Chapter 10

Do not keep the pictures...

If you cannot face the memories."

My feet froze in that place, sensing strange movements around me, unable to see anything in the pitch-black darkness.

My throat swallowed nervously as I felt a tongue licking my neck in a creepy way, causing me to jump from my place and start running in the pitch-black darkness, followed by those eerie laughs!

I stopped running, catching my breath when I felt the place quiet. I gasped in shock as suddenly, a fire ignited, illuminating the path ahead. Terrified of moving forward but more scared of staying in the dark, I took shaky steps ahead.

"Oh my, what have I gotten myself into!"

I muttered in fear, trying to warm myself while walking through that corridor where only my footsteps echoed.

"God, entering a place like this was a terrible idea!"

I exclaimed with fear, shivering as I tried to warm myself. Suddenly, a small note similar to those under the statues caught my attention. I leaned down to read it, shocked.

"Alicia... Parker?!"

I pronounced my name written on it with disbelief, letting the paper fall in horror. What the hell?!

"You're next, my dear!"

A female voice spoke behind me, making me jump. I turned slowly, and to my horror, there was a woman in her fifties holding knives in both hands. Her face was pale, bloodied, and her eyes were terrifyingly crimson.

"A vampire... a bloodsucking vampire?!"

I muttered, frightened, as she approached, making me crawl backward. She grabbed my chin with her cold hands, forcing me to look into her eyes before bursting into a hysterical laugh.

"They told me you're beautiful and brave, but no one told me you're intelligent!"

She said, then moved away, still trying to act remorseful. She seemed to enjoy seeing me weak. I tried to resist her gaze, feeling her cold hands on my neck, making me shiver.

"Learn! You'll be a beautiful addition to my collection. Unfortunately, that handsome one finds you useful, and he won't allow it!"

She spoke calmly, examining me with a grin. My heart pounded for no apparent reason, and despite being a vampire myself, he, too, was something strange. He seemed calm despite being a vampire.

"Enough of this. Let's go!"

He interrupted, holding my hand before carrying me outside the building. I found myself standing between three people, and Jimin was the first to notice, walking towards us, followed by Lisa and Lucas, who had stopped their fight.

"Oh, Alpha is back!"

Jimin greeted, and they all stared at me.

"Oh, Alicia, you're here too?! So, you know our secret."

He said, directing his words to me, and I was more shocked seeing their strange outfits. They were undoubtedly werewolves!

"Leave all this for later and go for your tasks, Alicia. You'll be with me until then!"

He cut off Lisa, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him.

"Wait, where are you taking me?!"

I finally spoke after a long silence, and he stopped, turning towards me.

"I'll kill you and drink all your blood!"

He said, making me roll my eyes. Seriously now?!

"Oh, really? I'm trembling with fear. Please, Leader, don't hurt me."

I mocked, trying to sound scared, but he just smirked. Now what?

"Well, instead of killing you, let's enjoy something else!"

He spoke playfully, closing the distance between us and giving me a kiss, starting calmly but turning wild as he tried to showcase his kissing abilities. My breath was taken away, and even though I couldn't breathe, I didn't want him to stop. He pulled away, struggling to catch our breaths.

"So?"

He asked, and I managed to answer after catching my breath.

"You're the masked one, the guy who kissed me when I was drunk!"

I said confidently, and he smiled to the side. I was right!

After my disappointment with people, I learned that self-love is not selfishness."

Lisa's POV -

I have always been the best person in the tribe, the most worthy of responsibility. It's something I've always been proud of. I remain the closest person to the tribe's alpha, relied upon to keep secrets and eliminate traitors. But I never expected to be assigned something like this!

Since the day we were born, we were taught the basics of self-defense and trained to become the strongest members of the tribe. Everyone aspired to get close to the alpha for rewards, yet I was the only one who achieved that without actively seeking it.

I became so close to him that he entrusted me with everything he deemed important for him and the tribe.

"I don't understand, Alpha!"

I spoke with tension, and for the first time in my life, I felt fear of responsibility. I didn't even want to believe that this was real.

"What's difficult about it?! I want you to help him find Luna as soon as possible. You must find her and ensure her protection until the time is right and she returns!"

He answered sternly, making me realize there was no escape. I had to do this, whether I wanted to or not.

I turned my gaze to the one who was watching me coldly before he signaled me to follow him. Fantastic! The best werewolves of the strongest tribes are forced to follow the orders of a vampire.

"Didn't they tell you that I can easily read what you're thinking?"

He suddenly spoke as we stopped in front of the house, where his followers appeared suddenly, ready to eliminate me. However, they paused with a signal from their leader.

He turned towards me, gesturing for me to follow them one by one, contrary to what I expected. They quickly became my comrades, even though our first meeting was filled with mutual hatred and quarrels.

It's not our fault; each of us grew up hating those who weren't like us!

Finding that girl wasn't difficult for me; luck was on my side. But what was challenging was motivating her new cells. She suffered from constant adaptation issues!

We stopped at the entrance of the tribe with Victoria, who knew everything we needed to know. She didn't favor our alpha, so her easy cooperation raised suspicions.

"So, she knows about us?"

Lucas asked her, hands in his pockets, and she looked at him provocatively.

"I couldn't tell her, but I'm confident she figured it out."

We both nodded calmly before reaching the alpha's house, where the guards allowed us to enter.

As usual, he was sitting on his large chair, staring at the necklace around his neck, while I stood by his side. He finally lifted his eyes towards us, indicating for us to proceed with a calm expression.

"How long will it take for her to regain her abilities?"

He asked, reclining on his chair as Victoria started her usual antics. Well, that was expected, especially after she accompanied us without problems.

"As you know, Alpha, I'm not allowed to leak information about my master, but in return, I can suggest another matter for you!"

Her confident smile appeared as she successfully provoked the alpha. Something told me that Jungkook asked her to delay, and the reason was clear.

He wouldn't stay silent about the insult one of his followers received here.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He finally broke his silence, drawing his sword towards her neck. She maintained her composure with her confident smile, increasing his provocation.

"Easy, Alpha. Recklessness will kill you someday!"

She retorted, making him lower his hateful sword. Her mocking smile remained as she disappeared from where she stood, returning to where she came from.

"Did she learn anything about us?"

Lucas asked, sheathing his sword, and she nodded, implying she returned from where she was.

"As you know, my Alpha, I'm not allowed to leak information about my master, but... I can suggest another matter for you!"

Her confident smile grew as she successfully provoked the Alpha. Something told me that Jungkook asked her to delay, and the reason was clear. He wouldn't stay silent about the insult one of his followers received here.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He finally broke his silence, drawing his sword towards her neck. She maintained her composure with her confident smile, increasing his provocation.

"Easy, Alpha. Recklessness will kill you someday!"

She retorted, making him lower his hateful sword. Her mocking smile remained as she disappeared from where she stood, returning to where she came from.

"Did she learn anything about us?"

Lucas asked, sheathing his sword, and she nodded, implying she returned from where she was.

"As you know, my Alpha, I'm not allowed to leak information about my master, but... I can suggest another matter for you!"

Her confident smile grew as she successfully provoked the Alpha. Something told me that Jungkook asked her to delay, and the reason was clear. He wouldn't stay silent about the insult one of his followers received here.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He finally broke his silence, drawing his sword towards her neck. She maintained her composure with her confident smile, increasing his provocation.

"Easy, Alpha. Recklessness will kill you someday!"

She retorted, making him lower his hateful sword. Her mocking smile remained as she disappeared from where she stood, returning to where she came from.

"Did she learn anything about us?"

Lucas asked, sheathing his sword, and she nodded, implying she returned from where she was.

"As you know, my Alpha, I'm not allowed to leak information about my master, but... I can suggest another matter for you!"

Her confident smile grew as she successfully provoked the Alpha. Something told me that Jungkook asked her to delay, and the reason was clear. He wouldn't stay silent about the insult one of his followers received here.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He finally broke his silence, drawing his sword towards her neck. She maintained her composure with her confident smile, increasing his provocation.

"Easy, Alpha. Recklessness will kill you someday!"

She retorted, making him lower his hateful sword. Her mocking smile remained as she disappeared from where she stood, returning to where she came from.

"Did she learn anything about us?"

Lucas asked, sheathing his sword, and she nodded, implying she returned from where she was.

"As you know, my Alpha, I'm not allowed to leak information about my master, but... I can suggest another matter for you!"

Her confident smile grew as she successfully provoked the Alpha. Something told me that Jungkook asked her to delay, and the reason was clear. He wouldn't stay silent about the insult one of his followers received here.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He finally broke his silence, drawing his sword towards her neck. She maintained her composure with her confident smile, increasing his provocation.

"Easy, Alpha. Recklessness will kill you someday!"

She retorted, making him lower his hateful sword. Her mocking smile remained as she disappeared from where she stood, returning to where she came from.

"Did she learn anything about us?"

Lucas asked, sheathing his sword, and she nodded, implying she returned from where she was.

"As you know, my Alpha, I'm not allowed to leak information about my master

It hurts me from yesterday's mission!

-Alicia's POV-

I don't know how long I ran after him as I followed him without resistance, but he finally stopped when we reached the edge. He stood there beside me to allow us to see the cityscape from above.

A strange darkness suddenly fell after he touched my hand. I found myself standing with him in the middle of the city where Lisa and I used to live a year ago.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, surprised by our sudden presence, but I remained silent, observing what I saw, amazed.

It was me... me from a year ago before entering university!

"Look at yourself, Alicia. You've always been a weak girl who doesn't face her fears. You were an easy prey for those around you all the time."

He spoke, standing behind me, watching my imaginary self lowering its head while carrying books, receiving insults from classmates. He was right. I never defended myself.

He gently touched my hand again, transporting me back to those days when I met Lisa for the first time. I stepped out of my shell, forgiving myself for dating guys and making friendships. Still, I remained the old, weak Alicia.

"Focus around you, and you'll see the number of souls trying to kill you, taking advantage of your weakness back then. When you met Lisa, you felt some freedom and comfort just because you continued to kill those trying to harm you."

I focused well, and at that moment, I burst into tears, covering my mouth in shock as I remembered Lisa's always worried looks. She saw what I couldn't see or feel.

"You're weak. You're an easy prey for anyone lurking around you, and I won't always be able to protect you. Perhaps, one day, you'll have to escape from me to save your life!"

He added, withdrawing his gaze with red eyes appearing again, "You have to learn how to defend yourself because you'll be forced to face me. Either you kill me or die at my hands like those who preceded you!" He confronted me with the end of his speech, bringing us back to where we were on the mountain's summit.

I stepped back, unable to absorb his words, and wondered why one of us had to die, especially those who died before me?

I didn't notice that I was standing on the edge, making my feet twist, causing my body to fall rapidly!

He quickly said, "Not so fast!"

His voice penetrated my ears just before I felt my body buried within his. The speed of our fall suddenly slowed down, and I felt my feet touch the ground safely.

Did I escape without any scratches?

"Stupid! Come on; let's go back since we're running out of time."

He said with a harsh tone, pulling my wrist quickly, heading towards the house. The strange thing was not his actions or his powers, but my rapid adaptation to the fact that he was a vampire, without shocks!

Perhaps because I already knew he was not human?

We entered the house together, greeting everyone who was sitting on the couches. Damn! Those frightening ones were with them, gazing at me in a way that made me want to escape.

"Confront her! She won't hurt you, but she enjoys seeing her victims frightened."

He spoke softly, holding my hands more tightly as he gestured calmly, drawing cold features on my face.

If there's one thing I'm extremely skilled at, it's faking bravery. I truly deserve the Oscar for that skill!

"Alicia, do you know what happened?"

Kevin asked, seeming to have fully regained his vigor, approaching me enthusiastically. What happened?

Everyone turned their eyes, including Jungkook, to express their surprise, denying my knowledge of what happened!

"No... What happened?"

I asked curiously, seeing him resist the laughter, making me realize that the situation was ridiculous.

"Even I don't know!"

He finished his sentence, falling to the ground from the intensity of his laughter. I turned towards the one holding my hand, pointing to the one rolling on the ground.

Water? Do your punishments make people like this by default?

"If I didn't know he was an idiot, I would really think I'm the reason!"

He answered, raising his forehead tiredly before Eviann straightened up, heading towards the door.

Lyn has finally arrived. We can continue!

I shifted my gaze where everyone looked, and I saw a girl with slightly dark skin and short black hair barging into the room. She walked with her green eyes examining each one of us, adjusting her dress that exposed her body's curves. Is she a prostitute in some way?