The steam from Milo's coffee rose lazily, twirling and dissipating like the thoughts that haunted him. He sat, hunching over his cup, lost in the memory of Kasia's face. It had been three weeks since he'd seen her with the Alpha King. The sight of them together only slightly exceeded the shock of finding her alive. Why was she with him? Didn't she know that being around him would put her in danger? Clearly, she didn't know or she didn't care.
Milo wanted to tell her more about the situation instead of leaving it on such a bad note, but Milo knew not to linger. His gut twisted at the thought, but he knew he wasn't the only Hunter lurking around at the time. If they saw him talking to her, it would have blown his cover. He had to get away as quickly as possible, hoping she heeded his warning.
"Coward," Milo muttered. He remembered watching from a distance when she almost fell off the rollercoaster. Milo knew it was going to happen but could do nothing about it. Thankfully, the Alpha King wasn't as dumb as the Hunters believed him to be.
Now that another hunter had seen her, Milo couldn't feign ignorance and act like he didn't know about her. It would be better if it came from him than from someone trying to twist the situation.
"Long time, no see," Nadia's voice cut through his thoughts. She walked in confidently, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. She slid into the seat across from him, their knees almost touching under the small table.
"Hey!" Milo greeted her without looking up, his golden eyes still fixed on his coffee. He felt the warmth of her lips against his cheek, a fleeting sensation that left him unsettled.
"Report," Nadia said plainly, folding her hands in her lap, her sharp features set in determination. It was clear she didn't have time for pleasantries. "It has been almost a month since our last meeting. I am sure you have much to tell me." Her tone alerted him to the fact that she knew something and was testing to see if he would lie to her.
"Kasia is alive," Milo said, finally raising his gaze to meet hers. He could see a flash of surprise in her eyes, but it vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. 'So, that wasn't what she knows,' he thought.
"Is the target neutralized?" Her voice was cold, devoid of emotion.
"No." Milo hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. "I couldn't do it."
Nadia studied him carefully, her gaze piercing. "You let your feelings get in the way, didn't you?"
He wanted to protest, to tell her how much he cared about Kasia and how he couldn't bear the thought of hurting her. But instead, he said, "Is that how you speak about your former protege?"
"The key word here is former. She knew what it meant to go against orders. We're at war, Milo. We don't have time for weaknesses," Nadia said.
"But, still," Milo started, but Nadia raised her hand to stop him.
"Still nothing. Remember, Milo," Nadia warned, her voice softening slightly. "When given a mission, you complete it or you'll end up dead just like her. I will not report you this time, but don't let your emotions misguide you again."
"Understood," Milo said, taking another sip of his cooling coffee and letting it calm his nerves.
"Is there anything else to report?" Nadia asked, her tone all business once more.
"Nothing," Milo replied, but his response was met with a disapproving frown from Nadia.
"You didn't think a sighting of a red monster on the Alpha King's land wasn't important information?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.
Milo's heart skipped a beat. He had not heard about this. From his shocked expression, Nadia realized that he was truly unaware. "There isn't another. There was only one. The one called Lily Bray."
Nadia leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "There's definitely another, and a Lycan, in fact. Curious, don't you think?"
"Why does it matter?" Milo asked. His question shocked Nadia, and this time Nadia did not hide her expression. "The werecommunity has made moves to stay away from humans. Why does it even matter?"
"Why does it matter? Why does it matter? What is going on with you?" Nadia was questioned in disbelief. Milo did not say anything as he watched her, waiting for her to give an explanation.
"See, this is your problem. You want to work and live in the gray area. There is no gray area. It is only a matter of time until they become a threat again," Nadia sneered. "The only reason they're docile now is because we eradicated the majority of their Blessed Bloods, or whatever they call them. And now we're close to leveling the playing field and taking back land that belongs to us. We don't need them getting a leg up on us."
Milo kept his face neutral, even though he was deeply disgusted by her unwarranted hatred of his kind. As a werecat himself, he knew the true nature of their people and how much they could care less about humans. Milo took another sip of his coffee to help him focus on not extending his claws. He had worked too hard to blow his cover now.
"I want you to find this red beast," Nadia said.
"Why me?" Milo asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"You've proven yourself to be resourceful, and you get results. And I need someone I trust to make sure this job gets done without anyone finding out," Nadia leaned back in her chair, studying him intently. "And when you find this monster, I want you to kill it before it starts breeding. We can't afford to have any more of their kind running around."
Milo's stomach churned at the thought, but he managed to keep his expression impassive. "Understood," he said quietly, already dreading the task ahead.
"Good," Nadia replied, standing up and straightening her jacket. "Keep me updated on your progress."