"Did you see her expression? She completely bought into that whole 'Chosen by the moon' nonsense I was spouting!" He slammed his palm on the table, unable to contain his laughter.
Mr Collins squirmed in his chair, visibly uncomfortable. "I get that we're all upset about how she managed to sway the king into making that call, but leaving her out in the woods? That feels extreme!" He added, anxiety etched across his features.
The other men shot him disapproving looks, whispering about his foolishness. Mr Ron raised his hand, silencing the group. "And why should we care if she becomes a meal for wild animals?"
The men erupted in enthusiastic agreement with Ron's words, recognising it as the safest course of action. Collins gestured toward the unconscious figure beside them. "Once she comes to, you'll see it's your problem," he stated.
With a grin, Ron turned his attention to the body. "Good point! I nearly forgot I have a very intriguing guest with me," he said, lifting a knife from the table.
He wiped the blade clean with a cloth. "Gentlemen, let's be honest – we're skilled at manipulation. It wouldn't take much to fool this girl once she regains consciousness, just like we did with Dove," he added, and the other men nodded in agreement.
He glanced at the knife, a smile creeping onto his face. "But today, I'm after something different. A warning, a message, or perhaps an accidental murder," he declared, prompting cheers and applause from the group.
Collins stood up, fists clenched, exclaiming, "What?!"
Meanwhile, the seemingly unconscious Chanel smirked.
Hunter's Residence
His grip on my neck was more of a light hold; his hands barely encircled it, poised to tighten at any moment.
"I-I'm just a guest," I managed to say, and as I coughed, he constricted his grip further.
"Why did Hunter bring you here?" he inquired, his voice dropping in intensity. Despite the darkness, I could see the same unchanging expression etched on his face—one of indifference, as if nothing truly mattered to him.
"It's a long story, but I assure you, I'm not an intruder. If I were, I wouldn't be lying here so peacefully," I protested, but he continued to hold me firmly. His gaze pierced through me, conveying a message I couldn't quite decode.
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Hunter burst in, positioning himself behind the man. He placed his hands on the man's shoulders and urged, "Okay, Alpha, that's enough."
My eyes widened at that title—did he really just call him Alpha?
The man stood up, twisting his neck with a resounding crack. "Who is she?" he demanded of Hunter.
With a heavy sigh, Hunter raked his fingers through his hair, "My mentee; I'll explain everything later."
He stared at me, his expression not telling me anything, It had been the same since he entered. "By the way, what are you even doing here?", Hunter asked.
"I just came over to borrow some sugar," he remarked, gazing at me with an unsettling intensity. "Seriously, how many times? What on earth are you doing with all that sugar?!" Hunter crossed his arms.
Alpha remained silent, making his way toward the now-damaged door, but Hunter swiftly intervened, gripping his arm to halt his escape. "You're not going anywhere until you understand that sneaking into my house at this hour needs to stop!"
"It's only sugar," Alpha countered nonchalantly. "And I still want the complete explanation for why there's a girl in your house at this late hour."
We were gathered around the dinner table, and I was busy savouring a piece of candy I had discovered in Hunter's cupboard. Alpha and Hunter sat closely together, whispering and chuckling occasionally, often sneaking glances at me—mostly Hunter.
"What am I even doing here, Ischgein?" I implored, puzzled about why I couldn't just get some sleep. Their focus shifted to me as Hunter affectionately placed a hand on Alpha's head.
"I wanted to introduce my best buddy, Alpha. You're probably wondering two things: Is his real name Alpha, and why hasn't his expression changed even once?", He grinned.
"Good to know you're aware", I replied licking the sugar off my fingers.
"Alpha's his real name", Hunter bent to look at his face, "And this expression of his, he's only ever changed it once in the last ten years, so don't expect much". I looked at him, intrigued, Hunter and I just staring at him.
"You two are really putting me on edge," Alpha grumbled. Hunter turned away, distractedly scrolling through his phone for something.
Alpha shot me a glance, saying, "Don't get too comfy spending the night here," with a teasing note in his voice. I laughed and replied, "Are you Hunter's assistant or something? You seem to really want me gone!" My playful tone mirrored his.
As he peeled an apple, he replied, "It's not you being here that's the problem; I just don't like you." I tilted my head in confusion. "We've just met! How can you not like me already?" I asked, genuinely curious for a reason.
"Just drop it," he snapped, rising to his feet. "I'm heading home." Hunter waved, still glued to his screen. "Tell Suzy I said hi!"
"Suzy passed away this morning."
And the room went silent.
"What?! When?!" Hunter exclaimed, instantly standing up beside Alpha. While their heights were similar, in moments like these, it always felt like there was an invisible divide.
"I mentioned it earlier, this morning," Alpha said in response. Hunter covered his mouth, clearly taken aback. "Why didn't you tell me? This must be so painful for you," he said, placing a comforting hand on Alpha's shoulder.
With a heavy sigh, Alpha revealed, "She died in my arms."
Hunter gasped, "No way! How have you been holding up?" There was a moment of silence as Alpha gathered his thoughts, then finally responded, "I've been preparing myself; I knew this day would come."
Hunter pulled Alpha into a warm embrace. "That's just heartbreaking," he said. Then he fished out some money and handed it to Alpha, "This is condolence money; it's the least I can do."
Alpha set the money on the counter, shaking his head. "I don't need money," he sighed deeply. "What I want is her".
As I observed them discussing this girl named Suzy, my curiosity about her identity and her tragic passing grew. But more than anything, I found Alpha's voice and expressions striking—they seemed at odds with the heavy emotions of the moment.
I almost thought Hunter was lying when he said he didn't change expressions, but here stood living proof.
Who's Suzy?" I finally inquired, fed up with always being on the sidelines. Hunter shook his head, his gaze dropping. "She was a wonderful spirit, one of a kind. Alpha truly adored her."
I couldn't wrap my head around it—the man with the long green hair and a constant serious expression actually had someone he loved. But the hardest truth to grasp was that she was gone.
"I-I'm sorry for your loss," I stammered, unsure of how to respond. Alpha simply nodded, a distant look in his eyes. "She was a beautiful parrot," he remarked, his gaze drifting out the window.
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of 'parrot.' "What did you just say?