LANCE STOMPED his feet through the thick patches of grass. Held in his hand is a bag full of groceries. Samael bought him the fresh ingredients and ordered him to cook something great for himself. Lance didn't manage to do his assigned task. Joaquin will definitely face him with his sorry expression that will move even the god of war's heart.

'What clothes for children? Let them dress up with leaves and sacks of flour!'


He didn't get a lot of information regarding Samael too. He was too distracted with his biceps and heavy scent of cigarettes and booze. 'Even his scent is extremely toxic!'

双引Have you seen any rabbit shifter in the Calistre woods? One that has a red flower mark on its forehead specifically." Samael asked him this when he walked him to the barrier. 双引Once you see one, please direct it to me as soon as possible. That shifter specie is quite dangerous."

'Who is he trying to fool?' Lance didn't know what's with the rabbit shifters that makes them the target of all this killings but he will surely get it right from the root of it. It shocked him how foolish his mate is.


Lance's eyes darted to the right when he heard a light thump of someone coming over his direction. He saw a teen with a concerned expression. 'What's going on with people nowadays?"

"Lance?" Ymar's eyes widened upon seeing him. His alarmed face ruined his calm demeanor. "Lance! Why are you here?"


"I'm here because I'm home. Who do you expected it to be? A celebrity?"

"No... No. I'm just—"

"Why are you outside during this hour? You should be playing chess with Old Sy." At the mention of the name, the kid flinched. "No... I'm not going to play with him again. I mean, he's busy recuperating from a bad injury before. It's reasonable not to disturb him any further."

Lance nodded but he didn't buy his excuse. The old man was indeed frail but when Lance did a brief check on his vital statistics, he got nothing. In fact, the old man is just as healthy as he is.

"Look, I know you're awkward here and you're not comfortable yet but you have to get used to this," he unceremoniously said, "Joaquin's gonna pay for everything. He's filthy rich. Now that you don't have a home, it's good to suck up to him a little to get past winter. Okay? If you need anything, say it to him. Oh god, no. Don't tell it to him. Say it to me instead. Directly. He'll order me to do it anyway. He's lazy."

"Uh..." Ymar tilted his head. "Then... let me carry some of those bags?"

"Good. You're learning fast."

"I'm not a pampered guy." Ymar helped him. "We're not rich. Our family. We just have connections which made us powerful in the circle, I guess."

"Connections," Lance repeated. "They will kill you one day."

"I know. I regretted it. So much."

Lance spared him a glance. He made a curious sound. "So, in your family, is there someone who's quite weird and special?"

"Rabbits are special no matter what breed they are."

Lance held up one palm and gritted his teeth. "I didn't ask for your clan's philosophy in life. I'm asking was there anyone in your family that was not normal?"

Ymar cackled. Lance was amazed to see the young man laugh. Oftentimes, he's quiet as an alligator by the lake. "I know what you mean. Someone pissed you off today, Lance? Seems like you're on the edge of breaking."

"On the edge of breaking your bones that is." Lance sighed heavily. "Yeah, someone did twist my hand and push me up on a tree for a quick sniff. Barbaric, if I may say. You know, my fated mate."

Lance casted him a side-eye. Ymar took the bait and nodded, "Yeah. What does he look like?"

He rolled his eyes and stared at Ymar with menace. The young lad finally realized his own words. Lance enunciated, "How did you know about my fated mate, Ymar? I remembered talking with Joaquin and Pen the other day about it but I never recall seeing you inside the living room. You were at the guest room. Supposedly sleeping your eyes off."

Ymar stopped in his tracks. His guilty hand rubbed his pale lips. He struggled for a moment before saying, "You asked me whether there's someone in my family that is quite special."

"Yeah, I did ask you that but you diverted the topic and tried to shift it on my fated mate."

Ymar's expression looked like he was pinched. "Is it too late to say I am that special rabbit shifter you're referring to?"

Lance blinked. 'It's him? The one Samael is after is Ymar?'

"No as long as you tell me what makes you unique."

"LANCE IS not home yet." Penelope clasped her hands together. "Not good. The clothes you brought with you guys were all torn and dirty. You should use a new one."

Joaquin frowned. "Maybe Lance had a hard time with the bags? I ordered him to buy a lot."

"Nah. It's okay. I'll go and check after them. That's onion you're holding." Penelope swatted Michael's squirming butt. The little guy pouted with a wronged face. "Help Joaquin, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's always me."

"Why? Do you have something else more important to do?" Penelope pinched his cheeks.

He flushed. "I have to accompany Miracle!"

"I'm going with Ms. Pen." Miracle sat up and walked towards the door. She smiled at Pen. "Are we good to go?"

"Oh, so impatient!" Penelope brushes a quick kiss on Joaquin's cheek. The man suddenly face her side halfway and their lips touched for a second. Penelope gasped at the sudden zing of excitement in her chest. "You're a sly man, Joaquin de Villa."

"Dinner is going to be served soon. Please come back quickly."

"Yes, sir!" Miracle waved and initiated the way out. "Ms. Pen, where to?"

Penelope held her boney hand to guide her away from the patches of mud. "Just follow my lead. You don't normally come out of the house. Why did you suggest to tag along? It's good that you're being open now."

"It's Ymar." Miracle's bangs hid her eyes from Penelope's observing stare. "He's been out for a long time now. I wonder where he went."

Penelope cooed. "Oh, you're such a good friend. Don't worry about it. The whole mountain is safe. As long as he won't cross the border, he's golden."

"You don't understand, Ms. Pen."

The wind howled. Chill spikes on Penelope's bare arms and neck. The sun had already rested but Lance is still somewhere else probably dancing his steps towards home. "Why?"

Miracle's voice became serious. "I had a bad dream about him. He's covered in grime and blood. He's shouting his surname loud while he's writhing in pain. It... It bothers me."

Penelope swallowed the thick lump of uneasiness in her throat. She consoled her, "It's fine. No one's going to hurt him. We're here, okay? It's just a dream."

The trauma had caused the children to be in this condition. It angers Penelope more. The kids needs to feel secure and be healthy.

"But my dreams always do come true." Miracle look up to her face. The blank expression she had scared Penelope's wits. "It never fails. I normally have sweet dreams every night. Papa and Mama calls it dreaming. Sometimes I think they're not dreams anymore but nightmares."

"… Ms. Pen, would you help me?"