As the early morning sun's rays filtered through the dark, lingering sky, Anthony escorted the young mages through the camp. Soldiers of all ranks and positions stopped the instant they saw him, snapping to attention and saluting without hesitation.
Dae narrowed his eyes at the sight. This wasn't just respect given to a Monarch—it was reverence reserved for someone who had once served brilliantly as a former soldier.
"Where are we going exactly?" Dae asked.
Anthony casually waved back at the saluting soldiers before answering, "As the village's new owner, the Chief gave me a place to stay. I'm letting you boys use it to recover."
He nodded to another group of soldiers. "I'll be heading back to the Capital tomorrow to finalize the proposition and your sub-division, so you can stay here for as long as you need."
Dae raised a curious brow. "We're still getting the sub-division… even after everything we did?" He asked.
"Even though you freed her later on, you still completed your initial task," Anthony replied, glancing over his shoulder with an evil smirk. "If the Council tries to forget that… I'll be there to remind them."
Zoe smiled beside him. "Go easy on them, Tony." She said.
Anthony rolled his eyes, but his gaze accidentally settled on someone, causing him to stop mid-step. "Speaking of which…" He muttered as he stared at Lucy, who stayed close to an uncharacteristically quiet Dom.
Before he could continue, loud shouts cut through the air.
Moments later, they spotted the source, and Dom's eyes widened at the sight of the camp's entrance crowded with visibly agitated villagers.
"Please! Stay back!" A soldier grumbled as he and several others struggled to restrain the crowd.
"You're not allowed in here!" Another soldier shouted but his command was drowned out by a villager's cry.
"Let us see them!"
"Yeah!" A man shouted, shoving a soldier who barely held the line.
"What's going on?" Dom asked, stepping forward.
"No clue," Anthony replied—just as one of the villagers spotted them.
"There!" She shouted.
In eerie unison, every gaze locked onto Dom's group. Voices erupted all at once, overlapping into an incomprehensible storm of sound.
Dom frowned in confusion, but Anthony smirked as he spotted the Chief among the crowd.
Minutes later…
The Chief stood before them, wearing a professional smile as he bowed slightly to Anthony. "General Justice. Thank you again for taking us under your wing."
Anthony smirked. "No problem…" He replied, arms folded. "… but I'm sure I'm not the one you're really here to thank, right?"
The Chief's smile softened, impressed by this veteran's keen senses as he turned to the boys. "Mr. Dae. Mr. Dominic." He paused, his expression briefly darkened. "When you captured our… guardian…"
He paused again, casting Lucy a nervous glance, earning her confused stare.
"…we thought you were like the others. Weapons sent to destroy our home."
Dae frowned, glancing at the villagers quietly listening behind.
Then, the Chief's smile returned. "But now we see that you're kind-hearted young men willing to risk your lives and careers for strangers like us."
Dom scratched his cheek awkwardly. "It's okay. We're, uh…" He muttered and glanced at Lucy, who tilted her head curiously at him. "…we're sorry we attacked her in the first place."
Dae nodded quietly.
The Chief stared at them for a moment, frowning deeply. "From the moment I met you, I knew you were different… but I still doubted you." He clenched his fists. "I sincerely apologize."
Before either could respond, the Chief bowed deeply.
"On behalf of every resident of this village, thank you for protecting us and our beliefs. We will never forget this."
Dom stood frozen as Dae tapped his shoulder.
Dom followed his gaze and stared in shock as the villagers—all of them—bowed in silence.
"Oh my," Zoe murmured at the heart-tugging sight.
Even the surrounding soldiers stood frozen as they took in the sight.
Anthony smirked, then noticed a small figure slipping through the crowd and stunned guards.
Seconds later, Dom felt a tug on his shirt. Looking down, his eyes widened as he instantly recognized the boy—their loudest critic since their arrival.
A soldier finally moved to intervene, but Anthony's glare stopped him cold.
The boy stared at his feet, fidgeting nervously before stealing a glance at his mother, who smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. With a deep breath in and out, the boy looked up at Dom and spoke.
"Um… Mister… thank you… for saving our hero and us. And… I'm, um…" His expression fell again. "I'm sorry for throwing that tomato at you." He mumbled softly, shame thick in his voice.
Dae narrowed his eyes at the boy before glancing at Dom, who continued to stare down at him with a stunned expression.
A brief moment passed before Dom crouched down.
The boy squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for whatever punishment Dom was about to dish out--
Only for Dom to gently place a hand on his head.
The boy slowly opened his eyes, meeting Dom's warm smile.
"It's okay," Dom said softly. "I forgive you."
The boy's eyes widened—first in shock… then in pure excitement as a laugh escaped his lips. The boy's mother along with the other villagers smiled at the heart-warming scene.
Dae smiled as well, then turned away for literally one second when a sudden thud echoed from behind him.
Dae whirled around to find Dom now motionless on the floor, with the boy and Lucy already kneeling beside him, shaking him with concern.
The crowd gasped at the side.
Anthony narrowed his eyes as Dae rushed forward, turning Dom onto his back.
"Is he alright?" The Chief asked, worry etched deep into his face.
Dae checked Dom's pulse, then let out a relieved sigh a few moments later.
"He's fine. Just unconscious." He said.
The boy and Lucy sighed in relief simultaneously.
The villagers visibly relaxed, though the Chief furrowed his brows in confusion.
"But why did he suddenly collapse like that?" He asked.
"Honestly, I'm surprised he's still kicking," Zoe said with a hand on her hip as she stared at Dom's bandaged body. "I guess he must've been so worried about whether or not he made the right choice that he subconsciously forced himself to stay awake."
"And then finally relaxed once he got his answer," Dae added quietly, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he stared at the exhausted look on Dom's sleeping face.
Early the next morning…
Inside the building gifted to him, Anthony knocked once before opening the door, Zoe following behind him.
They enter a room where Lucy--now wearing a clean white shirt and black shorts--was asleep on a bed beside a still-unconscious Dom.
Zoe raised a brow. "He still hasn't woken up?" She asked.
"Not yet."
Her attention shifted to Dae, who shook his head while reading a book from a chair some distance away.
"And I wanted to talk a little before we go," Anthony said with a frown, stopping at the foot of the bed, his eyes fixed on Dom's face.
"You sure he doesn't need to see a real doctor?" Zoe asked, noticing the fluid lines attached to his arm and his sleeping face. "I mean, he was basically already on the brink of death."
"I may not have much medical knowledge," Dae replied as he stood, grabbing the crutch beside him, "… but we were taught enough at the Academy to handle cases like this. The transfusion and healing magic did their work. He just needs more rest."
"Guess the fight really took a lot out of him." Anthony muttered, stroking his beard as he stared at Dom.
Dae narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he limped over. "He is strangely taking more time than expected." He commented, "But that's most likely because this is the first time he's been pushed to the brink like this. He should be up anytime soon."
He then paused by the bed, flinching slightly at Anthony's towering frame now directly beside him. "Thank you for letting us stay here in the meantime, Ge—Tony,"
Anthony smiled at the not-so-subtle correction. "No worries." He replied. "Besides, even if I didn't, I'm sure the villagers would've gladly offered a place like this to their beloved heroes."
Dae frowned immediately. "I never agreed to that title," He said, his gaze burning as it settled on Dom.
Anthony laughed. "You really are just like the old man. He used to say that all the time." He said, then placed a hand on Dae's head. "But we all knew Jin secretly loved hearing it."
Dae blushed, his calm demeanor cracking just enough to make Anthony laugh harder as he pulled his hand away.
"When you're both fit to return, we'll discuss the details of your sub-division," Anthony said. "For now, focus on recovering. And don't forget to have some fun too."
He glanced at Dom. "You two deserve it after the shit you went through. Stay as long as you need."
Dae nodded with a smile--one that slowly fades the longer he stared at Dom.
Anthony noticed the frown and raised a brow. "Dominic's a strong kid, Dae." He said as he folded his arms with his gaze narrowed at Dom. "Even as a child, he was able to shake off the fear of death for the sake of his dream. This is nothing new to him."
"I know very well," Dae replied bluntly. "I've worked with him long enough to acknowledge his abnormal resilience."
That's when Anthony saw it. The look in Dae's eyes wasn't worry-- it was curiosity.
"So what's on your mind?" Anthony asked.
Dae closed his eyes, recalling the fight last night, "During our final clash, I was able to land a strike on Xavier thanks to our tactic," He said, then touched his bandaged leg. "But my speed and power were significantly weakened due to my injuries. So I only grazed him."
His eyes then narrowed at his partner.
"But Dom…" He muttered, recalling the way Dom fought. "… even though his wounds were worse, he was still fighting effectively. In fact, it was like his movements, reactions—his power—was far stronger than anything than anything he's ever done before."
Anthony stiffened, his eyes widening.
"Isn't that just an adrenaline rush?" Zoe suggested, seated in the background.
Dae's attention shifted to her. "That's what I think too," He said, turning back toward the bed just as Lucy slowly sat up, yawning loudly while rubbing her eyes.
"I asked Dom about it after the fight." Dae added, tapping his chin in thought. "The only thing he could describe was that for a moment, he felt a strange surge of energy--a power that completely overwhelmed his pain and fatigue. He said he'd never felt anything like it before."
Anthony lowered his arms, fists clenching tightly…but he stayed silent.
Then Dae noticed it…a terrifying red aura leaked from Anthony's body.
His fists audibly tightened, his glowing red eyes widened and a manic grin spread across his face as he stared at Dom. "I knew it…" He muttered, the air trembling slightly from his raging aura.
"Boss?" Zoe asked, nervous sweat sliding down her temple as she felt the unnatural darkness from Anthony's body.
Dae stumbled back, his body shivering as instinct reminded him that the monster before him was one of the reasons a five-century war came to a halt.
Then--
A sound of pure joy cut through the tension.
They turned to see Lucy grinning widely as she hugged a now-conscious Dom.
"Finally," Zoe said with a smile.
Anthony exhaled heavily, suppressing his aura, while Dae narrowed his eyes--now deeply curious about Anthony's strange reaction.
Some minutes later…
Dom rubbed his neck with a laugh. "I can't believe I passed out like that." He looked at Dae who disconnected the IV-line. "Did I at least look cool?"
"As cool as a half-dead muscle-brain," Dae scoffed.
Dom frowned. "Why do I even bother with you, Grinch?"
Dae smirked at the natural teasing just as Anthony stepped forward.
"Glad to see you're still kicking, Dominic," He said.
"Of course. This is nothing." Dom said with a confident smirk that made Anthony laugh. "Oh. By the way, you can call me Dom,"
Anthony raised a brow.
"You said I can call you, Tony--so you can call me Dom…" He paused, rubbing his cheek sheepishly. "We're…friends, right?"
Anthony stared for a moment then nodded with a smile… just as a knock at the door draws their attention, a knight pokes his head in.
"Looks like our ride's ready," Anthony said as he waved the knight away. "We'll talk about the complicated stuff when you get back, alright?"
Dae nodded while Dom's grin widened.
"Thanks for helping us. Seriously," Dom said with an awkward laugh.
Anthony waved dismissively as he took a few steps away—then stopped abruptly. "I almost forgot," He said, turning back as he pointed at Lucy.
Everyone turned in unison and Lucy looked around in confusion, clearly unsure why all eyes were suddenly on her.
"Since she's actually a rogue beast mage and not an evolved beast," Anthony continued, "… the Capital has no interest in her anymore."
Zoe took her time studying Lucy closely. "The report says she's possibly an S-class, right?" She said thoughtfully. "Do you really think the Council would let her run around freely like that? S-class mages are rare, you know."
"Don't worry," Anthony replied calmly. "I already told them she's not that dangerous."
Zoe raised a brow as Anthony stared at Lucy, his glowing red eyes perceiving the faint silver mist surrounding her body.
"She's A-class at best," He commented.
Zoe gave Lucy a skeptical look. "Then how did she manage to kill so many high-ranking soldiers solo?" She asked.
Anthony rubbed his beard. "There are different ways to win a fight. Even if they could overpower her with numbers, she had the home-field advantage."
Dae's eyes widened slightly as a familiar phrase crossed his mind. "No matter how dangerous a beast is, the rule of hunting still applies," He mumbled.
Dom responded with a cocky smirk at that quote, earning an annoyed click of Dae's tongue.
Dom's expression then shifted into thoughtfulness as he turned to Anthony. "But if the Council's leaving her alone… she can just go back to the forest and rejoin the wolf pack Dae saved, right? And everything goes back to normal."
The answer sounds simple, natural—but the strange looks exchanged between the others told him that something was off.
Dae sighed, cutting through the silence. "That's what we were all thinking, but…" He trailed off, gesturing toward Lucy.
Dom finally turned to her and her bright, wavering smile widened under his direct gaze, her bushy tail wagging energetically behind her. Like a puppy that's just spotted its favorite toy.
Dom glanced at the others again before turning back to Lucy, whose smile only widened as their eyes meet.
"Lucy… don't you want to go back home?" he asked gently.
Lucy shook her head, took his hand between both of hers, and answered, "Dom… Stay… Pack."
The words are few—but their meaning is unmistakable, evident in Dom's widened eyes.
"That's what she's been saying since yesterday," Dae said as he limped over to sit on a nearby chair. "She refuses to go back unless you follow her."
Anthony laughed. "Looks like you're a wolf pack member now. I have to admit, I'm a little jealous."
Lucy watched Dom intently, her expression hopeful.
Dom gently pulled his hand back, offering a friendly smile. "I'm happy that you like me that much… but I can't go with you." He said softly.
Lucy's expression immediately fell. She didn't fully understand his words—but his tone, his face, told her enough.
"The woods and the pack are your home," Dom continued, using hand gestures as he struggled to communicate with her. "I have my own home too. And there are still a lot of things I need to do there."
He glanced at Dae and Anthony with a smirk before turning back to her. Lucy squeezed his hand again, pleading evident in her eyes—but Dom resisted, looking away.
"I can't stay," He said firmly.
After a few seconds, Dom turned back.
Lucy was still staring at him. Hope lingering in her widened eyes… until she finally saw honesty in his gaze. Her shoulders slumped and her tail drooped sadly behind her as she accepted defeat.
Dom quickly looked to Dae, silently asking for help, only to get an meaningless shrug.
Dom glared at him, then forced a smile as he turned back to Lucy. "But I promise I'll come visit you as much as I—"
Lucy suddenly straightened, her silver eyes igniting with determination.
Before Dom could finish, she grabbed his hand again—this time far tighter than before.
"If… no stay… me… go… you."
Dom froze, understanding her intent. "Y-you want to follow me?" He asked.
Lucy nodded confidently.
"Uh oh," Zoe said with a knowing smirk. "I know that look. That's the look of a woman who's locked onto her man. Almost impossible to shake once we give it." She winked at Anthony. "Right, Tony?"
Anthony chuckled in response.
Dom stared at them in disbelief before turning back to Lucy.
She pressed her palm firmly against his chest—then forced his hand against her own.
Dom immediately blushed, heat rushing to his face from the soft pressure beneath his palm as he looked up to meet her unwavering gaze.
"Dom… Lu…cy… Mate…" She said with a warm smile.
Dead silence.
That perfectly described the room, only the faint thuds of her wagging tail against the bed made a sound.
Dom's eyes remained locked on Lucy, whose expression doesn't waver in the slightest.
"Um… Lucy?"
She tilted her head, gaze fully focused on him.
Dom rubbed his neck, cheeks burning. "W-what… um… what did you mean by mate?" He asked, his tone hesitant.
An amused smile spread across Dae's face as he leaned closer. "I think she means sexual int—"
"I KNOW WHAT MATE MEANS!"
Dom's outburst sent Dae and Anthony into hysterical laughter.
"Damn," Zoe chuckled, slipping a lollipop into her mouth. "She's locked onto you harder than I thought."
Dom shot daggers at all of them before turning back to Lucy. "Wait—wait—wait." He shifted back slightly. "What about the pack? Your family? Don't they need you?"
Lucy frowned at the thought. "Sad…" Then her smile quickly returned. "…but… pack… strong… new… alpha…"
"Then what about the village?" Dom pressed. "You're their guardian, right?"
Lucy tilted her head, clearly confused. "Gar… dan?" She mumbled.
Dom stammered, desperately searching for another argument—only making Dae and Anthony laugh harder.
He turned to reprimand them just as Lucy suddenly hugged him, nuzzling her face into his neck.
"Dom… Mate… Life," she mumbled, giggling softly.
Dom's mind spiraled—from the confession… to the warmth of her soft body pressed against him.
Dae laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. "Oh God. I don't think I've ever seen you this flustered before." He said between laughs.
Dom fumed in embarrassment—then finally exhaled in defeat as Lucy's tail wagged enthusiastically behind her.