From LKT,

LKT is proud to announce that Lauren Kutterfly had started her first 'Hybrid' tagged book called 'I Still Exist'. For more information, visit @erza78787's profile page and find the book there. Thank you for supporting LKT.

The note below is written by Lauren Kutterfly:

Hey readers!! So yeah. Some tears in the last chapter in the author note. But you guys are smart and get the idea. I'm that happy so many people are still supporting me even though I'm near the point of suicide. But I'm going to stay alive for you guys. I'm not giving up yet. It's just one dumb, useless comment. Why get so railed up on it? Jeesh girl! Get a grip! Anyhow, I was searching up 'Attack on Titan' yesterday on Wattpad and I saw my story ranked #17. YES! GREAT JOB GUYS!!! Okay! I definitely have motivation now!

So, I just want all my supporters out there to know that I really love you guys. Even if I didn't do a shout out to you guys, you know that I still love you... as a friend. To my haters: I DON'T GIVE A CRAP. GO DIE IN A FIRE.

So, yeah! NEW CHAPTER FOLKS! A FORBIDDEN FAMILY IS CONTINUING! AND NOTHING IS GONNA STOP THAT FROM NOW ON!

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Chapter 38

The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual. The sun was barely even raisin up, signaling it was only 5:30.

I laid in bed and tried to fall back asleep, but it wasn't working. Demy's soft breathing tickled my arm as I tried to close my eyes and find the dream I had again.

But no matter what I did, nothing was working.

I sighed in annoyance and sat up. Well, I better make use of the time and go train my Animato powers.

I slipped out of bed and dressed myself in a white blouse with a chest high black jacket and a long flowing midnight black dress.

I opened the door and slipped out, careful not to wake up Demy who fell asleep next to me last night.

I smiled at Demy's sleeping form before closing the door. I'm keeping the promise I made last night. I will keep Demy safe.

I tiptoed through the hallways to the door that led to the garden.

I slowly opened the door a crack and squeezed out. The cool morning breeze whistled through my hair and blew on my dress.

I closed the door and began to make my way through the gardens to the training grounds.

As I quietly made my way through the flower beds, someone's singing made me froze in my steps. My first reaction was 'Oh no! Someone might catch me!'. But who would be up right now? It's too early in the morning.

The singing continued and I vaguely recognized the voice. My eyes widened a bit. It was my mom.

When I was small, my mom used to sing to me all the time before I went to bed. Her voice was soothing and calming and helped me sleep.

I changed courses and instead followed the singing to a little area enclosed by a bunch of trees. I hid behind a nearby tree and watched as a girl with sleek black hair, my mom, dance around will singing. This was the second time seeing my mom sing since we got here. But this time her song no longer carried happiness. I know of this song.

It was Angles by Within Temptation.

I listened as she picked up flowers forms bushes.

WITHIN TEMPTATION- ANGLES

Sparkling angel
I believe
You are my saviour
In my time of need

Blinded by faith
I couldn't hear
All the whispers
The warning's so clear

I see the angels
I'll lead them to your door
There is no escape now
Now mercy no more

No remorse 'cause I still remember
The smile when you tore me apart

You took my heart
Deceived me right from the start
You showed me dreams
I wished they'd turn to real
You broke the promise
And made me realise
It was all just a lie

Sparkling angel
Couldn't see
Your dark intentions
Your feelings for me

Fallen angel
Tell me why?
What is the reason?
The thorn in your eye

I see the angels
I'll lead them to your door
There is no escape now
No mercy no more

No remorse 'cause I still remember
The smile when you tore me apart

Could have been forever
Now we have reached the end

This world may have failed you
It doesn't give the reason why
You could have chosen
A different path of life

The smile when you tore me apart

You took my heart
Deceived me right from the start
You showed me dreams
I wished they'd turn in to real
You broke a promise
And made me realise
It was all just a lie

Could have been forever
Now we have reached the end

"But I have seen my wrongs and will correct them, so my dear angel, please forgive me and give me a second chance," a voice sang after my mom fished. My mom jumped and whipped her head around to see who it was. I looked too. And not surprisingly, it was Erwin. His voice mixed with my mom's sounded ugly compared to Levi's and my mom's entwine together as one.

"What are you doing here?" my mom asked and stepped back a little in a nervous way. Erwin smiled and stepped closer to her, but she just stepped back again. Seeing that he wasn't going to get any closer, Erwin sighed.

"Look, Caitlyn. I'm really sorry about what I did in the past," he began." I wasn't thinking straight and ended up hurting you more than I thought. But I've changed from that old me and I want you to be able to see that. Please give me a second chance. I still love you."

My mom looked away.

"Erwin, I can't love you again," she whispered softly. From behind my tree, I could evidently see tears forming at the corners of my mom's eyes.

"Why not?" Erwin demanded. "What do you like about that man anyway? Levi's gruff, uncaring, heartless, cold, and hateful. What do you see in him that I can't give you?"

My mom took a deep breath and said,"You don't know what Levi did. Levi has a heart that no one has seen before. He protected me and Karen."

"How?!" Erwin almost roared but then seemed to remember that people were still sleeping so he lowered his voice and asked again,"How? He left you alone in th real world for 15 years."

A stray tear fell out of my mom's eyes.

"When he found out that the King kills anyone who is an Animato, Levi immediately sent me and Karen to the real world to hide for the time being. He said to let Karen come back at age 15," she said softly. "Only Levi will think that far. You won't."

Silence hung in the air until Erwin said slowly,"Do you really... love him that much...?"

My mom nodded her head.

"Even if people can't see who he truely is, I'll continue to love him no matter what," she said confidently.

Erwin looked down.

"I see..." he whispered. My mom stepped forward a little, enough to place a hand one Erwin's shoulder.

"You should care and love your own wife and children," she told him. "Just in case you haven't seen it yet, Katrina cares for you deeply. She's willing to follow your every command and order."

Erwin looked at my mom.

"You... really think so...?" he whispered. My mom smiled.

"Yeah," she said. "I do."

Erwin looked down and for the first time ever, he didn't look very sure of himself.

After a while, he sighed and said,"Thanks, Caitlyn. I'll see what I can do to correct my mistakes with Katrina and Noah."

My mom grinned.

"Now that's the spirit!" she laughed and gave Erwin an awkward pat. Sometimes I still wonder how Levi put up with that woman.

I backed away from my tree and went back to my dorm.

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The sun was up by now. Demy had excused herself from my room saying that she was going down to get my breakfast. I sat alone on my bed as I thought about what happened today.

As I was pondering with my thoughts, I heard a light knock on my door.

"Come in," I called, thinking that Demy had come back. But I was wrong. It was Erwin.

The Commander opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes darted back and forth nervously as he inspected the room.

"Um, it's very clean in here," he noted in a vain attempt to start a conversation.

"Demy, my friend, helps me clean it," I replied. "Plus my dad forces me to."

Erwin raised an eyebrow.

"You don't like cleaning?" he asked, surprised. I rolled my head.

"I hate cleaning," I said with a huff.

"But, you're Levi's daughter, right?" Erwin continued. "Shouldn't you like keeping things in order?"

I sighed.

"Me and my dad are two different people even though we are blood related. And to add to that, my father isn't an OCD. He's more of someone who likes things neat and clean. Not a freak about it," I explained.

Erwin nodded and glanced nervously at the chair placed by my bed.

"Uh... can I?" he asked and pointed at the chair. I nodded.

Erwin shuffled over and sat down by me. After that, silence draped over us as we tried to figure out what to say next to each other. Finally, it was I who broke the silence.

"So, what brings you here today?" I asked, turning to face him. Erwin looked down into his lap and took a deep breath.

"Do you love your father?"

His question caught me by surprise. But I knew that to do and say.

"Yes, I do," I answered. "Not just because he's my father but because he believed in me and was by my side when I was sad and alone. He listened to me when no one else did. I'm really grateful for that. He's the best Dad I could ask for even though he annoys me sometimes."

Erwin stared at me.

"You love him that much?" he asked quietly. I nodded.

"Oh, I see..." he muttered softly.

I put a hand on his arm. He jerked and tensed for a moment before relaxing again.

"You should tell Katrina and Noah that you love them. I'm sure they love you too just like I love my dad," I told him.

"You really think that they will love me?" Erwin asked. "Even after everything I did to them?"

I smiled.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said confidently. "They'll forgive you. Noah is a really kind person. He's easy to be around with and really kind and helpful. Katrina is just like her son, a splitting image of him. I'm sure they'll both understand hen you tell them everything."

Even though he turned away on the last second, I saw tears forming in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away and stood up.

"Thank you, Karen," he told me. "I'll be going now."

He turned and walked out the door, shutting it gently behind him. I smiled.

I'm sure that Noah, Katrina, and Erwin will be happy together now. The Smith family is finally complete like the Ackerman family is.