How important?

I stared at the spot Hugo originally stood until I realized he vanished. I could not help but tilt my head and cast Ivo a baffled look.

"What just happened?" I asked awkwardly, staring at Ivo, who was clicking his tongue while shaking his head.

"What happened is they are so dead," Ivo answered in a knowing tone, sighing as if he was feeling sorry for his friends. Quite a weak reaction, unlike his heavy claims.

"You didn't mean literally dead, right?" I inquired once again, just to make sure he was exaggerating. Ivo had this strange look on his face as if he didn't know what to say.

"Well, I guess they won't die literally...?"

What was with the unsure tone? I looked at him longer, studying his strange expression that I couldn't explain properly. It was as if there was this small possibility that his friends would actually die. Am I just overthinking?

"Hay! Don't think too much! They are just playing!" Ivo chuckled as he brushed it off awkwardly.

"Really?" I was cautiously studying his grin and heaved a sigh of relief when he nodded. "That's a relief then."

"It's just that Alpha Hugo is easily triggered, but he is ki — kind," Ivo reassured, but he cringed right after.

"You don't have to lie," I said, feeling sorry for him. This man couldn't lie, I thought. Just the way he winced as if he was about to vomit by saying Hugo was kind, just contradicted his words.

Ivo looked at me apologetically. "Alpha Hugo is the worst Alpha."

"I don't doubt that." I nodded as this time, he looked certain. To my surprise, Ivo's eyes suddenly sparkled as he leaned his head forward.

"You think so too?" he gasped with eyes as if finally finding his one and only ally.

"Uh... well, I don't know what you mean by worst, but so far, I think he is someone who just does whatever he wants."

"Right?! He is also selfish, a narcissist, a tyrant, and just the worst!" I jumped when Ivo clapped enthusiastically. Was this alright? Badmouthing Hugo behind him? But Ivo seemed happy about it as if he could finally release his stress.

"Hehe. Sister, since I think we are on the same side, why don't we sit down first?" Ivo rubbed his hands together while his lips stretched from ear to ear. I pressed my lips, thinking that since Hugo just vanished, it wasn't bad to accompany his friend. Moreover, Ivo didn't seem like a bad person. It would also be best to know the people I would spend my time with.

"Sure." I nodded and his grin stretched wider.

Ivo and I searched for a place to sit. Most benches around the plaza were occupied, so I followed him. We soon found a dining place where there were tables and chairs outside. Since we hadn't eaten dinner yet, Ivo said he would treat me to dinner and recommended foods I never had before.

"Wow... you're pretty clueless, huh?" Ivo mumbled, draping an arm over his seat while looking at me in awe.

"I never went out almost my entire life. The only time I did was when my father took me to haunt and I got lost." I summarized the story of my uneventful life. "After that, he never took me with him and I stayed inside the castle."

"Damn... how did you manage to stay sane inside that cage?"

"It's not a cage..."

"It is! Just a big one!" Ivo argued strongly, and I couldn't argue back. I tried to stay positive in the past and didn't think like that. It was not like I was being maltreated. I was actually very spoiled and could get anything I request. The only request that Mother and Father wouldn't fulfill was me going outside.

Until their death, I didn't know why my father and mother were so overprotective of me. I heard that some of my brothers and sisters, whom I hadn't met before, could go out and socialize as it was their duty. I never had such duties as my mother kept telling me I didn't need to do such menial things.

"Sister, don't you hate your mother and father for raising you with no clue about the outside world?" I snapped back to the current lapse upon his question. "I mean, even if they say it was to protect you, if they truly love you, they shouldn't have caged you like that."

"You don't know them." My tone dropped as I looked at him in dismay. "Please, refrain from talking about me as if you know me and my family. I know you don't intend to offend me, but it's rude. My mother and father had sacrificed their life for me. How dare I loathe the people who cared about me until their last breath?"

"Oh, it seemed I overstepped sister." Ivo puffed his cheek and raised both his hands. "I just find it really strange, but I guess you're right. I shouldn't have said that."

I huffed, shaking my head lightly. "It's fine. I'm sorry too. It's just that, even though I spent most of my days within the castle walls, I was happy. There may be times I ask the same questions, but I don't think Mother and Father mean harm."

"Mhm. Alright."

"Enough about me. Tell me about you." I perked my head up, changing the subject, as it was depressing. "Or rather, can you tell me more about Alpha Hugo? You keep calling him Alpha, is that his real name?"

Ivo smacked his lips. "Sister, Alpha is a title for us werewolves. That is, uh… second-best rank for us?"

"A title?"

"Mhm! It's hard to explain how the hierarchy works back home, but you will understand it once you see it for yourself. Also, you will... never mind that." Ivo shrugged, lazy to explain, but I didn't berate him for that.

"Is that so?" I nodded before my brows furrowed. "If I see it for myself…?"

"Mhm. We're leaving Althea tomorrow and run back home," he said in a knowing tone, waving his finger up. "It's not obvious, but Alpha Hugo is actually a very important person."

"Important? How important?"

Ivo arched his brows as he blinked twice. "As important as, err… a prince? Alpha Hugo was the seventh prince of the Ronmin Empire and the Grand Duke of Belcoot. The hell? You don't know you're dealing with the most savage werewolf in Ronmin?"