1. Two Alphas
Samuel closed the drain on the sink, wiping his bloodied hands clean. A lopsided smile formed on his lips as he watched the puddle of blood recede into the sink's drain filter.
"What's this again, Sam? You back to your old ways of killing?" A tall man, even taller than Samuel, approached him. It was his close friend, Leo.
If Samuel was a towering figure with an athlete's body and a cold, manly face, Leo was a bit different. He also had an athlete's body and was a few centimeters taller than Samuel. However, Leo had a friendly and handsome demeanor with dimples that made his face cute at times.
Samuel looked at Leo with sharp eyes, unintentionally giving off an intimidating aura. "Yes, I know I look that way, but I don't mean anything by it. You know me, Leo," he replied with a wry smile.
Leo chuckled as he sat down on a nearby chair. "I do know you, crazy. Your gaze can be quite intimidating, but hey, stop looking at me like that!"
"What brings you here again? Don't you have Alpha responsibilities to attend to? Your pack needs you, and you should be inside your mansion. An attack could come at any time," Samuel said, slightly annoyed by Leo's frequent visits to his mansion, and sometimes even staying there. Despite being an Alpha, Leo seemed too relaxed.
"So what if I'm here? Aren't you happy to have me around? I know you're stressed with your pack affairs. I'm here as a friend to comfort you," Leo said with a kind smile, although he had another reason for visiting.
"I don't need comforting, you better go home," Samuel retorted, trying to shoo Leo away.
Leo laughed softly. "No way," he replied casually.
Ignoring Leo's persistence, Samuel focused on the document in his hand, trying to get some work done.
"When are we going back to the apartment? Aren't you bored in this lonely mansion in the forest? I'm bored, that's why I keep coming here," Leo asked. He and Samuel had a luxurious apartment in the city center where they lived and worked together, ensuring they could support each other as Alphas and business partners.
"I need to solve the problems in my pack. There are so many issues lately, and I can't just ignore them. If you're bored, go to your own apartment. You should also monitor our company's performance," Samuel replied, suggesting they catch up later.
"That's fine then. Actually, my main reason for coming here was just to ask that. I'm bored in my mansion, and besides, my pack is safe with Rocky taking care of everything. He's a great beta," Leo said happily, preferring to be involved in their company's affairs rather than focusing solely on his pack.
Samuel smiled wryly. "Hey, don't forget that you're a werewolf, not just an ordinary human. You're also an alpha, and your pack needs you as a leader. Be wise and responsible," Samuel said, annoyed at times by Leo's seemingly carefree nature as an Alpha.
Leo shrugged. "Don't worry. I may seem relaxed, but I'm fully responsible for my pack. I always monitor their well-being through Rocky. As long as they're safe, I'll relax and enjoy life," Leo did not want to be underestimated. Let's put it this way, he was very responsible for his people. He was a responsible Alpha despite looking like he was doing nothing and like he had no problems. He works in silence.
Unlike Leo, Samuel is very overprotective of his pack and clan. He was literally like a hungry wolf, always ready to pounce on anyone who had ill intentions toward him and his clan.
"Never mind, I'm too lazy to argue with you. I'll go to our apartment. Have a good day at work. If you can just go back to the apartment for a while, let me be free." Leo excused himself, leaving Samuel alone in his study.
Leo walked to his car, feeling happy and humming cheerfully. "It's good to be in the city again. This mansion is too isolated in the forest. I can't see anything but trees and animals."
As he drove, Leo considered doing something he had never done before, like going to a nightclub. However, his cheerful mood was abruptly interrupted as he suddenly slammed the brakes.
"Oh shits!!!" Leo exclaimed, his eyes widening as he got out of the car to see what he had hit.
"What is it? Did I hit something?" Leo wondered to himself, only to be shocked to find a woman lying on the asphalt with blood on her head, knees, and elbows.
"Oh, Moon Goddess, why do you always get me into trouble in this forest?" Leo sighed in annoyance.
The whole road was deserted, surrounded by dense forest, so he couldn't fathom how a woman suddenly appeared there. Nevertheless, Leo stood there, lazily gazing at the unconscious woman, contemplating how he got himself into yet another unexpected situation.