Having second thoughts.

The house was unusually quiet when Marc decided to come down from the stairs.

Usually, the place would be filled with Erin's laughter. After having a chat with two of his bodyguards.

But it seemed like there was no one around.

That's when Dylan walked in holding a finished cup of coffee. Erin's probably back there at the front lawn with Andrei.

"Where's Erin?" he still bothered to ask.

The latter seemed restless as though it forgot to mention one very important detail to him.

"Your father came earlier after you shut yourself in your room. He asked Erin to come with him."

"And you remembered to tell me this now?"

Andrei got in with the sound of his thundering voice.

"Why didn't you call me out?"

"Butler David stopped us." Dylan had his head lowered.

"He promised to take care of Erin. So we had no choice but to let them go."

"You idiots."

The two were obviously surprised. That was the first time he had spoken to them like that.

"Next time you let Erin out of your sight. Make sure to let me know first."

He was too angry that he went back hurriedly to get his keys. And left the two having to deal with their own emotions.

Meanwhile.

Erin stared at the food in front of him. He has never been to a place as expensive as the one they are in right now. With food that he could only see in a lifestyle magazine before. There was no one around. So he thought that might have Alexei booked the whole place just so they could talk privately.

"I didn't get to talk to you last time, since my son was too determined to keep you away from me. Can I assume that you two already had a relationship now?"

He tried to clear his throat, but he needed help from the water beside him.

Surprisingly, it tasted sweet that he decided to finish the whole glass. Alexei called to a waiter to have it filled again.

"Did you like it?" it was pertaining to the beverage.

"Yes," he smiled shyly.

"Leave it there," Alexei told the waiter.

The bottle was a clear glass. Though the figure was close to a champagne bottle. But it may just be a coincidence. If there was clearly alcohol in there, he would know. For he had extremely low tolerance.

"Feel free to eat first," Alexei ordered. "I'm sure my son's ass is spinning right now trying to locate us. But don't mind him just yet. We have a lot to discuss after this."

He was too nervous that he failed to notice how he drinks more than he eats. Maybe because the water tasted so damn delicious.

***

"Where is he?" Marc was quick to find Butler David at the family house. But his father was nowhere to be found. "I thought you said you were going to protect him?"

The Butler started to feel cautious. It began to scan the place for other people. And when it's sure that there wasn't anyone around.

It pulled him to a vacant room inside the mansion.

"I was trying to call you before we even got there. But don't worry, Erin is a smart boy. I'm sure he'll figure out a way out of that situation."

"And if not? You know how cruel my father could get when he knows that he's been tricked. Who knows what he'll do to Erin after he notices it."

The Butler stopped to think for a while.

"Just tell me where the hell they are."

***

Erin was being asked by Alexei, yet his focus seems to have drifted into the abyss. He is clearly tipsy. And Marc's father was clearly taking advantage of it.

"Do you love my son?" it said taking a sip from its own glass of wine. " I would ask if he likes you. But he just made it clear the last time."

His face was already placed on top of his knuckle on the table. As he tried to stay awake as much as he can. The water was clearly an alcoholic beverage. And he had to find that out much too late.

"I'm not sure either. But I do like him, only that-"

"Come on, you can tell me anything." Alexei tried to convince him.

"It's just that he seems to care for me at one point. Then he goes and shut me off the next." it was definitely the alcohol talking. "Tell me, Is your son bipolar?"

Alexei started laughing uncontrollably. And there he thought that the guy was like a monster he should be wary of. But it sure loves a good laugh.

"Can I ask you a question?" he was using his puppy eyes as if it would actually work. But it did.

"Usually, one has to make quite a consideration before they could ask me something. But since you are different, And the fact that you just made me laugh. I'm willing to make that exemption."

He took a deep breath before letting the question out from his throat. The alcohol is taking its effect that his tongue was getting lousy with its job.

"Would you know someone named Lowen?"

The laughter turned into a Grimm reaction upon mention of the name.

"And where exactly did you hear that from?"

"Marc mentioned him in his dream. Was he- a boy?"