Chapter 78 - Lover's Quarrel

Nico followed behind the trail the bear had left behind. a small scratch mark on the tree trunk came into view. He paused and let the others wait behind him.

Gently his fingertips touched the groves created by the sharp claws. "The mark is deep. the bear we are searching for is most likely a fully grown adult bear. I see multiple claw marks around us," he pointed to the other trees.

the nearby trees also had the same marks.

he even found a small scuff of hair stuck on one of the hard barks.

"We are searching for a solitary brown bear," he said frowning.

solitary brown bears are quite dangerous. when provoked they are easier to ire. In fact, most accidents related to bear attacks are associated with single bears.

'This hunt could be very dangerous, should I really take the kids with me,' he glanced at the two who were eagerly glancing at him.

"I have never seen a bear before. Are they as fluffy as a cloud? I want to make a winter coat out of its hide," Hunter whispered excitedly,

Issac patted his back. "bears are dangerous. besides, we aren't sure we will catch one or even spot one,"

"No, we will catch one. I will get you guys, your bear," Nico said confidently.

With his experience in hunting. Taking down a brown bear was as easy as pie. but the only issue relies on the weapons. he glanced at the old model rifle in his hand with a sigh. it can only accommodate two bullets at a time and has to be reloaded after the barrel is empty.

it was such a hassle.

During hunting a bear even if he is late a split second it could define his life or death. Fighting a bear with this gun is like poking a sleeping lion with a stick. it was stupid.

Nico smirked slightly.

but the gun was not the only weapon he had. he was a vampire with shiny bright fangs. he can easily bite into its thick skin and he can move fast. there was also Dylan too. he was a huge five-foot wolf. if anything goes wrong, he can easily threaten the bear with his alpha pheromones.

he thought to himself with a nod. "we are doing this,"

he briskly walked ahead.

Dylan who seemed slightly glum, followed behind him silently.

He occasionally glanced back at him. 'Why is he oddly silent now? What happened?'

Dylan refused to look his way and glanced at the ground.

'Is the ground more interesting than me? or is he having any trouble controlling his flag pole again,' he glanced at his shirt that was around his beloved's waist with a slight giggle. 'he is oddly cute like this.'

Suddenly, he froze. 'Wait Hunter and Issac are walking behind Dylan. They…' he hurriedly pushed Dylan up front and hid his ass from sight. 'Gods they must have seen his ass by now,'

He threw a pouty look behind him.

Hunter, who was ignorant of the world was happily glancing at a butterfly. As for Issac, he noticed his weird stare and raised a brow.

Nico pouted even more. 'he defiantly saw his ass…..'

Issac was even more confused. 'Why is elder looking at me like that….'

Nico regretfully glanced at Dylan's ass. 'I don't want to taint his scent with someone else's clothes, but I can't bear to watch him walk around with his ass on show….'

he gently patted Dylan's back.

He glanced back with the same expressionless face.

"Can you shift back?"

Dylan's expression became even weirder. He nodded and changed back into his wolf form. The shirt he had tied was still on his waist. Surprisingly it had not torn off. But it did look a little tight, though.

Nico loosened it up for him.

Dylan slightly nudged his face and walked ahead of them. Suddenly his whole body froze. he gestured for them to hide.

Nico and the others hid in between a bush, Dylan struggled to fit in with his huge fluffy body.

Half of his ass was hanging out of the bush like a cute little ostrich hiding its face.

Nico spotted a brown back behind a huge tree trunk. He could not see its face clearly, though.

Slowly he nudged his gun's barrel on his knees and took his aim. The target was slightly off. If he shot now, he would only hit the tree trunk.

like a predator, he waited. He waited for his chance to shoot.

Ten minutes later, he got his chance. The bear moved a little to the side, exposing its face.

Nico smirked. 'This bear is in my bag.' His finger was on the trigger. But as he was about to pull it. He noticed two small round balls of brown fur roll around.

'Shit, it has cubs!'

He immediately moved his barrel to the side slightly and shot. the bullet hit the ground

Startled by the loud sound, the bear immediately ushered its cubs and moved away from the river bed.

Nico sighed loudly hugging the gun. 'and there goes my victory…'

"Why didn't you shoot? You had it…" Dylan who had remained silent till now spoke.

"Well, it has cubs. Bear cubs will freeze without their mum. I can't just irresponsibly shoot it down. It's not okay." He stood up, patting his butt. "Come on let's go find another prey,"

After their failure to hunt down a bear, they proceeded to hunt the elks they came across. Surprisingly, close to the river bed, there were a lot of elks. Hunter and Issac alone hunted three of them and Nico hunted five of them.

Dylan, on the other hand, was still in a dejected mood.

Nico threw him a glance. 'What is wrong with him? If he is not willing to lose all he has to do is hunt more,'

He tentatively got close. "so, you are not going to hunt? Gave up so soon?" he playfully nudged him.

Dylan dodged him and silently walked ahead. "I did not give up."

" Then why aren't you hunting any? I see so many elks close by," his eyes fell on Dylan's ass which was exposed from the makeshift skirt. "y-you wish to give up on our bet then?" he whispered gulping.

Dylan froze and glanced back, with a frustrated look. "Why must I even try when you are so unwilling to date me? am I so repulsive? I get it. You wish to blame me for the downfall of vampires. But for once can you not give me a chance? All you can do is reject me so subtly. I… Nico, I waited a thousand years for you. It's distressing to not be close to you. I want your heart to be all mine, yet you don't give me that chance!"

Nico did not expect this explosive outburst at all. Halfway through he was thrown into a daze. He understood the crux of his frustration.

"Why do you think I don't want to date you?"

"Because you are so fixed on winning this hunt? Isn't this because you want to escape this wretched date I have arranged!" he said panting in rage.

Hunter and Issac who was right behind them froze.

"Should we intervene," Hunter whispered to his brother.

"it's better we leave" he pulled his dumb brother away from the young couple. Of course, he did not understand this progress at all. One moment they were hugging blushing, and licking each other, the next they were having a shouting match.

His young mind could not comprehend this at all.

Nico felt the two vampires move away from him. His mind was all on Dylan who obviously looked enraged. "I want to win because of other reasons. I never said I didn't want to date you."

"You didn't say it but you implied it. You… why do you hate me so much Nico? I love you with all my heart. Is that not enough? will you feel anything for me…."

Nico gaped at him. "Wait a minute here. You are just going on assuming everything. I never said I hated you! I wanted to win because….. because…" he froze with a blush.

"Why? Can't come up with a lie?" Dylan said gritting his teeth. "Just say it. You hate me…."

Nico glared at him. "yes, I hate it. I hate your constant negative view! I hate it when you have zero confidence in yourself. You are the alpha king yet you don't have the confidence in winning over your luna! I never once hated you! Never! I wanted to ask you out on a date. Take the initiative when I won…. Why do you assume the worst of me? why do you assume I lie…."

Dylan stepped up to him with a hopeful look. "r-really?"

"Stay away. I don't wish to look at a person who called me a liar." He stepped back. "you frustrate me…." he whispered, walking away.

Dylan followed after him hurriedly. "you like me.. Nico.. do you like me…" he grabbed his hand pulling him into a hug. "don't walk away from me. tell it to my face. Do you like me, Nico? Do you…."

He sounded like a wounded kid.

Nico couldn't help but shed a few tears. Years have left this man so wounded that he had become so insecure…

"I like you, dummy…. I might sometimes talk like a stupid person and blame you for shit but I never once have I hated you. I liked you the moment I held you in my arms. How do you expect me to hate you.,.. it's physically impossible,"

The arms around him tightened. "You mean it,"

"You're calling me a liar again?" he struggled in his arms. Nico refused to look at him. "let go of me..."

As he was struggling, he felt a warm stick poke his back. He froze.

"Is that your…"

"Please don't move…" Dylan whispered face-planting on the back of his neck. "I'm so happy… I'm so so happy Nico.. I love you too. I love you so much,"

"I get it. Let go," Nico whispered with a blush.

"Can we stay like this for a while?"

"Not with your stick poking me like this…" Nico gently pushed at his hips. "I want to win the hunt so that you can't call me a liar again,"

Dylan let out a small laugh. "You were going to ask me out,"

"yeah, duh what do you think I was going to ask for our bet?" Nico pushed at his thick arms. The feeling of skin on the skin really left him slightly tingly. He did not want to give in right now.

Especially when they were in the middle of a forest.

"I thought you would ask for me to abdicate. I would have willingly given it up for you…" Dylan whispered.

"I already asked you to abdicate. Killian's suggestion is the only reason you are still the alpha king." He whispered pushing at his chest.

The feeling of the stick poking his back made him weak in his knees. His pounding heart did not help either. It left him half-breathless and limp in his arms.

If this went on he might easily give in to his crafty ministrations.

"you… stop rubbing…"

"sorry," Dylan whispered but kept doing the same.

Nico felt his legs tremble visibly. "Dylan.."

"Yes…" Dylan groaned loudly into his ears.

"If you don't let go now, I might have to resort to punching you in the balls. Don't want to render you childless…" he whispered panting.

Dylan chuckled. "Yes…" he let go with a small shy smile. "My balls are precious. They are needed to pleasure you well,"

Nico gaped at him. "You… you render me wordless a few times," he mumbled walking ahead.

His trembling legs could not hold him upright. He simply used his gun as a stick to lean on.

Seeing Dylan's hand reaching out to him he glanced back. "No touching. Not until we have our fifth date,"

"f-five… five dates!"

"What? You are so incapable of waiting for a few dates?" Nico frowned slightly.

"n-no.. no I'm glad you are willing to have five dates with me…" he said with an excited grin.

The sunlight streamed on his face illuminating his golden lashes. To be honest he looked like a happy golden retriever.

Blushing slightly Nico touched his head. "yeah.. so be good. No touching.."

"Yeah…"

 Like a cute puppy, Dylan bobbed his head.

Nico held back a squeal. 'Why is he so cute? Darn it, how can I ever hate this man.' He thought, walking away.

He had a goal to achieve right now. He had to hunt the elks. He had to win to ask out Dylan.

He continued his hunt around the river but a few other pack members were already up ahead.

Since it was slightly noisier the elks all moved away from this spot.

As he was walking, Nico felt a small twinge in his stomach.

'Am I having the tingles again? Really.. seriously Nico. That man is just walking behind you but you are having the tingles. Stupid butterflies. Don't flutter in my tummy.' He placed a hand soothing the tingling feeling.

'I am a grown adult. I don't get tingles for a man who smells sweet….'

Suddenly he tripped on something fell face-first into the mud.

"Nico!" Dylan hurriedly picked him up and awkwardly wiped the wet mud off his face.

Nico just dully glanced at him. 'There goes my dignity. Wiped off with this ugly mud. Eww, what is that smell? Why does this mud smell like shit…' he subtly smelled his mud-covered finger tips.

The mud was probably mixed in with real shit. Which made it even more disgusting.