AURORA'S POV:
   I finished taking my bath a while ago in my room and left Cali there. I wanted to ask her to come along but I remembered that not only is it not my place to invite her to someone else's home, something 'weird' might happen and I don't want her to be dragged into this whole situation. 
   She was even talking about going to hang out with one of the guys she met on the plane yesterday. Apparently, they wanted to hook up. Typical Cali. 
   I did remind her not to get pregnant because I wasn't ready to start baby sitting. Her godfather would also tear the guy to shreds...
   Anyways, I am now on my way to Jon's room. 
     The room is quiet except for the faint sound of fingers on glass and Arc’s keyboard clicking steadily across the room. I step inside and pause, my eyes locking briefly on Arc. 
    He's sitting on the edge of the bed, laptop perched on his knees, eyes scanning the screen with laser focus. His brows are slightly drawn, lips tight. He looks… intense. But not in a "trying to kill me with his stare" kind of way. More like he’s trying to solve some mysterious vampire-level Rubik’s cube. 
   Jon, on the other hand, is doing something on his phone. Maybe booking a ride as he told me before. 
    Arc glances up at the sound of the door and immediately closes the laptop. "You good?"
   
I nod, clutching my hoodie tighter around me. "Clean. Fed. Mentally prepping for potential awkward energy."
   His lips twitch, just a bit. "You’ll survive. You are the one that was pushing for apple pie you could have easily gotten in the hotel." His tone sounds like he is taunting me for my choices. As if I made a bad decision. 
   Before I can respond, Jon’s voice floats from the other side of the room. "Ride’s here."
    We head down together, an odd triangle of footsteps thumping across hotel carpet; Jon in front, me in the middle, Arc behind. I try not to read too much into the positioning, but it feels symbolic somehow.
    The car is already waiting outside. A sleek, dark sedan with clean leather seats and that fancy smell that screams "wealth but make it subtle." We slide in, Jon giving the driver a quick nod and a polite "Morning."
  I'm not even sure if I should be comfortable or concerned with how the interior of this car is. Isn't this too nice for an Uber? I hope this man is not about to kidnap us...
   On the bright side, I have a werewolf and vampire with me. I doubt anything can really happen except... What if they are the ones who want to kidnap me though?
  Stop with the conspiracy theories.
Leave me.
   The drive is quiet, save for the hum of the engine and a soft playlist Jon must have requested. Acoustic stuff. Chill but not too sleepy. I glance out the window, watching the buildings give way to greenery and wider roads.
   Ten minutes later, we pull up in front of a house.
Scratch that.
A dream.
   The house looks like something out of an upscale magazine. It has a modern design with smooth wood accents, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a front garden that clearly gets more love than my entire wardrobe. Yet, despite its elegance, it feels warm. Lived-in. The kind of house that smells like cinnamon in the winter and fresh lavender in the spring.
    I shift uncomfortably in my seat, suddenly aware of the sweat on my palms.
  "What if she doesn't like me?" I murmur. I don't even know why I am this concerned. It's not as if I'm dating her son or anything.
    Jon turns to me, reaching over to take my hand. He gives it a reassuring squeeze, his eyes soft. "She’s going to love you. You’re… you." 
    That should calm me. But from the corner of my eye, I see Arc. His eyes are locked on Jon’s hand wrapped around mine, jaw clenched. Rage burns behind those crimson irises.
And just like that, the warmth turns cold.
    I pull my hand away, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. Jon’s expression flickers, hurt, maybe but he doesn’t say anything. Arc, on the other hand, looks like he’s just won a silent battle. His shoulders relax slightly.
    The car stops. Jon is the first to get out. I follow, stepping onto the stone pathway leading to the door, heart galloping like it’s racing itself. Arc’s quiet footsteps follow behind, steady but somehow heavier than mine.
Jon presses the doorbell. A few seconds pass.
Then, from inside, a voice calls, "Just a moment!"
I freeze. No turning back now. I just hope there's no drama today.
The door swings open.
    A woman stands there. She is tall, effortlessly elegant, with rich brown waves cascading over her shoulders. She’s breathtaking. 
    The kind of woman who turns heads at PTA meetings and then dominates courtroom drama shows in her spare time. Her skin glows, and if someone told me she was Jon’s older sister instead of his mother, I’d believe them in a heartbeat.
    Her eyes land on Jon, and the smile that blooms on her face could outshine the sun.
"Jon?" Her voice is light, stunned.
   "Surprise," he says, grinning as she throws her arms around him. She hugs him like she hasn’t seen him in years, rocking him slightly as they both laugh.
Oh, to be loved by a mum...
"What - how - what are you doing here?!"
   "School excursion," Jon says as they pull apart. "We’re here for a few days. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to surprise you."
     "You idiot, you even lied to me that the destination is Greece. If I knew you were coming, I would have made your favourites." she says fondly, with a pout while hitting his chest lightly before pulling him in for another hug.
He chuckles. “Sorry mum. It was for the surprise. I brought... friends." There's a slight hesitation before he says friends.
   She pulls back and gives him a knowing look, wiggling her brows. "Oh? Friends, huh?"
Jon steps aside and gestures toward me.
Suddenly, I feel painfully visible.
I give a small, awkward wave. "Hi, ma'am."
    Arc is silent behind me, but I feel his presence like a shadow.
Jon’s mother’s smile falters.
She sees me. And her face changes. Everything shifts.
   Her skin pales, like the color drains right out of her body. Her mouth parts slightly as her gaze zeroes in on me. Horror. Actual horror, like she’s staring at a ghost.
She points at me with a terrified look in her eyes.
"Y-You…"
Jon’s smile vanishes. Arc stiffens behind me.
    "What’s wrong, Mum?" Jon asks, stepping forward.
    She doesn’t answer. Her hand rises to cover her mouth, eyes wide and fixed. She looks like she’s going to pass out.
   "Ma’am?" I say softly, confused and very, very freaked out. 
   Scratch what I said earlier... There is definitely going to be drama today.
   Then, like a switch flips, she snaps out of it. She looks around frantically, scanning the street, the driveway, the sky. Her hands reach out and she grabs Jon by the arm.
"Inside. Now."
Jon blinks. "Wait, what-?"
"Now!"
    There’s no arguing with that tone. She’s already pulling him in, ushering the rest of us like a mother wolf guiding her pups from danger. She grabs the door, slams it behind us, and locks it with a sharp click.
   She rushes to every window in the living room, yanking the blinds shut, locking the latches, double-checking the corners. Her breath comes in quick bursts.
I glance at Arc. Even he looks rattled.
   Jon hurries over to her. "Mum, what’s going on? You’re scaring me."
   She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, she turns toward me.
And stares. Really stares.
My skin prickles.
   Her voice is a whisper. Like she’s speaking to herself. "This… this can’t be real."