Louisa's POV
Just when Alpha Zackery was about to say something, a voice appeared from a distance.
"Aha, Zack, finally! I've been looking for you all morning!"
"Oh, mine. I'm not ready for this." Alpha Zackery tapped his forehead and took a deep breath. Then, he grabbed me and pulled me behind his back.
I saw a giant man walking towards us. He was in a deep purple hunting suit, followed by several servants and a couple of hounds. His broad shoulders and athletic body reminded me of those bronze statues in front of the Moon Goddess Shrine.
He stood in front of Alpha Zackery like a mountain and cracked a big smile at Alpha Zackery.
"Alpha Titan, Uncle, I didn't know that you were here. I thought you were in Mareeba."
"I can't stand the southern beach. The heat waves and the humidity. And the feeling that sands getting between your toes? Yuck. My physician told me that I'll feel way better and refreshed in the north. So I thought to myself, why don't I pay my dear old friend Lucas a visit? I haven't seen him for ages! And when I arrived, I saw all those banners and flags and I thought, damn, those motherfuckers threw a party and they didn't invite me!"
"We're here on a diplomatic mission, Uncle." Alpha Zackery corrected him.
"Yeah, I've heard of that." Alpha Titan lowered his voice and had a mysterious smile on his face, "Your royal brother, His Majesty the King, has finally decided to have a truce with Lucas, right?"
"My brother's opinion is quite reserved and unforeseeable," Alpha Zackery smiled casually. "People who try to guess what's on his minds usually find themselves trapped in a dead end."
Alpha Titan looked a bit demotivated, but then he stretched out his arms and tapped Alpha Zackery's shoulders, "Anyway, I'm here now, feeling all in my element and ready for a good hunt. Are you going to hunt with us?"
Alpha Zackery smiled, "I don't do this kind of hunting, Uncle."
"You and your not-killing-anything attitude. I remember that you failed the hunting courses at the Royal Academy because you didn't want to kill a damn deer. That was the only time I was invited to the academy to have a word with old Principle Ducan. Man, that man was intimidating. Well, there's a first time for everything, kiddo. Today is the day that you grow a pair of balls and come hunting with us."
"Uncle, I have other engagements." Alpha Zackery said.
Then, Alpha Titan noticed me. I quickly hid my head behind Alpha Zackery's back.
"Well, well, well. Who's that little mink hidden over there?" His voice was as soggy as melting honey. "Zack, you're always known for your special taste in arts, but I never thought you would have a weird taste in women."
Alpha Zackery cleared his throat and said, "Uncle, this is Alpha Lucas' friend."
He turned back and introduced me to Alpha Titan.
"Lucas' friend?" Alpha Titan narrowed his eyes and said. "That's even more shocking to me. Look at her. She obviously isn't Lucas' type. What did you do to Lucas? You cast a spell on him, little hybrid nymph?" His eyes were grey, and so was his hair.
"I'm not a nymph and I don't know how to cast spells." I frowned and said.
"Then why does Lucas keep a girl like you around him?" he asked. He drew himself closer to me. His eyes zigzagged all over me, like checking at merchandise.
I stepped back a bit. The curiosity and greed in his eyes made me feel very uncomfortable.
"Interesting." He smacked his mouth and shifted his sight to Alpha Zackery, "Is there a good reason for you to hang out with this little enchantress, nephew?"
"Yes, a very good one," Alpha Zackery replied.
"I wonder what that might be?" Alpha Titan raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, you keep wondering, Uncle." Alpha Zackery smiled and said.
Alpha Titan got snubbed and he obviously wasn't happy about it. I thought he was about to get angry, but he didn't. Instead, he looked over my shoulders and leered.
"Lucas. You son of a bitch!" His eyes were suddenly filled with excitement.
I turned back and saw Lucas standing behind us. Lucian was standing next to him.
Both of them were surrounded by soldiers.
Alpha Titan opened his arms and hugged Lucas, who hugged him back reluctantly like a robot.
Alpha Titan said, "Damn, kiddo. You've grown much taller than before. Why haven't you written any letters to me these years? What? You've been busy making everyone happy except for an old friend like me?"
Lucas shrugged and said, "I don't write, T. I only fuck."
Alpha Titan roared with laughter and gently slapped Lucas' cheek, "Beautiful. Is that me or is Lucas looking more beautiful these days, Lucian?"
Lucian replied, "It's only you, Alpha Titan."
"How's Gianna? It occurred to me that you didn't even bother to invite me to your wedding ceremony." Alpha Titan looked at Lucian and frowned. "You know, sometimes I feel that you two boys are using me like a whore."
"I would never dare to imagine something like that, Alpha Titan," Lucian bowed slightly and said.
Then, talking and laughing, they walked off the site together, leaving me and Alpha Zackery behind.
Both Lucas and Lucian didn't even bother to look at me once as if I was translucent.
I used to be ignored by my father in the same way. Every time he walked past me without looking at me, I felt that I was abandoned. I thought it wouldn't hurt me to be ignored by Lucas.
But the truth was, it was so torturous.
I looked at Alpha Zackery's ring in my hand.
It's a bit of a relief to know that he won't feel as tortured as I do, though. I thought to myself.
"I'm curious about what they're talking about." My wolf said to me in my mind.
"I shouldn't eavesdrop on a private conversation." I put the ring in my pocket and said in my mind.
My wolf didn't seem to want to let go of this one.
She said, "Maybe they're talking about you. I don't like the way Alpha Titan looked at you. If he tries to persuade Lucas to kill you, you should at least know about it."
Well, since my auditory sense had been enhanced, I didn't mind using it to protect myself occasionally.
So I strained my ears and listened.