"OLD SY?" Miracle was concerned about the man. Ymar grabbed her arm in an attempt to push her back. He smiled. "Who's after you? I can't hear anything."

"Him!" Old Sy gave him a delirious glare. "Can't you hear him? He constantly shouts to be let out! How can you not hear him! The great sir!"


Ymar swatted the dirt on his pants. He lifted a brow. "You acknowledge someone your 'great sir' other than me?"

Miracle scoffed but the guy didn't spare her a glance. Ymar continued to peruse the man with his assessing eyes. "Your skin is tinged green..."

"Of course! I mean no other great sir than you. So please help me. He wants to kill me. He has been following us since the day we left the fluffle." The old Sy cried pitifully.


Lance stared at him with thoughtful eyes. The old man might fall and die at any second because of his frail body. He lost weight in just a matter of days. It was as though he never thought of eating before.

His clothes were clean as usual but there is a medicinal scent wrapping around him that unable Lance to identify whether he's lying or not. But it was undeniable that this old man is suspicious.


He looks harmless. A person who suffers from old age. His teary eyes became a permanent feature. It seems like he get by everyday using this crying effect. Lance couldn't bring himself to trust people like this.

He thought they were manipulative. One who uses guilt to trip someone into doing their bidding.

But he hate his conscience more. It still works whenever he didn't want it to.

'Sometimes we need to be heartless so we can avoid being played.' Lance reached through the pocket of his pants. He took a small silver compass and flick it open. Not even a single hand move to indicate that there's a possessed creature around.

'Hmn... so this old man is not possessed by any spirit?' Lance folded the compass again and muttered to himself, 'Adarmus is wrong. But yeah, since when did he ever thought right.'

Joaquin's father had changed overnight. Lance didn't know what happened to him but god if his temper doesn't kick. He gets panicky at every sound and once you disagree with his words, he will start chanting about the things that made Lance less than what he is now.

He eyed the old man below. 'Aging seems to be bad. How about I ask the Fates for immortality? They should grant me that. I've been a very good boy.'

The Fates are the three women who's responsible for interconnecting the lives of one another. A person's life is equivalent to a long, colorful thread. A long thread means a long life, and a short one means death. Every creature who lives in this world are a part of the tapestry they are trying to complete. Who are you going to be with for life and what is the reason of your death, they know.

But no one can stop it. Not even the Fates.

It was all the will of God.

'No one can change their destiny.' Lance frowned. 'That's bad.'

As to why did Adarmus went to the Fates yesterday, Lance would never know. He didn't bother asking the man since he would never tell him his reasons.

"Was he the one... who saved you the night you were supposed to die?" Miracle asked.

Lance gaped. He remembered Penelope telling him that Miracle can see the future. If she saw the old Sy dying in her dream, how come she never got the chance to warn the others about the impeding doom of her fluffle?

This group of rabbits are hiding something from them. They were not telling the truth. Or that they are holding back from telling something important.

Lance swipe the sweat of his forehead with the sleeves of his shirt. It was unappealing. An uncharacteristic move from him. He unhappily jumped to another branch. The spell will worn out thirty seconds from now. He needs to speed up and hide before Ymar get a whiff of his presence.

When Lance landed into a safe space, he turned to the right and run as fast as he could.

Someone is approaching the entrance of the Calistre woods. He wished it's not Samael being stupid again. He didn't want to see his face now that he is not in a good mood.

Lance might smack his head. And then say sorry with great remorse after it.

He stopped when the entrance of the mountain finally came to view. Lance fixed his appearance. He might he bad in front of Penelope but he still got his manners and etiquettes in check.

Casting a brief glance to the spot where he saw Samael last time, he pushed the flash of disappointment to the back of his mind. 'Yeah, I don't want to see him.'

"Hi!" A young woman at the estimate age of twenty five dashed from a far. She had an awkward smile usually seen to people who thought the train has left and they could only walk to their homes. It amused Lance. "Hi again. Ah—Yes, introductions! I'm Lesley Grand. I came from the nearest pack territory, led by Alpha Beatrix. I was sent here to do a brief check on the place but then I saw that there's a thick barrier surrounding it—did something bad happened around here?"

Lance's smile deepened. The woman flushed crimson. "Something bad? No. In fact, my boss found this place nostalgic and so he bought the whole mountain. We're doing a thorough search on the place to clear it up and make sure it's safe. Your alpha sent you here to check what?"

Lesley hesitated. Lance schooled his expression into peaceful and almost naive. It fooled her in instant. "I... well..."

"I'm the boss' right hand. Anything you want to learn from the construction that will take place here, you can talk to me. I'm friendly, especially when it's a woman like you that's asking." Lance flashed his shit-eating grin. The woman's reserve was washed away with his friendly airs.

"Uhm, my alpha is searching for something. I'm a newly recruit beta enforcer in our pack. See, this is my first mission."

"Search for something?" Lance look down on her bag and almost roll his eyes. 'Naturally. She's here to stay for days. She brought half of her clothes at home.'

"May I know what is that something you're talking about?" He shrugged. "These days, my boss has been locking himself. I think he found something special and he doesn't want to share it with everyone."

'Joaquin indeed found out about Penelope. Technically, I didn't lie.' The spell has worn off. This Lesley is not lying though.

It baffles Lance too that he cannot scent a lie between Ymar and Miracle. It was like the two of them used something to cover it but he himself had no idea what could it be.

"Oh! It—It's a rabbit with a red mark on its forehead." Lesley rambled excitedly, "Alpha Beatrix said, it's the perfect pet of the year."

Lance's eyes narrowed into slits. His smile froze. 'Say that last part again, and I'll show you who's the real pet going to be.'

"Aha!" He fished his pocket for some money. "I did see some rabbits in the mountain..." 'The kids are no lie.' "...but I'm not sure if I can give the information just like this. I think it's not fair. Do you want to trade?"

Lesley paled. Lance adored her face. Her freckles made her look distinct and beautiful. "I'm afraid I have no money right now."

He chuckled. "No. I'm not that tight on money. How about, going out with me this evening? I'll show you the great spots in this place. That's good for you now?"

"Oh.. " Lesley gaped. Lance gave in and finally showed her a sincere smile. She should not be working for Penelope's former alpha. It's going to be a waste of an honest person. "Then, if you think that's enough... I guess I have no reason to refuse."

"No. Please say when you're not comfortable with my set up."

"It's fine!" she held his arm. Her hands were light but calloused. For a beta enforcer who's used to fighting, she have a gentle pair of hands. So it was questionable why Lance was immensely squeamish about her skin touching his. "The plan is great, okay? It's just that, I have no money to spend—"

Lance removed her hand as lightly as he could. He nodded with patience. "I introduced the plan, which means I will pay."

"Woah." Lesley said, "I'm really grateful! Thank you. My pockets are empty right at this moment. I spent my last money on my uncle's burial."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Lance tilted his head. "Is he a pack member like you?"

"Uh, yes. I transferred because of him. When I knew that he's dying, I crossed borders just to see him." Lesley started to look teary. "It was all because of that traitor that my uncle died! She set a plague that killed a lot of people in Alpha Beatrix' pack! All of it just because she failed her mission!"

'A traitor?' Lance had a bad premonition in his heart but he proceeded to ask, "Who's that traitor?"

"I... didn't actually see her in person but everyone hates her in our pack territory now." She murmured, "Her name is Penelope Blacke."