Chapter 3: A Suitable Life Partner

Vanya felt surprisingly refreshed when she awoke the next morning. Last night, she had avoided her parents' questions and Selene’s speculations. Ares had to have mentioned what happened in the woods to her dad. She knew he never meant to get her in trouble, but as soon as she did something stupid, like scouting and confronting a rotter alone ― and being hypnotized by the said rotter ― she was sure Ares made sure to tell her family, particularly her father, so that they could intervene.

Oh, Ares. What am I going to do with you?

She stared at herself in the mirror in her bed. Her emerald green eyes were tired, and her dark red hair was all over the place. She'd always been told she was attractive, but she couldn't figure out what had suddenly piqued Ares' interest to even look at her. He was the pack’s zeta, their war general, and the son of Alpha Callum and Luna Beatrice. He could practically have anybody more attractive than her, including her sister Selene, but for years, he had preferred to remain unmated and secretly mess around with her.

Should I feel happy and proud or sad?

She finally gave up trying to think ahead of herself and climbed into bed. When the time came, Ares would have to put an end to everything whatever they were doing, and she would have to accept it and move on. She couldn't be mated because she wasn't a born-shifter. That was something she had already embraced. Maybe all she'd have to do was find a person who would appreciate her me for what she was and settle down with her.

Maybe.

But her future human-husband would have to wait because, right now, she had to figure out a way to fight Killian’s hold over her and finally catch him, as well as find a way to skip the Annual Royal Alliance Visit feast unnoticed.

Why can’t I be excused from the fucking Annual Royal Alliance?

While the preparations were underway, Vanya remained in her room for the rest of the morning although she could still sense－if she would want to－what everyone near her was up to.

All hunters had superior hearing and smelling abilities to humans. But like any other non-gifted born-shifter, she possessed no unique abilities. Selene used to make her feel bad because, although she was useless on the battlefield unlike Vanya, she was gifted with the ability to slip from one place to another.

*"Face it, dear sister, you may have acquired some skills, you could never compete with me. I’m special. You’re not, " Selene used to brag.

"Selene, you are absolutely right. You are not only a born-shifter with a face that could only be sculpted by the goddess Aphrodite's hands, but you are a very special one at that. One of the moon goddess' favorites. I'd never be able to compete with you. It's something I could only wish for,"* Vanya used to tell her.

She could only be mean to her by using sarcasm. Although, she couldn't tell if Selene knew she was being sarcastic to her.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Vanya flinched when she heard the knock on her door, then groaned internally when she sensed one of their pack's omega standing outside. She glanced at the alarm clock beside her bed.

13:00 PM, it read. She got out of bed and pushed open the door. "Yes, Gaston?"

"Beta Randall wants to speak to you."

"What does he want?"

"He didn’t say. He only asked me to tell you he wanted to speak to you. Like, now."

"Fine. I’ll be there in a minute." She shut the door and after rummaging through her closet, she gave up and decided that since she didn't have anybody to impress, not even Ares. She'd settle for a pair of old jeans and a simple white t-shirt. And because she wasn't going anywhere, she skipped the shower and put her hair back into a ponytail and left her room.

She reluctantly entered Randall's office and found him seated at the table, sipping coffee and flipping through the newspaper. “Dad?” Celeste was seated next to him.“Mom?”

She still find it odd and unsettling to refer to her as her mother. And if it hadn't been for her adoptive father's request, she wouldn't have called her mom, and she was sure Celeste wouldn't have wanted her to call her mom either. Celeste (or mom) and Selene appeared to be carbon copies of one another. Both were classic blond beauties. Although Randall was a brunette, all three of them had the same deep shade of blue eyes. When she usually stood next to the three of them, it was obvious that she was adopted. She didn't look like she belonged with her red hair and green eyes.

"Vanya, how could you let yourself be hypnotized by a rotter?" Celeste asked in a stern voice.

Here she goes again, Vanya thought. She tried not to zone out and went through the same thing her adoptive mother would always tell her—

“...You almost gave your father a heart attack. How could you humiliate your own family? Especially your dad?…”

When she finished her standard lecture, she turned to Randall to back her up, which was his cue to talk.

"Vanya, what happened?" Randall asked, indirectly giving Vanya cue to talk.

"I don’t know how it happened, but it just did. When Killian―"

"You know the filthy werewolf's name? How? Did you ask him prior to attempting to apprehend him? Have you gotten to know one another well?" Celeste asked. Vanya could tell how much she and Selene think and speak alike most of the time.

"Celeste, it makes no difference whether or not she knows the rotter's name. What we must focus on is the explanation for his ability to enthrall Vanya," Randall told her before turning to Vanya, "Go on, Vanya."

"When he…Killian," Vanya mentioned the rotter’s name once again just to piss Celeste. "He simply stared me in the eyes, like a vampire would. I tried everything I could to get away, but it was impossible. It felt as though I was encircled by an invisible chain. And he was…"

"What else did he do?" her dad asked. "Did he say anything to you?"

Her mind raced to what Killian said, Shall we pick up where we left off, Red?

"I-ah…" Should I tell Dad?

"Yes? Did he say anything to you?"

"Come on now, Randall, rotters don’t communicate. They attack, kill, and eat. That’s all they know," Celeste pointed out.

"Mom’s right," Vanya unexpectedly heard herself say. Her agreeing with Celeste was something that didn’t happen often. "But it felt like Killian was attempting…trying to pry open my thoughts. That's how I learned his name. He was trying to communicate with me through his mind."

"Interesting. Rotters or rogues, are creatures that have lost their psyche. They've lost the ability to reason. Their heightened senses are all that remains, and the majority of the rogue werewolves I've met have also lost the ability to revert to their human forms."

"I know, Dad. That's why I was so taken aback by his mental hold on me. And I've also never seen him in his wolf shape," she explained. "Ares was there. He saw him and what he did."

Celeste shot a disapproving glare at her, "What are you trying to say, Vanya?"

"That, perhaps, Killian is no ordinary rotter. He hasn't completely lost his mind. He may be something else entirely," she answered. "He may pose a significant threat to the pack. We should look into him more."

"And we will. I will talk to Alpha Callum about this," Randall assured her.

"Ares said he'd speak to his father as well. I might be completely wrong, but what if I'm correct? I say it is preferable if we are prepared."

"I understand what you mean."

"And I promise I'll be more careful next time, Dad," she promised him.

"Of course, you will be," he said, "but Ares made a valid point when I spoke to him this morning. So, I’ve agreed with him and Lachlan…"

Her jaws clenched. "What do you mean?"

"You'll be hunting or scouting with Rowan from now on."

"What?!" she exclaimed angrily. "But I’m pretty much capable of hunting on my own! Ares came and ruined my plan. He didn’t save me or anything. I had everything under control."

"Don't be difficult, Vanya. We only want to make sure that nothing happens to you," Celeste said sternly.

“But Rowan is…” Vanya tried to reason.

“That guy doesn’t know how to shut up about Selene.”

Celeste smiled. “Because they’re friends since childhood. And Rowan is just a friendly pup, and very eager to build rapport with everyone else. He means no harm, Vanya.”

“You can't do this, Dad," Vanya said to Randall. “What are you going to do next? Take away my phone privilege? I'm a fucking 23-year-old woman.”

Celeste looked at her with her brows raised but said nothing. She despised hearing people swear. Something she and Vanya’s mother had in common.

“I know how much you prefer to work alone, Vanya, but Killian was able to exercise his power over you,” Randall said, softly. “I don't want to risk that happening again.”

Vanya thought it was then a good decision not to tell him, or anyone, about the first and second time Killian had exercised his power over her or they would have all flipped. “Yeah. I understand, I guess.”

“And…no one else can know about Killian,” Randall added. “Have you told anyone what happened?”

She shook my head. “I went straight to my room when I came back from the woods yesterday. I haven’t left my room until now.”

“Good. No one else must know. Lord Alaric will be here in two days. The Royal Council must not know about Killian or any threats lurking in and or outside our territory. The Alpha doesn’t want them to intervene. If Killian is a threat, the Black Hollows pack will deal with him. And Alpha Callum didn’t want to create any stir within the pack.”

She gave him a nod and said, “I understand, Dad.”

“And try to get along with Rowan,” Celeste advised. For a brief moment, Vanya stared at her, suspicious about what she had just said.

“Why?”

“Since you weren't born with a mate, your father and I believe it's best if we find you a suitable life partner.”

“What?!?” She could feel myself fuming now. “Don’t worry about it, Vanya. Alpha Callum thinks it’s a brilliant idea.”

“Oh, there’s nothing fucking brilliant about it and you know it!”