Zoe Pierce held the flower and looked at Nathan Lockwood. Was she supposed to keep it?
When Nathan Lockwood gave her an affirmative look, Zoe Pierce's expression turned a little strange. She'd thought that since the flower's effects were so powerful, he would keep it for himself.
After all, if they really had a falling out, wouldn't this flower become a vital tool for soothing their spiritual power?
And yet, he had just handed something so important directly to her.
'Is he that sure I'll obey him?'
Zoe Pierce couldn't fathom Nathan Lockwood's intentions, but since he'd given the flower to her, she put it away carefully.
The three of them left the pool and found another spot by a stream to rest.
Now they had nothing else to do but wait for the others to arrive.
"Zoe Pierce, you really don't remember anything?" With time on his hands, Ethan Grant came over to strike up a conversation with Zoe Pierce.
Ethan Grant would have preferred to talk to Nathan Lockwood, but the man's cold face and sidelong glares made him too scared to approach. So, Ethan rubbed his nose and instead approached Zoe Pierce, who was obviously more approachable.
He hadn't seen Zoe Pierce in two years. Looking at her now, he thought she was even more beautiful than before.
Her eyelashes were long, thick, and curled. At the sound of his voice, she looked up. Her skin was so fair it was almost translucent, revealing the faintest hint of color beneath. Her long hair was pulled back, exposing a slender neck.
His gaze unintentionally drifted to the back of her neck, where he saw a blue barrier patch, thin as a cicada's wing. He quickly averted his eyes, as if he'd seen something he shouldn't have.
Suddenly, he felt a bit awkward.
"Yeah, I've forgotten a lot," Zoe Pierce replied, her attitude toward Ethan Grant friendly enough. "What was I like before?"
If Ethan Grant hadn't been the one to bring up their past as teammates, Zoe Pierce would have been completely in the dark.
She was curious, wondering if she could get some useful information out of him.
Ethan Grant offered Zoe Pierce another piece of the fruit he was holding. Curious to hear what he had to say, she accepted it.
"You were pretty much the same back then as you are now," Ethan Grant said, recalling the old Zoe Pierce. "You were this tiny little thing, with a really pretty smile. And a lot of guys were chasing after you."
You didn't talk much either, but when you did, your voice was soft and gentle, just like it is now.
It's just that back then, your face was still full of youthful innocence. You still had some baby fat, which made you look even younger.
Not like now. You've lost the baby fat, and your figure and face have both matured from a young girl's into a woman's. You have more of that delicate Omega beauty, the kind that makes it hard to look away.
Hearing his words, Zoe Pierce felt a momentary sense of dissonance.
After all, she still remembered Michelle Young's assessment of her. Michelle had said she seemed a little unapproachable.
It was as if they were talking about two different people.
If neither of them was lying, then why did she seem to have two completely different personalities?
Zoe Pierce frowned without realizing it. Her lost memories felt like a tangled ball of yarn, and she had no idea where to begin unraveling it.
Nathan Lockwood watched coldly from the side, his lips tightening into a firmer line.
Ethan Grant's fawning was a bit of an eyesore. The way he pretended to casually glance at the back of Zoe's neck, the way his gaze faltered for a moment while looking at her face—it was all perfectly clear, even from a distance.
And yet, Zoe Pierce seemed completely oblivious, continuing to make idle chitchat with him.
Nathan Lockwood's brow tightened.
Spiritual power pressed down in an instant. Ethan Grant had been chatting happily with Zoe Pierce, but the sudden spiritual pressure made his expression change in a flash. His whole body tensed, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Zoe Pierce felt it a moment later than Ethan Grant. She froze, looking at Nathan Lockwood in confusion before quickly catching on and feigning a shiver, as if she, too, were affected.
But the pressure from the spiritual power vanished as quickly as it came.
Ethan Grant braced himself with his hands on the ground, his eyes meeting Nathan Lockwood's emotionless gaze. He had no idea how he'd offended the man. 'Hadn't everything been fine just a moment ago?'
In the blink of an eye, his mood had completely flipped.
But then he saw Nathan Lockwood's gaze fixed on Zoe Pierce and a thought belatedly struck him. 'No way... I thought their squad had no interest in Omegas. I only said a few words to Zoe Pierce.'
"Zoe Pierce." Nathan Lockwood strode over.
Every time he used her full name, it created the subtle feeling of being caught doing something wrong.
"Come with me." His gaze flickered to Ethan Grant for a second before he turned and walked toward the woods behind them.
Confused, Zoe Pierce followed him.
Nathan Lockwood didn't seem at all worried that Ethan Grant might leave. He led her farther away, until Ethan was just a distant silhouette.
They were so far now that Ethan would have to shout for them to hear him.
He stopped and turned to face her. "That was your doing just now, wasn't it? Erasing your presence with spiritual power."
"What?" Zoe Pierce's pupils contracted, but she kept her expression calm as she retorted.
But Nathan Lockwood looked as if he had seen right through her. "Your acting isn't polished enough."
It was only just now that he'd discovered her slip-up.
When his Alpha spiritual power descended, her reaction was delayed. She started pretending to be afraid several seconds after Ethan Grant did.
Her performance was convincing, true, but Nathan Lockwood suddenly recalled what happened in the car when his spiritual power had flared. Her face had been paler then, her expression more tense. But then her expression had shifted slightly—she was only trembling.
Having seen her genuinely struggling under his spiritual pressure, her current act seemed forced.
Even if an Omega's sensitivity to an Alpha's pressure isn't as acute as another Alpha's, she shouldn't be so unaffected that she has to put on an act.
The only possible explanation was that she hadn't been affected at all.
He had already witnessed how special her spiritual power was. Before, she only had C-level spiritual power, but now it was A-level.
'So could some other mutation have occurred?'
But Zoe Pierce acted as if she had no idea what he was talking about. She looked at him, feigning confusion. "What are you talking about?"
'She couldn't believe it. How had Nathan Lockwood discovered the peculiarity of her spiritual power so quickly?'
But she wouldn't admit it.
Nathan Lockwood suddenly grabbed her hand, and his spiritual pressure descended once more. Zoe Pierce, not expecting the sudden move, froze. Her spiritual power flared defensively on instinct, and Nathan Lockwood immediately caught the fluctuation.
He gripped her wrist, his deep eyes looking down at her. "Don't bother lying. I felt it. I'm very sensitive to others' spiritual power. Zoe Pierce, do you realize your spiritual power is desperately trying to protect you right now?"
Of course she knew. But Zoe Pierce hated his tone.
Her spiritual power, which had been forced onto the defensive, instantly switched to the attack.
Like a surging wave, it crashed violently toward Nathan Lockwood.