Caitlyn's POV
Talon's hand halted in mid-air, and he cocked his head somewhat warily at Kaisa.
"There seems to be something wrong with this pizza. So, if you want to avoid any accidents, I suggest you go for a different one," Kaisa spoke softly.
It was only then that I noticed the back of the pizza on the slice Talon had just picked up seemed a little toasted.
"I'll choose another one for you," Kaisa said.
Her words instantly embarrassed me a bit. I hurriedly grabbed the piece of pizza from Talon's hands before lowering my head to carefully inspect the rest of the pizza.
Earlier, I was so focused on making the pizzas look good that I somewhat neglected the heat. After Kaisa's reminder, I realized that surprisingly several of the pizzas were no longer edible.
"Crap," I cursed inwardly. This was quite different from what I expected. Perhaps in Talon's mind, my score was slightly lowered because of this mishap.
"Why don't you try my cake first? I heard from Yone that your favorite food is strawberries," Kaisa said with a smiling face, picking up a piece of cake and handing it to Talon.
Hearing Kaisa's words, Talon furrowed his brows. Although a bit hesitant, he still took Kaisa's cake. Despite my initial skepticism about Yone's identity, Kaisa's words seemed to indicate that she had received a message about Talon from Yone.
On one hand, she was showing me that her pursuit of Talon was with Yone's tacit approval. On the other hand, she was testing Talon's true identity. If Talon claimed not to like strawberries, it would imply that Yone didn't really know him.
This was truly sinister!
As I looked at Kaisa's equally delicate face, I remembered that she was also an Alpha of a pack, not an uninformed teenage girl. Talon seemed to grasp this as well. Whether he really liked strawberries or not, he had no choice but to accept Kaisa's cake.
"Thank you," Talon's tone was calm, and even I couldn't discern his emotions.
Talon slowly picked up the cake and gently put it in his mouth. As he moved, Kaisa and I held our breath, waiting for Talon's reaction. I noticed Kaisa slowly clenching her hands; she was just as nervous at the moment. This marked my first confrontation with her.
"How is it?"
Talon picked up his handkerchief and wiped his mouth, while Kaisa beside him impatiently followed suit.
"Not bad," Talon said with an expressionless face before reaching for the pizza I had placed on the table. Despite his words, anyone could see there was no joy on his face at the moment.
Kaisa didn't say anything. Although she hid it well, I could still feel her disappointment. Talon picked up the pizza and placed it in his own mouth, chewing gently for a few moments, a small, unexpected smile appearing on his face.
"The heat is just right, it tastes delicious. I didn't realize you had a talent for it," Talon remarked as he finished the rest of the pizza in one bite, then wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
"Really?" To be honest, my heart had been apprehensive until Talon spoke. However, judging by his expression, he genuinely enjoyed the pizza I made. It seems Leona was right; Talon does like what I make after all.
"It's good that you like it. I'll make it for you every day from now on."
Hearing me say that, Talon froze for a moment, then nodded with a smile. I noticed Kaisa, who was standing to the side, pursing her lips as she looked at the cake she had made with her own hands, her gaze a little dull.
"Then I'll save the rest of these for you to eat tonight," I said as I stood up and prepared to wrap the pizza.
"Alpha Talon, the king want to see you." Just then, a dull voice suddenly came from outside the door. We turned around, and Fandom stood in the doorway with an expressionless face.
"What is it?" Talon asked, narrowing his eyes, a little wary.
"Just some minor issues. Alpha Yone is there," Fandom replied truthfully, to which Talon breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm going to go ahead. Either you guys go back and rest, and I'll come back for you when it's over," Talon said before standing up and petting my head, as he once did. I noticed Fandom narrowing his eyes at the moment, and Kaisa standing next to him had no expression at the moment.
"Okay."
I nodded curtly, then observed as Talon and Fandom slowly walked away.
"It seems as if Talon is a bit different from what you thought. Maybe he's not the one who only looks at the outside; he focuses on the plentiful inside."
I looked at the somewhat frustrated Kaisa and couldn't help but remark.
"Talon seems to care more about your feelings than I thought. He honestly doesn't seem like a foolish person. I'm just curious about the magic in you that attracts him so much."
Kaisa didn't catch on to my words. Instead, she lifted her head and surveyed me thoughtfully.
"Perhaps less utilitarian feelings? I like Talon, not because of his illustrious background or power. What I like is just him as a person. Even if he were an ordinary human, I would willingly be with him."
Listening to my words, Kaisa nodded thoughtfully.
"But it's a pity that he isn't. Life is supposed to have a lot of things that aren't up to you, and I'm just doing the best I can. I think this is something Talon will understand."
"I wish you success then."
I couldn't help but feel a surge of victory after my first encounter.
A smile briefly flashed across Kaisa's face before she picked up the pizza I had placed on the table and took a taste. She froze for a moment, and then a bitter smile appeared on her face.
"Looks like Talon really loves you," Kaisa commented, leaving an inexplicable remark before walking out without looking back.
Somewhat puzzled, I picked up the pizza and took a bite. A strong bitter flavor instantly filled my mouth; my throat tightened, and I spat it out after the unpleasant taste.
A wave of frustration surged in my heart. Thinking of Talon's recent behavior, a wave of complexity welled up in my heart, and the joy I felt just moments ago instantly dissipated.