but Evans had grown to enjoy boring moments. He'd rather study or scroll through his phone, looking at recent news. He lived alone in the house and avoided trouble at school. On the other hand, Edward and his group had not returned to school.
Jasmine still talked to him and even addressed his weird behavior almost every day.
No visions.
No strange occurrence.
No shadows or violent werewolves, but on the fifth day, everything changed.
It was a late evening. He had just finished talking to his mother on the phone, and the sky darkened above him. He was just coming from the pharmacy, he had developed a cold since morning, but he ignored it.
When a throbbing headache accompanied the cold, he was forced to go to the pharmacy. Jane had reprimanded him to take care of himself without slacking.
His hands were tucked in his pockets, and streetlights flickered one after the other. His steps were low and relaxed, but all of a sudden, the familiar sensation struck him in his spine.
He froze.
That sensation was unmistakable.
"No…"
He was back.
Closer and stronger.
The air around him became heavier, and it felt like something unseen was pressing on him.
"The disappointment radiating from you is…so stunning."
Evans' heart pounded against his chest as he turned around.
Indeed, it was him!
He was standing under a streetlight, and a grim smile was on his face. He tilted his head slightly, his sharp eyes scanning Evans.
"Did you miss me?"
Evans gave no reply. The energy emitting from him was too strong.
"You don't look like you miss me."
Evans summoned courage, even though his breath had started shaking. "I have reported you to the cops. Just a call from me and you will be locked up behind bars."
A dangerous silence fell between them, then a low chuckle erupted from the man.
"You can sense me better than I expected…unfortunately, you won't be able to again," he retorted, his tone deadly.
Different thoughts raced through Evans' mind. He knew he stood no chance against this deadly man. Trying to face off with him would be a suicide mission…even if he tried.
There is an option.
And the option is to run away.
He immediately turned and ran further into the street, while the man's eyes darkened.
"You can't escape me tonight, Alpha's Son."
Evans' heart pounded hard in his chest as he ran. This was the fastest he had ever run, and the cold air burned his lungs. Footsteps echoed behind him, but it wasn't running. It was measured and slow.
Horror crawled up Evans' spine. The man wasn't chasing, he was patient but was following.
He needed somewhere to hide. His house came into view, and without thinking twice, he sprinted into it.