(Viktor’s POV)

I took a deep breath and exhaled.

Then, for the third time, I scanned the documents in my hand.

In the document, or in many other scattered documents on the table in front of me, were reports of the recent assault towards my clan members. Surprisingly, or not, other clan also experienced the same problem, from  what my Beta had said. The main suspect that we have in mind is the Bloodikar clan, which used poison technique while fighting by engulfing their claw with poison. Every clan has their own unique skills, but among all ten clans in this country, the Bloodikar is the only clan that practiced using poison.

Despite our solid evidence of them being the culprit, we didn't find any evidence to point out whose the perpetrator is. It was as if they never attacked us, but their trace were left behind.

I massaged my temple after placing the document back onto the table. These problems looks troublesome and I expected it to prolong for some time.

I silently groaned. As the one who hold the role of the head of the clan, I shouldered a heavy responsibility by having to tend to problems like these and observe the clan members, as well as reassuring their well-being at the same time.

I glanced at my Beta who was also scanning the reports beside my desk.

“Zhena...”

I paused.

“Has he gone back home?”

 She glanced at me and  gave me a brief nod.

“Yes, I made sure he went home safely.”

I nodded. “Great job.”

Because of clan matters, I was unable to send Rishan back home. I wanted to at least send him off in front of the doorstep, but occupied by the urgent matters that I needed to handle.

I suddenly growled.

“...Zhena, can you leave me for a second?”

She nodded understandingly and packed up a few documents with her before leaving the study room.

I leaned against the head of the chair and occasionally growled as I felt something growing inside of me, shivers went down my spine as the nails on one of my hands sharpened. Within me, a voice resounded.

Viktor...

A deep, growling voice, yet at the same time, authority sprouted out endlessly every time he speak.

“Ruado.”

My inner werewolf.

He is like any other inner wolves out there; wild and dangerous, yet he hold the ancestral spirits of Frosstriker in him, which make him far wiser than any of them. Which also, in return, make him the most rational and quiet werewolf among others.

He fell silent after that one word, like he always do, but I always anticipates his speech, because they are always interesting to listen to.

How about we investigate the scene?...

He suggested.

"We can, but will we be able to trace the culprit?"

Maybe you can't, but I can. I am the one fighting against them that night, remember?...

I raised an eyebrow.

"That sounds agreeable. But I don't want to disturb others. They are busy training the pups."

Don't worry, Viktor. You have me.

He assured.

Apart from being wise, Ruado is like my godfather. He doesn't sound like my other half at all, but more like an animal that I forged a pact with. A mythical animal.

“...Understood. Let’s go out tonight.”

Rishan’s POV

Alright, I think I have felt this unfamiliar sensation before, somewhere. It feels like something I have seen before but I don’t know where.

Yet, here it is, that unfamiliar sensation.

What’s worse, I feel trapped, in between these small arms of Elliot as she cornered me against the wall. She usually does this, as she always did, yet every single time she cornered me, my mind went blank.

I needed to find an answer, quickly.

“So, anything to spill?”

Elliot just returned from the clinic because her shift had ended. Meanwhile, I just got back from Viktor’s house a few hours ago, and again, unable to fill my shift in the clinic.

“Uh...”

I scratched my cheeks, but my hands were unable to even reach my face properly, so rather than a cheek scratch, if felt more like a jaw scratch.

“How about we, uh, sit down for a bit?”

I gestured towards the sofa in the middle of the house with my bent arm. Because of how frequent she cornered me, I instinctively slouched my body to fit her arms, because of how small she is.

She creased her eyebrows while shooting her dagger stares at me. For about a minute, she heaved a sigh and slowly let go.

Thank goodness, my shoulder felt like it’s gonna break.

“....Alright then.”

She stomped towards the sofa and slumped her but on it. Her baggy nurse uniform puffed as she did.

How cute.

I covered my mouth and blushed, having quite the urge to pinch her cheeks. It looks like the nurse uniform that I designed really worked out well in healing me.Well, I didn’t have any preferences towards women, but seeing them soothes the eye, like a theraphy.

I sat down beside her.

“So, tell me, what is this all about between you two?”

She said.

I silently heaved a sigh. I am glad she didn’t notice anything about Viktor being a werewolf, or even knowing anything about werewolves.

I shook my head.

“There’s nothing going on between the both of us. I just treated him a few days before, and he wanted to thank me.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow.

“What kind of thank you gift did he gave you?”

I suddenly remembered how he assaulted me in bed and blushed. Her mouth broke into a grin.

“I knew it. ‘special service’, huh?”

She stretched her limbs. It seemed like she was tense when she asked me those questions, maybe wary on why I am inside an unknown house with an unknown hot guy.

“Then, how do you explain that injured guy?”

Tanner. How should I explain to her about him getting hurt because of werewolf claw, my guess, because there are three slash marks on his chest all indicating a claw-like wound.

“....He had a bit of a situation.”

She nodded her head, before gradually, her eyes widened. She darted towards me and grabbed my shirt.

“D-Did you got entangled with a mafia?!”

I stared at her in shock.

Just which part of my story render her to come with a conclusion like that?

“Uh...”

I averted my gaze. Getting involved with mafia sounded like a good excuse. After all, what kind of people get injured like that if they were not mafias?

She looked convinced by my long time of silence, and released me before she sat down again.

“Look, Rishan.”

Elliot started to call me intimately. She always did that when she was about to say something important. Although, since I became a doctor and inherited my grandparents’ clinic, she rarely called me by my name anymore.

“I don’t care who do you fall in love with, but don’t you think getting entangled with a mafia group is a bit too dangerous?”

Same like getting entangled with werewolves. Though, I don’t think I can get out from their entanglement any time soon despite my frequent wishes. I cracked a smile.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t plan to get involved for a long time anyway.”

I assured her.

After all, I will make sure not to meet Viktor anymore at all cost!

I narrowed my eyes in a judging manner as I stared towards a familiar figure not too far from me.

“Are you kidding me?...”

I whispered to myself.

Because it was almost dinnertime, I decided to go do some shopping for groceries and went through my usual path across the park. Then, like a miracle, or a curse—no, definitely a curse—I saw Viktor Frosstriker standing in the middle of the pavement of the park, staring towards an unknown direction.

I scrunched my lips into a fine line. I wanted to plan for an escape path, but with his hearing and smelling sense, is that even possible?

I sighed silently, hoping that somewhat he didn’t hear that.

He suddenly turned around and looked straight to me.

Look, I told you it was impossible.

He seemed mesmerized for a few seconds when our eyes met. Because of the long pause, I decided to initiate this encounter and strode near him.

“Hey.” I waved a hi after standing beside him.

His eyes glanced down to me due to him being taller than me, and I slightly flinched.

Since when did he have a dwicolored eyes?

“Hello, mate...”

He breathed.

I bet this is only my imagination, but did his voice sounded much deeper than before?

He looked away and cleared his throat.

“Hello.” He greeted again, this time in his usual voice.

“What are you doing?” I gazed down towards the road, trying not to stare too hard on his different colored eyes. They were very beautiful; one is a gleaming grey color like the full moon while the other one has a color of an icy frost, a bright, shiny blue.  

While staring at the dark colored bricks of the pavement, my brows creased slightly. Isn’t this place the location where I found Viktor?

“Indeed...”

That husky voice echoed again. This time, I am convinced that Viktor wasn’t the one who said it. Again he cleared his throat. He looked uncomfortable.

“Pardon me.”

He clenched his fist and placed it in front of his mouth, trying to clear his voice.

I faced him, curious to know the truth.

“What was that?”

I finally asked cause that mysterious voice piqued my interest ever since we started to talk. With his clenched hand still on his mouth, he fell silent for a few moments, with his hand still covering his mouth.

“...Ruado”

“Who?”

“It was my werewolf, like an alter ego of mine. His name is Ruado...”

He groaned.

“Hello...”

My eyes widened in surprise. The more I listen to his voice, the more I was shocked. I am informed that werewolves would have their other persona, but to think a wolf could strike an intelligible conversaton is enough to prove that the thing inside him is an aberrant from others.

I covered my mouth in amazement.

“Awesome!”

He froze in response to my enthusiasm.

“Why... aren’t you afraid?”

I snickered. “Me? Afraid? Hah!”

I giggled.

“You must’ve been wondering why I didn’t look as shock and as lost as you thought I would be...”

I brought my fist closer to him.

“First of all...” I took out an index finger.

“I am an avid fan of fantasy books and novels, so I know the tid bits of your race as a werewolf. Second...”

I took out another finger.

“I am the type of person who think that nothing is impossible in this world. Reading various book, I expected that there are different races apart from human, we just didn’t know them. The third and the last...”

I took out another finger.

“If you studied medicine, you will know how many bullshit people stated in guise of them being true medicine, so you just gotta live on like that.”

I showed him a let-them-be pose and shook my head.

He stood still, probably wondering what kind of nonsense am I talking about. Suddenly he bursted out laughing.

“What?”

I asked, slightly pouting. I feel embarrassed when I remembered what I said just now.

“Nothing. It’s just...” He wiped the tears that started to form in his grey eyes. “I’m glad that you weren’t afraid of me.”

He only smiled, yet why does it looked so radiant?

I blushed at those sudden attack.