MIRACLE SPENT her morning folding her newly bought dresses. She peaks at Lance every now and then. Hoping to see the rare curve of his smile. Ymar was wrong when he accused her of liking Lance beyond the friendly line. In fact, Miracle saw Lance as his older brother. Someone she would like to have and look up to.

Sadly, Lance smile is hard to catch these days. Something happened that made the three; Penelope, Joaquin and Lance, tight with tension.


Ymar told her about Lance's fated mate. She was curious of that special person at first but when Ymar laughed and said it's a big man, she felt confused and somehow amazed.

Fates surely works in a mysterious way.

"Miracle, I think my stomach's doing something funny inside." Michael grunted after stuffing the last cookie in his mouth. With muffled words, he continued to ramble, "Feels really uncomfortable."


"Who would feel okay after eating that much?" She stared at him with fierce eyes. He glanced back with so much ease that questioned her own authority. 'Guess I don't look that intimidating for him now that he's grown an inch or two.'

"Back down. Let me get some medicine for you. Stop whining!"


Lance turns to their side and wince. "He doesn't need medicine. He needs water. Anything liquid to wash those cookies down. Why does he eats so much sweets anyway? Who allowed that fattie to munch sugar like it's carrots?"

"Bullying the kids early in the morning, Lance?" Penelope, dressed in a black fitted clothes, sauntered with a firm smile plastered on her face. Miracle adored the graceful curves of her waist. She wants to have them in the future. "Careful or you're going to burst your stomach, Michael."

"I was born to eat!"

"Tell me that after your stomach ache, okay?" Miracle led Michael out of the living room. She knew that the adults were going to discuss about something. It was clear on Lance's furrowed brows.

"I think they're going to go somewhere, Miracle." The little kid shrugged. "Ms. Penelope won't dress like that if she's just going to count marbles with us kids, right?"

Miracle pressed his nose. "Don't count me in. I'm not a kid anymore. Not like you."

"If you say so." He lifted his chin. "I hope they're going to bring something delicious for us when they get back."

"Oh, come on. You just finished the last box of cookie."

"YOU THINK it's okay to leave just like this?" Penelope held Lance's arm. She threw a not-so-casual stare at Joaquin's room. "I don't feel good with this idea, Lance."

"What do you suggest, then?" Lance flipped his hands. A blue vest shimmied from nowhere. "There's no way I'm going to let Joaquin outside. This mission is for you and me. He'll be stuck with the kids here while we're going to see Samael and that Lesley. Good?"

Penelope sighed with regret. She doesn't wish to be apart with Joaquin for a couple of hour. They're newly mated. Every shifter species won't be accepting of that. "The spell is for good twelve hours. That's enough to keep their suspicion out of us."

"This mask is great, Lance." Penelope eyed her face on the compact mirror. "Can't recognize myself anymore."

It wasn't hideous but it was also not appealing. It's the usual face seen almost everyday. The average features along with a non-existent aura of a beta wolf. 'I won't get any more common than this, right?'

"That's the key to perfection." Lance slid himself to the blue vest and frown. "I missed my suits."

"You won't need them anymore. I mean, not until this mess is over."

Lance scoffed. "Time to get this over then. I've been missing out for long because of you guys. Once Joaquin is fine, I'm going to move out to Murdoc."

"Murdoc?" Penelope's shoes treaded through the floor. "I never knew you like dry and bleak places."

"It's the farthest place from you wolves."

"Is the Old Sy okay?" She waited for him to finish styling his hair. Penelope refused to tease him about meeting Samael again. It looks like Lance will never like the idea of having his own fated mate.

"I locked him in his room. Anything amiss, the barrier will send me a warning all at once." Lance tilted his head. "Joaquin's father lend me more magic than I needed. Looks like he's finally worried for his son."

"Tell that to Joaquin."

"Nah. He won't believe it."

Penelope pursed her lips. "But does he really care for him though? That's something I need to know."

"What do you think?" Lance rolled his eyes. "I won't be here if the old fart doesn't."

Penelope looked pensive. Lance smiled wanly in her hesitating glance before heading to the door. "Let's start while it's still early. That Samael must be at his wits for waiting so long now. Let's feed him some false hope."

'You're the only fate mated person that I know who's satisfied with tricking their own mate.' Penelope shook her head. Lance wouldn't like the Fates' payback price once they decided that he's being too much.

There's a purpose why no one can deny their own mate. Penelope was curious to see Lance's reaction once he finally knew the reason why.

THE SUN KISSED Samael's skin while he finished his instant meal. His eyes a bit swollen by the endless stream of waiting that kept him up all night. He's used to this but somehow, the waiting become more excruciating than it already is before.

Like a large predator setting a glorious trap, he has long been accustomed on waiting for his prey to bite his plan. To fall down with face full of shock and terror on his feet for him to eat. The painless ticking of the clock is a rather enjoyable option than chasing aimlessly.

But now that he knew that there's someone. Someone named his mate at that, is inside the mountain and probably doing god-knows-what while he's not capable of seeing—is messing with his head. It itches his hand to do something.

He's antsy. But the restless feeling had no way of coming out except from biting his instant cup of noodles with heavy feeling.

'That asshole must be enjoying this. This, whatever he's been doing with me.' Samael was thoroughly convinced that Lance is incensed. The guy did something to him. That must be it.

There's no way that the guy had no idea about their connection. This mating pull.

Samael couldn't believe that there's nothing from the guy's part. So this longing and apprehension deep within his skin must be his doing.

"What?" Samael answered his phone with a snap. "Stop calling me, okay? I'm in a middle of doing something important. Something that may or may not buy you a new bag so please cooperate!"

"Do I look that desperate for a new bag, Samael?" Nadia laughed with scorn. "This was the first that you answered your phone since the last time! And you think I'd care for a piece of shit? I don't need that, okay? I need you back here to be married to me. Can't that work wait 'til I get my inheritance?"

'Why does it have to be me, anyway?' She could be married to whomever she likes and Samael wouldn't care. He hates the fact that he should be saddled with her so she can be free again. 'Your father had a poor taste with son-in-laws. I'm not the guy for that job.'

"A week. Wait for a week. I promise." Samael doesn't mind getting work done this week. The faster, the better. He has to find a way to get this woman off of his back. "I never break my promise, Nadz."

"I know. That's why I wanted to be married with you and no one else." Her voice smoothed. "Please be careful on your mission."

'If only you can be this lovely all the time,' Samael thought before hanging up. He pocketed the phone back with renewed determination. Forcing the barrier open will cost him his life. But that pesky mate of his still hasn't shown his blue hair ever since.

'Maybe something happened?' Samael massaged his forehead. 'He could break his own head and I wouldn't care for him.'

He only felt pressure from the day he met that blue-haired lunatic. Samael knew that he's a bad egg.

"Lance! Careful!" A rich voice of a young woman ring in Samael's ears. He turned and walked briskly to its direction. "You almost tripped!"

"It's okay. It's nothing. I was just excited to see Ms. Grand. I—I missed a step."

Samael halted his feet.

A few yards from him is the blue-haired mate he's been salty about. He wore a white shirt topped with a dignified blue vest. His pristine shoes and styled hair was like a punch on Samael's gut. 'So he's naturally blonde...'

'Who allowed you to look that good?' He wanted to ask him that. 'Why do you have to look like this for the whole world to see?'

Lithe, graceful and elegant. The rich blue slacks stretched on his feet that goes on and on. The fresh redness of Lance's cheeks made him look friendly and loveable.

'Loveable?' Samael choked. 'God, he almost killed me twice. What's there to love?'

"Samael?" Lance's eyes twinkled with vague recognition. "You... thank you for the groceries. Bern, he was the one who gave me those bags for free. He's a great person."

"Really?" The golden skinned woman raked him with a tense expression. It was like she was already decided not to trust him. "It's nice to meet you, Samael."

Samael took a discreet sniff and frown. She's newly mated. But miraculously, Samael couldn't track what kind of shifter specie is she mated to. 'She's a beta wolf. A common one. It's normal to assume that she's mated to one of the workers here.'

"There's no need to thank me. Lance's friend are my own friend too." Samael was careful not to give one lie. He needs the both of them to be trusting of him. He won't achieve it once he played the bad guy. "I heard you guys are searching for someone?"

Lance eyed his clothes. Samael stopped himself from being conscious and fidgety. He didn't have any spare suit in his trunk, damn it. Had he known Lance is going to dress like this, he would try to copy him more.

"I just finished some task ordered by my boss that's why I was dressed like this." Lance casted his lashes downwards. "I'm here to meet a woman named Lesley Grand. I promised her a date. Do you happen to see anyone around here?"

Samael's cheek twitched. 'A date.'

His eyes narrowed but he continued to smile. "No. I didn't see anyone. Maybe she will never show up? You know, women often change their mind."

Lance batted his lashes innocently. "No. She asked me something. She has to fullfil my wish first."

Samael couldn't stop his mouth right on time and asked, "Then what about me?"

The woman named 'Bern' choked with laughter.