Three days of loneliness finally ended as soon as Skylar rested in his arms once again. Vincencio's days became brighter and filled with colors as they spent time talking about anything from serious matters to nonsensical ones. Everything felt normal and lovely, like there was no time, days, or even nights of feeling away from each other. It helps their love to grow even more fond. However, the night duty suddenly calls, and Vincencio's night as a Night Hound senses something.
"Hmm...this air..." Night Hound mumbled to himself with amusement.
He sniffed the air swirling around the Midnight Guardian's perimeter. He quickly scanned his land, sensing for any intruders lurking in the shadows, and gratefully, there were none. Yet, apart from a great visitor, he was hoping for.
"Ah, she's finally here." Night Hound mumbled, grinning. "Rose Slayer."
He knew that she would come back for something unfinished - the snake. He felt honored as the infamous killer dropped by for a visit. Surely, he let the famous killer wander around his turf, observing until their same target finally appeared and was perfectly trapped. Night Hound showed up and played the game, causing crossfire, but the snake tried to sneak his way out.
"Not in my watch." He whispered and launched his accurate shot, but there were two.
His bullet landed perfectly on the prey's head, and a sharp but thin reaper sword pierced his chest. He knew who it was, and without hesitation, he showed himself, making Rose Slayer laugh, amused.
"Ruthless, but that's a nice shot, sharp shooter, MG's boss, Night Hound."
"Same goes for you." Night Hound refuted with the same amusement before facing his visitor, pointing guns at each other.
It was just a few seconds, but Night Hound couldn't deny a full that was happening between them as Rose Slayer's glowing red mauve eyes burned against his golden amber. It was quick, but it was enough to send recognition that none of them could escape from.
"Shit." Night Hound thought because he knew what clicked between them – a mate bond. However, it was not just a mate bond, and he knew completely what it was, and he remained neutral about it.
The tension was palpable, making them guarded. They were waiting for someone to either pull the trigger or surrender. But Night Hound was the first one who gave up with a sigh, putting his gun down in surrender.
"Don't ask when you felt it too." He said, noticing the confusion written on Rose Slayer's eyes, before softly yet firmly adding, "Let's talk, Rose Slayer."
Night Hound walked past her, but their meeting triggered something. Before he could fully walk away, he smelled it and quickly caught her in time.
"This is getting out of hand." Night Hound softly said, taking her in his arms, igniting deeply the mate bond he knew very well.
***
Inside his office, Rose Slayer was still out cold, and Night Hound was getting worried. He called his doctor, his sister-in-law, Dr. Aletia Eztli Monsour, to check on her.
"She's fine. She's having fatigue and reawakening your mate bond deeper." She said after checking Rose Slayer before softening as she faced him. "Tell her before she fully changes."
"Change into what?" Night Hound asked as his eyes fixated on sleeping Rose Slayer.
"Don't give me that. You knew who she was before you married her." She gently reminded him.
"I know, and I've sensed it when we reconnected, but I don't care until Alysia Irie happened and met her." He defended and sat on the floor, caressing her face dearly.
"And her vampire blood is close to reawakening. She might have a faint idea about it, but she needs you to be there when it happens." She made a point, piquing Night Hound's curiosity.
"You knew something about her past." He guessed above a whisper, making Dr. Aletia pat his shoulder.
"Blood and reason, we're connected." She simply replied before adding, "Be there and be truthful."
"I know, but I'm…" He weakly sighed, but his sister-in-law cut him off.
"Which one are you scared of the most, telling your truth or losing her for good? You know which one it is." She bluntly reminded him of the answer he already got; only the fear got caught in between. Then she patted his shoulder again before leaving. "And one more thing, once she's truly awake, real danger will come. So, make your choice."
Being alone, Night Hound removed his mask, revealing his vulnerability that only his wife knew about. He sighed heavily, dwelling deeply on the reminders he received before gently caressing Rose Slayer's lips.
"I hope you'll accept me as your mate once you know the truth about me." Night Hound softly said before sealing their mate bond with his deep love for his wife. "I love you, wifey. Please…wake up…wake up, wifey."
Night Hound went back to his job, and after a few more minutes, Rose Slayer woke up, guarded. She was pointing her gun around his office, and it amused him.
"There's no one here aside from us." Night Hound said with amusement and quickly focused on his work before she could look at him. Then he added, "I'm glad that you're awake. My doctor said you're exhausted."
He didn't hear anything, but he sensed that Rose Slayer checked herself. Clearly, Night Hound found it adorable but didn't say anything to tease her aside, answering her confusion.
"Don't worry, I didn't take off your mask or do something bad to you if that's what you're worried about." He said calmly.
"Why did you take me in?" Rose Slayer softly wondered, trying to ease a little pain over her head.
"I'm not like the others who lock anyone in the dungeon and torture them. I only do that to those who wronged Midnight Guardians, which clearly you're not." He answered, still not looking at her until someone knocked and entered the office before continuing, "I know they've been working for you. So, no need to be skeptical around me, Rose Slayer. I'm not going to harm you."
Silence filled the office when Night Hound felt how sternly his wife was looking at him. He can't deny he likes that attention, but he masked it and acted the usual Night Hound he was.
"Aren't you going to ask something?" Night Hound asked, finishing his work by settling the files on the side and putting his pen down before sternly looking at Rose Slayer's curious gaze. "Damn, she's so fine and hot."
"Did they know that you're not human?" Rose Slayer started asking. Honestly, Night Hound wanted to laugh at that question.
"Then I'll ask the same to you, and maybe we might have the same answer." With amusement, he responded slyly, making Rose Slayer shiver and frown.
"Actually, I'm starting to ask that myself too, you know, if I'm still human or turning into something a beast would be." Rose Slayer answered, making him recall what Medina once told her.
"Clever, wifey." Night Hound thought amusingly before asking, "And what made you think that way?"
"I just feel different, and you seem to have it since birth." She responded, shrugging her shoulders, but was curious about him. "So what are you?"
Night Hound tried to tease her, but she was demanding, and he liked that side of her. However, he was still hoping that once he shared his truth through this look, Night Hound, his wife would still accept him without doubt.
"I'm a lone alpha werewolf." He finally answered, catching her attention.
"Lone? I had never heard that before." She wondered, obviously curious about it.
"As expected from having a clever wife, she already knew our existence." Night Hound thought and amusingly smirked and responded. "It seems you knew about night creatures the way you speak and notice the difference between me and my men."
"Only the basic ones." She said flatly, but filled with honesty.
Silence wrapped again between them, but Night Hound carefully studied Rose Slayer, who was now comfortable on the couch, waiting patiently to speak his side. Without hesitation, he removed half of his mask, revealing his charming but sinister smile. Then he shared something about himself, and surprisingly, Rose Slayer was willing to help him heal.
"She's kind even though she hides them with blood." He thought before softly saying. "You already do."
"What did you say?" she asked.
"Nothing. Let's talk business now." Night Hound changed the subject because he was sensing trouble once he cleared that part.
"Right, business…" She muttered, nodding in gratefulness.
They talked business briefly, but Night Hound had to check something. He wanted to understand why his wife decided to hide things from him. However, to make her speak the truth, he must push her to the corner and bargain with her night hunt routine, which easily snapped Rose Slayer.
"No, absolutely not!" Rose Slayer firmly declined, snapping her side. "Don't get involved with my personal matters. It's mine to deal with, and I don't want anyone to touch it."
"And your men?" Amused, Night Hound asked carefully, clearly he wanted to know, making her mad. "I'm sorry, Wifey, but I need to know."
"Their jobs were only to find details about my targets' exact locations, information, stir up misdirection, and make plans while the rest of the action was all on me. I don't let my men be tainted by their filthy blood as I get my revenge. I don't want any one of them to suffer as much as I do." She spat strongly, and Night Hound was caught off guard.
"Now, I understand why they follow you. You always put yourself in the front line knowing they'll support you." He thought, understanding where his wife's secret was coming from, and it pleased him. "Hm, I didn't know you're a caring killer."
"You, you did it on purpose." She frowned, making him chuckle.
"Pardon me, but I just want to know if the killer is just being a killer or if something more goes beyond the façade." With honesty in his tone, he defended, making her sigh in defeat.
"Not even a word to the Presley siblings about it." She rolled her eyes like she was admitting her defeat.
"Shy now?" He teased amusingly, making her glare sharply at him.
"Don't start on my wrong side, Night Hound. I never miss." She refuted with a warning, making the man shiver, but still chuckled with his hands up.
They continued their conversation about collaboration. Night Hound offered detailed information, connections, and businesses that Rose Slayer's targets might have, which greatly favored Rose Slayer. However, it was not sitting right with her, and she started guessing what he really wanted from her, which almost caught him speechless.
"You're giving me too much favor only for you to receive a bonding time with me because of my curiosity over the night creatures." She guessed, making Night Hound smile amusingly.
"Well, guilty, so what would you say?" With a winning smirk, he asked.
"As long as it won't interfere with my alone time with my husband, then I'm good working with you." She agreed without hesitation.
"Oh my sweet, wifey." Night Hound thought, making his grin wider, and closed their deal. "Deal. You have my word on it."
When their hands made contact, sealing their deal, an electrifying shiver spread throughout their bodies. Rose Slayer was obviously puzzled. However, to Night Hound, it was a grateful sensation to feel, and he knew it wouldn't be long before their second meeting at night.
And like what he anticipated, another night in his office, Rose Slayer was already there, feeling like she owned his office without trying. It amused him, but he didn't say anything and just discussed things until it escalated into personal matters, where he almost kissed Rose Slayer if he didn't feel her trouble.
"Don't, Night Hound. Don't get too close, please. I don't want to cheat on my husband." With closed eyes, she softly pleaded, making Night Hound pull away. He knew it.
"I'm not doing anything to you, Rose, and I don't plan on making you fall apart either. But I'm letting you know that I'll stay beside you. Regardless of the mate bond between us, I'll be with you through it all." With an understanding tone, Night Hound softly said, vowing, making her look back at him. "Damn, those raw eyes…I truly want you."
"You're willing to be hurt?" She asked carefully, making him smile.
"I'm not hurt if you're happy." He responded honestly. "Medina is right, regardless of being rejected or not, I will still stay beside you."