Chapter 248 Video Evidence

Chapter 248 Video Evidence
>>Riona

“Riona,” Ava was huffing, “He got up in the middle and ran out without a word!” She was angry at what Riker had done to her.

“I know,” I sat in the first floor lounge, “And I know how bad it sounds but listen to me,” I glanced at my side and saw Riker sitting on the floor next to the couch I was on, listening to how the conversation would go. Both his hands were on the arm of the couch as he looked like a lost pup.

“Why?” She yelled, “Are you going to defend him?”

“Yes,” I replied,

“Don’t even-”

I cut her off, “He came to save me,” This was a desperate choice of words. But I wasn’t lying. I had thought through it all.

“...” She paused, “What?”

“Demos and I were attacked.”

“WHAT!?!?!” I had to put the phone away with how loud she was, “What in the what!?!?”

“Look, we’ll come over and explain the whole thing to you guys. But don’t be angry at Riker.” I glanced at him again, “Because he came to help, he got some really important piece of evidence.”

“What are you talking about?” She asked.

“I’ll come over and explain everything.”

“Well then come over right now!!” She said, “I’m waiting!!!”



“My God…” Heavy silence took over as I explained the whole thing with Niall at my parent’s house.

“Niall…” Ava shook her head in disbelief, “He-” She was at a loss for words. Restless, she got up from the couch and began to pace around, “He always looked so perfect!”

“I know,” I replied, “I could never have guessed it was him either.”

Ava moved around the lounge, then made a sharp turn towards us, “And you have the whole thing on video!?” She aksed Riker as she licked her lips

He nodded, “I do,”

“Good!” She stomped over to him, grabbed his cheeks and kissed his forehead! “Very good!” Riker was very pleased with that.

“But,” Annamae started, “You said he’s currently in the hospital.”

“Yes,” I replied

Anna glanced at Ava after making an assumption where she might be standing and Ava pursed her lips, then looked at me.

“Riona,” She started, “This was on the news in the morning.” She stepped back to get a clear view of me, “About how a detective was taken into emergency after being mauled by a beast.” She pulled out her phone and tapped it, then held it out to me. On the screen was a grainy video and a blaring headline:
DETECTIVE ATTACKED BY UNKNOWN ANIMAL. SUSPECT IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
I stiffened. A deep chill crawled down my back. I exchanged a glance with Demos, whose jaw tightened immediately.
“What’s going on?” Anna asked softly, sensing the room’s tension.
“We need to talk to both of you,” I said. My voice sounded strange, like it belonged to someone braver than I felt.
Ava’s brows furrowed. “Okay... talk about what?”
“It’s not something you’re going to believe easily,” I warned.
“Well, try me.” Ava crossed her arms.
Demos stepped forward, standing tall and sure. “This might sound impossible, but we need you to listen. Riona, Riker, Nick, and I—we’re not exactly human.”
There was a pause.
Anna tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Ava scoffed. “Wait—what does that even mean? What are you then? Gods? Fairies? Mutants?”
“We’re werewolves,” I said.
Ava blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Were. Wolves,” Riker repeated slowly. “Claws, fur, sharp teeth. Howling at the moon. The whole thing.”
There was silence. Then Ava started laughing. “Oh my God, you guys are ridiculous. Is this a Halloween prank?”
Anna smiled uncertainly. “Rio, is this for real? Because I’ve known you my whole life and… you’re the least wolfy person I know.”
“I’m serious,” I said quietly. “It’s real. I shifted. I felt it. And everything makes sense now.”
“No offense,” Ava said, still grinning, “but you don’t exactly scream ‘mystical wolf queen.’ You’re the same girl who once cried because your burger had too much sauce.”
I blushed at the teenage hormonal memory, “I know,” I said. “But that doesn’t change the truth.” I paused for a second, “And don’t bring out past memories, I was going through hormone changes at that time!”
“Okay,” Ava deadpanned. “What are you then, aliens? Time travelers? Secret superheroes? Oh my God, wait—wait, are you vampires? Is this Twilight? Riona, blink twice if you’re dating Edward.”
Anna burst out laughing at Ava’s words.
“Ava, Anna—please,” I said, trying not to laugh too even though my nerves were on fire. “I’m being serious.
Ava blinked at me, then slowly turned to Demos. “Did you put her up to this? Is this like a weird fantasy thing you guys are into?”
“I wish I was making it up,” I muttered. I sighed. “Okay, okay, I get it. It sounds insane. But I am one. We all are.”
“No offense,” Ava said, still grinning, “but this is too stupid.”
When they continued to look at us like we were about to start laughing and yell “Gotcha!”, Demos muttered under his breath, “They’re not going to believe it unless we show them.”
“Show us what?” Ava folded her arms and looked at us, “What?” She looked at Riker, “Are you going to transform in front of me?”
Riker was hesitant. He then looked at me and then at Demos.
“What better time?” Demos asked and Riker looked back at Ava
“What if I can transform in front of you? Then what?”
Ava didn’t take him seriously, “If you can, I’ll marry you right away.”
And then—bones snapped.
Ava screamed. The sound echoed off the walls as Riker’s body contorted, dark fur bursting from his skin. One moment he was human—the next, a massive wolf stood in his place, calm and unmoving.
Demos followed suit, fur tearing out of his skin, his body growing until a black-furred wolf stood beside Demos. Then Nick, shifting slower, smoother, blonde fur blooming over his skin like moonlight.
Ava stumbled backward, mouth hanging open. “HOLY—WHAT IS HAPPENING?!”
She backed up until she hit the wall.
Meanwhile, Annamae was frozen, lips parted. “What happened?” she whispered. “What just happened?”
“They shifted,” I said, walking over to her. “They turned into their wolf forms.”
“I… I want to see,” she said softly. “Nick?”
Without hesitation, Nick padded toward her and lowered his head in front of her gently. He nudged her hand with his nose.
She flinched—then slowly reached out, running her fingers through his thick, soft fur. Her hand trembled.
Her other hand came up and found the top of his head, then down the bridge of his nose, over his strong jaw.
Her breath hitched. “You’re… real,” she whispered.
Nick let out a soft sound from deep in his chest, almost like a purr.
Anna’s fingers curled into his fur. “Oh my God,” she breathed. “You weren’t joking.”
Ava was still standing in shock, staring at Riker, who stood still like a statue.
“You were telling the truth,” she said faintly. “You were telling the actual, literal, terrifying truth.”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
Ava blinked slowly, then looked at Riker again. “You mean to tell me the guy who flirted with me over spaghetti turns into that? That should’ve been a warning sign.”
Riker let out a very self-satisfied chuff.
“Riona,” Anna said softly, her voice shaking as she still touched Nick’s fur. “You too?”
“Yes,” I whispered, feeling self conscious, “Although I did just recently discovered it…”
Anna and Ava looked at one another and the room fell silent.


Riker and Nick went to work while Demos was taking me to the casino.
“Don’t worry about it.” Demos said as he glanced at me, “They need time to themselves to figure it all out.”
“I know…” I let out a sigh, “It didn’t take me any time though…” I whispered.
“Unlike you, they are human. You accepted yourself for what you were, but humans need time.”
“...” I frowned. But I also knew there was nothing I could do about it. “I understand,” I let out a sigh, then looked out the open window.
The car hummed beneath us as the city blurred past the windows, lights flashing in streaks of gold and red. I glanced sideways at Demos, his hands steady on the wheel, his jaw relaxed but focused.
“Why are we going to the casino?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
He didn’t look at me right away. “Because I’m curious,” he finally said.
“About?”
“What you said the other day. About how you felt like you knew the place. Like it was… familiar.”
I blinked. “You really think that means something?”
“It can’t just be a coincidence,” he said. “Not with everything else going on.”
Silence settled over us like a heavy blanket. The tires hummed on the road, and I turned my gaze out the window, watching the city blur by. But something gnawed at the edge of my thoughts. A question I hadn’t asked.
“When did you first see me?” I asked suddenly, turning toward him.
“What?” He wasn’t sure what I was asking and spared me a glance.
“You told me you saw me before and fell for me.”
He smirked faintly. “Well, obviously I fell for you the moment I saw you. You’re my mate.”
“Okay, but where did you see me?” I pressed.
His fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel. There was a beat of hesitation. I could feel it. He was weighing something. And then, finally, he said it:
“At the courthouse.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Right when you were being escorted out and taken to prison.”
!!!
My stomach dropped. My face went hot. “You—what?! That’s the moment you saw me?”
He chuckled under his breath. “Yeah. You were walking in cuffs, you didn’t even notice me, or Riker, or Nick, as we walked by you.”
I buried my face in my hands. “Oh my God, that’s humiliating.”
“Don’t be, it’s good I saw you there.” He said, “It’s because I saw you there, I was able to find you before you got sold to anyone else.”
I groaned. “Why were you even there?!”
“I had some official business to take care of.”
“Like what?” I eyed him skeptically.
“Like having my name changed,” he said, and when I looked at him, he was smirking. “Making it officially Demos Soma.”
I sat up straighter. “Soma?”
“Yeah.” His tone softened, gaze flicking to me briefly. “My father was a Soma. Now the rest of the family is taking on the name too.”
“Your father?” Come to think of it, I never heard about his family, “Where has your family been all this time?” I asked, “I never saw anything close to your family in the house.”
“They’re already in Country C. Settling in. Building things up from the inside.” He sighed, “We just took over a well established household. So there was a lot to do. My parents and my sister went ahead of me.”
“I see…” I looked at him. “And us?”
He nodded once. “We’ll be joining them soon. You and me. There’s a place for us there.”
Country C…
My heart began to pound. That’s where I am originally from.
Right?