Alpha Kilian glanced at them calmly, raising an eyebrow. "Why have all of you suddenly become quiet? Were you discussing something about me?"
Nelly remained silent but communicated with the children through her eyes.
Donna, being clever, opened her arms and eagerly embraced Alpha Kilian. "We were actually complimenting you, Daddy!"
"Complimenting me?" Alpha Kilian raised an eyebrow, skeptical of their claim.
As Donna reached him, she naturally took his hand. "Yes, complimenting you." Alpha Kilian looked down at her, questioning what they were complimenting him on.
Donna suddenly pulled up his sleeve, intending to say something else. However, her expression turned distressed when she noticed a bloody bite mark on his arm.
"Daddy..." Donna's eyes welled up with tears as she gazed at him, her anguish preventing her from uttering a single word.
His injury was worse than the one on Nelly's arm.
Alpha Kilian did not attempt to hide or cover up the injury. While maintaining eye contact with Donna, he casually asked, "What's wrong?"
Donna pouted, her face displaying her heartache. "Daddy, I know you have a strong bond with Nelly, but did you really have to bite each other as a vow of loyalty? It must have been so painful!"
Alpha Kilian chuckled. "Yeah, it was quite painful. So, in the future, don't go around doing the same thing with others, Donna."
"I would never do that!" Donna replied without hesitation. "Ouch! I'd never put myself through such pain!"
Alpha Kilian frowned. "Nelly becoming a superstar? That's quite an interesting idea."
Nelly's leg her. "Don't you think you're being too optimistic about Nelly's future as a celebrity?" she demanded, scowling at Alpha Kilian.
The word "superstar" left Nelly speechless.
When Nelly's gaze shifted towards them, they all fell silent. "Was there something you all wanted to say?" Nelly said politely.
Donna nodded eagerly. "No, of course not! We were just talking about random things."
Nelly bobbed her head in satisfaction. "Yeah, you all were just having a casual conversation."
Alpha Kilian's gaze turned towards Nelly. "You think that was all a lie?" he said, arching an eyebrow.
Nelly's expression remained devoid of emotion, but her eyes conveyed utmost seriousness. "I was merely stating the truth."
Alpha Kilian's mouth curled into a small smile. "You understand me the best. You always know what I want."
"That's right, Alpha Kilian. Those were the correct answers," Donna chimed in. "I was about to say earlier that no matter what others think of you, you'll always be the best in my eyes."
Nelly chuckled, feeling pleased by their compliments.
"Don't you think it's more important for Nelly to stay alive than become a celebrity?" Alpha Kilian said, his voice echoing the sentiment of many husbands trapped in oppressive marriages.
"Really?" Donna quipped, raising an eyebrow. "Daddy, is that coming from your personal experience?"
Ignoring her comment, Alpha Kilian held up the food he had brought. "Did you hear that, Nelly? I just wanted to say that your food is getting cold."
Nelly furrowed her brows. "Didn't I just finish speaking earlier?"
The triplets spent the majority of the day in Nelly's room.
Laughter and conversation filled the room, creating a lively atmosphere that was hard to put into words.
It wasn't until Alpha Kilian told them that Nelly needed rest that they reluctantly left. In the hallway, Donna and Ben continued chatting about various things.
On the other hand, Tony walked ahead, his head down and his expression troubled. It was evident that something weighed heavily on his mind.
Out of nowhere, Donna called out to him. "What's bothering you today, Tony?"
Tony didn't turn back but kept walking with his head lowered. His thoughts were a jumbled mess.
"Tony?" Donna called again, finally breaking him out of his reverie.
Startled, Tony glanced over his shoulder with a blank expression. "Did you call me?"
Frowning, Donna hurried to catch up with him. "I called you multiple times, Tony. What's going on with you today?"
Tony shook his head. "Nothing. I was just thinking about something earlier."
Ben joined them and inquired, "You seem moody today. Is something bothering you?"
Once again, Tony shook his head. "No."
Donna sighed in exasperation. "Setting aside any telepathic connection we might have, Tony, as people who grew up together, we know each other very well. Do you really expect us to believe that?"
Tony knew they would never believe him, especially when he couldn't bring himself to tell them the truth about Nelly enduring such excruciating pain for their sake.
In such situations, the pain of knowing the truth outweighs the potential relief.
With that thought, he mustered a smile. "I truly was thinking about something."
"What is it?" Ben asked, scrutinizing his brother's face with his dark eyes. "I'm not foolish enough to fall for your lies."