ã€ŠThe Untamed: Game of Heartsã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Smokin Hot

    "You''re up next, lady! You just started working here, and you''re already showing attitude?! No slacking at work!!!"

    Raine was forced out of her nap by the loud voice of the club''s manager. She straightened and stretched her body with a yawn, shaking her head as she retouched her make-up before taking the transparent veil to cover her face.

    When the woman backstage finally gave her the cue, Raine stepped forward. She readied herself for one hell of a performance tonight. Already, she could hear the loud shouts of the men outside anxiously waiting for the main event of the night. Or, more like the main course for them to drool over!

    "Do well!" the woman whispered as she helped her cover her face with the veil.

    Raine only rolled her eyes under the veil and walked to the stage.

    "Yeah!!! That''s more like it!"

    The crowd''s cheers and whistles resonated in every corner inside the famous strip club of Country V. When the spotlight in the darkroom turned on, the beam of light hit the stage, highlighting an incredibly alluring woman wearing a wedding dress with a veil over her face.

    The crowd filled with mostly men felt the thrill and excitement spread throughout their veins.  Those who had never witnessed a stripper wearing a wedding gown perform in that club, especially, felt the impact all the more intensely. Just the red lipstick and her flirtatious smile behind the transparent veil alone were enough to make their blood boil.

    The Haven. That was the name of the strip club. Famous both to humans and supernatural creatures disguised as humans alike, the club was trendy and known for its splendid and superb performers.

    The club was very strict when it came to hiring performers. One must meet their criteria in all aspects in order to get hired. Only those who were truly beautiful, sexy from head to toe with perfect dancing skills could even pass the test. They must also have an engaging stage presence. But above all else, they must know how to please people, as VIP customers could approach them for a personal show in one of the club''s private rooms.

    It was difficult for a normal person to enter The Haven because only members were allowed. They had a strict security team to prevent outsiders from entering. The only exception to that rule was if an existing member vouched for the non-member.

    Raine looked at the crowd and began seductively swaying her hips at the tune of the music. Her blonde wig was loosely styled, making her look like she had just gotten out of bed. It was such a sexy and natural look that an overly excited man among the crowd yelled impatiently, "Let me take that damn dress off, you baby!"

    Raine put her index finger on her lips as she whispered, "Shhhh, later, baby."

    With a wink she began to strip a layer of her wedding dress, revealing her long legs under the skirt. The act had the desired effect of riling up the crowd.

    "Hell yeah!!!"

    More cheers filled the room as the crowd ogled at her beauty like she was a delectable dessert they couldn''t wait to devour. Raine walked with slow, light steps as she danced provocatively, matching her steps to the beat of the music.

    She touched her body as she glided over the stage, gently caressing her hips and thighs as though she was performing for everyone. However, her eyes were fixed on one particular spot. She stared at her target among the crowd, making sure she maintained eye contact with him. Threading her fingers into her hair and flipping it, she then moved her hands along her body as she stripped another layer of the dress, revealing her belly button and perfectly curvy sides.

    "Give us more! That''s it, baby!" came the shouts from the elite men and those disguised as humans alike. "Wag that nice bouncy butt!!! Oh, take it all off already!"

    ''These impatient a*ssholes¡­''

    Raine inwardly cursed as she continued to move her hips like a pro. Her long eyelashes and plump red lips gave her the expression of a lioness. Her fox-shaped eyes and hazel iris gave off a sharp look and strong aura. The ensemble sparked the interest of her audience even more.

    She kept the bewitching smile on her face as she slowly removed one piece of clothing every half a minute or so until the only thing left was her black laced bra and underwear.

    She stepped down the stage and slowly walked towards her target. Mr. Devon, who looked smitten, gawked at her without a blink. She could see his undercover bodyguards approaching her to prevent her from getting closer to him.

    A smug smile appeared on her luscious lips when her target made a signal to stop his bodyguards from blocking her.

    Some men from the crowd tried to get near her or touch her, but she had ways to prevent them from doing so without offending them or having to break their hands. However, such methods were not needed as of now.

    While Raine was busy making her way through the crowd, a man with a pair of deep-hooded eyes never strayed his gaze away from her. He wore a black polo shirt that fit him like a glove. And unlike most men who were drooling over her, he was scowling. He had a gloomy expression which showed that he was not pleased with what he was witnessing.

    Raine continuously swayed her hips sensually before removing her veil and twirling it with one hand. Throwing the garment on the face of the man in black who had suddenly caught her attention, a wicked smile curved on Raine''s lips as she diverted her steps towards a different direction.. Instead of walking towards her target, she walked towards the man in black who was sitting on his chair like royalty with his smoking-hot silver hair.

 Chapter 2 - Screamed Trouble

    ''Is she seeking death?''

    The man in black, named Tyrone, thought as he annoyingly removed the veil that the vixen threw at his face. He could smell her sweet scent on it, which made him shift uncomfortably in his seat. He was one of Mr. Devon''s bodyguards disguised as a guest to enter the club using his employer''s membership.

    His eyebrows snapped. It was his first day of work with this man, and he could already smell trouble coming soon. The moment this woman set foot on the stage, he could tell that she was targeting Mr. Devon. His suspicion was only further confirmed when she was staring only at Mr. Devon throughout her entire performance.

    The woman had the most perfect almond-shaped eyes, and she was so dangerously beautiful that every man in the room was drooling over her beauty and wild aura. She looked like a vixen hunting for her prey¡­ who just so happened to be Mr. Devon.

    Tyrone watched her every action, frowning in disapproval when he noticed that she suddenly shifted her attention and began headed toward his direction. He cursed his luck and readied himself to get up from his seat if she were to come near him. But before he even had the chance to move from his place, the woman sat on his lap.

    Her vibrant hazel eyes preyed on him, sending shivers down his spine. Though he was a man and was burning with desire for her, he maintained his stoic expression without letting her know of his internal struggle.

    "Where did you plan on going, darling?" Raine asked with a suggestive smile, touching the man''s chin to ensure they faced each other.

    Tyron remained still in his seat. He felt something compelling him to stare back at her without blinking.

    He could hear the crowd swear at him, envious that the woman they all wanted chose to sit on his lap instead of theirs. The vixen leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "Can I have my veil back, please? I need it for my performance, darling."

    His body froze at her closeness. His grip on her veil tightened. She smelled so good, and her body felt so soft against him that it almost tempted him to ravish her. However, he managed to maintain his stoic expression as if he was unaffected by the beauty sitting on his lap.

    Raine arched her eyebrows when she saw his impassive reaction. It was the first time that a man was unaffected by her teasing¡­ He even stared back at her as if silently threatening her to get up from his lap.

    Raine ignored his threat and put her arms on his shoulder. "I like your hair," she murmured as she brushed his silver hair before staring into his blueish-grey eyes. "You''re weird¡­" she whispered while she continued scrutinizing his eyes. There was something about them that she couldn''t seem to figure out.

    Raine''s smile widened before she bit her lower lip. She moved her fingers to his lips, tracing their shape. Leaning into him, she pressed her body against his, her eyes never leaving his own.

    She lightly scrunched the ends of her eyes as she whispered against his lips, "You''re allowed to breathe, darling."

    She leaned even further, their lips almost touching before she quickly turned her face to meet the eyes of her target not far from where she was. She winked at Mr. Devon before whispering to the man she was sitting on, "Let''s meet again in the future, darling. Hopefully, under different circumstances."

    After saying that, she quickly grabbed her veil from his hands and left him on his chair in a flash.

    ''I want him,'' Raine decided. But she knew her mission tonight was vital. She would just come back for him later.

    She made her way towards her target, this time not breaking eye contact with him. As soon as she reached Mr. Devon, she immediately sat on his lap and seductively whispered in his ear, "Care to take me out now? Or do you want me to sit on another man''s lap again?"

    She looked at her target, who gulped as he stared at her from head to toe. Raine looked at him intently before biting her lower lip with a smug smile carved onto her lips. Her hands slid down one strap off her bra as if acting to remove it. But before she could completely remove it, Mr. Devon gripped her wrist. When she looked at him, he whispered, "I hate sharing your beauty with others. You''re mine!"

    Tyrone clenched his jaw as his eyes narrowed at the irksome scene. He silently cursed when he saw his employer carry the vixen and make his way to the VIP room. The man was smitten by the woman who screamed trouble.

    "How could he fall for her tricks so easily¡­" he murmured before following the instructions of their head to secure the area and the room they were in.

    Raine only heard her target whisper in her ears. And the next thing that happened was him carrying her in his arms to his private room through the secret door of the club. She could hear the complaints echoing off the crowd. But since the man was a very important member of the club, the owner could not stop him. Instead, the owner let another performer on stage replace her.

    Mr. Devon stopped at a door that was secured with a biometric lock. If her guess was right, the man was hiding what she wanted in his private room in this strip club. She had already broken into his house and found nothing, so her gut was telling her that this was the right place.

    "What''s your name?" her target asked as he entered the room after scanning his eyes.

    "You can call me your baby," she whispered with a giggle.

    She was still in Mr. Devon''s arms when they entered the room. As soon as the door closed, she quickly shifted her position and choke-slammed him to the ground. She twirled his tie around his neck and restricted his breathing.

    "I need the list.. Tell me where it is, or you will die right here and now."

 Chapter 3 - We Are Even Now

    Mr. Devon coughed and struggled as it became harder for him to breathe. He never thought that the Haven Club would be so careless as to let an assassin enter its premises.

    "Where is it, baby? You should know that I''m very impatient," Raine whispered into his ear, choking him more as she tightened the tie around his neck.

    Mr. Devon, whose face turned deep red, pointed his finger towards the bed. He did not want to die yet. And if she pulled any tighter, he would surely suffocate to his death.

    Raine took off her stockings, stuffing them inside his mouth before tying his hands with his necktie and his ankles with his belt.

    "I knew it."

    Raine whispered in bewilderment as she noticed the linings of a socket. Raising the small lid, she was shocked to see that she ended up lifting one whole tile instead. Upon seeing a biometric lock, she smirked. He sure was a smart guy. She pulled Devon closer so that she could have him open the lock.

    She untied his hands and hissed, "Open the lock! Don''t make me ask twice, or I''ll cut one of your damn fingers!"

    She wanted to penetrate the freakin nightclub without stripping, but it was too hard since the man was very meticulous. Hence, she was left with no choice. She had to fake her identity and apply as a stripper. And when she successfully became one, she had to force herself to strip dance so that she could get his attention like this.

    Thankfully, Mr. Devon cooperated and opened the lock with his index fingerprint. Opening with a hiss, the lock held a lone suitcase inside it. She smiled knowing it had an important list of prominent fiends who disguised themselves as humans. The names of the monsters she was after were inside the suitcase. It had a lock, however, which meant removing the stocking from Mr. Devon''s mouth to ask him.

    "What''s the code?"

    The man only shook his head and threatened her instead, "Woman. Do you honestly think you can get out of here alive after everything you''ve done?"

    She had that mischievous smile as she replied, "We''ll see about that. But for now, do you think I won''t kill you if you don''t cooperate till the end?"

    With one hand, she wrapped her fingers around the man''s neck to choke him as her hazel eyes turned red.

    The man''s face paled, his body trembling in fear as he stuttered, "T-the bloody-eyed hunter¡­"

    She partly loosened her grip around his neck. With a devious smile, she said, "Give me the code now, and I will spare your life tonight..."

    Mr. Devon had heard facts about the hunter with red eyes. She was said to be deadly, and that she would never spare anyone that would block her way. He knew that he was already a deadman walking, but she was also someone who never broke a promise. He must cooperate to stay alive, so Mr. Devon quickly gave the code in fear for his life.

    As soon as Mr. Devon gave the code, Raine immediately checked if it was working. She smiled in satisfaction as the briefcase opened, letting her scan the book inside.

    "That''s more like it," she cooed in her sly, sweet smile before she winked at Mr. Devon, "As promised, I will not kill you. Not tonight¡­"

    *Thud*

    Striking him with the suitcase, the man fell unceremoniously with a thud as he lost consciousness. Seeing as he no longer needed it, she also stripped him off his long sleeve and quickly wore it to cover herself.

    Outside the room, she knew that Mr. Devon''s bodyguards were waiting. With their considerable numbers, she could tell that she would have difficulty escaping unscathed.

    She cracked her neck left and right, warming herself up before opening the door. Fighting those men would be a good exercise for her. She had already counted his bodyguards beforehand, and she was confident she could surpass them all. And as expected, it was easy to knock down all of Mr. Devon''s human bodyguards. Running to the exit door, an unexpected person bumped into her by the time she passed by the men''s restroom.

    "Sh*t! Watch your steps!" she glared in annoyance before breaking the man''s neck. She could smell the scent of alcohol reeking out of him.

    "You..." another man trailed off. His eyes widened in shock when he witnessed the woman snapping someone''s neck like it was nothing.

    "Hello, handsome. I like your glasses," Raine greeted the newcomer. She winked at him before she hit another bodyguard who was about to attack her.

    She quickly crushed the bodyguard''s neck who was clearly not human at all, but a mythological creature disguised as a man. She turned and looked back at the man staring at her in a daze, but he fainted after witnessing all the dead bodies on the floor.

    ''Such a weak heart!" she mused as she shook her head. She left the man knowing he would be fine. She knew him, after all. The man was a doctor working at the hospital where she was currently working in country D. She would deal with the matter with him later. She could only hope that the man would not recognize her later.

    Raine headed inside the men''s restroom to escape from the window there, else she would lose energy with the never-ending fighting with those ''mytures'' coming her way. She called them ''mytures'' instead of monsters; short for mythological creatures that her father often called said monsters. Jumping off and running to the safety of a dark alley, she was careful not to cause any commotion seeing there were a lot of civilians still on the road at that hour.

    "Damn!"

    She cursed, regretting doing the mission alone. She usually had a team behind her back, but she felt indignant at the thought of any one of them seeing her doing anything like strip dancing, so she decided to do this particular mission alone.

    "You have nowhere to run now¡­" one of the men who followed her spoke, blocking her way. Raine smirked. They were no match for her, so she fought them all and knocked everyone out once again.

    "This is so tiring¡­" she complained when she sensed another batch of men headed towards her. "Sh*t!" she muttered when she felt a prick in her arm. They shot her with something, and she could tell that it was a drug to make her lose consciousness.

    "I have to get out of here¡­" she whispered as she managed to run. She could feel the effect of the drug coursing through her veins. She was almost stumbling and about to fall when she felt a pair of strong arms suddenly hold her still and carry her up.

    "I''ll help you get out of here."

    A deep, husky, and masculine voice echoed beside her. She couldn''t see his face properly in the dark, but aside from that, she managed to notice the hood and a black mask that he was wearing. His warmth was so pleasing, to the point that she even comfortably snuggled further into him as she weakly whispered, "And why would you do that?"

    "We are even now. When the time comes, I may not be able to spare your life like this...." she heard the man answer before she lost consciousness.

 Chapter 4 - Eradication

    The man who saved Raine gently placed her on the bed before grabbing the booklist from her hands. He looked at Raine as he whispered, "It would take hours for you to wake up. You will be safe here until then."

    He stared at Raine for some time. She seemed to be having a dream taking on the look of a sleeping beauty waiting for a prince to kiss her from her slumber. But¡­ he was not her prince, he was her nightmare.

    "Enjoy your dream, Princess¡­" he whispered before leaving Raine inside the room.

    ''What is this?'' Raine mused as she opened her eyes and saw a familiar place. Her eyes widened, realizing she was once again inside her dream.

    She stared at the man and the little girl not far from her. The man with a cigarette was her father and she was that little girl.

    "A Mirage is an optical illusion; something that you think you''re seeing but isn''t actually there. To look at, to wonder at," the man with a scar on his right cheek recited before sucking on the cigarette he was holding. The burning smoke of tobacco filled his mouth, an amused smile adorning his face as each word he spoke let out puffs of cigarette smoke.

    "That''s the dictionary definition of Mirage¡­ No wonder the founder of our group named it Mirage. Such a brilliant name, don''t you think? People questioned the real existence of this group. Yet, we present ourselves as an illusion to them, making them think that we don''t exist," he added as he threw his cigarette away before staring at the King of Moon Clan, Arthur.

    "Ahh, this is a sight to behold... the King on his knee like this... tsk..." Marcus, the scarred man, mocked with a click of his tongue.

    "You won''t get away with this, Marcus! Father will not let this go!" Arthur hissed. His eyes were burning red with anger directed at the man before him.

    "We will see about that, Arthur. You know, Father is dying too. And who knows? He might even join you very soon," Marcus laughed as he boasted. "Don''t worry, though, because I will take good care of the twins from your first wife so all of you can be together soon. Ah, and of course your werewolf wife and son too¡­"

    "What¡­"

    "Did you really think that you could hide it forever? The real identity of your second wife?" Marcus gloated further. "I am afraid I have to eliminate everyone but the top priority is the son that you''re hiding. I heard your youngest is different from your other kids, Arthur. Is that why you kept the existence of the boy a secret from us?"

    Arthur''s eyes widened in terror, making Marcus laugh even more before it faded as he yelled, "That boy could be a threat to our group! You''re an even greater disappointment for allowing monsters inside our clan, Arthur!"

    "No! You can''t do this! We need a fair trial, Marcus! You can''t just wipe my family and my followers like this without giving us a chance to defend ourselves! It''s against our law! Don''t harm Nathan!" Arthur roared. "He''s a good boy!! He is not a monster. He can control himself and his powers just like his mother. He is an extraordinary child. He will not be a threat, Marcus!"

    His words seemed to go by unheeded, however.

    "Why are you doing this?! I am your brother, for heaven''s sake! If you''re doing this just because you want the throne, then I''ll l give it to you! Just spare my family! Please!!" Arthur pleaded desperately. He could not believe Marcus planned a genocide when his family treated him like their own blood!

    Marcus leaned closer to him before whispering into his ear, "We don''t share the same blood, brother¡­ So technically, we are nothing but strangers."

    "Y-You knew?!" Arthur gasped as his eyes widened in shock.

    Marcus no longer answered, only giving Arthur a cold stare as he placed the business end of his gun against his forehead. "Death is the only thing permanent in this world for humans, my brother. We humans should remain superior even though we have no supernatural powers. Co-existence with monsters is impossible. Goodbye, Arthur."

    *Bang*

    Marcus looked at the little girl beside him and said, "We must eliminate humans protecting or sheltering monsters. These monsters will rule the world unfairly. You must not show mercy should you encounter these kinds of people or monsters in the future."

    The girl, who was only seven years old, simply nodded before staring at the lifeless body of the man she used to call ''Uncle''. There were no emotions in her eyes. Emotions were only for the weak, as her father would always say. And she was not weak.

    Her father signaled her to walk beside him, so she did. They walked past the pile of bodies killed by her father''s men, some of them looking as if they drowned in their own blood. Fluids of different colors seeped from the grotesque pile of bodies, and yet all had that same metallic pungent smell. She covered her nose at the abhorrent scent.

    "Why are there different colors of blood?" she asked.

    "Vampires have dark red blood whereas wolves have black blood¡­ Those two monsters are the most dangerous of all the supernatural creatures living among us," her father explained.

    "Green, brown, and the other colors are the blood of other creatures disguised as humans. Only humans have red blood, my dear."

    Her father knelt beside her and placed a hand over one of her shoulders, "Raine, you are an exceptional kid because not all humans are like you. You are gifted because you were born with special blood like your mother. You will be the Moon Clan''s pride¡­ Look around and familiarize yourself with these monsters your uncle secretly sheltered and protected for all these years. Go and participate in their eradication..."

    Raine nodded and continued walking around the vast territory owned by her uncle Arthur. Observing what was happening, these so-called "monsters" burned all around her.. She could hear their screams of agony as they got tortured, burnt alive like the subhuman garbage that they were.

 Chapter 5 - Moon Clan

    At such a young age, Raine could not fathom why everyone must die so heinously. All she knew was that it was her fate to see it all through. She understood that it was her responsibility as a Princess of the Moon Clan to be an impeccable slayer of demons and supernatural creatures. She naturally possessed great skills when compared to other humans, and her race was already predisposed to the job at hand, as her father would always say.

    The Moon Clan was one of the three clans that make up the MIRAGE; a powerful underworld group operating in secret known only as a myth to humans.

    Raine stopped in her tracks when she saw an old man crawling towards her. He was slowly dying due to the poison injected into his body. He was experiencing immense pain, yet he still strived to gasp for breath. She knew there was no hope for him. Like most humans, these creatures also wanted to live a long life. It was why they constantly tried to blend themselves in with humans in the first place.

    "Let me help you take the pain away..." Raine whispered before she bent down and held the old man''s neck.

    In one swift motion, she snapped it, taking the werewolf''s life instantly.

    Her father began training her in earnest as soon as she turned seven. This training also included killing monsters like this old man, so the usually gruesome act was just an ordinary thing for her.

    Moving on forward, she stopped as her eyes darted to the beautiful garden on the right side of the mansion. She walked towards it, hearing footsteps coming from the inside. Following the sound, she furrowed her brows as the sound of rushed steps echoed from within the newly built maze.

    "Someone wants to escape," she softly murmured as she fastened her pace to find out. The sound of the footsteps weakened, allowing Raine to catch whoever it was that was trying to escape. Eventually, she finally caught sight of a...

    "A boy¡­"

    Raine frowned as she stared at the intruder who was barely an inch taller than her. He seemed lost based on his expression, "Is the maze that complicated? It looks easy to me."

    Looking further, she noticed that there were bloodstains all over his white shirt all while having a knife on his hand. Raine eyed him for a few seconds before walking closer. When the boy saw her moving, he quickly aimed the knife towards her. His grip tightened as he shook in his spot.

    "Don''t come near me¡­ Or I will kill you¡­" the boy said in a firm, low tone.

    Unaffected by the boy''s threat, Raine gave him a sweet yet fierce smile as she took a small step towards him.

    "I said don''t come near me!! If you take one more step, I will kill you! I know you!" accused the boy with gritted teeth. "You''re the daughter of that man who killed everyone!"

    Raine''s smile faded. She could see the veins popping on his neck because of how furious he was. His eyes brimmed with tears as his gaze belied his hatred. With a blank expression, she began her defense, "He only killed monsters."

    "He killed my father!" the boy hissed with a low voice, careful not to catch the attention of others. "He was human!"

    His grip on his knife tightened as he got ready to kill anyone who would block his way.

    "So you''re the boy Uncle Arthur was hiding. Nathan right? Short for Nathaniel, I presume," she calmly stated. "Don''t be afraid, Nathan. Father might spare you if you''re human."

    But Raine was also not sure about her words, whether her father would spare the boy.

    Raine frowned as she stared at the boy''s eyes. Usually, she could tell if a person was human or not just by staring into their eyes. Looking at his, however, she couldn''t discern his kind.

    "Weird. I can''t tell if you''re a human or a monster," Raine whispered to herself.

    "We are not monsters! We were living in peace!" the boy hissed. "Your father was wiping out everyone who''s entitled to be the ruler of the Moon Clan! We are the true descendants of the clan. We have all the rights to the throne! Not your father!"

    "That might be true, but this tragedy showed only one thing¡­ That your father was a weak man," she rebutted. "Why would he let my father beat him if he were the true king? A ruler must remain strong and unbeaten at all times. Uncle Arthur doesn''t deserve the throne if he can''t even protect his own family."

    Nathan was taken aback by the way the girl expressed her opinions at a seemingly young age. His knife was still aimed straight at her, and yet she did not seem scared at all.

    "Tell me, are you lost in your father''s maze, Nathan?"

    As much as he hated to admit it, the little girl was right. He was indeed lost because it was the first time he had come out of his father''s mansion. He had spent most of his time hiding in his private room, leaving him unableto memorize the map of the maze. His father had told him that the garden was connected to his room via a secret path that no one knew except him and his mother. They could use it to escape in times of emergencies.

    He was on his way to the secret passage with his mother when Marcus'' men stopped them. His loving mother, who cared for him, also died protecting him. She fought till her last breath to make sure he escaped and survived.

    Nathan opened his mouth to answer the girl, but a shout echoed from outside the maze before he could speak.

    "Here!! I saw that boy run here. Come quickly! We must find him!"

    The girl with cat-shaped eyes sighed and whispered, "Be quiet¡­"

    The boy frowned. And the next thing he knew was the girl pushing him inside the bushes.

    "Princess Raine¡­ Did you see a boy running through here?" one of her father''s men asked.

    "Yes."

    Nathan clenched his fist, hearing how the girl answered.

 Chapter 6 - The Lollipop

    "Yes, I did, but he ran that way," the girl added with an authoritative tone. "He was carrying a scary knife, so I didn''t run after him. Besides, the maze seemed tricky so I didn''t take any risk of getting lost. You guys should go and catch him before he flees."

    The men nodded and quickly ran in the opposite direction of the maze as was instructed by their princess.

    "You can come out now," the girl called out as soon as all of the men left. "Follow me. I''ll  help you get out."

    The boy stepped out of the bushes and looked at Raine in disbelief, "Why exactly did you do that? Why are you helping me?"

    The girl''s lips curved into a blinding smile as she winked, "Because I like your hair and find your eyes fascinating. Your eyes are very complicated, and I''m finding it hard to tell if you are a human or a monster. In case you don''t know, I love complicated things. "

    The boy''s face reddened. He didn''t respond to the girl and simply started following her instead. He still did not know whether to trust her or not, but what other choice did he have anyway? He figured that he could take this safer option instead of going in circles and eventually getting caught by those men. His priority was to escape from here. And in due time, he would make everyone responsible for the blood they shed today pay ten times the price.

    "How do you know the way out?" he asked as they walked together.

    "I''m good with directions¡­" the girl answered.

    "How old are you?" Nathan asked once again.

    "I''m seven,"  the girl replied. "Also, my name is Raine. In case you want to know."

    He no longer questioned her afterwards. Not long after, the girl stopped in her tracks.

    "That''s your way out," she said, pointing towards a particular direction in the bushes. "I believe you know how to open the door?"

    Nathan made his way through the bushes, brushing off the branches from his path until he saw the inconspicuous door. It had a biometric lock that locked out any unauthorized person from opening it.

    Placing his palm over the small screen by the side, the door opened to reveal an underground passage. It would lead him to the outskirts of the grounds, a place that was decently away from here.

    Nathan turned around and looked at the young girl who stared at him with a wicked smile. Taking something out of his pocket, he handed it over to the girl.

    "I''m grateful for your help," he smiled. "But this is all I can offer you right now."

    Taking the gift, the girl looked at the lollipop in her hand and smiled. "You should leave now. They are getting close...."

    Nathan looked at her for a little longer before entering the door. The door automatically closed as soon as he stepped inside, Raine stared at him from the other side as the door slowly shut.

    Once it was completely closed, she covered the pathway with bushes and branches, erasing the evidence of the boy using the secret door. She excitedly looked at the lollipop in her hand, unwrapped the cover, and put it inside her mouth.

    "It''s sweet and yummy¡­" she enthusiastically giggled as she walked back out of the maze to find her father.

    It was the first time she saw a grateful look from someone. It was also the first time she had helped someone in a way that didn''t result in killing¡­ and it felt good.

    ******

    Raine jolted awake. She was panting and sweating hard. It had been a while since she had dreamed about that incident that happened long ago. It was still a very vivid memory. She had dreamt of the same thing three times now since her childhood. The first time was when she was fourteen. The second was when she was twenty-one. And now, when she was twenty-eight.

    A pattern emerged.

    "What is this?" she mumbled. "Why do I dream about it every seven years?"

    he wondered if there was some meaning behind her dreams about the incident. Why every seven years? Looking around, she frowned as the room seemed unfamiliar to her.

    "Sh*t!"

    She cursed as soon as she realized that the booklist was not with her. That man saved her because he wanted the booklist for himself!

    Gritting her teeth, Raine got up and looked for something she could use as a weapon. There was none, unfortunately. The room was depressingly empty.

    Quietly, she carefully walked towards the door with her guard up. She opened the passageway, revealing that she seemed to be inside some sort of hide-out.

    Sniffing the air, an enticing smell filtered through the air. Following her nose, she found herself staring at a table full of food. There was also note and a paper bag too, but what really caught her attention was the lollipop sitting on the table¡­

    "It''s him¡­ The lollipop boy¡­" Raine whispered.

    Immediately, she grabbed the note to read its contents:

    [Thank you for the booklist. Eat this before you leave. It will help you get your energy back. Make sure you leave the place before dark because it will explode at 5 PM Country V timezone. I won''t be able to save you again. It will be the last time I will spare you¡­]

    "What the heck? What did he mean by again? Is this not the first time he saved me?" Raine mumbled with snapped brows.

    She looked at the dishes on the table and gulped. It looked delicious. Her stomach grumbled even as she shook her head. It was unlike her to trust anyone. But for some reason, she trusted the man who saved her last night. Even knowing that it was the boy she saved years ago, she dug into the food with a satisfied smile on her face.

    "Hmmm¡­"

    Raine mumbled in satisfaction. The food was very delicious. She smirked as she looked at the paper bag on the table. Looking at its contents as she ate, she smiled at the sight of a dress and underwear sitting inside the parcel.

    "How considerate," she clicked her tongue as she scoffed, "But that doesn''t mean I won''t hunt you down to get back what''s mine. How dare you snatch that booklist while I''m unconscious!"

 Chapter 7 - Ill-fated Relationship

    Raine''s team arrived at her location at around 2 PM after she activated the tracking device on her bracelet. She was all dressed up, and the corners of her lips curved upwards at the sight of the clothes the lollipop boy bought for her. They fitted snugly on her body even the underwear.

    "Such a stalker¡­" she murmured in amusement as she walked out of the small hide-out. Located in a rural area, it was the perfect hiding spot.

    "Princess Raine."

    Greeting her with utter respect, her Moonlight Squad formed a straight line outside. They greeted her in chorus as they stood resolute.

    Facing the sky, Raine closed her eyes as she stretched her arms up. The movement made her exhale in relief.

    "Ahhh¡­"

    She slowly opened her eyes, covering them with her palm against the sun''s rays. It was so bright and hot, and it had been a while since she was out at that hour. For her, daytime was her resting and sleeping hours. While at night, she spent her time hunting¡­ Making sure to eliminate as many fiends as she could and keep their existence hidden from humans.

    Pulling out the lollipop in her pocket, she peeled the wrapper before popping it into her mouth.

    "We already secured the place and hacked all the CCTV footage, Boss," Lyne, the Deputy Squad Leader, reported.

    Moonlight Squad had fifteen elite members, including Raine as their Squad Leader. Raine personally chose these members consisting of seven women and seven men. Like her, they were all trained to fight and kill for the clan since they were kids. They were the best amongst the best in their line of work from Moon Clan.

    "Search it upside down! I want you all to track that man down!" Raine commanded. "He stole the booklist from me, and he''s our top priority! Hunt him down!" she ordered. "Although¡­I want him alive. That Lollipop Boy still saved me last night."

    "Got it, Boss," Lyne answered, curious about who could be the man who saved their Boss. For now, they only knew him as Lollipop Boy! He seemed to know their Boss, seeing how he left a lollipop that their Boss loved in her mouth!

    Raine walked towards the car and entered the vehicle. Through the car window, she watched as her squad penetrated the house.

    "Boss, you already have a lollipop," Levi, the Moonlight Squad Driver, commented. He usually handed his Boss her variety of lollipops whenever she would enter the vehicle after accomplishing a mission. Levi was no ordinary driver. He could operate all kinds of transportation. He was also her best hacker.

    "Oh yeah. The man who saved me left it on the table," Raine casually answered.

    "I think this is a new flavor though. It tastes like mint."

    Raine rested her back comfortably on her seat then fell in deep thought. She encountered three interesting men that one night¡­ the silver-haired man whose lap she sat on, the fainted heart man who saw her killing bodyguards, and the lollipop boy who saved her.

    "I want you to look for the man wearing a black polo shirt last night inside The Haven Club," Raine instructed Levi. That man caught her attention and interest, so she wanted him on her side. "He has smoking-silver hair with bluish-gray eyes. I want his profile pronto. Also, there''s someone I recognized as well. But I''m not sure if he will remember me¡­" she scoffed.

    "Geez. I can''t believe that he was also inside the club," Raine annoyingly added.

    "Someone you know?" Levi asked in disbelief. "Who?"

    ''Who could be that lucky man who witnessed the Boss stripping her clothes live?'' Levi silently envied that man. Their Boss went on that mission on her own last night because she didn''t want any of her squad members to watch her strip dancing.

    "It''s Doctor Rui Dee from Yang Global Hospital at country D," Raine murmured. "Damn¡­ I still can''t believe that he saw me and watched me stripping!" She was so annoyed at how the man witnessed her in her killing mode as well.

    "I will erase his memory," Levi stated.

    Erasing one''s memories was nothing to them. They could do it anytime they wanted with the use of a magical powder. They would only need to blow said powder at them. The person would then lose consciousness for exactly five seconds, after which they would just whisper a chant into their ear the things they wanted that person to forget. Once the person regained consciousness, the particular memory would be wiped out as if it never even happened.

    The Princess was using another identity outside the Mirage group, currently donning the persona known as Doctor Candice Yao, a pediatrician at country D. Their princess loved kids, so she took up medicine specializing with kids as one of her front outside the underworld group.

    "No! Let it be. He''s harmless for now. The Mirage group won''t be compromised so long as he won''t recognize me later," Raine said with a devious grin on her face. "I will do it personally. I''ll be the one to decide on when to erase his memory once I get back to work at Yang Global Hospital. Let me have some fun when I return to country D. I can''t wait to torture him for a bit longer together with his friend Xander Yang."

    The Boss had a mission at Yang Global hospital. It was why she recently entered the hospital in country D as the new head of the Department of Pediatrics in the first place. Right now, they were going to head to the airport to go back to country D so the Boss could proceed with her other objectives.

    Levi did not comment and instead quietly searched for the man his Boss was asking for through his laptop. He also made some phone calls to ensure that he got the details the Princess needed before Lyne finished clearing the area.

    After a few minutes, Lyne, together with the team, was out of the house. Raine opened the window as Lyne approached the car.

    "Princess, the area is clean," Lyne reported. "We can''t find his trace except for the time bomb he planted."

    "He''s complicated as always," Raine chuckled before giving out her commands. "Blast the house, and let''s get out of here."

    Closing the window, Levi stepped on the gas to leave the area as soon as Lyne got on the passenger seat. A few seconds later, the whole house exploded behind them.

    ''He worked flawlessly¡­'' Raine mused in her seat. She knew that she and the lollipop boy were meant to cross paths in due time. She could still remember how the lollipop boy''s eyes burned with revenge even in her dreams. Would they end up killing each other the next time they met?

    Raine heaved a long deep sigh, "What an ill-fated relationship...."

 Chapter 8 - Temporarily Took Charge

    While their team was traveling down the road, Raine was currently waiting for updates from her men. She rested her head and leaned back comfortably against the backseat of their car.

    "Any news about that silver-haired man?" Raine murmured with her eyes closed. "Give me a name so I can address the guy properly."

    Levi handed Lyne the tablet before whispering, "She''s looking for the man with silver hair and bluish-gray eyes. He was inside the Haven Club last night. Once you find him in the database, call and follow it up with Mia, please."

    "Sure."

    Lyne nodded in understanding as she grabbed the tablet from Levi to do her work. Now that Levi had already hacked Haven''s database, it was up to Lyne to go through each and every visitor profile and filter them.

    She focused on the guest list, swiping through countless profiles that didn''t match the description. It was a good thing that there was only one silver-haired man who entered the club last night. As soon as Lyne found their man, she called Mia, their best security hacker in the squad, to send the cote profile of the man.

    After almost five minutes, Lyne turned to the back as she called, "Boss."

    Raine''s eyes snapped open as she immediately reached for the tablet."Great work." A vicious smile played on Raine''s lips as her attention shifted to reading through the details of this silver-haired man who had caught her attention.

    "So¡­ he''s a bodyguard who''s currently working for Devon?" Raine commented. "It''s no wonder then why he was at the club." She smirked, "But considering what transpired last night? Devon will definitely fire them all for their incompetence."

    It was a pity.

    Tyrone Lopez was the guy''s name. For some reason, something intrigued her about this man. That was not even mentioning the fact that he reminded her of the Lollipop Boy. The two of them shared the same hair and eyes, and it was possibly one of the primary reasons why she was drawn to him the moment her gaze caught him last night.

    Finally deciding on her next order, Raine leaned forward towards the front seat, "Check this guy''s movement while I was on the run last night." She instructed, "Look at the time. I want to know what he was doing when that Lollipop Boy appeared and saved me."

    Raine''s hunch never went wrong, but then, she could also be wrong. She wanted to make sure if Tyrone and the Lollipop Boy were two different people. There was no room for arrogance or jumping to conclusions. Tyrone could be the Lollipop Boy or not, but the fact remained that she was interested in Tyrone either way.

    A small smile played on Raine''s lips. She sucked on her lollipop before pulling it out with a soft pop. Staring at the candy''s sweet light green color, Raine didn''t bother to read the wrapper when she removed it a while ago. Even then, it still tasted a lot like mint.

    "Add mint flavor to my lollipops," Raine nonchalantly instructed Levi.

    "Got it, Boss," Levi answered.

    He and Lyne exchanged meaningful glances. Both were curious. Obviously, their Boss suspected Tyrone to be the one who saved her last night¡­ the one she nicknamed Lollipop Boy.

    The two honestly didn''t know why their Boss loved lollipops so much. She had already been like this ever since she was a kid. The scary and deadly Princess would always be in a good mood whenever she had a lollipop with her.

    It was obvious that there was a history behind the Lollipop Boy and their Boss.

    "How about I get a new bodyguard?" Raine suddenly suggested with a mischievous smile. "I want this man."

    "A bodyguard?"  Levi stifled the urge to chuckle. "Are you serious, Boss?" He knew that his Boss would knock him down on the spot if he ended up laughing.

    Raine raised her brows as she narrowed her gaze at the man, "What seems to be the matter? You seem to be holding back your impressions. Spill it out, Levi. I don''t like hearing your voice from your nostrils!"

    Levi gulped as he softly explained, "Princess, you don''t need a bodyguard. You''ve said it yourself too many times every time your uncle insisted on giving you one. Remember how he always asked you to see the lists he provided and pick a bodyguard?"

    "Levi is right, Boss," Lyne added. "Your uncle Yun has been offering you to have one, but you always refused him. Imagine how furious he would be once he found out that you got one on your own. We can''t afford to be on his bad side while the King, your father, is still unconscious."

    "That old man is just trying to plant a spy on me," Raine scorned with a gloomy face.

    She knew that the old man was planning something. He was always up to no good. Her Uncle Yun was so against her for some reason. He was monitoring her every move, waiting for her to make even a single mistake. She assumed that it was all connected to the Moon Clan leader position and that she was a threat to the throne in his uncle''s eyes.

    King Marcus, her father, fell into a coma. Since then, his brother Yun temporarily took charge of the Moon Clan with the approval of the Mirage Council. Her uncle probably believed that his father would no longer wake up, but she knew her father would be back soon.

    She bet that her uncle could not wait for his father''s demise. But her uncle didn''t have the guts to kill his brother, King Marcus, for the throne.  And for that, Raine was grateful. The man at least knew how to have a heart towards his family members.

    However, it didn''t change the fact that Raine was so dissatisfied with how her uncle was managing their Clan. She tried her best to keep her calm and maintain a good relationship with her uncle only at least until her father woke up.

    She immediately brushed off the thought about her uncle, or else her mood would sour further and ruin her entire day.

 Chapter 9 - Umbra Security Agency (USA)

    Raine shifted her thoughts to Tyrone instead, making her grin at the mere thought of seeing that devilish man again.

    Adrenaline and excitement surged through her body. She was serious about meeting with him again and unraveling all the secrets that he hid. She''d love to tease such a guy like him. And with just that thought, a brilliant plan emerged in her head as she gave her teammates a playful smile.

    "You two, make sure uncle will find out about this man. I don''t care how you do it. Whether you have spread the news that I have a thing for silver-haired men or bluish-gray eyes, it''s up to you two¡­" she smirked. "You can even spread the news that I sat on this man''s lap while stripteasing for my mission last night. I don''t mind. Just make sure that this man''s name is among the list of bodyguards uncle Yun would show to me next time."

    Her uncle never gave up convincing her to get a bodyguard, so she was sure Tyronne would show up in the profiles that her oh-so dear uncle recommended for her to pick within this week.

    "What? You sat on his lap!" Levi and Lyne both burst into a chorus.

    "Yeah, and I loved it," Raine scoffed, realising that the two of them were both troubled at the thought of her doing something brazen. "Just do what I say!"

    "But boss, it means that man will be your uncle''s spy!" Levi retorted.

    "So what? He can spy on me all he wants¡­" Raine commented with a devious smile. "The two of us can go searching through each other''s bodies for all I care."

    Why bother using her own resources to search for Tyrone when her uncle could do it for her? Uncle Yun could even deliver Tyrone tied up in lacy ribbons, and Raine would be delighted at the gift.

    ********

    At Mr. Devon''s Residence.

    "You are all useless!!!"

    Devon screamed at the bodyguards from Umbra Security Agency who were on duty with him last night. It was six in the evening already, and he just woke up after that b*tch bashed him over the head with the suitcase! His head was still aching, and he still felt dizzy.

    He clenched his jaw as he looked at the men before him. Surprisingly, all of them were alive. The bloody-eyed hunter seemed to have spared the humans and only killed the supernatural creatures from the security guards of The Haven Club.

    The Umbra Security Agency was the best security worldwide, and the agency knew of the existence of supernatural creatures coexisting with humans. So basically, they accepted any kind of clients, humans or not. They aimed to protect their clients by all means and provide good quality security service. But last night, the agency ruined their outstanding reputation by failing to protect him from an attack!

    "Give me your best and reliable men," Devon grunted at Kiran, the CEO of the Umbra Security Agency. "This will be your second chance. Fail again, and I will terminate my contract with your company!" Devon''s eyebrows collided as he added, "And why are you even here when I asked for the presence of your Chairman and not you?!"

    "I offer my sincere apologies, Mr. Devon. However, as the CEO of the company, I always represent our Chairman during every transaction," Kiran explained.

    Devon wasn''t appeased at all. The man jabbed his fingers at all of the men in front of him as he cursed, "Well, I don''t f*cking care about these excuses. I just want the job done. These men are all a bunch of incompetent idiots! Far from reliable at all!"

    Tyrone, who had been holding himself back, couldn''t help but speak up,, "Sir, you instructed us not to make a move when we were about to stop her from approaching you. If you had let us interfere back then."

    "Grrr¡­ Who the heck are you to try and answer back?! Even having the gall to point your incompetency to your employer?!" Devon shouted red-faced at the moment. He jabbed a finger at Tyrone before pointing to the rest of them, "You! And you! You''re fired! All of you are f*cking fired! Get out of my sight now!"

    Kiran signaled Tyrone and the rest to leave.

    "My apologies again, Mr. Devon. I will send you the men you requested this instant. I will make sure that this won''t happen again," Kiran apologized. "Our Chairman wants to relay his sincere apologies and has offered a one-year free service as compensation for our men''s failure."

    "You better be! How could you consider this agency the best in handling underworld matters about security when you failed on the simple task of protecting me from an attack?" Devon retorted before he dismissed Kiran.

    Mr. Devon''s incoherent yelling died down as his rage turned into utter worry and concern. How could he face the Big Boss now? With him losing that vital list like that, he was screwed. Those names on the list needed a heads-up too.

    "Sh*t¡­"

    Devon cursed with gritted teeth as he prepared his perfect narrative of what transpired last night. He was in deep sh*t because of it, but at least he had immunity against them and the Big Boss. They would only punish him but not end up killing him, unlike that bloody-eyed hunter that would''ve killed him if he didn''t cooperate. It was so unexpected. No one knew he had that list, so how did that woman find out about it?

    Devon annoyingly scratched his head in frustration. He prepared to leave his mansion and meet with the Big Boss first.

    While Devon left to meet up with his boss, the rest of the bodyguards with him last night were already sent back to the Umbra Security Agency.. New replacements came to accompany him in less than ten minutes after his first bodyguards were all fired.

 Chapter 10 - Blood Brothers

    Tyrone didn''t leave Devon''s residence as he waited for Kiran to join him for the ride back to the agency. When Kiran arrived, the CEO glanced at Tyrone as he leaned back tiredly against the backseat of the car with his friend.

    "Let''s have dinner and grab of drink. It''s my treat. What do you say?" Kiran offered.

    Tyrone chuckled, "Are you pitying me now since I got fired on my first day of work? You sound like someone who''s trying incredibly hard to comfort his heartbroken girlfriend."

    Kiran chuckled with a shrug, "Yeah¡­ I feel bad for you, man. You''re really jinxed, so let me treat you tonight."

    Tyrone only shook his head. Kiran insisted, however, and told their driver to head to the nearest five-star restaurant. Though they did not share the same blood, they were blood brothers. The two grew up together, and Kiran owed his life to Tyrone, who had saved him numerous times. This was the least Kiran could do for him, just like how the latter always looked after him.

    Suddenly, Kiran''s mobile phone rang, which he quickly answered. Tyrone silently glanced outside of the car window while his friend engaged with what seemed to be another client on the phone. The man''s thoughts drifted towards the woman from last night. When he closed his eyes, all he could imagine were those foxy and beautiful eyes.

    It wasn''t a surprise that every man fell their feet with her beauty, just as Mr. Devon had from last night. And yet, it turned out that the woman who appeared as an unimaginable beauty was actually everyone''s nightmare...

    The infamous blood-eyed hunter of the underworld.

    Tyrone gulped and recalled how her hot body pressed against his, her intoxicating scent still lingering on him¡­ Tyrone inwardly cursed as he shifted on his seat and rubbed the back of his neck.

    "What''s wrong? You only do that whenever something bothers you. Is this about a woman?"

    Kiran finally found an opportunity to tease him. Tyrone was not the type to socialize. And frankly, Kiran never saw him with a woman. It made last night''s turn of events really interesting.

    "The stripper? The blood-eyed woman, right?" Kiran continued with an amused grin. "I''ve heard a lot about her, so consider yourself and Mr. Devon lucky to have the privilege of that woman sitting on your lap. That, and the fact that you''re both still alive after that¡­"

    It was the first time he witnessed Tyrone being bothered by a woman. He couldn''t help but get curious about it.

    "Stop with your nonsense," Tyrone scoffed. "At this rate, I''d rather go back to my place than to eat and have a drink with you."

    "Fine! Mouth zipped!" Kiran chuckled. "By the way, the call I got now is for you actually."

    Tyrone''s forehead wrinkled, "For me?"

    "Yeah," Kiran affirmed. "The client specifically asked to meet with you tomorrow."

    "Who?"

    Tyrone wondered who exactly wanted a specific security service that requested for him specifically. Last night seemed to just be a testimony of his ''incompetence''. So who in the right mind would seek him out?

    "Mr. Yun of Yue Group." Kiran answered.

    "Yue Group¡­"

    Tyrone whispered with a creased forehead. He knew the group well. Who wouldn''t be? The Yue Group was a multinational manufacturing conglomerate composed of numerous affiliated businesses. The group was notable as the world''s largest information technology company, consumer electronics maker, and chipmaker.

    "Funny, right? You just started to work yesterday under the USA (Umbra Security Agency). How come you''re already famous after a single night?" Kiran asked. He felt something off with the sudden call from Mr. Yun.

    "Something''s fishy about this. Then again, it''s still up to you. Do you want to meet him tomorrow? I''ll have my secretary give Mr. Yun the answer."

    "You''re the Boss," Tyrone replied with a smirk. "You should be the one deciding on this."

    "You know you''re an exceptional employee. You''re like a brother to me. So tell me what you prefer," Kiran commented. "Do you want me to investigate more about it? Let''s make sure it''s safe first. I''ve heard a lot about Mr. Yun, and they are far from positive, especially now that he took over the entire group while the Chairman was ill."

    "I will meet him, Kiran. Let''s hear what he has to say," Tyrone casually commented before he turned his gaze back at the car window. "Hopefully, it''s a good offer. Then maybe I might probably take the job." Tyrone added, "It''s probably connected to last night''s incident. Then again, I''m not so sure. It''ll be better to meet the man first and hear him out."

    "Alright then. I''ll inform my secretary to call Mr. Yue''s office and tell them that you''re available to meet."

    Once Kiran finished sending his secretary a text, the young CEO turned to his friend with an impish grin, "So about the blood-eyed hunter¡­ Is she really that hot? I mean, you look so bothered after that incident last night. Do you think you''ll meet her again? You need to get laid at this point¡­ Or you''ll end up fantasizing about it even in broad daylight."

    Tyrone glared at Kiran, the latter eventually snorting and raising his hands in defeat. "Fine, I''ll stop already. Sheesh. You''re such a prude. You''ll never get a girlfriend if you keep this up."

    "Do you really think I have time for such things?" Tyrone snorted. "If I were to have a partner, she''d probably want to take too much of my time or get worried about my job as an agent. It''s already enough that I have you bugging me, Kiran."

    "Are you comparing me to a girl?" Kiran chuckled.

    "Who else would take me out tonight for a ''date'' to cheer me up, except for you?" Tyrone rolled his eyes.

    "Haha, very funny. I guess your future girlfriend needs to match your abrasive personality."

    "I doubt that there''s anyone who can."

    Tyrone said, but his thoughts immediately shifted back to the huntress from last night. Not only was she capable of getting underneath his skin, but she was also beautiful and powerful.

    "Oh, wait¡­ You know that Yue Group has an heiress, right?"

    "Do you think Mr. Yun will ask me to take care of the heiress?" Tyrone lifted a brow.

    "Maybe, but I remembered something! One of our clients in the past was talking to someone over their phone. I eavesdropped on the private conversation¡­ and realized that they suspected the heiress of Yue Group of being the blood-eyed hunter. Well, it''s not proven yet since the heiress has hazel eyes, not red. But what if she was wearing contact lenses¡­" Kiran speculated.

    "We will just have to talk about it tomorrow after meeting Mr. Yun," Tyrone replied.

    "But it''d be quite a coincidence if the rumor turned out to be true. Is this fate finally working out in your favor? Getting fired by Mr. Devon must be a gift."

    Tyrone shook his head and fixed his eyes outside the window. It was dark already, and he bet the woman was already out again hunting for her prey.

    Kiran could be correct, and he might find out more about it once he meets Mr. Yun tomorrow. But if possible, he would not want to encounter that woman again. She reeked of trouble and tangled messes.. Being in a complicated situation was the last thing he would want at this point.

 Chapter 11 - Nothing Could Stop Her

    At Yue Mansion, Country V

    Raine was alone eating dinner when her mind wandered to her encounter with that man, Tyrone. Her grip tightened around her knife as she pushed her plate of steak away from her with a grunt. She was getting frustrated. Something inside her was convinced that Tyrone and the ''lollipop boy'' who saved her was the same person.

    This ''lollipop boy'' whose real identity was Nathaniel Yue.

    She tried to recall what she could years ago about the boy, but all she could remember was the color of his eyes and hair. Her father tried to hunt the boy down to kill him, and it took her father over two long years after eradicating uncle Arthur''s family and followers even to find him. By that time, Raine''s father found the boy who was said to have turned into a werewolf. She witnessed how her father killed him during that time. She was nine by then.

    So why was she convinced that the ''lollipop boy'' or Nathan was alive?  The answer was quite simple. It was because of the boy''s eyes back then¡­

    She didn''t say a word, but her father killed the wrong boy. Raine knew it was part of Nathan''s plan to stay alive to have found someone to be killed instead of him. Raine did not know why she protected him again in that crucial moment from her father. If she had said something, then the hunt might not have ended until they killed the real Nathan.

    Back then, she never mentioned his name. She only referred to him as the ''lollipop boy'' for his own safety.

    She was interrupted from her stupor when her uncle Yun entered the dining area. He had snapped eyebrows as he stared at her and Raine knew why. Her uncle could not wait to get rid of her wherever he was staying. She was someone who would always question all his movements, after all, whether it was regarding the Yue Group or Moon Clan.

    "I heard you delayed your flight to country D?" Yun commented as he walked to his chair on the table, the left side of his brother Marcus'' seat. He faced her, who was busy eating opposite him. "Aren''t you slacking too much, Raine?"

    Raine raised her head to give her uncle a beautiful smile, "Don''t you miss me, uncle? I just came home, and now you''re asking me to leave this instant? It''s been a while, so I would like to make a random check on the Yue Group. I''m still the Vice-Chairman, after all. So it''s simply right that I make sure that the group is still doing well while Father is still resting."

    Yun''s flinched at her words. Before he could react, Raine had already continued, "Well, I know you''re working your ass off as the Deputy Chairman. But still, I feel bad letting you work alone. I wanted to help you out with whatever means and time I could give."

    ''Those smiles are filled with poison¡­'' Yun inwardly retorted. His niece was giving him a pleasant smile, but he could feel that the woman had something planned against him! Raine was cunning. He wouldn''t let his guard down despite her display of being an ever ''good niece'' towards him.

    Raine soon pouted as she let out a long sigh, "Let me rest for some days to look after my father while I''m here. Please, uncle? You see, I miss my father too. I''m not sure how long it will take me to finish the mission in country D, so I wanted to stay here for just a bit longer¡­"

    Yun nodded, "Fine. Stay as long as you want. The mission can wait."

    At the back of his head, he saw it as an opportunity for his plans to commence sooner. He had a trail on Raine, but his niece was difficult to deal with. He wanted to plant someone close to her to report to him. The only problem was that Raine was very meticulous about people around her. That, and she chose them personally.

    Raine handpicked each and every single one of them for their individual talents. But most importantly, their loyalty towards Raine was something that could not be bought or exchanged.

    Luckily, he heard about Raine''s mission last night and how she seemed interested in some random bodyguard she encountered the previous night. He already made the arrangements and planned to meet with that man tomorrow to get him as one of his bodyguards.

    He knew his niece well. If Raine wanted something or someone, nothing could stop her from getting what she wanted, whether by hook or by crook. It was one of Raine''s weaknesses that his brother Marcus often said would lead to her doom.

    ''Let''s see how much you want that man,'' Yum mused as he began to eat dinner. Raine was a pain in his a*s, but he could not do a thing about her because Marcus loved the girl too much. He loved his brother too much to do something that would break his heart.

    But once Marcus died, he would wipe away all that would dare stand in his way.

    He heard of how the Mirage Council considered Raine for the throne to lead the Moon Clan and Yue group if his brother Marcus succumbed to his illness. He clenched his jaw as he glared at the woman. He deserved everything that his brother would leave behind, not Raine. He couldn''t believe how those idiotic council members even thought of considering Raine as a successor!

    "Uncle, try this prawn. It tastes good!" Raine said with a smile as she added, "Look at how you''re losing weight¡­ Work must have been hard for you. How about I stay more and help you out?"

    His face dimmed as he firmly answered, "I can manage it, Raine. Focus on your mission at country D. Eliminate all that will endanger our clan!"

    Raine gave her uncle a poker smile, "Fine. I can monitor things online, anyway. Father will wake up soon, uncle, so let''s not disappoint him. You know how he dislikes loopholes, both in our clan and legal businesses under the Yue Group. Let''s keep things the way father used to manage them. We both don''t want to face his wrath once he wakes up, do we?"

    Raine''s words had a hidden meaning, but he could only speculate on such. How could she monitor everything with just one body of hers?

    Yun gave Raine a poker smile of his own, "Of course. So make sure you finish all of your missions in the underworld before he wakes up. Make sure you also retrieve the list before my brother opens his eyes."

    "I''ll wrap everything up before you even know it, Uncle¡­" Raine pushed the plate away before standing up. She gave her uncle a devious smile, followed by a wink, "I''m done eating dinner. Sleep well, Uncle,"

    Raine strutted out of the dining room and headed for her bedroom.

 Chapter 12 - A Capsule

    Raine was not in the mood to go out and hunt that night, electing to stay in her bedroom for the night. However, it didn''t mean that Raine already went to bed and slept early. Instead, she opened the widescreen monitor in her room and started a group video call with her people.

    Raine wanted to verify a lot of updates with them, and she was going through it carefully. Each and every evidence acquired was looked at skeptically. Raine wanted to validate it and make sure that all were entirely accurate herself.

    Her team must have been cursing her by now. After all, who wouldn''t be after bugging them about Tyrone''s movements and how they fit with the timeline the Lollipop Boy saved her instead of letting them sleep early?

    "Are you sure there are no discrepancies?" Raine questioned with a deep frown on her face. "How about the CCTV footage? Did you make sure that everything is authentic and not fake or edited?"

    She stared at the screen with narrow eyes as she replayed the video copies Lyne sent her for the umpteenth time. There were comparison reports from Mia, who was the best when it came to matters like this. And yet, Raine was still far from satisfied.

    The conclusion she came to was different from what the video presented.

    "Boss, it''s authentic," Mia answered." Those two men were present in different locations. Thus, they are two different people."

    Raine bit her lower lip. It was a mannerism that she only did whenever she felt conflicted. Mia gulped at their Boss''s skepticism. She checked every single detail and found nothing suspicious at all.

    "Boss, I checked it numerous times already¡­" Mia murmured as she tried not to blink. They have gone through this process for almost half an hour now.

    Raine exhaled loudly, "Alright, fine. I guess my hunch is wrong for the first time. Anyways, you guys can spend more time with your loved ones while we''re here. I''ll give you all a day off tomorrow. I plan to delay my flight to country D for probably a week more."

    "Thank you, Boss!"

    The three answered in chorus. Lyne, Mia, and Levi were her key people at the Moonlight Squad like her three musketeers since the rest of the eleven members were only combat-trained personnel only meant for fighting.

    "Dismissed."

    Turning off the screen, she put on her robe and went out to her balcony to get some air. Her footsteps were heavy as she stepped into the chilly air.

    She clicked her tongue in annoyance. She had lost the vital booklist she had worked hard to retrieve. It was supposed to be a success! She spent many days planning on acquiring the booklist. But now it was gone.

    Raine squeezed her eyes shut.

    The list did not only contain names of important individuals, but it had very sensitive details about the supernatural creatures in power worldwide. It would have made her job a lot more manageable if she had that list in her hands.

    "Damn it!"

    Raine grunted with a crumpled face. She wanted to give that booklist to her father as soon as he woke up from his coma. She could already imagine how the old man would smile. She knew how her father wanted it so badly. She even learned to stripdance for that particular mission!

    Frustrated, she headed back inside her bedroom and stepped out of the door. Going down the stairs, she passed through the familiar hallways filled with numerous paintings.

    Raine slowed down her tracks and eyed each one of them.

    Each of the individuals shown was an outstanding person. As such, they were immortalized to stay in the Moon Clan''s memories. All of them were captured in full-body portraits, held up in large distinctive golden frames to commemorate them. They were portraits of prominent deceased people in the Moon Clan who significantly contributed to the clan.

    "And there you are¡­"

    Raine stopped at the portrait of a beautiful woman who was her mother, Ava.

    Ava was incredibly gorgeous in the painting. She was wearing a white gown and a necklace with an enormous ruby pendant. Red, like the color of her mother''s red hair. The same with hers, which was a rich red auburn shade, like how her eyes color turned whenever she was in intense emotions.

    Raine didn''t know much about her mother since she died giving birth to her. But his father would often tell many stories about her that Raine could tell how dearly her father loved her mother.

    According to him, Raine, too, loved wearing white clothes like her mother. She got almost all of her traits from her mother and nothing from her father, Marcus.

    She touched her mother''s face, her hand lingering before going down towards the ruby pendant. Raine placed her fingertip on it as she waited for a moment for it to grant her entry.

    The ruby necklace hid a scanner that unlocked a secret door. The painting soon moved to the side, revealing a very high-tech metal door that only authorized personnel like her could enter.

    After getting thoroughly scanned, the door opened for her passage. It was an elevator to an underground facility of the Moon Clan. She pressed the number of the floor where her father was staying.

    The guards who protected the floor bowed their heads in greeting to her. Raine walked directly to her father''s room where a team of medical doctors monitored his condition. He was inside a capsule, with numerous tubes connected to his body.

    "How is he?" Raine stared at her father as she stood beside a man in white robes.

    "He''s stable, Princess Raine," Doctor Janus answered.

    Raine turned to him with raised eyebrows and hissed, "Are you even sure you all know what you''re doing? Are you sure he''s not suffering?"

    "Princess, we''re only doing what the King instructed us to do in case something like this happened to him," the doctor answered.

    Raine could tell that something was going on without her knowledge.. Still, she couldn''t do anything about it since the only people inside the room were all so loyal to her father that even if she ripped them apart, they would only bring to their graves what her father asked them to do without revealing a single thing.

 Chapter 13 - Small World

    Raine could only sigh in frustration as she whispered, "Just make sure he''ll wake up and come back to us soon."

    "Don''t worry, Princess. We are doing our best to bring him back. The King will wake up," Doctor Janus replied.

    Raine stayed for a few moments, staring at her father while deep in thought. Everyone addressed him as the King¡­ but was it really the truth?

    She inwardly sighed as she recalled the story of how her father became King. It was a proud tale unheard of by many and only known by those trusted by her father. Her father took over the throne by force from its rightful owner; the Yue Family''s descendants, the true bloodline to lead the Moon Clan for generations. Her father Marcus and his brother Yun were not originally from the Yue Family, and his father also killed the people who knew about this secret. Uncle Arthur''s father, the deceased King Philip, adopted Marcus and Yun when they were babies. The sons of a blood-brother who sacrificed himself to save King Philip''s life.

    King Philip adopted them out of gratitude, but Raine was sure that King Philip regretted the good gesture in his grave once he realized what her father and uncle accomplished.

    Look at what Raine''s father did to the real descendants of the Yue Family!

    Raine knew the truth. Nathan was the rightful heir to the throne; the Lollipop Boy she saved back then. A part of her could feel that Nathan was already making his move to reclaim his position.

    She was unsure to the extent of help she could offer Nathan. How long would Raine protect Nathan from her father once he woke up?

    ''What are you planning to do, lollipop boy?'' Raine thought. ''Eradicate all the people responsible for your family and followers'' death?''

    She could no longer protect him if that were the case. She had to protect her father first. Blood was still thicker than water, but Raine wondered why she often ended up doing things that her father would not like when it came to Nathan.

    Hah. Maybe it was because she felt guilty for her father''s crime¡­

    Raine headed back to her bedroom and tried to relax in her bed. Unfortunately, sleep was still out of her reach. Rubbing her eyes in frustration, she checked her phone to look at the time. The night was still young, and she wasn''t able to fall asleep. It meant that she needed to shake off the extra energy she had.

    There was a lovely park that opened up which was a great chance for her to get some fresh air.

    "Okay, let''s get a little exercise tonight."

    Raine walked up to her wardrobe and changed into a more comfortable outfit. Wearing a simple dress and some comfortable shoes, she headed out of the mansion. When she passed by a newly opened resto-bar around the area of her place, however, the new establishment caught her eye and she decided to check it out.

    Entering the resto-bar, Raine was surprised by the familiar face inside that earned a beautiful smile on her heart-shaped lips. It was funny how small the world was that she accidentally bumped into the man she was actually interested in. Raine''s gaze didn''t wander anywhere else as she looked at him. Soon enough, their eyes met.

    She walked past him to sit at the table as a waiter quickly headed her way to take her order.

    Back at Tyrone''s table, his companion, Kiran, frowned when he saw that his friend was distracted. Tyrone''s eyes darted in a particular direction but then looked back to address him.  Kiran was intrigued by what caught his friend''s attention, so he glanced at where Tyrone was looking earlier.

    "Holy shit..."

    Kiran cursed under his breath when he saw a beautiful woman smiling past them with a waiter in tow. She was wearing a casual above-the-knee dress. It was a simple dress, but the woman posed a striking, confident, and sexy aura that would have made any man drool and any woman envious.

    "Do you know her?" Kiran whispered, still staring at the woman with parted lips.

    Tyrone shook his head, "Wipe your drool. You look like a bull in heat."

    Kiran straightened up on his chair before turning to face Tyrone despite not wanting to take his eyes off the woman who had just entered the resto-bar. He resisted the urge to stare at legs so long and beautiful that it seemed to draw his eyes in.

    "So I have to ask again, do you know her? I think she''s smiling at you," Kiran pointed out.

    "If I know her, I will greet her, alright?" Tyrone sarcastically answered. "That, and I''ll have the courtesy to at least introduce her to you, don''t you think?"

    Kiran''s face crumpled as he whispered, "But she really looks like she''s smiling at you. Maybe she likes you?"

    Tyrone creased his forehead, "Just finish your drink and so we can leave. Don''t we have a meeting with Deputy Chairman Yun tomorrow?"

    "But why? It''s still early. Let''s drink more," Kiran commented as he threw him a look. "It''s been a while since I had a drink with you. You''ve been very busy with so many things."

    Tyrone sighed as he grabbed his glass and drank it down.

    Raine eventually stood up from the table as the waiter tried to take her order and she sat in the bar area instead. To the bartender''s surprise, she began to order hard drinks.

    Tyrone saw her and instantly knew who this woman was. However, he acted as if he didn''t recognize her. It was less troublesome if he avoided her now that he was no longer a bodyguard of her previous victim.

    Meanwhile, Raine took a long sip as she wondered if she put too much make-up on last night. Did he not realize who she was without make-up?

    ''This is fun,'' Raine muttered before she started drinking with a cunning smile on her face.

 Chapter 14 - Familiar Warmth And Scent

    Raine''s lips curled up into a devious smile as she took several hard drinks in a row. In anyone''s eyes, it would seem like she was just drinking multiple glasses of a great variety of fruit juices. But the bartender knew that she was currently outdrinking a lot of the men in the bar right now.

    Destiny? Fate? If someone were to bring those up, Raine would scoff. She thought those were just ridiculous words to begin with. However, bumping into Tyrone like this made her believe that their paths were meant to collide in one way or another.

    Once she finished another glass, it didn''t replace the tingling feeling inside of her.

    And there it was again¡­ The strange feeling she currently had was exactly the same as what she felt with her first encounter with him in the strip club. It was a weird feeling she couldn''t explain. It was as if there was a magnet between them that she couldn''t resist. The excitement and thrill of it all was something she simply could not ignore.

    Her eyes darted at Tyrone''s reflection from the displays at the bartender''s back.

    ''Did he recognize me or not?'' she mused with narrowed eyes. She smirked when the man with Tyrone never seeemed to stop making glances towards her. Even if Tyrone didn''t notice her right away, his friend was clearly invested with her.

    "Look at her drink too much," Kiran commented as he sneaked glances at the beautiful woman whenever he could.

    Tyrone sighed as he shook his head while looking at Kiran. "Like how you''re also drinking too much? You''ll l pass out in minute one for sure. And will you stop ogling at the woman at the bar?" he snorted.

    Kiran laughed. In his drunk voice, he mumbled, "It''s okay. We have a driver, so drink more. I''ll have the driver drop us off! And for the record, it''s not only me who''s ogling her. All the men here are doing the same, except for you! Ah, for real¡­ If I don''t tell you that much, I''ll think you have different preferences!"

    Tyrone only shook his head. The bar''s side was at his back, making it difficult to sneak glances and see how many drinks the woman was having. But he knew enough from Kiran''s mumblings just how much she was drinking as if it was only water.

    He recognized her the moment she entered the resto-bar despite her bare face. She was that woman from last night; the blood-eyed hunter, they were all calling. And yet, he acted as if he didn''t know her. It was better this way, seeing as the woman spelled trouble. And again, trouble was the last thing Tyrone wanted to encounter.

    *Thud*

    Tyrone''s shoulders drooped at the sound and glanced to the side. Kiran had passed out and banged his head on the table. He clicked his tongue and grabbed his friend''s mobile phone to call his driver to get him.

    The driver arrived quickly at their table, asking a waiter to help him with his Boss.

    "How about you, Sir?" the driver asked.

    "It''s okay. I can go home on my own," Tyrone commented. "I need to take care of some things."

    The driver nodded as he and the waiter helped in bringing Kiran inside the car. He was about to stand up when the woman suddenly sat in front of him.

    "Hello there, darling. It would seem that we meet again," Raine greeted him with a seductive smile. She winked at him, "Quite a small world, isn''t it?"

    For some reason, Tyrone already expected this thing to happen. She was the bloody-eyed hunter, and she certainly recognized him just as quickly. Whether he looked forward to this, however, was another question entirely.

    Tyrone did not comment. Instead, he gave her a blank expression in response to her greeting. Raine purposely ignored it and called for the waiter.

    "I need a drinking buddy, so be a gentleman and wait for me till I finish. You look like someone who would not dare touch me, so I''m more at ease with you among all the men here. You will take care of me once I get drunk¡­" Raine murmured before she grabbed Tyrone''s bottle of unfinished beer.

    "How can you be so sure that you''ll be safe with me?" Tyrone asked without batting an eye on her.

    Raine gave him a sweet smile, "Hmm¡­ Not safe in what kind of sense, darling?"

    "I''m going. Enjoy your night Miss¡­" Tyron stoically whispered as he stood up to leave.

    "It''s Raine¡­ Call me Raine," she whispered, enough for Tyrone to hear when he passed by her.

    "He''s a tough one¡­"

    Raine mumbled with a smirk as she continued drinking. Meanwhile, Tyrone halted in his steps just when he was about to reach out to the door. He knew that the woman could perfectly take care of herself when it came to combat. However, things were bound to become different if she was drunk.

    "Argh¡­"

    Tyrone knew it wasn''t his problem if that woman got herself in danger. But what kind of man would knowingly leave a woman who planned to get drunk?

    His face dimmed as he massaged his nape in frustration. He couldn''t, in his good conscience, leave her by herself. Tyrone turned around to return to the table where he left the woman. She was still sitting there drinking. But at the last minute, Tyrone chose to sit at another table not far from her.

    After all, just because he wanted to make sure that this woman was okay didn''t mean that they''d have to keep each other company.

    Half a minute passed, and Raine stood from her seat red-faced and a bit lightheaded. Her entire body felt so warm and yet heavy at the same time. She usually knew her limits, but she got drunk on purpose, knowing Tyrone was behind her.

    Well, it was true that she was drunk, but she was still in her right mind.

    Raine swayed so much that she almost fell on the floor.. And there arrived the devious smile now carved into her beautiful lips as soon as she felt the familiar warmth and scent of him.

 Chapter 15 - I Want A Pillow

    Tyrone''s strong arms firmly held her waist and shoulder. The man was a gentleman through and through.

    Tyrone whispered, "Tell me where I should drop you off."

    He inwardly sighed. The man knew that Rained had completely dragged him into this situation, yet he did it anyway. He frowned a little at the thought that somehow, she knew how to wrap him around her fingers.

    Raine chuckled while meeting his intense gaze. "I don''t want to go home. Feel free to bring me to your home instead," she whispered before she passed out. Raine finally let herself relax in his presence as her head drooped.

    Before she could slip out from his hold, Tyrone quickly made a move. In one swift motion, he lifted Raine and carried her in his arms. He inwardly cursed as he grabbed Raine''s keys off her table.

    His body stiffened when he felt Raine''s arms wrapping around his neck. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, her soft and hot breaths dampening his throat so dangerously that he wondered if she knew how much of an effect she had on him and just enjoyed seeing him struggle.

    ''What a handful you are!'' Tyrone mused under his breath.

    His throat dried as he felt electric jolts all over his nerves. He could only inhale and exhale deeply to calm his body before walking out of the resto-bar with the dangerous woman in his arms.

    ''You''re in great trouble now¡­'' he thought with another sigh.

    Using Raine''s car, he brought her into his apartment since Raine was not responding to him. Tyrone wasn''t interested in snooping around the woman''s belongings in her car''s compartment to find an ID if she had one. He didn''t think he''d want to bring her to her home and introduce himself if she lived with her family.

    More than that, he was not even sure whether or not she was passed out for real, sleeping or just acting. Tyrone assumed that she was interested in knowing where he lived. He could only sigh in frustration while driving.

    The two of them soon arrived at the building where he owned an apartment. He parked the car and went out to open the door on the passenger''s side.

    "Raine," he called her for the first time. He stared at her for a moment. While her eyes were closed, he noticed her eyes were hazel; the same color she had last night at the strip club. He wondered if it was just contact lenses because he heard how the bloody-eyed hunter had flaming eyes.

    The information that his friend Kiran told him, to be accurate.

    Well, Tyrone would have to worry about it when it ever came up again in the future. For now, he was concerned about what he was going to do with this sleeping woman. He can take her to his bed, and he''d stay on his couch?

    "Raine¡­" he called again, but there was no response.

    Tyrone removed her seatbelt and carried her inside as he headed into his apartment. Opening the door, he walked straight to his bedroom and gently put Raine on his bed.

    The sight of the defenseless woman on his bed without a care in the world¡­ it was something he tried hard not to think about. When Raine sleepily stretched her arms, her dress slightly hiked up, revealing her fair, shapely thighs.

    Exhaling loudly, he quickly moved to get some of his things to take a quick shower due to the heat for some reason. A cold shower would help him cool off both his mind and body.

    It didn''t take him long to shower in the bathroom. Once he was done and changed into a new pair of pants and shirt, he stepped out while still drying his hair with a towel. He turned to look at his bed to check on Raine, and nearly flinched at the sight of the woman awake and out of the bed.

    "Shi*t!" Tyrone cursed and looked at her standing incredibly close to him. His heart almost jumped out of his chest!

    There was no response from her.

    "You startled me!" he burst, staring at Raine. She stood there near him, and yet didn''t do a single thing. He frowned when she did not say a word. Tyrone moved closer, cursing inwardly as he noticed that her eyes were still closed.

    "Are you sleepwalking?!" he murmured in disbelief.

    No response. Tyrone shook his head and concluded that Raine was indeed sleepwalking. Even while the woman was asleep, she knew exactly how to bother him. He held Raine''s shoulders to turn her around.

    "Let''s get back to bed, shall we?" he muttered with a sigh. However, Raine did not move or budge at all. And to Tyrone''s horror, she removed her clothes in one swift motion. She allowed her dress to fall on the floor, and she did all of this while still asleep.

    "What the heck?" Tyrone whispered in a hitched breath as he could not help but look at her from head to toe. His gaze roamed all over her skin and body, and the man bit down on his lip. He was too dumbfounded and did not expect what happened next.

    Raine spun around and blatantly pulled his shirt out from him so easily.

    ''What is wrong with you?'' he scolded himself as his body stayed frozen throughout the process. He watched her put his t-shirt on her body before turning back to his bed like she owned it!

    "Seriously?" Tyrone whispered and followed her on the bed to see if she was awake and just playing a prank on her. He looked at her, and even leaned down to see if she was sleeping and heard her breathing.

    "Stop that, and let''s sleep. I want a pillow, and your body will do," Raine muttered with eyes closed as she pulled Tyrone by force, slumping his body beside her.. She quickly snuggled herself in his arms.

 Chapter 16 - Eyes Were Her Medium

    ''What is going on with you? It''s not like you can''t move away from her or avoid her advances!!!'' He inwardly grunted with a dark face as he staredng at his ceiling. He tried to move, but whenever he would, Raine would tighten her embrace on his chest like he was her own pillow. Not to mention her strong legs currently trapping his lower body.

    He held his breath when Raine brushed her bare legs on his as if it was a fur brushing her skin.

    ''This woman is too much! Did she think I''m not a man at all? Does she do it to every stranger she encountered!?'' he barked inside his head. He could easily move away and get up from his bed, right? So why did he find it hard to do so?!

    His body was reacting on its own whenever he was near her, and he did not like it that he was losing control over his body. "Ugh," he closed his eyes and struggled to sleep.

    Tyrone was stuck in this position and gave up on the idea of trying to pull away from her. Doing so would just make tighten her grip around him, and that would further lead Tyrone down this slippery path.

    It was why he had already decided that it was not a good idea to entangle himself with her in any way at all. However, it was unavoidable. This woman would be his doom if he wouldn''t do something about it soon.

    Raine''s scent was so intoxicating. Something inside of him was wanting her. It was too difficult to control, but he still managed to do so. He could still handle it¡­ He ended up inhaling and exhaling several times as he calmed his body down.

    He fell into deep thought, thinking about a lot of random things to distract himself from the temptation beside him while chanting a mantra. Fortunately, he successfully dozed off despite the great fight and struggle he had with his own body.

    As the man drifted off to slumber, it was there that the princess awakened.

    Raine''s eyes flickered open when she confirmed Tyrone was already asleep. The sound of his breathing stabilized. He was no longer muttering a chant to himself.

    Raine smirked a little at the cute sight before her. She breathed in deeply as she took in the man''s subtle fragrance, taking note of what seemed to be a cool scent that may have come from the man''s shampoo or body wash. Once she was fully awake, she lifted her head and rested her palm underneath her chin.

    She wanted to take a better look at his face.

    A lot of people said that the eyes were the window to someone''s soul. For her, the eyes were her medium to distinguish if she was dealing with a human or not. Her eyes would turn red after she finished what she called her ''classifying'' the kind of being she was with.

    Tyrone''s eyes¡­ were very intriguing. All her life, she only encountered one person like him, and that was the lollipop boy. The investigation proved that they were two different people, but Raine was not entirely convinced.

    She needed Tyrone beside her no matter what to find out more¡­ To convince herself that he and the lollipop boy were two different men like what the investigation implied. It was strange for her not to be convinced by the facts that her people got for her.

    Raine sighed. She never had as much interest in any man before now, compared to how she was so intrigued by Tyrone, at least.

    Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and went back to sleep as she snuggled into him more. He was so warm, and his presence was relaxing. It was funny, but she felt comfort and security in his arms. And to think that they were practically strangers.

    Raine wanted to trust her instincts.

    Several hours soon passed, and Tyrone found himself waking up late with his body feeling a bit tired. He had a hard time obtaining enough sleep after the events from last night.

    He had woken up from time to time and tried to get up from bed to free himself from her arms. But every time he tried, the woman beside him would only hug him tighter. Eventually, one realized and learned that he needed to give up trying.

    Things were different now, however.

    The spot where the woman took his bed''s space was now empty. He abruptly sat up on the bed when he realized that the woman was no longer beside him.

    "Did she leave already?" he murmured with a crumpled forehead. He heaved a sigh of relief at the thought that she had finally left.

    Tyrone got up and took a quick shower. Getting dressed, he went out of his room. He frowned as he smelled something cooking and then saw the familiar dress still lying on the ground. Tyrone realized something was amiss and quickly made his way out. He strode towards the kitchen, and his eyes widened in disbelief when he saw that Raine was still there.

    ''She didn''t leave yet!'' he almost exclaimed with a dropped jaw.

    Raine was cooking in his kitchen like it belonged to her, and she did whatever she pleased. How could she raid his fridge? More than that, his gaze was focused on how she was even dancing and swaying her hips in time with the music playing on her mobile phone.

    ''What the heck¡­''

    The woman still wore his t-shirt even though she had left her dress in his room! Tyrone gulped at how she looked perfectly hot with his t-shirt on.

    "You know you can now close your mouth and wipe your drool, right?" Raine commented with a giggle before she turned around. "Why don''t you head over to the table and take a seat? I''m almost done here."

    Tyrone frowned, "Aren''t you too bold for someone who''s in a stranger''s house?"

    He sat on the kitchen counter while he watched Raine prepare the table.

    "Think of this as my way of showing my gratitude for keeping your mouth shut about me."

    "Mr. Devon''s no longer my employer. There''s no need for me to open my mouth," Tyrone commented with a  blank expression.

    Raine sat opposite him. She had her elbows on the table and her palms on her cheek as she stared at Tyrone with amusement.

    Tyrone lifted an eyebrow and met her gaze, "What?"

    "Hmm, nothing. Just wondering why you have a cold personality when your body is so warm."

    "Every human being has a warm body unless they are dead¡­" Tyrone casually commented.

    Raine chuckled, "That''s a funny joke."

    "I''m not joking. And while I appreciate this gesture of cooking breakfast for me, I will be more grateful if you leave my house as soon as you''re done eating. I don''t want trouble." Tyrone said with a straight face.

    ''There goes her devious smile again,'' Tyrone inwardly complained.

    "Can''t we become friends? Aren''t we physically close already?" Raine teased even as Tyrone''s face remained unreadable.

    "I''ll go as soon as I finish breakfast since I have an appointment. After this meal, please get changed, and I''ll drop you off to where you want to be," Tyrone said, then began eating.

    "But I want to hang out more with you," Raine murmured with a pout. "Besides, the car you took to drive me home is mine. Why don''t I give you a ride instead and take you to where your appointment is?"

    Tyrone looked straight into her eyes without batting an eye, "Hanging out with me will only bring you trouble.. So please do as I say and leave once you''re finished eating and changing into some decent clothes."

 Chapter 17 - Spy On Her

    Raine gave Tyrone a steady look, and Tyrone did the same. When it got too much for her to handle she averted her eyes away from him. It was the first time that Raine backed away from a challenge like this. She could just not bear the intensity of his stare. Her spine shivered, and her heart almost leaped out of her chest.

    These foreign feelings were like a trigger that made her more curious about Tyrone.

    She had no intention to annoy him further, so she simply said, "Fine, if that''s what you want, darling. Can we please eat breakfast now?"

    Tyrone sighed and looked at what Raine had prepared. He pursed his lips to stop himself from laughing, looking at the egg which was almost burnt.

    "It''s still edible, so don''t you dare say a word," Raine commented as if she could read his mind. Tyrone did not comment and simply watched Raine prepare what he assumed was an egg and ham sandwich for him.

    "There," Raine said with a wide smile after she put the sandwich on his plate.

    "Thank you," he said and began eating. He watched Raine prepare coffee for the two of them. Looking at how Raine moved around the kitchen, one might think that she was the house owner while he was just a mere guest.

    When Raine saw Tyrone finish eating, she said, "You should go to your appointment. Don''t worry I will not rob your house. I will be off as soon as I''m done taking a shower and getting changed."

    Tyrone shook his head when Raine winked at him. He stood up and said, "Okay. Thanks for the breakfast," before turning his back and leaving Raine to herself.

    "So cold!" Raine scoffed with a grin. She finished eating and cleaned the mess she made in his kitchen before going back to get her car keys. She felt too lazy to change her clothes so she went inside her car wearing Tyrone''s t-shirt, and drove out of his building.

    Tyrone did not want to have anything to do with her, and he was very vocal about it. Too bad that she wanted to have everything to do with him. Raine giggled at her silly thought. Tyrone just made her dull world colorful and fun.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone sighed helplessly as he drove towards the place he was meeting Mr. Yun at. He left his house with Raine still there which was risky. He did not want to be rude, but he wanted to be clear with her. He meant it when he said that it would be for the best if the two of them did not get entangled with each other. It was for their own good so he hoped she would heed his words.

    He parked his car and entered the restaurant after clearing his mind of her thoughts. The waiter guided him to a private room where Mr. Yun was already waiting for him.

    He was sitting at the table smoking his cigar. Mr. Yun looked at him and signaled him to sit in front of him.

    "I will not waste time with pleasantries and small talk. The reason I asked Kiran to set up a private meeting with you is because I would like to hire you as my private bodyguard. I will cut to the chase and brief the exact details and scope of your work. You will work as my bodyguard at first, but later, I will assign you to my niece if she is interested in having you as her bodyguard." Mr. Yun started.

    "And if she won''t?" Tyrone asked.

    Yun chuckled and said, "Ah, you''re a bold man. I am sure my niece will take a fancy to you, Tyrone. If she won''t, then you have to make sure she does no matter what you have to do. And once she trusts you, all you need to do is spy on her and report her every move to me."

    Tyrone heaved a sigh and stared directly into Yun''s eyes as he said, "Is this an offer I can''t refuse?"

    Yun shook his head. There was a satisfied smirk on his face as he said, "I like you, Tyrone. Work with me, and I will make sure you get everything you want."

    "What if I decline?" Tyrone questioned with narrowed eyes.

    "You won''t decline unless you want to go back to prison. You can hide your past from others but you can''t hide it from me. I''m a powerful man, Tyrone and I have every means to make your life a living hell anytime I want."

    "I''m not asking you to get blood on your hands for me. All I want is for you to become my eyes and ears to monitor my stubborn niece Tyrone¡­ It''s as simple as that. You can even quote any price you want for it."

    Tyrone had a sarcastic smile as he replied, "I guess I can only say yes to this proposition. So tell me, when do I start?"

    "That''s more like it! You can start as early as now if you want. You will stay in the mansion as my niece will be there for a few more days. Be as visible as you can in front of her. Make sure she will take an interest in you."

    "You sound like you want me to seduce your niece," Tyrone scorned.

    Yun burst into a fit of laughter and said, "Well, you don''t need to put much of an effort, I guess. But like I said, make sure she likes you and make you her right-hand man, if possible. Gain her trust, and if you can, then why not gain her heart as well? It will be a lot easier to get her to trust you that way."

    "I have something to do and finish up later today, so I will report tomorrow," Tyrone answered with a blank expression.

    "Alright. I will take my leave first. I''ll inform my lawyer to contact Kiran and set up the contract. We can finalize and sign it at Yue Mansion tomorrow morning. See you tomorrow Tyrone," Yun said before he stood up from his seat and left.

    Tyrone watched the old man''s back, and a wry smile made its way on his face.

 Chapter 18 - Refined But Wild

    As soon as Raine arrived at the mansion, she went directly to her bedroom to take a quick bath and get dressed for work. She still had to check what was going on in the Yue Group Head Office.

    Lyne was already standing outside her door when she opened it. Raine smiled, "You wouldn''t greet me like this if you didn''t have some good news for me."

    Lyne smiled, "We have an update on the lollipop boy''s tracks. We will check the den this evening."

    "I''ll go with you," Raine said. "Let''s wait for the sun to set before we go there. In the meantime, let''s get some work done in the office and make sure my uncle won''t make our group go bankrupt while Father is still sleeping."

    Lyne nodded and followed behind her. She was also Raine''s secretary as the Vice-Chairman of Yue Group.

    Levi was waiting for them outside, his back leaning on the car door. He almost stopped breathing as he looked at their Boss, who never seemed stopped making him drool with her beauty. The Boss simply and effortlessly oozed with sex appeal. Lyne shook her head. She had to call for Levi just to bring the man back to reality.

    Levi scratched his head and quickly opened the car door for Raine in the backseat. Meanwhile, Lyne opened the passenger seat door to sit after her.

    Stepping on the gas, the car drove out of Yue Ancestral Mansion as soon as Levi was inside the car.

    After some moment, Levi and Lyne exchanged meaningful glances. Last night, their Boss had went out. Her tracker was always on except in rare cases wherein Raine shut it off manually. Mia tracked and located the address just in case, and they found out she was at Tyrone''s apartment.

    It looked like their Boss really had her eyes set on the man. There was no doubt that the man looked handsome in photos, but it was very unusual for the two of them to see their Boss be so dedicated to someone that she even slept at his apartment overnight.

    The three of them were dying of curiosity to know how the two of them met. Was it intentional? Or was it just mere coincidence? Either way, none of them dared to open their mouths to ask the question.

    Raine was busy scanning the current company sales report on her tablet when she suddenly said, "I bet I''ll see Tyrone again no later than tomorrow. He had an appointment this morning, and I''m sure it was none other than my uncle who is itching to put a spy behind me. I''m so excited. I wonder what Tyrone''s reaction will be?"

    Levi and Lyne looked at each other. They were very curious about this sudden comment, but none of the two dared to speak their thoughts.

    "I bet you two are also itching to know how I ended up sleeping at Tyrone''s place last night," Raine added.

    "You looked for him last night, Boss?" Levi caved, the man finally giving in to curiosity.

    Raine raised her eyebrows as she scoffed, "Do you think I have the luxury to track him like that without you guys helping me? Am I a superwoman?"

    Levi scratched his head while Lyne just chuckled.

    "Oh! Bumping into each other unexpectedly, was it then, Boss?" Levi whispered.

    "Destiny?" Lyne replied in a teasing tone. She knew their Boss would often cringe or express her annoyance with romantic stuff.

    "Fate?" Levi seconded with a grin.

    "Lust?" Raine interrupted with a smirk.

    Levi and Lyne only ended up shrugging their shoulders in response. They were already used to how blunt and vocal their Boss was with her thoughts, yet it felt like they wouldn''t get used to it all.

    They arrived at the building of Yue Group.s usual, everyone shivered in fear. They wanted everything to be perfect whenever they were aware that their strict Vice-Chairman would arrive at work.

    Raine rarely reported to work. But whenever she would, the Yue Group often turned upside-down. She was constantly updated with the current status of the company. Even though she was the one rarely present among all the officers, Raine knew even the tiniest of details going on inside the company.

    Directors and Managers greeted Raine at the entrance. She was wearing her trademark plain tight-fitted business dress. They were used to seeing her wearing white dresses, and she nailed the look every time with her red lipstick. She had this refined but wild and strong look at the same time.

    As usual, all employees, men, and women could not hide their admiration for the remarkable beauty of their young vice-chairman. All of them knew that she got the position due to her being the heiress of Marcus Yue. Yet, no one could dare question it simply because they all knew how capable and deserving she was of her position.

    Everyone bowed to her, Raine giving them a wide smile as she greeted them back, "Good morning, everyone. It''s so nice to see all of you present here to greet me. I can see that our officers are all present here. I expect good reports later, so you can now disperse and go back to doing your work, guys. Let''s make use of our time productively."

    As soon as she entered the building, everyone followed her inside and quickly went back to their respective offices to get back to work.

    Although Raine had immediately started working inside her office, she could not help but smile every once in a while. Recalling Tyrone and his cold but adorable attitude towards her, he acted as if he did not care.. But she could fully feel his warmth towards her.

 Chapter 19 - Hard-working Hands

    Raine looked utterly focused on her work, and yet she kept on glancing at her wristwatch every now and then. She raised her eyes and asked Lyne, "Could you please check and see if my uncle has arrived at the office yet?"

    Lyne nodded and immediately dialed the Chairman''s desk to check on it. She immediately got back to her Boss with the information.

    "He''s not here yet, Boss."

    "He''s probably still with Tyrone," Raine commented.

    Levy shook her head as she saw the cunning smile on the Princess'' charming face. She couldn''t tell whether Tyrone was lucky or unlucky for being the apple of the eye of this lioness in disguise of a Princess! Their Boss was so unpredictable.

    "Boss, he will recognize you as the blood-eyed hunter as soon as he sees you here. What if he exposes you?" Lyne reminded Raine. "Things will get pretty complicated if the news spread that the Blood-eyed hunter and The Heiress of Yue group are one and the same person."

    "I''m sure uncle Yun saw that coming already. He will probably blackmail Tyrone with his past to accept this job no matter what. Uncle''s main goal here is to bring me down by exposing me ruthlessly, fully aware that Tyrone can easily recognize me as the Blood-Eyed hunter. He would use Tyrone to his advantage and mine."

    Raine was already aware of Tyrone''s past and criminal record, including the number of years he had stayed in prison. For her, it was a mere record that could be easily fabricated, something that was far from enough to convince her when her intuition didn''t raise the alarm. Still, she didn''t budge and followed her instincts about him. Her sixth sense was powerful, after all. That, and she liked him a lot.

    Levi clicked her tongue, "Ah, he clearly had years-worth of criminal records in a few countries. All cleaned up by the USA effortlessly, Boss. We don''t even know if he is a double spy or something."

    Raine''s large eyes glowed in excitement as she stared at Levi, "Oh, I like that idea, Levi! Him being a double spy¡­ When he works for me, I''ll make him into a triple spy! I can''t wait for that to happen! It will be fun!"

    Lyne and Levi exchanged frustrated glances and sighed.

    Raine smirked as she repeated the information in her head. A cold chill swept over her face at her thoughts.

    ''The USA fabricated Tyrone''s records¡­ So that only means his criminal records could be fabricated too for all I car. It was why sometimes, trusting your own instincts was still the best choice since anything could be easily fabricated with connections nowadays...''

    Her face became serious when her thoughts landed at Umbra Security Agency (USA). The agency fascinated her, and so did the man behind it. No one knew or had even met the Chairman of that group, and she hoped to meet the man soon.

    It was known to Raine that the USA was investigating the existence of the actual Mirage Group. The USA believed that Mirage existed, and they were so hell-bent on proving it. he latest news she had heard about the matter was that they firmly thought that the Blood-Eyed Hunter was connected to, and was a member of the MIRAGE.

    "If anything happened to my father, Uncle Yun will tell the Mirage Council that I was careless in my actions, and hence, it will compromise the Mirage Group''s existence ¡­Ah, why is Uncle Yun so readable? And to think he wanted to take over the Moon Clan just like that? He needs to learn more if he wants to replace my father on the throne."

    Raine let out a long deep sigh. She wondered about when her uncle Yun would get tired of tailing her every move. She wasn''t interested in leading the Moon Clan, but that didn''t mean she did not care for the Clan. She would not sit idle if she saw anyone destroying their Clan or the MIRAGE.

    "And even after knowing all this, you are still willing to take the bait, Boss?" Levi asked in disbelief. "Take that Tyrone in and go all the way with all the hassle?"

    "Of course! I like complications, remember? Challenging stuff and mazes are my thing! Besides, I like that man, so¡­ let me have him first. Then, we could think of a plan on how to get out of this and solve this mess later," Raine commented with a devious smile, making Lyne and Levi shrug their shoulders.

    Raine knew the risks her decisions involved, yet she had no plans to stop getting what she wanted. Maybe she simply just wanted to be discovered. Or perhaps she was trusting her hunch too much that Tyrone was not a person who would do anything to destroy her.

    Hours passed, and all the employees were busier than usual due to the Vice-Chairman taking her time roaming around the whole department to check on them and personally talking to each and every manager and director she came across.

    Raine spent the majority of her time in the Finance Department.

    She comfortably sat on the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) ''s swivel chair and looked at the folder handed to her by Lyne. The CFO loosened his necktie as he gulped, beads of sweat visibly trickling down his forehead.

    "Our dear CFO. I can see you''re working so hard to entertain a lot of requests in making us¡­" Raine paused, and with a smirk, she stood up and walked closer to the CFO.

    "Look at your tie. Is that how a man should properly do his necktie?" Raine whispered with her sweetest smile on the man. With trembling hands, the CFO immediately held his necktie to arrange it, but Raine gently touched his hands to remove it as she seductively whispered, "Ah, let me do the honor of fixing this necktie of yours."

    "I-It''s alright, Madame Vice-Chair. I can do it," the CFO stuttered.

    Raine stopped with enough distance to reach the CFO. She shook her head as she looked at the man fixing his necktie.

    "Ah, look at those hard-working hands trembling," she whispered with a sympathetic tone as she touched the CFO''s hands, removing it from his necktie as she added, "Let me do it."

 Chapter 20 - The Rumor

    Levi moved to secure the office and made sure no one could enter the room. Then he stood in a corner along with Secretary Lyne who was standing behind Raine. If someone saw the way their Boss was smiling right now they would assume that she was delivering some good news. But that was just her way of showing hell to the people she deals with.

    "You know¡­ I''ve been practicing how to tie a necktie properly to help my future husband, so why don''t we see how much I''ve improved after all these years of practice? Shall we?" Raine said and winked.

    The CFO gulped, smitten by the beauty of Madame Vice-Chairman and their closeness. Her face was so close to him that he scolded himself into focusing his thoughts on the matter at hand. He was feeling a mixture of emotions but was mostly extremely nervous.

    He did not know what he was expecting to happen it was definitely not his Vice-Chairman pulling his necktie while staring him in the eye.

    She had a wicked smile on her face which made his jaw drop. Before he could open his mouth to comment, he felt the air leaving his lungs when she suddenly tightened his necktie. He whimpered and struggled to gasp for air.

    The CFO flailed, struggling to get some air, but Raine''s hold on his neck was way too strong for him to escape. He would die sometime soon if she did not release him.

    "Secretary Lyne, could you do me the favour of showing the files of our CFO''s extraordinary work so that he knows how much I appreciate his efforts¡­" Raine commented sarcastically, still adorning the same smile on her face.

    Lyne came forward and opened a file on his iPad''s before showing it to the CFO. The file had every record of projects handled by the CFO. It also contained details about the money he had embezzled from the company.

    "See, I''m not sure if this kind of hard work from you is something we deserve but I''m sure that this is something you can brag about to your future inmates. Don''t you think so?"

    The CFO''s face paled even more when he saw the file. He had made sure to keep everything confidential and destroy any evidence that could point towards him, so he did not know how she managed to get a hand on it! He thought he had covered his tracks flawlessly which was why he was so relaxed all this time.

    The Deputy Chairman would kill him for getting caught, but the same goes with Raine too. In fact, he might go through something worse than death if he dared to lie to her. Now, he was sure that the rumor about their Chairman''s only ''heiress'' was true. She was ruthless just like her father, if not more. Her beauty was not the only deadly thing but getting on her bad side was worse than courting death.

    "Levi, am I doing this right? How come our CFO''s face here is turning blue?" Raine naively asked as she leaned closer to hear what he was trying to say.

    "What? Are you trying to say something? I can''t hear it..." Raine commented and tightened her grip even letting death flash before his eyes before loosening it just enough to keep him alive and conscious.

    "Oh my! Are you alright? I think I need more practice with this necktie technique before I marry!" Raine gasped, looking worried while she inspected the CFO''s neck.

    "The Deputy Chairman threatened me¡­ Please save me and my family. I will confess everything! Please!!"

    Raine winked at the CFO and said, "That''s more like it. So from now on you should do exactly as I tell you. I am willing to give you a second chance since I''m in a good mood today. So make sure to not waste this second chance, okay? Remember, my father will come back soon, so make sure you do what I tell you to."

    The CFO nodded his head.

    "I can''t hear you," Raine said with a smile.

    "I understand, Madame. I will make sure to follow whatever you say," the CFO commented.

    "Perfect! For now, just continue doing what my uncle has asked you to do," Raine commented as she fixed his necktie.

    "Huh?" The CFO murmured in confusion and disbelief.

    "You have to save yourself and your family, right? So just do what my uncle wants you to , except that I want you to report everything you do before you do it directly to me. Every single detail without missing anything. Is that understood? Levi here will discuss the further information, so make sure you listen to him attentively since I''m not sure if he''ll be as patient and generous as I was..."

    "Yes, Madame," The CFO answered as his voice cracked. His body was still trembling in fear and shock. He did not know what but there was something frightening in her eyes that made him cower in terror.

    "Good, I shall now leave so you can make your time productive," Raine said before she turned around and left the office with Secretary Lyne.

    The CFO looked warily at Levi, who was left behind.

    Levi smiled and said, "Ready?"

    The CFO nodded with a gulp.

    Raine and Lyne were walking down the hallway when their phone rang simultaneously. They saw it was Mia doing a conference call.

    "What''s up?" Raine answered it through her bluetooth.

    "There''s an attack on the Secretary of Defense''s vacation house. You have to hurry to the site before the police arrive. It was a werewolf who did it," Mia reported.

    "In broad daylight?!" Lyne asked in bewilderment.

 Chapter 21 - Infected

    "How long do we have?" Raine asked Mia on the call as she and Lyne rushed to the basement parking.

    "We have an hour to intercept before the police reach the place," Mia answered.

    "Dylan, did you hear that? Do whatever is necessary and give me that one hour by any means!" Raine instructed as she rushed to her private parking space.

    "I got you, Boss!" Dylan replied. Dylan was the second-in-command of the Moonlight Squad whenever Lyne was busy with her.

    Mia, meanwhile, worked on her computer at the Moon Clan headquarters. She blocked all the fastest routes that the police could use to arrive at the site. The other members of the Moonlight Squad disguised themselves and helped to block the roads. They caused a fake accident and created a scene to jam the roads so that the police had no choice but to use a longer route to get to the place.

    Mia monitored everything using CCTV cameras and hacked into the traffic server to change the signals light to delay the police even more.

    "You can reach the place in about fifteen minutes if you leave now," Mia commented.

    "I''ll drive my motorcycle. You guys can follow," Raine commented as she hopped on her motorcycle.

    In a flash, Raine drove out of the building. It was unusual for these creatures to attack in broad daylight.

    ''What is going on?'' she wondered while driving. She could tell that something was wrong.

    In less than fifteen minutes, Raine arrived at the vacation house of the Secretary of Defense.

    "Mia," Raine whispered.

    "Yeah, Boss. Everything is clear," Mia commented on the other line. "I looped all the CCTV footage so it won''t record you. It''s safe for you to enter."

    "Good."

    Raine wore protective gear on her hands and feet to ensure she wouldn''t leave any traces of her presence behind. She also tied her hair up and wore camera-enabled eyeglasses so Mia could have a clear visual of what Raine was seeing. She also carried a gun specifically designed to kill rogue werewolves and other mythical creatures.

    Entering the area, the first thing she noted was how messy it all was. There was blood everywhere she looked at.

    Raine took everything in as she continued to walk. She noted that most of the dead bodies belonged to the servants.

    "Rogue werewolves are on the loose in broad daylight, Mia. This is not good," Raine solemnly commented. The stench of blood irritated her nose as always.

    "Boss, we are here," Lyne reported on the other line.

    "Make sure none of them were infected," Raine instructed as she headed directly to the room of the Secretary of Defense. Werewolves could infect any human they attacked, which would cause them to turn into another werewolf if they were still alive. It would usually depend on the human body. Some turned into rogue werewolves with no ability to think like humans anymore. Others could still retain their human senses and control the werewolf in them, but it was a very rare occurrence. And even if there was a case like that, the rule still states that they are all to be eliminated.

    In all of her years-worth of experience, whenever Raine and her squad found any humans that had turned into monsters, they turned so horrible that the squad had no choice but to eliminate them. Raine always lived by what her father often said, that there should be no room for monsters in their world.

    All of her movements were extremely fast as she reached the room of the secretary of defense in no time. Her eyes widened when she saw a small figure kneeling on the ground, crying in front of the old man. The old man was the secretary of defense, and he was bathed in his own blood; his flesh torn into pieces.

    "The girl is infected," Mia said on the line as soon as she identified the little girl who turned to Raine. "She''s the secretary of defense''s granddaughter."

    "Help my grandpa¡­ Please¡­" the little girl pleaded as she stood up to approach. Raine, however, immediately aimed her gun towards that little girl.

    "She''s the one who called the police for help," Mia added with a sigh. It wasn''t the first time she would see innocent young ones die because of being infected by werewolves or vampires.

    "Boss," Mia called out since she didn''t see their Boss killing the girl.

    "Let''s wait a little more¡­" Raine commented with a creased forehead. She bent down and stared at the little girl''s eyes as the girl came close to her¡­ Raine''s eyes turned red as she tried to read the girl''s eyes.

    "Your eyes are bleeding," the little girl commented. She raised her little arm as if to touch Raine''s face, but her body suddenly wiggled. Raine closed her eyes¡­ and yet, here she was thinking that the girl was a one in a million in rare cases. She considered sparing her life while her father was still sleeping.

    She aimed the gun at the little girl''s head, ready to shoot when¡­

    "Stop! Her body is reacting, but she can control it¡­" a familiar voice interrupted her, which made Raine''s lips arch.

    "And here I was thinking that you had no plans of showing yourself while watching me kill a little girl," Raine commented.

    It was him, the lollipop boy. She noticed him as soon as she entered the room, but she stayed silent since she wanted to know what his next move would be.

    She was curious to find out what he was doing there.

    "Seal the area¡­" Raine instructed on the line with a broad smile on her face.

    "Make sure my lollipop boy won''t be able to escape me."

    "Focus on the girl, not me," the lollipop boy said. "The police will be here soon. If you plan on killing her, then let me take her instead. You can''t let her go to the police since she''s infected, but she could be handy to train at this stage¡­"

    "What are you going to do now, Boss?" Lyne asked from the other line.

 Chapter 22 - Itâ€™s Not Time

    "How about this?" Raine bluntly offered with an evil smirk. "I will let you take the girl if you take me with you as well."

    "Boss?!" everyone from the other line burst. They knew their Boss was crazy, but her madness seemed to have no limits!

    Raine knew that she was taking a significant risk in this bargain, but she wanted to trust her intuition about him. His voice was very different from Tyrone''s. However, they already lived with all sorts of high-level technologies around them that was more than capable of faking his voice. All she needed to do was remove that mask on his face.

    "Tick tock tick tock¡­ The clock is ticking, darling. Should I just go ahead and shoot this poor little girl in here?" Raine dared. "The police are coming, and I''m pretty sure that all of my men have already sealed this area shut. So I suppose escaping will be difficult for you?"

    She wanted to know if he would let the little girl die or not.

    "You won''t kill her and I know that for sure," the lollipop boy said. Raine couldn''t see the smile on his face because of his mask, but she could read his next move by staring intensely into his eyes. "You can take care of her for now. I''m sure you will keep her safe¡­"

    "Shit! Block the glass wall on the east!" Raine exclaimed as she witnessed him break the glass wall in one swift motion and jump out of it.

    Raine was about to follow him, but the little girl kept on desperately struggling over in the corner.

    "Sedate her, now!" Raine shouted to Lyne, who was now behind her. Since she always brought a gun that could kill with her, she couldn''t aim past the little girl.

    Lyne quickly grabbed the tranquilizer gun on her back and aimed at the little girl. However,it was hard to get a more precise shot with how fast the little girl moved. She was moving like a wolf already.

    "Give me that!" Raine commanded and grabbed the tranquilizer gun from Lyne.

    "Make sure that lollipop boy doesn''t escape or I will kill you all!" Raine grunted on another line as she aimed the tranquilizer gun at the little girl. With one clear shot, she fired. Within the span of a single second, the little girl passed out.

    "Take her into my safe house first. Make sure she doesn''t escape," Raine instructed before immediately jumping off the broken glass wall to where the lollipop boy fled.

    "He was at the west side of the forest fighting our men while running from them," Mia informed Raine as she saw what was happening on the screen using the camera worn by the others. "He''s good. Five of our men are already down, Boss."

    "I''m coming, so make sure he''s still there," Raine barked as she ran in the direction Mia was pointing. "At least stall him if you can''t catch him!"

    She was panting hard when she finally reached the location. The lollipop boy was having a man-to-man fight with Dylan. She shook her head as she saw her men all lying face-down on the ground. He had only knocked them out, but he did not kill any of her men.

    ''How considerate,'' she mused with a twitch of her lips as she watched Dylan getting beaten up before getting knocked out in one solid blow.

    Raine quickly moved and approached the lollipop boy. She attacked him with a swift flying kick, but he was quick enough to dodge it. She then moved her fist to strike below his chin. The blow almost hit him, but he was able to grab her hand with his strong arms.

    Raine winked at him before kneeing him on his stomach. Seeing an advantage, she pushed him, pinning him down on the ground by sitting on his torso.

    "What''s with the mask, huh?" Raine said, a beautiful smile on her face as she leaned closer, ready to remove the black mask from his face. "Let me see how handsome you''ve grown after all those years."

    The lollipop boy quickly moved and wrestled her till they rolled to where their positions had changed. He was now on top of him.

    "Ah, I see¡­ You like being on top," Raine jested.

    "Boss?!" Lyne, Mia, and Levi burst from another line since Raine was still connected and they could hear everything she was saying.

    "I''m almost there with more back-up," Levi added, cursing silently under his breath.

    "Take your time,"  Raine answered, not bothering with the man on top of her. "I''m enjoying my position here."

    She wrestled him back until they again changed positions wherein she was on top.

    "I prefer to be on top too, you know," she burst with her mischievous and devilish grin.

    She heard him curse and she chuckled as she tried to get a hold of his mask. He was tough as he fought her hard. What amused Raine, however, was how he was making defensive moves and not making any advances to hit or injure her.

    She was almost there. Her hand was almost on his black mask when she suddenly felt a sting on her hips. She turned around and saw a tranquilizer dart on her hips.

    "Sh*t!" Raine hissed.

    Too focussed on removing his mask, she failed to notice how the lollipop boy got lucky and saw a tranquilizer dart from all the missed shots from her men. He had grabbed it while pretending to be struggling from her.

    Raine passed out on top of him. The man gently moved her away from on top of him.. He stared at her for a moment and whispered, "it''s not time for you to see my face just yet."

 Chapter 23 - A Monster

    Raine finally opened her eyes and clenched her teeth after recalling what had just happened. The lollipop boy got lucky once again and escaped from her.

    "Damn!" she grunted as she tried to sit on the bed. She was currently resting at one of her hide-outs known only to Levi, Mia, and Lyne, her most trusted people.

    She stood up and slowly walked out of the room.

    "Boss! How are you feeling?" Lyne asked and rushed towards Raine once she saw her entering the dining room.

    "Like shit. Damn the doses of our tranquilizers. They are really high! It knocked me out instantly. Plus I''m really starving," Raine complained as she took a seat.

    "You''ve come at the right time Boss. I just finished cooking and was about to set the table," Levi commented.

    "I will go and call Mia," Lyne said to which Raine nodded.

    Raine watched Levi prepare the table. Despite being the only man among them, whenever they were together, he often did all household chores like cooking.

    "You will make a good wife Levi," Raine teased as she took a spoonful of the nourishing soup he had prepared. His face blushed in response which made her laugh even more.

    "Boss, instead of wife¡­ Can''t you say, husband?" Levi mumbled with a pout. He wanted to add that he would be a good husband to her as well but he did not dare do that. He knew that she saw him only as a younger brother so he didn''t cross his boundary.

    "Hmm, you look like a good wife eagerly waiting for her husband after cooking. How cute! You''ll be the perfect wife. Right, Lyne?" Raine asked as soon as she and Mia entered.

    Lyne looked at Levi and her lips quivered as she said, "I''m not so sure Boss. But he is a better cook than the rest of us so I guess I will give him that."

    Raine chuckled and said, "Let''s eat and discuss what happened. How is the little girl by the way? What was her name again?"

    "Her name is Stella, Boss. For now, we have locked her in one of the rooms and left so she could settle there well. All the things she needs are in the room and we have also kept some food inside. We were monitoring her movements while you were unconscious. That lollipop boy was right. She was able to transform back into her human form," Mia answered.

    "Yeah, but the question is whether she can control herself once she shifts into a werewolf?" Raine said and continued eating.

    "Boss, there is something that is bothering me. You have the ability to differentiate a human from a mythical creature just by looking at their eyes even if they are in their human form right? So I am curious about the lollipop boy. Is he human? He seemed too strong and fast to be a mere human Boss. And the way he fights¡­" Mia commented as she recalled the scene of him fighting their squad members. Something about him was mysterious. His aura and¡­

    "He''s human!" Raine answered with a serious tone.

    ''He should be human,'' Raine quietly convinced herself though she wasn''t able to confirm it. He has to be human as the lollipop boy managed to stay alive. Because she would have had to kill him if he were to be a werewolf like her mother was. It was her responsibility to eliminate all the monsters lurking among humans.

    Mia looked at Lyne and Levi who signaled her to stop talking. She wanted to say more to prove her claim but stopped when she noticed her Boss'' aura change. She had become serious all of a sudden. That only meant that there was something going on between Raine and the lollipop boy just as Lyne and Levi had suspected.

    But no one actually knew the whole story about it. Lyne and Levi could only assume that there might be a story connecting them based on how their Boss loved the lollipop and connected it to the lollipop boy.

    After that discussion, there was a deafening silence in the dining room except for the clinking of their knife and fork as everyone focussed on eating.

    "Thank you for the dinner, Levi. As usual, you cooked deliciously. I will go and check on Stella first," Raine commented after she was done eating.

    She stood up from her chair and left the other three in the dining room.

    "I wish I had abilities like her," Mia commented. Their Boss was gifted but her kind would not be categorized as mutants as she was perfectly human. No one knows about her kind, but the three of them could tell that there was something more to her than her gift and special abilities.

    "What do you think her kind is? I mean I had overheard it before¡­ That our Boss is above humans and that''s the reason why Sir Yun is actually scared of her. He was always very careful around her," Mia commented.

    "Shhh. Don''t think too much about it alright? Let''s just do our best to assist our Boss and protect her," Lyne commented and Mia nodded in agreement. The three of them owe their lives to Raine so they would do everything in their power to keep her safe.

    Meanwhile, Raine went to the place where the little girl was locked. It was not an ordinary room with a bed and windows. The walls were made of strong metal which not even the strongest werewolf could break through or escape from.

    "Hello Stella," she greeted the little girl with a sweet smile. Lyne and Mia had cleaned her up while she was unconscious.

    "The dress looks good on you. How old are you?" Raine asked gently.

    "I am eight. Where''s my grandpa? What happened to me?" Stella asked as her voice cracked. Everything was still vivid in her mind. She had clearly seen her reflection in the mirror.. She had turned into a monster.

 Chapter 24 - Mutation

    Raine exhaled loudly. The girl was still very young¡­ but she needed to know what happened to her. It was her responsibility to explain the changes the little girl would go through now that she was infected. But before that, Raine wanted to know what happened before Stella got infected.

    Mia could not see everything in the CCTV footage as the attackers jammed it.

    "I will explain everything Stella, but before that, can you tell me everything that you remember happening in the vacation house. Let me know if you can recognize whoever did that to your grandfather, okay?"

    Stella nodded and said, "They were really scary. They looked like monsters¡­ Like how I had become¡­" Stella breathed.

    "You did not become a monster, Stella," Raine immediately commented.

    "Then what did I turn into?" Stella asked.

    "Hmm, we often call them mythical creatures and not monsters. I usually call them mytures in short. You know there are many kinds of mythical creatures. Like vampires, werewolves, mermaids, griffin, dragons, sphinx, ogre, goblins, golems, and more." Raine added with an awkward smile.

    The little girl''s forehead creased in confusion.

    "Hmm, the creatures who attacked your grandfather''s vacation house are called werewolves. They can shapeshift into a wolf from their human form. Just like in the movies¡­ Have you seen one?" Raine asked and the little girl shook her head.

    Raine cursed under her breath. She thought it would be easy for her to explain and make the little girl understand but now it seems like she thought wrong.

    "If a rogue werewolf or myture bites or scratches a normal human like you, then your body will undergo certain changes just like how you transformed," Raine explained.

    "Like some kind of mutation?" Stella asked.

    "Yes, exactly! You go through some kind of mutation. Your body is still adjusting to those changes, but once you manage to control it, you can shapeshift into a cute little wolf that doesn''t look scary. You just need to work hard and learn how to do it. But don''t worry because we will help you," Raine replied.

    "In biology, especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism having a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism," Stella mumbled in one breath which startled Raine.

    "Are you a walking Wikipedia?" Raine jested to ease the tension.

    Before she could continue, the telephone on the bedside table rang, which Raine answered.

    "She''s a genius, Boss. A prodigy."

    It was Mia who called to tell her more details about Stella. They were watching Raine''s interaction with the little girl with the help of surveillance cameras.

    "We need to get her blood sample. Stella is behaving differently from others that got infected," Lyne commented. Levi and Mia nodded in agreement as they continued to watch the screen.

    On the other hand, Stella seemed to be in deep thought as Raine sat on the couch to join her.

    "Then I''m a mutant and not a monster. Mythical Creature sounds too outdated and old-school. Who would believe in such things in this day and age? But I guess I''m the living proof that it is real," Stella whispered. All of this would be a lot to process for an average child but at such a young age, Stella managed to understand and give an explanation of everything that happened.

    Raine sighed. The little girl had a point. They now live in the modern world and mythical creatures did sound ancient.

    "You''re right Stella. From now on, we will call your kind "mutants". It''s indeed a better term than a mythical creature. Wow, kids, these days are so brilliant!" Raine commented with a grin.

    "But, those who attacked us are not like me. They are certainly monsters," Stella''s voice cracked and this time, she completely broke down. Raine had to pull and hug her to comfort her.

    "It''s alright dear. You''re safe now. All you need to do is learn to control yourself whenever you shift into a werewolf," Raine reassured her. But the little girl was finding it hard to stop crying. She had experienced too many things and had hidden her emotions from all of them. Now that she felt safe, she finally let go and continued crying until her body eventually began trembling. Before she could say a word, her body started shaking like she was having a seizure.

    Lyne was quick to enter the room with a tranquilizer gun.

    "Boss!"

    She aimed at the little girl that Raine was hugging even as she transformed into a werewolf.

    Raine raised her hand, signaling Lyne not to shoot. Raine stroked Stella''s back which became hairy since she shifted into a werewolf.

    "Shhh, it''s alright, Stella. You''re safe now. You have to calm yourself, dear. Can you do that? I think your emotions are triggering your shapeshifting. Try to calm down and just think of good memories instead. I''m sure you can come back to your human form again if you calm down. Once you master controlling yourself, then you can shapeshift into a cute little wolf instead of a werewolf." Raine encouraged.

    Stella followed her and in time, she was able to go back to her human form.

    "Get me some new clothes for her, please," Raine instructed Lyne as Stella''s clothes got torn when she shapeshifted.

    "Ah, I guess I have to buy a lot of clothes for you from now on, dear," Raine commented with a cheeky smile.

 Chapter 25 - Voyagerâ€™s Watch

    Meanwhile, Levi let out a sigh of relief after watching the scene on the screen. He was glad that the little girl managed to calm down and become human again. But he started feeling frustrated and suddenly became worried, seeing their interaction.

    "You and Lyne worried too much for no reason. Also, what''s with your sighing? Should I remind you again that our Boss is not the kind of person to get infected by those¡­ Mythical¡­ Ahh, mutants! That term indeed is short and also sounds better," Mia praised the little girl after questioning Levi. That was also the reason why she was so curious to know Raine''s kind. Raine was a human, but why could she not get infected by mutants?

    "Of course, I know that, Mia. I''m sighing because this screams trouble. King Marcus will not be happy if he finds out about this," Levi worriedly whispered.

    "Yeah¡­ I guess we need to be more careful from now on. Look at how our Boss is smiling so brightly, Levi. We''ve never seen her like this. It''s the first time we have spared someone who got infected but it strangely felt good, right?" Mia said with a soft smile on her face. She was glad that Raine decided not to kill the adorable little girl.

    "You''re right. I honestly feel good that our Boss did not kill Stella. But if King Marcus wakes up and finds out about this, he will make sure the little girl is dead. So I guess you''re right¡­ We do need to be extra careful and make sure to hide Stella''s existence," Levi said.

    "You know, Stella is only alive right now because of the lollipop boy. He stopped our Boss on time."

    "Speaking of that lollipop boy¡­ Why was he even there?" Mia asked. That mysterious lollipop boy seemed like a mutant too. Judging by his speed when fighting with their squad members, he was definitely not human. Humans cannot move as fast as he could, but on the other hand, if he was indeed a mutant, he could have easily escaped from Raine. Yet, he got caught in a fight with her... A fight where he did not dare to hit or injure her.

    Something was definitely off.

    "Damn, I need to finish restoring and organizing the CCTV footage we found. Boss will want it asap. I will lock myself in my haven till I''m done so see you guys later!" Mia commented, referring to her computer room. Levi only nodded. She stood up from her seat and left Levi alone in the control room.

    Meanwhile, Raine helped Stella get changed. She then looked at Lyne and said, "Everything''s fine here. Go do your thing, Lyne."

    Lyne nodded and left the room.

    "Is she a mutant too?" Stella asked Raine while looking at Lyne, who went out of the room.

    "No, her name is Lyne and she is human. I will introduce her and the others properly to you after a while. From now on, we will become your family," Raine commented with a smile and tucked the strands of hairs on Stella''s face behind her ear.

    "Are you a mutant too? What is your name? I am Stella Marie Chua. But you can just call me Stella," Stella introduced herself.

    Raine smiled at her and said, "And I am Raine. I am not a mutant Stella, but I''m not human either. I''m not supposed to disclose my kind since it''s a secret."

    Stella remained silent and did not push for an answer. Raine sighed helplessly. Stella''s parents both died in an accident and her grandfather was the only family she had taking care of her. Right now, the investigation about the Secretary of Defense''s murder was still ongoing. She had instructed her team to fake Stella''s death and fabricate evidence for it to keep the little girl safe from danger.

    "Stella, you will need to use a new name from now on so for now, think about what name you want to be called and tell me, okay? For now, you need to stay here while you practice how to control your shapeshifting powers. It is for your own good¡­ To keep you safe. Do you see that button over there? If you need something or someone to talk to just press that button and I''ll arrange it," Raine instructed.

    Stella sighed loudly and said, "I understand. I''ll do as you say."

    She knew she could trust the woman next to her because they had saved her. They understood what was going on about the terrifying things and monsters she witnessed. She had mutated into a werewolf but she preferred the term mutant. Werewolves looked really scary so she decided to try her best and learn not to shift into the creature that killed her grandfather.

    Raine patted her head and said, "Good girl. I know all this is a lot for you to process so I won''t push you to tell me anything. Once you are ready, you can call for me and tell me everything you saw."

    "Those monsters, they were looking for an old pocket watch," Stella whispered.

    Raine frowned when she heard this. So they wanted the voyager''s watch? And it''s in the possession of the Secretary of Defense? No wonder the lollipop boy was there too. He probably wanted that watch to go back in time.

    "They were looking for the ''voyager''s watch''. Did they happen to get it from your grandpa?" Raine asked but Stella only stared at her.

    Raine smiled at Stella and caressed her hair, "Hmm, I guess you are tired. You should sleep and get some rest, dear. Don''t forget to think of a nice name for yourself, alright?"

    Stella gave her a sweet smile and nodded. Raine looked at her one last time and stepped out of her room. She knew that Stella did not fully trust them yet. She had a hunch that the little girl knew where the voyager''s watch was. She was also sure that whoever attacked Stellas'' grandfather did not obtain it as well. There were a lot of things she wanted to know, like how Stella survived that massacre but all she could do now was to wait.. Stella needed her time to digest everything and accept what happened.

 Chapter 26 - If Itâ€™s Him

    The next morning, Raine got ready to go to work with Lyne. She was excited to go to the office, knowing that her Uncle Yun was definitely going to give her her long-awaited surprise today.

    As usual, Levi prepared breakfast for them.

    "Hopefully, Stella will be able to join us soon," Raine commented. She finished her breakfast, stood up, and signaled Lyne.

    Levi stood as well but Raine said, "Levi, you should stay here with Mia. Lyne will drive me to the office. Also I will have a new bodyguard from today.

    "But Boss," Levi protested because ever since he started working, he was with her wherever she went.

    "Mia needs you here, Levi. Stella can be a handful and we can''t get any help from people we don''t trust. Stay here, alright?" Raine instructed with a smile and Levi could do nothing but say, "Yes, Boss. I understand," and sigh.

    Raine and Lyne soon left the hide-out.

    Raine took her tablet and double-checked the files regarding Stella and the research on the Voyager''s Watch. She had heard about it from her father when she was young as it was one of the things he wanted in his possession. To put it simply, her father was also searching for that watch.

    "Boss, do you think Stella knows where the watch is?" Lyne asked as she drove the car.

    "Hmm, probably. That watch¡­ It''s honestly troublesome. Just remember not to ask her about it as it''s the cause for the death of her only family. It is also the reason she became a werewolf against her will. Let''s just focus on finding those mutants responsible for the murders. This is really alarming¡­ Those monsters are attacking in broad daylight without any sense of consequences. Someone is undoubtedly behind this¡­"

    "Could it be the new werewolf King of Convel Society?" Lyne asked. Raine frowned as she thought about it. She had heard about the sudden uprise of that werewolf king, Theodulf¡­ He was a ruthless supreme alpha but now rules the civilized werewolves of the underworld. He replaced Decan, who was one of the mortal enemies of her father. Decan was the one responsible for her father''s vegetative state.

    Decan¡­ She will bring him down soon¡­ But before that, she had to honor her father''s last request before he fell unconscious. He wanted her to wait for him to wake up before she made a move against Decan.

    "We need to investigate further and not jump to conclusions this early, Lyne," Raine commented.

    She did not know why but her heart would thump whenever she heard about the so-called new werewolf king, Theodulf.

    "That Theodulf gained the throne by fighting and defeating Decan. I bet Decan is still sulking about it," Lyne commented with a grin.

    "He was already too old so new werewolves would eventually challenge him to the throne. What bothers me is that we weren''t able to get any details about Theodulf except for the description of his personality?"

    "Ever since he became the king, Mia started having a hard time hacking into their system," Lyne almost whispered. Mia was honestly glad that Raine didn''t bring up or ask about Convel Society because she still couldn''t hijack their system like she used to.

    Raine''s eyebrows arched as she mumbled, "Is that so? Hmm¡­ I guess the only way to know more about Theodulf is to actually meet him. Then all I have to do is sit back and wait till father wakes up before attacking them."

    Raine took a deep breath before resting her head on the headrest of the car. There were many things for her to do, not to mention her mission at Yang Global Hospital in Country D. As soon as Tyrone becomes her bodyguard, she will have to fly to Country D to finish her pending job there. She had to fix that problem before her father woke up.

    After some time, the car stopped and Lyne announced, "We are here, Boss."

    Raine slowly opened her eyes as a very cunning smile carved on her face. Her eyes darted to the car before theirs and she could immediately recognize the owner. She saw her Uncle Yun step out of the car but what made her lips smile was the man who opened the door for her uncle.

    "What a lovely day it is to have seen such a handsome man so early in the morning," she whispered as she got out of her car. She had particularly chosen to wear a sexy formal outfit that showed a fair amount of skin that perfectly fit her body like a glove, emphasizing her curves. The white v-neck shirt exposed a fair bit of her cleavage, not to mention the black pencil skirt which hugged her lower body.

    "Good morning, Raine," Yun greeted her with a smile and he waited for her so that they could enter the building together.

    "Good morning, uncle," Raine said, smiling back at her uncle, who was obviously in a good mood and she knew the reason why. So Raine gave him the satisfaction by giving Tyrone a look from head to toe.

    "You have a new man around?" Raine commented, her eyes staring at Tyrone as if she was a predator ready to attack her prey.

    Yun noticed her gaze and his smile widened. It looked like he made a wise decision hiring Tyrone. His stubborn niece was obviously smitten by him.

    "Yeah, he''s new," Yun answered. He looked at Tyrone and said, "Introduce yourself Tyrone."

    Tyrone quietly sighed and looked at Raine as he politely said, "Good morning Ma''am. I am Tyrone Lopez."

    "We meet again¡­ How interesting," Raine commented.

    "You two have met already?" Yun naively asked.

    Raine winked at her uncle and said, "Yeah, we have. Uncle, I''ve taken a liking to him.. How about you send him to me? I will only accept a bodyguard from you if it''s him."

 Chapter 27 - Like What You See?

    Raine hated the dilly-dallying, so she said what she wanted that instant, knowing it was what her uncle Yun had planned.

    "I''ll have to think about it," Yun, who was too startled with how fast Raine took the bait, answered.

    "Sure thing. I''ll see you later, Uncle." Raine commented before turning at Tyrone and giving him a wink. She then walked inside the entrance door.

    Raine''s smile never wore off even when she was already inside her office. Things were sailing smoothly according to her plan.

    On the other hand, Lyne shook her head as she followed Raine inside the building. Raine looked so smitten by Tyrone that she wondered if she was just doing it on purpose for her uncle to see. But then, Lyne couldn''t blame Raine because Tyrone was way more gorgeous in person than in photos and videos. He was so smoking hot that every woman could drool just looking at him.

    Who would have thought that those smoking silver hair would look good on a man? And those eyes¡­ ah, Raine would be in trouble playing with fire like that. But then, Lyne would bet that the man would get in more trouble in the process?

    "Let''s get to work, Lyne," Raine said in a good mood. Lyne nodded as she prepared all of the documents that needed her Boss''s signature.

    Raine looked at the lollipop stand on her table, then picked one and unwrapped it. She smiled, staring at it for a while as she mused, ''I got you this time.''

    She then put the lollipop in her mouth and started working.

    Meanwhile, inside the Deputy Chairman''s office, Yun was in deep thought as he sat on his chair. He looked at Tyrone, who stood in front of him. The man looked emotionless. He exhaled loudly and signaled him to sit on the chair in front of his table.

    "Is it just me, or did my niece just sound like she is expecting your arrival?" Yun suspiciously commented. "She wasn''t even surprised to see you."

    Tyrone met his deep stare as he casually replied, "I am not sure, but we''ve met twice. First at the Haven Night Club, then the second was the other night."

    Yun''s eyebrow raised as he contorted, "And you''re just telling this all to me now?"

    Tyrone creased his forehead as he answered, "Yes, since I only started working for you today. I also didn''t know that she was your niece. I''m honestly surprised that it was her."

    Yun let out a mocking laugh, "Some professional you are, huh. Anyway, I will hand you over this instant to my niece since I noticed how she''s so into you. I guess it won''t be too hard for you to get her trust. Remember that I want you to report to me her every single movement¡­ Don''t leave even the tiniest details. You will be greatly rewarded if you manage to get a flaw on her that I can use against her."

    "I understand."

    Tyrone answered. He had a blank expression, and Yun didn''t trust him fully but he could use the man for now and see if he was someone he could trust enough later on. His vicious niece was into this man, and he could use it to his advantage while he could. If Tyrone was useless to him later, then he could wipe his existence out of this world any time he wanted.

    Yun called his secretary. As soon as his secretary was inside, he instructed, "Please guide Mr. Tyrone to the Vice-Chairman''s office. He will be her new bodyguard starting today."

    Tyrone stood up and followed the secretary outside Yun''s office as she led the way towards the Vice-Chairman''s office.

    The secretary and the rest of the women they passed by couldn''t help but try to pry their eyes on the new handsome face walking through the building together with the secretary of the Deputy Chairman. He wore an ordinary suit, and yet his striking aura was so manly that it could catch everyone''s attention as he passed by.

    Everyone who saw him go inside the Vice-Chairman''s office gasped. They were dying of curiosity about his reason for entering the Vice Chairman''s office. Everyone looked at the Deputy Chairman''s secretary, who finally left the office alone.

    "He is the new bodyguard of our Vice-Chairman," the secretary whispered to one of her close colleagues on the floor. The news eventually circulated throughout the whole building like a plague.

    Tyrone stood in front of Raine, who seemed very busy signing papers since she didn''t even bother to give him a look as he entered.

    "Are you a robot, darling?" Raine commented without even bothering to look at Tyrone. "Why don''t you help yourself and find a comfortable seat?"

    Tyrone did not comment and casually sat on the available couch not far from her table. He looked around and noticed how Raine had a very spacious office. She had glass walls with a sweeping view of the busy city below.

    "Ah¡­ This is so freaking boring!" Raine suddenly scoffed, startling Tyrone.

    She finally raised her head, followed by the stretching of her arms.

    "I hate paperwork like this. Are you good at forging signatures, Tyrone?" Raine said with a smile so radiant that it eclipsed the beauty of the sun itself. "Lyne and Levi are not good at it so I have to do all the signing on my own."

    Tyrone quickly cleared his unnecessary thoughts.

    "I suck on it," he straightforwardly answered, referring to the forging of signatures.

    Raine chuckled as she stood up on her chair, "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

    "No, thanks," Tyrone answered. "I''m good," Tyrone answered.

    Raine walked towards the pantry of her office and still prepared coffee for the both of them. Tyrone could only shake his head as he accepted the mug of coffee Raine handed to him and put it on the center table.

    Raine sat opposite him and crossed her legs as she stared directly at him. Tyrone cursed under his breath when his eyes spotted her long, flawless, beautiful legs from her above-the-knee dress.

    Raine noticed the attention. She couldn''t help the naughty smile from showing as she commented, "Like what you see?"

 Chapter 28 - Mint Lollipop

    Tyrone composed himself as he quickly dragged his eyes in a different direction. His face reddened, but he didn''t utter a single word. He would not deny that Raine''s presence strongly affected him, but that didn''t mean he would entertain or do anything about it.

    Raine chuckled as she put her coffee mug down on the table. She never prepared coffee for anyone except Tyrone so far since she liked him too much. She couldn''t help but loosen herself whenever she was with him.

    She got up from her seat and walked in Tyrone''s direction. She stood in front of him and bent down. She rested her hands on the headrest of the couch with her arms blocking Tyrone''s sides. She then slowly leaned her face closer to his. She stared directly into his eyes, Tyrone not batting an eye in meeting her intense stare.

    Her scent¡­ was so intoxicating¡­ And her eyes¡­ Tyrone would just love to dwell within those beautiful eyes and see his reflection like that more often. But he knew he must not, for his own good and hers.

    "What are you doing¡­" Tyrone murmured in his husky voice as Raine suddenly sat on his lap. It was tediously familiar. Like that one night at the strip club where she also sat on his lap. The only difference here was that she was not straddling him too much this time.

    "So, darling. Tell me¡­" Raine whispered in his ear. "How come you don''t look surprised upon knowing that the Bloody-Eyed Hunter and Raine Yue, the only heiress of Yue Group, are one and the same person in the flesh?" She would like to play more; lick and nibble his earlobe. However, it was too early to be way too aggressive. She should lay low for a while.

    Meanwhile, the same feeling surged over Tyrone. The desire for her was consuming him in that very instant. Her hot breath on his ear was making him so freaking delirious!

    The next thing Tyrone felt was Raine''s hand tightening on his neck.

    "Tell me¡­" she whispered once more. "Why should I spare your life knowing this important secret about me, huh?"

    It was not a surprise for him, knowing the character of the bloody-eye hunter. Yet, he was confident that she wouldn''t kill him so quickly like this.

    "Because¡­ you¡­ like¡­ me¡­" Tyrone answered under his breath.

    Raine released Tyrone''s neck that instant. She remained sitting on his lap, seeing as she was enjoying it for some reason. She, too, could not explain why exactly. It was as if there was a magnet pulling her to him.

    For now, she could only assume that it was because she was curious about him. The mystery clouded her intuition about him and his possible connection to the lollipop boy.

    "Aren''t you too confident, huh?" Raine commented with a grin, staring at Tyrone''s beautiful eyes.

    "If I''m not, then I''m probably dead already, right?" Tyrone countered while he massaged his neck.  "Should I address you as Madame? Ma''am? Boss? Please tell me what you prefer?" he asked, diverting the eerie and torturous atmosphere around them.

    Raine gave him a seductive smile. She trailed her fingers from Tyrone''s neck, crawling their way up to his face as if she was touching piano keys till her forefinger stopped at the corner of Tyrone''s eyes.

    "I will spare you because your eyes remind me of him," Raine said with a grin. "It would be a waste not seeing those beautiful eyes of yours again. And I prefer if you will address me as ''darling,'' like how I am addressing you right now."

    Tyrone let out a sigh of relief as soon as Raine finally got up from his lap.

    If Raine only saw how his face finally relaxed, she would have definitely thrown endless teases towards him. But then again, he was a man and not a Saint! He even doubted that a Saint could manage not to react to Raine''s way of teasing a man!

    Tyrone frowned and unconsciously whispered, "Do you do this to any men you find attractive?"

    "You mean sparing their life?" Raine naively asked as she sat back on the couch opposite Tyrone. She grabbed her mug of coffee and began drinking it.

    "No. It''s about you sitting on a man''s lap and getting too touchy," Tyrone couldn''t help but point out. "It''s not something a woman should casually do¡­" It was torture for him. He had to use all of his strength ofs self-control to not break out and just attack her whenever she would tease him like that.

    Raine chuckled.

    "I''d hate to disappoint you, darling, but I am not your simple ordinary woman," she winked. "You see, I''m complicated. So learn to adapt if you want to stay longer by my side. I assume you''re already aware of it already?" she said with a wink.

    With their actions and conversations, one would think that the two already knew each other for far too long due to their chemistry with their actions and conversations. Raine was aware of it, and she liked her connection with Tyrone. She enjoyed his company so much that she would not hesitate to keep the man with her at all times.

    "I prefer that we maintain professionalism with each other, Boss." Tyrone casually answered.

    Raine''s mouth twitched as she countered, "I''ve always mixed business with pleasure, darling."

    Tyrone did not respond. He had a mission to fulfill. He better made sure not to be on Raine''s bad side or mix business with pleasure, or he would fail.

    "Drink your coffee before it gets cold," Raine instructed.

    Tyrone grabbed the coffee and started drinking it. It was then that he noticed the white lollipop stick and picked it up.

    Tyrone wrinkled his forehead and commented, "There''s a mint lollipop?"

    Raine smiled, "Yeah. I added a mint lollipop as a sweetener. Do you like it? Does the mint lollipop look familiar to you? You like lollipops too, right?"

    Her stare was far too deep. It was penetrating through his soul.. Raine wanted to see if she could truly see through him somehow.

 Chapter 29 - Madwoman

    Raine creased her forehead. She was disappointed at not seeing any positive hints from Tyrone''s expressionless face.

    "I hate sweets," he casually replied.

    Raine was not someone who could be easily discouraged. Tyrone could carry on with his facade for as long as he wanted. He could hide his expressions and fake his answers for all she cared, but she still wondered how long it would take for her to find out what she wanted to know.

    She sighed and changed the topic, "An important part of your job is for you to remember and make sure that you always have a lollipop on you whenever I ask for it."

    "I understand, and I will keep that in mind," Tyrone answered. His cold attitude didn''t affect Raine. Instead, it only made him more attractive in her eyes.

    ''I''m sure there''s a reason behind why he easily accepted this kind of a set-up,'' Raine mused. She was determined to prove that her speculation was correct.

    "Lyne will coordinate with you on my schedule and let you know about all the things you need to know while you''re working for me. You will stay with me twenty-four-seven. The contract will arrive here shortly, so make yourself comfortable in my office while you wait for it," She casually explained. "For now, I''ll get back to work since we''ll soon be leaving for country D. And I, for one, hate leaving a lot of pending work behind me."

    Tyrone watched Raine get back to work, sitting on her chair and table. He suddenly asked, "I''m going with you to country D, right?"

    "Didn''t I make myself clear? Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week.¡­ Meaning, you will also sleep with me."

    Tyrone''s jaw dropped upon hearing her words. He wondered if Raine was just kidding around like she always was or if he had to literally share a bed with her. And yet, he didn''t bother to react or utter a word to make her clarify her statement.

    He watched her put the lollipop into her mouth and subconsciously mumbled, "Aren''t you old enough to stop eating lollipops?"

    Raine chuckled, "I didn''t know that there was an age limit for having lollipops."

    "Well, it''s not good for your teeth and health as you age," Tyrone stated a matter of factly.

    "I have good memories about lollipops so it''s like heaven to me. Anyway, let''s talk about it later, darling. I''m honestly more interested about the Umbra Security Agency¡­" Raine opened up. "Your agency is quite interesting. Taking clients from humans and mutants."

    She wanted to know more about the security agency. She wondered if Tyrone would be willing to give any and such information that she wanted about it.

    "Mutants?" Tyrone murmured. It was the first time he had heard that word describing non-human entities.

    "Yeah. From now on, we will call them mutants. It fits the era. Plus, it makes them sound like sci-fi movie characters; more relatable to this new generation," Raine informed with an amused smile as the genius little Stella who gave them a better description of mythical creatures crossed her mind.

    "That''s new. They''re used to being called monsters," Tyrone answered with a dark expression that he quickly replaced with his usually stoic face.

    "Excuse me. I usually call them mythical creatures, not monsters. We call the rogue ones monsters, but only because they act like one. Anyway, what''s with the quick, gloomy look? Do you have any mutants in your agency that I should be killing by now?" Raine said without batting an eyelid. She quickly noticed the dark expression that washed over Tyrone before he quickly replaced it.

    Raine couldn''t tell whether Tyrone was human or a mutant like the lollipop boy. That was the one strong reason, aside from their eyes having striking similarities, why she was sticking to her speculations that they were both the same man.

    "You see, you will be my right-hand man starting today. So brace yourself for having hectic days from now onwards," she stated. "You''ll be with me even when we go on our operations against mutants."

    "You trust me too much. Don''t regret it later if, in the end, I don''t turn out to be someone you should have trusted so easily," Tyrone replied with a serious face.

    "Thanks for the heads-up and warning, darling, but I know what I''m doing," Raine commented with a wink. "You¡­ openly saying these things makes me want to trust you more. Ah, what you''re doing right now is reverse psychology, and I''m perfectly eating the bait!  But you are my bodyguard, so you have to ensure my safety every time, even in my nightmares while I''m sleeping."

    "Why do you always take things so lightly¡­" Tyrone whispered.

    "Because if I take things too seriously, I might become a madwoman, darling," Tyrone didn''t respond so she added, "And if we do come to that place where you happen to end up as a disappointment to me, then I guess you''ll leave me no other choice but to give you the bloody-eyed hunter''s way of punishment."

    There was a moment of silence as Raine eyed Tyrone with suspicion. He was in deep thought, but only he knew what was going inside his head.

    "Now, just focus on finishing your coffee and go to Lyne''s table to coordinate with her for you to understand what you''ll need. And again, she''ll be discussing with you everything you need to know while working with me." Raine said, breaking the sudden change in the atmosphere.

    She watched Tyrone drink his coffee, not even bothering to remove the mint lollipop inside his mug that he put in a while ago.

    Raine smirked as she inwardly mused, ''I thought he hated sweets?''

    Tyrone probably noticed her and read her expression. He suddenly picked up the lollipop from the mug as he whispered, "You said I remind you of someone. Who?"

    "The boy who gave me a lollipop when I saved his life¡­" Raine whispered.

 Chapter 30 - Worst Nightmare

    Tyrone didn''t utter any more words as he quickly finished his coffee. He then stood up and started walking towards the pantry.

    Raine stared at him with lifted brows, "Where''s the lollipop?"

    Tyrone made a crunching sound from inside his mouth. Raine gave him a sweet smile, and Tyrone''s face turned red as he blushed without him knowing and realizing.

    "It would be a waste not to eat it since you had opened it already. I guess one lollipop won''t harm me. It''s better than facing you being annoying anyways. I''ll go out now," Tyrone murmured before quickly walking out the door.

    Meanwhile, Lyne heaved a long deep sigh as she waited for Tyrone, sitting behind her table outside the Vice-Chairman''s room. The Vice Chairman''s office occupied almost the entire area of the top floor of the building. Raine had requested the top floor to easily access the rooftop whenever there were emergencies regarding the hunt, and if they needed the aircraft for transportation.

    Lyne looked at the opposite table that was currently vacant. It was Levi''s area that Tyrone would now use forth. Raine wanted Tyrone to gain full access to their operations in the underworld except for the information about the Mirage Group.

    Lyne still had doubts about Tyrone Lopez, like Levi and Mia did. They were all vocal about it, but they had no choice but to follow their Boss'' orders.

    Their Boss, Raine, undeniably, showed a liking to Tyrone without bothering her surroundings.

    Lyne let out another long deep sigh. She was dying to know just what the history between their Boss and the Lollipop Boy was. She wanted to understand why their Boss wanted to take such risk over Tyrone. She grabbed her mobile phone to ask Mia about her research. Together with Levi and Mia, she decided to research more about it without their Boss knowing. They wanted to make sure that Raine wouldn''t be in danger by any means necessary.

    She was interrupted in her stupor when Tyrone walked out of Raine''s room. She immediately stood up and approached him.

    "Hi, I''m Lyne. I''m Miss Raine''s executive assistant," Lyne introduced herself. "You can ask me about the things that aren''t clear to you at any time."

    Tyrone accepted her hand for a handshake. After which, she grabbed a box containing the standard gadgets that Tyrone required on his body at all times as the newest member of their squad.

    "You''re from Umbra, so I guess you won''t need a detailed briefing. You''re already aware of our operations by now and will be participating with us from today onwards," Lyne briefed.

    "I''m sure that by now, you know what we''re eliminating. Boss is now calling them mutants." Tyrone accepted the box from Lyne, who added, "As I''ve said, you must wear and bring these gadgets with you at all times. That way, we can communicate and track each other easily. You will use the desk opposite of mine from now on."

    "Mutants. Do you guys eliminate them all, even the innocent ones?" Tyrone asked as he walked over to the opposite table. He put the box on the table and inspected all the gadgets inside.

    "Our squad was formed only to have one goal, and that is to eliminate all mutants co-existing with humans. They are dangerous and pose a threat to humanity''s existence," Lyne explained.

    "Like the Mirage Group," Tyrone commented.

    "What did you say? Mirage? Are you kidding me? Does that group even exist?" Lyne mumbled, followed by a loud laugh. If her Boss was watching the scene right now, she would probably be laughing at Lyne''s awkward acting. "Where did you even hear that myth?" Lyne scoffed.

    "My agency is investigating its existence. And I believe they will soon come to a good conclusion and prove its existence," Tyrone nonchalantly stated. "I, personally, honestly think that your squad is under the Mirage Group."

    "Oh wow. If it''s indeed true, then wouldn''t that be cool? I hate to disappoint you, but our squad is far cooler when compared to that so-called Mirage Group! And from now onwards, you too get the privilege to be a member of our squad." Lyne stated with a grin.

    "She trusts me so easily. Are you saying that I''ll now have access to all information on the infamous Moonlight Squad?" Tyrone whispered as he put on a watch that had the same style as the one Raine wore on her wrist. He felt a slight sting on his skin as if it had bonded with him. Tyrone noticed that it was not a simple watch as he checked its features. It could even monitor his vitals.

    "We trust our Boss, so I guess that leaves us with no choice but to trust you. But then again, I''m sure you''re already aware of what happens to those who double-cross her."

    "Yeah, she becomes their worst nightmare¡­" Tyrone answered. He was fully aware of how deadly Raine was. Knowing Raine was watching them from the cameras, he added, "You see, she had quite the reputation as a vicious and dangerous vixen¡­ A ticking time bomb that no one could diffuse. Everyone''s scared of her, the Bloody-Eye Hunter."

    Lyne didn''t know what came on to her that she blatantly asked, "Yeah. So are you scared of her?"

    Tyrone looked straight into the camera near him and said, "No."

    His answer rendered Lyne speechless. She was sure their Boss clearly heard and saw that from her monitor.

    ''Why is he so confident? Lyne mused. Tyrone was good with his stoic expressions. So much so that no one could actually fathom what could be going on inside his head. He was new here, and this was just his first day of working with them. Lyne was sure that eventually, they would discover the mysteries around Tyrone and his real intention towards their Boss.

    "What is it?" Tyrone asked as he noticed that Lyne was in deep thought while staring at him.

    "Ah, nothing¡­ Just that it''s very unusual for Boss to trust someone so easily like this. But anyway, carefully read the information I''ll send to you on the mobile phone and tablet inside the box. If you have any questions, don''t hesitate to ask me," Lyne commented.

    Tyrone nodded, then sat on his chair as he began reading the material that Lyne had sent him.

 Chapter 31 - Aire

    Raine sighed as she watched Tyrone from her monitor. She was gambling on him, and she could only hope that it was a decision she would not regret later.

    She pouted her lips and clicked her tongue as she scoffed, "How is he not afraid of me? He even answered this question blatantly in front of the camera. Did he really know that I would be spying on him like that? Ah... I''m probably going way too easy on him. Maybe I should show him how scary I can be sometime soon."

    Raine shook her head before deciding to check up on the others instead, especially Stella.  She made a video call to the hide-out. No one in their squad knew about Stella except Lyne, Levi and Mia. The only thing the other members knew was that Stella had died as well. Levi and Lyne had personally handled that situation on site.

    It was Levi who answered her call, "Boss, do you want me there now?"

    Levi greeted with a broad smile as soon as he saw Raine''s beautiful face on the screen. Her face never failed to make his heart thump hard as it had always done.

    Raine chuckled, "No. You will stay there until you and Mia have trained Stella perfectly in controlling her shapeshifting. How is she?"

    Levi scratched his head. With a pout, he mumbled, "Wait, Boss. I''ll connect you to her room."

    "Hello dear," Raine greeted Stella on the TV screen of the girl''s room.

    "Hello, Raine," Stella greeted back. Raine saw her holding a book in her hands, so she asked her, "What are you reading?"

    "It''s a book about werewolves. I''ve also done a good amount of research about this on the internet," Stella answered with a timid smile. Raine couldn''t help but admire her cuteness in her curly auburn-shaded hair. They both had the same color of hair.

    "It''s good that you are studying in your free time. I''m sure you will learn many things while researching, and you could use all those for your own benefit someday." Raine paused before continuing as she tried to look into Stella''s eyes, "So Stella, have you decided on the new name you want to use from now on?" she asked her with a smile.

    "Hmm, yes. It''s Aire¡­ I want to use the name Aire," Stella answered confidently.

    "Alright then. From now on, you are Aire Yue and you''re now my daughter. I''ll tell Mia to prepare your new identity, our cute little Miss Aire," Raine pronounced with a broad smile on her beautiful face. She didn''t know what came into her, but she suddenly wanted to legally adopt Aire as her daughter.

    "I have a mother now," Aire whispered.

    Raine knew that Aire''s mother died when she was just a young child of four years. She had lost both her mother and father in an accident. Her grandfather was her only parent while she grew up, but now he was also gone.

    The little girl couldn''t help her emotions as she began to shapeshift into a werewolf even without her knowing.

    Raine sighed as she watched Aire shapeshifting right at that moment on her screen.

    "Yes, my dear. I''m your mother from now on," Raine said with a reassuring smile, diving deep into Stella''s heart. "I will be your family now, together with uncle Levi, aunt Mia and Lyne."

    Aire''s face blossomed into a beautiful smile as her eyes lit up with excitement.

    "When will you come back here?" Aire asked Raine.

    "I''m sorry, Aire. I can''t give you a definite time for when we can see each other in person again, but I''ll video call you often and talk to you, as well as see the progress of your training. Aire, remember: you have to work hard on hiding your mutant form. Only that way can you go back to lead a normal life and mingle with humans as you used to before," Raine explained.

    "I want to find the monsters who are responsible for my grandfather''s death. Can you help me with it?" Aire suddenly opened up.

    "Of course. We will definitely help you with that. Let''s take things slow for now and do things one at a time, Aire," Raine reassured. "For now, focus on controlling your random shapeshifting and powers. Mia and Levi will help you with this. So be a good girl and listen to them obediently while I''m not around, alright?" she explained to Aire.

    The little girl replied with a simple nod of her head, "I will practice shifting into a cute wolf. That way, you''ll be able to bring me wherever you go, mommy," Aire bashfully said.

    If she was a wolf, then it would be way too easy to be with her new mommy. Unlike being the little girl, she could be handy instead of causing trouble if she was in her human form. Moreover, some people who already knew her might recognize her in her human form, which could be quite unsafe for both of them.

    "Hmm¡­ I will look forward to that then," Raine replied. "I have to go now, Aire. See you again soon."

    Aire waved her hand, "Bye, mommy Raine."

    "Bye, my little girl," Raine said with a wink and a flying kiss before she cut the call.

    The video call screen went back to Levi as Raine had a wide smile on her face. Being called a mommy by that little cutie felt good.

    "Boss, how about you use my surname for Aire instead? Aire Jang. That sounds better than Yue. Besides, you should use the father''s surname and I''m willing to be Aire''s father," Levi offered with a light flush on his face.

    "Do you want to die right now, Levi?"

    "Of course not, Boss!"

    "Then don''t spout nonsense anymore, or I will really kill you the moment I see you!"

    "Boss¡­" Levi whimpered, still in silent protest, making Raine chuckle.

    "Stay with the two girls, okay? No more complaining, Levi," Raine frowned, Levi ending up pursing his lips as he did not say a single word anymore.

    "Mia¡­ Are you there?" Raine called.

    "Yes, Boss, present! Always here at your service!" Mia''s face suddenly popped up on the screen as she joined the group video call. She had a broad smile on her face, hearing Levi''s unproductive whining.

    "Prepare''s Aire''s new identity and register her as my daughter this instant."

    "But Boss, King Marcus¡­" Mia breathed.

    Their Boss was asking for trouble, and she wondered if there was anything she could say to change her mind. But Mia didn''t need to speak her thoughts aloud as Raine could clearly read what she wanted to say based on her expressions alone.

    "I will handle my Father, so don''t worry. I''m the only one who can tell humans from mutants with just a look, so please make sure that you train Aire well so that father won''t be suspicious of her once he''s finally awake.. I will make up a good story about adopting her as my daughter, and discuss that later with you guys so that all of us would have the same story when we are grilled by him separately."

 Chapter 32 - Shiniest One

    Levi, as usual, could only sigh in frustration as soon as the video call ended. Raine never had him in her heart, yet that didn''t stop him from trying his luck!

    "I told you, being in a one-sided love is the worst feeling ever," Mia nonchalantly commented. She was sitting a little distant from Levi in the living area, watching her favorite drama series while waiting for the information she was still downloading on her laptop.

    "Don''t start with me. It''s still better to be in love than never experiencing it at all," Levi mumbled dejectedly. "It doesn''t matter if it''s reciprocated or not, as long as I can still stay with her."

    Everybody around them seemed to know his feelings towards their Boss except for the Boss herself, who never failed to treat him only as a younger brother. But technically, he was actually younger than her since he was only twenty-three years old while their Boss was twenty-eight!

    "Well, I''m just saying¡­ It''s not too late for you to look around and see that there are many more women you could easily hit on. And most of them would be ready to reciprocate your love," Mia added with a blank expression.

    Levi ignored her and stood up, "I''m going to cook lunch. Check on Aire and tell me if she wants something in particular to eat."

    "I''m sure she will crave meat," Mia responded.

    "Then I will prepare steak for her," Levi said as he got up from the couch to walk towards the kitchen.

    Mia turned off the television and stretched her arms, "Ah, I want to use the jacuzzi¡­"

    In every one of their Boss''s hide-outs, in all the places and countries, they had the same style and were always complete with every modern facility and amenities. So whoever stayed there would surely never get bored.

    The hideouts were always built underground, usually under different commercial establishments like twenty-four hour minimarts, pharmacies, and even scary places like cemeteries were not spared in making the hideouts for security reasons.

    She watched Levi walk inside the kitchen and silently sighed when Levi was no longer in sight.

    "How come he''s so clueless¡­" Mia mumbled with a twitch in her mouth. She let out another sigh before starting her work on her computer, hacking the government website and editing some files to register Aire Yue as Raine Yue''s adopted daughter.

    "Damn, the boss carrying a baby at the age of 18," Mia mumbled amusingly but felt that if she looked at the Boss and Aire together closely, there actually were similarities between them. Sometimes, they did look closely related. If they were told that they were mother and daughter, no one would question their blood connection merely by their looks, especially the natural auburn-colored hair that they both had.

    Yet, Levi was right. They might face the problem later once King Marcus woke up and found out about this. They would receive severe punishment for harboring a mutant.

    "Harboring a mutant? Why does that sound familiar¡­" Mia''s eyes widened as she recalled how she accidentally heard similar words from her parents.

    There was an incident in the past about the previous King harboring monsters. She wondered if she had heard right at that time though. Mia didn''t know why, but she was suddenly intrigued and started searching for more details about it.

    ****

    Meanwhile, a few hours passed by quickly as Raine was still busy finishing her work at the Yue group, ensuring she would not leave any important matters pending while she was away. She called out to employees she trusted one by one and handed over important things to them while she was away.

    Despite how busy she was, she could still check on Tyrone through the camera in their area every once in a while. She simply wanted to see what he was doing while he was not around her.

    So far, he was busy studying the extensive information Lyne provided her, while he asked the latter questions every so often to clarify things involving her and how he could serve her effectively and efficiently.

    "He''s acting as if he had planned to stay by my side for quite a long time. Funny!!" Raine whispered with an inspired smile.

    She finally turned off her monitor and buried herself back in the papers on her table. She was analyzing a new project suggested by the operations team when her intercom rang.

    "Boss, the Deputy Chairman is here and he wants to talk to you," Lyne informed from another line.

    "Let him in, Lyne¡­"

    Yun gave Tyrone a meaningful look, and the latter nodded before Yun entered Raine''s office.

    Lyne saw the subtle exchange and mused, ''The Boss is right.''

    Tyrone was indeed a spy planted by Yun. The two men obviously exchanged a signal with each other. She could only hope that things would go according to their Boss''s plan till the end.

    Tyrone''s eyes and hers met. Tyrone gave her a polite look with a half-smile, so Lyne smiled back. In fairness, the man was really handsome, such that even celebrities could not compare to him. He and the Boss definitely looked so good together. A match made in heaven, considering their physical appearance.

    Lyne shook her head to clear the sudden unnecessary thoughts and to focus on concentrating on her work. She knew there was nothing to worry about since their Boss was aware of his intentions. She knew what she was doing. But still, there was no harm in her, Levi, and Mia taking extra precautions on behalf of their Boss.

    Raine, on the other hand, greeted her uncle with her usual smile as soon as he entered her office.

    "What is it, uncle? Did you perhaps change your mind about your new bodyguard that you instantly thought of coming over to me?" she asked with a smirk as she stood up from her chair. Her uncle was sitting comfortably on the couch, so she walked towards him and sat down on the opposite couch to face him.

    Raine pressed the intercom on her side and called for Lyne, "Can you please prepare Uncle some coffee? His usual thing."

    Yun had a blank expression as he said, "It seems you are pretty fond of Tyrone, something that rarely happens. Isn''t it strange you selected him after all those profiles of the best bodyguards I''ve shown you? Marcus would do the same if he was here. After all, you''re his favorite and he would definitely put an army of bodyguards around you who would be willing to be your shield in times of danger."

    "Right. I selected him because this new bodyguard of yours is exceptionally handsome compared to the ones you showed me earlier. They look all boring. If I must have a shield, then I would rather get the shiniest one. Don''t you agree?"

    Yun scoffed as he shook his head. His face suddenly became serious.

    "But can I get Tyrone back whenever I want?" Yun asked. He wanted to know how Raine would react to this since he suspected her actions.. He feared that his plan would backfire on him if he wasn''t careful enough.

 Chapter 33 - Pyramid

    Raine lifted an eyebrow as she was thinking. She could clearly tell what was going inside the old man''s head. It was way too easy for her to play along with his games.

    She gave him her usual trademark poker smile as she casually said, "Sure. You can get him anytime you want him back, Uncle. That is¡­ if he ever wants to go back to you. You know me, I always keep whatever catches my eyes, and this Tyrone happened to catch my very picky eyes."

    She clicked her tongue and, with a pout, complained, "You''re such a bully, Uncle. Why bother to give him to me if you plan on taking him back this quick? Are you trying to play tug of war with me, huh?"

    Yun did not reply to her comments but just stared at Raine. He tried to read her expression like he always used to do, but his niece was very tough to read, as he had expected. She was very playful, and Yun knew how tricky Raine could get. It was really frustrating for him on his end.

    "By the way, I will leave this afternoon. I will finish the mission in country D so you won''t nag me about it every time you see me," Raine informed, changing the boring topic her uncle had started.

    "That''s good. Will you bring Tyrone with you? I honestly don''t know if you can trust him enough, but I believe he will have a lot of use there with you after reading his credentials. I think he is capable and good at handling situations like our operations," Yun encouraged.

    "Yeah, he''s my bodyguard now, so I intend to always keep him with me. He looks fun, so I''m definitely going to be giving you a gift showing my earnest gratitude if his presence doesn''t bore me."

    Yun shook his head as his lips curled in a faint smile. He had closely watched how Raine grew up under his brother Marcus''s supervision, and yet he still couldn''t get used to how she behaved like she was a child even up to now. He was aware of a lot of things, like Raine''s real identity and her history. Things that not even Raine knew about herself because Marcus had kept everything a secret from her, and Yun intended to spill the beans once his brother failed to wake up from his sleep.

    "You are aware of the current situation in country D, right?" Raine asked.

    "About the mess that the Earth Clan has been creating? Well, I just recently heard about it," Yun casually replied.

    There were three clans in the MIRAGE. They would be best described as the three sides of a pyramid for this secret underworld organization. The Earth Clan was on the top, while the Sun Clan and the Moon Clan symbolized the two sides at the bottom part, completing the pyramid diagram.

    Each Clan had outposts worldwide, and they had a law and order that each clan strictly followed because if they didn''t, they had to stand in the Mirage Court and be judged. The Earth Clan held the highest position as the head Clan of the Mirage based on votes from the Council every ten years.

    "The Earth Clan is bound to be doomed very soon because of the family feuds in their clan. The new ruler of the Earth Clan was bold enough to even run for the post of president this election," Yun commented with a smirk.

    "Ah, yeah, I heard about it, Chad Quan. He''s very young but very good at speeches and taking action," Raine commented. "That man hid at country D as a bodyguard of the country''s Field Marshal''s daughter for a long time using a different identity. I guess he''s now back for good to reorganize their clan and fix our hopeless country."

    Yun scoffed and mockingly said, "For all we know, he could be the one leading all the messes in this country, including the terrorism at country D. If he continues his work, the Council will soon request the Earth Clan to step down from their position as the main head of the Mirage Group."

    "And you believe that the Moon Clan will then rise above in that pyramidal position, right? Don''t you smell something fishy? Why would they deliberately show the cyclone marks that symbolize their clan in every mess they create? It''s like they''re telling the world that they are responsible for all of these messes and that they are criminals. That''s just a foolish move so I doubt that the Earth Clan was doing it," Raine postulated.

    She had heard that the Council would soon discuss this matter and that an investigation would be conducted to discover the truth further. Raine had been closely monitoring the issue because she wanted to know whether her father or uncle Yun had any involvement in these cases.

    Raine was perfectly aware of how far her father''s greed for power could extend. Uncle Yun was the same. Either he had acted on his own volition or followed instructions that were given to him way before her father fell into a coma.

    Yun''s face darkened at her comment, but he quickly changed his expressions as he commented, "Or they''re probably just showing their true colors. Be careful with your words, Raine, and don''t even think that our Clan has something to do with it or that we are framing the Earth Clan."

    "Relax, Uncle¡­ Why are you putting words in my mouth when I haven''t even mentioned that our Clan could be the one doing it? Why? Is it a frameup? Are we responsible for the frameup? Was this father''s instruction before he became comatose?"

    Yun''s facial muscles flinched as he growled, "No, we have nothing to do with it. So stop making stupid assumptions like that! It''s probably the rebel members inside the community of Earth Clan."

    Raine no longer pressed further, but she now knew exactly what was happening in her head. That was the reason she had to go back to country D.. Not to follow her father and uncle''s orders, but to fix everything and get things back in order while her father was still sleeping¡­ while she still had the time to make everything right.

 Chapter 34 - Right Guess

    Lyne interrupted the discussion with a mug of coffee that she handed to Yun.

    Yun looked at Lyne with a smile as he commented, "I''m honestly jealous that my niece has a lot of capable and talented people around her, like our Lyne here."

    "Then die of jealousy, Uncle, because only I can have people like Lyne," Raine nonchalantly commented, and Yun almost choked on the coffee he just drank. Raine chuckled as she handed her uncle the tissue box, "Geez, Uncle. What''s with you? Don''t tell me you''re still not used to how I talk to you even when I''ve always been like this.

    Yun only had a twitch on his face and put down the mug on the table. He stood up from his chair and with a frown, murmured, "I will get back to work now, and I hope you bring us good news soon. We must eliminate any hindrances in the way of my brother''s throne¡­"

    Raine winked at her uncle, followed by a wave of her hand, "See you soon!"

    Yun silently cursed as he walked out of Raine''s office. That pain in the ass never failed to annoy every single cell in his body whenever they were together!

    He only stopped walking when he reached Tyrone''s table.

    Tyrone got up from his chair and politely greeted him. Yun nodded, "Make sure you do your job well and keep our heiress safe." Raine was probably watching him through the camera.

    "Noted, Sir," Tyrone answered, followed by a slight bow. He sat as soon as Yun left the area.

    Soon, Lyne went out of the office and told him, "You will accompany Boss at country D so she''s giving you enough time to fix your stuff. Come back here to pick her up within two hours."

    Tyrone nodded and soon left to get his things sorted. He was inside his car when his mobile phone rang. It was Kiran.

    "How was it?" Kiran asked.

    "Complicated," Tyrone simply answered.

    "Geez, is that the only word you can give me?" Kiran complained from the other line.

    "It''s for your own good so don''t complain. It''s better you know less and don''t get too involved in my business, Kiran. Please just focus on the agency for now and let me have some space from you for a while. Anyway, I''m hanging up. I have to fly to country D with my new Boss," Tyrone said before he ended the call.

    Kiran could only curse while staring at his mobile phone screen. He hated it whenever Tyrone was doing things independently. And the worst part was that he couldn''t do anything about it.

    He heaved a sigh and scoffed, "Fine. I will just focus on knowing more about this MIRAGE!"

    Meanwhile, Tyrone didn''t take too long to prepare his things. It was not even an hour when he returned to the Yue Group Building and his area at the Vice-Chairman''s office.

    "That was quick," Lyne commented. Tyrone only smiled at her.

    "By the way, I would like to have more information about the Boss''s mission in country D. That way, I''ll be able to do my job well while I''m with her," Tyrone asked because he had no idea what they would be doing in country D.

    "I''m not allowed to discuss it with you. She told me to tell you to go straight to her and ask in case you asked me about it," Lyne answered with an awkward smile.

    "Alright, I''ll just ask her," Tyrone answered.

    A few minutes later, Raine called for Lyne inside her office.

    "Please call Levi and Mia," Raine said, so Lyne quickly did a video call in their group. It was safe for them to talk about all the confidential matters inside Raines''s office since her office was perfectly clear of any bugs, spying, or tapping devices.

    "Alright, so here''s the story I formulated for adopting Aire. Tell me if you think it''s convincing enough," Raine started.

    All eyes were on her, all of them keenly listening. When Raine finished, Mia raised her hand, "Boss, will we be hiding all things concerning the lollipop boy?"

    "Yeah, as much as possible. I want him out of the picture," Raine commented.

    "Didn''t we already erase the memory of the rest of the members about him?" Mia added. They had a magical powder made from the Glawackus creature''s white eyes that they would use to wipe someone''s memories entirely or just a particular scene that they wanted them not to remember.

    "Yes. Levi and I already handled that matter," Lyne reconfirmed.

    "Levi?" Raine called.

    "Boss, why are you protecting him? Don''t you trust us enough to tell us what''s really going on? What''s the connection between you two? Honestly, none of us still can''t understand why you''re gambling on such high stakes and taking so much risk for Tyrone except that you just very strongly believe that he and the lollipop boy are one person." Levi could no longer take it.

    Among them, only Levi could be more vocal on what he wanted to say to the Boss like that. Mia and Lyne had the same sentiments, but they didn''t have the confidence to be as vocal as Levi was.

    Raine heaved a long sigh, "I''m not going to be disclosing too much information because you know how I hate telling long stories. Being melodramatic and sentimental is not my forte."

    Half of it was true, while the other half was the fact that she didn''t want to bring up tragic memories. At a very young age, she witnessed a mass massacre that didn''t end up with not only mythical creatures dying but also with the deaths of humans who needed to die in order to bury the secret of what really happened that night in the territory of the former King Arthur Yue.

    Lyne, Levi and Mia grew up knowing the other side of the story; the story that her father created, making uncle Arthur a criminal who did not abide by the laws: harboring and protecting monsters that attacked humans.

    Mia finally found the courage to speak as she said, "When I was young, I remember my uncle talking about how there was a mass eradication during the former King''s reign¡­ Does that have something to do with this?"

    It was a pure wild guess from Mia. They all had heard about it, but there was very little information since no one actually dared to talk about it.

    "And why do you say so?" Raine asked. She wondered why Mia came up with it when no one knew the existence of their former King''s son. Her father had made sure that no one ever knew about it.

    Mia scratched her head and with an awkward grin, answered, "I don''t know, Boss. It just came to me a while ago¡­ Why? Did I make the right guess?

    Raine let out a loud sigh, "Yeah, you''re right..."

    Raine wondered if it would be okay to bring back those tragic memories and involved the three, who keenly stared at her and were obviously waiting to hear more information.

 Chapter 35 - Less Talk, Less Mistakes

    Lyne, Levi, and Mia were all dying to find out more, so they stared at Raine, waiting for her to start the story.

    "Why are you all looking at me like that? This isn''t the time for me to tell you what happened. For now, Levi and Mia should concentrate well on Aire." Raine then turned to Lyne, "As for you, Lyne, you will stay here to monitor the company while I''m away. Make sure Uncle Yun will not make us go bankrupt¡­"

    "Wait, Boss. Are you telling us that you will go to country D alone? Are you not going to bring at least one of us?" Levi asked, puzzled.

    "Precisely. I have a new bodyguard to look after me so you guys should focus on the most important matters at hand right now. Remember that you three are the only ones I trust, especially regarding such important matters. ¡­"

    "But babysitting a werewolf is not that important, Boss! It can wait!" Levi pursued.

    Raine raised her brows as she scoffed, "Are you saying that my daughter is not important, Levi? Should I remind you that Father might wake up anytime soon? If he finds out about Aire, then we''re all dead meat. So taking care and giving her the proper training is the top priority!"

    Levi opened his mouth to say more, but Raine glared at him so he ended up closing his mouth, taking a gulp that he almost choked on his own saliva.

    Raine soon ended the call after discussing a few more important matters to the three. She then looked at her wristwatch and whispered, "Ah, time flies so fast. I have to leave now

    . Lyne, please take good care of the situation here while I''m away."

    "Noted, Boss," Lyne answered with a reassuring smile.

    Raine stood up and left her office. Tyrone immediately followed her from behind, but Raine halted in her tracks and said with her brows lifted, "Why are you walking behind me? Will you be able to block my attackers from the front if you walk behind me?"

    Tyrone shook his head and walked past Raine, covering her front.

    "If you walk like that, then how can you be so sure that no one from behind will suddenly pull or attack me?" Raine snorted before pulling Tyrone''s shirt so they could walk side by side,  together, at the same pace. "You must walk with me like this in order to protect me properly," Raine lectured.

    Tyrone could barely hide the smile on his face because of how adorable Raine looked at that moment.

    ''Stop that and focus on your goal!'' Tyrone''s inner self contorted. He immediately returned to his stoic, blank expression.

    Raine had a naughty smile on her face as they walked together. She didn''t know what came to her that she even held Tyrone''s hand probably because she felt possessive whenever she noticed a woman''s eyes prying on Tyrone as they walked.

    "What are you doing?" Tyrone whispered. He tried to pull his hand off from her, but Raine only tightened her grip even more, securely clasping all her fingers with his.

    "Holding your hand? Isn''t it obvious?"

    "I know, but why are you holding it?" Tyrone mumbled, confused. He didn''t know how to react. A part of him was in protest, but the majority of him liked it.

    Raine rolled her eyes and replied, "Because I feel more secure this way?"

    Tyrone did not argue with her. Somehow, he got used to her boldness in the short time of being with her. He had to please her with everything if he wanted to gain her trust and complete what he needed to do.

    They reached the car with Raine still holding his hand. He was about to go to the backseat to open the door but Raine instructed, "I will sit in front, with you."

    Tyrone dropped his shoulders, followed by a loud exhale. Raine chuckled when she saw his reaction before she asked, "What are you waiting for?"

    As Tyrone opened the door, Raine didn''t let go of his hand, even though she entered and sat inside.

    "The seatbelt, please," Raine continued. Only then did she let his hand go.

    Tyrone still didn''t say a word when he bent down towards her to pull her seatbelt. Raine didn''t waste a moment''s time by staring closely into his face. She was trying to picture the boy she met when she last saw him that night, but it was only the eyes that she could clearly remember. Tyrone''s eyes¡­

    "Nathaniel," she whispered. And when she did, Tyrone halted. He turned his head to stare at Raine who didn''t bat an eye when she stared back at him.

    "Did you just call me by another man''s name?!" He furrowed his brows in disbelief.

    Raine smiled at him, "Did I? Probably because you two have the same eyes that I suddenly thought that he''s you."

    "I''m not him, so please address me properly¡­" Tyrone scolded.

    Raine lifted her eyebrows, but she didn''t bother to comment. She wondered if she was mistaken about it because she saw something in Tyrone''s eyes when she said Nathaniel''s name. Grief, pain, and sorrow¡­ Yet, it was merely a flash that quickly passed his eyes.

    "Why do you always frown whenever I''m near? It''s like I smell bad in that expression¡­ Or could it be disgust?" Raine couldn''t help but voice out. Tyrone always had the same frown whenever they were this close to each other. Always those lines on his forehead.

    Instead of answering her, Tyrone ignored her. Raine only heard the clicking sound of her seatbelt.

    "It''s done, Boss," Tyrone said as he quickly moved away from her. Raine watched him walk to the other side of the car and go inside to drive.

    "Or is that your way of controlling yourself before a beautiful woman?" Raine teased as Tyrone stepped on the gas to drive.

    "You''re so ahead of yourself¡­ B.O.S.S." Tyrone scoffed, which caused Raine to chuckle.

    "I am not¡­ I''m just stating a fact since I clearly smell good and beautiful for you to frown like that," Raine commented with a shameless grin. Tyrone remained silent so Raine continued, "I''ll take your silence as a yes then. Anyway, I''ll take a quick nap. So just wake me up when we arrive at the airport."

    "Noted, Boss," Tyrone answered, followed by a relieved sigh.. Less talk, less mistakes.

 Chapter 36 - Eliminate A Threat

    Tyrone stopped the car when they finally reached the private airport the Yue Group executives exclusively used to travel abroad. A scanner verified the vehicle and another individual scanner that identified Tyrone''s face that confirmed his authorization to enter the premises.

    "There''s too much security and high technology," Tyrone whispered. Then again, it should be expected since Yue Group was one of the top multinational conglomerate companies worldwide.

    He drove inside then stopped the car at the parking slot. He looked at Raine and whispered to himself, "Is she really asleep?"

    He decided not to wake her up as he got out of the car. The staff who would assist them towards the private plane greeted Tyrone. He nodded, then signaled them to get their luggage from inside the car.

    He then walked to the passenger seat''s door and carefully opened it. Raine looked tired, and she seemed to be in a really deep sleep. Somehow, Tyrone didn''t want to wake her up so she could rest more. He carefully removed her seatbelt and then decided to carry her in his arms.

    The staff, who witnessed that somewhat lovely and sweet scene, exchanged meaningful glances with each other. Miss Lyne already informed them about the new bodyguard of the Vice-Chairman, but now that they''re here, it seemed that the two had a deeper relationship than what it appeared to be. It was the first time that they saw their Vice-Chairman allowing another man to touch her. Their Vice-Chairman was very famous for being strict, scary, and dangerous. But somehow, she looked so meek when she was carried by her drop-dead gorgeous bodyguard.

    All the female staff only had one thing in their mind at the time, ''where could they find a bodyguard like him?''

    Meanwhile, Raine was already awake, but she liked how Tyrone was being bold as he took the initiative to carry her so she wouldn''t bother to open her eyes. Besides, she was exhausted from the previous fights she had in the underworld case. Not to mention, how she just racked her brain so she could finish all the paperwork in the office before leaving for Country D.

    Being carefully carried by Tyrone liked that felt so nice and good. But then, she noticed something unusual in Tyrone''s arms. He had a different warmth as compared to a human. She couldn''t explain it, but he was way warmer. It was like there was much more comfort in his arms.

    Tyrone stepped on the stairs, climbing up to enter the airplane. He was inwardly scolding himself for carrying Raine since it was not professional at all as her bodyguard. His actions were way too much when he could have simply just woken her up as she had instructed him to do before taking her nap.

    The flight attendant guided him to Raine''s private cabin. She put Raine''s traveling bag at the bedside table before she quickly went out. Tyrone gently placed Raine down on the bed. He was about to leave when her arms suddenly snaked around his neck.

    "Are you awake?" he whispered as he tried to remove her arms around his neck, but she firmly pulled him towards her. Raine moved, giving him enough space so he could comfortably lay next to her.

    "I''m still sleepy. Where do you think you''re going? Stay with me. I need a pillow. I like you better than any other pillow since you''re warm, like a furry wolf," she sluggishly murmured as she snuggled against Tyrone''s body, burying her face in his neck. "Are you a werewolf by any chance, Tyrone? I heard werewolves are warmer than humans, and yours is way warmer than a human''s." Raine asked directly.

    "You have the gift to tell if I''m human or not, so why are you asking me?" Tyrone murmured.

    "Unfortunately, my gift is not working on you. Like the lollipop boy¡­ I don''t know whether you''re a human or not," Raine replied.

    "What if I''m a werewolf? Then what? Are you going to kill me?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine opened her eyes. She raised her head to look at Tyrone''s face, trying to see through his eyes.

    "What do you think will I do?" Raine returned the question to him. None of them blinked at once as they ended up staring deeply into each other''s eyes.

    "You are born to eradicate monsters¡­ Werewolves are categorized as monsters in your squad, so I guess you will kill me," Tyrone replied.

    Raine smiled widely and said in jest, "I can kill you with another method though¡­"

    Tyrone knew that naughty and devilish smile of Raine''s. He was sure her next answer was going to be something born out of her mischief.

    Raine''s hand playfully crawled up from his stomach and onto his neck. It stopped right on his lips when she said, "Kill you with pleasure¡­ How about that?"

    Tyrone suddenly felt a lump on his throat that he had to cough to regain his composure as he quickly got up from the bed.

    Raine laughed hard. She was now fully awake so she sat up on the bed and watched Tyrone sit on the couch with a red face. How she loved looking at his blushing face. He was so adorable. That was why she loved to tease him.

    "Don''t you want to try the bloody-eyed hunter''s way of killing with pleasure?" Raine teased even further.

    Tyrone frowned, "Please stop talking nonsense. We have an hour''s worth of flight left, so I will leave you now to rest."

    "You need a briefing, so stay," Raine commented. She grabbed the iPad inside her bag, scrolled on it, then handed it to Tyrone.

    "Doctor Candice Yao?" Tyrone murmured with a creased forehead.

    "Yeah, that''s the identity I''m using at country D. I''m a pediatrician. The name is fake, but I''m a real medical doctor. Anyway, I will be working at the Yang Globals Hospital to complete a mission. You can do anything you want there. Just make sure that you won''t mess around."

    "Where will I stay?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine rolled her eyes, "We will stay in the same penthouse, of course. It is so that you can look after me all you want. But the hospital is off-limits to you and whenever I''m with colleagues. I can only be all yours once I''m off work."

    "What is your mission there, exactly?" Tyrone further inquired.

    "Didn''t my uncle tell you about it already? My mission at Yang Globals Hospital is to eliminate a threat¡­ Well, my uncle and father said that in his blood runs a possible monster blood."

    Tyrone swiped on the screen and suddenly burst, "Xander Yang? The Chairman and CEO of Yang Globals Hospital is a monster?"

 Chapter 37 - Sweet Torture

    "I know, right? He''s too handsome to be a monster. Ah, it would be a waste to kill someone with such a handsome face," Raine answered with a playful smile.

    "Are you really going to kill him?" Tyrone frowned.

    "What if he''s not a monster but just a good mutant? Won''t you spare him?" she questioned, still staring at the man''s photo on the screen of the iPad. "The mission is to eliminate him. I''m sure my uncle Yun wanted you to witness that happening and report the matter to him, so here''s what I''m planning to do. You see, nothing matters in Xander''s case¡­ His blood alone, whether he''s a mutant or not, is the reason why he needs to die," Raine said with a sigh. She moved on the bed and sat with her legs crossed together, facing Tyrone.

    "You look so surprised and concerned when you saw his photo. Do you somehow know this man?" she asked, keenly staring at him.

    There was a pregnant pause from Tyrone. He wasn''t able to even give her a reply as the pilot suddenly spoke and interrupted them from the speaker. He had informed them that the plane was about to take off, as well as their arrival time to country D.

    Raine quietly looked at Tyrone, still waiting for his answer.

    "No, I don''t know him at all. But I can''t help but somewhat pity him right now. The blood in his veins would be the reason why he needs to die¡­ That''s just tragic. I didn''t think that Mirage would be this cruel, even for someone who wasn''t even confirmed to be a mythical creature," Tyrone said with a blank expression.

    Raine sniggered, "Mirage?"

    "I''m working for the Umbra Security Agency¡­ The Bloody-Eyed Hunter and her squad were strongly believed to be a part of Mirage. And now, you have a mission to kill someone who''s not even confirmed to be a monster, and for what reason? I guess the Clans of Mirage are really into some deep shi*t if they''re clashing together like this."

    Raine smirked, "I''m curious, though¡­ Why would the USA bother to investigate the existence of myths?"

    "It''s because our agency doesn''t just accept human clients. We also accept requests from these so-called mutants. I''m sure you''re also aware that some people in our agency are not all human," Tyrone stated.

    "Hmm, how about we talk about the connection between your agency and the Convel Society instead? I heard that the new werewolf king of the Convel Society is the Chairman and CEO of your agency?" Raine probed carefully. Mia managed to gather a lot of information, but they still didn''t know the face behind this mystery man of theirs.

    Raine could never penetrate the Convel Society just yet. She still needed a signal from her father, who had asked her not to make any movements against the Convel Society without him by her side.

    "Funny¡­ My agency and your group may be investigating each other, but I''d hate to disappoint you, Boss. I can''t give you anything more than that because that''s the only information I have. Our Chairman and CEO doesn''t show himself to us at all. All of his conversations with his employees, including the executives and officers, are done through phone calls and video calls. With him not showing his face, of course," Tyrone replied with his usual poker face.

    "Ah, your Chairman and CEO is the shy type, I guess? Too bad, I was so curious to learn more about him too, Tyrone. If you happen to find out more, please tell me, and I will reward you handsomely. I''ll even give you the greatest desires you might have in your life," Raine offered, followed by a seductive wink.

    Tyrone shook his head, wondering if the woman before him could even act like someone normal for once. She was far too handy for her own good. "You sound like you want me to spy on my agency. Particularly on the Chairman," Tyrone sighed.

    "Bingo. Aren''t you spying on me for Uncle Yun already? So how about you do some more spying? This time, on the USA Chairman and CEO? I promise to make sure you stay alive even if you offend my uncle. Working for me is way more beneficial above all, after all¡­"

    Tyrone didn''t comment, but he sported a particular expression that bothered her.

    "What? You look like someone who wants to say something but is hesitating," Raine mumbled, just enough for him to hear.

    "It''s nothing. You should get some more rest. I''ll stay outside and check the menu for lunch," Tyrone changed the subject.

    Raine raised her eyebrows as she retorted, "I''m not hungry yet. Come here."

    Tyrone let out a long sigh, but he still ended up following Raine''s orders. He walked towards her, and the moment he was within her reach, Raine pulled him onto the bed.

    "Let''s both rest. I need my human pillow," she whispered as she snuggled against him.

    "This is not included in my work description," Tyrone complained in his husky tone as he shook his head.

    "Yes, it is. Pleasing your Boss is definitely written in your job description, so stop mumbling and be quiet. Let me have this," Raine murmured as she closed her eyes.

    She had a lot going inside her head, so many speculations that she was just dying to confirm. But then, she was only one person. She couldn''t just do all the things she wanted simultaneously. Maybe later¡­ once she finished her mission at country D, could she then focus on those inferences.

    Tyrone had been sighing nonstop that day. He was uncomfortable in their current position. Raine was a very attractive woman, and once again, he was not a saint. His control had its limits, so he shouldn''t allow these kinds of closeness and intimacy to develop between them. He didn''t know why Raine was too comfortable around him, but he couldn''t deny their connection.

    "Stop sighing and just relax. Just think of me as a pillow and focus on sleeping. It''s a long flight, and you know how sleep is very precious to someone like me," Raine grumbled.

    She could hear and feel Tyrone''s heart thumping methodically inside his chest. Her ear was pressed against his chest, and she was well aware of her effect on him. Even so, she had no intentions of stopping.

    "This isn''t right. You''re torturing me," Tyrone finally voiced out.

    Raine chuckled, "But isn''t this a sweet torture?"

    Tyrone closed his eyes as he tried to relax, inwardly chanting his calming mantra in his head. Soon enough, he heard Raine''s breathing become even.. ''How could she sleep so easily like this!?'' he quietly complained inside his head.

 Chapter 38 - Torn Pages

    Meanwhile, at the hide-out where Aire was being kept in custody, Mia joined Levi who was cooking their lunch in the kitchen. She was feeling frustrated since her search about the incident of the former King Arthur had been futile. She had only managed to find a few details about it, and what she did find wasn''t very helpful at all.

    "Ah¡­ This is killing me. She already confirmed that my guess was right, Levi... But even if I bash my head against the wall right now, I just can''t seem to figure out the connection between the lollipop boy and the Boss," Mia lamented.

    Levi sighed as he turned off the stove, "The food''s ready. I''ll set the table. I think we can let Aire go out of her room now. I already fixed the watch that would automatically stabilize her in case she lost control of her emotions again," Levi informed. After all, the hide-out was a secured area, so Aire wouldn''t be able to get out unless she had access to the biometric locks on the doors like him and Mia.

    "Alright. I''ll go and fetch Aire," Mia mumbled with a sigh. She grabbed the watch from Levi''s room and went inside Aire''s room.

    "Hello, cutie," Mia greeted.

    The girl gave her a bright smile the moment she saw her. Aire really was a genius of a little girl. In the short time that they''ve been together, she had already shown that she was able to learn things quickly. Last night, Mia monitored her, and she witnessed how Aire could already shapeshift into a cute little wolf without anyone even mentoring her. She was improving rapidly on her own¡­ Or, if Mia didn''t know better, she would''ve said that Aire already knew exactly what to do.

    "Is that for me?" Aire asked while looking at the watch Mia was holding.

    "Yes," Mia replied.

    Aire quickly raised her hand with an open palm so Mia could give the watch to her. She watched as the little girl put on the wristwatch by herself.

    "It stings¡­" Aire mumbled.

    "Yeah. It will monitor your body. You see, that will help stabilize you in case you go out of control," Mia explained.

    "Hmm, but I can already control myself now," Aire pouted.

    Mia chuckled, "Since you''re learning fast and behaving like a good girl, you''re allowed to come out of the room now. So why don''t you join us for lunch?"

    Aire''s face lit up with excitement as she grinned, "Really!?"

    Mia nodded. And as soon she did, Aire hugged her in happiness. After a few seconds of embrace, she pulled and let Mia hold her tiny hand as they walked outside her room.

    Reaching the dining room, Aire sat on the chair that Levi pulled out.

    "Wow," she said as soon as she saw the meat on the table.

    "Enjoy. Eat a lot, yeah?" Levi told her with a smile as he motioned Aire to start eating.

    Levi was staring closely at Aire when Mia elbowed him and whispered, "Do you see the  similarities?"

    "Yeah," Levi whispered back. Aire was like a miniature version of their Boss, except Aire''s hair was curly while their Boss''s was wavy.

    Aire stopped eating as she suddenly looked at the couple sitting in front of her. They were keenly watching her.

    "Aren''t you going to eat, Uncle and Aunty?" Aire asked with a smile.

    Mia and Levi smiled back before they started eating together with her.

    "Mommy Raine is away, and she said she didn''t know when she would be back. I''m trying to muster my wolf form right now, since I figured out that it''s better to stay with her in my wolf form. I want to tag along wherever she goes," Aire casually said as she continued eating her food.

    Mia and Levi exchanged meaningful glances.

    "Aire, it would be dangerous to tag along with the Boss. You see, she''s often involved in fights, so she might not even allow you to stay with her at all times," Mia explained.

    Aire didn''t respond as she listened. Instead, she chewed on her food, gulped it down, and continued with her conversation.

    "You guys are the infamous Moonlight Squad, right?"

    Mia and Levi almost choked on their own food.

    "How did you know?" Levi asked in disbelief.

    "I''ve stayed with my grandfather long enough to know about this much. He''s investigating the existence of some underworld groups. To be honest, I overheard a lot of things. And now I know a lot about those things," Aire casually confessed. She then added, "I even read all that was written on the torn pages from the Mirage Diaries."

    "What?" Levi and Mia burst into chorus.

    "I was able to put together the missing pieces. I always thought they were just stories from the torn pages of the diary I''ve read, but it turned out that it''s not. Mommy Raine''s red eyes proved it all," Aire spoke as if she was already a grown-up woman who had experienced a lot of encounters before.

    "Torn pages? Of the Mirage Diaries?" Levi asked. None of them were aware that the Mirage even had diaries.

    "The Boss should know about this," Mia whispered as she immediately stood up to call and report the matter to Raine.

    In the meantime, Levi stayed with Aire. In the awkward silence, he asked, "What else have you read from those torn pages?"

    "Hmm¡­ It''s more about King Arthur and the eradication of his family along with his followers. Both humans and mythical creatures," Aire replied before poking at the meat she just cut and ate. She then stared at Levi and questioned, "If I tell you everything I read in it, what can you do for me in return?"

    Levi gulped, wondering if he was even talking to an eight-year-old girl. Oh, right¡­ She was already turning nine this year, but that still wasn''t the case at all. She was still a child.

    "What do you have in mind, Aire?" Levi asked. He was dying out of curiosity.

    Aire had a cunning smile plastered all over her face that made Levi inwardly curse. For a second, he visualized a little Raine giving him an evil smirk. Even their expressions were practically the same!

    "Who are you really, Aire?" Levi unconsciously whispered.

    "I am Aire Yue, the daughter of Mommy Raine Yue. Who else should I be?" Aire replied rather cheekily.

    Levi''s shoulders dropped. Aire seemed to be back to acting her proper age.

    "So tell me, what do you want in return for you to confide to me the things that you have read in those torn pages of the diary? How can you even be sure that it''s from the Mirage Diaries?

 Chapter 39 - So Horny

    Back in her private plane, Raine slept soundly, only waking up because of the grumbling in her stomach. Slowly opening her eyes, her face twitched upon seeing that Tyrone wasn''t on the bed with her. She looked at her wristwatch, taking note that she had slept for about an hour. Getting up from her bed and taking a quick shower, she changed into a very comfortable loose dress before going out of the room.

    Looking around, she noticed Tyrone in the dining area.

    ''Was he cooking?''

    "Why are you doing that? Didn''t you sleep?" Raine asked as she sat at the table and watched him cook like it was the most natural thing in the world.

    ''Did she really think that I could sleep with her snuggling at me like that?'' Tyrone inwardly complained. "I''m cooking since I can''t sleep and I''m bored. Besides, you cooked for me before, so think of this as my way of repaying your good gesture." He tossed his pan. "I''m almost done and I''m sure you''re starving," he commented. After all, it was almost past the usual lunchtime.

    "Yeah, I''m starving, so make sure that it''s something delicious," Raine said with a smile as she waited for Tyrone to prepare the table and serve her the meal. "How come you can''t sleep beside me while I slept perfectly fine in your arms?" Raine asked.

    Tyrone cleared his throat, "Maybe I''m just not as tired and sleepy as you." He didn''t say anything more, electing to simply serve their lunch. "The flight attendant will just reheat some ready-made packages, and I hate eating those so I just cooked with what they have. I found something fresh in their refrigerator," Tyrone mumbled.

    Raine laughed, "Hey, we''re on my private plane and my staff is all capable of cooking good food. That''s why they have stock in the refrigerator. Admit it, you just wanted to impress me with your cooking skills," she teased.

    Tyrone didn''t comment. He was already busted anyway. He didn''t want to impress her, though. He simply wanted to cook for her personally.

    "That''s prawn tomato and chili pasta. I''ll go get the toasted bread," Tyrone said.

    Raine smiled and started digging in. He was a good cook. It was such a simple dish, and yet it tasted lovely.

    Tyrone returned soon after and joined her as they both ate in silence. After a while, Raine called for the stewardess to serve them white wine.

    "You should cook for me more often whenever you can," Raine commented in the middle of eating.

    Tyrone didn''t respond, and Raine wasn''t bothered by it at all. If he was another person, however, she would have probably taught the man a lesson already.

    "Can you tell me more about yourself?" Raine asked, looking straight into Tyrone''s eyes. She was so interested in him for some reason that she wanted to learn more about him. However, she still didn''t trust the data Mia found on Tyrone. She felt that there was more to it, so she wanted Tyrone to tell it to her personally.

    "I''m sure you''ve done your investigation about me. There''s nothing much to tell, to be honest," Tyrone replied.

    The stewardess arrived with the bottle of white wine, and Tyrone grabbed it so he could pour them a glass each.

    Raine grabbed the glass of wine Tyrone poured for her and gently swirled the glass as she said, "I honestly don''t believe what was written in the report."

    "And again, there''s nothing much to know," Tyrone insisted.

    Raine stopped pursuing the topic. At the same time, the pilot spoke through the speaker, informing them that they would reach their destination in approximately thirty minutes.

    "What to do in thirty minutes¡­" Raine mused before finishing off her glass of wine.

    "What''s your plan when the plane lands?" Tyrone asked.

    "We''ll go to our penthouse to rest. I still have to report and start working at the hospital tomorrow," Raine commented.

    "What about me?" Tyrone snorted.

    Raine chuckled, "What about you, darling?"

    "What should I do? I mean, my job is to be right next to you. And you said it yourself. I have to be with you twenty-four-seven," Tyrone answered.

    Raine had a pleased smile, "Now, we''re talking¡­ If you want, I''ll make you my secretary since I haven''t accepted any secretaries suggested by the hospital yet. Their HR is very strict, but I can pull a few strings and let you in easily," Raine commented with a seductive smile.

    Mia had already fixed it, after all. The Yang Globals Hospital used electronics manufactured by the Yue Groups, so it was laughably easy for them to hack the hospital systems. Tyrone was already registered in the system as her secretary.

    "Alright then," Tyrone nodded before drinking from his wine glass.

    "So you can report everything, well, to my uncle¡­" Raine added.

    "Why did you still hire me when you suspect me as your uncle''s spy?" Tyrone asked.

    "Suspect? I don''t suspect you, darling. I know precisely that Uncle is using you to spy on me," Raine said with a smirk.

    She stood up from her chair. Walking towards him, she then sat on his lap, straddling him without properly arranging her dress underneath.

    "Why are you always like this?" Tyrone complained with a frown. It wasn''t like he could just toss her to the ground! That would be too ungentlemanly! Her scent was just so endearing and addicting that he inwardly cursed under his breath.

    "And why are you always hard whenever I sit in your lap?" Raine questioned back.

    Tyrone gulped, his face turning deep red in embarrassment. Raine wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "I want to torture you because you''re a tough nut to crack. Maybe if I seduce you like this, then you''ll fall for me and confess to me everything that I want to know."

    Tyrone shook his head and mumbled, "You''re so unbelievable¡­"

    "And you''re so horny¡­" Raine whispered in his ear with a smirk. She was wearing a flair dress so she could perfectly feel his bulge between her thighs. She intentionally moved as if naively brushing herself against him.

    Tyrone gulped. It was too much for his control. He had to do something, or else¡­

    Before he could even move, Tyrone suddenly felt Raine''s soft and sweet lips moving against his pursed lips.

 Chapter 40 - Inner Beast

    Raine didn''t know what came over her. She had gone beyond her limits and was now kissing Tyrone. It was her first kiss too, so it was far too daring to initiate it when she was this inexperienced. Maybe, she kissed him because his lips were too inviting? Or perhaps it was because she wanted to know how his lips would feel against hers.

    Oh well. Who needed experience, right? All she needed was to follow her instinct.

    Tyrone frowned. Raine was pretty aggressive and bold, yet she seemed unsure of what she was doing and even of how she was brushing her lips against his. Even then, her inexperienced move just added more tension and desire to his body. She was right. He was already too hard against her just from her nearness alone.

    Tyrone didn''t know how to react. He kept his lips pursed, but it didn''t take long for him to open them up. He wanted to taste more of her lips, and he wanted to show Raine the proper way of kissing.

    "This is the right way to kiss," he murmured on her lips with hoarseness in his voice.

    In one swift motion, he took the lead from her. He pressed his lips against hers using light brushes as he urged her into both closed and open-mouthed kisses. His one hand moved up to her back as it settled on Raine''s nape, caressing it gently before then holding onto it firmly. Seeing an opportunity, he then brushed his tongue lightly against Raine''s lips.

    Raine got his signal as she then replied by extending her tongue to touch his. He slid his tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss, swirling his tongue against hers as they both moaned into each other''s mouths.

    Tyrone inwardly cursed as he suddenly regretted what he did. Right now, he was sure that he might not be able to stop himself after getting a taste of her luscious lips and mouth. Being a fast learner, Raine kissed him back with the same intensity as she unconsciously brushed herself against him. It felt so good, and she was steadily getting far too aroused already.

    Tyrone growled at Raine''s not-so-subtle movements. He was getting way too consumed with desire, and he was starting to get afraid that if he wouldn''t stop, something he didn''t want to happen might actually happen. However, it felt so damn good that he didn''t want to stop devouring her mouth, nor stop her from brushing herself against his groin.

    Raine had never felt something so extraordinary just through kissing. It was the first time she experienced kissing a man and being consumed by it. She had no inhibitions at all as she brushed herself even more against Tyrone, who was now busy caressing one of her breasts. Something was building up in her body as Tyrone''s kisses went down her neck, suckling and licking at places that she never even thought could feel good.

    Tyrone enjoyed licking and sucking at Raine''s soft neck as he slowly went down between her shoulder and neck. However, he suddenly stopped and pushed her off of his lap. She ended up standing, leaning on the edge of the table as she watched dumbfounded while Tyrone rushed inside the restroom.

    "What''s with him? Don''t tell me he''s going to relieve himself on his own¡­" Raine murmured with a frown. Their kissing was getting so intense that she was almost on the verge of her own orgasm.

    Her face then suddenly burned with embarrassment, realizing that she just had a perverted thought. She bit her lower lip and quickly went back inside her private room. She wondered why Tyrone suddenly rushed to the restroom, but then again, she could just ask him later.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone calmed himself inside the restroom, washing his face with water as he stared at the mirror, panting. He was way too careless. He inwardly scolded himself for his lack of control. It took him a while to cool down before he finally decided to go out of the restroom.

    Raine was probably too startled, and he was sure she would ask him what happened and why he rushed towards the restroom like that.

    Tyrone cursed under his breath as he shook his head. He was way too annoyed with himself at how he could not control his actions.

    Coming out, he frowned when Raine was not at the dining area.

    "Did she go back inside the room?" Tyrone whispered before he let out a loud sigh of relief.

    Looking around, he had decided to just sit on the plane chair and not follow Raine to her room, knowing full well that it would be trouble. Closing his eyes, he relaxed his body. He could still feel her warm lips lingering on his, and he cursed. Tyrone let out another sigh of relief as he finally managed to overcome the torment that Raine caused him.

    But then, Tyrone suddenly smelled Raine''s familiar scent. He opened his eyes and swallowed. Raine''s face was far too close to his. One wrong move from any one of them, and their lips would touch once again.

    "I thought you were sleeping," Raine whispered with a smile.

    "Yeah, I was planning too," Tyrone murmured as he quickly closed his eyes, hoping that Raine would behave and give him some space. If she only knew how much control he just exerted a while ago¡­ Keeping his inner beast tamed around her was already a massive ordeal!

    Raine raised her brows. Tyrone avoided her, but she didn''t budge away from her spot. A mischievous smile appeared on her lips as Tyrone suddenly spoke, "If you sit on my lap again, I swear¡­ I will quit and I won''t work for you anymore. I mean that."

    Raine''s jaw dropped. Her face fell as she ended up stomping her feet, retreating as she walked back inside her room.

    "How dare he threaten me?" Raine annoyingly murmured. It was the first time that she had cowered from teasing someone in her life, and she was not used to it at all.

    Tyrone sounded serious. She wondered if he really meant what he said. Would he actually do it if she sat on his lap again?

    "Ahhh¡­ There are many other ways to tease him besides sitting on his lap anyway," Raine murmured with an evil grin.. She wouldn''t let him have his way with her. She had to keep her dominance!

 Chapter 41 - Seal For Our Agreement

    Inside Raine''s underground hide-out at a 24/7 minimart¡­

    "Oh my God¡­ Are you sure that it''s written there correctly that King Arthur had a son from his second wife that turned out to be a werewolf and not human? And the name of the boy was Nathaniel Yue? A boy that is still missing even now?"

    Levi had burst out in disbelief. He doubted that any of the current generations of the Moon Clan was even aware of such information, maybe except for the people involved in the eradication like King Marcus, his brother Prince Yun, and their Boss, Raine.

    He could never imagine what scene a young Raine had witnessed that day. But above all, he still couldn''t believe that there was a chosen historian along with a guardian that had the gift to see and witness all of the important and crucial events that had happened to the Mirage.

    Those Mirage Diaries were like the Mirage Books of Truth! No wonder there were torn pages and irregular attacks these past few months. Those monsters who attacked the Secretary of Defense''s vacation house were probably also looking for the torn pages from the diaries aside from the Voyager''s Watch.

    "Damn! How did I miss this much information!?" Levi unconsciously voiced out.

    "It''s not your fault. Only the royals of each clan are even allowed to know these things so mommy Raine is surely aware of the Mirage Diaries¡­" Aire nonchalantly replied.

    "Right. But then¡­ according to our files, King Arthur doesn''t have a son. He only had two daughters; the twins that ran away from the Clan when they were young. They were soon reported as dead in the same year..."

    As he trailed off, Levi quickly covered his mouth and hit his lips as soon as he realized that he had just given out private information about their Clan. It also meant that he also just confirmed the existence of Mirage!

    "Well, the details in the torn pages I read were quite different. It said there that King Arthur let the twins go because he didn''t want his daughters to become full-bred killing machines for the Clan. You see, the Moon Clan loved to train children as soon as they can move¡­" Aire corrected.

    "Oh my God! What are you? Are you sure you''re eight?!" Levi exclaimed in disbelief.

    Aire smiled at him and snorted, "Haven''t you read enough of the details you gathered about me? I''m turning nine in a week. Besides, I''m a prodigy, so it''s pretty normal that I can think ahead of my age¡­"

    "Yeah, right. I bet that''s a lot of pressure, so how about you just enjoy your life as a kid, huh?" Levi said with a grin.

    "Don''t forget about our deal, Uncle, or I''ll report you to Mommy Raine and tell her that you struck a deal with me," Aire playfully threatened.

    "Oh my Lord! I can''t believe that you''re threatening your uncle like this!" Levi complained.

    Aire clicked her tongue, "It''s not a threat, Uncle. It''s a warning."

    Levi''s eyes widened even more in disbelief. He honestly felt like he was debating with the little devil version of his Boss!

    "No more steak for you. We''ll have all the vegetables for dinner!" Levi scoffed.

    "That''s okay. Vegetables are good for our bodies. Besides, it''s good to try to become a vegan werewolf for a change," Aire casually deflected.

    "What is going on?" Mia interrupted as soon as she noticed Levi''s flaring nostrils when she entered the dining area.

    "Your food''s already cold. Wait a bit while I just reheat it¡­" Levi mumbled. He had no intentions of telling Mia what he just found out from Aire. He would rather let their Boss do the talking if she intended to say anything to them about the matter.

    Mia sat back on her chair, "I already sent the Boss a text message. Left a voice call message too to call us back as soon as they land."

    "Alright," Levi plainly answered.

    Mia then looked at Aire, "Cutie, could you tell me more about what you know?"

    Levi paused at what he was doing as he turned to look at Aire.

    Aire looked directly at Mia with an evil smirk and said, "If I tell you everything about the torn pages I read, then what can you do for me in return?"

    Levi''s jaw dropped. Mia looked in Levi''s direction, who immediately signaled her to stop. Mia frowned at him, turned her gaze back at Aire, and flashed a fairly neutral smile, "I''ll give you everything you want, cutie. Just tell Aunty everything you know."

    Levi''s face twitched as he wryly interrupted, "How about I tell you about the information instead, Mia? I can just be the one to give you information about it."

    Aire shrugged her shoulders and mumbled, "It''s up to you, Aunty, but I''m sure Uncle''s details are not as precise as mine. I mean, I could''ve left some parts unsaid to him since I only answered his questions, so there could be more parts of the story that he''s not aware of."

    Levi blinked in utter disbelief. Meanwhile, Mia chuckled playfully.

    "So naughty, but so cute," Mia commented as she patted Aire on the head.

    Aire smiled at her and said, "So Aunty, tell me, are you willing to do any of my requests in exchange for the information you want to know?"

    Mia looked at Levi, who quickly gave her a thumbs down in disapproval. She shook her head as she grinned before turning back her gaze to Aire.

    "Alright. Aunty will do anything you want so long as it won''t involve killing someone," Mia said with a smile.

    Aire chuckled, "Don''t worry, aunty. I won''t ask for something horrible like that. So, you have to promise me that when the right time comes, you''ll do whatever I want you to do, okay?"

    Mia smiled, "Sure, I promise."

    All of a sudden, Aire''s eyes glowed, the light hitting Mia in a way that made her rub her eyes as she asked, "What was that?"

    "Ah, it''s nothing, Aunty. It''s just a seal for our agreement," Aire said with a grin.

    Levi frowned, seeing as the same thing just happened to him a while ago.. He had seen some glow from her eyes that made him rub his eyes, and when he asked Aire about it, the little girl only said the same thing as what she said to Mia just now.

 Chapter 42 - The Convel Society

    Meanwhile, the plane that Raine and Tyrone boarded had finally landed at the airport in Country D. Tyrone couldn''t help but frown when he noticed how Raine was unusually quiet. She never dared to utter a word as they went out of the plane. She also started walking ahead of him when she just said that they should walk together.

    ''Is she mad?'' Tyrone mused. He was bothered by the sudden change on Raine''s disposition. It was as if she wasn''t even seeing him.

    Outside the airport, a car seemed to be waiting for them. A man bowed slightly at them as he politely greeted Raine. The man then opened the door at the backseat of the car for Raine, letting her board the car. Tyrone sighed as he took the other side of the passenger''s seat. Driving forward, there was deafening silence inside the car as they traveled towards their destination.

    Soon enough, their car entered a famous hotel in the capital city, stopping just by the entrance. Tyrone quickly went out to open Raine''s door, but the latter had already gotten out on her own and walked inside. Tyrone shook his head as he followed her at that instant, walking with the same pace beside her.

    Raine, on the other hand, was stopping herself from smiling. She was playing hard to get and giving Tyrone his own dose of medicine for threatening her like that.

    As they entered the private elevator towards her penthouse, the silence was still as deafening between them. The elevator door opened, and Raine walked past Tyrone without batting an eye and headed to the hallway. That was when she almost tripped. However, Tyrone quickly caught her before she completely fell.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone asked upon seeing that she seemed to be limping as she walked.

    "Just cramps," Raine plainly mumbled.

    Without a word, Tyrone swiftly carried her in his arms. Raine didn''t comment on it, simply wrapping her arms around his neck. She stared at him with a blank face.

    "I''m at the next door," Raine commented.

    Tyrone stopped in front of the door, and Raine pressed her thumb on the biometric lock for the door to open. Entering the room, Tyrone put her down on the couch.

    "I''ll just get an ice pack," he said as he then quickly looked for the kitchen.

    On the other hand, Raine picked up her mobile phone in her dress pocket to return Mia''s voice calls and messages. She had already read Mia''s messages back when she was inside the car but didn''t bother to call yet since she had other company.

    "Boss, you won''t believe what we just found out from Aire. She read the torn pages of the Mirage Diaries, and it looks like it''s the book of truth from what we''re hearing. What was written on them is way different from the files in our system right now.

    "Of course, they are. The files in the system will always be different since they''re fabricated. Do you now see why I often trust my instincts rather than reports?" Raine scoffed. "Anyway, I''ll just finish the mission here, and then we can all talk about it once I come back there. For now, just make sure that you and Levi train Aire well. Don''t ask her too many questions," she instructed before she ended the call.

    She snorted. She was already aware of the torn pages from the diary, but then her brows furrowed as she pondered on how those torn pages even ended up in the hands of Aire''s grandfather. It seemed like Aire knew a lot of things she had no business in knowing. Raine deeply sighed as she whispered, "So many things to do..."

    She closed her eyes and rested her head on the headrest of the couch. She was really exhausted, both physically and mentally.

    "Aire¡­" she whispered, wondering if she did the right thing in adopting her. She had just followed her instinct about the little girl, who she had believed to be harmless and innocent.

    "Who''s Aire?" Tyrone, who overheard what she just mumbled out, asked as he bent on his knees and put Raine''s legs on his lap so he could more easily press the ice packs on her cramps

    "Aire is my daughter," Raine said with a grin, keenly watching Tyrone''s expression.

    "I see," he plainly answered, without giving away any emotion.

    "You don''t look surprised," Raine commented.

    "It''s your personal life, Boss, so I think I''m not in any position to make any reactions at all," Tyrone professionally explained.

    Raine didn''t comment. Instead, she pulled her dress up further, revealing her translucent flawless white skin before Tyrone.

    The latter frowned. So in retaliation, Raine pulled it up some more and said, "There are also a few cramps on my thigh."

    She smirked at seeing the conflicted expression on Tyrone''s face. Grabbing the ice pack from his hand, she said, "I''ll do it if you can''t."

    Tyrone immediately stood up, "I''ll go put the luggage in the room then. Just tell me where my room would be."

    "Where else? Didn''t I make it clear? You stay where I stay," Raine snapped with lifted eyebrows.

    ******

    At the Convel Society Territory

    "Are you going to allow that man to lead?"

    Decan''s son, Regan, retorted. He still couldn''t accept how his father lost to a young man who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, claiming his right to rule the Convel Society.

    "I lost the fight, son. You know the rules. He is a true alpha, and he fought me fairly," Decan whispered.

    "Is it because he spared your life?" Regan asked.

    In every fight they had witnessed for anyone who wanted to rule their society, the winner would never spare his opponent''s life in order to obtain their opponent''s power. However, this Theodulf broke that norm by not killing his father. He had usurped the throne and spared his father''s life, saying that it would do him no good to kill a good warrior when he had already won the fight.

    "Let''s observe, for now, son. Let''s see how this Theodulf would rule our society. If we find any irregularities, then maybe we could think of a way on how to depose him," Decan commented.

    He had to admit that this Theodulf got his respect. He seemed to be someone who knew how to value life, saying that every life form had its meaning and importance. As such, no one deserved to die simply for someone''s benefit.

    Regan sighed. He was still frustrated with how the throne had been stolen from his father. However, he was far from capable of fighting that Theodulf yet.

    "Come here. You''re overthinking this, son. Are you not happy that your father is still here with you? Alive and well?" Decan asked with a grin while he patted Regan''s head. Regan was still young, way too young to understand everything.. He was only ten years old.

 Chapter 43 - My Slave

    The hours passed by so fast as Raine spent it inside a closed secret chamber inside her own room. She didn''t mind if Tyrone saw it, however. He wouldn''t be able to enter it anyway since the door would only accept her biometrics. Plus, she trusted Tyrone. She could feel his warmth. Not just physically, but she could tell that he was a warm person on the inside who wouldn''t try to betray her.

    Tyrone already knew her identity as the Bloody-Eyed Hunter, so he wasn''t surprised by her activities. Then again, he only had his speculations about Mirage. Hence, she was still careful not to mention anything involving the Mirage and its connection to Xander Yang.

    Xander Yang was a person she needed to eliminate with high precision, and she had to make sure that everything would make it all look like an accident. Why did Xander Yang have to die? As she said, it was all because of the blood he carried in his veins. Her Uncle Yun had already eliminated the others that shared the same blood as Xander Yang.

    But now, her uncle particularly tasked her to take care of the man himself.

    Hesitation¡­ It was a word her father hated. He would always remind her not to hesitate. She had trained well to kill without feeling any emotions, so what was the difference now? Did she really decide to take on a different path for this mission?

    "Boss?" Lyne called from another line, interrupting her from her stupor.

    "Yes, Lyne¡­" Raine dronely answered.

    "You''re right. Your uncle sent men there, and they started tailing Xander Yang," Lyne reported.

    Raine tilted her head, closed her eyes, and then breathed out loud with a sigh. "Ah¡­ Uncle Yun!" she then grunted with a clenched fist.

    She already expected it. However, she still hoped that somehow, she was wrong this time. Her uncle just couldn''t stop finding ways to put her in a tight spot, all so that he could use her to his own advantage. He had tasked her for this mission to frame her. It was like hitting two birds in one stone for her uncle. Xander''s death, and subsequently, her doomed position as the Princess and future leader of Moon Clan was in jeopardy should her father fail to wake up.

    Uncle Yun was too invested in preparing and securing the throne as the Moon Clan''s ruler. After careful deliberation, Raine opened her eyes and instructed, "Alright, send Dylan and five of our men here on standby. Let''s give Uncle Yun a great show that he won''t forget."

    "Boss, I''m available if you want. Please call me in instead," Lyne almost begged. She wanted to stay with Raine and make sure that she was safe from her uncle''s evil plans.

    "No, Lyne. I need you there. I''m sure my uncle will take this opportunity to embezzle a lot of money from the Yue Group while I am away, so you have to keep yourself alert on the proper channels, she ordered. "He strongly believes that Father will no longer wake up. That''s why he''s making these drastic moves. Monitor the community in our Clan as well. I''m sure he''s working his butt off to gain more followers."

    Raine then discussed a lot of things with Lyne before she ended the call. Looking at the monitor screens before her, she could monitor the CCTV footage in every part of the hospital. She watched intently, studying and memorizing every corner of it.

    Then suddenly, she was distracted as she saw Tyrone''s face at the camera in her kitchen. He addressed her through the screen, "Dinner''s ready. Come out and eat first before continuing your work later after you recharge."

    Raine smiled and whispered, "Why does he have to look so handsome¡­ It''s so hard to be mean to him."

    She had a pout as she closed the monitors and got up from her chair. She wasn''t planning on involving Tyrone in schemes. Things could get dangerous quickly, and she didn''t want him to get dragged in with her if things ended up messy.

    As she went out of the secret room that was pretty much an open secret to Tyrone, she checked herself in the mirror first before walking out of her room and going straight to the dining area.

    "What do we have for dinner tonight?" she asked as she comfortably sat on the chair. She watched Tyrone prepare the table as she added, "What a fine young man you are, huh? I wouldn''t mind living with someone like you¡­"

    "Even if I''m a mutant?" Tyrone interrupted. He was curious on what Raine would do if he wasn''t a human.

    Raine moved her lips before squinting her eyes at Tyrone and said, "Maybe it would be best to pretend that you''re just a human. You see, my father''s strict, so he might kill you if you turned out to be a mutant."

    "I''m not asking about your father''s thoughts, Raine, but your own," Tyrone retorted as he joined her on the table, sitting on the chair in front of her.

    "It would be a waste to kill such a handsome face, so I might just spare you given a few conditions," Raine said with a grin. However, at the back of her head, she knew that her father would instruct her to kill Tyrone if he ever found out that he was a mutant. Then came the question of what would she do if that happened¡­

    Tyrone smiled back at her. He was worried for nothing. He had thought that Raine would be still sulking by now after what happened inside the plane, but she seemed to be doing fine already. As he expected, she was very unpredictable. And yet, he was glad that she was in a good mood now compared to before.

    "What would the conditions be?" Tyrone asked but then inwardly regretted it as he realized what he was doing. Here he was again, digging his own grave when he should be focusing on his one goal.

    "I want you to be my human pillow for as long as I want. Furthermore, I want you to practically do whatever I want," Raine answered.

    "So, in other words, you want me to be your slave?"

    Raine shrugged her shoulders and murmured, "I''m sure many men are dying to be my slave. Wouldn''t this be fair in comparison?"

 Chapter 44 - Talking To The Moon

    At her words, Tyrone burst out in a fit of laughter.

    "What''s funny, huh?" she snorted with a frown.

    "Oh, nothing. It''s just that I admire your overconfidence. You see, I''ve heard a different description about the infamous Bloody-Eyed Hunter, and the same goes for the heiress of Yue Group. Most men aren''t dying to be your slave. Instead, they''re trying not to cross paths with you since you''re so scary."

    Raine twitched her mouth and grunted, "Is that so? And do I look that scary to you, darling?"

    Tyrone gulped, suddenly regretting his comment. Did he go too far? Raine''s nostrils flared out, but she didn''t say another word, which was far scarier as it made him wonder if Raine would torture him later.

    The aforementioned torture didn''t have to wait however as Tyrone felt Raine''s foot moving up his leg from under the table. He froze on the spot, unable to move or say a word. He then looked at Raine with a conflicted expression.

    Right now, Raine looked like a temptress with the way she stared and smirked at Tyrone as her one foot continued to go up to his leg. By the time she reached his knees, he gulped nervously before it suddenly moved inside his thighs.

    "Aren''t you going to eat? We have a long day ahead tomorrow, so eat and sleep early. Relax, will you?" Raine whispered as she finally had her fill. She immediately pulled her foot away from Tyrone''s thighs. With a mischievous grin, she said, "That should be enough for now. If you want more, then you already know how to ask for it."

    Tyrone didn''t say a word. He let out a sigh of relief before diverting his attention back to the food. Seeing him, Raine began eating as well with a triumphant smile on her face. However, it soon dissipated as soon as she recalled her conversation with Tyrone just a while ago.

    Tyrone didn''t ask much in regards about her father. Everyone knew that the Chairman of the Yue Group was sick and currently undergoing a long period of recovery. As such, Tyrone didn''t bother to ask if her father knew about her underworld activities.

    ''Did Uncle Yun happen to tell or confirm to Tyrone the existence of Mirage, and how the Yue Group was just a disguise of the Moon Clan community?''

    Raine shook her head. Surely that wouldn''t be the case. She doubted that her Uncle Yun would trust Tyrone that much to disclose information about Mirage and their clan, knowing that Tyrone was from Umbra.

    Through all of this, Raine was having her brain worked up because of it as she ate.  She looked at Tyrone, wondering if he was simply not interested in her family affairs. Maybe he was indeed Nathaniel, that Lollipop boy? It would explain why he already knew enough to not bother asking about it.

    Raine ate heartily. As she finished, she looked at Tyrone and said, "I''ll go ahead to check on some things."

    Tyrone only nodded.

    With a nod, Raine then directly went back to her room. She then cleaned herself up and changed into a comfortable nightgown that she loved to wear whenever she was sleeping. Before getting some well-deserved rest, however, she continued on some of her unfinished business in her secret room first, double-checking routes and accesses for what she intended to do later.

    It didn''t take too much of her time to finish everything. Still having a bit of time on her hands, Raine rested her head on the headrest as she stared at the ceiling.

    "What are you going to do now, Raine?" she gravely whispered to herself. She had to do the right thing, but there would always be consequences. She wondered if she was even ready to face such a thing.

    After some time, she decided to go out of her secret room. It was already past nine in the evening, and she frowned when she noticed that Tyrone wasn''t inside the room yet. Seeking to rectify this error, she went out to look for him. After all, he was her human pillow, and she really loved his warmth.

    Searching around, she walked to every part of the penthouse except the spare bedrooms, but she couldn''t find him.

    "Did he really just disobey me and sleep in another room?" Raine mumbled with a creased forehead. Checking her theory, she went into the spare rooms. Sure enough, she saw him sleeping in the bedroom on the opposite side of hers.

    "What the heck?" she snorted. But then she thought, ''He didn''t even bother to lock the door. Was he waiting for me to bug him like this?''

    "I shouldn''t disappoint him then," Raine sniggered as she then sneakily walked up towards the bed. Carefully climbing up on his bed, she tugged herself under the same quilt and then snuggled into Tyrone''s warm body.

    "Can you just please sleep in your room?" Tyrone whispered in his hoarse voice. He was honestly close to dozing off when he felt Raine''s body brush up against his.

    "How come you''re topless?" Rained ignored his protests. "Anyway, it feels much warmer. We should sleep more often with you topless like this."

    Tyrone sighed deeply.

    "I don''t know what''s with you giving ''the hard to get'' vibe when you like being near me, so stop mumbling this nonsense and let''s just sleep. It''s not like I''ll do something bad to you. I just want to cuddle since your warmth is so addicting," Raine candidly stated.

    Tyrone was speechless. He couldn''t explain himself at all since Raine was right. However, how would they even define this? It was clearly not just a bodyguard-client relationship.

    Tyrone bid farewell to his sleep as he tried to make himself comfortable. He was sure that while Raine was already snoring, he would still be chanting a mantra for himself to get that fleeting sleep chased away by her nearness.

    It was already midnight, and when Tyrone had made sure that Raine was finally in a deep sleep, he carefully got up from the bed and quietly went to the penthouse''s balcony. There, he typed some reports and sent them to Yun to keep up his end of their agreement. He also needed to gain Yun''s trust to keep Raine safe¡­

    Tyrone let out some air in his lungs before staring at the bright moon. The moon tonight was in a crescent shape.

    "How come you''re playing with me like this?" he asked as if he was talking to the moon directly.

 Chapter 45 - Youâ€™re Not A Human, Are You?

    The following day, Raine woke up early, noting that Tyrone had woken up earlier since the bed was empty. She wondered if Tyrone stayed with her all night or if he left as soon as he noticed she was too deep in her slumber.

    "That brute¡­" she mumbled, her face twitching as she got up from the bed that instant. She would like to think that he stayed with her all night since she had a good night''s sleep.

    Going out of Tyrone''s room, she walked directly to her bedroom to prepare for her work at Yang Globals Hospital. This time, she wore a dark green smart casual dress since she would be wearing a white medical coat on top of it for most of her time in the hospital.

    Approving her own style, she smiled as she entered the dining area. Sure enough, Tyrone had already prepared breakfast for them. Raine couldn''t help but have this blissful feeling at the thought of someone taking care of her like this. However, she immediately replaced those smiles with a casual look as soon as Tyrone gazed towards her direction. Looking at him, he had this beautiful and warm smile that somehow made her unconsciously blush.

    "Your face," Tyrone commented with a frown.

    "My face is beautiful as always," she retorted. "Anyway, why didn''t you wake me up?" Raine casually asked as she grabbed the mug of coffee Tyrone prepared for her. She then smiled upon seeing the lollipop stick in it, which she then used to stir her coffee up some more. "I thought lollipops weren''t good for my body?" Raine teased as she sipped on her coffee.

    "I''m just cheering you up for your first day at work. That way, you''ll be in a good mood when facing your young patients," Tyrone commented.

    Last night, he had already organized Raine''s schedule, including her in-patient rounds and appointments. It looked as if she would have a very hectic schedule in the hospital, so he wondered how she would even sneak out from it all to complete her intended mission.

    "That''s so thoughtful of you. Don''t worry. I''m always in a good mood whenever I see children around me," Raine smirked before she bit on the sandwich Tyrone prepared for her.

    After that, she and Tyrone had a few more casual conversations about Raine''s personal life and why she chose to study medicine.

    "So that''s the real profession you wanted? Not being a businesswoman?" Tyrone asked.

    "Yeah, I want to save lives¡­ especially young ones that deserve so much more than losing their chance to experience this life," Raine opened up. "I''ve already taken so many lives that I lost count of them all already," Raine added with a sullen look.

    "Hmm¡­ You only want to save humans, right?" Tyrone asked, almost a whisper.

    Raine smiled at him, "If possible, then I would love to save mutants too, especially the good ones. But then¡­" she trailed off.

    "Then what?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine shook her head. She believed that Tyrone was already aware of her identity as the Princess of Moon Clan, especially if he was indeed the Lollipop Boy. However, what if her hunch was wrong? What if Tyrone was actually a different person? She would compromise Mirage''s entire existence if she told him too much or if she confirmed her real identity to him.

    "So far, I haven''t met any good mutants except for rogues and bad ones, so eliminating them was very necessary," Raine explained.

    She keenly watched Tyrone''s expression, wondering if he would be careless enough to give her a hint of him knowing how she spared one mutant.

    The mutant that she even adopted as her daughter.

    "There are good mutants, and I''m sure that you''ll meet some of them. If that happens, then I hope that you can spare their lives, or maybe even save them," Tyrone shared his hopes to her. "After all, everyone who has a life deserves to live and experience what it''s like to live in peace, whether they are humans or not. At the end of the day, all they want is a peaceful life in this world like any other person."

    Raine''s eyes narrowed at Tyrone, "You''re not a human, are you?"

    Tyrone shook his head. He only gave Raine a cheeky smile as an answer.

    In response, Raine lifted her eyebrows and gave him a bratty look.

    "How about we go ahead now before you get late for work?" Tyrone purposefully said, intentionally diverting the topic away from the hot-button topic.

    Raine contorted her lips as she mumbled, "I guess you''re not human after all, seeing how you''re changing the topic like that."

    "Does it matter if I''m human or a mutant?" Tyrone asked.

    "Of course it does. There''s a hundred percent chance for you to live if you''re human, but I can''t guarantee that anymore if you''re a mutant. I''m a hunter, and I slay¡­"

    "And here I thought that I''m handsome enough for you to spare," Tyrone countered with a blank expression, interrupting her speech.

    "What''s that? Is that supposed to be a joke?" Raine snorted as she took one last sip from her cup, finishing off her coffee. "Whatever. I''ll just brush my teeth for a second. We''ll leave soon after," she said before getting up from her chair and walking back to her bedroom.

    Raine kept on sighing as she brushed her teeth. Tyrone was acting weird and unreadable again. She inwardly cursed, annoyed that she couldn''t see through Tyrone''s eyes. She had other ways that she could use to find out if Tyrone was a human or not, but using that drug would be dangerous for Tyrone if he ended up actually being a human, so she put off trying it out for now.

    Maybe she should check up on their scientist doctor, Doctor Janus, to update her on the studies and experiments that her father had tasked the man. He was trying to formulate a compound that they could safely use to test humans and determine whether or not they were real humans as opposed to being mutants that were really good at hiding. It had been a while since she last checked on his experiment. And the last time she checked, the drug was still a floundering failure.

    Janus had said that something was still missing since the compound was still dangerous to humans. However, he also confirmed that he was getting closer to success. It was such an important drug.. After all, her father asked for it as a way for her to take a break from using her powers to identify mutants in human form.

 Chapter 46 - What A Waste

    Once again, only silence reigned as they went inside the car and Tyrone drove through the road heading to Yang Globals Hospital.

    Soon enough, they arrived at their destination. Raine went out of the car first as soon as Tyrone parked it. He then watched Raine walk inside the entrance. After a minute, he finally got out of the car and followed her from behind, keeping just enough distance between him from her.

    Raine, also known as Candice Yao, was an excellent pediatrician who children loved and adored in this country. They had a typical morning where Raine looked after patients that had an appointment with her. And, as she expected, her handsome secretary began gaining too much attention from the female nurses and staff of the hospital, not including the mothers of some of her patients.

    "Doc, is your secretary still single? You see, I have a cousin who''s still single. I can arrange a blind date for them¡­" one of the mothers of her patients shamelessly asked.

    Raine had a poker smile on her face as she answered, "Ah, that won''t be a good idea, Madame. You see, my secretary prefers men to women."

    The woman''s eyes widened in disbelief as she burst, "For real?!"

    Raine nodded at her with a reassuring smile.

    "Goodness¡­ Such a waste for a handsome man. I mean, he would look good for my cousin for sure. She''s gorgeous. A good catch, I would say."

    "Ah, you''re not alone, Madame. Many of us here, even female staff, shared the same sentiments. But what can we do when my secretary prefers to have a relationship with men?" Raine shrugged. "Anyway, I''m sure your cousin will find someone who''s much better. Someone manly enough, both inside and out."

    Finishing the discussion, she then looked at the little girl on the chair and said, "Make sure you drink lots of water and avoid any junk food, alright? We have to make sure that your kidneys are very healthy while we wait for a donor to come."

    The little girl nodded with a bashful smile. With a flourish, Raine gave out her prescriptions and walked the two out of her door. She had a mischievous smile as she witnessed the mother''s peering eyes towards Tyrone, followed by shaking her head as at the wasted opportunity.

    For some reason, Tyrone felt that something was wrong because every mother going out of Raine''s clinic constantly gave him an awkward look.

    Well, he didn''t have to wait for long to have an answer as the last woman with a baby was the only one blunt enough to stop by his table and say her pitch, "I have a gorgeous friend who I think you''ll like. Here''s my calling card. Contact me  if you''re interested in meeting him."

    "Him?" Tyrone mumbled, wondering if he heard it wrong.

    "Yeah, Dr. Yao told us that you prefer men. My friend''s pretty cute and adorable, so I''m sure you two will click together," The woman said with a grin, even winking at him before she turned around and left with her baby.

    Tyrone was left speechless and dumbfounded. Was Raine telling everyone that he preferred men? No wonder all of them were giving him an awkward look that he couldn''t put his finger on! Then again, now that he had some idea, their eyes clearly had that pitiful ''what a waste'' feel to them.

    It was almost lunch when Raine decided to check on the in-patients in the ward, knowing full well that her target was in the area.

    As she went out of her office, she noticed that Tyrone had a dark expression on his face as he confronted her, "Did you tell them all that I prefer men?"

    Raine burst out in a fit of laughter, "Relax. It''s for your own good. It would be a good disguise so that no women would linger here and flock around you.  I think I''m handy enough for that job, don''t you agree?"

    There was no response, but Tyrone still had a grim expression.

    "Consider it as me being possessive of my man," she smirked, followed by giving him a wink before she continued, "Anyway, since you seem reluctant, I''ll just walk around and look for another handsome man."

    Tyrone''s face darkened even further as he watched Raine leave. As she disappeared into a corner, he clicked his tongue. Like a jealous kid, he whispered, "It''s obvious that I''m more manly than any other man here, so why bother to look for others?"

    Meanwhile, Raine''s lips curled up when she saw her target, Dr. Xander Yang, in the hallway. He was the Chairman and CEO of Yang Globals Hospital. The man has been amusing to her since the first day she had met him.

    Xander Yang was very approachable and bubbly. She had met him way before she started working at the hospital two weeks ago before Raine rushed back to country V to retrieve the list from Mr. Devon at Haven Club. The mission that she, unfortunately, failed because the lollipop boy snatched it from her.

    "Hello, Dr. Yang!" Raine cheerfully greeted with her usual bright and white smile. She then added some honey in her voice, "Have you had lunch already? If you haven''t, can I ask you to join me?"

    The man had a conflicted expression, and Raine easily bet that Xander was already suspicious of her since she often tried to chat him up whenever she could. She also bet that he also thought that she was flirting with him.

    Knowing this, she gave him a seductive smile, making Xander smile back at her as he casually answered, "Sorry, Dr. Yao, but I already have someone to eat lunch with."

    Raine knew that Xander was already married to another doctor in the hospital. The woman was Yera Han, an outstanding surgeon, and arguably the best if she had to say as such. Still, Raine loved the way Xander politely refused her. He was such a gentleman, and she was sure his parents, especially his mother, were very proud of how the man grew up even without a mother''s supervision.

    As Dr. Yao, she smiled back as she replied, "Alright, Dr. Yang¡­ Probably next time, then. Enjoy your lunch. I''ll see you around."

    Raine had a wicked smirk as she watched Xander''s retreating back after he walked past her.

    She giggled. She was having fun acting like someone who wanted to flirt and hit on him. It would be nicer to do it all of this in front of his stoic wife, but that would have to come for later. She would definitely take that opportunity and help this good man catch his aloof wife''s attention.. Ah, it would be so much fun to nuzzle her nose in between those two lovebirds and see the fruits of her great labor in the end.

 Chapter 47 - Are You A Sissy?

    Raine breathed out loudly as she watched Xander''s back. She then crossed her arms and mumbled, "So tell me, do you think I''ll be able to get his interest?"

    She had asked Tyrone, who was now currently beside her. She was aware that he was peeking at her and Xander from a distance.

    "He''s already married," Tyrone plainly answered.

    "Hmm, I guess I''m right that you knew of our Doctor CEO already¡­" Raine whispered with a raised eyebrow.

    "I did some digging on him since I wanted to find out why the man needs to die," Tyrone whispered out after making sure that they had enough distance from any eavesdroppers.

    "Well, good for you, but I''m not talking about Xander Yang. I''m talking about his best friend who witnessed me strip dancing back in Haven Club, Dr. Rui Dee. Ah, that man''s so hot and interesting. Men with eyeglasses look so cool in my eyes," Raine cooed with a cunning smile while looking at the man not far from them. She had to bet that the man was on his way to the CEOs office right now.

    Listening to her comments, Tyrone followed her gaze, only to frown as he whispered wryly, "I guess you have a lot of free time to get another man''s interest before completing your task here. I didn''t know you even had that luxury."

    Raine chuckled, "Don''t get jealous, darling. I''ll make sure to spend more time playing with you, okay?"

    With a final word, she then walked back to her clinic.

    "Aren''t we eating lunch?" Tyrone asked as he walked behind her.

    "We are. But let''s just eat inside the clinic. Order for delivery. I can''t afford to be seen often with you," Raine instructed with her answer.

    "Why worry when you have already spread rumors of me liking men?" Tyrone scorned.

    Raine giggled, "Oh yeah¡­ Still¡­ men like Doctor Dee surely wouldn''t easily believe such rumors. I want to play with him. He looks interesting."

    Tyrone didn''t know how to react. He was starting to get annoyed, but he tried his best not to show it.

    ''Why bother, Tyrone? You already know that you don''t have the luxury to pursue that feeling¡­'' he inwardly contorted. It was the truth, but deep inside of him, the urge to simply ignore everything except being with Raine as long as he could still reign.

    "Play with him? Why not just play with me all you want?" he mumbled out as soon as they were already inside Raine''s clinic.

    Raine suddenly stopped to turn and look at him. She had that certain devious smile on her face that Tyrone suddenly regretted that he even said what he just said.

    "Play with you? Are you sure about that? You won''t run again when things get steamy?" Raine provocatively asked as she walked closer.

    Tyrone took a few slow steps backward to retreat. Eventually, his back hit the wall, signifying a dead end. He gulped. With a frown, he murmured, "What I mean in play is¡­ Like¡­ Uhm, tease me or have fun by bullying me instead. That''s what you intend to do with those doctors, right?"

    Raine didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at Tyrone''s desperate reasoning at that moment. She leaned in closer and said, "What if I intend to do more to a particular doctor? Like Dr. Dee? What would you do, huh?"

    Tyrone frowned, "I''ll order lunch now. I''m starving. If you''ll excuse me."

    Raine simply watched as Tyrone escaped her clutches, quickly going out through the door without so much as a fuss.

    "What the heck?" Raine pouted before a satisfied smirk curved her beautiful lips.

    So Tyrone was playing hard to get? If so, Raine enjoyed his game. Although, she could still feel that he was hiding something from her. Even if he was faiing miserably to do so, she could still sense that he was intentionally trying to keep his distance away from her.

    Raine sat back on her chair and grabbed one of the lollipops on her table. She then opened her personal computer and checked the live feed of the CCTV footage.

    "Hmm, let''s see how Uncle intends to eliminate you, Doctor CEO. He''s a bit clumsy, so I''m sure he has a very tacky plan for you," Raine whispered to herself as she monitored each and every once of movement near Xander.

    "Ah, I''ll need a hidden camera installed inside your office too," Raine snorted. She had access to CCTV camera in every corner of the building except for Xander''s office. He had no camera''s inside his office, or if ever he had, he probably used a different system that Mia couldn''t hack.

    Raine sighed. She had no choice but to enter his office soon. She really didn''t want to sneak in, however. She would rather enter his office in an official capacity, either due to work-related matters or because he had called for her. That way, she wouldn''t be suspected of anything.

    "Ah, I''m hungry," Raine grumbled out. Feeling rather famished, she called Tyrone from her desk, "Come here. Let''s play for a while we wait for the food."

    Tyrone gulped. He had just hung up the phone as he contemplated on whether to go inside Raine''s clinic or not. In the end, he decided to go inside and face the music. Upon entering, Raine smiled at him and signaled him to sit on the couch.

    She then got up from her chair and walked to the door to lock it.

    "What are you doing?" Tyrone mumbled with a frown.

    Raine had an evil smile on her face as she whispered, "We''ll be playing for a while as we wait for lunch to arrive. You already said that I could play with you, right? So let''s play now."

    Tyrone stood up from his seat that instant. If Raine would sit on his lap, then it would mean trouble again¡­

    Raine shook her head as she stared at Tyrone in disbelief, "What''s with your reaction? Why even bother to offer when you can''t even handle it. Are you a sissy?"

    Tyrone''s face dimmed, and in one quick motion, he pinned Raine to the wall.

    "Say that again, and¡­"

    "And what, s.i.s.s.y?" Raine teased with a heavy and clear diction.

    Tyrone cursed. In that instant, he crushed his lips against Raine''s. He was not gentle, and Raine felt his teeth biting her lips as if he was punishing or scaring her.

    Even as their lips clashed, Raine smirked in her mind. ''Did he really think that I would cower?'' she mused. She couldn''t even believe how Tyrone fell for her teasing like that.

    Ah, she even liked his lips, even if he was roughly kissing her.. Going for the attack, Raine moved her arms and securely wrapped them around Tyrone''s neck, answering his rough kissing with the same intensity.

 Chapter 48 - Iâ€™m So Aroused

    By the time Tyrone realized what was happening, it was already too late for him to regret what he did. He started it, and now he was paying for it by losing it¡­ his sanity¡­

    He had thought that being rough on Raine would frighten her enough that she would finally stop teasing him. Instead¡­

    ''Damn!'' Tyrone inwardly cursed when he felt Raine''s tongue entangle against his. She learned far too quickly, and now she was kissing him like an expert devouring her pray. He knew had to stop, but her soft lips were so luscious that his insides were screaming out for more. She could taste the lingering flavor of lollipop inside her mouth, and it was mixing with her natural taste in a way that was so crazily delicious.

    He tried to pull out from the kiss again, but Raine''s strong arms didn''t let him go. Then the telephone rang, but still they continued kissing, almost eating each other''s mouths as their tongues left left no parts unattended.

    However, the ringing refused to stop, so Raine finally chose to be responsible and be the first to break away from the kiss.

    "I guess that''s our lunch," Raine murmured with a pout.

    Seeing the opportunity, Tyrone immediately moved towards the door and said, "I''ll go get it."

    Raine was deviously smiling as she watched Tyrone leave the room.

    "Ah¡­ I never thought that kissing would be that good," Raine whispered as she lightly touched her lips with her finger. She also felt something growing between her thighs. "No man has ever made me feel this way before. I''m so aroused! Hmm¡­ Then again, I''ve never kissed any man before," Raine mused to herself. This was new, a brand new frontier of feelings to explore. However, it would have to wait.

    Soon enough, Tyrone went back inside with their lunch hanging from both of his hands. Patiently, he watched him prepare the table, unpacking the lunch boxes and placing them on the table.

    "Let''s eat," he said as soon as he finished.

    Sitting beside him, Raine immediately started eating since she was already really starving. Likewise, Tyrone did the same.

    There was a moment of silence as they both had their fill. But sure enough, Raine was the first to break the silence as she asked, "Have you ever kissed a woman before?"

    Tyrone almost choked on his food, immediately going for his water to clear his throat.

    "It''s just a simple question answerable by a yes or a no. So what''s with the exaggerated reaction?" Raine snorted with a twitch on her mouth.

    "Yes," Tyrone answered.

    "How many women?" Raine asked further.

    "Seriously?" Tyrone burst, turning his head to Raine to look at her in disbelief.

    Raine lifted an eyebrow at him and continued, "Yeah, seriously. Did you feel horny too whenever you kissed them?"

    Tyrone''s face reddened. He was speechless. ''Them?'' She made it sound like he had already kissed a lot of women!

    "What''s with the blushing? I''m asking because you''re my first kiss and I feel aroused. As such, I''m wondering if I''d feel the same way if I kissed other men. Since you''re so reluctant to answer my questions, then I''ll probably just kiss other men and see if I''ll get the same result," Raine nonchalantly commented as if kissing random strangers off the streets was only a simple matter to discuss.

    "No!" Tyrone burst. Why would she want to kiss other men to find out? Definitely no!

    He was screaming inside, but he didn''t dare to voice his thoughts out loud. Instead, he just stared at Raine with a constant frown on his face.

    "No, what? You mean, no, as in not feeling horny with other women you kissed? Or is it a no, as in, no to me kissing other men?" Raine scoffed. She was enjoying seeing Tyrone''s conflicted expression far too much.

    "Both, okay!?" Tyrone confessed with snapped eyebrows. Why was this woman beside him constantly seemed to be so hell-bent on teasing him whenever she could?

    "Oh¡­ I see. You''re the possessive type, then. Very much like me. But I''m still curious though¡­ I want to see if it''s only you that could make me feel aroused or not," Raine murmured as she continued eating.

    Tyrone''s nostrils flared out at her musings, but he chose not to react because he just knew that Raine would just push him to his limits.

    Eventually, Raine stopped talking and, like Tyrone, continued eating her food in silence. Her mind had shifted gears and was now busy as she thought of the lollipop boy and the opportunity to kiss the man. Surely, she could tell by their kisses if they were truly just one person. But then, it would take some time for her to encounter the lollipop boy since she would be busy in her mission here first.

    After eating, Raine quickly brushed her teeth. Soon after, she prepped herself for another round of prescription writing. After all, she still had another line-up of patients coming.

    It was late afternoon when she finished checking them all.

    She was performing some light stretching when Tyrone entered the clinic and asked, "Are we going home now?"

    Raine smiled at him, "Hmm¡­ Not yet. I need some more time with Xander, so wait here in the meantime."

    Tyrone could only watch Raine grab a cup, mix some hot and cold water, put in some instant coffee powder, and then stir it with one finger. Sipping at her beverage, she even winked at him before she left the room.

    Raine had her smile all over her face as she walked towards the corridor. The said smile only became even brighter the moment her eyes darted at the man walking in her direction. He was holding his phone in his hand and was far too preoccupied with gushing over something on the phone that he had overlooked Raine, who intentionally bumped into him, spilling her cup of coffee on his dress shirt.

    "Oh! I''m so sorry¡­" she exclaimed as she tried to wipe the spilled coffee off his shirt with a handkerchief.

    Xander only smiled, "It''s okay, Dr. Yao. It''s my fault¡­ Geez, this is why it''s bad to check on your phone while walking."

    Raine''s pretty face fell as she insisted that she was to blame, "No, no, it''s really my fault. I forgot to wear my glasses¡­"

    Xander winked, "Okay, this isn''t a competition. If we can''t agree, then it''s both of our faults. Anyway, I''ll be going now. See you around."

    Raine smiled at him. But as soon as he was out of her sight, she took out her mobile phone and dialed Dylan''s number, who had just arrived last night with the others to work as her aide. She instructed to her phone, "I need a dress shirt in Xander''s size. Buy one from the store where he usually buys his clothes."

    From a distance, Tyrone saw what happened since he couldn''t help but follow Raine anyway.. He still couldn''t tell Raine''s true plan was yet, but she constantly trying to get closer to Xander Yang as much as she could.

 Chapter 49 - Our Deal

    Yue Mansion, Moon Clan Territory

    "She''s making her move. However, we still can''t tell what she''s planning yet, Boss. Knowing the Princess, she won''t delay this mission unless she has some doubts," Dalgon commented as he poured his Boss some whiskey into his glass.

    Yun blew cigarette smoke from his mouth before grabbing the glass of whiskey that his right-hand man, Dalgon, poured for him.

    "Observe her for now. We have to know if she has something up her sleeve. Tyrone just sent me a report that Raine is preparing to kill Xander Yang," Yun smirked. "He said that Raine doesn''t want to make any drastic moves. She wants to ensure that everything would look like an accident."

    Yun then continued, "Ready the men. If Raine can''t complete her job within this week, you make the first move as planned and kill Xander Yang. I can''t compromise with her slow tactics. Just make sure that our hands are clean in his death, and all evidence will point to Raine by the time the Mirage Council conducts an investigation."

    After which, he discussed a few more things with Dalgon before dismissing him.

    Completing his affairs, Yun then went to the library and pulled out a particular book from a particular shelf. At the movement, the shelf shifted away, allowing him to touch the wall behind it with his palm, letting him open the secret chamber. They had several secret doors in the mansion that they could access and enter, all leading directly towards the underground facility of the Moon Clan.

    Going inside the elevator, he entered the floor where his brother was being attended to. The elevator doors opened, the guards standing on the ground greeting him politely with a slight bow.

    "Prince Yun."

    Yun smiled as walked past them, going straight towards his brother''s chamber. Ah, Prince Yun¡­ How he couldn''t wait for them to address him as King Yun once his brother failed to wake up.

    He entered the scanning area. Once he was approved, he then proceeded inside the chamber where all of his brother''s medical doctors were there, monitoring his condition daily.

    Doctor Janus greeted him as soon as he saw him inside.

    "Prince Yun," the young doctor said with a slight bow.

    "Ah, our young doctor is working hard. No wonder my brother had his eyes on you and trusted you so much," Yun replied with a grin. "How is my brother?"

    "Still the same, Prince Yun. We''re not sure if he will ever wake up again," Janus lied with a sigh. He truly hoped that his acting skills were convincing enough.

    It was the Princess''s request that her father''s condition be kept a secret. She wanted everyone to believe that there was no hope anymore for her father, and he understood why.

    "Ah, my niece was very optimistic, Janus. She still believes that my brother will come back. You should make her understand that the situation right now is still far from good. Sooner and later, we need to remove his life support." Yun morosely stated with a sad expression as he looked at his brother''s body. The man was inside a capsule, countless tubes connecting to his body keeping him alive.

    He loved Marcus with all his heart, and he was deeply devastated when he fell into this situation. It was the reason why he was preparing his own war against the Convel Society in the first place. He turned away. He simply could not bear to see his body suffer anymore.

    ''I am far beyond ready now, brother. More than you think I am. I''ll take care of the clan, so you can rest in peace now. I''ll make sure that the Moon Clan will take the leadership in Mirage among other clans this time.'' Yun inwardly promised, as if he was still talking to his brother as he gave him passing glances in his peaceful sleep.

    Looking at it, the three Clans were equally as powerful as one another. However, the Earth Clan held the sovereignty of Law & Order among all the clans.

    "You and your team are all talented doctors. It would be a waste if you spend more time inside this chamber instead of utilizing all of your knowledge in a more profitable and beneficial manner for both our Moon Clan and yourselves," Yun calculatingly stated. "You''re all locked in here, trying your best to save my brother. However, I strongly believe that my brother''s body is far too tired already with all of your experiments just to revive him."

    As much as he tried to deny it, he was still deeply concerned for his brother. It had been years already since the accident, and he couldn''t bear to see those tubes in his body anymore. He firmly believed that Marcus needed to rest in peace already.

    "Prince Yun, I''m not sure if the Princess will listen to me, but I will try to explain the situation to her again. King Marcus''s current condition, that is," Janus answered.

    "Yeah¡­ Raine needs to learn to let go and move on like how I''m moving forward and accepting that fact that there''s no more hope for my brother," Yun added with a clenched jaw.

    Raine¡­ That woman was an abomination. She was a threat, blocking his way to the throne to the point that he had to make sure to put her in her proper place before she had the opportunity to snatch the crown from him once his brother died. He wasn''t stupid! He knew how the Council favored Raine over him to be the new ruler of the Moon Clan if Marcus wouldn''t make it.

    "Those idiots¡­" Yun unconsciously voiced out, clenching his right fist.

    "I''m sorry?" Janus asked.

    Suddenly realizing his action, Yun looked at Janus, then patted the young man''s shoulder as he nonchalantly brushed it off, "Ah, nothing¡­ I''ll be going on ahead. I''ll trust you with the matter of convincing my niece that we have to let her father go."

    Janus only nodded as he watched Yun leave the chamber. He let out a long deep sigh. He was in a very tight spot, but he will choose to follow Raine no matter what.

    ''Yeah, right then¡­ Why won''t you tell Raine what her father asked you to do?'' his inner self retorted.

    He and King Marcus had an agreement, so he had to keep his share of the bargain.. He looked at their King inside the capsule and whispered, "Remember our deal as soon as you open your eyes."

 Chapter 50 - Mirage Diaries

    ''Another evening of torture¡­''

    This thought occupied Tyrone''s head while he was having dinner with Raine. They were already in the penthouse eating the dinner that he cooked, simply because Raine preferred to eat his cooked meals than to eat out or order room service.

    Soon enough, Raine finished her dinner and casually said, "I''ll be in my room for a while to do some work. By the time I return, I expect you to be on my bed. Don''t make me crawl to wherever you try to hide again, because that''s so not hot."

    Tyrone watched Raine''s retreating back as she left the dining room.

    "Was that a threat?" he murmured.

    Despite her tone, the look on her face still screamed that she would punish him if he dared to not obey her. Then he realized that there was no use sleeping in another room, seeing as Raine had access to all the locks on every door in the penthouse. This wasn''t fair to him at all! She would get to have a good night''s sleep while he would end up getting sleep-deprived in the process!?

    On the other hand, Raine playfully hummed a tune to herself as she walked to her bedroom. She wondered what Tyrone would do later. Would he ignore her words and still stubbornly sleep in the other room? Or would he finally cave in and just come to her? She already knew that what she just told him kind of looked bitchy, but who cares anyway? So long as she got to sleep comfortably in his warm and strong arms, nothing else would matter.

    She was about to go inside her secret room when her phone rang. It was notice for a group call from Lyne so she immediately answered it.

    "Boss, you should see this¡­ It''s him, the lollipop boy," Lyne reported, together with Levi and Mia on the screen.

    Hearing the news, Raine quickly watched the video Lyne had shared on the screen inside her secret room. She gasped as she saw the man''s eyes in the black mask.

    "I confirmed his body figure, and it matches with the lollipop boy''s body profile, Boss," Mia interrupted.

    Hearing Mia''s words, Raine''s face darkened as she then watched the man leave a note at the cashier of the minimart. It was eerily near the underground hide-out where Levi and Mia were staying with Aire.

    "It said on the note that we should bring Aire to the theme park. He mentioned that the exchange would take place tomorrow at seven in the evening. And that in exchange for Aire, he will hand over the list that he stole from you," Mia relayed.

    "That only means that Tyrone and the lollipop boy are not the same men. Please, Boss, don''t trust that Tyrone too much. He''s not the boy you saved! He''s dangerous!" Levi urged in alarm. He knew that what he just said was completely off-point, but there were no other opportunities for him to say it to Raine. Their Boss needed to stop this false assumption that Tyrone was the Lollipop Boy for her own good. The sooner, the better. He firmly believed that the risks she was already taking were too much. It wasn''t worth it!

    "The boy the Boss saved?" Lyne questioned. She couldn''t follow the conversation at all. What boy? And what did he mean by saved? It seemed as if she had missed a piece of vital information that Levi knew.

    Mia sighed in frustration, then gave Levi a sharp glare, signaling him to shut his mouth. He was spilling out too much information.

    Raine retained a calm facade. But in her head, she had already started processing the situation. Mia and Levi probably knew a lot more about the past by now just from Aire reading the torn and missing pages of the Mirage Diaries.

    "I guess you two already squeezed out every single detail out of Aire despite how I asked you two not to ask her a thing about it," Raine commented with raised eyebrows.

    Levi and Mia both gulped.

    "Sorry, Boss," Levi first spoke.

    Mia followed, "Sorry, Boss."

    "If you two plan on not following instructions from me again, then you are free to leave. But know that you won''t leave without facing the consequences. Make sure this doesn''t happen again," Raine seriously instructed. "Now, tell me everything you two found out from Aire."

    At her words, Mia was the one who spoke first. Lyne keenly listened in. They were in a video call, and Lyne couldn''t hide her reactions to the information she was hearing.

    ''Damn!'' Raine inwardly cursed. She was sure that the Mirage Council would soon ask for a meeting because of those torn pages. Everyone, mutants and humans, wanted to prove the existence of the Mirage, and the Mirage Diaries were one significant piece of evidence of the Mirage''s existence. Only those of the royal blood of the Mirage Clans knew about the existence of the Mirage Diaries. However, it seemed as if others already knew about it. And now, her three musketeers were also aware of it too.

    Written within the Mirage Diaries were significant events that had happened in the past regarding the Mirage, all seen and witnessed by the chosen historian or guardian through his dreams. Said historian or guardian would often lose consciousness whenever important events were happening that he needed to witness and record. It was always unforeseen, an ability that had no control over.

    The torn missing pages Aire had read were mainly about the eradication of the former King Arthur''s family and his followers. It was no wonder then that Levi and Mia now knew what the connection was between her and the lollipop boy.  But the worst and most dangerous part of it all was that the three of them now knew how her father stole the throne from King Arthur. Her father, Marcus, didn''t even have the royal blood running through his veins. As such, he had no right nor ground to usurp the throne.

    Raine closed her eyes, taking a silent breath before opening them to look straight into the monitor, "If my father wakes up and finds out that you three already knew about that event¡­"

    She paused. She couldn''t continue on with her next words. Seeing this, Lyne chimed in, "Don''t worry, Boss. You can erase our memories of it as soon as you come back."

    Levi and Mia quickly agreed to it. They wanted to remain at their Boss''s side, so they were more than willing to lose their knowledge about the Mirage Diaries and its existence. They were also aware that their Boss cared for them, so they didn''t want to put her in such a tight spot as well.

    Raine let out an audible sigh, "I will do that as soon as I return then.. It''s for your own good and safety."

 Chapter 51 - Exordiums

    There was a moment of silence as each of them dwelled on their own thoughts.

    "Boss," Levi, having had enough, finally broke the silence.

    Their Boss had experienced far too much in her young age, and he couldn''t even imagine all the trauma it must have caused her. Yes, she looked strong on the outside, but Levi was sure such a front was simply a facede to hide just how much turmoil their Boss had inside her.

    "Yes, Levi?" Raine asked.

    "If I must say¡­ You are nothing like your father, King Marcus. You''re far from the man that he is," Levi spoke. He meant every single word.

    At his assurance, Mia and Lyne nodded in agreement as they whispered in chorus, "Yeah, Boss. Levi''s right."

    It was practically a given that their Boss was very different from her father. Yes, she could be bitchy in her own ways, but she was never a monster like her father had been. Their Boss had a good heart underneath her admittedly bitchy facade.

    Raine smiled and wryly mumbled, "He''s still my father, Levi. And you all know what he''s capable of doing and just how obedient I am to him."

    "Yes, but that doesn''t define who you are, Boss. So please¡­"

    Levi trailed off, no longer being able to control himself. He wanted so badly to tell their Boss to just let her father die, but that would be a cruel thing to say, knowing how much their Boss loved her father. Even so, their Boss could easily take over the Moon Clan if she wanted to. Who cares if she didn''t have the Yue Royal blood in her veins? She was more than capable and deserving enough of the position simply in virtue of being a good ruler.

    Raine loudly sighed, "That''s enough, Levi. Let''s keep our focus on this lollipop boy, seeing as that''s the important matter at hand. You said he wants to have Aire?"

    "What should we do now, Boss? Who will you choose? Aire or the booklist?" Levi asked, causing and Mia to elbow him on his side. This guy can never just keep his mouth shut. "What?" Levi whispered.

    Mia discreetly signaled him not to stop talking. At this point, it was better to let their Boss think. They would wait for her plans on what would be their next move.

    What would be her decision? The booklist, or Aire?

    ''Why would they even call it a booklist when it was not a list of books?'' Raine annoyingly mused as she wracked her brains for the best course of action regarding their current situation involving Aire and that damn booklist.

    She couldn''t just let that thing go. The booklist was not just an ordinary list, making it far too risky to ignore. It may look like a simple booklist on the outside, but there was more to it. A black witch sealed the booklist with a spell, making whoever possessed it unable to see its contents so easily. Well, except for her, since she was just built differently.

    With her mystical powers, once her eyes turned red, she could see the contents written on the booklist. If only Nathan hadn''t stolen it from her, she would have long read through it in her own free time. And by virtue of having read the damn thing, she would''ve already identified all the kinds of powerful mutants on the list and their human forms, along with the names they have been using to disguise themselves for the past few years.

    She sighed. Her father would often call those creatures ''exordiums,'' the first of their kind. Her father believed that if they eliminated these exordiums, all the mutants that shared even a drop of their blood would also die.

    Raine lightly shook her head at the information buzzing through her head. Things were getting more and more complicated as the puzzle remained to be jumbled inside her head. However, with great effort, she would eventually make sense of it all,  forcefully putting back the missing pieces of the puzzle if she had to.

    "Move to our other hide-out this instant, and take Aire with you. Make sure you won''t get tailed, Levi," Raine finally ordered out. "Leave that masked man a note at the minimart that he can go to hell if he wants. He can keep the booklist he stole from me. I bet it was of no use for them anyway since they can''t even see what''s written inside it even if they wanted to," she said with a smirk.

    "Noted, Boss," the three answered. They agreed with their Boss''s decision, already thinking that it would be for the best. They were sure that Aire was way more important than that booklist the lollipop boy was willing to trade for anyway.

    Raine gave the three a few more instructions before she eventually decided to end the video call and get out of her secret room. Seeing that Tyrone still wasn''t inside the room, she sighed. Having nothing better to do, she went inside the bathroom to clean herself up and get changed into her comfortable, loose nightwear gown.

    After all, was said and done, she walked straight to her bedroom and plopped herself onto the mattress.  Raine lay unmoving, staring at the ceiling as she let her mind work. There were a lot of missing pieces in the puzzle inside her head.

    First was the torn and missing pages from the Mirage Diaries. Who could be the culprit for such an act?

    She only knew of two people who knew about the diaries'' existence that would be bold and desperate enough to steal those pages; her father and Uncle Yun. They would be desperate to hide the truth about how unqualified they were for the throne since they were not real sons from the clan, not even sharing the same blood as a Yue. Or¡­ could it be him? Nathaniel Yue, who wanted to prove his right to lead the Yue Clan and the massacre her father did to his family and all his father''s followers?

    It was plausible. But then, how did those pages end up with Aire''s grandfather? It seemed that the Secretary of Defense was no ordinary man, having those torn pages from the Mirage Diaries in his possession, not to mention the Voyager''s Watch.

    Raine hummed. Aire was hiding something from them, but she didn''t want to push the little girl at this time.

    According to Levi, Aire told them that the werewolves that attacked her grandfather stole those torn pages from him. But they were rogue werewolves, and she was sure that those rogues were not from the Convel Society.

    So who could it be? Who was behind those rogue werewolves?

    She was in deep thought when Tyrone entered the room. Another sigh came out of Raine''s mouth, thinking of yet another missing puzzle involving Tyrone. Could she be wrong? What if Tyrone and Nathaniel were indeed two different people? Nathaniel was making his moves at country V, while Tyrone was with her this entire time at country D.

    She stared at Tyrone, who returned her gaze with confusion because of how intently she stared at him. "Come here," Raine instructed.

    Tyrone gulped but ended up walking towards Raine.

 Chapter 52 - Never Felt Secure

    Tyrone frowned as he walked towards Raine. The woman was too domineering, but then he already expected this much the moment he agreed to work with her.

    Remaining professional, he joined her on the bed, but he didn''t lay down. For now, he rested his back and head on the headrest like Raine beside him.

    "You look like you have some thinking to do," Tyrone commented. He had noticed how Raine was in deep thought when he came in, and he wondered if it had anything to do with him. She has been staring at him ever since he came into the bedroom. She didn''t even blink an eye.

    "Do you have a twin brother?"

    "I''m the only one in this world. Why?" Tyrone replied with a question of his own "Is it because of the man you mentioned before? You said that I reminded you of him. Who is he? Does he look like me?"

    Raine smiled, "You two have the same hair and eyes. I honestly don''t remember that boy''s face, but the hair and eyes¡­" She paused, trying to drum up a proper description as if the lollipop boy was standing right in front of her. He was looking into his eyes as she spoke, "I can remember them clearly. They blend well together, to the point that it made him look so unique."

    Raine continued, "I particularly like those clear bluish-grey eyes. It was the first time I stared into someone''s eyes without the fear of having to judge whether I needed to kill someone or not. You see, my eyes are like a decree. A decree on whether to let a person live or die." She confessed. "If these bloody eyes of mine saw a mutant in that boy''s eyes, then I can''t guarantee that I could have saved him that time. You two are the same, Tyrone. Surprisingly as it may seem, I can''t tell whether you are human or a mutant whenever I look into your eyes."

    A beat passed before Tyrone responded.

    "I don''t think any of that is important in judging one''s life. Humans or mutants, whatever their kind might be, deserve to live. Especially when they mean no harm to others around them," he whispered.

    Raine kept quiet for a moment, letting the words brew inside her head until she decided to speak what was on her mind.

    "Tell me your darkest secret," Raine whispered, though she already knew that she would most likely not be able to squeeze anything out of Tyrone.

    "I''ve lived alone my whole life¡­ I''m always running around in circles without even reaching a dead-end up to now," Tyrone answered with a clenched jaw.

    "You talk in riddles, darling. I guess you don''t trust me enough to tell me your darkest secrets. But anyway, I could be your dead end," Raine weakly whispered with a snigger.

    Tyrone chuckled, "You''re clearly tired if you''re speaking like that. Go to sleep. I''ll let you comfortably snuggle up to me this time."

    He had sensed how exhausted Raine was. She sounded pretty sad too. Seeing that nothing had been happening, Tyrone didn''t wait for her to snuggle up onto him. Instead, he took the initiative to instantly pul Raine into his arms with a hug. He knew that he was digging his own grave again, but his body seemed to have a mind of its own that even if he tried to pull away and keep his distance from her, especially his heart¡­ he only ended up doing the exact opposite.

    Raine smiled and whispered, "I feel safe and comfortable in your arms. I''m sure you won''t harm me no matter what."

    "Yeah, I won''t. I promise," Tyrone whispered as he gently stroked Raine''s hair.

    Could he really keep that promise, however? He simply didn''t know¡­

    *****

    After some hours of sleep, Raine woke up with a smile on her face. It was still dark out, so she didn''t bother getting up from the comfortable bed just yet. Tyrone felt really warm, so she snuggled into his arms some more. However, something felt wrong¡­ Fur? She could feel the sensation of fur on her skin.

    At the disturbing sense of wrongness, Raine opened her eyes, only for them to widen in horror when she saw a werewolf beside her with its red eyes glaring at her as if it was staring deep into her soul. She tried to move, but her body didn''t budge. Something was not right! Why couldn''t she move?

    "Did you really think that I''d be here beside you just because you and your uncle wanted me to do some jobs?"

    His voice¡­ It was Tyrone''s voice.

    "Tyrone?" Raine gasped. She couldn''t believe it. Tyrone was a werewolf?

    She heard his loud laugh as he scorned, "You and your father do not deserve to live. I will kill all of you in the Moon Clan. You''re also responsible for why I''m alone, cursed to be without a family and a home!" The werewolf howled, "I am the true ruler of the Moon Clan! The one who possesses the royal blood of Yue! Do you really think that I''ll let you and your horrendous father take over what is rightfully mine that easily? You''ve shed blood in stealing what is mine. And now, I will also shed blood in reclaiming what is mine!"

    Raine couldn''t even move as she felt his strong hand begin strangling her neck, choking her to death while his claws pierced her skin. Was this really her doom? Why wasn''t she fighting him, when she could easily take him?

    Instead, she could only stare into his eyes as hers welled up with tears. She was gasping for breath as she whispered, "I-I''m sorry¡­ I''m so sorry..."

    Raine knew that she was going to let it happen. It wasn''t because she couldn''t fight him even if she wanted, but because she had this guilt in her that had been haunting her for all these years. The guilt she had carried for such a long time that she wanted to be free of. That was probably why she couldn''t move even though she knew very well that she could have easily saved herself. She was willing to accept her fate¡­ her death in his hands¡­

    *****

    "Raine! Raine!"

    Raine jolted out from her sleep. She was bathed in sweat.

    "Are you alright? You were having a bad dream," Tyrone worriedly spoke as he handed her a glass of water. "Here, drink some water."

    "A bad dream¡­" Raine whispered.

    "Yes. I''ve been trying to wake you up, but you keep murmuring something like ''I''m sorry'' the whole time," Tyrone said.

    Raine looked at Tyrone, then at his skin. No furs¡­ He was perfectly human.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone asked when Raine suddenly touched his face.

    Raine couldn''t help the tears falling down her cheeks. For the first time since they met, she hoped that Tyrone was not Nathaniel.

    Tyrone pulled her in, not asking or saying anything. He just tightly hugged her and gently patted her back to comfort her, assuring her that everything would be fine.

    She had never felt secure in her entire life¡­ not until Tyrone showed up in her life.

 Chapter 53 - Recommendations For The Retreat

    It was another day at the resort, and Raine found herself subconsciously glancing at Tyrone every once in a while during their breakfast. That dream she had last night was still bothering her. She probably thought too much about Tyrone and Nathaniel the previous night that she even ended up dreaming about it as a result.

    At this point, she actually hoped that Nathaniel and Tyrone would end up being two different people.

    She really didn''t want Tyrone to be Nathaniel. Such a scenario could be her doom. Yes, she saved him before, but that didn''t change the fact that he might just take his revenge on her in virtue of being the daughter of his nemesis. Everything was all her fault, after all. Raine was solely responsible for King Arthur''s death, including the death of his family and followers.

    "You don''t like the food? You''re not eating much," Tyrone commented.

    Raine heaved a sigh, "You can stay here and have fun roaming around wherever you like. I want to be alone."

    Without even caring, she stood up and left the penthouse that instant. She had to do things quickly so that she could go back to country V faster.

    Whoever had the torn pages of the Mirage Diaries probably knew by now that Nathaniel, the son of Nisha, was alive. King Arthur took Nisha as her second wife after years of mourning for his first wife''s death. They all thought that Nisha was human at first, but her father soon discovered Nisha and what she really was because of her eyes.

    Raine was driving the car aimlessly on the road when she suddenly steered towards the side of the road. She helplessly rested her head on the steering wheel, tears running out of her eyes as the emotions were simply too much. Many had died because of her.

    It was so vivid in her mind. That scene flashed by in her head as if it was a film reel.

    King Arthur had married Nisha in secret. Even his father was surprised with how his brother Arthur kept the details from everyone until the day he decided to introduce Nisha as his wife to everyone after years of being secretly married. That was a month before the eradication happened.

    Nisha saw her reaching out for a cupcake on the top of the cake at the party, and the woman helped her reach it by carrying her up to the cake''s height.

    That was when she was able to stare into Nisha''s eyes and whisper, "You''re a werewolf."

    Even at her words, Nisha simply smiled at her as she put her down. She didn''t seem bothered that she just called her a werewolf, even giving her a sweet smile before affectionately patting her head. After which, King Arthur called for her. Raine watched Nisha hurry back to her husband. By then, her father had suddenly appeared on her side, so she casually said, "Father, why did uncle marry a werewolf? Aren''t we supposed to kill those creatures?"

    It was after she uttered those words that many innocents died after a month. A massacre, all because of those words that she unintentionally uttered to her father at a young age.

    Raine had understood the mistake she had committed as she eventually grew up and matured, but she could no longer turn back time and correct it. That was the reason why she was so interested in finding the Voyager''s Watch. It was not to give to her father but to use it so she could go back in time and correct her past mistakes.

    Until now, she wondered about a reality where King Arthur and everybody from their clan that followed him were saved from the tragic fate her father had caused with her careless words. Her father was someone who wouldn''t stop at anything just for him to secure his reign over the Moon Clan.  He was too hellbent on ruling the Mirage because of his greed for power. And even so, Raine had a feeling that there was more to it than just for her father''s greed for power¡­

    Raine paused her ruminations to clear her thoughts, recomposing herself back to a semblance of normalcy as she steered her car back on the road. After a few moments, she eventually arrived at the hospital in time and called Dylan.

    "I''ll be going straight to Dr. Yong''s office, so make that call in two minutes," Raine instructed as she took her place beside the unsuspecting doctor. They had faked an emergency so that she could replace Dr. Yong in seeing Xander in his office regarding a matter that concerned the hospital and his employees.

    With purpose in her steps, Raine walked directly to the Director''s office to discuss a patient''s case with Dr. Yong when his mobile phone rang.

    "It''s alright, Dr. Yong. Please answer it," Raine commented.

    The doctor smiled and answered the mobile phone. "What? Oh my God¡­ Alright, I will head there now," Dr. Yong whispered before quickly ending the call.

    "Is everything alright, Dr. Yong?" Raine worriedly asked.

    "Yes. Oh gosh¡­ Dear, can you take the lead and cover for me while I''m out? Also, I have to see Dr. Yang regarding the retreat," the Doctor whispered as he stood up.

    "Don''t worry, Dr. Yong. I''ll make sure to handle everything here on my end, so just focus on your emergency today. I got your back," Raine said with a smile as she grabbed the folder on Dr. Yong''s desk. "Is this it?"

    "Ah, you''re my savior!  Yes, that''s the folder¡­ I''ll make it up to you later," Dr. Yong said before rushing out the door.

    Seeing her victim run out, Raine smirked and wasted no time as she walked towards the CEO''s office. On top of their discussion, she also had a bug and a hidden camera with her that she would implant inside Xander''s office.

    Xander''s secretary greeted her upon her arrivale, and informed the CEO of her presence before letting Raine inside the office. Upon the CEO''s signal, the secretary let Raine in.

    "Good afternoon, Dr. Yang. I''m her to give you our recommendations for the retreat based on the survey we did." Raine said. She smiled as she sat on the couch as gestured by Xander.

    Xander nodded as he sat in front of her, checking the folder that she had brought for him.

    "By the way, you didn''t have to bring this yourself," said Xander.

    Raine smiled seductively, "It''s okay. Our Chief, Doctor Yong had to attend to an emergency so he let me handle this." The Department of Pediatrics was the one assigned to handle the team-building event for this year, after all.

    "This looks good to me," Xander commented just as he was about to stand up to get a pen to sign the paper so that the department could proceed with all of the arrangements.

    "Here¡­" Raine offered her pen to him, seeing his actions.

    Xander refused the offer, however. Instead, he stood up to get his own pen because he had an exclusive pen for signing all documents.

    Seeing an opportunity, Raine took a look around the office while Xander was signing the papers. She walked around and looked at each display. "This painting''s nice," she commented.

    "Haha¡­ Are you memorizing my office now?" Xander casually commented as he noticed how Dr. Yao seemed to be inspecting every corner of his office. Such actions made him a bit uncomfortable.

    Raine''s eyebrows flinched as she quickly formed a sweet smile on her face by the time she turned around to look at Xander.

    "Well, I am impressed by your office, Dr. Yang. It''s my first time inside here, so I''m simply bewildered by how it looks. Very modern and high-tech, I must say." Raine casually commented, followed up by a wink.

    "Thanks, Dr. Yao.. Here are the documents," Xander smiled as he handed her the documents.

 Chapter 54 - A Peculiar Bodyguard-Client Relationship

    "Thanks, Dr. Yang. I''ll take my leave now," Raine said her goodbyes before walking towards the door.

    As she walked out the door, she had a devious smile as she brought up her phone and whispered on the other line, "I placed it in the painting, so make sure you monitor his office. I want that man safe no matter what."

    After all was said and done, Raine headed back to her clinic. From then on, she was able to monitor Xander using the bug and the hidden camera she managed to put on the painting. Using her peculiar source of information, she became aware of the hospital''s situation, as well as the threats around Xander.

    "Terrorist attack?" Raine murmured while listening to Xander''s conversation with his best friend, Dr. Rui Dee, the man that she had once encountered at Haven Club. He was the one that fainted in his drunken state while he witnessed her snapping a mutant''s neck in half.

    Raine sighed. It seemed like her Uncle Yun was already itching to make his move. She could tell that this was all a part of his plan. He was trying to frame all those terrorist attacks on the Earth Clan members.

    "Boss, are you alright?" Lyne asked, noticing how her Boss kept on sighing more than usual from the other line. They were currently both online watching the conversation between Xander and his best friend.

    "I''m fine, Lyne. I''m sure my uncle will come here soon. I need to know his schedule beforehand," Raine instructed.

    "Don''t worry, Boss. I''ll look into it and get back to you asap."

    "Thanks, Lyne," Raine thanked before cutting off the call.

    Looking at the clock, she noted that it was about time for her to go back to the penthouse. She was about to leave when the door to her clinic swung open.

    "What are you doing here?" Raine questioned as soon as she saw Tyrone entering the clinic.

    "Picking you up, Boss," Tyrone answered with a roguish smile.

    Raine felt her heart leap at that smile. It was the first time he saw him smile like that, and he actually looked so adorable. Very different from the stoic expression he often had.

    "You should smile like that more often," Raine teased with a grin.

    "Ah, but I''m not used to smiling," Tyrone replied with an awkward expression. He wasn''t aware that he smiled at her.

    "I told you I want to be alone, so why bother to come here and pick me up so suddenly?" Raine rolled her eyes as she grabbed her bag.

    "Well, your uncle is asking me to report to him, and I needed something to report. I won''t be able to do that if I''m not around you 24/7 like what you''ve asked me," Tyrone commented.

    "Yeah, right. Stick with me then," Raine mumbled as she walked past him.

    Tyrone walked right beside her. Raine was honestly pleased with her current pace, but she didn''t show it. She liked seeing Tyrone getting clingy with her, and she just loved how Tyrone was vocal about how her uncle was asking him for reports while spying on her. It meant that Tyrone was on her side.

    And yet¡­ that dream she had was still clinging onto her mind. She unconsciously sighed at the thought of it.

    As they reached the parking lot, Tyrone opened the car door for her, even putting her seatbelt on as soon as she sat. She watched him closely, focused to the point that she didn''t realize how her face and expression had already softened.

    ''I hope you''re not Nathaniel,'' she thought.

    "You seemed extra thoughtful and attentive today," she commented as soon as Tyrone was inside the car.

    Tyrone didn''t tell her about it, but he was still worried about Raine ever since last night. He knew she had a nightmare, and whatever it was, it seemed to have greatly affected her since she was spacing out since this morning.

    It was obvious that she wasn''t acting like her previous self when she said that she wanted to be alone. As such, he took the initiative to follow her to work to make sure she was okay. It was there that he witnessed how she stopped her car at the side of the road, seemingly staying there for a long time as she placed her head on her steering wheel.

    Something was bothering her, and he didn''t know what. However, he felt uneasy enough about it that he wanted to do something for her.

    "How about we eat out this time? There''s a good place not too far to stop by. I''m sure you''ll like it," Tyrone suggested as he drove the car out of the hospital.

    Raine didn''t give him a reply, so Tyrone drove the car to the waterside restaurant with delightful scenery and view anyway. Raine had heard about the waterside restaurant, but it was her first time to try eating at the place.

    "Have you been here before?" Raine asked Tyrone as he parked the car.

    "Yeah," he answered. He then quickly went out of the car to open Raine''s door.

    Raine raised her eyebrows when she saw Tyrone''s hand offering to help her out of the car.

    ''What''s with him?'' she mused suspiciously as she held his hand and went out of the car. Seeing as she already had it, she took the opportunity to not bother letting his hand go since it felt warm and nice.

    "It seems that we have a peculiar bodyguard-client relationship," Raine mumbled with a blank expression. They were comfortably holding hands as if they were in a romantic relationship. They were not, but she wouldn''t deny how comfortable she was around Tyrone.

    She bit her lower lip as her mind wandered towards her nightmare again, where Tyrone and Nathaniel were one and the same. A man who simply wanted nothing but to kill her. She still didn''t know why that dream affected her so much when it was nothing but a dream.

    "Yeah," Tyrone agreed with a chuckle.

    He knew that he should keep to his boundaries, but he just couldn''t help seeing her in that state. It was so unlike her. Tyrone preferred Raine being playful. He''d rather have her constantly bugging and bullying him instead with her bold and candid words. Raine being quiet like this was just that worrisome for him.

    Entering the restaurant, Tyrone chose the table near the terrace so they could have a better view of the ocean. Moving herself to her seat, Raine only let his hand go when the man moved a chair for her. She sat by, watching Tyrone sit on the chair opposite her.

    "Are we on a date?" she asked with a smile.

    "I just want to cheer you up cause you seemed down after having that nightmare," Tyrone commented with a blush. He was glad to see her smiling like that.

    Raine gave him a sweet and seductive smile as she whispered, "Thank you. I truly appreciate this gesture, but I''m sure you can cheer me up later once we come back home. "

    Tyrone smiled back, not minding her playful expressions and words. What mattered to him at that moment was to see her back to her old self.

    "The food here''s pretty good. I hope you''ll like what I ordered in advance," Tyrone casually spoke. "Later, you can unwind some more and stroll around the area with me. They have really a nice ambiance here at night, and I''m sure you''ll enjoy it."

    "Alright, let''s do that then. Let''s be carefree with every opportunity that we have, darling," Raine said with a wink.

    She could really feel that Tyrone cared for her. However, she really didn''t want to hope for much since she didn''t have the luxury of having something serious with the current situation she was in right now.

    She sighed at the thought of how selfish she was for wanting to keep the man before her without the intention of having a serious relationship with him.

 Chapter 55 - To Pretend

    Right after their sumptuous meal, Raine ordered some cocktail drinks for the two of them. She also ordered two bottles of strong red wine to get drunk with. Well, she really just wanted to test how far her tolerance went for alcohol, as well as she wanted to be wild and free at that moment.

    Tyrone, meanwhile, simply kept his silence as he watched her do whatever she wanted.

    "Let''s go!" Raine shouted on top of her lungs as she held the two bottles of wine, hugging them both within her arms as she stood up and walked out the terrace towards the seashore.

    There were bright lights along the way, so she still could see the small waves passing through the shore. Removing her sandals, she walked barefoot through the water. Behind her, Tyrone picked up her sandals and quietly followed Raine.

    She felt a little dizzy as the alcohol began to wreak havoc in her system. Before she knew it,  she was sitting on the sand with Tyrone beside her. She was in a playful mood and wanted to tease him, so she handed him one bottle and said, "Cheers."

    Tyrone watched wordlessly as Raine drank the wine directly from the bottle.

    "Ah, this feels good. Just hearing those waves and feeling the ocean breeze? It would be nice if we waited for sunrise and watched it from here, don''t you think?" Raine practically slurred out as she continued drinking.

    "Was it so bad? That nightmare?" Tyrone asked.

    "Yeah. I dreamt of you killing me, so it''s really bad," Raine almost laughed.

    She didn''t even bother to mention Nathaniel and how Tyrone was a werewolf in that dream. She didn''t want to compare Tyrone with Nathaniel anymore. She just wanted to convince herself that they were two different people since Nathaniel had a reason to kill and hurt her, while Tyrone didn''t have any reason to do such things. Nathaniel had the possibility of becoming a werewolf since his mother was a werewolf. But Tyrone?

    Raine shook her head, trying hard to convince herself that Tyrone and Nathaniel were not the same.

    "Don''t worry about it. It''s just some silly dream, so you shouldn''t be bothered by it," Tyrone reassured with a bit of teasing. "You do know that you''re stronger than me, so it won''t be possible for me to kill you. It''s probably even the opposite, like you killing me¡­"

    Raine turned to him, "I know, right? That''s why it''s such a bad dream. How could an ordinary human like you kill me that easily?"

    Tyrone massaged his nape and mumbled, "You don''t know me that well though."

    "Well, I know that you''re a warm person, and that''s more than enough for me. Nothing else matters," Raine whispered.

    Raine drank straight from the bottle again, so Tyrone asked, "Is your alcohol tolerance even high enough for that?"

    "We''ll see. I''m honestly not a good drinker, but I''m curious to know if I''ll get drunk or not," she chuckled. "Or maybe I already am¡­"

    Tyrone silently watched as she drank like what was inside the bottle was just water. He would''ve stopped her, but he just let Raine do whatever she wanted since he was with her to keep her safe. He knew that Raine didn''t tell him everything about her nightmare. Based on her alcohol consumption, he was sure there was more to it than just him trying to kill her.

    Raine murmured after another swig before turning to him. "Do you get drunk easily?" she asked, staring at Tyrone.

    "I''m not really sure," Tyrone answered. "I haven''t had anything beyond two glasses of any kind of alcoholic drink."

    "Oh, I see. Tomorrow, we have a retreat in the hospital, and I cheated the grouping so that we''ll be at the first batch with Xander. You can tell my uncle that he doesn''t have to worry about it anymore. I''ll complete the mission during the retreat, so he should just stay put," Raine mumbled.

    Taking yet another swig, it was only when she stopped feeling the hot liquid running down her throat that she noticed that the bottle was already empty. In response, she grabbed the other one from Tyrone''s hand.

    "Huh, I feel dizzy," Raine mumbled out, resting her head on Tyrone''s shoulders.

    "You should stop. I think you''ve had enough," Tyrone whispered as he took the second bottle away from her. To his surprise, it was also almost empty.

    "Ah, I want your warmth. Let''s go home so you can cuddle with me," Raine slurred out.

    At her words, Tyrone moved, carrying Raine back to the car in one swift motion. She looked so meek when drunk, far too quiet, with her cheeks burning red in intoxication.

    The penthouse wasn''t far, so it only took them five minutes before they arrived. Carrying her all the way up the building, Tyrone was just about to enter the bedroom when she suddenly threw up in his arms.

    "Oh, my head is spinning. I can''t believe I''m feeling like this," Raine groaned out with her eyes closed.

    "Can you bathe on your own?" Tyrone asked as he ushered her into the bathroom.

    Raine didn''t answer. He or not it was out of her being drunk or being sick, he couldn''t tell. Still, she needed a shower to get rid of her the vomit sticking to her right now.

    Taking matters into his own hands, he prepared the bathtub with lukewarm water and put her down under the shower to help her sober up.

    "Ah!" Raine yelped in surprise as soon as she felt the water gushing through her body. She opened her eyes and glared at Tyrone.

    "You need to clean up," Tyrone muttered.

    Raine''s eyes brightened, "Ah, we''re here to play, right?"

    Tyrone frowned and stared at her in disbelief.

    "Let''s play in the water!" Raine burst out.

    In that instant, she grabbed the showerhead and pointed it to Tyrone''s face, laughing all the while as she drenched him with her delirious cackling.

    Tyrone shielded himself. He truly didn''t know whether she was acting out of drunkenness or if it was just her natural craziness.

    "Ah! What''s that smell?! It stinks!" Raine childishly complained as she quickly removed all of her clothes in front of Tyrone. She then walked to the bathtub and sunk her body in the water. With eyes closed, she sighed, "Ah, this is nice..."

    Meanwhile, Tyrone struggled inside the shower area, separated from a naked Raine only by a sliding door. He closed it and immediately took a quick breath, all while cursing as he looked down. He was already too hard with Raine''s naked body imprinting itself in his thoughts, torturing him with no limits.

    "This isn''t good," Tyrone whispered as he quickly finished his own shower and put on his robes.

    Walking out, he saw Raine at the bathtub with her eyes closed.

    "Are you awake?" Tyrone asked.

    "My head''s spinning around. I feel like I''m not awake at all," Raine moaned in discomfort. "Can you please brush my teeth for me? I can taste something awful inside my mouth. I feel so weak that I can barely move a finger."

    Yes, she was drunk, but she was still in her right mind.. However, she wanted to pretend she was too drunk so that she could take advantage of Tyrone. Was it an evil thing to do?

 Chapter 56 - Massive Slap In The Face

    Tyrone let out a long sigh as he grabbed her toothbrush, put in a dab of toothpaste on it, then got a glass of water for Raine. Looking at her lounging in her bathtub, he was grateful for the bubbles that covered Raine''s naked body, or else he wouldn''t know how he would have helped her in brushing her teeth without feeling awkward.

    "Ah, as expected my bodyguard is very reliable," Raine weakly teased out, pulling out the plug to let the water around her drain out. "I want to wash up, but I feel like my body will give out as soon as I stand up..."

    "I think you''re sober enough," Tyrone called her out.

    Raine didn''t bother to reply. To Tyrone''s growing horror, she just closed her eyes as if she lost consciousness.

    "Boss?"

    He called her several times, but she refused to budge. He shook her, called her name multiple times. Still nothing. He was left with no other choice but to finish cleaning her up.

    He couldn''t believe that he would be do something like this in his lifetime. It was like taking care of an invalid.

    The act of cleaning for Raine was such a struggle for him that he was sweating while washing the off bubbles from her body. The fact that he had to look at her body to make sure he washed had it all off made him curse inwardly. He sped up his pace, becoming impatient with cleaning her all over.

    Intent on not wasting more time, he dried her in the tub as well, quickly covering her body before then carrying her to bed. Gently placing her on the mattress, he-

    "Ah, I''m so wet! I need to dry my hair more!"

    He was startled when Raine suddenly sat up on the bed, complaining about her current state of wetness. At this point, Tyrone didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, but he still grabbed another towel in that instant and handed it over to her for her to use.

    "You have bloody hair too," he spoke out in jest, wondering if it would help cool the increasingly hotter ambiance he was feeling.  He was still not back to his cool self after helping Raine out with her bath.

    "And you have the hair of an old man," Raine mumbled out, her eyes still closed as she weakly teased.

    Her comment made Tyrone chuckle.

    Raine smiled as well, knowing that Tyrone wouldn''t be able to see it. She sucked in, pretending to be drunk as Tyrone remained clueless that she was just acting out. He seemed to be buying her act rather well.

    "I think your hair''s already dry," Tyrone commented, laying Raine back down on the bed. "Are you sober now?" he asked since Raine was staring at him.

    "Do I look like I''m sober? My head''s spinning round and round. My stomach is churning right now, and I feel so weird¡­"

    "Weird? What do you mean?" Tyrone asked, looking worried.

    Raine didn''t reply. Instead, she pulled Tyrone down beside her.

    "Wait, I need to get changed first. You also need to change," Tyrone whispered in his hoarse voice. Both of them were only wearing bathrobes, and it wouldn''t be comfortable sleeping with them on, especially if they would be cuddling.

    However, Raine ignored him, snuggling up to him even more. She also moved her leg and hugged his thigh, brushing her skin against his like a cat with her owner.

    "So warm¡­ I bet it would feel much warmer if we just cuddled skin to skin," Raine murmured, and Tyrone froze when he saw Raine toss her bathrobe away.

    When did she even start taking that bathrobe off her body?

    "What are you doing?" he hissed with a hitched breath when he felt Raine''s hand snaking its way inside his bathrobe.

    "I want more warmth. Remove it. Your skin is warmer," Raine murmured on his neck as she buried her face.

    "This is harassment," Tyrone complained. He hated how his body had seemingly turned into a statue, unable to move.

    Raine chuckled, "Harassment?"

    "Yeah," Tyrone distressingly muttered, his eyes widening in terror at what happened next.

    "So this is harassment? But your buddy here doesn''t seem to agree with you," Raine teased with a giggle. "Would it be hard like this if you were being harassed?"

    Great. Now, she was acting drunk and crazy. She didn''t know what came to her mind when she did it. She was probably curious about the bulge she felt when her skin brushed up against his body.

    "You should stop before you regret what could happen next!" Tyrone grunted.

    He was too lost already. Raine''s hand was holding his hard member, teasing it with her delicate fingers! He should stop her, but he honestly liked what she was doing. It all happened unexpectedly. He knew that Raine was bold, but not to this extent. Was it because she was drunk? If so, he shouldn''t let anything happen. He shouldn''t take advantage of her in her drunken state.

    Even so, Raine ignored him. Feeling her attacks continue, Tyrone suddenly rolled on top of her, grabbing both of her hands and pinning them on top of her head.

    "Oh, savage," Raine murmured with a grin.

    Her eyes shone brightly as it looked at Tyrone''s bare chest, before slowly making their way towards his face. He was too damn sexy and hot in her eyes right now, and she was too interested in him. She had never felt this much attraction to a man before like what she was feeling for Tyrone.

    Their eyes met, and Raine could vividly see the desire in his eyes. She wasn''t naive. She knew exactly how much effect she had on him. However, she could tell that something was still stopping him.

    She parted her lips and whispered, "I want you."

    Tyrone inwardly cursed. He wanted her too, and he was dying to have her. But this wasn''t right! He shouldn''t have her! He shouldn''t want for something that he couldn''t have!

    Tyrone closed his eyes, and with one swift movement, he managed to jump out of the bed.

    "What the heck?" Raine scoffed in disbelief as she watched Tyrone run out of the room. At the same time, her mobile phone beeped and Raine grabbed it from the bedside table.

    [Don''t get too excited since I''m just comforting you, Boss.]

    "Ah! What''s with him playing hard to get?! Did he want to die?!" Raine frustratingly growled with a frown. She couldn''t believe how strong that man could control his sexual needs. And to think that she was already naked? She felt like she just got a massive slap in the face.

    Was she not hot enough for him?

    However, Raine soon replaced her frown with a mischievous smile, curving on her beautiful lips upward as she whispered, "Ah, at least I tortured him with my beautiful body. I''m sure he''ll break loose sooner or later. Let''s see how long you can hold it in."

    She was Raine, after all, and she always got what she wanted.

 Chapter 57 - A Lost Puppy

    Tyrone''s breathing was ragged as he rushed inside the opposite room. He was fighting hard against his inner beast, and it was far from easy. His insides were shouting at him to return to Raine, to devour her, to mark her as his territory, and ultimately make her his.

    He rushed into the bathroom and splashed his face with cold water. Staring at his reflection on the mirror in front of him, his eyes had already changed in color, his fangs already appearing to be elongated. He had a wry smile as he shook his head, wondering how he even managed to control his true self in front of Raine all this time.

    ''How long can you keep up with this, huh?'' he mused. Calming himself, he watched his eyes go back to their normal blueish-gray color and his fangs disappear.

    He breathed out loud, brushing his hair with his hands before finally putting on his sleepwear. He was debating with his inner self on whether to go back to Raine''s room or not. Even so, he felt that staying in his own room would be the best option since he couldn''t promise to keep himself still once Raine made her move on him again.

    Meanwhile, Raine let out a long, deep sigh in the other room as she stared at the ceiling. She wondered what Tyrone was doing right now and if he would still come back to her room.

    Getting up on the bed, she eventually decided to get changed into her nightgown. She was still a bit dizzy from her drinks and far too tired to bug the man anyway if he ever came back. So instead, she laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. Soon enough, she dozed off to sleep.

    Tyrone returned to her bedroom after some time had passed. He let out a sigh of relief as soon as he saw that Raine was already in deep slumber. In the end, he couldn''t stop himself from checking on her, so there he was, staring at her beautiful face as she was peacefully sleeping.

    "What am I going to do with you?" he helplessly whispered before he quietly and carefully joined her under the quilt.

    Even in her sleep, Raine comfortably snuggled into him with a smile on her face as soon as she felt him beside her as if she was having a beautiful dream. All the while, Tyrone only let off a long deep sigh as he mused, ''I''m digging my own grave.''

    A lot of things could happen right at that moment, but Tyrone only wanted those small opportunities to feel normal, seeking out that precious time being by her side no matter what the future holds. She was like a fleeting dream¡­ He wanted to hold onto he for as long as he could.

    *****

    The next day, Raine woke up alone in her bed.

    "Wass that only a dream?" she whispered as she got up from the bed. She had felt Tyrone''s warmth beside her last night, but she was unsure if it was just a dream or he was actually there beside her. Shaking her head, she put the issue at the back of her mind. She had no time to think about such things. She needed to stay focused on her mission from now on.

    Quickly preparing to go to the hospital, she remembered that she would have to ride with the rest of the employees using the hospital service vehicle provided for the retreat.

    By the time she got to the dining room, the table was already set. As usual, Tyrone had prepared food for them. She stayed quiet while she ate her breakfast, both Tyrone and her not daring to even speak. She didn''t bother to ask whether he slept on her bed or not. She intentionally didn''t bug Tyrone, and she was aware that her silence was making Tyrone anxious.

    He had that funny expression of someone who wanted so badly to speak but was barely controlling himself from doing so. He was gauging the atmosphere so much that Raine had difficulty suppressing her laughter.

    Eventually, she broke the silence after finishing her breakfast.

    "I''ll be leaving now. I''m going to be traveling with the rest. If you want to come, then you can just follow," Raine commented before immediately standing up from her chair. "Call Lyne and she''ll arrange everything for you. I''ll be swamped in a few days, so see you sooner or later if you decide to follow."

    And with that, Tyrone watched her leave with a sigh. Of course, he would follow. How couldn''t he?

    As soon as Raine left the apartment, he immediately grabbed his things then went ahead and followed her. She went on the private vehicle together with the rest of the directors and her target, the CEO of Yang Globals. Looking around, he waited in his car, making sure he maintained a respectable distance away from the main party,

    Meanwhile, Raine sat on a vacant chair inside the luxury coach as she waited for Xander and the rest to arrive. As planned, she let out a beautiful and charming smile as soon as Xander entered the coach. She wanted to offer the vacant seat beside her even if she knew he would not take it. It was all so that she could tease his wife Yera, who was behind the man.

    "Here, Dr. Yang," Raine, who was seated in the front, offered as she patted the empty seat beside her.

    In response, Xander simply smiled, "I hate sitting in the front, Dr. Yao. Let me check the seats in the back. Thanks for the offer, though, and please let Dr. Dee sit there instead."

    Xander then turned to Rui, who was just behind him and signaled him to sit next to Raine. Rui gave Xander a stern look, but he still obliged in the end despite the dirty look that Raine gave him. She acted as if she wasn''t pleased and that she didn''t recognize him. She was sure that the man was anxious with her innocent facade. That, or he was probably wracking his brain debating on whether or not she was the same woman that he saw stripping and killing men back at the Haven Club in Country V.

    "Alright, please be seated, everyone. We''ll be leaving now," the tour guide spoke through the microphone.

    "This seems fun," Raine murmured with a naughty smile, not bothered by the look Rui was giving her. Ah! She would have a lot of fun teasing this doctor sitting beside her. Let''s see how her stoic bodyguard would keep his calm later as soon as he noticed her shenanigans.

    "Ah! So exciting! I''ll definitely have fun!" she added with a chuckle.

    "Excuse me?!" Rui mumbled while looking at her in disbelief.

    Raine only gave the poor guy a wink before looking out the bus window.. She was well aware that Tyrone was right behind them, following her around like a lost puppy.

 Chapter 58 - Retreat

    The tour guide told them where they were heading as soon as the shuttle bus took to the road.

    "The Evol Private Island will allow you and your team to experience a simpler life. There won''t be any advanced technology to distract you from focusing on each other and connecting," the tour guide rambled on with practiced cadence. "You will find an abundance of nature along with shared spaces that you could explore together. The Evol Resorts offer a variety of activities that you could use to integrate into your team''s retreat objectives."

    Raine could hear her fellow employees cheering with excitement as a video then started to play on the screen. But while they were all busy watching the video, her mind eventually wandered on to something else entirely. She honestly wished that Tyrone was with her, sitting beside her right now just so she could rest in his arms and feel his warmth during the ride.

    ''Ah, why bother traveling with the rest when I could''ve just traveled with him directly?" she wondered regrettably. It was the obvious choice, after all. Then again, she still wanted to give Tyrone a dose of his own medicine for always running away from her when it came to intimacy.

    "Free from everyday pressures and distractions, your team can focus on the task at hand," the tour guide beamed as she ended her introduction.

    Raine shook her head at the woman''s words. Even the tour guide was reminding her to focus on the task at hand instead of thinking about Tyrone!

    Before she knew it, the shuttle bus had to do a stopover for lunch. Raine immediately looked for Xander to bother the man for lunch, but Rui had already stood in front of her with an offer.

    "Let''s go and eat lunch together. Do try not to disturb those who are already peacefully resting."

    Raine raised her eyebrows towards him. Without arguing, she walked out with him from the bus along with the others. At that, she immediately knew that Rui was standing guard for her. He had never left her side ever since. He even ordered food for her just so they could eat at the same table.

    "You seem to be giving me a lot of attention, Doc," Raine mumbled with a beautiful smile. In the corner of her eyes, she could see that Tyrone was on another table not far from them, eating alone.

    ''Poor guy,'' she mused while giving Rui a seductive and flirtatious smile for the whole time that they were eating.

    Tyrone, on the other hand, had a gloomy expression. If looks could kill, Dr. Rui Dee would already be dead just from the sheer amount of displeasure he was emanating from his eyes.

    "Why bother with that man when Xander''s supposed to be her target?" Tyrone grumbled with a sour face.

    The food was good, but he had no appetite to finish it all when he was watching Raine giving out all those beautiful smiles towards another man.

    Back to Raine, she was enjoying how much Rui was acting like a pest around her. The man was keeping her under guard, never letting her out of his sight for even a second.

    After a while, Raine stood up and said, "I''m sure our Doctor CEO is very hungry by now, so I''ll buy some food for him."

    Predictably, Rui stopped her. Raine showed him her gloomiest expression, but the latter simply ignored her. Ignoring him back, she walked towards the cashier to order, but Rui straightforwardly asked, "Tell me, Dr. Yao, do you really like my friend? Or are you using him for some kind of scheme?"

    Raine stopped walking and turned around to face Rui. She squinted her eyes and gave him a mocking smile as she countered, "So tell me, Dr. Dee, do you perhaps like me so much that you''re sticking to me like a fly? Or is your head filled with dirty thoughts about me? Like, you want to f*uck me hard, perhaps?"

    Raine controlled her laughter when Rui almost choked on his saliva, her brazen words catching him off guard. His eyes widened as he was rendered speechless. He could only stare at Raine''s mocking grin, only to be left dumbfounded when she let out a scornful laugh before walking away from him.

    After all, was said and done, Raine looked in Tyrone''s direction and gave the latter a wink as she passed by him on her way back to the shuttle bus. As everyone filtered back inside the shuttle bus, she purposely stared at Rui as soon as he appeared, enjoying how much his face turned red even as he couldn''t meet her in the eyes.

    Once everyone was accounted for, the shuttle bus went back on the road. By the time they arrived at the resort, it was almost sunset. The lovely rhythmic sound of the ocean, along with the flora that surrounded the place, greeted the group. Looking at it, the resort boasted facilities that were built entirely over the water. It was located in a secluded cove surrounded by jungle and sea. Indeed, it truly offered a unique escape for the group. The scenery around them was so beautiful that they couldn''t help but marvel at the sight of it.

    "Alright, guys! It''s time for dinner! After that, you can retreat to your rooms," the guide smiled as she led them toward the dining hall. "It''s almost dark, but we have plenty of time to roam around tomorrow. I know most of you are very tired from the bus ride, so please feel free to take some rest."

    Soon after, everyone had a great dinner together before heading straight to their respective rooms to rest. They were then given the card keys to their rooms along with some handouts concerning the programs for the following days.

    As Raine went inside the elevator, it was about to close when a hand stopped it from closing. She smiled, seeing it was Tyrone. She had intentionally gone to the elevator late to let the others use them first, after all. It was so that they could go to their respective rooms.

    "Did you ask Lyne for a room reservation?" Raine casually asked.

    "What for when we can share the room?" Tyrone answered with his usual blank expression. Raine could sense a bit of annoyance in his voice, but she ignored it to make him feel more anxious.

    "Hmm, I''m not sure that staying in the same room would be a good idea. I intend to have fun during the retreat while I focus on my plans ahead," Raine nonchalantly commented. "I might need some space in my room, and having you around might compromise my mission."

    "Ah, you mean your mission to flirt with that Dr. Dee who''s far from being your target?" Tyrone dubiously asked.

    "Who said he wasn''t my target?" Raine said as the elevator door opened.. "Maybe he''s a target of a different sort since he''s so hot and interesting?" she added before walking out of the elevator, leaving Tyrone dumbfounded.

 Chapter 59 - Donâ€™t Get Too Excited

    After all was said and done, Tyrone had no choice but to occupy the room next to Raine. He wanted to stay near her since he was still her bodyguard, so he had to make sure that she was safe regardless of her assassination plans.

    It was dinner time when everyone gathered at the function hall. The beach resort had prepared a private catering service exclusively for the Yang Globals employees that were part of the retreat. As such, Tyrone couldn''t enter the function hall. However, some employees recognized him outside as he passed by, resulting in them inviting him inside the function hall anyway.

    "Aren''t you Doctor Yao''s secretary?" asked the others when Tyrone entered inside with some of the other employees.

    Tyrone nodded with a bashful smile. He wasn''t a regular hospital employee yet, so he wasn''t entitled to join this kind of retreat like the other employees.

    "I''m here for a vacation with my friends," Tyrone said as his eyes darted to Raine''s table. She was at Xander and Rui''s table. There were other people at the table as well, obviously those who were close to Xander.

    Raine almost spat the wine she just drank when she saw Tyrone at another table not far from her. Even so, she ignored him and continued with what she was doing, getting closer to Xander. Still,it looked like her bodyguard was very reliable in following her around, and she was actually pleased to see his stoic face looking at her like that.

    Quietly watching from afar, Tyrone kept his guard up in his own table. The others had left early to rest in their own rooms, but Raine had walked towards the restaurant''s bar to drink more so Tyrone followed her. Seeing the opportunity, he sat on the chair near her.

    "It will rain soon," Raine commented as she drank her glass of wine.

    "Yeah, and it''ll be cold," Tyrone unconsciously commented, making Raine turn to him.

    "Are you suggesting that I''ll need your warmth?"

    Tyrone met her playful stare as his face reddened. "No, that''s not what I meant," he murmured, his cheeks still flushed.

    "It''ll be nice to get drunk in this kind of weather¡­ I guess I''ll just go to my room and order my drinks from there so I won''t make a fuss in case I get drunk." Raine mused as she stood up. She then stopped by Tyrone and added, "Goodnight, darling. If you want to come over, maybe you can just sneak in through my balcony. I''ll leave it open for you."

    Tyrone could only watch Raine''s retreating back, sighing all the way as he shook his head. Having nothing better to do, he ordered some hard drinks and stayed at the bar. Before he knew it, he had drank too much that he instantly felt sleepy as soon as he arrived at his room. His mind wondered if Raine was really drinking inside her place.

    He ended up staying up all night in his room. For some reason, he felt uneasy. Soon enough, he heard the roar of thunder as the rain began to pour. Lightning flashed overhead, and Tyrone immediately went out of his room and pressed the doorbell to Raine''s room. However, the latter didn''t open the door.

    ''Is she sleeping?'' Tyrone frowned.

    Having no other choice, he went back inside his room and ended up crossing over to Raine''s balcony.

    ''What are you doing, Tyrone?'' he inwardly scolded himself. He was all wet because of the rain.

    "Look at you," Raine murmured in her drunken voice. Tyrone immediately noticed all the empty bottles of vodka on the floor as she sat on the floor with her back on the side of her bed.

    "You''re wet! Go get a robe from there and come here," Raine slurred out. "How come you didn''t use the doorbell, huh?"

    "I did, but you''re not opening the door¡­"

    "Ah. The thunder''s so loud so I probably didn''t hear it. Damn this weather. Too rough and noisy," Raine grunted while looking at the glass door Tyrone just closed a while ago.

    "I''ll be sleeping here with you. Let me just get some clothes to change into back in my room," Tyrone said before he left.

    Raine let out a long sigh. This time, she felt so drunk that she just ended up crawling back into her bed. Tyrone soon joined her on the bed and whispered, "What''s with you drinking a lot lately?"

    Raine snuggled onto him as she chuckled, "Hey, it''s just last night and tonight."

    "Was that nightmare so bad?" Tyrone asked. He had assumed that Raine was still acting like this because of that one bad dream.

    In reality, Raine was drinking because she had a lot going inside her head. Sure, the nightmare was one of them, then there was Aire and how she was conflicted in regards to doing the right thing and following an order regarding killing a human. It wasn''t only Yun that wanted Xander dead. But she knew that her father would do the same thing if he was awake.

    "It wasn''t that bad, darling¡­ But it''s still a frightening dream," Raine answered.

    She tilted her head to meet Tyrone''s gaze. Was she just hallucinating the concern that she was seeing in his beautiful eyes?

    "You do know that the two of us might not have a happy ending if we continue getting emotionally close with each other, right?" Raine humorlessly teased. "Falling in love with me could be your doom, so don''t ever think about it."

    In response, Tyrone only pulled her closer into his arms and whispered, "Don''t get too excited just because I''m comforting you."

    Raine chuckled and buried her face on the crook of Tyrone''s neck as she whispered, "Ah, this feels good¡­ I love this warmth and comfort that you''re extending to me. Don''t worry. I''ll make it up to you soon big time, so just continue in providing me with comfort like this."

    Tyrone didn''t comment. He still had a stoic expression that he used back when he patted Raine''s shoulder. Deep inside, however, he was feeling conflicting emotions war against each other. He had always had this strange desire to provide Raine the comfort that she needed for the longest time, but it just wasn''t possible at the time.

    He was a mutant, and Raine was a hunter, a slayer of his kind.. The two of them being together was an ill-fated relationship.

 Chapter 60 - Important Insights

    The next day, Tyrone immediately offered to assist her, but she disregarded him just as quickly.

    "Don''t you dare meddle in this affair, Tyrone. You''ll jeopardize my plans, so stay out of it and just have a normal vacation while you''re here," Raine said with a serious tone as she moved to leave him behind to join the others for breakfast. "Try to enjoy the place and have fun while I''m busy."

    Tyrone could do nothing but follow Raine''s instructions. She didn''t disclose to him her exact plans, but he knew that Raine wanted him to tell her uncle that she intended to kill Xander Yang. So that exactly was what he would report to Yun. However, he was still hoping that Raine wouldn''t just kill an innocent man¡­

    Raine walked towards the elevator to join the rest of the group for breakfast. Looking at the man standing in front of everyone, it would seem that the Yang Hospital had hired an organizer to arrange everything for their team-building program. The host had introduced himself as Sun, ushering everyone and doing all of the usual hosting stuff.

    Raine vaguely monitored Xander as she went on. She wanted to make sure the man was out of danger by any means till she came up with the final decision on how to save him. She didn''t mind looking like a slut who was deliberately flirting with Xander just to be close to him.

    After breakfast, they then proceeded with the activities led by Sun. Everyone was requested to gather together and form a circle.

    "Alright! For our first activity, we will do a group storytelling session. Everyone will be split into groups, and each person will switch turns to stand in the middle of the circle and share their experiences on the work floor based on the keywords that I will give you," the host cheerily explained. "This will improve your bonding as a team, as well as learning some things about each other and relive some old memories. So, get ready, everyone."

    Sun quickly posted some sticky notes containing words such as ''First Day,'' ''Work Travel,'' ''Partnership,'' ''Side Project,'' and more. Each participant would then choose from these keywords to kickstart the storytelling session.

    Raine had so much fun watching Xander''s confidence from the sidelines as he shamelessly and purposely confessed his love for his wife, who went by the name of Dr. Deyna Song, but in reality, was actually Dr. Yera Han. Their relationship as a married couple was still a secret to others. On top of all of that, Xander had many other things going on. Not to mention the complicated situation of his wife that Raine knew as well.

    She truly pitied Xander''s situation at that moment. He didn''t even know that his life was in danger right now.

    Xander''s wooing strategy being sneaked into this kind of group activity was really amusing. As Raine felt Rui''s eyes land on her, she  immediately acted like she was irritated that Xander had confessed to someone else. In truth, she honestly adored Rui''s genuine care for Xander as a friend, almost like a brother''s even. It was also fun to see how he tried to protect Xander from her.

    "Okay, everyone, the storytelling session''s over. I hope you can better understand each other now after everyone has shared some of their stories. We will have a thirty minutes break before we gather outside for our next activity," Sun joyfully explained as soon as the storytelling session was over.

    After the first session, the group had a lot of fun during their outdoor activities. They all completed the task given to them, all while everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout the course.

    "Let us now proceed to the next activity. Don''t worry, guys. This time, we''ll do something relaxing and non-physical since I know how exhausted you all are right now," Sun laughed as he saw the complaints on everyone''s faces upon hearing the words of ''another activity.''

    "Also, I''ve heard we have a psychiatrist present here with us today. So may I just request our psychiatrist to come out in front and give us some important insights about the activity we just finished?"

    Surprised at the sudden callout, Rui scratched his head as he glared at Xander. "TRUST would make everything easier, don''t you all agree?" he smiled as a cavalcade of yeses echoed throughout the room. "Most of the members in each group have been meeting each other for some time now. Many of you have gone through challenging life experiences together, and you all must''ve shared with one another''s joys and pains. Through this journey, we built trust¡ªsomething that we needed and used in each challenge. So, TRUST is the key factor here, right?" Rui continued, giving a particular diction on the word TRUST.

    Raine rolled her eyes. She could tell that something was going on between Xander and Rui with all those meaningful glances they were having.

    "What a great friend," Raine murmured. Obviously, Rui was helping out Xander with his wife with his so-called ''important insights.''

    Raine shook her head as she witnessed how Xander gave his friend a thumbs up. Meanwhile, Rui gave him a look saying, ''Are you happy now?''

    Before Rui ended her spiel, he reminded the group about how important teamwork and trust are to solve any sort of problems that might arise along their way,

    After everything of importance was said, everyone headed back to one of the more intimate spots on the island for some refreshments before gathering again for another activity called ''Truth And Lies.'' It was an activity wherein each team member would have to say three truths and one lie about Themselves. Their team members would then have to guess which one of those fours statements was the lie.

    The group sat in a circle, and Raine had a devious smile plastered all over her face. She had just seen Tyrone looking in her direction, often catching him staring at her.

    After all the preparations, the activity finally began. It started on a comic note because of Dr. Rui Dee, who first stood at the circle''s center and stated his truths and lies.

    "The truth is that I''m handsome, wealthy, kind, and a good liar."

    Everyone laughed at his words. They pretty much all had the exact guess that him being a good liar was the lie. Dr. Rui answered them all with shrugged shoulders.

    Raine got up next and looked directly at Tyrone as she said, "I''m a good lover, I hate lies,  I''m an assassin that has killed many people already, and I love cats."

    "That''s too easy!" one of the participants complained as they all agreed that the lie was that Dr. Yao was an assassin and killed many.

    Raine didn''t say a word, only giving them her sweet, adorable smile that left most men present gasping in admiration.

    She wordlessly went back to her seat beside Rui, who mumbled, "I bet the lie there is that you''re a good lover."

    Raine smirked, "I guess you''re not a psychiatrist for nothing, huh?" She then stared at Rui closely with her seductive smile as she teasingly added, "Do you want to know whether I''m a great lover, Dr. Dee? You sound like you''re challenging me to a bet. You see, I can always just show you how good I am as a lover if you want to. Just say the word, and I''ll willingly show you¡­"

    Rui frowned as Raine chuckled. His face was so red with embarrassment.

    Throughout all this, didn''t notice how Tyrone''s face had darkened and his eyes had suddenly turned into a different color. He had heard how she teased Rui, and he was far from pleased with it.. Taking a deep breath, Tyrone composed himself as he controlled his emotions at that instant, bringing the bluish-gray colors back in his eyes.

 Chapter 61 - Mr. Meddler

    Honestly, Raine''s constant flirting with other men bothered Tyrone so much, even though he was well aware that it might even not mean a thing to her. However, that four-eyed doctor named Rui Dee went beyond bothersome. He noticed how that man was deliberately following Raine whenever he could. Tyrone would always see him around Raine, which left a bitter taste in his mouth.

    But contrary to his observations, he noticed that Raine was enjoying the activities, so he only consoled himself with it.

    After the activities, Tyrone saw Raine walking back to her room. He, as usual, followed her up. He already had access to Raine''s room since the latter already gave him the spare keycard.

    "Ah, I feel so tired. I think I''ll just stay here in my room. Please order some room delivery so we can eat lunch here together," Raine tiredly instructed as soon as he was inside the room. She was sitting on the couch, her head leaning at the back of the seat with her eyes closed.

    "It seemed like you''re having fun," Tyrone commented as he walked towards the telephone to order room service for lunch.

    Raine giggled, "Yeah¡­ Surprisingly, I''ve been having fun. It''s been a while since I had this kind of genuine social life. Ah, if you only knew how tiring it was to hunt at night and sleep during the day."

    "Why do you even hunt and kill? Mutants?" Tyrone casually asked. "I heard that the Mirage wanted to live in peace, so why bother to hunt mutants and instigate a war with them?"

    Raine opened her eyes. She had a smirk on her face as she mumbled, "Why do you always mention the Mirage? Do you really believe that my Moonlight Squad is connected to that myth?"

    "Let''s not play innocent here. I know all about the Mirage and how you belong to a clan. Your uncle already briefed enough about it to me," Tyrone stoically countered. "I''m sure he told me that so he would have a good reason to silence and kill me later once I no longer have a use for him."

    Raine did not comment about what she just heard. Instead, she focused on more important matters, "Just shut up and order some food. Our lunch is more important since I''m starving."

    Tyrone shrugged his shoulders as he dialed room service. After which, they ate lunch in silence. But in the middle of eating, Raine suddenly commented, "How come you''re just stalking me? Didn''t I tell you to have fun?"

    Tyrone coughed and cleared his throat. Swallowing the food inside his mouth, he then defended, "I''m your bodyguard, so it''s natural that I''ll always be around to keep you safe."

    "Alright, but keep your distance as much as possible. No matter what happens, don''t interfere," Raine reminded.

    "Got it," Tyrone answered in a whisper.

    Soon after, Raine brushed her teeth and changed into her swimwear. Tyrone gulped as she went out of the bathroom.

    "You''re going out like that?" he asked with a frown.

    Raine raised her eyebrows at Tyrone as she snorted, "Why? I''m still covered, you know? Even so, you''re the only one who managed to stay alive after seeing me naked anyway."

    Tyrone''s blushed as she took in sight before him. Raine wore a two-piece swimsuit with a kimono-print jacket cardigan long robe to cover herself up. She looked way too sexy that he hated to imagine how men would just drool all over her voluptuous body. He didn''t want that, but he also knew he had no right over her! In the end, Tyrone ended up staying silent, even if he couldn''t hide his disapproval of Raine''s swimwear.

    Pleased with her presence, Raine left Tyrone in her room and walked towards the elevator. She went to the ground floor to mingle with the rest of the group. Looking around, she frowned when she noticed someone suspicious sneakily staring in Xander''s direction.

    Quickly, she turned around to look at any of her men around the area disguised as guests. She saw Dylan, and when his eyes landed on her, she gave him a signal. Dylan quickly understood the message and promptly followed the man.

    Raine then curved her lips into a beautiful smile and immediately approached Xander.

    "We''ll be starting soon. Let''s go?" Raine asked, smiling as she snaked herself around Xander''s arm. All eyes were on her, but she didn''t care. She needed to stay close to Xander to keep the man safe.

    They then all went outside for another team-building activity that Sun called a canoe.

    Xander, Yera, Rizie, Dion, and Raine teamed up for the war canoe, but Rui suddenly pulled Raine away from the group, saying that they needed one more woman since it was unfair for others that their team had four men.

    "Why me?" Raine asked in her gloomiest face. How could she focus on her work when this meddler would keep on blocking her way?!

    "Simple. It''s because I want to get near you. Didn''t you say that I have dirty thoughts about you? So¡­" Rui grinned.

    Raine sighed. She already understood his intention. The man would simply not let her get near his friend and jeopardize Xander''s relationship with his secret wife. But even if it was a noble effort, Rui was starting to get on her nerves!

    "You don''t know what you''re doing," Raine mumbled with a frown.

    "Yes, I do know what I''m doing. I''m saving my friend from someone dangerous like you," Rui proudly declared.

    Raine just wanted to smack the man''s face at that moment. Even so, it wasn''t Rui''s fault since he had no idea about the situation. None of them knew what was going on since they were all too focused on Dr. Deyna Song''s welfare. They were simply just unaware that Xander''s life was the one in danger at that moment.

    Raine''s eyes narrowed before her lips formed a mocking smile, leaning forward as she whispered into Rui''s ear, "Don''t test my patience. You don''t know who you''re trying to mess with here¡­ Don''t tell me later that I didn''t warn you, Mr. Meddler¡­"

    Rui frowned as he mused, ''Is she threatening me?''

    For some reason, he suddenly felt a  nerve-wracking chill when he saw her give him a scornful smirk.

 Chapter 62 - Where Your Loyalties Lie

    At Country V, Moon Clan Territory

    "Boss, everything''s ready. We''ll move as planned at your signal," Dalgon reported to his Boss, Yun at the other end of the line.

    Meanwhile, Yun was in his study, signing necessary paperwork for the Yue Group. He was buying more shares using dummy accounts since he wanted to be the majority shareholder. That way, once it was confirmed that his brother would no longer wake up, he could quickly get rid of Raine from the Group.

    As of right now, he and Raine had the same amount of shares. But once his brother died, all of his shares would go to Raine, allowing the bit*ch to become the majority shareholder.

    "It''s been two days already. Raine is slow. It''s so unlike her. In fact, I believe she has no intentions of killing Xander," Yun deliberated. "Do as was planned, and make sure all evidence will be pinned on her. Make sure there are no errors in this, Dalgon."

    Yun had a broad smile as he ended the call. Just the thought of how well things would work out once Raine was already out of his way was simply intoxicating.

    Opening the drawer, he grabbed one photo from inside a notebook. It was a photo of him and his brother Marcus, together with Arthur and his sister, Ester.

    Marcus had framed and killed Arthur so he could rule the entire Moon Clan. He spared Ester, however, since the latter was incapable of ruling because of her sickness. She had a heart disease, making her unfit to rule.

    On the other hand, he was very loyal to his brother Marcus. He always followed his instructions as he took care of eliminating the rest who still had the Yue blood in their veins that could become a threat in reclaiming the ruling seat of the Moon Clan from his brother, Marcus. As such, he took care of the twins, Arthur''s daughters, including their children. But there was one more left alive, the son of one of the twins, Xander Yang.

    "Xander Yang will die today, Brother," Yun said with a smile as he touched his brother''s face in the photo.

    However, Yun frowned when his eyes darted to the woman in the picture beside Marcus. It was Ava¡­ Raine''s mother. The woman his brother Marcus loved all his life. But that woman never reciprocated his brother''s love. Instead, she ran away with another man from the Sun Clan.

    "You''re too blinded with your love for Ava, Brother¡­ Raine doesn''t deserve anything you''re giving to her," Yun grunted with a clenched jaw. "I will get rid of Raine¡­ And you can''t stop me now, Brother," Yun whispered.

    He trusted that his brother would no longer wake up. After all this time, he would finally get rid of Raine for good.

    *****

    At Country D

    It was another day, and the first batch of employees from the Yang Globals Hospital for the retreat did a lot more indoor and outdoor activities that morning. Meanwhile, Tyrone was just around the area, watching how Raine was enjoying every activity from a distance. It was nice to see how she smiled and had fun like she was a kid in every family outing ever.

    Still, he couldn''t hide just how irritated he was feeling with how Raine had essentially glued herself to Xander''s side as if they were stuck together.

    After a few moments, his mobile phone rang. He answered it, all while his gaze never left Raine''s side.

    "It seems that Raine has no intentions in killing Xander Yang, as you reported. I''m starting to doubt where your loyalties lie, Tyrone," Yun threatened from the other side of the line.

    Tyrone let out a sigh, "She''s enjoying herself in the retreat. I think that''s why she''s delaying it. It''s probably her first time in her life to experience this kind of thing."

    There was a burst of loud mocking laughter from the other line Yun chuckled, "I know Raine well, and I''m sure she''s also aware that she doesn''t have the luxury to enjoy petty things like that."

    Tyrone frowned but controlled himself from saying any more words that could further complicate the situation.

    "She warned me to stay away and not to meddle in her affairs. I think she''s planning to kill Xander before the retreat ends," Tyrone frowned as he spoke. "She trying to get closer to him, so I''m sure she''s just looking for a good opportunity to make it look like an accident."

    "We''ll see to that then. Just make sure that you''re not faking your reports. Because if you are, then you already know what happens to you as soon as I find out¡­" Yun threatened before cutting the line.

    Tyrone let out yet another sigh, his eyes filled with conflicted emotions as they darted towards Raine. It would seem that their group was having a quick break. They headed to the resort''s restaurant for lunch, and Tyrone quietly followed.

    In the dining area,  Raine acted fast as she grabbed Xander to sit next to her while having their lunch. It was an advantage to Raine, too, since she could tell how Xander was in a dilemma because he didn''t want to be too obvious about his relationship with Dr. Song. He simply couldn''t just sit beside his actual wife and deny Raine when she offered him a seat beside herself.

    "I heard that this dish here is good, Dr. CEO," Raine said as she cut the steak and placed a portion of it on Xander''s plate.

    However, Rui, seated at the other side of Xander, quickly grabbed the steak and ate it as he commented, "Xander loves his steak well done. This one is medium-rare, just the way I like it. Thanks, Dr. Yao." He then instantly gave his plate to Xander, saying, "Here, friend. Take this one. It''s well done."

    Raine''s side lips curved upward as she raised a brow at Rui, who just kept on ignoring her.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone witnessed everything that just happened, and he could stop himself from grinning. He just loved it whenever Xander tried to ignore Raine and her relentless flirting. Well, it was small mercy as he still felt alarmed by the constant intruding and stalking of the four-eyed doctor on Raine. How could she even say that the man looked sexy in his glass?

    Tyrone shook his head and looked at Raine. He gulped when he saw Raine''s eyes glaring at him, so he quickly looked away in another direction. He sighed for what seemed to be the umpteenth time that day. Raine would scold him again later.. He was sure of that.

 Chapter 63 - I Need A Heavy Dose Of A Kiss

    "You should give them some space. You see that woman on your right? She''s been killing you several times over by now with her glare alone," Tyrone murmured as he sat on the vacant chair beside Raine.

    Raine chuckled as she stretched her arms, "Let her glare for all she wants. Let her die of jealousy. It''s her fault for not clinging on to her man enough." She then turned to Tyrone and added, "It''s painted all over her face, yes. However, I see the same features on yours too, darling."

    "Jealous? Me? Why would I be jealous?" Tyrone refuted as he quickly looked away, not wanting to show the embarrassment coloring his face.

    "Well, I can''t help but notice your murderous glares toward the handsome and hot Doctor Rui Dee. What? Are you going to start wearing glasses soon," Raine amusingly teased him.

    Tyrone let out a long deep sigh, surrendering to her relentless teasing. He didn''t see the point in denying it to Raine anymore. It was clear that she could see through him enough that his words wouldn''t matter even if he tried.

    A few minutes into their small chat, Raine''s smile suddenly faded from her face, a frown replacing it as she stared into the distance. Tyrone noticed, so he looked in the direction of the apparent cause of the disturbance.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone whispered.

    "He''s in danger," Raine harshly whispered.

    In quick succession, she rushed at a nearby jet ski and drove it towards the direction of an unsuspecting yacht. Looking on, Tyrone cursed when he realized why Raine rushed towards it. Xander was on a jet ski as well, and it seemed that there was a malfunction in his vehicle with the way he was riding it.

    On the water, two jet skis now were riding at high speeds and were about to hit the yacht. Raine was behind Xander, riding at high speeds in order to intercept.

    Tyrone cursed as his heart hammered in his chest, fear coursing through his veins as he finally caved. He immediately ran towards the sea and yanked a man out from his jet ski to use it.

    Raine shouted at Xander, telling him that he would hit a yacht.

    "Sh*t!" Raine cursed as she accelerated her speed. As soon as she was near Xander, she pushed him out from his jet-ski.

    A lot of things happened afterwards in quick succession before a brief explosion then engulfed the yacht. Thankfully, Raine and Xander managed to dive into the water right before the collision, evading the ensuing explosion happened.

    Hearing the collision, Tyrone immediately looked around, only letting out a sigh of relief as soon as he saw Raine swimming her way towards Xander.

    It was then Tyrone realized that Raine''s decision was not to kill Xander but save him.

    Soon after, authorities quickly arrived at the scene of the incident, with Tyrone keeping his distance after making sure that Raine was fine. Raine had also given him a look telling him to stay put, which was what he did even if he was dying to be by her side to check on her.

    After all, was said and done, Yang Globals authorized personnel rescheduled the team-building exercises to a different venue due to the now ongoing investigation in and around the area where the accident occurred. Raine and Xander, unfortunately, had to stay for further questioning and investigation. Tyrone wanted to go inside her room, but there were still people inside. The police officers got her statement while medical officers ensured that she wasn''t hurt from the crash.

    As soon as the police had left, Raine saw Tyrone enter her room. He had a frown on his handsome face as he walked in.

    ''How come he still looks so adorable even when he''s angry?'' Raine mused

    "What you did was dangerous," he scolded, his arms folded over her chest.

    Raine chuckled, "What''s with your reaction? Aren''t you aware that what I do is always dangerous?" She exasperatedly shook her head. "Ah¡­ Dealing with mutants is far more dangerous than this kind of stuff anyway. Also, didn''t I tell you not to meddle in my affairs? Why follow me like that?"

    Tyrone refused to answer. He already knew he had no right in scolding her, along with the fact that there was no point in reasoning with her. In fact, he was honestly mad at himself for not being able to keep his emotions intact.

    "Ugh. I feel sticky. I''m going to take a quick shower," Raine said before walking towards the bathroom.

    Tyrone sat on the couch, quietly waiting for Raine to finish and go out of the bathroom. Freshly bathed, she was just wearing a robe, and Tyrone immediately scolded himself for the perverted thoughts that were suddenly running in his mind.

    He inwardly cursed when Raine sat beside him on the couch. He could smell her pleasing scent, and it was addicting as always. He just wanted to bury his nose in her body and taste every inch of her.

    ''Damn!'' Tyrone silently cursed himself. His perverted thoughts were just torturing him at this point.

    "Ouch," Raine mumbled, interrupting Tyrone from his deep perverted thoughts.

    "Are you hurt?" Tyrone asked as he quickly checked on Raine, his eyes wandering from her head to toe, looking for any sign of injury.

    Raine had a playful smile as she mumbled, "Yeah¡­ Here¡­" She was pointing towards her lips. "I need a heavy dose of a kiss here," she added with a seductive stare.

    Tyrone gulped. Here she was again in her teasing mode. Before he could utter a reply, Raine suddenly pulled Tyrone for a kiss, immediately sitting on his lap and straddling him. It had been a while since Tyrone felt her body pressed against him like this, and Raine could already feel how hard he was getting as it poked out into her.

    "You''re too slow."

    Raine murmured in his lips as she sucked on his lips, sliding her tongue erotically inside Tyrone''s mouth. The latter moaned. His body was reacting even though his mind was trying to suppress himself.

    Her lips were just so soft and sweet that he didn''t want to stop kissing her.

    ''Just once¡­ Just this once,'' he pleaded to himself as he aggressively held her nape to deepen the kiss. They were passionately kissing each other, both of them getting lost in the moment.

    Tyrone''s tongue fought against hers, probing deeper into her mouth that Raine felt his longing as much as she longed for his lips. They were burning for each other, and Tyrone had difficulty stopping this time.. He wanted her so badly, or else he would soon go crazy because of her.

 Chapter 64 - To Taste You*

    Tyrone''s hand had a mind of its own as he touched every inch of Raine''s body. She was only wearing a robe, which he greedily wanted to tear away from her body despite already covering so little. His fingers were swift in untying her robe without him knowing.

    Raine wasn''t bothered by her sudden nudity. She was too busy enjoying Tyrone''s lips which she couldn''t get enough of.

    She didn''t know how and when Tyrone had managed to untie her robe, but she did feel his hands removing it, slipping them off from her shoulders until it dropped to her waist, exposing her firm breasts before him.

    She moaned when she felt Tyrone''s hand on one of her mounds, gently caressing and squeezing them as if he was measuring how round and big it was in his palm. He also released her lips just so he could leave a trail of kisses on her jawline with his lips, all the way down to her neck.

    "It feels so good," Raine boldly voiced out in her hoarse voice.

    Tyrone was licking and sucking on her skin so deftly, and she wanted to experience more of it. Electric jolts ran all over her body as the excitement and arousal slowly consumed her whole body. An aching heat churned below her stomach as she backed up her head and tilted it up when Tyrone licked further down. Her entire body arched, giving him enough access to her bosoms, where his attention was thoroughly taken.

    Raine bit her lower lip when she felt Tyrone''s tongue licking one of her erect nipples. The pleasure that surged all throughout her body was too much because of his playful tongue. His lips engulfed her nipples, alternately giving both of her upper weak spots attention while his other hand attended to the other.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone was dripping hard. He wanted to claim and take Raine right at that moment. He was now clouded with too much desire for her that all rationality left in him got buried and disregarded in favor of one singular goal.

    With her arousal guiding her, Raine panicked at the thought that Tyrone would leave her wanting again. As such, she took the initiative and completely removed the robe from her body and tossed it to the floor. She then wrapped her arms around Tyrone''s neck as she brushed herself against his hard manhood.

    ''Damn those clothes,'' she inwardly cursed, wondering how she could remove Tyrone''s pants without letting him get up. She could hear his growls of pleasure whenever she would brush herself against his manhood, and they sounded like music to her ears. Oh, how she loved to hear his soft moans. It just meant that he was pleased with what she was doing, exactly like how she felt unbridled pleasure with what he was doing on her body.

    Suddenly, she was startled when Tyrone pinned her on the couch. She got so scared that she tightened her arms around his neck, afraid that he would escape. However, Tyrone didn''t move away. Instead, he kept on kissing Raine even further down.

    ''What is he doing?'' Raine thought as she watched Tyrone lick and kiss every part of her skin downwards. It truly felt like her body was on fire, an unbearable level of heat being stoked within her core. She was practically burning with the desire to be taken at that moment.

    Raine moaned when she felt Tyrone''s tongue playfully lick at her belly button. She could feel something building in between her thighs, and she wasn''t naive to not know what it meant. She was so wet for him.

    It was already too late. Tyrone was unstoppable. He was absolutely craving to taste more of Raine that he could no longer stop himself from doing so. He wanted to taste her sweetness, to mark every part of her body, leaving no inch of skin untouched.

    He continued kissing her soft flesh, even lifting one of Raine''s legs as he refused to spare it from his ministrations. He truly felt like he could cum just by looking at Raine''s expressions. Both their eyes were hazy. Their pupils dilated as their desires for each other consumed them.

    Raine gasped for air when Tyrone nuzzled her sex. She felt a bit shy that she squirmed her legs to close, but Tyrone held it open for himself.

    "I want to taste you," he whispered in his rasped voice. His warm breath brushed against her sex, making her legs tremble in anticipation.

    She felt her throat dry when Tyrone suddenly licked her sleek folds with his tongue, gently tracing them up and down. Raine found her eyes looking at the ceiling as her body trembled in great pleasure.

    ''Why am I allowing this to happen? Am I even entitled to experience this kind of thing?'' Raine questioned herself, but the rhapsodies of pleasure that Tyrone was letting her feel had already drowned out the hesitation in Raine''s mind. For once, she wanted to do something spontaneous like this. It felt right somehow. For some reason, she was willing to surrender her body at that moment to Tyrone. It was a peculiar feeling that she didn''t understand herself.

    Maybe it was because she felt comfort in his arms that she was willing to give him power over her body like that?

    With a mewl, she unconsciously grabbed Tyrone''s hair as soon as she felt him lick and nibble at her clit.

    ''Why does it feel like he''s an expert in this?'' Raine sluggishly thought, followed immediately by her sweet soft moans as Tyrone invaded all corners of her sex with his tongue alone.

    She felt like she was losing her breath as she felt her hips rise up on their own, following Tyrone''s rhythm as he slid his tongue in and out of her. It honestly felt like he was eating her alive. His tongue kept on thrusting so much that she could hear him lapping up her juices despite all the noises she was already making.

    It was too much. Raine already felt like she could explode at any moment, her head moving back and forth as she tried to exert some semblance of control over her body.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone had replaced his tongue with his fingers as he pumped her weeping slit in and out, all while he continued sucking on her clit. He, himself, was dripping so hard as he continued to please her. Her moans were addicting, and he wanted to make her scream in euphoria as she reached her peak.

    After barely a few pumps, he could already feel that she was close to her release just from how her inner muscles clenched tight around his fingers. In response, he pumped into her faster and deeper, not giving her an inch of rest until she convulsed and milked his fingers with her orgasm. Withdrawing his fingers, he then positioned his head in between her thighs. He licked her while her body was still trembling. He licked, desperately drinking her sweet nectar as if he was thirsty for it.

    Getting some semblance of control back, Raine pulled Tyrone close so she could kiss him. She could taste herself in his lips, but she didn''t mind. Instead, she removed all his clothes and finally saw how hard and wet his length was. Tyrone then positioned himself on top of her and brushed his length against her damp pussy.

    "I want it in," Raine greedily whispered.

    There was a frown on his handsome face as he answered, "No."

    Raine stared at him in disbelief. She was about to say something, but Tyrone quickly sealed her lips. He brushed himself against her. However, he didn''t thrust his cock inside her. Before she knew it, she heard him groan, feeling globs of searing hot liquid spurting below her belly. Then, she felt Tyrone''s weight on top of her. He had buried his face in the crook of her neck to control his body.

    "Did you just cum like that?" Raine asked in disbelief. "You''d leave me unsatisfied like that?"

    Tyrone raised his head and timidly replied with a blushing face, "Yes. I just did."

    *******

    Author''s Request:

    Guys, please give our book Reviews on the cover page... We need more ratings. Thank you....

 Chapter 65 - The Powder

    Raine didn''t know whether or not she actually satisfied Tyrone in bed, all in virtue of this being her first time doing this kind of thing. The thought of arousing Tyrone''s manhood and giving back the same intensity would mean that they both enjoyed their intimate moment, right?

    "That was¡­ something else¡­ How many women have you done that kind of stuff with?" she candidly asked as she stroked Tyrone''s hair as he laid on top of her.

    "You''re the first¡­" Tyrone answered.

    There was a silence that followed. Raine couldn''t believe that she was his first.

    "You''re also a virgin?" she bluntly asked.

    However, their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the doorbell.

    "It must be Mr. Meddler," Raine whispered. She pushed Tyrone off her and said, "Go hide in the bathroom."

    Moving quickly, she immediately put on some clothes before then pushing Tyrone towards the bathroom along with his clothes.

    She then opened the door lock, only to rush back to her bed the moment she saw Tyrone''s briefs near her bed. With a bit of quick thinking, she grabbed Tyrone''s underwear and threw it under her bed. However, since the door was already opened, Rui welcomed himself to her room.

    As soon as she heard Rui''s footsteps approaching her bedroom, an evil and playful thought quickly popped up. She climbed on top of the closet and hid herself quietly. She stayed hidden for a while until Rui emerged to look for her.

    Rui frowned upon seeing an empty bed, not knowing that Raine had managed to get down from the closet quietly without his knowledge.

    "Boooh!" Raine whispered the words into his ear from behind.

    Dr. Rui was completely caught off guard. He was so startled that he even held his chest to calm himself.

    "Geez! Where in the world did you come from?" Rui hissed as he composed himself.

    Raine scornfully grinned as she sat down on the couch, "So, Mr. Meddler, what do you want now? Don''t tell me you''re here to check on my psychological health again?"

    Rui ignored her mocking tone as he sat in front of her. With knitted brows, he asked, "Tell me, where did you suddenly pop out just like a mushroom?"

    Raine laughed and simply replied, "Maybe I''m the spiderwoman; hibernating on top of my closet a while ago as you came into the room."

    Rui felt his mouth twitch. He already knew that he would never get a serious answer from Dr. Yao just by looking at her expressions. After this, he was even more sure about such an inevitabitly. So instead, he gave his questioning a rest, or else the next thing she might say would be that she could turn herself into an invincible woman.

    "The explosion¡­ They''re now doing a thorough investigation into that, and I personally think that it was no mere accident," Rui said with a serious tone.

    Raine''s raised an eyebrow as she murmured, "So? Tell me, Mr. Meddler, what''s that got to do with me? I think you''re talking to the wrong person here¡­ Talk to the authorities instead and share your ideas with them. How about I call you Mr. Meddler-Feeling-Detective instead?"

    Rui''s frown deepened upon hearing Dr. Yao''s usual sarcastic tone. Feeling annoyed,  he straightforwardly accused, "If you''ve got anything to do with it¡­ I''m telling you, I will personally not let it go. You better stay away both from Xander and Deyna. Or else¡­"

    "Hmmm¡­ I never knew that your meddling prowess could reach the peak of a mountain¡­ Tell me¡­ or else what?! What will you do, Mr. Meddler-Feeling-Detective?" Raine wickedly challenged. She was trying to push Rui to his limits with her sarcasm.

    "Don''t tell me I didn''t warn you¡­" Rui murmured, but he felt as if he was struck by lightning.

    He almost stopped breathing when he witnessed Dr. Yao''s next move. Like a flash of lightning, she moved herself right in front of him, their bodies practically touching as she leaned down on him with her hands holding the headrest of the couch, caging him within her long slender arms.

    They were too close, to the point that it was very suggestive at what their position meant, close enough that Rui could even smell her sweet fragrance, which was definitely her own natural scent. He could even feel her breath on his face. They stayed like that for a few seconds, Rui only managing to blink his eyes and stare at her blankly as Dr. Yao stared straight into his.

    Her pair of deadly eyes twinkled as she whispered, "Again, this is your second warning, Mr. Meddler¡­ Do you really think that you can handle someone like me?"

    Raine moved closer to Rui. She was so close that he actually thought that she was leaning in to kiss him. However, he felt her breath not on his lips, but in his ear... as she mumbled, "Stay away from my business, or you''ll regret the day you ever messed with me."

    Raine then grabbed a towel before heading straight to the bathroom to take a bath. Rui cursed. He didn''t know if she was just that fast, or he was only out of his mind because he was pretty sure that the latter was just in front of him just a second ago.

    "I''ll be taking a shower, Mr. Meddler-Feeling-Detective. Do you wanna watch me and enjoy it in your dirty mind or will you leave and give me my privacy? Not that I don''t mind you staying here, of course. You can watch from the door and do your thing¡­"

    "Stop! I''m leaving!!!" Rui cut off Dr. Yao''s perverted words. He was already neck-deep red with embarrassment. He had never met a woman who was so vulgar, so impolite and as lewd as her!

    He immediately stood up and left the room, so annoyed and irritated enough that he failed to notice the wide grin on Raine''s face, who was totally amused with him.

    Raine looked to the bathroom. Tyrone was still there if she recalled. She quickly moved and grabbed something from her luggage before entering the bathroom. And as she expected, he had a frown on his face.

    "Why are you flirting with him when-"

    Tyrone was unable to finish his words as Raine suddenly blew the powder to his face.. He almost fell on the floor as he lost consciousness, but Raine quickly grabbed him as she whispered something in his ear.

 Chapter 66 - Iâ€™m In Trouble

    Raine sighed as she observed Tyrone''s eyes slowly open after a few seconds of waiting.

    "Are you alright?" she asked, looking straight into his eyes.

    "Yeah, I''m feeling a bit weird but I''m fine," Tyrone groaned with a frown. "What happened?"

    "Oh, I heard a loud thud earlier," Raine recounted. "I think you slipped on my bathroom floor and lost consciousness for a while. You look fine, at least. Still, let''s check if you hit your head or not. What''s  the last thing you remember?"

    Keenly staring into Tyrone''s eyes, Raine carefully chose her words as she observed Tyrone''s expression. She used the Glawackus powder to erase the man''s memory of their prior intimacy just moments ago. A long pause lingered between the two as they stared into each other''s eyes. Raine couldn''t read Tyrone''s blank expression as she narrowed her eyes in wait for his response.

    It was an impulsive action from her side but she thought it was necessary. She had never thought or even considered having some kind of deep relationship with anyone at all. She was someone who simply didn''t have the luxury of getting close to any man, romantically speaking. Even so, she was honestly surprised at how fond she had become of Tyrone. She felt confused with the flurry of emotions now roiling inside her chest for the man. And yet, she ought to focus on one thing; to guard herself against any unwanted feelings such as love.

    Erasing his memory was a precaution, especially since she couldn''t risk even the slightest possibility of Tyrone asking for far more than she was ever willing, assuming that she was capable of giving such a thing in the first place. Physical intimacy often tended to develop into something far greater than mere physical attraction. Well, there could be a chance. She would rather not take that risk.

    After a few seconds, the silence was finally broken. Tyrone squinted his eyes at her and asked, "How about you? Are you alright? Aren''t you hurt from the incident? I entered your room as soon as I saw the police and medical officers leave."

    "No, I''m not hurt," Raine smiled. "Come and get up now."

    It was a success! The Glawackus powder spell was effective on him! This also meant that Tyrone was a human, simply because the spell wouldn''t work on mutants. Somehow, she felt relieved that he was a human. At least she wouldn''t be bothered for his safety once his father woke up.

    Tyrone stood up with a groan before they walked out of the bathroom. Raine quickly sat on the couch, but Tyrone seemed confused as he paused right in front of her.

    "What''s wrong?" Raine asked.

    "Something feels weird. I''m probably in a rush going in because I forgot to wear something important on me," Tyrone scratched the back of his head. "I''ll go back to my room for a while."

    Raine carefully watched Tyrone as he walked out of the door. She immediately grabbed his briefs from under her bed as soon as it closed shut. It was probably the thing that he was saying he had forgotten to wear.

    ''Damn!''

    She inwardly cursed as she thought of what to do with the offending undergarment. Should she dispose of it? Or should she sneakily return it to his room? Raine''s first thought was to return later, but she still found herself hurriedly walking out of her room and entering Tyrone''s room. As she expected, he was inside his bathroom, giving her just enough time to put his underwear back in his room.

    Quickly throwing his briefs inside the closet, she turned around to walk out of the door. However, she all but froze on the spot as soon as she heard Tyrone''s voice echo from the bathroom.

    "Do you need anything?"

    With a sigh, Raine shrugged her shoulders. He caught her sneaking into his room. Quickly coming up with a passable alibi, she turned to face him with a sweet smile ready to be deployed. However, her jaw instantly dropped as she gawked at beads of water rolling down Tyrone''s exposed chest. He looked so damn sexy with his toned muscles and firm abs that Raine almost wanted to pounce at him and feel his warmth right then and there. She unconsciously bit her lower lip, fighting the urge to run into his arms and give his body the same treatment as he did to her last night.

    Raine blushed in embarrassment as memories of their recent intimate encounter rushed into her head. She was practically glued onto her spot.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone asked.

    He approached her, walking in long strides as Raine fought her own urges. She felt his palm graze her cheeks as he whispered, "You''re burning red but your temperature is normal..."

    At the slightest contact, Raine snapped out of her drooling reverie and inwardly cursed herself for the carnal desires that consumed her at the briefest lapse of her concentration. Quickly, she stepped back but Tyrone moved closer just as quickly. This time, he touched something on her neck. He was frowning as he asked, "Why do you have a lot of red marks on your neck? Are those insect bites?!"

    Raine gulped. She was tongue-tied for the first time in her life. Damn. How could he even think of them as insect bites? Wasn''t it obvious that they were human bites? His bites?!

    Wait¡­ Oh right¡­

    She almost wanted to hit her head for forgetting that she just erased his memory about what happened last night. Of course, he wasn''t going to have any idea that he was the one that left those hickeys all over her skin. And oh, how she just loved how he created those hickeys.

    The very thought alone brought forth so much arousal in her that Raine knew she had to get out before she took advantage of him again. Then she''d have to erase his memories all over again.

    "I''m fine! Get dressed first," Raine shouted out, hastily turning around to leave the room even as her body burned with his fiery touch. "You''re so sexy that my eyes are bleeding!" she followed with a slight jest before opening the door to leave.

    Closing the door behind her, Raine let out a quiet whisper, "I''m in trouble¡­" before rushing back to her room.

 Chapter 67 - My Daddy

    That night, Raine had dinner inside her room. Tyrone was with her and he took good care of her every need. Raising an eyebrow, she quietly observed him. And so far, it looked as if the powder had truly worked on him. He didn''t remember anything about their intimate moment. And since the Glawackus powder only worked on humans, did it mean that Tyrone was truly not a mutant? That thought lingered in her mind while she stared at Tyrone for a long time.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone asked. They had just finished dinner and he noticed that Raine was constantly staring at him. "Do I have something on my face?"

    Raine blinked at the sudden attention. Did she stare at him far too long without her even knowing?

    "It''s nothing. Are you sure you don''t remember anything when you slipped inside the bathroom a while ago?" she played off the question with a smile. "How''s your head? Maybe we should go to a hospital to make sure¡­"

    "There''s no need for that. I''m fine," Tyrone said as he cleaned the table. "I''ll clean myself up and get changed. Then I''ll come back here and stay with you."

    Raine looked at him with a serious expression, "No. I want to sleep alone tonight."

    Tyrone didn''t comment on her words. He was expressionless as always as he mumbled out, "Alright then. I will leave now. Good night, Boss."

    Raine watched his back as he walked towards the door.

    "Ah¡­ I did the right thing. It''s better he forgot about it. It''s too intimate¡­" Raine mumbled with a pout.

    "Ahhh! I can''t believe we did something beyond cuddling and kissing!"

    Her face burned red in embarrassment, recalling how she enjoyed everything.

    Letting out a long deep sigh to calm her nerves, she decided to grab her mobile phone and dial her uncle Yun''s number. She selected the video call option to face her uncle even though it was already dark in her room.

    "Yes?" her Uncle answered.

    Raine had a wry smile on her face as she mumbled, "Ah, if you won''t stop meddling with the task you asked of me, then I won''t do it at all. You''d be better off doing it yourself if you don''t stop bothering me about it. Why would you even interfere, huh?"

    "What are you talking about, Raine?" Yun asked.

    "I''m sure you know what I''m talking about, Uncle," Reine cooed into her phone.

    "This will be my first and last warning to you. If you mess around again with Xander Yang, then he is all yours. Kill him yourself. I will answer straight to my father as soon as he wakes up and explain why I didn''t pursue the work you asked me to do."

    She let out a sly sigh, "Geez, you''re so impatient, huh? Now, I wonder why you would even ask me this when you can''t even wait for me to finish the job. What''re you hiding under your sleeve, uncle? Don''t tell me you''re doing this so you can frame me in the process?"

    Raine could no longer hold her amusement as Yun''s face paled on her screen as she continued with a smirk, "Don''t mess around with me, Uncle. You know what I do to people who mess with me. I''ll be the one to decide whether I should kill Xander Yang or not within this week. So keep your hands off him until then."

    Yun''s face darkened, "You¡­ How dare you threaten me!"

    "I''m not threatening you, Uncle. I''m just giving you a warning," Raine mockingly smirked. "It''s up to you whether to heed or not. I''ll be ending this call here. Good night, Uncle, and may you have a good sweet dream in your sleep. Don''t have a nightmare¡­"

    Ending the call, Raine stood up and walked towards the bathroom to clean up. After a soothing bath and changing into her sleepwear, she let her body fall onto her bed.

    "Tonight will be cold¡­"

    She mumbled to herself while staring at the ceiling. She wanted Tyrone''s warmth beside her but she feared her own body. What if she became aggressive towards him again and he ended up losing control like a while ago? They might not even end up doing it all the way. And even If they did, then they would be forced to give their relationship a name, right?

    Raine tossed and turned as her conflicting emotions made it almost impossible to sleep. She was even startled as she received a video call request from Levi.

    "Boss, Aire wanted to talk to you," Levi informed as soon as she pressed the answer key.

    "Alright, put her on the call," Raine smiled, partly glad for the distraction it provided

    "Mommy, when will you come back?" Aire asked as soon as she appeared on the screen. Raine loved how comfortable the girl was with calling her mommy.

    "Missing me already?"

    Aire nodded adorably, "Didn''t Uncle and Auntie report to you about how I''m perfectly fine now? I can handle myself now and can go out with you anytime. You can even take me wherever you want in my wolf form as your pet, Mommy. By the way, my wolf''s name is Draki."

    "Oh, that''s a cute name, my dear," Raine complimented, deftly dodging Aire''s earlier question.

    "How come you''re not answering my question? When will you come back, mommy? Will I also see daddy when you come back?"

    Levi and Mia both choked on their own saliva upon hearing those words from Aire. They were all in the living room watching some movies when Aire suddenly asked them to call Raine.

    "Daddy?" Raine murmured, eyes blinking as she stared at the girl.

    "Yes. A daddy." Aire casually stated. "I have a mommy so it''s only normal that I have a daddy too, right? When do I see my daddy?"

    Mia stopped herself from laughing while Levi saw an opportunity that he couldn''t help but take, "Ah, I''m now your daddy, Aire. You can call me daddy instead of Uncle."

    Aire''s face crumpled as she grunted, "You''re my Uncle, and absolutely not my daddy!" The girl harrumphed. "Don''t bully me, okay? Or I will bite you."

    Mia could no longer hold her laughter as she burst into a fit of chuckles and giggles,"G-go on, Aire and make him a werewolf too!"

    Levi paled as he whispered, "Boss, these two are bullying me here. Can I just stay there with you instead? Mia can handle Aire alone."

    Raine smiled at the lighthearted banter, "I think you fit in there just fine, Levi."

    She then turned to Aire, her gaze filled with intent, "Dear, I''m your solo parent for now, so that means  I''m not just your mommy, but I''m also your daddy." She let off a comforting smile. "How about you go to bed and let''s talk more tomorrow. Show me how much you''ve improved then, alright?"

    Aire reluctantly nodded even as she whispered, "But I want to see my daddy...."

    Raine hummed, "Hmm¡­ I''ll try my best to return as soon as I can so we can have fun together. Alright? Good night my Aire."

    Aire sighed, "Goodnight, mommy. Bye bye"

    The call had already ended when Aire whispered, "I''m sure I will see daddy soon."

 Chapter 68 - A Stalker

    The day finally came that the rest of the group had to leave the resort to head over to the new venue for the resumption of their team-building. They had been assigned to ride together in a van to their next venue.

    Tyrone was driving behind them. Raine informed him of the details about the new venue, and this time, instructed him to stay hidden or have any sort of disguise for the other employees not to recognize him. It was necessary, or else he would look like he was stalking the group.

    In the van, she sat beside Dr. Rui Dee. She wondered how Tyrone would react if he ever saw them together. All the while, her thoughts were focused only on one person, Tyrone. If Tyrone was beside her, she could''ve comfortably rested in his warm embrace during their travels.

    Raine shook her head and mused, ''Ah, this isn''t good. How come I''m the only one with a dilemma like this. I shouldn''t have erased his memory so he too would feel the torment.''

    The silence inside the van was nerve-wracking. Raine didn''t bother to break it since she was way too busy figuring out how to untangle her conflicted emotions toward Tyrone.

    However, Rizie, Dr. Song''s secretary, couldn''t take the silence anymore. The woman forced a conversation with an innocent question. "I wonder how that yacht suddenly exploded? I mean, I know the jet ski hit the yacht, but such a big and sudden explosion seemed unexpected at all."

    "I know, right? I heard that someone had the same guess as to what happened. But then, I guess it''s simply much better just to wait for the investigation to finish. Right, Dr. Dee?"

    Raine fizzled and turned to look at Dr. Dee beside her with a sarcastic smirk on her face. She couldn''t blame the man for being suspicious of her, but then, she felt annoyed. If they only knew that she was working her as*s of to save Xander Yang.

    Dylan had confirmed to her earlier that the explosion was no accident. Her uncle had instructed his men to plant a bomb in the yacht.

    "And the target was Dr. Yang?" Rizie muttered out before she looked at Xander and asked, "Do you have any known enemies, Dr. Yang?"

    Xander shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

    "Hmm¡­ Xander did date a lot of women in the past. Could it be any of them holding a grudge against him? Maybe there''s a woman who was interested in him and was trying to gain his attention by such actions?" Rui postulated. "Nowadays, people tend to plot against each other just to gain attention and trust from one another."

    Raine rolled her eyes. The doctor was obviously implying something with his words. She wanted to laugh, but she controlled herself to avoid making a scene. Rui must have liked a lot of drama series if he thought she would do something hilarious like that just to gain Xander''s trust by saving him.

    ''Ah, this man is so funny!'' Raine sarcastically scowled to herself.

    "That''s surely a possibility. Mostly in movies, I believe. It could also just be your poor imagination, Dr. Dee. Nevertheless, I think we can all simply speculate while waiting for the investigations to finish. Sometimes, judging a situation, this early would only lead to misunderstandings. Don''t you agree?" Raine stated with a sweet smile, turning her head towards Rui with a wink.

    She inwardly smiled. Raine had enjoyed the sarcastic exchange of conversation with him. It was really amusing just how he was trying to put the missing pieces of the puzzle together, only to end up reshuffling them all over again.

    "Excuse me, Rui, all the women I dated before were educated and well cultured. They wouldn''t stoop as low to try to kill me. And besides, I haven''t done anything that can offend them enough for them to want to kill me for revenge. I think that whatever happened back there is just a mere accident," Xander refuted.

    "I know, right? Why go to that extent when the woman could just sneak inside your room and undress in front of you? Or just easily drug you and take advantage of you afterward?" Raine scoffed, perpetuating the awkward atmosphere inside the van.

    No one dared to comment anymore as the deafening silence inside the van occupied the entire trip. Before long, Raine and the group arrived at the new venue that evening. Everyone who had arrived earlier was already having dinner.

    Immediately, everyone asked how Dr. Yang, Dr. Song, and Dr. Yao were doing after the incident. They simply confirmed that they were alright. As soon as she finished her dinner, Raine walked straight into her room. Unsurprisingly, Tyrone was already inside, waiting for her.

    "You''re like a stalker, you know?" she mumbled out as she sat on the couch and turned on the television to watch some news. The incident wasn''t broadcasted since Xander covered it up. He also wanted a confidential investigation of the case.

    "It''s my job to stalk you as your bodyguard. You even asked me to stick with you 24/7, but I guess you only prefer a 12/7 service these days," Tyrone replied with a blank expression, making Raine chuckle.

    "Why do you sound like you prefer to be with me 24/7? If I remember it correctly, you disliked that idea the first time you heard it."

    Tyrone didn''t reply. Instead, he just casually sat on the edge of the bed, facing her. Raine met his gaze, and none of them dared to blink. It was like a battle between who would blink or talk first.

    "Are you trying to compel me?" Tyrone finally spoke out, unable to resist her beautiful and seductive eyes staring straight at him.

    Raine chuckled, "I''m not a vampire, darling. Only vampires can compel humans with their eyes. I believe that witches have those abilities too. Ah¡­ Humans are too weak compared to mutants. They could easily wipe out humanity in one blow if they really wanted to."

    Tyrone let out a long sigh and whispered, "Human¡­So you believe that I''m a human. How can you be so sure that I''m a human? You can''t even identify me using your bloody eyes."

    ****************

    Author''s Note:

    If you are curious about Xander, you can follow his story, including Rui and the other characters from Yang Globals Hospital, by searching and adding the book "The Doctor Who Loves Me" in your library. I''m sure you will enjoy it. Every book is standalone so you don''t really need to read them in sequence.. Thanks.

 Chapter 69 - Become The Right-hand Man

    Raine shrugged her shoulders, "I know, right? And it''s so frustrating to me that I can''t confirm whether you''re a human or not. Ah, why don''t you spare me being anxious and just tell me what you are?"

    Tyrone chuckled, "But it''s fun seeing you be curious about something so simple, so I don''t have plans on telling you anything."

    "You want me to remain curious, huh. Don''t worry, I''ll surely find out once our genius scientist doctor successfully comes up with a compound that can identify humans from mutants."

    "I see. That way, you can take a break from hunting mutants. Since I''m now a part of your Moonlight Squad, how about I volunteer for you to test it with me first¡­ that compound?" Tyrone suddenly offered, making Raine frown.

    "You''re so weird. Just a while ago, you sounded like you don''t want me to find out whether you''re a human or mutant. And now, you are volunteering to be a test subject?" Raine grumbled. "You''re thinking ahead, darling. Why don''t you just focus on being my bodyguard for now?"

    "Yeah, why not? That way, I can enter the Mirage Territory, particularly the Moon Clan, right?" Tyrone suspiciously agreed.

    Raine raised her eyebrows as she replied, "Mirage Territory? Moon Clan?"

    Tyrone had a smirk on his face as he boldly explained, "According to our investigation from the USA, the Moonlight Squad is connected to one of the three powerful clans in Mirage. It should be the Moon Clan''s if I recall correctly," Tyrone nonchalantly stated.

    With a frown, Raine murmured, "You seem too interested in those myths. Mirage is just a myth."

    Tyrone didn''t respond, merely sighing deeply at her denial.

    "Don''t get yourself worked up with those myths. What you should be focusing on is how you should please me," Raine reminded. "I hate betrayal, darling. So don''t you dare betray me, or you will face the consequences of my wrath. You should leave now while I''m still being considerate. If you have any other plans beyond serving me and giving me your loyalty¡­ Well, as I said, you already know what happens," she threateningly scoffed.

    "If I run away now, your Uncle Yun will hunt me down. If I want to stay alive, it''s more advisable to stick by your side," Tyrone bluntly suggested. "I''m sure no one will touch me once I become the right-hand man of the Bloody-Eyed Hunter. Touching me would be like signing your own death certificate."

    Stunned, Raine turned at him and scoffed, "Ambitious, I see¡­"

    "Not ambitious. If I must say, I simply want to stay by your side for as long as I could," Tyrone mumbled out, avoiding her stare. He then promptly stood up before heading straight for her door, "I''m going back to my room next to you. Good night, Boss.

    Raine could watch him leave the room with a frown. "How dare he play with me with those cheeky words¡­" She fumed for a bit before a bright idea hatched in her mind. A beautiful smile crept up on her face as she whispered, "If that''s your play, then I guess I shall make you my right-hand man and see where this leads us¡­"

    That night, Raine couldn''t sleep so she went out. She frowned when she saw a suspicious person in a hoodie standing in front of Xander''s room. There were flower petals falling one by one from the intruder''s hand, and Raine could already tell that the person was up to no good.

    For a brief second, the suspicious person bent down to seemingly check on their shoelace, even getting up as soon as their shoelaces were tied back. The person then turned in Raine''s direction. At the sight of her, the mysterious person quickly ran towards the opposite direction away from her.

    She inwardly cursed. That mysterious person would absolutely not run for nothing, so she quickly followed whoever that person was.

    The mysterious person was relatively fast, but Raine was faster. She was about to catch that hoodied intruder too, if not for the person who suddenly grabbed her by the arm.

    "Why are you running like a lunatic?" Rui asked with a frown.

    Raine glared at him with raised brows before she scowled, "Oh, please, not again. Why are you roaming around like a stalker? Let go of me if you don''t want to end up unconscious."

    At her threat, Rui let her arm go and Raine immediately went back to her room and dialed Mia''s number. Her delay made it impossible to follow the intruder anymore, so she had to at least get something out of it.

    "Damn that meddler!" she cursed while waiting for Mia to answer her call.

    After a few rings, Mia finally answered, "Hello-"

    "Hack the system here and get me footage of the person outside Xander''s room this instant," Raine instructed.

    "Noted, Boss," Mia dutifully replied as she quickly worked with her hands on her keyboards. It was good timing that she was already doing other work in front of her computer. In just a few minutes, Mia had already sent Raine what she needed.

    Raine quickly grabbed her iPad and opened the file Mia sent her. Her grip on her iPad tightened. She then massaged her temple with her other hand as she almost cracked her mobile phone while watching the video.

    "What are you doing here, Megan?!" she hissed in annoyance.

    Megan was one of the best-trained members of the Shadow Beauties of the Moon Clan. As the cringey name suggested, they were beautiful female assassins from the Moon Clan trained to do wetwork operations for Moon Clan, or mostly known as the Yue Group to the business world.

    It was her Uncle Yun''s doing again. It was definitely him who sent Megan to kill Xander Yang!

    Her mobile phone rang. It was Lyne.

    "Boss, your Uncle will arrive there at country D come next week. He''s planning a terrorist attack in the country. He''s also facilitating a selected number Shadow Beauties for the task, and they plan to frame it all of their terrorist actions to the Quan Group."

    Raine felt like her head would burst any minute by now. The Earth Clan was known as the Quan Group in the business world. How in the world would her Uncle Yun manage the consequences of his actions?

    "How confident is he that he can pull this off without bringing the rest of the Moon Clan down with him, Lyne? Ah, can I just roast my Uncle alive?" Rain growled in irritation.

    "We have another problem, Boss."

    "What is it now?!" Raine exclaimed.

    "Boss, the Military at country D is already aware of the existence of the Mirage.. They''re currently investigating our group, calling it as part of the Mirage Triad."

 Chapter 70 - Blue Moon

    "Oh wow, the military group in this country really is impressive. They''re top-notch when compared to other countries worldwide, even against the military in our dear country V. Ah, The Mirage Triad¡­ Just the perfect name for our secret society. Tell me, who is it again that''s handling this in the military?" Raine serenely asked. She was curious about who was leading the operations about the Mirage.

    "General Zacharias Lim, Boss. He''s leading the investigation."

    "Oh! The handsome General, right?!" Raine playfully blurted out, making Lyne shrug her shoulders. She really admired how their Boss could manage her temper and handle everything like a piece of cake. She would never meet anyone like her in the near future.

    "Put Mia and Levi on," Raine instructed.

    Lyne acquiesced. Soon, two more faces appeared on her screen.

    "Boss," Mia and Levi greeted as soon as they were on the call.

    "Do you think we can hack the military system in this country? I want to monitor all communications coming in and out of this place. Just filter it and focus on topics involving the Mirage. We have to know how far their investigation has gone about our secret society."

    "Noted, Boss. We will definitely make sure to give you good results," Levi reassured.

    Lyne then interrupted Levi as she continued her report, "A confidential meeting with the Mirage Council has also been requested. Prince Yun will go haywire if he finds out that the Mirage Council requested your presence as the representative of Moon Clan in the confidential meeting instead of him."

    Raine sighed loudly, "Then let''s make sure that it stays confidential. Send me a copy of the meeting invitation. My uncle''s already screaming bloody murder against me, especially now that Xander Yang is still alive and I''m not making any moves yet to finish the job he asked me to do." She scoffed, "I can only imagine how furious and anxious he''s getting withs every passing day."

    "Boss, what should we do to those who are already aware of the Mirage''s existence?" Lyne asked. "How about we just delete their memories one by one?" she suggested. The woman was worried that the Mirage''s existence would soon spread like wildfire to the populace.

    "Let it be for now. I''ll solve Xander''s case first and deal with Uncle Yun before we make a move on erasing any sort of memories," Raine ordered. "Besides, I''m more interested to know more about how they''re investigating the Mirage in the first place. For now, send me all the profiles of those that knew of the Mirage''s existence," she instructed before ending the call after giving the three further detailed instructions.

    After all was said and done, Raine stretched her body and got up to walk to the balcony of her room. Staring at the moon, she sighed. It was cold outside, but she didn''t bother to get anything to cover herself with. She simply wanted to feel the cold air against her bare skin.

    Closed her eyes, Tyrone''s face was the first thing that popped out in her mind. It was honestly annoying at this point.

    "So many things to do. How can I even think that having a love life is possible at this rate?"

    She then shook her head and smirked. Ah, she could already smell his presence not far from her, and she could feel that his familiar warmth was getting closer. Tyrone had a certain pleasing scent she couldn''t describe, a scent that she wanted to linger around her for longer.

    Raine braised herself. Just as she did, she felt a blanket cover her shoulders, Tyrone''s arms wrapping around her. He was practically hugging her from behind just so that he could cover her fully with the blanket.

    "Didn''t I make myself clear about wanting to be alone for now?" Raine mumbled, still looking at the night sky.

    "I saw you from my balcony. You''re wearing something that thin in this cold weather?. You''ll get sick if you stay outside for too long." Tyrone answered with his own apprehensions. He, too, looked at the sky and added, "Do you like the moon?"

    Raine chuckled, "The moon is my light whenever I go hunting at night, so I guess I appreciate the moon a lot rather than liking it."

    "I particularly like the blue moon," Tyrone whispered.

    "Let me guess¡­ You like it since it''s sporadic and not literally comes out once-in-a-blue-moon?" Raine lightly joked out. She always saw the moon above, but she was usually too busy to notice its beauty.

    Tyrone chuckled and replied, "Yeah¡­ Having a blue moon is a rare event to come by, which makes it all the more unique¡­ such as falling in love."

    Raine turned to Tyrone with a frown as she comedically murmured, "You suddenly gave me goosebumps with those words there. Saying something along the lines of ''falling in love'' makes it seem that you''re not as stoic as your personality suggests."

    Tyrone turned to look at her. Ignoring her comment, he directly asked, "Have you experienced a blue moon?"

    Raine flinched. It was so unexpected, she was totally caught off-guard by his question.

    She just stared at Tyrone as her mind pondered on whether or not Tyrone had a deeper meaning to his words, such as asking her if she had already experienced falling in love. Or perhaps he just simply meant a literal blue moon appearing in the night sky?

    Looking at his face for clues, the nothingness that greeted her stonewalled her from even trying. Ah, his expressionless face was annoying at times, but it always intrigued Raine to a certain degree. His blank expressions often made her curious about what he was actually thinking.

    Tyrone, for the first time that she met him, gave her a cheeky combined with a sly smile as he continued, "What I mean is, have you seen a blue moon before? Or are you too busy with the hunting of mutants and stuff that you can''t even bother looking up every once in a while?"

    Raine raised an eyebrow at him as she scoffed, "Yeah, I''m a very busy hunter that I don''t have the luxury to lose focus and experience a blue moon."

    "Ah, it''s too late already. I guess should leave you now so that you can rest. I''m sure you and the group will have a lot of activities again tomorrow for the team-building retreat," Tyrone stoically announced after merely sparing a glance at his watch. "As you instructed, I''ll just watch from the sidelines and try to keep the 12/7 service up. Good night, Boss. And sweet dreams."

    Raine could watch as Tyrone jumped over from her balcony to his. Her mouth twitched as she mumbled, "That troublesome guy! Since when did he have the nerve to tease me like that!?"

 Chapter 71 - Iâ€™ll Punish Him So Hard

    The following day, Raine enjoyed the rest of the program prepared for the team building, including the various other side activities laid out for them. All the while, she subtly monitored Xander, making sure that he won''t get himself killed throughout it all.

    "She''s like his bodyguard in the shadows," Tyrone murmured as he watched Raine playing with the rest of the employees. He could also see how Raine''s eyes were always trained at Xander at any given moment, sneaking in passing glances whenever she could.

    Monitoring her own brand of monitoring, he sighed when Raine met his stare and intentionally winked in his direction. She was so unpredictable. She can switch between cold and hot at the drop of a hat, and he felt like he was about to go crazy because of it. Tyrone sighed as he recalled the phrase, ''There is no rose without its thorns.'' He supposed that Raine was like a rose to him, a beauty with thorns.

    Meanwhile, Raine smiled whenever she would meet Tyrone''s gaze from a distance or would occasionally wink at him if she had the chance. As usual, the man was expressionless despite her antics. Nevertheless, she was still in the mood to tease him whenever she could just with her gaze alone.

    As the activities continued, the team-building organizer, Sun, eventually prepared the group for a scavenger hunt. He wanted the team to be split into two smaller groups.

    "Alright, we want each group to have the same number of men and women," Sun explained.

    He then called out the names that would comprise both groups. When all was said and done, Raine and Rui found themselves both in the same group.

    Raine rolled her eyes. He was sure that the man would try hard to read her again using his psychiatric techniques.

    "Here are the lists of items you should look for," Sun cheerfully explained, handing out the lists written on small index cards. "It also has a separate list of things you have to do. The deadline is at 11:00 AM, just before lunch. By then, everyone should be back here. The first team to accomplish all the tasks wins!"

    After a few more minutes of preambles, the scavenger hunt officially began. The two teams split up, scattering all around throughout the resort. The private island they were currently staying on was beautiful, with gorgeous blue waters and nature spots overflowing with greenery. As such, the impromptu tour made Raine truly enjoy the place.

    Raine glanced around, smiling as she wished that she could just sit around and relax without bothering about the things around her. Unfortunately, she knew it was impossible.

    Looking at the list, one of the tasks was to give a teammate a piggyback ride for ten minutes. A smirk developing on her face, Raine suddenly hopped on to Rui''s back and said, "Hurry up and let''s win this game, Mr. Meddler!"

    Rui, left no choice, complied with the nuisance.

    After completing the task, Raine let herself wander behind. She intentionally separated herself from the others, wanting to do some of the more difficult tasks that they needed.

    "Why are you alone?" Tyrone whispered. He was like a mushroom that suddenly appeared beside Raine as they walked into an area where the rest was not around.

    "Ah, that''s a good question. Why am I alone? Maybe, I intentionally did it so you can walk with me like this," Raine answered with a smile.

    "What are your current plans for Xander?" Tyrone suddenly asked. He wanted to know if she would really kill Xander, or if she would actually spare the man.

    Raine stopped for a while, sitting on the ground as she rested her back on the trunk of a big tree. With a wave, she signaled Tyrone to sit with her.

    "Tell my uncle that I''m pissed off. Last night, I saw one of his minions wandering around Xander," Raine huffed. "I already told him that if he messed around with me, then he can do the job personally since I won''t bother doing it anymore."

    A beat passed, the sound of rustling leaves mixing with the ocean waves.

    She turned to Tyrone and asked, "Tell me, what do you think I should do?"

    "It''s always best to do the right thing," Tyrone plainly answered.

    Raine chuckled, "And the right thing to do is not to kill an innocent person. I guess I won''t kill Xander and do the right thing¡­" Her eyes wandered away from him and towards the tree in front of her. "Do you think you can assist me on that as well, Tyrone Lopez? Can I really trust you to be my right-hand man?"

    "I wanted to assist you in your tasks as long as I could. You can trust me," Tyrone whispered.

    "Trust is a very fragile thing. I''m sure you''re well aware of it, so I hope you won''t break it," Raine nonchalantly spoke. "From now on, you will be my right-hand man. You will be assisting the Moon Clan Princess of the Mirage secret society," she said as she stood up back to her feet. She then quickly ran back to her team, not even waiting for Tyrone to respond.

    Tyrone let out a very long and heavy sigh as he watched Raine run back to others.

    ''What will you do to me if I ended up breaking your trust, Princess Raine?" Tyrone whispered out with a blank expression.

    Picking up her pace, Raine went back to join the others. After a few hours she felt utterly exhausted from the almost never-ending activities constantly thrown at them. As such, she went straight to her room as soon as it all ended. She hadn''t seen Tyrone ever since they last talked during the scavenger hunt, making Raine wonder what he was doing at that moment.

    But after a brief thought about it, she chose to let him be for now. She had just confirmed to him the existence of the Mirage a while ago. If her three musketeers ever found out about it, Raine would most likely receive a lot negative comments from them. However, those three should still know about her impulsive and reckless decision.

    Fishing out her phone, she immediately did a group video call with the three and informed them that Tyrone was now her right-hand man.

    "Boss, is this a prank?!" Levi asked in disbelief. She could see how the three of them all had frowns on their faces.

    "Boss, are you not satisfied with how I''m assisting you?" Lyne asked with a betrayed tone.

    Raine chuckled, "Dont worry, guys. Nothing will change except for the fact that Tyrone will now have more involvement in our operations. It''s like he will be the one to stay with me 24/7. Lyne is still my left-hand woman."

    There was dead silence at her words, so Raine added, "You three always complained about how we should add more people that we could trust to the team. I''m adding a new member since you''re all jam-packed with your respective jobs. How come you''re all still complaining?"

    "But Boss, it''s too sudden. Besides, we''re not even sure yet if we can trust that Tyrone," Mia mumbled.

    Lyne composed herself. She understood that their Boss had a good reason for making such a decision out of the blue. Instead, she simply accepted the new status quo, "We got you, Boss. I''ll start briefing Tyrone tonight about everything he needs to know."

    Mia let out a long sigh, then murmured, "Copy, Boss."

    Raine looked at Levi, who seemed to be struggling to accept Tyrone. "Levi?"

    "Noted, Boss," Levi whispered, almost at a gasp.

    "Thank you, guys. Let''s see what Tyrone is capable of first. I''m sure he can be trusted. After all, if he ever betrays me, then I will personally kill him with my own hands," Raine spoke with a serious tone in her voice. She meant every word.

    "Boss¡­" Levi called.

    "Yes, Levi?"

    "What if you fall in love with him? Can you really kill him if he betrays you?" Levi straightforwardly asked.

    It was a question Raine didn''t expect.. Nonetheless, she gave Levi a reassuring smile as she said, "If I can''t kill him, then I''ll punish him so hard that he would wish that I killed him instead."

 Chapter 72 - Tease And Play With Me All You Want

    It was the last day of the team-building program, and Sun had instructed everyone to make individual action plans. Each individual would write a private letter to themselves, answering questions such as: "Today, what contributions am I most proud of?"; "What do I regret doing/saying, or not doing/saying?"; "In the future, I''d like to be more..."; "I''d like to stop¡­ and start¡­" And so on and so forth. They would then seal the letter and drop it off in their mailboxes at home one month from now.

    Raine enthusiastically joined in, writing her own answers all while sneaking glances at Tyrone''s direction not too far away from them. She took the activity seriously, and she enjoyed many games during the rest of the program. It was very rare for her to interact with others, after all. It was practically a once-in-a-blue-moon experience for her.

    As she made her letter, she couldn''t help but keep on smiling, recalling Tyrone''s cheekiness last night about the blue moon and whatnot. She had pondered about it all night and had decided to make Tyrone her right-hand man just as he suggested. In a sense, she simply followed her heart''s desire in that crucial decision she just made.

    At his own table, Tyrone met her gaze and smiled. The image of her kissing him immediately materialized in her head. Raine thought that her heart would explode at any minute. It was already bad enough that she almost kissed the host earlier for interrupting her daydreams.

    After a few last-minute activities, the group had a good dinner in the dining hall. Before everyone returned to their respective rooms to rest, however, the group had one final session. Xander, as the head, gave out a short speech. He encouraged his subordinates, hoping that everyone had enjoyed their trip. He then continued, remarking that at the same time, they should have learned a lot of things that they could take home with them. Lessons that everyone could use back at the workplace and achievable goals that would reinforce critical findings from the program.

    "Thank you so much, Dr. Xander Yang, for that wonderful speech.  I must say, this group is indeed lucky because we were instructed to prepare a small party in the function room. So we encourage everyone to join us! We will have various drinks available, and everyone is allowed to get wasted. Isn''t that right, Dr. Yang?" Sun announced with a smile as he shifted his gaze to Xander.

    Xander smiled and nodded,  adding in jest, "Just make sure there''s no violence afterwards, alright?"

    The group cheered. Some excitedly went into the function room, while others returned to their rooms to change into cuter, more ''selfie appropriate'' outfits.

    Raine, of course, remained in the function hall and enjoyed the cocktail drinks.

    "Looks like you''re planning to get wasted tonight," Rui commented.

    "Oh, our Mr. Meddler. Are you here to get drunk too?" Raine asked, partly slurring her words..

    Rui shook his head. She sounded drunk already. "I think that''s enough," he scolded as soon as he saw Raine take on more shots.

    However, Raine ignored him. She saw that Tyrone around, and she was curious on what he would do if she got drunk around other men.

    "Don''t kill the fun, Mr. Meddler. Xander even cheered us on to get wasted, so let me be," Raine swayed slightly as she spoke. "If you''re too concerned, just stay by my side and get me back in my room later in one piece. How about that?"

    Rui  frustratingly sighed, but then his eyes lit up at a thought. Raine could already tell what was going inside the man''s head.

    "Tell me. Why are you trying to get close to Xander? I''m sure you have some sort of hidden agenda other than just flirting with my friend," Rui straightforwardly asked.

    Raine rolled her eyes. She couldn''t believe that Rui thought that she was one of those lightweights who would spill the beans on a drunken stupor. He was a psychologist, so it was natural for him to feel that somehow, alcohol stifled reasoning skills and contemplating long-term repercussions. As a result, people were more likely to tell the truth while intoxicated, offering up brutally honest and unfiltered opinions.

    Too bad for him. She wasn''t drunk enough to satisfy his curiosity. She stared at Rui''s eyes. With her most seductive smile, she teased, "Tell me, Mr, Meddler, do you perhaps prefer that I flirt with you more?" Rui''s face reddened, and Raine chuckled as she commented, "You do look quite adorable whenever you''re blushing."

    She then drank some more, and Rui could do nothing but stay with her to make sure that he could safely bring her back into her room. After some time, Raine stood up with a drunken smile on her face, swaying on her feet before eventually falling.

    Rui moved fast to catch her, but another man was faster than him.

    "Doctor Dee, I''ll take her to her room. She called me today and asked me to come tonight and drive her back to Capital City," Tyrone said, trying his best to sound casual while keeping his calm.

    "And who are you?" Rui asked with lifted eyebrows. The man looked familiar.

    "I''m Tyrone Lopez, Doctor Yao''s secretary," Tyrone introduced himself.

    "Oh, yeah, I''ve heard about you¡­" the doctor unconsciously uttered. He did hear about him since gossip mongers talked about the guy lately. He was the handsome guy the female nurses referred to who, unfortunately for them, preferred men as opposed to women.

    "I''m sorry?" Tyrone scoffed, almost sounding offended.

    "Ah, it''s nothing. However, I''m not sure I can just allow you to take her away that easily," Rui hesitatingly muttered.

    Raine knew what was going on around her, so she raised her head with a grin and pinched Tyrone''s cheeks with both her hands. With a drunken voice, she mumbled, "Oh, my reliable secretary is here. As expected, you''re the best. Always there to save me! Let''s go and take me out of here before this Mr. Meddler takes advantage of me."

    "What?! Take advantage?!" Rui burst out in disbelief, only for Raine to crazily laugh at him.

    At the commotion, Tyrone took the opportunity and said with a smile, "I''ll be taking her now, Doctor Dee. See you at work."

    Without waiting for Doctor Dee''s response, Tyrone quickly hefted Raine into his arms and walked with long strides out of the function hall.

    "Ah, how come you didn''t let Rui bring me back into my room? It would''ve been fun to tease Mr. Meddler," Raine murmured into Tyrone''s chest, burying her face into his embrace.

    "Didn''t I make myself clear? You can tease and play with me all you want instead of doing it to any other man!" Tyrone grunted in his darkest expression.

 Chapter 73 - I Want You*

    Raine was unsure of how to react to Tyrone''s words. She couldn''t respond, only snuggling herself more into his arms. He was so warm that she loved the comfort of his arms. She smiled, thinking how redundant she was already in always thinking about his warm body.

    Tyrone sighed as Raine''s soft body brushed against his. This was becoming a common occurrence these days.

    "Are you sleeping?" he whispered.

    There was no response. Tyrone smiled when he felt Raine''s calm breathing, sleeping in his arms like a baby.

    Soon enough, they arrived at her room. Walking to her bed, Tyrone gently laid Raine down on her sheets. She didn''t let go of his neck, however, only staring at him as she held on.

    She lovingly smiled at him, but he looked gloomy so she asked, "Why are you frowning?"

    Tyrone sighed. He relaxed his face and whispered, "Because I don''t like it when you get wasted like that. What if I''m not around? Will you just let any man carry you back to your room?" He scolded, "You shouldn''t get drunk alone like that. It''s better if you just stayed inside your room and drink alone."

    Raine had a sly smile on her face as she answered in her drunken voice, "You sound like you''re scolding your Boss, darling. And why should I not I let any other man carry me if I get so wasted? You sound more like a jealous boyfriend than just a protective bodyguard at this point."

    There was a steady and unbreakable stare from Tyrone. It was so intense that Raine felt like his eyes were penetrating deep into her soul. It was as if he wanted to say something, but he was barely stopping himself from doing so.

    Unblinking, Raine moved her right hand up to touch his face. She traced his eyebrows with her slender fingers as she mumbled, "How come that a combination of silver and black looks so cool in eyebrows like yours?" Her fingers then stopped at the corners of his eyes as she added, "You have such lovely eyes too. Ah, but these eyes are very dangerous. I''m not sure if it''s intentional or I''m just hallucinating, but why do I feel like you''re constantly undressing me every time you stare at me?"

    At his face turning crimson red, she chuckled, "Tell me, what''s going through your mind whenever you give me those ''I want to undress you'' stares?  Am I right in my assumption that you have lewd thoughts hidden underneath those stares?"

    Her raspy voice mixed with his own as her fingers touched Tyrone''s full red lips. His mouth partly opened, probably stunned with her words. Raine couldn''t help but push her finger up a bit more inside those parted lips, feeling the heat of his breath at the tip of her fingers.. She, too, had unconsciously parted her lips and she heard Tyrone curse under his breath.

    She gasped when she felt Tyrone''s tongue lick at her fingers.

    ''Is he really sucking on my fingers?'' she mused in disbelief before a burst of lightning suddenly struck her body. The burning sensation traveled all over her body, and was just too much to bear already. To think that such a feeling was just from her fingers being licked and sucked on like a lollipop?

    "I feel horny," she shamelessly mumbled out in a hoarse tone.

    Tyrone immediately stopped as they stared at each other for a moment. The tension was palpable between them.

    ''Kiss me!'' Raine inwardly screamed, hoping that Tyrone could somehow understand her longing stare. She subconsciously wetted her lips by licking them, already preparing herself for the inevitable. Although, she wasn''t even aware that the unintentional movement was more than enough to provoke Tyrone as he aggressively crashed his lips against hers. It was so damn hot that he wanted to do feel it, to wet her lips with his own.

    Immediately, Raine''s stomach tightened itself into knots. Here it was again, the same feeling of being on cloud nine whenever she and Tyrone kissed. It was such an incredible feeling whenever they kissed.

    Sensing the opportunity, he aggressively licked and sucked on her lips, leaving both side untouched before sliding his tongue inside her mouth and probing deeper. Raine could only moan into his mouth as the pleasure of just kissing each other consumed her.

    She was busy enjoying the kiss when she felt Tyrone''s hand unbuttoning her blouse. He was pretty fast in removing her clothes since she immediately felt his palm traveling through her bare skin, caressing every inch of her as it passed by. She let out a suppressed moan as his hand settled to one of her mounds, kneading it skillfully while his fingers playfully tweaked at her vulnerable nipple. She groaned as she felt a mixture of pain and pleasure, but the latter easily overwhelmed the former.

    He then began kissing his way down her neck. Unlike the other night, Tyrone took his sweet time in licking and sucking on her neck, including both of her collarbones as he left his mark by gently and sensually biting into her skin. Ah, whatever he did to her body only stoked the fires of desire to be taken by him. She was so wet that she was probably already drenching the sheets beneath her with her arousal.

    She moaned loudly when Tyrone then went further down and attacked her nipples, licking and sucking on them alternately. The heat within her kept on rising because of his ministrations. She suddenly became hyperaware that she was still wearing shorts as she felt his hands move, removing them as well, leaving her with nothing but her all before him.

    Tyrone then stopped what he was doing. They stared at each other, and Raine suddenly felt shy at the thought that she was totally naked in front of him. He stared at her from head to toe, his eyes filled with desire.

    "You''re so beautiful," Tyrone gasped.

    He touched Raine right on her sex, her only response was to bite his lower lip to suppress the soft moans that her mouth was letting out. She watched on with anticipation as Tyrone stopped only to undress himself.

    ''Are we really going to do it all the way? Should I remove the memory of this event from his mind after this?'' she hesitantly mused as she watched Tyrone position himself in between her thighs.

    "I want you¡­ Tell me that you want me too," Tyrone whispered while staring directly into her eyes.

    "I want you," Raine breathed out as she readied herself to accept him. However, Tyrone didn''t move. He simply stared at her unmoving. Then, she felt something in her bladder.

    Raine suddenly opened her eyes as she jerked off from her¡­

    "You''re dreaming."

    She heard a familiar voice and she quickly sat up, her face too deep red in embarrassment.

 Chapter 74 - Sparing An Innocent Life Is Not A Mistake

    "A dream?!"

    Raine burst out in disbelief. She couldn''t fathom just why on earth she had an erotic dream that almost felt like it was real like it was really happening.

    ''Did I become that perverted that even in dreams, I''m having erotic thoughts about Tyrone?'' she horrifyingly thought with a twisted expression. ''This is so embarrassing!''

    "How are you feeling?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine quickly composed herself before turning to look at him. He was sitting on the other side of the bed, and she just hoped that she didn''t talk in her sleep!

    ''Did I moan or something?'' Raine wondered, but there was no way that she would ask Tyrone that.

    She bit her inner cheek as she tried to recall when she fell asleep? When did her dream even start? She wracked her head for answers, but she was so drunk and sleepy that she could no longer tell when she had even fallen asleep.

    "I''m good," Raine found herself regrettably muttering out. If it wasn''t for her bloody bladder urging her to pee, she would probably still be dreaming about that erotic scene between her and Tyrone. She didn''t know whether to thank her bladder for its interruption or curse it for shortening such a crucial scene.

    "Do you want anything?" Tyrone blankly asked.

    "No, I''m good," Raine murmured as she massaged her temples.

    "You''re saying something like ''I want you¡­'' in your dream," Tyrone nonchalantly commented. "It seems like a good dream. Far from a nightmare this time, so I didn''t bother trying to wake you up. I''m honestly surprised that you suddenly woke up."

    Raine swallowed as her face twitched in nervous anxiety. She couldn''t tell from Tyrone''s expressionless face what he was thinking, but he so sounded casual that he probably wasn''t aware that she just had a wet dream. She wondered then about how Tyrone would react if he heard from her that it was an erotic kind of dream. Would he still think of it as a good dream?

    "When did I pass out?" she asked.

    With his unreadable eyes still focused on her, Tyrone answered, "You''re already snoring before we even reached your room." He scoffed, "Are you sober now? Or do you want something¡­ It seems like you want something since I clearly heard you say ''I want you,'' earlier. And since there''s a ''you'' there, then I guess it''s not a thing you want, but someone?"

    Raine schooled herself despite her feelings. She couldn''t tell if he was teasing her or not since he had that serious look masking his intentions.

    "Did I say that? Ah, I''m not sure I remember," Raine naively answered as she acted as if she was thinking hard about it.

    "It''s like you were having a wet dream," Tyrone candidly mentioned.

    Raine froze, a lump suddenly blocking her throat. She was caught red-handed. However, she was not someone who would so easily give in when it came to teasing!

    "Hmm, I see no harm in having an erotic dream. Let''s see. Let me just recall who was with me in that erotic dream. Ah, seems fun if it''s a harem!" She jokingly stated, but Tyrone''s dark and sullen aura affected so much her that she quickly course-corrected herself. "I probably just had a good dream about the man of my dreams! Anyway, why are you here?" she quickly asked with raised eyebrows, forcefully changing the topic.

    "I''m worried that you''ll vomit again, so I stayed. I brought you some energy drinks and hangover medicine in case you need it," Tyrone replied.

    "That''s so nice of you, darling," Raine smiled. "Anyway, I think I''ll be fine now. It''s already late, so you should go back to your room and rest."

    Tyrone nodded before casually speaking, "Just a reminder that your Uncle will be arriving here come next week. I''m sure you''re already aware of it."

    "Yeah, don''t worry. I''ll make sure that he won''t mess with you," Raine reassured.

    "I can take care of myself, but your Uncle is not pleased that Xander is still alive."

    Last night, Lyne contacted him and briefed him about the important things he needed to know about Raine, her duties and responsibilities as the Vice-Chairman of the Yue Group, and the Princess of Moon Clan. Lyne also gave him a brief rundown of all the vital underworld operations that Raine was handling.

    Lyne was very professional, and Tyrone could feel that she clearly didn''t trust him. Of course, he totally understood her sentiments, and he was sure that the rest of the Moonlight Squad''s members had the same impression and thoughts about him. But all things considered, he would be the one to handle Raine''s affairs from now on, and he wanted to do a great job while he was her right-hand man.

    And right now, Xander was her top priority. That, and dealing with her uncle Yun.

    "Well, I warned him, but he definitely won''t listen. We have a lot of things to do, Tyrone. Let''s wrap up Xander''s case quickly¡­"

    "But how about your father?" Tyrone asked.

    "What about my father?" Raine countered with a frown.

    "Lyne mentioned that you only follow instructions from your father. Won''t he get mad if you fail in this task?" Tyrone replied.

    "I didn''t exactly receive the order to kill Xander Yang from my father. It''s just Uncle Yun who asked me to do it, saying that would be what my father wanted," She scoffed. "He said that it would please my father the most once he woke up from his coma. So, I have a valid reason why I won''t kill Xander. It''s because it''s not a direct order from my father¡­"

    "I''m sorry. I just don''t get it¡­ Why bother in trying to make your uncle think that you''ll do this mission if you clearly have a good alibi in rejecting your Uncle Yun?" Tyrone asked. He wanted to understand what was going inside Raine''s mind.

    Raine smiled at him, "It''s because if I disagreed with Uncle Yun, then I won''t have enough time to save Xander''s as*s, not to mention I won''t have enough time to mess with Uncle Yun''s plans. Xander is probably dead by now if I didn''t stall for time by agreeing to kill him."

    "What about your father?" Tyrone continued questioning. "Do you think he''ll also spare Xander''s life?"

    Raine didn''t expect him to ask such a question, but she still answered him, "No."

    "Then you''ll be in big trouble once your father wakes up and find out that instead of killing Xander, you tried your best to save him," Tyrone concluded.

    Raine winked at him, "My father loves me too. So much so that he''ll let all of my mistakes slide by. Whatever they may be."

    "Sparing an innocent life is not a mistake," Tyrone whispered.

 Chapter 75 - Someone Extraordinary

    At Raine''s Hide-out, Country V

    In front of his computer, Levi was busy tracing the CCTV footage of the lollipop boy since it was their task to hunt the man down and retrieve the list that he stole from their Boss.

    "What are you doing, Uncle?"

    Levi quickly placed his palm on his chest at the sudden intrusion. He was startled by Aire''s sudden appearance beside him.

    "Ah! You almost gave me a heart attack Aire," Levi scolded. "Please don''t just pop up like that out of nowhere." Levi scolded.

    "Sorry, Uncle. I''m craving some milk, so I went out to make some hot milk for myself. But then I saw the light coming from the living room. Why are you working here?" Aire asked as she looked at his screen.

    "Well, I can''t sleep yet, so I thought of checking out something on my laptop," Levi chuckled as he confessed. "That, and I love this massage chair in the living room so I sat here while working. And why are you asking?"

    "That''s not my daddy," Aire uttered out with a pout as she stared at the man on the screen.

    Levi felt confused with her reply, which seemed to come completely out of nowhere. He followed her gaze and he frowned. It would seem that he had left the CCTV footage from their minimart where the lollipop boy left a note of his trading proposal playing on his laptop since he was trying to get a better angle of the man.

    "Of course, he''s not your father! That guy''s a snatcher. He stole the list from your mommy. Aire¡­" he scoffed. "Instead, how about you practice calling me Daddy? Don''t you think I''m good enough to be your daddy?" Levi shamelessly suggested.

    Aire''s face soured as she mumbled, "Uncle, I already have a daddy, so please stop that. You''re simply just an uncle."

    Levi frowned, at her words, but Aire simply ignored him. With a breath, she suddenly whispered, "The booklist is a decoy."

    "Huh?" Levi breathed out in bewilderment. His eyes widened in confusion as he stared at Aire.

    "What Mommy should be looking for is the ledger if she wanted to find out more about those Exordiums¡­"

    Levi''s jaw dropped as he whispered, ''What- Who are you? How come you know about all these things?! Can you explain a bit further so I can follow?"

    Aire had a sly smile on her face as she playfully pouted, "Make me some hot milk first, Uncle, and a medium-rare beef steak too. Plus, I want a cheese macaroni side dish. Ah, wait, I''m craving for roasted pork too."

    Levi''s mouth twitched upwards as he huffed, "Ah, not this time¡­ I won''t fall for your tricks again! How dare you lie and make up a story right in front of your uncle''s face just so that you can order me around? Hmmph!"

    Aire only giggled, amused by her Uncle''s sulking expression.

    At that moment, Levi was about to stand up since he was only acting in front of Aire. Of course, it was a given that he couldn''t just ignore this cute little adorable kid''s request just like that. Then his mobile phone rang, making him frown. The call was from the minimart, which they had recently evacuated ever since Nathaniel managed to locate it.

    He immediately answered it.

    "What?!" He burst. He then suspiciously stared at Aire while listening to the report from another line. "Ah, that bastard!" Levi swore. He looked so displeased.

    As soon as the call ended, Levi looked at Aire and said, "Come, let''s go to the kitchen and I''ll prepare everything you want."

    Aire excitedly nodded and quickly ran to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Levi suspiciously looked at Aire as he followed the little girl to the kitchen. The had been about a report that the man in a black mask had just come back and left the booklist there. The minimart already reported the incident to Lyne, and she would be the one to relay it to Raine. Mia was already sleeping, so he would just have informed her in the morning about it.

    ''If that was the case, then that booklist could truly just be a decoy like what Aire said. Who is this girl? How come she knows a lot about these things?'' Levi pondered before Aire interrupted his thoughts.

    "Come on, Uncle! Hurry up! I''ll answer all your questions, whatever they are, if you move faster!"

    Levi flinched. Aire had already seemed to read his mind.

    "Fine, I''ll prepare your sumptuous snacks!" Levi snorted as he grabbed the apron and other kitchen utensils that he needed.

    Watching him work, Aire sat on a chair by the kitchen counter as she waited patiently for her Uncle Levi to prepare all of her requested food.

    "Don''t you know that midnight snacks aren''t healthy for the body?" Levi chided with a scolding tone while chopping some onions.

    "I''m a werewolf, Uncle, remember? Do you prefer me to eat raw meat as my snack?" She teased, giving Levi a growl followed by letting of starving look as if she was drooling to eat him.

    "You''re a bully like your mommy. Do you know that? Stop it, Aire!" Levi scolded, making Aire giggle. The kid was amused with how much she succeeded in scaring Uncle Levi. "Instead of watching me, how about you tell me everything you know about the ledger you just mentioned?" he asked.

    "Hmm¡­ Everyone had thought that the booklist had the details about Exordiums since it has a spell¡­ But that wasn''t the case. It''s just a decoy," Aire casually explained. "Well, those Exordiums succeeded since their enemies have been looking for that booklist for centuries instead of the ledger that really contained all the details about them."

    "Why on earth do you know about all of this, AIre?" Levi questioned out in disbelief.

    Aire gave him a cunning smile, "Because I''m Mommy''s daughter, so it''s only natural for me to be this brilliant. Don''t you agree, Uncle?"

    "This isn''t funny, Aire. Uncle is serious, so stop cracking those jokes," Levi gave her a mean stare. "You''re killing me with curiosity here."

    Aire giggled and whispered, "Oh, Uncle¡­ You''ll have to die of curiosity then. I don''t have any plans on telling you everything now. But maybe soon enough, when time permits, you''ll get to have some juicy info from me. For now, I''m only willing to share with you a bit of what I know, Uncle. So don''t get sulky, okay?"

    Levi shook his head. He could feel that Aire was someone extraordinary.

    ''I should check her profile more.. Dig deeper,'' he mused while staring at the little girl who was now drooling as soon as she saw the meat he readied.

 Chapter 76 - A Decoy

    Opening her eyes, Raine was greeted by the morning sunlight filtering into her room. She had a good night''s sleep without having another erotic dream, though probably she wouldn''t have minded having that kind of dream again. It was a good dream, far more preferable than having a nightmare of Nathaniel or Tyrone ending her life.

    Stretching for a bit in her bed, she looked at the clock, immediately noting that she had overslept. Everybody from the group had probably left already.

    She heard footsteps coming from outside her room. Turning to look near the door, Tyrone was walking towards her with a paper bag and a cup of coffee in his hands. Raine gave him a sweet smile with her sheepish eyes. She did not know why, but it felt great seeing Tyrone''s face the moment she opened her eyes like that.

    "You''re finally awake. Everyone had already left, and I informed them that I would drive you back to Capital City," Tyrone greeted. He then sighed before he dryly added, "I guess the rumor you spread about me batting for the other team has its advantages."

    Raine chuckled, "Why do you look so displeased with that? Isn''t it better that no woman will ever bug you? You should thank me since I just saved your ass from falling prey to the female specimen''s dangerous moves and antics just to get a guy like you. Ah, and I hate sharing. I just want to keep you for myself."

    Tyrone blushed at her words. Raine''s teasing never failed to make his heart flutter. If only he could just figure out whenever she was serious or just goofing around...

    He shrugged his shoulders, trying to calm and clear his thoughts as he mumbled, "Yeah, but instead of women, male employees are trying to hit on me instead."

    It was highly awkward. One gay doctor from the Department of Cardiology even winked at him this morning, not to mention another nurse who deliberately asked for his number and gave him an invitation to hang out with him.

    Raine burst out in a fit of laughter as she sat on the bed. "Perhaps it''s better that I spread a rumor that you''re already taken by me. But then, that''ll conflict with my image since I''m flirting with Xander and Rui," she pondered with faux interest. "Eh¡­ I don''t think so. It''s better to just let the guys just drool over you instead. At least I won''t worry about guys flirting with you since I know that you''re a straight guy. Hehe."

    With a chuckle, Raine stretched her arms before completely getting out of bed. Tyrone didn''t bother to comment on her teasing, since he had more important matters to discuss with Raine. Besides, he already admitted that he wouldn''t be able to handle her boldness. Instead, he mentally shrugged as he placed her breakfast on the table, including her iPad, which he opened like it was his own.

    Raine keenly observed him. Tyrone looked focused as ever. "I instructed Dylan to tail Xander and not to let the man out of his sight. Gave him a bit of a casual threat that he''ll die if anything bad happened to Xander. Lyne also called. You should watch the video she sent," Tyrone enumerated as he readied Raine''s tablet.

    "Ah, are you trying to impress me on your first day of being my right-hand man? Geez, discussing work before I eat breakfast," Raine complained as she formed a pout on her lips. He ignored her childish antics and only handed her a sandwich instead.

    "Eat that while you watch the CCTV footage. We can''t afford to waste any more time, so eat while you working," Tyrone instructed as he played the video.

    The file played, showing the sight of a man as the center of attention in the footage.

    "That''s Nathaniel, returning the list to you. It turns out that the list was nothing but a decoy. What you need to look for is the Exordium Ledger," Tyrone explained the scene as it played out. ''That ''booklist'' is just one among many lists meant to mislead whoever might be looking for the genuine list about Exordiums."

    Raine eyed the CCTV footage of the man wearing a black hoodie and a black mask, noting quickly that he had the same physique, hair, and eyes as Nathaniel¡­ Almost exactly like Tyrone too.

    "We don''t call him Nathaniel¡­ And we''re not even sure if he''s indeed that Nathaniel. I''d prefer if we called him Lollipop Boy since he likes lollipops around him," Raine murmured with an unreadable expression all over her beautiful face.

    "Yeah, I suppose you''d prefer to call him Lollipop Boy. Lyne told me that, but it sounds awkward to me. I''d prefer mentioning his name, Nathaniel, since Lollipop Boy and Nathaniel are the same guys for you anyway," Tyrone stated. "I guess I now understand why you see that man in me. Let me be clear though. I am not him, so stop thinking about that possibility anymore."

    Raine glanced at Tyrone. She felt so frustrated that she couldn''t read his thoughts as she could with others.

    "It doesn''t matter if those two are different or the same person so long as you''re not connected with them, Tyrone," Raine whispered in a way that only she could hear her voice.

    ''But something inside me is just screaming for the opposite,'' Raine wanted to add, but she chose not to. She would just have to keep her own speculations to herself for now.

    "I''m sorry?" Tyrone asked her with knitted brows.

    Raine sighed as she retorted, "This guy is so clever. He returned the booklist because he wanted me to look for that ledger instead. Then later, when I find the damn thing, he''d steal it from me like a vulture." She continued, "Also, who told you that the ledger''s just a decoy? Did you even confirm that information? What if it''s just another plot to mislead us?"

    Tyrone replied, "Your daughter, Aire, told everything about it to Levi. I asked Levi for more details, but he didn''t say a thing to me. He just told me that he''d report things to you directly since he doesn''t trust me¡­"

    Raine sighed at the news, "Don''t worry about Levi. He''ll come around some time for sure. It won''t be easy for my squad to just accept you like that, but I''m sure that once they see how loyal and dedicated you are, they''ll eventually learn to trust you."

    She inwardly let out a scoff. She would have to talk to Levi later. The latter should learn to respect her decision.

    There was a deafening silence as both of them ate their sandwich.. Raine was casually scrolling through other reports on her iPad when out of the blue, Tyrone suddenly uttered, "How''s your sleep? I hope you didn''t have a nightmare after I left."

 Chapter 77 - Play Cupid

    Raine felt her throat dry, but as usual, she quickly recovered as a devious grin escaped her lips. Tyrone sounded interested in her dreams, so she might as well have fun telling him all about them.

    "No nightmare this time. It''s just a wet dream, darling," Raine mischievously scoffed with a wink.

    Tyrone coughed at her bold words as he almost choked on his own coffee. He didn''t know what came over him when he brought up her dreams again. Maybe because he was interested in knowing what she had in her head? Also, who was the freaking man that she had just dreamt off?!

    Her words, ''I want you¡­'' escaping her lips at that vulnerable moment had tormented him throughout the whole night. Just the thought of her wanting any man was killing him, and yet he still managed to control himself despite the conflicted emotions roiling painfully inside him. He had to fight a constant battle with his inner self.

    "I''m sure you''re curious about that erotic dream. I can tell you more if you want me to," Raine teased some more. She just loved the way he looked so flustered.

    Tyrone, as always, already knew how shameless and tactless Raine could get. And yet here he was again, wondering when he could get used to all of her¡­ herness.

    "I''ll be going out to have a walk around the beach. Just call me when you''re ready to leave," Tyrone tersely answered as he stood up. It was like a game to Raine, but not to him. He could always just refuse to play.

    "Who told you you could leave me? Just wait here. I won''t take long to take a shower," Raine practically commanded. "Just wait for me by the balcony and enjoy the sight¡­ of the view outside, at least¡­ But if you prefer the view here, then I won''t mind giving you a show," she insinuated with a wink. She was teasing him nonstop.

    Tyrone shook his head, "I think I''ll just stick with the view outside, Boss."

    Raine watched him quickly walk to the balcony and sit on the chair there. Shrugging, she gave the video one more glance and whispered, "Are you really Nathaniel? Or are you just a decoy like that booklist¡­ trying to mislead me?" She then turned her gaze turned to Tyrone outside, letting out a deep frustrated sigh from the bottom of her lungs.

    After finishing her sandwich and coffee, she quickly went to the bathroom to take a brief shower. She said she wouldn''t bother anymore about her speculations. However, she still couldn''t help it as her mind started to wander again, eventually hovering on the ever-eternal topics that were Nathaniel and Tyrone.

    As soon as Raine was ready, the two prepared to leave the resort. Packing their bags, Raine and Tyrone were already inside their car when the former received a video call alert from the hide-out. Answering the call, Aire''s face greeted her on the screen of her mobile phone.

    "Mommy!" the little girt excitedly greeted, a broad smile adorning her face.

    Raine chuckled, "Ah, did Levi allow you to use a phone?"

    "I''ve been a good girl, Mommy. It''s why Uncle Levi always does what I tell him to," Aire cheerfully replied as she stared closely at her screen. "You''re in a car?"

    "Yup. I''m already traveling back to the Capital City of Country D," Raine answered her daughter with an equally cheerful smile. "By the way,  I watched the videos that Mia sent, and I''m in awe seeing how well you''re doing with your shapeshifting. As soon as I come back, we''ll go out and have some fun." She couldn''t stop smiling throughout the call. Her little girl was just simply too adorable and cute for her not to feel happiness just by looking at her.

    "Who are you with, Mommy?" Aire suddenly asked with knitted eyebrows.

    Instead of giving her a straight reply, Raine focused the camera on Tyrone and told him, "Say hello to my daughter."

    Tyrone took a quick glance at the screen before smiling at the camera, "Hello." It was all he said before turning his gaze back on the road. He was still driving, after all.

    "Oh, you''re with Daddy!" Aire enthusiastically burst out, her eyes sparkling with youthful cheer.

    At her daughter''s words, Raine coughed while Tyrone almost slammed on the breaks at that instant. It was way too unexpected of a comment coming from the little girl.

    "Oh, dear. You got it all wrong. He''s not your daddy," Raine corrected with a grin. "His name is Tyrone. He''s Mommy''s, right-hand man."

    "Right-hand man? But he''s Daddy," Aire insisted, knowing that the man could also hear her. "How are you, Daddy Tyrone? I hope you and Mommy won''t fight too often."

    Raine held an awkward smile as she quickly glanced at Tyrone. Good thing the man seemed to be unaffected and was quite focused on keeping his eyes on the road.

    "Stop that, dear. You''ll make Tyrone uncomfortable. How about you just call him Uncle too like your Uncle Levi?" she gently suggested, ignoring the fact that her daughter just tried to play cupid with her. "Didn''t I make myself clear last time that I''m also your daddy since I''m a solo parent?" This was troublesome. Was the girl trying to pair her up with him already?

    Aire pouted as she mumbled, "But he''s not my uncle, Mommy. He''s my Daddy, so I will call him Daddy." She insisted before seemingly looking at something not within her camera''s view. "Oh. I guess I have to go now, Mommy. Uncle Levi promised to teach me how to swim in the pool. I can''t wait to see you guys again. Have fun, Mommy and Daddy! Bye!"

    Raine shook her head as Aire quickly ended the call.

    "She''s cute," Tyrone commented. "Lyne told me about her¡­ about how she was the first mutant you ever spared. I''m glad you let her live. You even gave her shelter and a new family. She had a tough time, and she''s lucky that you''re taking good care of her."

    "It wasn''t an easy decision, but it was him¡­ Nathaniel¡­ who stopped me," Raine admitted.

    "I''m sure you would''ve done the same thing even if Nathaniel wasn''t there," Tyrone casually and confidently said.

    "I''m not so sure about that," Raine hauntingly replied. "Well, before Aire¡­ I already killed many¡­" She was not proud of what she''d done.

    "The past is the past. What matters now is that you''re sparing innocent lives," Tyrone comforted her.

    Raine turned to look at him. His eyes were on the road, still focused on driving.

    ''I really hope you''re not Nathaniel,'' she silently prayed. She didn''t know how she would handle the situation if Tyrone ended up being that man.

    Sighing, she turned her gaze back to the window instead.

 Chapter 78 - I Donâ€™t Want A Tragic Ending

    They were a four-hour drive away from reaching the Capital City. As such, Raine and Tyrone had a stopover midway to grab some lunch. Stopping over a what seemed to be an open restaurant, Raine let Tyrone order her meals. She wasn''t picky with what she ate anyway.

    "This is nice," Raine sighed in relaxation as she at the spectacular mountain view. The sun was up, and the luscious green trees seemed to glimmer with the sun''s rays. They were simply too pleasing in the eyes.

    "Yeah, it''s beautiful," Tyrone whispered, looking moreso at Raine rather than the view.

    Raine could see his wooing tactics from the corner of her eyes as she mumbled, "That''s a cliche thing to say and do; looking at me while saying that I''m beautiful. At least use some new lines on me, please."

    Tyrone chuckled, "Does it matter if the words are overused? I think what matters is whether or not the words are genuine. I just stated the obvious that you''re beautiful. I even bet that no one will disagree with me."

    "Then I suppose that I''m a beautiful disaster. I bet no one will disagree on that too," Raine giggled.

    "I absolutely agree. It''s nice to know that you enjoyed the entire retreat, engaging with the other employees and having fun instead of straight-up killing Xander Yang," Tyrone commented.

    "Yeah, but this action will cost me a lot. We have to ensure his safety since my uncle will do everything in his power to wipe him out," Raine dribbled her fingers on the table as she spoke. "I''ve decided to remain neutral so that my uncle would keep on wracking his brain thinking about what''s really going on inside my head. Whether I''m planning on killing Xander or not, I want him to get frustrated. I want to play a guessing game with him," she grinned, acting as if everything was just a simple game to her.

    Tyrone breathed out a long sigh as he stared at the woman in front of him. He was worried about how things would eventually end up. He only hoped that he could protect Raine for as long as he could.

    "What''s with that look? Don''t you dare fall in love with me," She scoffed. "It''s like you''re asking for death if you ever even try it." It was suspicious. She could see something in Tyrone''s eyes¡­  a warm look of someone looking at the person they treasured.

    At her words, he merely shook his head as he whispered, "I intend to live a long life, so don''t worry about it."

    Raine twisted her lips and mumbled, "Good for you then. Just don''t say I didn''t warn you, though."

    Tyrone only chuckled, remaining silent as they savored the atmosphere. Soon enough, her orders arrived. The two began eating heartily as they simply soaked in each other''s company.

    After a while, Raine wanted to have a conversation, so she curiously commented, "So it says in your profile that you grew up in an orphanage. Didn''t you try to look for your biological parents?"

    "I''m not interested in knowing them," Tyrone casually answered.

    "But why not?" she probed. "Aren''t you curious to find out where you came from? Who still lives among your family? What if you have a brother or a sister? Or maybe even a twin?"

    "As I said, I''m not interested," Tyrone insisted. "What for? It doesn''t matter since I like my life now and I''m good at being on my own. I don''t see the relevance in finding out more about my origins."

    He kept a blank expression, more often than not. Such mannerisms almost made Raine feel anxious inside. She could often read someone''s expressions, but it was almost practically impossible to do so with Tyrone.

    "I see that you''re getting interested in me. Can I also warn you not to get too curious?" Tyrone shamelessly threw her warning right back at her without any emotion whatsoever. "If you want to know more private information about me, then that also means that you''re probably falling for me."

    "That fast? You just skipped the part of me liking you first before falling in love. Can''t it be liking you first?" Raine scoffed as she returned fire.

    "You already like me, so it''s automatically interpreted that you''re interested in taking the next step," Tyrone confidently stated, making Raine roll her eyes.

    She wanted so badly to hit his head. However, she didn''t bother to expand on the topic further. Instead, she moved on to more productive topics.

    "I see. Your profile is very remarkable with how you grew up well despite being alone for most of your life," Raine began. "However, it''s still all just words on a paper that can be easily fabricated. You see, I feel like you''re hiding something. I feel like I need to know more about you. And by telling it to me personally, we can discuss the things that aren''t written in the reports. After all, you can''t disclose everything, right?" she disclosed her thoughts.

    Tyrone looked at her and asked, "If you''re suspicious, then why do you still trust me to be your right-hand man? Can you see the flawed logic in that?"

    Raine had a wry smile on her face. What Tyrone just said was true. She had her suspicions, and yet here she was still letting Tyrone tag along with her. And the worst part of it all was that she even entrusted him with every single thing that she probably shouldn''t have just simply given away.

    "I simply applied the phrase ''keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'' I want you close so I can easily crush you if you eventually show your true colors," Raine pointed out.

    "You sure are confident, getting near me so that you can easily crush me," he scoffed. "But haven''t you thought about the possibility that I could do the same to you?"

    Raine formed a pout on her lips as she leered, "But you won''t do that, darling, right? How could you crush this beautiful woman so thoroughly? I''ve decided to make you my right-hand man since you said you wanted to stay by my side and assist me. I don''t want a tragic ending, so let us at least not kill each other in the end?" She let out a malicious smile. "After all, if you ended up betraying me, it would make me so miserable that I might not end up just killing you¡­ Maybe I''d pass on my amplified misery onto you that you''d wish that I just killed you."

    "What a way to threaten me," Tyrone said with a half-smile.

    "I don''t threaten, darling. It''s always a warning for me."

    "I''ve been warned well enough, so be at ease. Let''s hope that we won''t end up killing each other then.. Who even likes a tragic ending? I don''t like tragic endings too," Tyrone answered with a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

 Chapter 79 - King Theodulf

    At the Convel Society Territory, Country V

    As soon as the sun rose, the Elders and the Alphas of the packs forming the Convel Society gathered at the meeting hall. They were all ther to talk about their new king.

    "How come he''s nowhere to be found?!" one of the Elders of the Convel Society barked out.

    As the king''s right-hand man, Aspen stepped forward and said, "Our king has his reason for being out these days. We cannot disclose too much information on his actions since what he''s been up to is strictly confidential, but we assure you that he is working for the welfare of our society." He added, "And the top priority right now is taking down King Marcus and invading the Moon Clan of the Mirage Group."

    A scornful scoff came from Danos, the Alpha of the Midnight Pack. "Who knows what''s he really up to? For all we know, he''s just around enjoying himself on a vacation or some other kind of debauchery." He looked at Aspen with disgust as he continued, "How could you even allow an outsider to take over the Blue Moon Pack anyway? That Theodulf suddenly appeared out of nowhere and challenged Decan for the throne, representing your pack from out of absolute nowhere. Tell me, Aspen, do you even know him enough?"

    Aspen sighed. He already expected this kind of blowback, but Theodulf still didn''t want to disclose his identity. It was still up to him to decide when he would tell everyone who he truly was.

    He gave Danos a reassuring smile as he defended, "Our pack knows enough about him to let him rule us. I''m sure he proved himself worthy enough to win the Challenge to a fight to the death."

    Another doubtful scoff came out from Danos as he grunted, "And yet we didn''t even witness a fight to the death."

    Decan, who was also present in the meeting hall as the Alpha of the Night Crawler and the former king of Convel Society, clenched his fist as he glared at Danos''s direction. The man didn''t approve of everyone coming to the throne since he himself wanted to rule the Convel Society. Everyone knew about his ambitions, but Danos wasn''t brave enough to challenge a reigning king. He was too afraid to die in a fight.

    "You sound like you''re more relieved to see me dead, Danos. How about you challenge King Theodulf for the throne yourself since we already witnessed how generous and how he valued the life of others," Decan mocked, earning a suppressed chuckle from the others in the room. "You don''t dare challenge any king since you''re scared to face death. Well, my friend, I guess this is your time to shine¡­ Give it a try, and I''m sure King Theodulf will spare your life too¡­"

    In all respects, Decan was honestly pleased with their new king. King Theodulf had gained his respect, and he was glad to hear that he was making an effort in bringing down the Moon Clan. They only wanted to live in peace and co-exist with the rest, but King Marcus from the Moon Clan was desperate for blood.

    He had tried to talk to Marcus before when he was still the ruler of the Convel Society. He had proposed a treaty, but the latter had no intention of dealing with him. That Marcus really wanted to kill him from the start and invade their territory all along.

    As tensions rose, Aspen eventually broke the charged atmosphere in the meeting room.

    "King Theodulf is now online. He will be discussing important matters¡­" Aspen said as he opened the television screen where the king''s video call was connected.

    As soon as Theodulf appeared before the Elders, the first thing he said was, "I apologize if I was not able to attend this meeting in person. I have great news, and it is regarding the Moon Clan. We will soon be able to take them down."

    "We deserve to know the details, and I''m sure that everyone in this room agrees with me," Danos replied with a serious tone.

    "Make sure to prepare all our men and train everyone well. We will penetrate the Moon Clan''s Territory in one month as soon as I have the full details of their headquarters," Theodulf instructed. "I''ve sent all the relevant information we need against the Moon Clan to Aspen just now, and I will discuss more about them in depth later at midnight. Call for our scientists and engineers as well so that I can discuss how we could defend ourselves from all of the high-tech weaponry they could field against us," he continued, ignoring Danos''s whining.

    He then particularly looked at Danos and said, "I hope for everyone''s cooperation and understanding. Not too many details are being discussed today because they''re unnecessary for a successful operation against the Mirage Clans. Discussions will only be on a need-to-know basis. I will inform you all soon when the time requires it.."

    Aspen let out a long deep sigh. Their king looked exhausted and conflicted. He only hoped that this fight would be over soon and for their kind to finally gain the freedom they deserved from being hunted down.

    "Can we then discuss other matters then?" Danos asked. He gauged the tonal atmosphere of the room and continued, "Everyone here is curious about your identity. We don''t know anything about you except that you are called Theodulf. We deserve to know the person who is ruling us." He further went on, "Didn''t Aspen tell you about the many queries coming from other packs questioning your real identity? The Blue Moon Pack had remained silent. All we got from them was that you''d personally tell us everything. And yet here you are, ruling over the Covel Society for weeks now and we''re still being kept in the dark. I''m sure we all deserve to know more about you beyond just being an Alpha who suddenly appeared under the Blue Moon Pack and challenged Decan."

    "Aspen had told me about it. And I agree that you all should know more things about me¡­"

    All eyes were focused on Theodulf. It was true that everyone was keen to know more about him. Every member of the Blue Moon pack had their lips sealed about him, and all they knew was that Theodulf became a member of the pack just a month ago. Then after a week, he suddenly challenged King Decan for the throne.

    At first, everyone laughed at such hubris. But when the fight between him and Decan began, they were all in awe of his incredible strength.

    "I am Nathaniel Yue, the son of Princess Nisha from former King of the Moon Clan, Arthur Yue."

 Chapter 80 - Control Her Powers

    The days passed in a flash, and Raine became ever more busy working at the hospital and monitoring Xander to ensure his safety. Tyrone also did a great job assisting her with everything that needed to be done, both in cover and outside of it.

    So far, there were no alarming movements coming from her uncle. That was until Raine found out about her uncle''s intentions on bombing the Yang Globals Hospital. As such, she tasked Tyrone to secretly send anonymous information to the military.

    That morning, they were at Yang Globals Hospital for work. The Military had already received the anonymous message Tyrone sent, and word of a bomb threat quickly spread to the rest of the employees.

    "Xander will evacuate everyone today. It''ll be hard being close to him now since he''ll be stuck in house arrest for sure," Raine murmured.

    "Don''t worry, I already made arrangements beforehand and planted two of our men inside the Yang Ancestral Mansion," Tyrone reassured. "Trust me. I will do everything within my capacity to make sure that Xander is safe."

    Shortly after, they finally received instructions from the security to evacuate the hospital. Tyrone and Raine did as instructed by the security team, as the military took over the hospital. Country D''s military apparatus was efficient. Over time, they have proven themselves worthy of being trusted.

    "I bet my uncle wants to kill everyone near him now. He''s probably so pissed off that his plans got busted," Raine chuckled as she looked out of the car window. Seeing the hospital, she then asked, "How long do you think will the military take to clear out the hospital?"

    Tyrone was driving them back to her penthouse.

    "I''ve heard that it won''t take long. So they''ll probably re-open the hospital in a few days," Tyrone commented.

    "I see," Raine whispered.

    There was only silence. Ever since they returned from the retreat, Raine tried her best not to bug and tease Tyrone that often. She also stopped asking him to sleep with her on the same bed. She felt confused. What she was feeling for him somehow scared her, resulting in her keeping her distance from him for a while.

    "Do you want to unwind while the hospital''s closed?" Tyrone suddenly suggested.

    Raine turned her head to look at him and asked, "Unwind?"

    "Yeah, like rest for a while. You see, Xander is perfectly safe inside his mansion, and I''m sure your Uncle Yun won''t be willing to take the risk of killing Xander in his own house," Tyrone explained. "As you said, the military here in Country D is exceptional. They''ve secured Xander''s mansion well enough."

    "No. I don''t think they did it well enough if we managed to plant two spies inside," Raine scoffed.

    "That''s just because our Moon Squad is exceptional too. Your Uncle Yun''s men and him alone are no match against us," Tyrone boasted.

    Raine didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at Tyrone''s confidence. He only just recently became their member and her right-hand man, and here he was already full of himself with a fervent faith in her Moonlight Squad.

    Raine sighed, "So tell me, what do you prefer to do with our limited time off, huh?"

    "Let''s go camping¡­ while working," Tyrone enthusiastically suggested.

    "You said unwind¡­ I guess you have a different definition of unwinding, huh," Raine sarcastically uttered.

    Tyrone chuckled, "We got lead on the Exordium Ledger. It''s on one of the mountains here in Country D. So how about we go look for it while Yang Globals is in lockdown?"

    Raine briefly pondered on the suggestion before replying, "Alright. Let''s have a meeting about it once we reach the penthouse."

    The Exordium Ledger¡­ She didn''t know why, but she was no longer interested in even obtaining it.

    ''What for?'' she questioned herself. Her father had wanted it so that he could kill every powerful Exordium alive through her. She was merely a mutant killing machine for him, and yet her father''s words kept on taunting her.

    "You''re doing this because this is your destiny. You are the hope of humankind, Raine. You''re the only one who can save the human race¡­"

    Those words¡­ His words¡­

    Raine closed her eyes and rested her head comfortably on her seat.

    "Boss¡­" Tyrone called.

    "Uh," Raine whispered, her eyes still closed.

    "Let''s just say, for example¡­ Uhm, what if your father can no longer wake up? Will you continue with the plans to attack the Convel Society?" Tyrone hypothetically asked. "I just got intel from the Umbra Security Agency this morning, and they informed me that the identity of the new king of the Convel Society has been revealed. Lyne said you wanted to know more about this new king."

    Raine opened her eyes as she glanced at Tyrone with a creased forehead.

    "Who is King Theodulf?"

    "He is Nathaniel Yue. The lollipop boy¡­" Tyrone revealed.

    "Stop the car!"

    Raine immediately yelled. Acquiescing, Tyrone instantly steered the vehicle to the side of the road, stopping the car as soon as it was safe.

    As the tires stopped rolling, Raine quickly got out of the car. She felt her chest tighten and it was getting harder for her to breathe. Her nightmare¡­ Was it a premonition or something? The Convel Society and the Moon Clan were at war¡­ and now that Nathaniel ruled in the Convel Society, there was no way that the man would ever spare their clan. Revenge was inevitable for him. Raine didn''t fear death, of course. She was more concerned about the clan''s welfare. Would he kill the innocent because of his grudge against her father?

    "Are you okay?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine signaled him not to come over. Her eyes turned bloody as she tried to calm herself. Her power would always go haywire whenever she was in turmoil like this, and she didn''t want to accidentally hurt Tyrone.

    "Raine," Tyrone called her her name. A first time for him if she noticed.

    "I''m fine. Just give me a few more minutes," she instructed, putting up a front of composure as she spoke. "Go back inside the car. Prepare everyone. Make sure they''re all present at the video meeting as soon as we reach the penthouse."

    Raine closed her eyes. Something was burning so hot inside of her that she could barely manage to control herself. The last time she had felt this way was when she found out that her father had almost died and fell into a coma. To think that she could feel that same sensation again, albeit only weaker than before, was nervewracking.

    This was what her father had feared since she was a child¡­ It was the fear of her being unable to control her powers¡­ Raine could feel it inside her body. So far, it wasn''t enough trigger for her to unleash it.. And if she could choose, she''d only hope that it remained that way.

 Chapter 81 - An Outsider

    As soon as they reached the penthouse, Raine and Tyrone immediately entered the secret room to have a video call meeting with the rest of the Moonlight Squad members.

    Raine faced everyone on the widescreen of the television. All eyes were on her.

    "Boss, what''s wrong?"

    It was Levi who first talked. The moment he noticed how overworked she looked, he immediately realized that something wasn''t right.

    "We need to prepare, and I need all of you for your help," she began as a preface. "This is something serious that involves the safety and welfare of all our people in the Moon Clan. The Convel Society, as you are all already aware, is already waiting for the right time to attack the Moon Clan, and their new King has every means to do this as soon as possible," she continued. "Unfortunately, there is no definitive date and time, so treat their attack like a cunning thief in the night. They might attack when we least expect it, so we must all be on high alert."

    Tyrone frowned at the excessive fearmongering, but he understood why Raine exaggerated the situation. No one knew about the story of Nathaniel, who was now the king of the Convel Society, except for him, Lyne, Mia, and Levi. Knowing all these things, Raine had already assumed that there would be war soon between the Moon Clan and the Convel Society.

    "Make sure that everyone will be able to protect themselves. Lyne will be in charge of matters inside the Moon Clan while I''m still here. If I can¡­ if time permits, I''ll travel back and forth to oversee things myself," Raine gravely declared. "I still need to discuss the situation with the Mirage Council. This is not just a fight between the Moon Clan, but for the whole of the Mirage Clans."

    The three clans had sworn to protect each other should a threat come their way from an outside group. A fight on one is a fight for all.

    "But Boss, there''s a problem. There''s already a faction forming inside the Moon Clan, especially now that King Marcus is still in a coma," Mia informed. "Almost half of the Moon Clan Knights and Shadow Beauties were split in half. Some chose to obey Prince Yun, while the rest kept their loyalties to you."

    Raine was aware of such matters, but now was not the time for her idiot uncle to let his greed for power blind him from the task at hand. Then again, she was sure that her uncle Yun would cooperate as long as it was against the Convel Society.

    "We won''t have a problem on this because Uncle was planning on attacking the Convel Society anyway. If not for me stopping him, he would''ve disregarded Father''s explicit order to not make a move until he comes back," Raine held back a sigh as she relayed. I''ll talk to him about this matter. For now, gather all of my followers and make sure that they''re all prepared at any time to protect our head territory."

    "Boss, the Convel Society are all comprised of werewolves, right?" Mia asked. Raine could sense the fear staining her voice.

    "There are hybrids by marriage and births as well, but we should consider them all as werewolves. They have supernatural strength and powers, but we know how to defeat them with our own strength, knowledge, and weapons, Mia." Raine reassured. "We are more than capable of winning this fight."

    Levi let out a long sigh of his own. That was not what Mia was worried about. She was actually worried that their people would possibly get infected in their fight against the werewolves. If he remembered correctly, Prince Yun ordered the killing of those who got infected during the clash between King Marcus and King Decan before. He remembered how their Boss was devastated during that time because she had arrived late and was unable to stop Prince Yun from killing the infected so suddenly.

    "Boss, I think what Mia''s worried about most is the fact that we''re all humans, and thus, can get infected¡­" Lyne trailed off, unable to continue her own words. Would their own people die by their own hands once they got infected? Would they have to make that sacrifice like what happened to the team that accompanied King Marcus during his treaty talk with the former King Decan of the Convel Society?

    Raine understood what Lyne meant, so she said, "No, Lyne. We won''t kill our kind but tranquilize them like we did to Aire. We will have a safe place to keep them until Doctor Janus succeeds in his experiments on how to return the infected back into becoming human," she held an apprehensive breath as she spoke. "And hopefully, it will be soon. I''ll also convince my father that not all mutants are harmful. Aire is one example of a human who got infected, but she still managed to embrace and control the changes in her body."

    Raine''s words reassured them. They knew their Boss well, and she was someone who would never back down on her words.

    Raine then went more in-depth with their discussion, giving out detailed instructions to everyone before dismissing all except for her three musketeers, Lyne, Mia, and Levi.

    "Mia, connect Doctor Janus to me, please."

    "Yes, Boss," Mia answered. In a flash, Doctor Janus''s face popped up on one side of the tv screen.

    "Princess Raine," Janus greeted with his broad and sweet smile, but his smile soon faded when he noticed the man sitting beside her. "Who is he?!" he questioned.

    He grew up with Raine and held a high-ranking position at the Moon Clan, so he was one of the few people who could speak casually to Raine. Even so, the man often addressed her as ''Princess'' more often than not.

    Raine smiled at him, "He is Tyrone, my right-hand man." She turned to Tyrone and said, "Greet him. He''s Doctor Janus, our head Physician-slash-Scientist."

    Tyrone looked at the man greeted, "It''s nice to meet you."

    Janus only nodded. There was a displeased expression on his face as he stared at Tyrone.

    "Janus, I called to ask about the progress of my father''s health. When do you think he will wake up?" Raine asked.

    "Princess, I can''t discuss it with the others around. Can I talk to you alone about this?

    Janus requested.

    "We''re hanging up¡­" Lyne initiated.

    But before she could cut the call, Janus interjected, "No. It''s okay for Lyne, Mia, and Levi to stay since they''ve been part of the Moon Clan since birth. I''m confident that we can trust them.. However, It''s still safer to discuss such sensitive matters like this without an outsider."

 Chapter 82 - Is He Your Boyfriend?

    Tyrone flinched. Obviously, the doctor had some problems with him, and he could already tell why.

    ''The feeling''s mutual. I don''t like you either,'' Tyrone inwardly grumbled with an apparent frown.

    He glanced at Raine and said, "I''ll take my leave. Just call me if you need me for anything."

    "No, stay here," Raine firmly answered. Like Tyrone, she, too, was frowning. Whether they like it or not, Tyrone was now her right-hand man.

    Janus''s face fell. He looked absolutely displeased, but he immediately schooled his expressions.

    "Janus, Tyrone is my right-hand man, so you can discuss everything in front of him," Raine firmly stated. "He is someone I can trust my life with, so disrespecting him is the same as disrespecting me."

    Janus cleared his throat and said, "Alright, Raine. If that is what you want..."

    He had a bad feeling about Tyrone. Then again, Janus knew that he had nothing to worry about since King Marcus would wake up soon, and the latter would definitely keep his part of the bargain. In exchange for what King Marcus asked him to do, Janus only asked for one condition in return, and that was Raine''s hand in marriage. He had asked for Raine to be his wife, and King Marcus agreed.

    It would be an arranged marriage in the eyes of many, but not for him who had loved Raine right from the moment when he first laid his eyes on her.

    Looking at the eyesore, he didn''t know why, but he felt threatened by that Tyrone. Maybe it was because he was a man who could always be with Raine, unlike him, whose own laboratory had become his prison.

    "Janus," Raine called, snapping Janus back to his senses.

    "Yeah, King Marcus will wake up in around three weeks. As you requested, I will tell the opposite to Prince Yun. He wanted me to convince you to pull the plug on your father''s life support since there was no more hope," Janus reported. "He also asked me to give my loyalty to him since he would soon rule the Moon Clan. In fact, it''s like he''s running a political campaign inside our territory. Prince Yun buys out people to turn against you, saying that you''re incapable of ruling the clan since you''re hot-blooded and very unpredictable."

    The doctor''s last sentence earned a burst of mocking laughter from Raine as she leered, "As always, he''s very reckless and utterly predictable. I will deal with him soon. For now, let''s focus on the more important matters."

    "By the way, I''ve also succeeded in formulating the perfect compound that we can use to identify a human from a monster," Janus suddenly added. "Our smithing department is now currently working on how they can incorporate it into our various weapons like the tranquillizers. Theoretically, if you shoot a monster in human form with it, then that monster will show its true form in just about five seconds."

    Raine''s eyes widened in bliss. It was that good of a news that she just burst out, "Oh, that''s perfectly great! As expected of our great doctor scientist, Janus. You did a tremendous job!"

    The man blushed hard as he bashfully smiled on the screen.

    On the other side, Levi turned off his and Mia''s mics as he mumbled, "Oh please, look at his face¡­"

    Mia was trying her best not to laugh since her face was still on the screen. The three of them were all aware of how Doctor Janus adored their Boss. Well, not only Janus, really. Most men liked her!

    Mia gave Levi a quick glance and mumbled, "You and Doctor Janus are just the same. I can just imagine yourself in him."

    "But that doctor is so full of himself. I even heard from one of my friends in his lab that he would often daydream about the Boss and say the Boss''s name lovingly while snoring on his table," Levi scoffed.

    "Well, Doctor Janus is handsome, a genius, and he''s very reliable too. He''s a good catch, all things considered," Mia commented, making Levi''s mouth twitch in annoyance.

    "Handsome? He''s a nerd!" Levi snorted.

    "Don''t be mean like that- Shhh¡­ Keep quiet and turn on the mic!" Mia quickly mumbled out, seeing how Raine''s face had suddenly dimmed.

    "Janus, please stop addressing them as monsters from now on. Let''s call them mutants instead," Raine neutrally ordered. "There are many monsters around, but not all of them act like monsters. There are innocent mutants too."

    Janus had a half-smile on his face as he said, "Of course, Raine." He truly didn''t mind getting scolded so long as it was coming from her. "Also, when will you come back here?" he suddenly asked, ignoring the others in the video call.

    "Soon," Raine smiled. "By the way, Lyne will brief you later about the Convel Society. We need our Knights and Shadow Beauties well prepared, so please use the formula you told me about before for them so that it will boost their strength."

    "Is that formula even safe for humans?" Tyrone couldn''t help but question.

    With a frown, Janus quickly answered, "Of course, it''s safe for humans! Do you think I''m some quack who''ll just experiment on human lives like that without making sure that the compound I''ll inject them with is harmful to them?!"

    "Easy, I''m just asking. Why are you getting so worked up?" Tyrone countered.

    Raine sighed, giving Tyrone a look asking him to shut up and stay quiet.

    She then turned her gaze back to the doctor. "I''m sorry, Janus. Tyrone isn''t yet very much familiar with our clan and the operations in our territory, including the important people inside our clan. He''s still naive, and he doesn''t know how good and reliable you are in this field. Like I said before, I trust you, so please take care of our fighters," Raine said with her sweetest smile.

    "Thank you so much, Raine," Janus said with a wink. He was extremely overjoyed. If Raine trusted him that much, then it meant that he would have her heart sooner or later.

    "Also, what about the experiment for the infected you mentioned? The one to bring them back to being humans once they got infected by mutants like werewolves and vampires?" Raine asked.

    "I''m still working on it," Janus dutifully replied. "Hopefully, I''ll have good results soon."

    Raine discussed a few more things before she finally ended the video call.

    "Is he your boyfriend?" Tyrone suddenly asked.

 Chapter 83 - Killing Each Other

    "What?!" Raine burst.

    "Well, he was acting like he was your boyfriend," Tyrone added as he followed Raine out of the secret room.

    Shaking her head, Raine sat on the couch not far from her bed and said, "He''s not my boyfriend. Also, I don''t see any hints of what you''re referring to as Janus acting like my boyfriend in his words or actions at all. Janus is just the protective type of a person, so it''s natural for him to think about the safety of discussing sensitive information like that. Not to mention that it''s his first time meeting you."

    Stewing on her words, Tyrone sat beside Raine and tapped something on his iPad. Raine, on the other hand, turned to look at him with a smirk. She couldn''t help but tease, "You sound like you''re my jealous boyfriend."

    "Why would you think that? I''m a man, and I can easily tell that the man''s interested in you," Tyrone retorted. "That''s why he glared at me more often than not. I''m pretty sure he''s the jealous one in this situation."

    "Well, I haven''t noticed any of it. But now that you mentioned it, maybe I''ll consider observing Janus," Raine mumbled in amusement. "Well, he isn''t half bad. He''s handsome and intelligent, in his thirties, and is still single. Surely if I wanted to, it wouldn''t be so bad to entertain someone like him."

    Raine rested her head sideways as she comfortably raised her legs up on the couch. Hugging her knees, she keenly stared at Tyrone, observing his usual stoic reactions for any sign of change.

    "He''s a nerd," Tyrone suddenly murmured.

    Raine fought the urge to laugh as she replied, "Nerds are hot these days. I can tell that Janus has a lean body behind all those layers of laboratory coats."

    "You sound like a pervert," Tyrone scoffed, his eyes still glued on his iPad as he spoke.

    "I''m a pervert for hot and sexy men. To that, I can shamelessly plead guilty!" Raine proudly declared before noticing that he wasn''t paying his full attention to her. "What are you doing anyway?"

    "I just realized¡­" Tyrone trailed off.

    "What is it?" Raine asked.

    "We have memory loss powder, but what''s the chant for it? Surely we don''t just blow on people''s faces and whisper the memory we want the person to forget."

    "Hmm? Why the sudden curiosity about it?"

    Tyrone looked at her and straightforwardly asked, "You haven''t tried this on me, have you?"

    "Huh?"

    A long pause settled between them, a protracted battle of intense staring ensuing between them. Raine inwardly cursed as she regretted her instructions to Lyne about informing Tyrone on everything including the weapons and tools that they used during hunting.

    Thinking up of decent a lie, she suddenly laughed out loud as she said, "Are you nuts? Why would I even use it on you? Do you think that some parts of your memories are missing?"

    Tyrone shrugged his shoulders, "Who knows, right? If you used this powder on me, then I probably wouldn''t remember a thing about it in the first place."

    Raine, deigning not to answer, stood up from her seat and deflected, "Ah, I''m suddenly craving some ice cream. We need to discuss important matters, so how about we focus on that instead of some nonsense things like that memory loss powder?"

    "In the meeting, you haven''t mentioned the Exordiums'' ledger," Tyrone pointed out.

    "Well, it''s not our main focus, so I''ve decided to put that on hold," Raine crossed her arms as she paused by the glass windows overlooking the city. "I don''t need to hunt right now. What I need to do is gather more evidence against my uncle. That''s the only way to save Xander."

    "What do you mean? How would gathering evidence help him?" Tyrone asked.

    "I can''t stop my uncle from killing Xander, and I can''t just kill him either to stop him. That leaves me with the only option, which is for Xander to call for a Mirage Trial," Raine explained. "He is entitled to ask for one, so I''ll just help him out on this while keeping him safe during the trial. When that happens, Uncle will be punished according to the laws of the Mirage once proven guilty¡­"

    "What would be the punishment for your uncle''s crimes then?" Tyrone curiously asked.

    "It would be death. After the sentence, if delivered, the plaintiff will get to choose what kind of death they would want for the defendant," Raine morbidly discussed. "There''s hanging, beheading, and many other ways to choose from in imposing the death penalty on the defendant."

    She blinked at the sudden thought of choosing a punishment. She would have to consult the Earth Clan in this matter.

    "There are also a lot of connections in our charts, like with how Xander Yang is connected to the military through his father''s side. He''s the Field Marshal''s nephew, so things could be easier to accomplish regardless of how hard it may look," Raine smiled.

    "But getting too involved is dangerous for you. What if your uncle finds out about this?" Tyrone reasoned. "Your father''s about to wake up. Do you think that he''ll still spare you if he finds out that you helped in bringing down his brother?"

    Raine turned around to stare at him.

    "That''s why we need to be careful when feeding Xander''s team the information they need," Raine nonchalantly replied. "We just have to keep their investigation on the right track¡­"

    Tyrone understood what Raine meant, but he was still worried about it all. He knew that he shouldn''t feel this way, but he just couldn''t help it.

    "We need to finish this quickly. I only hope that the Convel Society won''t attack us by then," Raine sarcastically mumbled out. "Just have to make sure to save Xander before I meet my doom. No pressure.." Raine murmured.

    "You saved him before, right? Do you really think he''ll hurt you? That.. boy¡­ Nathaniel¡­" Tyrone whispered.

    Raine let out a long sigh and replied, "I don''t know either. But one thing I''m sure of is that he wants revenge. He''ll want to hurt my father, so as his daughter, I ought to protect him¡­"

    She held a wry smile on her face as she met Tyrone''s eyes and added, "So what do you think would happen? We¡­ We might just end up killing each other."

 Chapter 84 - A Personal Strip Dance

    It only took the military a few days to clear out Yang Globals Hospital and ensure that it was safe to operate again. During that downtime, Tyrone and Raine had managed to keep Xander safe and sound in the safety of the shadows. They also assisted the military on the side by giving them anonymous hints and valuable intel to investigate.

    As of today, Xander had announced the hospital''s re-opening, followed by an opening ceremony. Everyone was glad, especially the hospital staff and medical team who were once again back in action to give their best in servicing the people. Through it all, Raine didn''t attend the opening ceremony, but she still had her men on standby. She was in the penthouse, resting for a while as she watched the broadcast of it with Tyrone in the living area.

    This time around, it was clear that the security in the hospital had become tighter and top-notch. Face-recognition software was installed to capture every person''s face entering the hospital. Security was also heightened, and everyone would have to undergo strict body and luggage checks as they entered, making sure that everyone who would come and go inside the hospital would be properly recognized and recorded.

    "Xander quickly wrapped up everything for the reopening of Yang Globals Hospital to the public. I suppose he''ll soon find out why his life is in danger in due time. We have to act fast so that everything would be in place as soon as he requests for a Mirage Trial," Raine mumbled. She then looked at the clock and whispered, "It''s almost time. I''ll have to prepare. I''m sure my uncle will take this opportunity to attack the poor man in the party."

    Tyrone only nodded at her words. Yun would take this opportunity to attack since there was a crowd, exactly the perfect timing for him to kill Xander and blame whoever was present to take the fall. Yun had already prepared a scapegoat by connecting everything to Xander''s wife, Yera Han, and her own ordeal. And then, he would absolutely pin it all to Raine at the Mirage Trial in the end.

    Standing up, Tyrone got up from the couch to prepare as well. The Yang Globals group had organized a cocktail party in the evening and everyone was invited. It was a formal event organized to celebrate the hospital''s reopening, where many known personalities were invited to perform and grace the occasion. Raine would attend the event, with Tyrone acting as her escort for the night.

    As he was changing, Tyrone called Dylan and the rest already in disguise at the premises to check and ensure that the venue was secure enough from suspicious personnel trying to infiltrate the premises.

    The two didn''t take long to prepare. Tyrone wore his suit ordered by Raine as he waited in the living room. Soon enough, the latter finally emerged from her room and walked towards where Tyrone was waiting.

    "Shall we?" Raine asked.

    Tyrone stood up from his seat and turned around to look at her. He stood rooted for a moment as he swallowed in bewilderment. He honestly thought that he just saw a Goddess walking towards him. However, a frown quickly formed on his face as he said, "Isn''t that a little too much to wear?"

    Just looking at her, he wanted to wrap Raine up with anything that he could find at that moment. Raine was wearing a sheer sexy white lace evening gown with a long sleeve feather in one shoulder, leaving the other side bare. The slit showing her legs was way too high, and the fitting was so perfect for her curvy body that it was just too much. She had a slender and slim body, but her plump bosoms and firm buttocks made her entire package work. She could make any man or woman drool from her perfection.

    "You barely have any clothes on you. Aren''t you uncomfortable?" Tyrone ludicrously asked, almost scolding despite trying his best to sound calm and casual. She was just too damn sexy and gorgeous in her dress that he wouldn''t want any men ogling at her except for him!

    ''Possessive? What are you, her boyfriend?'' his inner self mocked. He emitted a silent sigh of frustration, knowing that he had no right over her to react like this.

    At his outburst, Raine gave him a seductive smile and shamelessly smirked, "Ah, this is more than comfortable for me. I like how the dress fits me perfectly, revealing every alluring asset I have in my body." She then gracefully and sexily walked past Tyrone and naughtily said, "Wipe that drool off your face and let''s go. It''s not fair that you''re the only one who can appreciate my beauty and body, after all. Let others enjoy the sight. Besides, they can just look and drool at me all they want, but they can''t have it anyway."

    Tyrone dropped his shoulders as he followed Raine. He no longer knew what to do with her. It wasn''t like he could drag her back in her closet and force her to change into something more conservative. He could admit that he liked how her evening gown''s color and design blended well with his suit, but he still vehemently objected to the obscene way that the style of her gown was revealing her body.

    By the time they were at the door, Raine suddenly stopped and said, "Ah, get me my coat, please. I''ll just remove it when we arrive at the venue."

    Those words consoled Tyrone as he almost ran back inside Raine''s bedroom to grab her coat.

    Raine smiled, watching Tyrone walk back into her bedroom in a hurry. He was wearing a white suit that matched well with her evening gown since it also had a lace and feather touch like what she had requested from her designer. He looked so handsome that she was sure that many women would glue their eyes on him at the party.

    Arriving with a coat in hand, Tyrone immediately wrapped her in her white coat as he said, "This is better. I''m sure it''ll be cold inside the venue, so this will keep you warm. This coat looks so gorgeous on you, by the way. Very excellent and classy."

    Raine chuckled in jest, "You sound like you don''t want me to remove this coat for the entire night."

    "As if you''ll even listen to me if I asked you to do that," Tyrone scoffed.

    "I might listen if you can promise me a personal strip dance later," Raine teased.

    Tyrone''s face reddened at the challenge, rendering him speechless as Raine chuckled.. The sly woman gave him a teasing wink as she proceeded to walk to the elevator.

 Chapter 85 - I Scratched Your Arm

    While driving the car, Tyrone couldn''t focus on the road because he could almost see Raine''s underwear from the slit of her gown alone. She didn''t even bother to close her coat, and he was bothered with how she flaunted her nice and flawless legs.

    "About that Glawackus Powder¡­ Is that effective on you? I mean, can I also happen to delete a particular memory of yours using it?" he suddenly asked as he did his best to keep his eyes on the road.

    He hated how the corner of his eyes could still see her bare long legs!

    Raine chuckled as she turned her head to stare at Tyrone in disbelief. "Why are you asking me that? Don''t tell me that you''re considering giving me a show only to erase my memory about it then later."

    Tyrone didn''t respond.

    At his silence, Raine turned her head back on the road as she whispered, "I honestly don''t know since no one''s tried it on me yet."  Suddenly, she wondered if her father had ever tried it on her before. However, her memories still seemed intact from a cursory glance.

    "It says in the file that it''s only effective on humans so it might work on you. How about we try it later? Let me see if it''ll work on you," Tyrone suggested.

    Raine glared at him and hissed, "Don''t you dare¡­ I will definitely kill you!"

    Tyrone chuckled, "Ah, don''t you think it''s unfair for those that you''ve already used that magical memory loss powder on? You''re acting like that when it''s about to be used on you, and yet you don''t even think about your victims when you use it on them¡­"

    Raine flinched. Why did it feel like Tyrone had a deeper meaning in his words?

    "We did it for their own good," Raine waved him off. "Geez¡­ How do you think those humans could live with all the trauma the mutants inflicted on them? It''s not easy keeping them sane after an encounter that they thought was only possible in books and movies." she snorted.

    "Alright then, fine. Let''s not test that magical powder on you." Tyrone rolled his eyes.

    "It''s called Glawackus powder, okay." Raine corrected. She then turned at Tyrone, closely staring at him as she asked, "Though, I''m curious. What do you even plan on erasing from my memory if I agreed to get that thing used on me?"

    Tyrone''s grip tightened on the steering wheel. There was a moment of silence before he relaxed his body and gave Raine a soft chuckle, "What else? The strip dance show that you''re about to watch. So you better keep that coat wrapped in your body if you don''t want to match me."

    Raine twitched at Tyrone''s words as she murmured, "As if you can even do that. You''re way too suspicious so I won''t risk it¡­"

    Tyrone chuckled, making Raine let out a chuckle of her own.

    ******

    At Gems Integrated Resort, Hotel & Casino

    Everyone was having a good time at the event because of their privilege to take photos with various stars in different fields. As the CEO of the Yang Globals group, Xander was one of the sorted personnel to get a selfie with. He was somewhat grateful that his wife didn''t attend the event because of all the women he was surrounded with. After all, there was media everywhere with cameras flashing right and left, so he couldn''t just brush them all off like he''d want to.

    As more women piled on, Xander inwardly cursed as he signaled at his assistant to do something about getting him out of his current position already. He could vaguely recall how his wife punished him with the UTI thing in the hospital when the nurses flirted with him. He was hoping that Yera, his wife, wouldn''t even bother to open the television and watch the entertainment news tonight, or he would be doomed to sleep on the couch and then some.

    That was the scene when Raine arrived at the venue. Removing her coat, she handed it over to Tyrone despite the obvious disagreement on his face. She put on her best face. Tonight, she had to stay close to Xander Yang.

    "Ah, so many women around him. I bet his wife''s burning with jealousy and annoyance right now," Raine mused as she walked towards Xander. She was honestly glad that Yera Han didn''t attend the said event, giving her more opportunities to be near Xander and protect him.

    "Dr. Yang!" Raine called in her sweetest voice.

    The cameras'' flashes were hindering Xander from having a proper look at the woman from a distance. But as she walked towards him, Xander recognized her impeccable smile. "Dr. Yao?"

    Raine winked at him, effortlessly driving away the women who were beside him.

    "Where''s Rui?" Those were the first words Xander muttered. They were supposed to be together, after all.

    Raine raised her eyebrow with a smile still plastered perfectly on the camera, all while she casually wrapped her arms around Xander''s. The man was obviously looking for his shield, Rui, against her.

    "I''m not sure where that meddler-feeling-detec-" Raine paused. Xander noticed how her face had become gloomy as she looked at the crowd. That was not to mention how her eyes narrowed at the sight before her.

    ''Sh*t. It''s Megan!'' Raine inwardly cursed. Megan was good at throwing daggers, and the one she always used was an improvised dagger with a blade so thin that it was no longer visible to the naked eye, especially when thrown at its target. Once hitting the target, it would penetrate the body without the victim noticing it until the blood gushed out from their body.

    ''Dam*n!'' Raine cursed, seeing how Megan subtly positioned herself to aim at Xander. She looked like someone who was just about to get a glass of wine from the waiter on her back with her arm swaying like that.

    "Is everything al-"

    Before Xander could finish his words, he felt a sudden movement from Dr. Yao, causing him to lose his balance while he caught her weight. The two of them fell to the ground, Dr. Yao pinning him on the ground with her body above him.

    "Are you alright?" Xander murmured, checking to see if Dr. Yao was hurt or not.

    Raine smiled at him before she responded, "I''m fine, Dr. Yang. I''m sorry. I think I scratched your arm with my bracelet."

    With her words, she quickly got up away from him while Xander followed, checking the arm that Raine was referring to. "Huh? Is her bracelet that sharp to slice my sleeve?" Xander muttered, dumbfounded. It honestly looked like a knife had passed through it.

    He was about to ask her not to wear such sharp objects and to look at Dr. Yao''s bracelet, but by the time he raised his head, she was already nowhere to be found.

    "Where the heck did that woman go?" Xander muttered.

    ****************

    Author''s Note:

    Kindly support our book by sending gifts, voting for golden tickets and giving it a book review on our cover page. Also, read more about Xander Yang''s story. Our bubbly Doctor CEO from my book, The Doctor Who Loves Me. Again, every book is standalone, so there is no need to read in sequence.. Thanks.

 Chapter 86 - His Opponent (Xander And Yera Cameo)

    There was a commotion on the screen as the camera focused on Xander, who was on the ground, and the woman who was currently on top of him. Said woman wore a sexy outfit, and the pair had caught a lot of attention in their compromising position.

    However, by the time Xander had the chance to ask, the woman had suddenly disappeared.

    "Don''t leave. Keep an eye on Xander! I need to catch a damn sneaky mouse!" Tyrone heard Raine''s instruction to him and her squad members from the bluetooth in his ear. "It''s Megan. Make sure she will not escape."

    Raine gritted her teeth as she followed Megan outside. The assassin walked in long strides, and Raine followed suit as they avoided making more of a commotion inside the party. Raine spotted Megan quickly going for the exit door, so she quickly followed.

    "Why are you following me, Princess?" Megan grunted. "You even jeopardized the mission to kill Xander!"

    Raine stepped closer as her eyes turned red. Megan froze. She knew what happened once Raine''s eyes changed color like that. One wrong move from her, and she''d probably die in that instant.

    "I simply followed instructions from Prince Yun!" Megan almost pleaded.

    Raine smirked and sneered, "Didn''t I make myself clear? Xander Yang is mine. I get to decide when, where, and how I should kill him," Raine staked her claim with a harsh declaration. "I already had my eyes and mark on him. This will be your last warning, Megan. Don''t say I didn''t warn you the next time you meet your doom."

    "B-but Prince Yun¡­"

    "What about Uncle? Tell him I interfered because I hate it when someone messes with my business," Raine challenged with a hiss. "He can talk to me directly if he has a problem with that. Xander Yang will die by my hands, and whoever dares to interfere will die by them as well."

    Raine could see the fear in Megan''s eyes, but she understood how the assassin was torn on whose orders she should follow at this point.

    "Get out of this place now," Raine hissed.

    With her words, Megan scurried off into the dark. After ensuring that the assassin had truly left, Raine composed herself in the powder room and returned inside the function hall.

    "Boss?" Dylan asked her from another line.

    "Let Megan leave," Raine helplessly murmured. Megan was still one of them, and she would deal with her and the rest who happened to be used by her uncle later.

    *****

    By the time that more women had already flocked around Xander, his assistant and his security finally assisted him.

    "What took you so long?" Xander scolded as soon as he escaped the group of women.

    Shaking his head, Xander returned to his duties. The program was about to start, and he still had to give the opening remarks.

    Meanwhile, Raine was already back in her position with Tyrone beside her.

    "Everything alright?" he asked.

    Tyrone wrapped her in her coat as she chuckled, "Prepare for the striptease show later, you dummy!"

    At her words, Tyrone ended up massaging the back of his neck in exasperation.

    After a few more minutes of waiting, the host of the party finally called out the attention of everyone. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Before the evening starts, we will have some opening remarks from our Dr. Xander Yang, mostly known as Doctor CEO, who always gives his best for Yang Globals. Let''s give a round of applause to the man of the hour - our Dr. CEO, Xander Yang!"

    Everyone clapped their hands in respect as Xander went on the center stage with his beautiful smile. He slightly bowed at everyone and gestured for them to stop clapping.

    "Yang Globals Group had faced a lot of trials this year. But because of your help and support, we were able to overcome it. And now that we are once again back to¡­" Xander hung his words, pointing the microphone at the audience.

    The audience, of course, knew exactly what to shout. "Save more lives!!!"

    "Alright¡­ I won''t make this long, but let''s hope for the best in the future. Let''s give our best to all our patients and treat them like family. Enjoy, everyone!" Xander ended with a blissful smile as he received a very warm and loud round of applause from the crowd.

    Raine shook her head as her eyes darted in a particular direction.

    "Hath no fury like a jealous wife, no?" she amusingly whispered.

    Noting her words, Tyrone followed Raine''s gaze and he shook his head as his glance drifted back on Xander, who was about to get off the stage.

    As Xander went off the stage, he noticed that the crowd''s attention seemed to be stolen by someone who was fixed to a particular spot.

    "What''s going on?" Xander muttered to his assistant, seeing most of the reporters and flashes congregating on the one spot near the entrance.

    His assistant was about to leave to check when Xander suddenly said, "Stop. I''ll go and check it myself."

    Walked towards the center of the commotion to welcome whoever it was that appeared, Xander noted how the latecomer was somehow gaining a lot of attention despite their tardiness. Upon seeing who it was, however, his jaw dropped. His lovely wife was the latecomer who was currently the center of attention.

    ''My darling looks so stunning!'' he gasped, seeing how sexy his wife looked in her dark emerald one-shoulder high slit cocktail dress. The ensemble emphasized her supple porcelain bare shoulders along with her bosoms. The dress was a below-knee length, but it didn''t detract from the sight of it all. What was with that freaking slit?!

    Xander almost ran to her while unconsciously removing his suit to cover Yera''s top. However, Yera removed it before he could even finish covering her up.

    Xander gulped, feeling the frigid and ice cold tone of his wife. He cursed, knowing that his wife had most certainly witnessed everything that had happened up at that point. Her burning gaze was more than enough proof of it as she almost killed him on the spot with her ire alone.

    "Darling, it''s not my fault¡­" Xander pleaded for mercy with his humble eyes on his wife, but he was promptly ignored.

    Yera let off a malicious smile as she spoke, "Hmm¡­ it seems like the CEO of the Yang Globals group enjoys the company of many gorgeous women. I wonder if he''ll also enjoy the company of his opponent¡­"

    Xander wanted the ground to eat him alive that instant. He almost lost his breath when he felt her wife''s cold arms encircling his arm while she declared, "How about I have this gorgeous Dr. CEO the whole night? Let''s see if he will also enjoy the company of his mortal enemy?"

    "He''s so doomed," Raine chuckled as she watched the scene from afar.

    Tyrone chuckled and teasingly whispered, "You''re doomed too. I bet his wife wants to pull all your hair out right now¡­"

 Chapter 87 - A Sly Vixen

    As Raine expected, Tyrone didn''t keep to his bargain in doing the strip tease show that night, saying that he needed more practice to do such a thing. Allegedly, when he was ready, he would just tell her.

    Tomorrow came soon enough. Raine wasn''t in the mood that morning, so she ignored Tyrone during breakfast, showing him how annoyed she was at him still.

    There was only deafening silence inside the car that Tyrone felt uneasy. He wanted to say something, but he didn''t know how to even begin.

    ''Ah, why did I even bother to cover her with that coat?'' he irritably chided himself. He had simply wanted to protect her, and here she was still hell-bent on teasing him with the strip dance show. Was it some kind of payback since he happened to watch her striptease? He still couldn''t believe that both of them were being so childish at that moment, with Raine wanting him to strip while he acted like he was up to the challenge when he was clearly not. To be frank, all he could think about last night were ways to cover her up because of her damn revealing dress!

    Eventually, they finally reached the parking lot of the hospital. It was there that Tyrone realized that Raine acting cold towards him was way more frightening than being in an actual physical battle. Without a word, she immediately went out of the car, Tyrone following soon after her.

    "They really heightened their security," he whispered to break the silence between them. He was behind Raine as both of them went through the scanning machine before entering the hospital. As expected, she didn''t comment on his words, and Tyrone was left massaging the back of his neck in sheer awkwardness. They both headed to their clinic in silence as soon as they passed through more security checks.

    Using the silence, Raine checked on her schedule as they walked. She had no appointments for outpatients that day, so she only checked their in-patients in the pediatric ward.

    As soon as she was back in her clinic, she looked at Tyrone coldly and asked, "Can we go online now? Can''t Mia hack the hospital''s new system yet?"

    Tyrone shook his head, making Raine curse at the inconvenience. But as she fumed, her face suddenly lit up as she thought of an idea.

    She called Mia and said, "Connect to me the bug I put on Dr. Rui Dee''s phone. Try that one and see if we''re able to hear any important conversations between him and Xander. I just saw Dr. Dee walking towards the CEO''s office a while ago."

    Mia immediately did her work on her computer. In just two minutes, she had her report, "Boss, we''re still connected loud and clear. Should I patch it to you now? The two are having an actual conversation right now."

    Raine grabbed her bluetooth and put it on her ear as Tyrone did the same.

    "Alright, connect us now," Raine instructed, and she cringed at the loud feedback of Rui''s voice.

    "Dr. CEO!!! I really missed you brother!" exclaimed Rui as soon as he entered Xander''s office. He hugged the man tightly and even patted his buttocks in jest.

    "Stop that, you pervert! Why did you show up only now?" Xander grunted as he abruptly pushed Rui away from him. "Eww! Don''t ever do that again!" he complained as he shook the point of contact as if it gave him some kind of skin disease.

    Rui burst out in laughter, "What''s with you? Don''t tell me Yera also hates it whenever you have some skinship with a man?"

    Xander rolled his eyes. Rui was always quick in guessing, and the psychologist often teased him right before he even told him the whole story.

    "I saw the two of you at the party, so I guess I''m right. You''re banned from any skin-to-skin contact. Sorry for not being around. I didn''t have much time to approach the two of you since I''m too busy catching and containing a little mouse on the loose!" Rui explained while he comfortably walked to get himself a cup of tea from Xander''s receiving table.

    "Mouse? Since when did you become a cat?" Xander arched his brow as he asked. He sat in front of Rui and crossed his legs. His dear friend had a lot to report to him.

    "Ever since that Candice Yao arrived here! I tell you, that woman is dangerous!" Rui exclaimed. Xander smirked at his tone. He knew his friend far too well.

    He nodded as he teased, "Yeah, very dangerous indeed. It looks like you''ll become prey to that dangerous woman soon."

    Raine and Tyrone exchanged glances, and it was the former who immediately looked away.

    Back inside Xander''s office, Rui''s eyes rounded out as he continued, "She deliberately did it. That pose to be on top of you? She had this hidden agenda that I can''t get a hold of yet, but I''m sure you''re the target." The psychologist pondered, "Are you sure you got her profile thoroughly checked by your men? I think we''re missing something here. Can we ask Keira''s husband? I think the military sources are more reliable when it comes to profile checking."

    Xander let out a sigh and said, "No! We have to respect the military database. On what grounds then? Tell me, on what grounds can we ask for that special request? For murder? For any crime? You do know that Zach won''t release any private information on baseless grounds. He''s strict when it comes to that even if it''s for family¡­"

    Rui''s shoulders dropped. Xander was right. They had nothing against Candice except for the fact that the latter seemed to have some sort of hidden agenda by getting close to Xander. Still¡­

    "Just watch her closely, Rui. If your hunch is telling you that she''s up to something, then trust in your better judgment. Still, I really don''t feel that she''s that harmful in any way."

    Having heard enough, Raine stood up and grabbed the paper bag beside her table.

    "Those two seem to be enjoying talking behind my back. Maybe I should visit them since they''re talking about me," Raine smiled with a sickeningly malicious tone. "It would be fun to give those two mouse slayers some chills! How dare that Rui compares me to a sly mouse!" she said, her nostrils flaring as she walked out of the door.

    Tyrone let out a sigh as he was left alone. He was glad that Raine went out for a while. He only hoped that she wouldn''t be as cold towards him when she returned.

    "A sly vixen¡­ is best words to describe her."

 Chapter 88 - Are You My Husband

    As they were talking, the two men heard knocking from the door. "Come in," Xander called.

    The door swung upon. They exchanged meaningful glances when Dr. Candice Yao entered with her impeccable smile.

    "Secretary Ness wasn''t on her desk, so I just came straight to here. I hope you don''t mind," Raine cheerfully smiled.

    Oh, how she was enjoying the way the two men''s faces paled at that moment. They clearly didn''t expect her to interrupt their heartfelt conversation about her¡­ The so-called sly mouse!

    "Yes, we do mind," Rui scoffed in a dry tone, which led to Xander vaguely signaling him to behave. Rui''s mouth twitched as he shrugged before proceeding to drink his tea.

    Strutting in, Raine ignored Rui as she walked straight to Xander with some paper bags. "Dr. CEO, I''ve brought a lot of presents for you from Country V. I hope you''ll like these. I forgot to give it to you when I arrived earlier."

    "Oh, that''s so nice of you, Dr Yao, but you didn''t have to do this. I can''t accept it¡­" Xander sheepishly denied as he moved a bit to his left because Raine sat beside him.

    "What are you saying? These are all for you. I especially took the effort to choose them all, and I think that they''ll all look good on you. Here, try this." Raine deftly moved closer as she picked out one of the coats from the paper bags. She was about to put it on Xander when he quickly stood up from the couch.

    Raine frowned as she was about to stand up and follow him. However, Xander beat her to the punch, "Stop right there. Just leave it all in the paper bags. Don''t come near me¡­"

    Rui, on the other hand, was silently enjoying the show, thoroughly and sneakily taking a video of what was happening.

    "What''s wrong, Dr. CEO?" Raine asked with a confused look. By now, she could bet that she had surpassed even the superstar Brione Yu with her acting skills alone.

    ''Ah, I should''ve changed my career path into acting and being a superstar. It must be fun!'' Raine mused.

    "My wife-" Xander almost spilled the beans before he stopped himself. He recalled that he shouldn''t disclose all of the details of him being secretly married to his wife Yera yet. So with careful words, he continued, "My weird skin allergy. I have an allergy right now, and it''s very itchy. Just leave it in the paper bag. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but please keep at least a meter away from."

    Raine''s eyebrows arched. "Why? Is it because of the party? I see that we''re trending on social media and are on the top searches. Hmm, will this affect our friendship? Do you want me to answer them and clear everything up to those reporters? But if I do, I''ll be honest with them and tell them that I like you."

    Rui''s tea deliberately splashed out from his mouth upon hearing those blunt words from Dr. Yao. Xander was dumbfounded at the brazenness of the woman in front of him.

    Well, they were not alone in showing their shock. In another room, in Raine''s private clinic, Tyrone''s face suddenly dimmed. He knew that Raine was only acting, but her words left a bitter taste in his mouth! Hearing Raine says she liked other men was deeply annoying!

    "Stop that, Candice!" Rui exclaimed as he stood up, suddenly grabbing Raine''s arm with force.

    "What? I really like Dr. CEO. Is there something wrong with that?" Raine naively muttered as she pulled on her restrained arm. She was really enjoying how these two men were getting rid of her. Ah, being their lover would probably not be bad at all. These men were loyal and hard to find these days!

    "Yes, there is! He''s already taken, so stop dreaming!" Rui snapped.

    Raine only gave him a grimace before she spat, "He''s still not married. Oh, and even if he is¡­ I can always steal him away."

    Hahaha! Her acting would definitely earn a slap from all of the legal wives and girlfriends. She would definitely be a great mistress at this rate.

    Rui gritted his teeth. This little sly mouse was really testing his patience. With a still raised brow, Raine abruptly removed Rui''s hand from her arm. She then turned toward Xander and winked, "I''ll be going, for now, Dr. CEO, since there''s a meddler in here right now. I''ll see you later then. Bye!"

    Raine gave Rui a dirty look before she walked out the door. Meanwhile, Rui turned to Xander and declared, "Don''t worry. I''ll handle her."

    Xander, with a twisted expression on her face, mumbled, "You better do!"

    *****

    Raine controlled her laughter as she left Xander''s office.

    "Are you done playing around, Boss?!" Raine suddenly heard Tyrone from another line.

    Raine raised her eyebrows as she mumbled, "Don''t worry. I''ll play with you next!"

    She then ended the call. But before she could move along, her mobile phone suddenly rang. Looking at the screen, she immediately answered as she saw Lyne being the caller ID, "What''s wrong?"

    "Boss, the plan is working. Xander''s now preparing for the trial, and he''s coordinating with the Earth Clan''s new king. They will request a Mirage Trial against your Uncle Yun," Lyne reported. Tyrone was also on the other line, and he could not help but let out a sigh of relief. The sooner the case with Xander got closed, the better.

    "So, are you going to vote for him as President now?" Lyne asked. She was someone who held high regard to the new king of the Earth Clan, Chad Quan, who was also currently running for president in Country V. Raine, on the other hand, didn''t think that Chad could take on such a great responsibility in ruling the whole country. It wasn''t as simple as it seemed, given that Chad also needed to take care of the Earth Clan, which had a bigger community compared to the Moon and the Sun Clans.

    "I''m not sure yet, Lyne. We will see. I''ll have to meet with him in person. Probably play with him a bit more before I can tell," Raine answered.

    "Why do you always love playing with men?" Tyrone interrupted.

    Rain chuckled, "And why are you affected? Are you my husband now to question all of my actions?!"

    Tyrone was speechless.. He was totally embarrassed for acting like that. Who was he? He was nothing but Raine''s right-hand man!

 Chapter 89 - The Merger

    Today, Xander and Yera had a business meeting with some rather important people who had expertise in joint ventures. It was there that they had to discuss the terms and conditions acceptable to both of the hospitals involved. The pair came with their own group to the private room of one of the finest restaurants in the city. The meeting was very confidential, and the two groups, Life Hospitals and Yang Globals, discussed the pros and cons of the possible merger.

    Throughout the meeting, Yera kept a poker face on upon seeing Dr. Yao as one of the members of Xander''s team. Her husband had already explained to her beforehand that Dr. Yao held a vital role since she was responsible for the successful building project at Country V. Hence, most of the directors trusted the woman. Yera understood the technicalities, but what irritated her the most about the woman were her blatant attempts of flirting with Xander. Didn''t she know that he was taken already?

    Yera let out a sigh in her head. She didn''t know whether to laugh at the scene in front of her or get angry at the obvious subversion happening on her watch. Whenever Dr. Yao moved closer to Xander to give an explanation for some of the documents, her husband''s face would pale considerably and he would try his best to keep his distance from her. This was all while sneaking glances at his actual wife, checking to see if she noticed their unwanted closeness.

    Meanwhile, Raine was trying her best to control her laughter as well. Xander''s wife had already killed her so many times just from deathly her glares alone.

    Xander was sweating profusely despite the cold temperature inside the room. He kept cursing Rui hard, the man''s tardiness dooming him to an uncomfortable existence until whenever he decided to arrive.

    "With this merger, we have to invest a lot more¡­ There are advantages to it,  but this is not profitable to us at all," Raine pointed out as she studied the documents presented by Yera''s side.

    Yera sighed. Dr. Yao had a valid point. She herself thought the same, after all. They would need a really solid presentation with conditions good enough for both sides to agree.

    "Are you sure you''re going to agree to this merger with such biased conditions? Because with the way these conditions are put, I can see it definitely causing a hostile environment to form between both groups," Raine deliberated with a calculated tone. "None of the board of directors and officers in both of these chains of hospitals can be easily manipulated. We both have a few monsters who are greedy for money and power. Especially power, to be precise. And we all are very well aware of who those members are," she added, staring at Xander intently with a smirk on her face.

    Yera held the twitch that almost appeared on her face. That vixen seemed to be enjoying the conflicted look on her husband''s face. She was too irritated with her presence. It was out of her character for her to flare up in public, but Dr. Yao''s antics were getting on her nerves. Enough for her to make her lose control.

    And sure enough, she suddenly hit the table with the folder in her hand as soon as she saw Dr. Yao touch Xander''s face as if removing something from it. Everyone in the room was shocked by her actions, including Xander, who suddenly stood up from his chair with an awkward expression on his face.

    "W-why is the food not arriving yet?" Xander stuttered and was about to walk out of the room when his assistant replied.

    "Sir, the food is about to arrive. Please take your seat and allow me to go and double-check."

    Xander''s assistant stood up from his chair, a now empty chair that was far away from Dr. Yao. Taking the chance, Xander deliberately sat on it as he replied, "Uh yeah, check on it¡­" He then timidly looked at Yera before talking to one of the directors at the side, grabbing the documents from the man. "What about you? Tell me your opinion¡­" Xander mumbled, trying to ease the tension.

    ''Ah, what''s wrong with me? I think I should tone my actions down a bit, but why can''t I stop?'' Raine inwardly mused with a grin.

    Raine raised her eyebrows and shifted her gaze to Yera. "The Yang Globals group is still number one when it comes to hospitals. We have a higher profit margin, better facilities, and more rooms across the board, including ICUs and ICUs. Our doctors are the best in town, both from local and from abroad, and above all, we have a good and clean reputation in the market compared to yours!" Raine laid out their advantages with a vulpine grin. "So now, tell me, what reason should we have to collaborate or merge with you? With such average terms, why would Yang Globals accept your proposal? Why are you that desperate to latch on to our group?"

    "Dr. Yao!" Xander scolded.

    Yera looked at Xander and signaled him that it was fine. She confidently smiled while looking straight into Dr. Yao''s eyes. She replied, "It''s natural to have this merger done since I want my husband''s company and mine to be united like our personal relationship."

    ''Ah, bingo!'' Raine silently snapped. She looked at Xander and mused, ''You should thank me for this, you dimwit!''

    Everyone''s jaws in the room dropped as they started looking at Yera with their mouths agape. All except for Dr. Yao, who simply laughed at the situation. She seemed not to be surprised at all.

    "Well, now it''s more firm then. The merger is for personal reasons, but I think it will also be more difficult because of that. You see, we can convince our board of directors since at Yang Globals, they all behave like baby alligators. They''re unlike the directors of the Life Hospitals group¡­ who seem to be more like untamed and aggressive alligators. So good luck to you if you wish to succeed¡­" Raine mocked with a laugh.

    Her words were harsh, but she simply stated the truth. She was aware of Yera''s dispute and ordeal from her own hospital and group. The other woman had to solve them first if she didn''t want her own resources to be used by her Uncle Yun in his plot against Xander.

    The tense atmosphere popped when the meals finally arrived. Dr. Yao''s demeanor suddenly became gloomy as soon as she saw the waitress who came inside to serve the food.. Yera frowned when she noticed the quick change in the other doctor''s expression, going from gloomy into a bright smile, all as she stood up and walked in Xander''s direction.

 Chapter 90 - A Villain

    Raine gritted her teeth as she saw the waitress who entered. It was another member of the Shadow Beauties. She might not remember her name, but she clearly knew her face. The said waitress never spared a glance in her direction while serving Xander.

    As she expected, her Uncle Yun would be this desperate by now. She assumed that her Uncle Yun was already aware of Xander''s intention for a Mirage Trial, so he wouldn''t spare a moment to wipe Xander out as long as it would look like an accident.

    ''A Heart Attack¡­ Something like that would come without warning!'' Raine pondered with a frown. The waitress had already served Xander''s drink, and Raine could tell that it was in the drink.

    Thinking fast, she deliberately tripped on Xander''s table, causing his drink to spill all over herself.

    "What did I just do? I am so sorry, Dr. CEO. I spilled your drink by mistake. And I even messed up my dress," Raine hastily mumbled out before smiling at the waitress and asked, "Can you please show me to the restroom outside and help me fix my dress?"

    Looking at the scene, Yera was getting highly suspicious of the events happening in front of her. But what shocked her the most was that Dr. Yao was now sitting on her husband''s lap after she tripped! She shot daggers through her eyes, her temper flaring up as she rose from her chair and hissed at the waitress, "What are you waiting for? Go and pull that woman up and help her fix her freaking dress!"

    The waitress quickly nodded, helping Raine up as she winked at Yera and murmured, "Thanks¡­"

    After ensuring they were alone inside the restroom, Raine instantly grabbed the woman by the neck. Her eyes turned red as the woman struggled for breath, her body being lifted up as if she was just a mere dummy to Raine.

    "P-princess, please spare me..." the woman cried and begged, making Raine loosen her grip. She could see the fear in the woman''s eyes, her body trembling out of despair.

    After careful deliberation, Raine released her.

    "It''s against my will, but I can''t do anything. Prince Yun threatened me and my family if I did not follow his instructions," the woman explained, still sobbing.

    "Can you confirm this?" Raine quickly talked to her team on another line. She was always connected to her team through her earrings, a bluetooth set handily tucked away underneath her ears.

    After a few moments. Her team got back to her.

    "Boss, it''s true that her family was taken," Lyne confirmed.

    "Is there a way to save her family? Call me back," Raine instructed from the other line. She then looked at the woman and said, "Uncle Yun will kill you once you come back to him  once he learns that you failed. I can''t assure you of your family''s safety, but I can spare and save your life right now. The choice is yours to make. Come back to my uncle, or stay here with us. My men will bring you to a safe location while things are still complicated."

    The woman cried hard, and Raine''s heart broke as she understood her situation. "What is your name?"

    "Wena," the woman sobbed. She couldn''t stop herself from crying. She didn''t know what to do.

    "We''ll try our best to pull your family out, Wena. But again, I can''t promise you anything," Raine whispered.

    Wena raised her head and wiped the tears that kept flowing out of her eyes. "I¡­ I will come with you, Princess. T-thank you for sparing my life," she whispered with a stutter. There was no other option for her but to come with Princess Raine, or she too, would die along with her family. She knew Prince Yun. That was why she followed his orders in the first place.

    "Alright¡­ Dylan, are you there?" Raine asked on another line.

    "Yes, Boss?"

    "Take Wena and bring her to one of our safe houses in this country," Raine instructed. She then waited for Dylan to pick Wena up before she fully went outside.

    Sure enough, Tyrone''s car was there waiting, and Raine wasted no time as she immediately boarded the vehicle.

    Raine looked distraught, and Tyrone wanted to comfort her because of it. He had heard the conversation from his earpiece, and he could tell how devastated she was with what was going on inside the Moon Clan. His face darkened, but he quickly relaxed and hid it with his usual facade.

    "Where to?" he asked Raine. She was supposed to go back inside. But at this rate, she probably wouldn''t bother coming back inside to finish the meeting.

    Raine let out a loud breath. Grabbing her mobile phone, she weakly typed out a message to Xander saying that she had decided to return home instead. She then turned to Tyrone and asked, "How about Rui? Did you open the door?"

    Rui was with her since the latter asked her to accompany him to his house to get some documents that they would need to discuss for the meeting. Raine knew that the other doctor was planning to stop her from attending the meeting, so he tried to lock her up in one of his rooms. Unfortunately for him, he ended up locking himself up instead.

    "No, I didn''t. Why would I? Let him rot in his house," Tyrone scoffed, making Raine laugh. "I''m sure his helper will open it tomorrow morning. Let him have a dose of his own medicine!"

    "Ah, for sure. I''ll be the main topic of their conversation again tomorrow," Raine chuckled, finally gathering herself back together. "Ah, that dimwit¡­ If he successfully locked me in that room, then his dear friend Xander would be in the morgue by now."  She then closed her eyes and said, "Let''s just go home, Tyrone."

    To others, she looked like a villain and an annoyance. Raine didn''t care, however. It was her way of saving people''s lives.

    Following her instructions, Tyrone stepped on the gas and steered the vehicle onto the road as he whispered, "Yeah, let''s just go home."

    Home was a word that he thought was no longer available in his vocabulary.. But somehow, the word still brought an inner sort of peace into his heart.

 Chapter 91 - A Screenshot

    The next day, Raine went to the hospital as usual. This time, Tyrone was the one who monitored the conversation from bug Raine planted on Rui''s mobile phone.

    It was noon when their men reported that Rui went out with Xander for lunch, so Tyrone listened in on their conversation. The group started chatting, and suddenly, Rui apologized to Yera.

    "Why?"

    "About Dr. Yao. I heard that Xander was being punished because of her." Rui explained.

    Yera raised her brows as she squinted at her husband. Her man even had a comrade. ''Did you think I still won''t kick you out of bed even though you asked Rui to convince me?'' Yera silently delivered her message with her gaze to her husband.

    "To be honest, it was me who wanted Dr. Yao to stay at the Yang Globals group. Xander wanted to kick her out initially, but I''m investigating something about her, so I convinced him to keep her around. Keeping your enemies closer is better, after all¡­" Rui explained.

    "No! No!" Xander quickly defended and elbowed Rui. "Complete your explanation or they''ll misinterpret it!" he exclaimed.

    Rui twisted his mouth as he looked at Xander. He then quickly smiled as he turned his gaze back at Yera. "I''m investigating her¡­" Rui started. He then elaborated everything to her regarding the cases he encountered with Dr. Yao.

    "Why does that sound off to me¡­ I mean¡­ It''s more like you''re stalking her. And doesn''t it sound like you''re enjoying it?"

    Tyrone heard the comment of another man, and his face darkened.

    "What are you saying? Am I nuts? That woman is crazy. Do you know how scary she is?" Rui burst out in horror. "I saw her snapping a person''s neck back in Country V!"

    "You said it yourself¡­ You were drunk at that time. Besides, there''s nobody found. Who knows if you''re just imagining things."

    "Anyway, what matters is that my wife will be clear about why Dr. Yao is still in our facilities and is given her level of importance. It''s because of Rui¡­" Xander interrupted.

    Tyrone turned off his earpiece since the topic was no longer about Raine. With a shrug, he simply tasked Mia to filter the conversations onwards and call if there was something important.

    After a few minutes, Raine finally came back from her rounds, and she quickly noticed how Tyrone seemed to be in deep thought.

    "What''s wrong?" she asked.

    Tyrone looked at her. With a serious expression, he said, "We should delete Rui''s memories."

    "Yeah¡­ We have that planned, but not for now," Raine replied with a frown as she sat next to Tyrone on the couch.

    "No, it has to be now since he''s starting saying stuff like how he witnessed you breaking someone''s neck," Tyrone argued.

    "I see. So he remembered that clearly," Raine casually stated. "Eh¡­ Let''s just let him be for now. I don''t see any harm around Rui. He''s just a meddler, and I''m sure he only talks about those kinds of stuff to those he trusts. We''ll include them on the list and erase their memories about it as well."

    "I can do it," Tyrone quickly offered.

    Raine frowned as she looked at him, "Why are you in a hurry?"

    "He poses a threat against you," he vaguely replied. He, too, felt weird about why he was acting that way when it wasn''t a big deal. Maybe it was because of another man''s comment¡­ He had heard that Rui seemed to enjoy stalking Raine and getting close to her¡­

    "No, he isn''t," Raine disagreed.

    "Alright," Tyrone said in his low tone.

    "What is going on?" she asked, looking confused at how weird Tyrone was acting.

    "I''m probably just hungry. I haven''t eaten yet since I''m waiting for you," he reasoned as he stood up to prepare the food he ordered on the table.

    Raine suspiciously observed him and mused, ''Did something happen while I''m in the wards?''

    She was about to ask Tyrone again when her mobile phone rang. Raine smiled, seeing that it was another video call from Aire, who talked to her daily whenever she was free.

    "It''s lunchtime, Mommy. I bet you''ll eat lunch late again," Aire scolded with a pout.

    Raine chuckled, "Ah, I saw your missed calls. I''m sorry, Dear. Mommy just got back from her rounds with the in-patients."

    "Alright, apology accepted. Is Daddy there?" Aire immediately asked, causing Raine to focus the camera on Tyrone.

    "There he is. Still, why do you keep calling him Daddy? You sound like you''re playing cupid at such a young age." Raine asked.

    Aire giggled, "It''s because I like being a cupid and he''s my Daddy. Can''t you see how handsome he is and how beautiful I am? It''s because we have the same genes."

    Raine shook her head and said, "You''re wrong. You definitely look after me. Can''t you see the color of my hair and yours?"

    She no longer corrected Aire whenever she would push the idea of Tyrone being her father. She simply thought that Aire lacked a parents'' love, resulting in her imagining having a real mother and a father in the two of them. Raine honestly wanted a psychiatrist to look at Aire since the incident must''ve had a traumatic impact on her, but doing so now would be dangerous. She also wouldn''t risk asking doctors from the Moon Clan until well after the ordeal of her Uncle Yun had been resolved.

    "Hello, cute little Aire. Mommy and I will eat lunch now. Do you want to eat with us?" Tyrone suddenly interrupted, unexpectedly popping his face near Raine''s cheeks so he could also be seen on the screen.

    Aire quickly took a screenshot of the scene and said, "You two enjoy lunch. I''ll just call tomorrow. Don''t fight, okay?"

    At that, the call ended and Tyrone quickly walked back to the table. "Let''s eat."

    Raine felt that something was wrong with Tyrone, but she chose not to pry. Perhaps she was simply being paranoid?

 Chapter 92 - My Alibi

    While minding her own business, Raine just received a tip from trusted allies that she planted within her uncle''s forces that her Uncle Yun was planning yet another attack against Xander Yang that day. As such, she never spared a single moment in letting Xander out of her sight.

    Xander suggested a joint treat for both his and Yera''s employees involved in the confidential project of merging the two hospitals. Raine sighed. It was surely going to be a pain to monitor him later.

    After office hours, everyone hurried to the meeting place. It was a private dining restaurant and bar with karaoke and other indoor activities. The entire venue was exclusively hired for the whole night for Yera and Xander''s team. The dinner was sumptuous, and everyone was having a good time with ample alcoholic drinks of various shapes and sizes. Not to mention the loud blaring music that everyone could sing and dance to without inhibitions. After all, both Bosses even encouraged them to do so, wanting to make sure that everyone enjoyed their time to their heart''s content.

    As expected, Rui didn''t spare a moment to guard Raine and stay beside her.

    "When will you stop annoying me?" Raine hissed at Rui. She was getting really pissed off because Rui was preventing her from protecting Xander.

    ''This is fun¡­'' Yera, who silently observed what was happening, thought amusingly to herself. Seeing how dark Dr. Yao''s face was becoming, Yera smirked as the doctor stood up, making Rui also do the same.

    "Don''t tell me you''ll follow me inside the restroom too?" Raine snarled with a raised brow.

    "Why not? Go and I''ll wait outside¡­" Rui casually chuckled. "Haha! Like, did you expect me to say that? Of course, not¡­ I''ll be going to the restroom to pee. Can''t a man do that as well?"

    Raine smirked and sat. "Then I suppose I''ve changed my mind. I will just stay here. You go on ahead."

    Seeing her back down, Rui also returned to his seat and said, "Then I''ve changed my mind too¡­"

    Everyone who witnessed the exchange all agreed on how weird both of them were behaving. The venue was good due to the number of activities to do inside, including roulette, darts, and even billiards as one enjoyed various alcoholic drinks.

    Raine, it seemed, had had enough of being watched by Rui. Irritated, she stood up without saying a word. Predictably, Rui followed.

    It was almost midnight, and everyone had already left. Xander and Yera made sure that their employees would be home safely since everyone was drunk, so they had assigned a car service to bring everyone home.

    "Dr. Yang, can you take me home instead?" Raine asked with a pout. She acted as if she was drunk, causing Xander to give Rui a look. Nodding, the latter then grabbed Raine and pulled her inside his car.

    Raine profoundly sighed as she sat in Rui''s car. She already knew of her uncle''s plans, and being inside Rui''s car would be one of her alibis in rescuing Xander. He had already started driving the car on the road when Raine asked, "Can we stop in that convenience store? I''m thirsty."

    Acquiescing, Rui steered the car to the side of the road and said, "Alright, I''ll get you some water."

    But before he could get out of the car, Raine stopped him and said, "Ah, that''s alright. I''ll get it myself, so wait here. I feel like going to the restroom too."

    Rui only nodded. As soon as Raine was out, she quickly got inside the convenience store that also served as one of her hide-outs.

    "What''s the movement of the truck?" Raine quickly asked ss she immediately grabbed her helmet and started the engine of her motorcycle.

    "This is too dangerous. We can just facilitate anyone to tell Xander to get away from that spot!" Tyrone scolded from another line.

    "We can''t afford that because my uncle will know that I planted spies on him! We can''t use anyone from our men too, since Uncle will find out that it''s me who''s saving Xander. This is the safest way not to get my uncle''s attention against me!"

    "I told you, I''ll do it instead!" Tyrone exclaimed.

    Raine smiled, "Didn''t you know that Uncle has his eyes on you already? Once he finds out that you, by any means, made a move against him, you''re dead meat. And please don''t exaggerate. This is nothing compared to hunting mutants!"

    As this was happening, Yera and Xander were waiting outside at the side of the road for their driver. It was there that Xander noticed a motorcycle rushing towards them, constantly honking its horn as well as blinking its lights at them.

    At the oncoming danger, Xander quickly pulled Yera back inside the resto-bar, but it was already closed. So instead, he grabbed her hand and shouted, "Run!"

    The road was clear, and there was no one around except for his security team. However, they were a bit far to come to their aid due to the speed of the motorcycle.

    The two ran for their lives, only stopping when the motorcycle stopped honking and passed by them. By that time, his security team was already with them, and Xander shouted, "Follow that motorcycle!"

    Immediately, one of his men went back inside the car and followed the motorcycle. Xander was panting hard as he checked on Yera, before looking behind towards the resto-bar. They had managed to run a considerable distance away from it.

    It was then that a truck happened to hit the spot where she and Xander were standing earlier. The scene shocked Yera to her core. Coupled with the ensuing explosion, it was a wonder how they managed to avoid such a fate somehow.

    "Oh my God!!!" Yera gasped in terror.

    Meanwhile, Raine had a tail behind her, so Tyrone yelled, "Do something with those bastards!"

    Raine had assigned him to stay with Xander no matter what, so he couldn''t afford to move and aid Raine, who had threatened him that she would kick him out if he dared let Xander out of his sight. It was ridiculous. He was too annoyed that those bastards were still running after her when she just saved their Boss''s ass!

    However, Raine seemed not to be bothered by it at all as she calmly reminded Mia and Levi, "Secure the CCTV footage in the convenience store. Make sure there are no discrepancies in my alibi."

    "Yes, Boss."

    *Bang! *Bang!*

    "Shit!" Raine cursed as the bodyguards opened fire at her.

    "What''s wrong?!" Tyrone exclaimed from the other line. He was uneasy because he, too, could hear the gunshots.

    "Those lousy bastards are firing at me," Raine ground out. "Do something, Dylan, or I might end up killing all of them!"

 Chapter 93 - Ill Run To Your Side

    As the chase was happening, Xander and Yera were instantly brought to the police station for their statement on the explosion. The former had everything discreetly covered up. And after everything was cleared, he headed back to the site where the incident happened. Sure enough, investigators were already all over the place.

    "What''s the update," he asked one of his men, who was closely monitoring the situation.

    "The man on the motorcycle got away, Boss. The initial findings say that there''s been a malfunction on the truck''s brakes, and the driver probably lost control¡­" his man reported. "The body of the driver will be sent for an autopsy to check if he was drunk, or there was a foul play involved in all this. But Sir¡­"

    His man hesitated, which made Xander frown. "What is it?"

    "The incident during the company outing... The style is the same. Both seemed to be staged to look like an accident or a result of negligence; where there''s a malfunction that would be the cause of the explosion¡­" His man expressed his opinion.

    Xander audibly breathed out.  "We must find the man on the motorcycle. It seems to me that he was probably giving us a warning, deliberately chasing us out so that we''d end up running out of that spot¡­ If not for him, Yera and I would''ve probably turned to ashes by now," he spoke.

    Xander felt a headache coming on. Things were getting complicated, and he, himself, could feel that these were no mere accidents. Still, they would need more time to trace everything properly.

    "Secure all of the CCTV footage in the area," Xander added as he looked at his surroundings.

    *****

    Rui, on the other hand, had almost taken a nap in his car as he waited for Dr. Yao to return. She had requested to stop over at the nearby convenience store to buy some water and go to the restroom.

    Stretching his arms, he looked at the clock and wondered, ''What time did she get out of the car again?'' He didn''t bother to look at the time when she left because he suddenly felt sleepy.

    Getting worried, he stepped out of the car to go and check on her in the convenience store. But right as he was about to enter, he saw her coming out, walking towards him already with a paper bag in her arms.

    ''What''s wrong with her?'' he thought as he saw Dr. Yao limping. As such, he blinked again just to make sure that what he just saw was real. And sure enough, she appeared to be walking properly again.

    "Here¡­" Raine almost threw him the paper bag as she quickly entered Rui''s directly. The other doctor immediately followed and went inside his own car.

    "Are you alright?" Rui asked as he picked up the bottled water from the paper bag and handed over one to Dr. Yao.

    "Yeah, why?" Raine asked as she drank the water.

    "I think I saw you limping earlier¡­"

    "It''s just a figment of your imagination. Besides, you look like you''ve just woken up from a deep slumber." Raine scoffed as she put on her seatbelt.

    Rui didn''t react to her words. Instead, he stepped on the gas and pulled them back on the road.

    In reality, Raine was positively hurting. She had had a minor laceration on her right leg that she had quickly put a plaster over to stop the bleeding. It was reckless of her to show her limp, and Raine inwardly scolded herself for her weakness.

    She took a deep breath, recalling how Tyrone seemed to be worked up before about Rui remembering her killing someone. In her fellow doctor''s eyes, they were all humans. But the fact of the matter was that they were actually all mutants.

    "Why do you keep sticking around me? Aren''t you afraid of me?" Raine vaguely asked.

    Rui let out a long sigh before he sincerely answered, "I don''t know either, but I feel like you''re walking on the wrong path. And somehow, I have this urge to help you walk in the right direction."

    Raine pursed her lips for a perfect smug smile, "You are one weird psycho¡­ I just hope your hunch about people is always right, or else you''ll end up getting yourself into trouble someday."

    She wanted to laugh at what Rui just said, but it wouldn''t be nice to mock someone serious with their words.

    Rui shrugged his shoulders and simply answered, "I like trouble. It''s always a challenge, teaching me a lot of things along the process of solving them."

    "Yeah, I noticed that trouble seems to like you too¡­" Raine breathed out, turning her head to Rui, who happened also to sneak a glance at her simultaneously.

    At the shared eye contact, Raine winked at him for the first time.

    Reaching their destination, Rui dropped Raine off the building entrance as she requested. She then immediately walked inside the elevator headed directly to her penthouse. She hissed as she avoided leaning on the wrong foot. It was already getting more than uncomfortable because of her wound.

    Opened the door, she sighed as she saw that Tyrone was already there.

    "Xander is already safely back home," Tyrone quickly reported before Raine could even ask him. "What happened?"

    Tyrone frowned as he watched Raine limp her way towards the couch. She looked like she was barely holding on.

    "Please get my first aid kit," Raine asked, and Tyrone quickly obliged.

    It was only a miracle that Raine had purposely worn black jeans with a ripped style today. It allowed her to hide her wounds from Rui''s observant eyes.

    "You got hit?" Tyrone asked with a dark expression on his face as he watched Raine cut her jeans with the scissors, revealing the improvised plaster underneath.

    "Yeah, it''s just a minor laceration. I''ll just disinfect the area since I put the cover on without disinfecting it first," Raine said.

    "I''ll do it," Tyrone offered as he bent down. She would''ve declined. Being a bit tired and sleepy from her ordeal, Raine eventually let him do it anyway.

    Tyrone had a clenched jaw as he cleaned up Raine''s wound. It was indeed a minor wound, but he still couldn''t help but be agitated at the fact that he couldn''t help her out.

    Tyrone gritted his teeth as he gently applied the medicine to Raine''s skin. Scolding, he whispered, "Next time, it won''t matter to me whether you kick me out or not, but I''ll definitely not follow your instructions to stay put because I''ll run to your side if ever you get in danger like that again."

    There was no response, so Tyrone raised his head to look at Raine. Seeing her, he shook his head with a smile carved onto his lips.. Her beautiful face was just as beautiful even in deep slumber.

 Chapter 94 - Dami Bridge

    After a few moments, Tyrone sighed. He didn''t know how long it had already been since he started staring into Raine while she slept on the couch. He can''t seem to get enough of her beauty. She looked so meek and peaceful sleeping like that that he hesitated on whether or not to carry her to the comfort of her bed, afraid that he might wake her from what seemed to be a deep sleep.

    "How can she easily sleep soundly like that?" Tyrone whispered as he finally got back on his feet from bending on his knees a while ago. Raine''s wound was not that deep, making him at ease. And yet, he still didn''t like the feeling of doing nothing even though he knew Raine was more than capable of taking care of herself.

    He got up and moved to carry Raine in his arms. Walking towards her bedroom, he gently put her down on her bed. He didn''t know what came over him that made him lay down beside her.

    It had been a while since the two of them had slept together. He convinced himself that he should be grateful that Raine was not bugging him again about it. He was saved from the torment¡­

    Tyrone sighed as he decided to get up from the bed. As he was about to move, Raine put her arm around him, cuddling him like a pillow.

    "Stay here if you want," Raine whispered as she snuggled into him. Tyrone didn''t say a word and just sighed.

    ''If I want to?'' Tyrone amusingly thought. With how Raine was hugging him, it looked as if he had no choice but to stay whether he liked it or not.

    Tyrone calmed his thoughts and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was another day, and things got more intense as the days passed.

    His eyes were already feeling heavy when he felt his mobile phone vibrate in his pocket. Tyrone carefully and quietly moved out of the bed. Picked up the phone from his pocket, his face dimmed at seeing who was calling. He immediately went out of Raine''s bedroom and walked inside the opposite bedroom that he was using.

    He went to the balcony and answered the call.

    "Dammit, Tyrone! What the hell is going on, huh?" Yun yelled at Tyrone on the phone. "Are you playing with me, bastard?! How come you''re not reporting Raine''s movements to me?!"

    Tyrone gritted his teeth as his grip on his mobile tightened.

    "You''re so useless! Raine is jeopardizing my plans and you''re unable to report it to me before that happens!" Yun barked and cursed at him. "Don''t tell me that you''re now on her side, huh?!"

    Tyrone kept his calm as much as he could as he replied, "Your niece was too careful around me. And I''m sure you''re more aware of her characters and personalities than me. I tried to do more, but she didn''t let me get too involved with her plans about Xander. All I know is that she''s pissed off right now with you because you''re messing and jeopardizing her plans. She hates that you''re not giving her enough time to play with her target first. She also said that you''re so boring and in too much of a rush that she''s getting really annoyed with how reckless you''re executing your plan. I also heard her say that her father will definitely get mad at you once he wakes up because of your impulsive actions."

    There was a mocking laugh from another line. Tyrone didn''t know if what he just did was believable, but what he knew was that he had to convince Yun that Raine wanted to kill Xander.

    "She was planning to use someone that is not connected to the Moon Clan or the Yue Group since she said using the Moon Clan''s people for the task was very risky and could drag the Moon Clan down too¡­ I''m not yet sure with the exact details, but she said that it should be her who should bring his head to her father as soon as he wakes up," Tyrone added with a frown.

    If Yun was probably before him now face to face, Tyrone would''ve crushed the old man''s face in already. He said nothing but cursed him repeatedly that he had to remove the phone off his ear and just put it on the loudspeaker.

    "Just make sure you know who''s side you''re on, Tyrone. My brother will no longer wake up and I will lead the Moon Clan in no time. If she wants Xander''s head, then she shouldn''t waste time. I will make sure that Xander will no longer breathe this time around!" Yun grunted before Tyrone only heard the end call beep from his phone.

    He let off a long deep sigh. It seemed like Yun would really not spare a moment in killing Xander as soon as he could.

    ******

    The days became busier as Raine and her squad barely slept in shifting turns monitoring Xander Yang. Raine and Tyrone just returned to the penthouse after their working hours at the Yang Global Hospital.

    "Ah... I never thought that keeping someone alive could be this exhausting!" Raine complained as she cracked her neck, slumping her tired body on the couch. She was also doing her work as a pediatrician in the hospital while ensuring Xander was safe.

    She then chuckled, "Now I realized that it''s way too easy killing mutants than protecting a human from dying. I don''t even know now if I make sense. Ah, even my jokes now are too lame," Raine mumbled with a pout.

    "Was it necessary for Rui to pick you up and you two eat dinner together?" Tyrone suddenly asked out of nowhere as he handed Raine a glass of water.

    "Ah, yes of course. I need to be in that hotel. Thus, I needed Rui for that," Raine commented.

    She had asked Rui to have dinner with her. The latter agreed, and Raine knew why. Rui probably saw this as an opportunity to squeeze more details from her, making him change his approach by suddenly becoming friendly with her.

    Tyrone no longer spoke. He knew he would only like a stupid jealous bodyguard and he didn''t want that. But he couldn''t help but notice how Raine and Rui seemed to be getting along lately. He didn''t like how the two were having more interactions than usual.

    "What''s wrong? Why is your face like that? Your expression is way too conflicted," Raine noticed.

    Raine noticed that Tyrone seemed to be acting really weird lately, but she was way too busy to bug or confront him at this point so she no longer made a fuss and just grabbed her mobile phone.

    She called Dylan, "Dylan, how''s the situation?"

    She let Dylan and a few of her men monitor and tail Xander while she came back home to her penthouse after work so Rui could pick her up later for dinner.

    "The target already left the hospital. We''re currently behind him. There''s just the usual traffic jam here at Dami Bridge, but we''re at a close enough distance to Dr. Xander to aid him if something happens. Don''t worry, Boss. We got him secured," Dylan reported.

    "Alright, that''s good," Raine said.

    She was about to end the call when she heard a loud blast from another line.

    "Hello?! Dylan?! What''s wrong?! Dylan?" Raine yelled at the other line.

 Chapter 95 - A Huge Attack

    By the time Dylan''s line was cut off, Tyrone had already gotten a call from Yun. So Raine instructed, "Stay here so my uncle won''t get suspicious."

    "But¡­"

    Raine glared at Tyrone and hissed, "Just follow my instructions, Tyrone. Once I leave, you call me after a minute and ask about my whereabouts. Let him hear something that would satisfy his curiosity!"

    Tyrone sighed in frustration as he watched Raine leave alone. Yun bugged his mobile phone, so oftentimes, he and Raine would fake a conversation to mislead her uncle. Exactly after a minute, Tyrone called Raine to ask the latter where she was.

    "Easy¡­ You''re too hot headed. I know what I need to do. You don''t have to remind me about it, dammit!" she yelled. "Why are you monitoring me? Do you wanna die, Tyrone? Don''t you dare interfere in my things, or I''ll not hesitate in silencing you myself!" Raine chastised cutting the line.

    Raine let out a long sigh as she walked towards her car. She walked in long strides as her heart hammered inside her chest. She could just feel that something bad had happened.

    Still trying to contact Dylan, Raine went inside her car. As she was about to start the engine, she opened her mobile phone and reviewed the CCTV footage Mia sent. She couldn''t believe what she had just watched. How come they didn''t see this coming? In the video, the Dami Bridge collapsed.

    Raine slammed her fist on the steering wheel. Five of her squad members, including Dylan, were on Xander''s tail. And while she didn''t want to be negative, she knew that the only consolation she could have was to think that they were all fine with nothing but minor injuries.

    "Uncle¡­" Raine breathed in gritted teeth. "Any signal from our men? How about Xander?" she asked to another line as she started the engine and drove out into the road in a flash.

    "Boss, there''s no connection. All the lines connected to the Dami Bridge are dead," Mia helplessly whispered. "I can''t contact any of our guys."

    Lyne and Levi, who were also on another line, clenched their jaws and fists. They couldn''t do anything since they were stationed at country V at the moment.

    "Dan," Raine called to one of her squad members on stand-by.

    "Boss?"

    "Gather all of our men and search the area. Look for Dylan and the rest, including Xander. I''m on my way to the site," Raine ordered before she continued. "Mia, send us to where you picked up Dylan''s last signal."

    She arrived at the site in no time, and Raine could only ball her hands into fists as she looked at the tragic sight before her. The police and rescue teams were all busy. The road was closed, but Raine''s squad members disguised themselves as part of the rescue team.

    "Mia¡­ Levi¡­" Raine called on the other line.

    "Yes, Boss?" the two answered in chorus.

    "Monitor the communications. I want to know if they were all rescued, and to what hospital they were brought¡­"

    "Noted, Boss," Mia and Levi answered as the two began their works in filtering communications going in and out of Yue Group electronic devices users.

    Raine patiently waited. She needed to track Xander down because she was sure her uncle was doing the same. She had to be by his side first before her uncle made yet another attack in case Xander was still alive.

    Soon, news flashes began appearing on every television screen at home and outside the city. Dami Bridge had collapsed, and an emergency team was rushed to the site to check and save every survivor they could.

    It was a heart-wrenching scene. People were trapped in the debris, and some were crying for help. There were many casualties, and the impact of the bridge''s collapse was astronomical. Ambulances had lined up, while the sound of blaring sirens could be heard from afar. All the roads were blocked as cars rushed only to one site; at Dami Bridge. The Media had gathered too quickly and were already reporting live. The policemen were everywhere along with the disaster management teams, and everyone including civilians and NGOs were ready to give help.

    At the building not far from Dami Bridge, a loud laugh was heard from one of the rooms as Yun watched the smoke from the bridge.

    "Bravo!!! Now, I wanna hear the names of the dead. Give me the names and make sure I see Xander Yang''s name on it!" he exclaimed to one of his men with a grin.. Finally, the mission was completed!

    ******

    Raine felt so helpless. Seeing a lot of innocent people being hurt, she could already tell that the others were already dead. She was helping with the search and rescue efforts when Levi finally reported from another line.

    "Boss, I got a transmission. Xander Yang is alive and being rushed by an ambulance headed to Yang Global Hospital."

    "Dan, continue searching here for our members with the rest," Raine instructed on the other line.

    "Yes, Boss."

    "I''ll follow you there shortly," Tyrone interrupted from another line.

    "No!" Raine hissed, "You stay put and be visible and available for uncle Yun. I need you near him, Tyrone! Not near me! Do you understand?!"

    There was a pause before Tyrone whispered, "I understand."

    Raine did not waste any more time as they jumped into the car and drove to the hospital where Xander was being brought.

    "Boss, military officers currently surround the hospital," reported one of Raine''s men stationed to monitor the hospital.

    "Got it," Raine replied unperturbed. She could easily enter the hospital anyway since they needed more medical help at this point.

    "My uncle is willing to sacrifice innocent lives just to make sure that his plot would look like an accident. I''m sure the military is aware, or at least suspicious that this incident is not just a freak accident," Raine whispered. "All that chaos¡­ Such a huge attack just to target one person¡­" She shook her head with a mocking scoff. "Ah, uncle Yun¡­ You finally reached your limit at being a nut!"

    ''********************

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 Chapter 96 - Whatâ€™s Coming Your Way

    Xander was having surgery when Raine arrived at the hospital. She let out a sigh of relief upon witnessing how the military officers strictly blocked the entrance of the operating area,  particularly the operating room being used for Xander''s operation. Only authorized doctors could enter using their biometrics.

    "Boss," Levi weakly whispered from another line.

    "Yes, Levi¡­"

    "Two of our men were brought to Life Hospital while three just arrived at the emergency room of Yang Globals now," Levi reported.

    "Boss, my men and I will head to Life Hospital now to check on them," Dan interrupted.

    "Good. Report to me regarding their conditions later," Raine commanded.

    "Copy, Boss."

    Raine immediately headed to the emergency room. There were too many casualties, and she could hear the cries of pain everywhere. In the midst of it all, she spotted Dylan.

    "Boss," Dylan weakly whispered, but Raine signaled him not to say any more words.

    "I will take care of him, Doc," Raine informed the doctor assigned at the emergency room.

    "Oh thank God, you''re here, Doctor Yao," the doctor let out a sigh of relief. "He only has minor wounds so I''ll leave him to you. The casualties just keep on coming."

    Raine reassured the doctor with a smile as she accepted the dressing kit.

    "We¡­ Jill and Johnny" Dylan was unable to continue. All he knew was Jill and Johny seemed to be suffering from fatal injuries when the medic took them.

    "Shhh, it''s alright. I''m glad that you''re safe now. I''ll look and check for the rest. Rod and Niza are brought to another hospital. We will hear news from Dan soon. For now, rest here as a patient," Raine instructed.

    She called a nurse to endorse Dylan''s care to. After making sure he was alright, Raine looked for Jill and Johnny next.

    She approached one of the nurses and asked, "Where are the other patients?"

    "Doc, these are the names of the ones undergoing treatment and surgeries. The rest were sent directly to the morgue."

    Raine grabbed the list, and she almost lost her balance when two unidentified bodies were sent to the morgue.

    "Doc, are you alright?" the nurse asked.

    Raine composed herself and nodded, "I''ll just go to the restroom real quick."

    Raine lied and quickly left to check the morgue. Somehow, she still hoped that the unidentified bodies were not Johnny and Jill.

    "Boss, Rod and Niza are in the ER of Life Hospital right now. They''re currently being treated for minor concussions and wounds. They''re safe, Boss." Dan reported on the other line.

    Raine could hear everybody''s sigh of relief. She was online so everyone in her squad could listen to her conversation with the nurse a while ago. Raine finally arrived at the morgue.

    "Doctor, do you need anything?" The diener in the morgue asked.

    "Yes, please. Can I see the two unidentified bodies? You see, one of my close friend''s family was on the bridge when the accident happened and they can''t find them yet. I know their faces."

    "Alright, Doc," the person in charge spoke. "Please follow me."

    "These two were already dead by the time they brought here. They died of internal bleeding due to the crash and blunt trauma from the collapsed bridge," the diener explained.

    Raine''s jaw clenched as she tried to calm herself while looking at Jill and Johnny''s bodies.

    "It''s not them," Raine told the diener and quickly left the morgue area.

    As soon as she was outside, Raine helplessly relayed, "Dan, come here and pick up our brother and sister. Give them the best funeral they deserve. I''ll talk to their families soon¡­"

    There was a moment of silence before Dan stuttered, "A-Alright, Boss..."

    Raine''s tears rolled down her cheeks. She turned off her mic as she helplessly slumped on the floor, crying hard.

    Her squad members were not just random people aiding her on her difficult job and duties. They were her family. And today, she just lost two of her family members.

    ******

    At Yun''s Place at country D.

    As instructed by Raine, Tyrone went to see Yun.

    "Xander is still alive," Tyrone reported.

    "I know," Yun answered. "That bastard seems to have nine lives," he grunted as he blew the cigarette smoke out of his mouth.

    "Raine just lost two of her squad members. She''s so mad right now¡­"

    "Do you think my stubborn niece suspects me with the collapse of that bridge? Ah, I heard that the bridge was too old already, and it had the worst traffic in the world," Yun casually commented.

    "I''m not sure yet. She didn''t tell me where she is now. But I''ll go to Yang Global now since Mia said that three of her squad members who got caught up in the bridge''s collapse are there," Tyrone said.

    "And why do you think her minions are there, Tyrone?" Yun questioned.

    "I told you, she''s planning to bring Xander''s head to her father once he wakes up. They''re probably tailing Xander Yang to execute her plan, but I guess you''re quite faster than her," Tyrone said. He just wanted to leave and go to Raine, but him reporting these things to Yun was necessary for her plan to succeed.

    "Or maybe her minions are there to protect Xander Yang," Yun postulated. "I have my doubts about that b*tch. Ah, Tyrone¡­ You have to give me a reliable piece of information and not just mere opinion!" he blew up. "How long have you been working with Raine? It''s been long enough for you to be trusted with more juicy information, and yet all I get from you is nothing but trash!!!"

    "I''m almost there¡­ She''ll let me be her right-hand man soon, just a few more days of getting her complete trust," Tyrone said with a blank expression. "Right now, I should be by her side and be her emotional pillar."

    Yun gave him a sharp stare as he hissed, "Just make sure you''ll get the upper hand in the situation and not the other way around where you''ll be the one getting played! I''ll give you a few more days. But once I reach my limit, Tyrone, and I still get nothing from your service, then you know what''s coming to you¡­"

    "I understand," Tyrone answered before immediately leaving as soon as Yun dismissed him.

    "You just wait for what''s coming your way soon¡­" Tyrone whispered with a dark look on his face.

 Chapter 97 - Stay And Do More Of This

    Raine gathered her feet together and opened her mic back online as she composed herself. Her heart was aching, but now was not the time to mourn. Two of her men had just sacrificed their lives to make sure Xander was alive. She had to make sure that their lives were not wasted for nothing.

    "I''m on my way to the hospital now. I already reported what was necessary to your uncle," Tyrone informed. "He wanted to assign you to another mission. Members of the Moon Clan were caught and under the custody of the military," he continued. "He mentioned a name, Megan. He wanted you to take care of it before the military got any information about the Moon Clan through her. He plans to meet you tomorrow. He will contact you any minute now¡­"

    Gritting her teeth, Raine leered, "I don''t want to hear his voice."Mia, block my uncle''s call till tomorrow," she instructed as she headed towards the surgery room.

    "Copy, Boss," Mia answered.

    Xander''s surgery was still ongoing, and Raine had to keep her presence to a minimal so as to not look too obvious. The surgery soon finished, and Xander was shifted to the ICU. Levi and Mia monitored the CCTV footage for any suspicious movements heading towards the ICU.

    Raine saw Rui along the hallway.

    "How is he?" she asked, ignoring Rui''s dimmed expression.

    "What do you expect? If anything happens to him¡­" Rui threatened but paused.

    "Nothing will happen to him. So instead of making baseless assumptions, make sure to heighten the security around him!" Raine hissed as she walked past him.

    "Boss," Mia breathed.

    "What is it?"

    "We''re seeing movements of unknown personnel wearing a white lab coat and a face mask."

    Raine immediately put on a face mask to blend in as she headed to the ICU.

    "Boss, hurry. The intruder silently and quietly knocked down the military officers in place and is now trying to open the door with a cut thumb," Levi reported.

    "I''m here," Raine said as she walked inside the ICU. The lack of guards was already alarming.

    "Boss, I can''t jam the CCTV footage, so make sure you won''t show your face to the cameras," Mia informed. She and Levi were able to hack the system and monitor the CCTV footage but had failed to freeze it.

    Steeling herself, Raine entered the ICU, only to freeze for a split second as she saw a downed Dr. Gong and the offending intruder sneaking towards Xander.

    Like a coiled snake, she sprang into action.

    "Khh¡­"

    With a hard kick, Raine lunged at the invader. Her leg connected with his arms, however, but it still got the job done as he flew towards the nearest wall.

    The sound of clattering medical equipment rattled across the ICU as Raine quickly moved to follow up her opening salvo. While she knew that she had to be quiet, it didn''t mean she had to pull her punches.

    And right on time too.

    Quickly skidding on the smooth tiles of the ICU, Raine raised her arms up to defend against the intruder''s rebuttal. A flurry of punches and kicks buffeted her as she deftly bided her time for a counter. All the while, she monitored her position to make sure that she won''t get cornered by an insignificant- There!

    "Grrr¡­"

    With a silent growl, she delivered a swift uppercut just between the intruder''s arms. Her opponent slid backwards, but he moved to engage her again.

    This time, however, Raine was prepared.

    With a click of her tongue, she quickly dropped low on the ground. Sweeping her leg, she knocked the intruder down before swiftly moving herself to pin him down.

    "The military men are coming, Boss. You have to get out of sight," Levi said from the other line.

    Raine quickly knocked the man out and immediately escaped the ICU room.

    "Are you able to jam the CCTV footage by now, Levi? They will tail me at this point."

    "Ah, the system is still updating, Boss. I''m at 80%. Head to the exit door on your right and by then, it''ll be at 100%. I''ll manage to jam it¡­ Damn, they''re tailing you now." Levi exclaimed as he worked on his computer, his fingers typing as fast as Mia.

    90%...

    He was restlessly shaking his legs¡­

    "95 percent Boss¡­" Levi updated.

    Raine walked in long strides since she would look more suspicious if she ran. "I''m almost there Levi¡­" she whispered.

    "Wait till it''s 100 percent, Boss," Levi said.

    "98¡­ 99¡­ Boss, now!" Levi exclaimed.

    Raine quickly went through the exit door on the hallway right after the military officer took the left turn in her direction. Raine saw Tyrone as soon as she entered the door.

    He immediately removed Raine''s lab coat and face mask, including the ponytail on her hair in one quick motion and put it in the trash bin there.

    They heared footsteps approaching. Tyrone pulled Raine and pinned her to the wall.

    "What the!?"

    Before Raine could continue her words, Tyrone quickly crushed her lips with his when the exit door swung open.

    Tyrone stopped and turned to meet the military officer, who embarrassingly murmured, "I''m sorry¡­" but annoyingly uttered, "You two should get a room! This is a hospital!"

    Tyrone only scratched his head as he gave the military officer an awkward smile as he apologized. The military officer closed the door, and as Tyrone was about to pull Raine and leave, she moved and pinned him on the wall instead.

    There was a mischievous smile on her face when she whispered, "The suspects are leaving right now¡­ So we need to stay and do more of this."

    Tyrone parted his lips, and Raine took the opportunity for another passionate and aggressive kiss. Not long after, the door swung open again.

    Raine and Tyrone could hear the cursing, but neither of them stopped kissing. Not until the door closed again.

    There was a cough from another line as Mia said, "It''s safe to come out from the exit of the first floor. You guys should head to the ER or clinic first for a few minutes, then continue where you left off¡­ if you wa.."

    She stopped when Levi elbowed her, giving her his sharp stare¡­

 Chapter 98 - Leaning On Him

    "How about you rest some more? I''m sure no one would enter Xander''s room at this point with how tight the security is right now," Tyrone commented, seeing how Raine was up early to coax her not to go back to the hospital.

    They just got back at the penthouse at around 4 AM, so Raine only got to sleep three hours or less. She looked so restless, and Tyrone could feel how greatly she was affected by the loss of two of her squad members.

    "I can''t afford to have one. I thought that leaving that assassin alive would somehow help Xander and his team gather more information about uncle and his plant. But it seems I underestimated Uncle too much. That sudden turn of events was unexpected," Raine hollowly commented.

    "I''ll go with you then. You still need your secretary, Doctor Yao," Tyrone said with a frown as he quickly grabbed the car keys to drive Raine to the hospital. Raine let out a loud breath as she watched Tyrone''s back.

    Tyrone knew what was bothering Raine. Just this morning, Levi updated her on the conversation between Rui and the military officers. On how the assassin suddenly spasmed violently and died just as Rui and the military police were about to question him. Later on, during the autopsy, they found a chip implanted in his brain in such a way that it completely controlled his life.

    "All this time¡­ Uncle must have had his own laboratory experimenting on people and mutants," Raine helplessly whispered while they were inside the car.

    In the conversation from Rui''s bugged mobile phone, there was an improvised device that controlled the functions of the brain to extreme levels. It had the power to shut the brain of the person down should the need for it showed itself.

    "Do you plan on investigating this too?" Tyrone asked.

    Clenching her jaw, Raine exclaimed, "Of course! This is against our laws! Treating humans and mutants like guinea pigs for their experiments is disgusting and abhorrent!"

    Tyrone was surprised to know about it as well. It seemed as if Yun was committing many heinous things without the Mirage Council''s consent. He wondered if his brother, Raine''s father, knew about all of this.

    "I''m curious. Do you think your father was aware of all this before he fell into a coma?" Tyrone asked. "It seemed as if Yun had been planning all these things for far too long. King Arthur''s twins, including their bloodlines, died in his hands¡­"

    Raine didn''t reply. Although Tyrone was already her right-hand man, she purposely kept some confidential details from him. Like how her father had eradicated King Arthur''s family and followers years ago¡­

    So¡­ the question he asked¡­ was obviously answerable by YES. However, Raine was not so sure anymore. She might have found out once that her uncle confessed, or maybe once her father awakened.

    She looked at Tyrone. He acted as if he wasn''t aware. Maybe he was really just Tyrone and not Nathaniel Yue? Yet¡­ she still had her doubts¡­

    Raine''s mobile phone rang, interrupting her from her stupor.

    "Boss, Xander had just woken up, and he was shifted to the VIP room with an around-the-clock neurosurgical nursing team around," Levi reported.

    "Alright, I''m on my way to the hospital. I''ll fly back to deliver Jill and Johnny''s bodies personally. See you guys soon¡­" Raine said before she ended the call.

    She looked at Tyrone, "You stay here and make sure Xander is safe. I know that they''ll tighten the security around him more, but let''s still make sure that he''s safe."

    Tyrone only nodded. He was hoping that Raine would let him accompany her to the Moon Clan Territory, but he understood the situation right now and how Xander''s safety was way more important. Other things could wait¡­

    Raine went straight to Rui''s office as soon as they arrived at the hospital. She knew Rui wasn''t around yet, so she waited patiently in his office.

    Rui was startled to see Candice in his office and comfortably swinging on his chair as if it was hers.

    "Do you think you''re having fun at your home?" he scorned as he sat down on his couch instead. Next time, he should scold his secretary for always allowing this woman to wait inside his private office.

    Candice laughed, "Why are you that harsh Dr. Dee? Don''t worry, I''ll disappear from your sight soon, so at least be good to me during my days in your hospital."

    Rui''s face became dark and gloomy as he looked at Dr. Yao intently. Dr. Yao laughed as she stood up from his chair. She sat on the opposite couch where Rui was sitting, crossing her legs and arms as she leaned on into her seat

    "You see¡­ The environment in your country is too stifling for me. I feel like someone or other dies every now and then. By the way, how is Dr. Xander Yang? I hope he''s doing well. I wanted to visit him, but the security around him is. Hmmm¡­ Should I say it''s tight? Such tight security that even a mouse can''t enter his ward!!"

    Raine scoffed, and Rui could sense the mocking tone in her words as if she was aware of the attack that happened in Xander''s room.

    Rui straightened his back and leaned a bit forward towards Dr. Yao. "Yeah, I guess it''s quite tight since they''re not allowing a mouse like you to enter his room. Anyway, if you want, you can visit him with me as soon as he''s all well. Tell me, Candice, how soon are you going to disappear?"

    Raine stood up and smirked, "Don''t worry. I might disappear for a bit before returning here again just to bother you. I just need to fix a few things¡­"

    Raine walked outside his office and back inside her clinic with heavy footsteps.

    "I already filed your indefinite leave," Tyrone informed as soon Raine arrived.

    The latter only nodded. She didn''t look good, and Tyrone was worried about letting her leave on her own so he suggested, "How about I come with you, Boss? You see, it''ll be hard for me to closely monitor Xander too since I can no longer come inside the hospital as an employee, and seeing me around lurking would be suspicious. All I can do is monitor the outside like Dan and the rest. And with that, I strongly believe Dan could handle it already. Plus, Dylan is the man we can have inside as a patient¡­"

    Raine was not used to having someone this close around her, but she was getting used to having Tyrone constantly around her. She started leaning on him and she wondered if it was a good thing or not. Although, she knew that she shouldn''t really do such things.

    She looked at him and whispered, "Alright. Let''s leave together¡­"

 Chapter 99 - Bring Our Brother And Sister Back Home

    Raine and Tyrone soon boarded the private plane that would take them back home. The former had wanted to hold a funeral for Jill and Johnny with their families. As such, she brought their bodies with them so that their families could look at them one last time.

    "How about you rest a bit more during the flight? You look really tired," Tyrone suggested as they finished eating their lunch.

    Raine shook her head and whispered, "We have a long flight ahead of us. How about you have a drink with me instead?"

    Tyrone didn''t stop Raine when she asked for a few bottles of alcoholic drinks from the flight attendant.

    "You know, in every successful mission that we''re having, all of us, me and the fourteen members of my squad, have our favorite bar inside our territory where we''d just have a drink and party till we dropped," Raine reminisced with a small smile. "Jill was the best singer in my squad. She never failed to entertain us with her good voice. You know, we always teased her since she loved going on blind dates. She was kinda impatient, saying that why would she wait for the right person to come when she can hunt them down instead."

    Raine chuckled, recalling Jill''s words as she continued, "Ah, she would always ignore our teasing and tell us how come she can hunt humans but also can''t hunt for her man. I guess she''ll still be hunting for her right man in the afterlife by now."

    Tyrone kept his quiet, electing to simply listen to Raine as he poured her another drink whenever her glass was emptied. Eventually, he, too, joined her in her drinking.

    "Johnny is the oldest in the group, right? I bet he was like a father who would often scold you guys," Tyrone commented.

    "Hmm, yeah. Johnny¡­ he''s the oldest amongst us¡­ Oh, his son just turned seven last month and he won''t stop bragging about it back then. He was the only family man in my squad so far," Raine sighed. "I still remember how I asked him to quit already when he had his firstborn son, considering that every mission we had was almost the equivalent of going on a suicide mission. Well, for them, at least. Unlike me, they didn''t have a gift beyond their exceptional talents. But then he cried in front of me¡­ asking if he was useless already and if that''s why I was dismissing him."

    There was a pause¡­ Raine took her glass of vodka and downed it in one shot as she continued, "I told him the reason why I wanted him to quit. It''s because I feared that I''ll be the reason his son would lose a father. Do you know what that man told me?"

    "He told me that I had no right to dismiss him unless he was no longer capable of fighting for our cause. He said that now that he had a baby boy, there''s more reason for him to stay and protect his family from the mutants attacking and hurting humans¡­"

    Tyrone nodded silently as Raine rambled on, "He was well aware that the Moonlight Squad only attacked rogue mutants who were a threat to humanity. There were many of them on the loose right now, and they were brave enough to prey on humans without inhibitions. They arrogantly attacked and killed weak humans who didn''t even know they existed. In the end, all of my members supported him, begging me not to dismiss him."

    Raine let out a frustrated sigh. She stared at the empty glass she was holding and whispered, "I hate to say this, but you, Johnny, should''ve listened to me that time¡­"

    "And Johnny will only reply to you now, saying that it was his choice to follow and trust your lead. So don''t ever think that it''s your fault," Tyrone respectfully added. "There will always be events that are beyond your control. It''s his time to leave this world, and he can only leave peacefully if he knows that you won''t harbor any guilt inside your heart¡­"

    After a few more sips, Raine eventually passed out. Carrying her in his arms, Tyrone gently put her on the bed. Tears were falling from Raine''s closed eyes, and he gently wiped them off. Staying beside her, he never left her side as he joined her on the bed to cuddle her and gently stroke her hair.

    Raine only woke up a few hours later when the pilot announced that their plane would soon land at the airport. Tyrone wasn''t with her, so she went out of the cabin, only to find him sitting on the chair while reading some magazine.

    "You''re finally back home. How''s your head?" Tyrone asked as Raine sat beside him.

    "I''m good. I didn''t drink much anyway. I''m just probably exhausted so I dozed off," Raine waved his question off. It was weird, but she felt warm and comfortable while sleeping a while ago.

    The plane soon landed at the airport, and Raine was greeted by Lyne, Levi, and Mia outside with the car as soon as she got off the plane.

    "Welcome back, Boss!"

    Raine smiled, hugging the three of them for their thoughtfulness.

    Then the car door swung open, revealing Aire as she ran towards her saying, "Mommy!"

    Raine chuckled as she felt the warm embrace of her daughter on her waist.

    Still chuckling, Raine commented, "How come you seem bigger than the last time I saw you?"

    "Because that little cub eats a lot, Boss. She''s a glutton!" Levi exasperated but quickly zipped his mouth when Aire narrowed her foxy eyes on him.

    Aire then looked at Tyrone and said, "Daddy! Finally, I got to see you!" The little girl broke loose from Raine and quickly hugged Tyrone.

    The sudden father was taken aback as he looked at Raine, who only shrugged her shoulders at him.

    With the greetings done, they were about to go inside the van when Tyrone''s mobile phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, it showed that Yun was calling him. He looked at Raine, who signaled him to answer.

    With a nod, Tyrone answered the call. "Yes? She''s with me. We''ve just arrived at Country V. She''s sleeping inside the van right now, and I think it''s best if you tried to contact her again tomorrow morning." Tyrone informed before the call soon ended.

    "My uncle''s also here, right?" Raine asked.

    "Yes, Boss. He has an important business meeting tomorrow morning," Lyne informed.

    "I see. Let''s go then. Jill and Johnny''s families are waiting for us.. Let''s bring our brother and sister back home," Raine morosely said.

 Chapter 100 - A Monster

    The next day, Yun cursed early in the morning since Raine was still unreachable. So instead, he called Tyrone.

    "How come her mobile phone was off?!" Yun hissed from another line.

    "She''s still in mourning. She just sent her two men away and we just came back to her private residence. You can always come here and see her in person instead," Tyrone informed.

    Another curse came out of Yun''s mouth before he annoyingly ended the call. He was having a breakfast meeting in one of the capital city''s best hotels at country D with some of his business associates when he received a report that his men could no longer find an opportunity to accomplish the mission inside the hospital because of the air-tight security.

    He excused himself, "Gentlemen, my assistant here will take over to discuss the rest of the meeting. I  have an emergency, unfortunately ¡­"

    "Bunch of idiots! Go and bring me to Raine this instant!" he hissed to his driver as soon as he was inside the car.

    He had been watching the CCTV footage they had from his assassin''s camera, whom he had sent to finish Xander Yang off. Those familiar movements, he couldn''t be wrong. Only Raine could move like that. The flexibility, the skillful attacks¡­ ''This was definitely Raine.''

    However, Tyrone had informed him that Raine had already left the hospital with him last night. Raine had a perfect alibi that he would definitely not buy. He would confront that sly little devil fox himself.

    He reached the private residence where Raine was staying. As he expected, the security was so tight that even he had to wait long before he could enter. He frowned upon seeing Raine doing her exercise in one of her private working areas.

    "Why do I have a feeling that you''re stabbing me in the back?" Yun directly hissed as he sat on a chair, watching Raine sweating profusely as she walked towards him.

    "Uncle¡­ Are you accusing me? How can I stab a pillar like you?" Raine jested as she grabbed a towel to wipe herself clean. She joined her uncle on the bench chair." Surely I''ll die if I do that.''''

    Yun ignored her words as he continued, "I will handle Xander this time since you''re being slow. Or rather, you''re stalling in killing him. So don''t interrupt me this time!!!"

    Raine''s face became serious as she calmly stated, "Uncle¡­ You''re messing things up. I told you I''ll handle the man myself, but you chose to plan very lousy attacks on him every time, putting the name of our whole clan in jeopardy. I even lost two of my best men!"

    Raine tried her best to control her emotions. She remained calm in front of her uncle as she added, "I know everything that you''re doing behind my father''s back. Because of your lousy plans, I won''t be surprised if Xander and his people will find out the truth soon. I''m also sure father won''t be pleased if he comes to know of your failures and your bringing of the Mirage, particularly our Moon clan, to be connected with these stupidities¡­"

    "You!!!"

    Yun abruptly stood up and was about to swing his cane on Raine when Tyrone defended Raine with his body. "You insolent girl!!! You''re sharpening your horns, thinking you''re the heir that would soon succeed your father. But let me tell you one thing¡­ You are just a thing that''s still useful simply because my brother will surely throw you out after he''s done with using you, bi*tch!!! And I will throw you out as soon as my brother can no longer come back!" Yun shouted in rage. Raine could see the old man''s face reddening with veins bulging on his forehead.

    "Shh¡­ Stay low¡­" Tyrone whispered to Raine when he noticed how her body trembled and her knuckles turned white.

    Raine had a mocking smirk on her face as she remarked, "Uncle¡­ Careful with your heart and blood pressure. Remember, you''re not getting any younger and your project for immortality is always a failure. So if you don''t wanna end up like father, I suggest you keep your cool."

    Raine then looked at Tyrone''s back and added, "Geez. Look at what you did. Tyrone''s bleeding¡­"

    She then gave her uncle a sharp stare as she continued, "I hope I''ll no longer receive any disturbances like this again, because I will focus on rescuing some of our important people you had assigned to do another lousy job¡­ Some of whom ended up getting caught by the military, mind you. I can''t believe you gave them orders then just abandoned them just that. If I were you, I''d just stay quiet and let me clean all the messes you created."

    Raine stood up and gave her uncle one last glance. "Tsk¡­ Tsk... " she mockingly clicked her tongue before leaving.

    "Tyrone, she''s getting out of hand!" Yun exclaimed with a burning glare aimed at Raine''s back.

    That woman was getting on his nerves ever since she was born. She was always a pain in the ass! Always sticking her nose in his business ever since his brother fell in a coma!

    "You know how she''s been like ever since. Please don''t take her words to heart. Her concern is just that the Moon Clan won''t get involved in any scandal. Military intelligence has already found out that the mark of the cyclone your people used is a fake one. So right now, they have the Moon and Sun clans as suspects¡­ instead of the Earth Clan, which you''re trying to frame this all to," Tyrone explained.

    Yun deeply sighed and looked at Tyrone, "Just make sure you keep her in her place, Tyrone. How come you cannot babysit her well enough?! You useless bastard! I need her to stay put. Can you at least do that simple thing?!"

    Tyrone clasped his fist as Yun left him. He let out a long disoriented sigh.. Babysit her? Raine was like an unleashed monster that nobody could babysit unless they''re a monster themselves.

 Chapter 101 - Losing Her Men

    Raine didn''t bother to rest after she talked to the families and assisted in the funeral of Jill and Johnny for the entire night. It was a heartbreaking scene as Jill and Johnny''s families cried over their bodies before the burial. ''I''m sorry,'' were the only words Tyrone heard from Raine during the Funeral Service up to the burial, and it broke his heart seeing her in that kind of state.

    After the funeral, Raine chose to stay in her private residence inside the Moon Clan Territory instead of going straight to the Yue Mansion. She had closed herself inside her workout room, waiting silently for her Uncle Yun to arrive.

    Seeing Raine so reticent, Tyrone was worried about her current mental state. So as soon as Yun left, he immediately went and looked for her. Searching around, he eventually found Raine sitting on the couch in her bedroom with her eyes closed. She was sweating all over, and her intoxicating scent was so addicting that he wanted to pull her in right then and there. It was the exact same scenario from a while ago when he had covered her with his own body to shield her from her uncle''s cane.

    Tyrone held himself with a veneer of calmness despite his feelings. With each passing day, he cursed his own carnal desires as they only intensified to the point that controlling himself was becoming an actual struggle.

    "How''s your back?" Raine asked him.

    "It''s just a scratch," Tyrone absently replied as he stared at Raine, preying on her luscious body. He wanted so badly to lick off every bead of sweat on her glistening skin.

    ''Damn!'' he cursed as he caught his perverted thought.

    "So, how do you plan on babysitting me now, Tyrone?" she asked with her eyes still closed. She overheard Tyrone''s conversation with her uncle since she was curious how Tyrone would handle the man''s tantrums.

    "How do you think I should babysit a beautiful monster like you?" Tyrone asked back in his casual tone, making Raine burst into laughter.

    Opening her eyes, she turned to look at him as she playfully whispered, "How about chaining me to my bed?"

    She looked as if she was back to her usual naughty teasing from the outside. However, Tyrone knew that she was still a broken wreck inside. He could sense it, the despair hiding beneath her usual tone. But even so, her words were so hot that he honestly considered ignoring all decency and simply doing it with her.

    Raising an eyebrow, Raine stood up and walked closer to him. "How come you''re just standing there like a statue?" she commented, not breaking eye contact with him. "Do I smell bad?"

    Tyrone quickly shook his head. She could smell her hot breath, and if Raine wouldn''t keep her distance, he would probably go crazy and completely lose control!

    "Can you bathe me? I feel tired and weak to do it on my own," Raine absently asked aloud. You''ve done it before already, so it''ll be easy for you to do it again, right?"

    ''Easy?! What''s with your attitude today? Do you want to punish me or something?!'' Tyrone screamed in his head. How could she ask him to bathe her like before!? How cruel was she to ask him for this?

    "Please?" Raine added with her puppy eyes.

    "Alright¡­" Tyrone unconsciously whispered that he was stunned when he caught his own words. How had he even uttered that word out loud?

    "Ah, thank you. Please prepare my bath!" Raine gratefully murmured before quickly removing her clothes, to which Tyrone quickly went inside her bathroom to save himself.

    ''This isn''t good,'' Tyrone''s mind reminded him, but it seemed that saying no to her was damn hard too. Preparing her bathtub, he was startled when Raine stepped into the tub completely naked. He was in such deep thought that he didn''t even realize that she was already there.

    Getting his bearings back, Tyrone gulped at the sight of her nakedness. It wasn''t the first time he saw her without a single thing on her body, but it always felt as if it was his first time seeing her just from the overwhelming desires engulfing his entire body.

    Sinking into the water, Raine lowered her body on the tub as she directly whispered, "Do you want to join me?"

    In truth, she was longing for Tyrone but was too busy to entertain the feeling. Right now, she felt lost at losing her men for the first time. The fear of losing more of her squad members suddenly frightened her, and she began questioning if everything they were doing was really worth it. If Jill and Johnny''s life was the price for Xander to live, was it worth it? After all, those two died while trying to monitor and protect the man.

    Xander was someone who had the right to rule over the Moon Clan. Could he do it? Replace her father? But how about Nathaniel, who she already felt could attack them at any moment? Technically, it was Nathaniel who was next in line and not Xander... Would Nathaniel spare her and her family if she managed to save one of his blood in Xander?

    Hearing no response from Tyrone, Raine repeated, "Please join me ¡­ It''s an order..."

    She wondered what Tyrone had in his mind at that moment. He probably thought that she was some horny bi*tch right now, and Raine didn''t care too much about it anymore. She just wanted to feel his warmth and comfort. Hugging her knees and putting her head down, she sighed sadly.

    Seeing her so dejected, Tyrone let out a heavy sigh of his own, "You''re impossible."

    Raine''s lips curved into a pleased smile when she felt Tyrone step inside the bathtub. Slowly raising her head, she saw him in front of her, staring at her with his usual stoic expression.

    Raine held a suppressed laugh as she scoffed, "Who dares bathe with their clothes on?" True to her words, he still wore his black shirt on, and she was sure that he still had his shorts on as well. "If you''re uncomfortable, then I''ll let you keep your briefs on. It''s just like you wearing your trunks on a beach," Raine said with a wink.

    Tyrone''s face reddened. He kept his silence, quietly pulling off his shirt in front of her and removing it. He also took off his shorts and dropped them on the floor.

    "Happy now?" Tyrone grimaced.

    Raine had a pout as she shamelessly uttered, "Happy, yes. But not satisfied. I''d prefer if you didn''t have anything on your body too."

    "I hope you know what you''re asking for," Tyrone, in his hoarse voice, murmured.

 Chapter 102 - Iâ€™ll Show You How**

    Raine gave Tyrone an alluring, temptress-like look as she crawled towards him to close the gap between them. Tyrone''s breath hitched at the unexpected movement. It looked so sexy, making the bulge in his briefs throb even more. He was hard. so freaking hard...

    Raine''s face was so close. Her eyes stared at him as she whispered, "I want to kiss you."

    Raine didn''t have to say the words and just do it, but somehow, she was curious to see how Tyrone would react with her telling him what she wanted to do before actually doing it. It was not their first time to kiss, and like before, the burning desire in his eyes screamed at how much he wanted her to do it. Her eyes went down to his parted lips before she then dragged her stare back into his eyes.

    She was curious if she should kiss him first again or if he would do it first of his own accord.

    "Can I kiss you?" Raine asked, prolonging the torment inside the man without her knowing.

    Tyrone was losing his mind. He felt as if he would explode soon with her relentless teasing. He couldn''t hold himself back anymore, or else he would really go crazy.

    He cursed as he grabbed Raine''s nape and crushed his lips against hers. The lips that kept on torturing him every night... She tasted so sweet, to the point that it felt like centuries had already passed since he last had the taste of her sweetness. Her plump lips on his once again were like a dessert he had always craved for.

    Soft moans escaped Raine''s lips with Tyrone feasting on her lips. She liked how hungrily he was kissing her like there was no tomorrow. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brushed her body against his, feeling his warmth in the water as she enjoyed his lips. As she expected, he was indeed so warm. His body pressing against hers always felt so good. His lips lingered in her mouth for far too long that Raine was running out of breath by the time he finally released it.

    Both of them were panting as they stared at each other. Tyrone wanted more, but something felt wrong with how Raine was acting.

    "We should stop, or else," Tyrone whispered in his hoarse voice.

    Raine creased her forehead as she stared at him, "Do you want to stop?"

    ''Why is she even asking me that kind of question?'' Tyrone depressingly mused. Of course, he didn''t want to stop! What kind of man would want to stop in this kind of situation?!

    "No," he genuinely answered.

    What was the point of denying it when his body would only betray him in the end? He had no control anymore if Raine was the one initiating it like this. He had no will left to control himself at all.

    "That''s good. Then stop blabbering nonsense and let''s continue," Raine whispered as she positioned herself over Tyrone, straddling him on the bathtub.

    Tyrone groaned hard when she felt Raine brush her sex on his manhood. It was too much. If he didn''t have his briefs on, he would have entered her by now.

    He gulped when he suddenly felt Raine pulling his briefs down. He looked conflicted, but Raine ignored him as she continued pulling it down.

    "What are you doing?!" Tyrone harshly whispered.

    Raine kissed his lips in response. In between her kisses, she whispered, "Why ask the obvious?"

    She paused when Tyrone''s manhood was finally out.

    "But..." Tyrone whispered.

    There was hesitation in his voice, and Raine hated it whenever he was hesitating. She wouldn''t give him room to back down this time like how he used to before.

    Raine moved and let his shaft brush against her folds. Tyrone groaned hard at her sudden movements. His groans said it all; he was asking for more. His manhood was dying to get inside of her, but¡­

    Tyrone''s eyes widened with what happened next. In one swift motion, Raine descended upon him, letting his throbbing manhood slide inside of her.

    She was so damn tight that Tyrone felt how Raine''s body tensed with each minute movement. Raine let out a suppressed whimper.

    "Are you alright?" Tyrone worriedly asked.

    It was too sudden and he was taken aback. Raine only nodded, and to Tyrone''s horror, she just continued moving.

    Raine felt the sharp pain of Tyrone''s cock tearing her insides apart, but she didn''t stop. Instead, she even had the urge to continue even further. For some reason, she wanted to feel the pain that taking Tyrone''s full length was giving her, letting his huge hard cock tear her insides apart.

    Tyrone groaned as the beast inside of him roared. He was inside her, but he would''ve preferred a different situation than this. Raine was a virgin, and she would get hurt if she continued like this. He put his hands on her hips to stop her.

    "Don''t stop me!" Raine harshly whispered in his ear, followed by her licking and nibbling on his earlobe, making him go even more crazy.

    Stop her?! How could he even stop her now?!!!

    To prevent him from talking, Raine sealed his lips with hers as she continued moving on top of him. She was so tight, and it felt so good that Tyrone wanted to meet her rhythm as he slammed himself inside of her deeper and harder. His thoughts were too clouded with the euphoria he was feeling at that moment with Raine''s relentless pounding.

    Raine wanted to feel pain, and she did feel it at first. But as she continued slamming herself by the hilt against him, there was an undeniable pleasure despite the pain that she didn''t expect to experience. She didn''t want to stop. She loved how Tyrone was crying out her name. She loved how he growled in ecstasy with her as she let himself sink deeper within her.

    Raine was losing it. She felt as if something inside of her was going to explode that she wanted to move even faster. Eventually, her body trembled and jerked above Tyrone at the same time he cried her name aloud. In her core, searing hot liquid flooded her aching womb.

    Both of them were trembling and she felt Tyrone''s tight embrace on her body.

    "This is not how you do it.. I''ll show you how it''s properly done¡­" Tyrone whispered in Raine''s ear before he lifted her out of the bathtub.

 Chapter 103 - Passionate Screams**

    Tyrone put Raine under the shower to rinse the soap bubbles from their bodies. He wouldn''t be able to kiss her whole body if they were in the bathtub. He had practically bathed Raine and himself in a rush with a clenched jaw as he controlled his urges to pin her on the wall right then and there, enter her welcoming entrance, and make her cry in ecstasy.

    He let out a groan as the mere thought of it made his blood boil in desire for the woman he was bathing with right now. Her body was too soft and supple that he couldn''t wait to kiss and lick every part of it. However, he wanted her to be in a comfortable bed before doing such a thing. She was a virgin, and he didn''t like how she just rammed herself against him, even if it also felt great on his part. He was sure it was not the same for her. Although she reached her orgasm in the end, pain was inevitable for her since it was her first time. He at least wanted her to feel more satisfaction one way or another.

    Raine bit her lip as she watched Tyrone take care of her body for her. The tingling sensation inside her body was killing her just with Tyrone touching her skin like that. He must have been shocked knowing she was a virgin, yet she rammed herself onto him like that.

    Her face suddenly reddened with embarrassment, but she quickly composed herself. She did not regret what she had done. She could not imagine doing those kinds of intimate things with any other man than Tyrone.

    ''I probably like him a lot,'' Raine mused while staring at him.

    Tyrone wiped her hair and body dry with the towel before doing the same for himself. She particularly stared at his lower body and unconsciously whispered, "Why is it still hard?"

    Raine touched it, making Tyrone growl. He instantly held her hand away from his throbbing cock.

    Tyrone had that stunning smile on his face as he said, "Because I''m not done with you."

    After saying those words, he suddenly carried Raine in his arms in a bridal style then gently put her on the bed. Towering above her with his face just a half an inch away from hers, he whispered, "It was your first time. And we should do it gently, not roughly. This time, I will take the lead. I will make you cry not because of pain, but because of the extreme pleasure in my arms that you will never forget it."

    Tyrone lightly brushed his lips with hers after he said those words. It was a soft kiss, his lips touching with hers as he gently sucked her upper and lower lips as if they were an appetizer that he was just slowly savoring. Raine moaned in his mouth when his hand began touching and caressing her skin. His hands, particularly, took their time on her breasts, kneading them alternately while his fingers played with her hard nipples.

    His kisses trailed her jawline traveling all the way down her neck. He was giving her love bites again with his licking and sucking of the skin on her neck. She should stop him since she would have problems again later with choosing her clothes to hide the hickeys, but it felt so good that she did not want him to stop.

    ''Ah¡­. He could cover me with hickeys all he wants. I''ll just wrap myself up later with all kinds of clothes to hide it,'' Raine murmured to herself, followed by a moan as Tyrone''s tongue reached one of her nipples. Ah¡­ His tongue always had its ways in making her insides burn in anticipation of what was to come next. Every cell in her body was aching for his attention.

    How he bit her nipple with his lips just made her arch her body to offer more. Tyrone probably felt it as he sucked all he could on her mound while his tongue playfully licked her bountiful peaks one after the other.

    Raine couldn''t take the sensations as she let out soft moans with every lick and sucking action. It was like the first time. Tyrone never left a single inch of her skin untouched both with his hands and mouth, and that alone brought a heavenly feeling to her body.

    Tyrone''s hand then went down in between Raine''s thighs. She was soaking wet and so ready for his thrusts. He was aching to enter her cave with his hard length, but he would have to wait.

    His fingers trailed her sleek folds, caressing it back and forth while he continued doing her nipples alternately. He let one of his fingers easily slide inside her entrance before inserting one more. She was clasping at his fingers with her tight muscles as he began pumping it in and out of her pussy. He was dripping hard, hearing her hums.

    He stopped kissing her breasts just to stare at her, watching how she stared back at him with dilated pupils. She was now moving her hips along with his hand, meeting every thrust of his fingers inside her.

    "Tyrone," Raine called out his name in a raspy voice, followed by her continuous moans as he thrust deeper, harder, and faster.

    "Cum for me, my sweet vixen," Tyrone whispered. It was the first time he addressed her like that.

    ''Sweet vixen? Where the heck did he get that?!'' she inwardly complained.

    Ah, how she wanted to tease him about it, but she was about to explode right now. Raine''s grip on the bedsheets tightened. Something was building up again from inside her inside at the intense euphoria she was having.

    Tyrone could feel her insides spasm wildly, hugging his fingers tightly even as he continued. Eventually, she screamed his name, followed by yet another jerk of her body.

    "TYRONE!"

    Raine''s body was still trembling as she milked Tyrone''s fingers for all they were worth.. She stared at him, looking utterly spent when he suddenly positioned his hard length and brushed it against her pussy. He whispered, "I want more of your passionate screams¡­"

 Chapter 104 - Iâ€™m Starving**

    ''Passionate screams? I did that?''

    Raine was speechless. She opened her mouth to counter his claims about her passionate screams, but Tyrone took that opportunity to hungrily kiss her swollen lips as he moved to penetrate her tight and warm core with one swift but gentle thrust.

    Raine gasped. She did not expect that. She suddenly felt full inside. He was so gentle as he moved his cock in and out of her at a beautiful tempo, making her moan inside his mouth. She just finished reaching her second orgasm, and yet here she was again, feeling another wave of pleasure crash all over her as he drowned her with a passionate kiss. His hands continued caressing her breasts alternately, as well as he thrust in and out of her tight slit.

    Tyrone did the deed gently till she could adjust to his full length. He was sure there would still be more discomfort, so he whispered in her lips, "I promise it will feel better soon." He continued sucking her lips and then slid his tongue inside her mouth as he probed deeper.

    Because of Tyrone''s ministrations, Raine was going haywire with the pleasure she was receiving in her mouth, breasts, and pussy. Yes, there was a bit of discomfort in her lower abdomen, but it gradually dissipated as she gradually felt pleasure accompanying his every thrust.

    Her nails dug deep into his back as the intense sensation kicked in. Tyrone did not release her lips. He wanted to bite her, but he shouldn''t so he tried to focus on her lips instead of kissing other parts of his body as he continued pounding her harder and faster. He was almost there. But he waited till Raine''s insides convulsed around his cock in another climax. As soon as he felt her milking his shaft, he couldn''t hold it any longer. Tyrone buried his cock deep inside her and unleashed his seed into her waiting womb.

    He stayed on top of her, with Raine hugging him tightly. He peppered her face with kisses as he waited for their bodies to calm down. He then slowly pulled out and laid next to her, scooping her body up in his warm embrace.

    There was a moment of silence. He wondered what Raine was thinking. He was kissing her head, stroking her hair when he suddenly whispered, "I love you."

    Raine''s body froze. She did not expect those words. There was a sudden glint of panic in her eyes as she kept her lips shut tight. She didn''t know what to say.

    ''Why would he say that!?'' she confusedly mused.

    They enjoyed each other''s company, but they should not involve their hearts while they were together. Mixed emotions suddenly went haywire inside of her. Raine felt conflicted. Her situation right now suddenly seemed harder than any battle she had gone through.

    "Get some rest now. You need to rest," Tyrone whispered.

    ''Right, I need to rest. I''m probably just too sleep-deprived that I hallucinated and heard words¡­'' Raine inwardly calmed herself as she closed her eyes. She did feel so tired that she easily dozed off the moment she closed her eyes.

    Tyrone let out a loud exhale when he felt Raine''s peaceful breathing. She was sleeping in his arms already. Raine was his now, and he would do anything to keep her safe by his side. She was his woman now, and it would stay like that no matter what¡­

    Raine did not know how long she slept in full daylight. She opened her eyes and stared blankly at her ceiling. Tyrone still cuddled her in his arms, and his warmth was filled with comfort. He buried his face in the crook of her neck so she could feel his warm breathing.

    Now that she was fully awake, she quickly thought about what she would do next¡­

    She knew what she was about to do was unfair for Tyrone, but that was the only way she knew to help get him away from the dreadful fate of getting involved with her romantically. She should remind herself that she did not have the luxury of having a love life¡­

    "I''m sorry," Raine unconsciously uttered.

    "Huh?" Tyrone sheepishly breathed on her neck.

    "Are you awake?" Raine asked.

    "Yeah, just now," he answered while giving her neck a lick and slight sucking. Raine bit her lower lip with how that simple gesture aroused her body. She turned to look at him. Tyrone smiled at her before his lips went on top of hers.

    ''Ah, why is it so hard to stop?'' Raine thought as her arms voluntarily snaked around his neck. Tyrone rolled on top of her and Raine opened her legs for him, not bothering with how her body was still sore and aching. She moaned when Tyrone brushed his erection against her sheath. He did not enter her yet. He just brushed his shaft against hers while they shared a passionate kiss.

    He released her lips and dragged his lips to her bosom, showering her mounds with kisses before sucking on her nipples. Tyrone wanted to make sure that Raine was ready to receive him. He worked on her swollen nipples alternately before his lips went back to her neck. He tested himself against her wetness one more time before he slid in slowly, taking his time.

    Raine''s core clenched around him as he moved. He continued kissing her lips as he pounded her, Raine lifting her hips to meet his rhythm. She groaned as he pierced her deeply. Every glide inside of her was an explosion of ecstasy.

    Tyrone groaned in great pleasure as she began to clench around him, her core tightening.

    "You feel so good," he whispered inside her mouth as he accelerated his movements. Raine moaned hard as she felt the familiar build-up blooming out of her body. He was fucking her so hard that she was about explode. Her cries filled Tyrone''s mouth as Raine went over the edge.

    She shattered.

    Tyrone followed her soon after, exploding inside her well-fed womb while he kissed her deeply. He collapsed on top of her, not moving as he showered Raine''s neck with kisses. Then he whispered in her ear, "I love you¡­"

    Raine froze as she nervously mused, ''W-what is this? Why is he saying those words!''

    Tyrone raised his head to look straight into her eyes. ''No¡­'' Raine thought. Before Tyrone could say any more words, Raine quickly interrupted, "I-I''m starving. Please cook some food¡­"

    She was most certainly not.. Well, at least not in the traditional sense.

 Chapter 105 - Do You All Day**

    Tyrone gave Raine a cheeky smile and said, "Alright, I''ll go prepare our lunch. Stay in bed¡­ I will serve it to you right here. But before that, I''ll just have a very quick shower, okay?"

    Raine nodded and Tyrone gave her a peck on her lips before he got up from the bed. Raine sighed dreamily, watching him walk towards the bathroom.  Anyone would drool seeing his muscular and majestic body. Tyrone was physically perfect. He looked like a Greek God and she was very attracted to him, but unfortunately, she could not reciprocate his feelings. She had no right to love¡­

    Raine let out a deep breath and got up from bed to join Tyrone in the bathroom. Tyrone who had his eyes closed got startled when the door swung open.

    "Let''s shower together," Raine said with a naughty grin. Tyrone gulped but still ogled Raine as she walked towards him. He was covered in soap suds so Raine simply grabbed the showerhead to rinse him.

    "I thought you were hungry. You know we''ll be late if you shower with me, right?" Tyrone huskily whispered. He was getting hard just from watching her wash him. Her single touch turned him on so much that he wanted to pin her against the wall and fuck her again. They had already done it thrice but he just couldn''t get enough of her. He wanted to do her all day but he knew he should limit it since it was Raine''s first time.

    Raine ignored his reaction as she concentrated on what she was doing. After rinsing the soap off his body, instead of drying him, she ended up kissing his lips. As his arousal was very evident, she knew she had to help him.

    She held his hard and throbbing manhood and caressed it lightly. Tyrone groaned in excitement when he felt her strokes. It made him want to experience this forever.

    Raine released his lips and continued kissing his neck as she pinned him against the wall. She continued jerking his manhood as she kissed him. Raine wanted him to feel the same pleasure she got from him. She wanted to know if he would moan the way he claimed she did.

    Her warm mouth went further down to his chest, where she playfully licked and bit his nipples one after another. She sucked one with her lips while her fingers played with the other.

    Tyrone was breathing heavily as he watched Raine bend down.

    "What are you doing?" he whispered, seeing Raine, who looked up to meet his gaze. She only smiled before kneeling down and licking the tip of his cock.

    "Sh*t!" Tyrone moaned a curse. Raine was still looking at him as she continued to lick him. Tyrone, who was stunned in shock, groaned even louder when Raine sucked him.

    Raine, who was enjoying his voice, tried taking as much of him as she could. She only managed to fit half of his cock in her mouth while stroking the other half with her hands. She synchronized her head movements with her hand to maximize his pleasure.

    She was still unsure about what she was doing but Tyrone''s loud growl told her that she was doing something right. She continued sucking him softly while bobbing her head up and down with just the right speed and rhythm. It was driving Tyrone absolutely insane as his body edged towards his release. He unconsciously grabbed Raine''s hair as he guided her to his liking.

    When he felt that he was almost there, he immediately pulled Raine up and pinned her against the wall. He gently massaged her breasts and kissed her, sliding his tongue inside her mouth. One of his hands caressed her hip before he lifted her up just enough to brush his erection against her slit. Raine moaned loudly when she felt him but her scream was muffled by his mouth. She was wet and ready to take him in as she herself got turned on while giving him a blowjob.

    She moved her hips, signaling him to slide inside her damp core.

    She gasped and whimpered with pleasure when he entered gently. Deeper, faster and harder! That''s how he rocked in and out of her.

    Tyrone felt her body tremble but did not stop until both of them let out a guttural scream as they both reached their peak together.

    Raine clung to him for life as she felt herself floating after the mind-blowing orgasm.

    "I can do you all day my sweet sweet vixen¡­ But we''ve already done it too many times considering it''s our first time," Tyrone whispered in her ear before biting it lightly.

    Raine chuckled and said, "Put me in the bathtub before washing up already. Make sure to finish cooking by the time I come out."

    Her body was indeed exhausted. It was funny that she could not feel any pain while they were doing it but only felt it afterwards.

    Tyrone chuckled but gently carried Raine to the bathtub and let her settle down first before taking a shower. Once he was done he left the bathroom to prepare lunch for them.  Currently, there was no one inside her house, but later at night Lyne, and the others would join them.

    Tyrone went to the kitchen and looked at the ingredients in the refrigerator. He was in a good mood so he wanted to prepare a grand meal.

    On the other hand, Raine kept singing while she played with the bubbles in the bathtub.

    ''Should I erase his memory or not?'' she wondered. A part of her did not want to do it. She didn''t want to erase Tyrone''s memory of their intimacy not only because it would be unfair to him but also because it would be frustrating for her if she were to be the only one to remember their wonderful lovemaking.

    She sat in the tub for more than twenty minutes, pondering and debating about what she should do.

    As much as she loved trouble¡­ being caught up in a complicated romantic relationship was the last thing she wanted.

 Chapter 106 - Did You Enjoy It?

    A loud sigh came out of Raine''s mouth before she immediately got up and took a quick shower. She then got dressed and paused in front of the painting inside her bedroom. She pressed a part of the painting, making it move to reveal a hidden compartment.

    Raine grabbed something and closed it. It was the Glawackus powder¡­

    She then walked out of her bedroom and headed towards the kitchen. Tyrone saw her approaching and said, "Ah, right on time. I''m almost done. Come here and sit. I''ll serve the food."

    Raine sat at the kitchen counter and watched Tyrone serve her their lunch. It was squid ink pasta with shrimp and cherry. One of Raine''s favorites.

    "This looks yummy," Raine said.

    Tyrone sat beside her. He forked the pasta and then raised it to feed Raine, "I know it''s your favorite so I checked how to do it. Ahhh¡­"

    Raine''s face reddened, but she opened her mouth to accept his fork anyway. Her heart was melting on how Tyrone particularly took note of the details about her.

    ''He said he loves you, dummy!'' she scolded herself inwardly. Yes, he said the words that truly scared her. She did not expect that the two of them would come to this.

    Tyrone stared at her, waiting for her verdict. It was his first time cooking that kind of pasta, and he hoped that Raine would like it.

    "Hmm, it''s so good. Ah, I can eat on my own. Go get your plate and let''s eat together," Raine said but Tyrone didn''t give in to her suggestion. He continued forking the pasta to feed her. In turn, Raine urged him that they share it, so they ended up feeding each other because Tyrone asked her to feed him too.

    ''Ah, this is not good,'' Raine thought. But deep inside, she was melting at how Tyrone was pampering her. Her stomach was churning, and she knew she was blushing too. She never imagined herself in this kind of situation ever, but it was happening right now and it was alarming!

    "Look at you, smudging sauce on your lips," Tyrone whispered.

    "Me? But it''s you feeding me so it''s your fault," Raine defended with a pout and a creased forehead.

    Tyrone only chuckled at her. She was about to lick her lips when Tyrone suddenly whispered, "Let me do it."

    Next thing she knew, Tyrone''s tongue licking her lips. The way he did it was so sensual that it made electricity run all over her body.

    ''Oh fuck!'' Raine cursed at the sudden wave of the familiar tingling sensation that only Tyrone could do wash over her body. She parted her lips to complain, but Tyrone had already crushed her lips with his own.

    ''This is not good!'' Raine inwardly reminded herself. She was planning to erase Tyrone''s memories after their lunch. Maybe it was better if she did it now? But damn it if her body was not cooperating at all! He was kissing her senseless and she loved it to the core that she moaned and let her tongue entangle with his as they tasted each other''s mouths.

    Good thing Tyrome finally released her lips. He had a naughty grin as he licked his lips, "It''s indeed yummy¡­"

    He had to stop, or else he wouldn''t be able to control himself and end up scooping Raine''s body on top of the table and fuck her right there till she screamed in pleasure.

    ''Was that some kind of seduction technique?!'' Tyrone was doing it so effortlessly that Raine kept on scolding herself inwardly.

    Tyrone continued feeding her, and Raine didn''t bother to stop him since she enjoyed it so much. In return, she also fed him¡­

    When they finished eating, Tyrone got up to get some wine, "We should talk about us¡­"

    ''About us?'' Raine suddenly got nervous. He sounded so serious, so she too got up from her chair and followed him.

    "Yeah, let''s talk¡­" she said.

    Tyrone had a smile on his face as he turned around.

    As soon as his back was turned, Raine blew the powder and quickly held his weight when he lost consciousness. She chanted the words and then whispered what she wanted Tyrone to forget in his ear.

    Tyrone opened his eyes. Raine smiled at him, "Open the wine¡­ Let''s drink it."

    Tyrone turned around, and his face darkened as he opened the wine and poured it into their glasses. However, it quickly faded as he turned back to face Raine. She was back in her seat. He handed her a glass of her wine as he sat opposite from her seat.

    "Did you enjoy it?" Tyrone casually asked.

    "Huh?" Raine breathed, startled by the sudden question. Tyrone looked at the empty plate so Raine quickly answered, "Oh yeah, the food is great. You''re really good at cooking!"

    Tyrone drank his wine in one gulp. He poured more into his glass and drank it straight once again.

    Raine only watched him with a creased forehead.

    "I will stay here for a bit longer since I want to prepare my clan. Convel Society might attack us at any minute. I want you to return to country D to make sure Xander is safe while I''m away," Raine suddenly instructed.

    "Didn''t we already agree that I will stay here with you?" Tyrone replied with a blank expression.

    ''But being together is dangerous,'' Raine thought. She might take advantage of Tyrone every now and then, and she didn''t want that. She wanted some space to focus on more important things rather than give in to her carnal desires. Plus, having a debate in her head whether to erase his memories about it or not was too tiresome for her.

    Raine sighed deeply, "I changed my mind. I need you more in country D."

    "Is it because you don''t trust me enough to get involved in things about the Moon Clan? I can help you gather more information about the Convel Society with the use of Umbra. I have good connections, and some of our clients were from Convel Society," Tyrone offered.

    Raine stared at him for a while, "Just for a few days¡­ I need you in country D for just a few days. I will follow soon, so please just do as I say."

    "Alright," Tyrone plainly answered before he stood up to clean the table.

    "Go and get some more rest.. I''ll take care of this," he said with a clenched jaw as he turned around.

 Chapter 107 - So Doomedâ€¦

    Raine observed Tyrone''s movements. There seemed to be nothing to get worried about since he was back to his usual stoic expressions. The Glawackus powder worked well on him, but it was such a pity that she was the only one who could remember everything. Even so, she deserved it. She would simply have to consider it a punishment for herself.

    He looked serious and focused on what he was doing, unlike just a while ago when he suddenly became a cheesy person, pampering her and smiling naughtily more often than usual. Ah, she would miss those wicked and naughty but adorable smiles¡­ Not to mention his sweetness and thoughtfulness. He confessed his love for her, and he seemed to be his real self around her after that. His stoic personality appeared to be a facade somehow?

    ''Dummy! Of course, you''ll see the real him! He sees you as his woman already the moment you gave your body to him! Make sure that this will be the last time you''ll do that, Raine!'' she inwardly scolded herself. She felt bad that she had to do this. And she might even regret it later, but she honestly thought it was the right thing to do at the time, given who she was.

    She sighed deeply, then grabbed another lollipop, unwrapped it, and put it in her mouth as she continued working on her laptop in the living area with Tyrone. Later, she had to go out and visit the Mirage Historian, but she didn''t want to bring Tyrone with her. So she thought up a task to give him once she was out.

    No one should know the identity of the Mirage Historian except for the royal families of each clan. Ah, but she was a fake, including her father and uncle Yun.

    She let out another sigh.

    "You''ve been eating too many lollipops now," Tyrone commented as he looked at the wrappers and lollipop sticks scattered atop the center table.

    Raine didn''t respond and just gave him a half-smile, "I need this to focus¡­"

    Folding his laptop, Tyrone asked, "Focus? Why? Are you too distracted? What''s bothering you? Maybe I can help?"

    "I''m not distracted," Raine scoffed with a twitch of her mouth. "What makes you think I am?!"

    Tyrone stood up from his seat and suddenly sat beside Raine while staring closely at her face.

    "It''s written all over your face¡­" he said without batting an eye at her.

    Raine frowned, "You read wrong then. And why are you sitting here? Give me some space to concentrate!"

    Tyrone only ignored her and did not even budge a bit. He just leaned at the center table to get a lollipop before staring at it.

    "I really don''t like lollipops," he whispered with a dim expression.

    "And why is that?" Raine curiously asked.

    That was when they both heard Aire''s voice, interrupting their conversation.

    "Mommy! Daddy! We''re here!"

    Aire burst forth as she ran towards Raine and Tyrone. Levi and Mia followed her.

    "Ah, you''re early," Raine commented since she specifically instructed to bring Aire at night to avoid suspicious eyes since it would be Aire''s first time to enter the Moon Clan Territory. Someone could still recognize her real identity and question why she was with her.

    "I insisted on going here already, Mommy. I don''t wanna waste any moment spending time with you and Daddy. Besides, I used my wolf form. You can safely introduce me as your favorite pet now, Mommy. Your wolf, Draki!" Aire said with a grin. She looked so excited and happy.

    Raine patted her head, "Ahh, but next time, you should follow instructions."

    "Draki sounds manly, though, for a cute cub like you," Tyrone commented.

    "But you like it, right? It''s manly, yes, but cool too since your daughter is a cool little cub!" Aire answered with a broad smile at Tyrone.

    "Yeah, it also suits you since you''re a tough and strong kid," Tyrone complimented. Raine shook her head as she watched Tyrone and Aire bond effortlessly like a real father and daughter tandem.

    Then, she turned and gave Mia and Levi a glare. The two gulped nervously, knowing they failed to inform the Boss of the sudden change in plans.

    "Aire insisted not to tell you so she can surprise you like this. Sorry, Boss," Levi explained while scratching his head. He couldn''t explain how things happened, to be honest. All he knew was that he and Mia only ended up following what Aire wanted without them even realizing it until it already happened. Something honestly felt weird and off, and Levi was getting worried.

    Levi suspiciously looked at Aire. He had to report this to their Boss, but he couldn''t find an opportunity to do so privately since whenever he would try, Aire would just pop up in front of him out of nowhere and pull him to play games or watch the TV. Aire was a nice kid, but there was something mysterious about her that they must look into. It was as if Aire was not some ordinary kid. There was more to her that Levi could not exactly pinpoint.

    "So many lollipops¡­" Mia cautiously whispered, interrupting Levi from his deep thoughts.

    Levi finally noticed the lollipop wrappers on the table as well. He was always the only one who had the guts to directly question their Boss as he burst, "Boss, what''s wrong? What''s the problem? You only overeat whenever something is bothering you or if you''re conflicted in deciding what to do. Are you in a dilemma right now?!"

    He sounded worried. It was really problematic whenever their Boss ate a lot of lollipops in just one sitting¡­ Something terrible would definitely happen!

    Raine wanted to hit Levi''s head at that moment and bury it in the ground!

    "Something is bothering you? Is it about me leaving for country D? Do you need me here more? Do you want me to stay?" Tyrone straightforwardly asked.

    Mia and Levi exchanged meaningful glances, but it was Levi who quickly retorted, "Ah, I''m sure that''s not what''s bothering her since I''m here already¡­ I mean, we are all here now to assist her with anything, so you can return to country D and do exactly what the Boss asks you to do¡­"

    At least, Levi saved Raine from the awkward questions Tyrone threw. She had decided to spare Levi for his first mistake in mentioning how she ate a lot of lollipops because she was greatly bothered by something.

    Raine ignored the scene as she got up, "Come, Aire. I''ll show you to your room."

    But Aire only had a pout and did not move from her seat. She crossed her arms as she mumbled, "This is not good. Mommy and Daddy shouldn''t separate."

    Aire then looked at Raine and said, "I''m sure you will miss him greatly once he leaves for a few days¡­"

    Raine''s jaw dropped, which too, was unexpected. Levi shook his head, and with a frown, murmured, "Aire, you should not join your elders whenever they talk, especially when you do not know what''s going on."

    Aire stood up and looked at Mia, "Aunty Mia and Uncle Levi will show me to my room. You should sort things out with Daddy, Mommy. Or else, you will regret shooing him away."

    "Ah, this kid," Mia murmured as she quickly dragged Aire out of the living area so the kid would stop spurting any more nonsense.

    Raine shook her head and followed Aire''s back.

    "It seems like it''s not a good thing to have a nosy daughter at this rate," Raine murmured as she shook her head, still staring at Aire''s back in disbelief.

    Tyrone stood up, "She has a point. Plus, she''s adorable. I would love to have a nosy daughter like her for sure."

    He walked towards Raine and only stopped when there was only an inch of distance between them.

    Raine met his stare. She lifted her eyebrows, "What are you doing?"

    "I''m trying to see through you. I noticed your conflicted look, too. Not to mention how you''re sighing more often than usual. What is it that''s bothering you? You also looked exhausted and spent. My flight is due tomorrow morning, so you still have time to cancel it. I would love to stay here with you and assist you well in everything you need."

    Raine scoffed. She was not the type to cower, even if Tyrone''s closeness was already too distracting. Ah, his hot breath and warmth lingered in her system. Maybe she should also try deleting her memories so that she would not be as affected as she was right now that everything that''s happened between them kept replaying in her head. Oh how she was way too greedy to want more¡­

    "A lot of things happened, darling. And there are a lot of things I need to do. So it''s only natural for me to be bothered¡­" Raine said, followed by a wink before she immediately turned around and left Tyrone alone.

    Tyrone followed her back with a loud, frustrated sigh as he whispered, "I''m so doomed¡­"

 Chapter 108 - Does It Hurt?

    Everyone became busy with their own work except for Aire. She behaved well and watched some random movies in the living room while waiting for someone to finish their work and keep her company.

    Tyrone, who was the first to wrap things up, saw Aire alone in the living area.

    "How come you''re alone?" he asked as he walked and sat beside her.

    "Everyone is busy. But I''m glad daddy is free now," Aire said with a grin.

    "I''m curious, why do you like calling me daddy, Aire?" Tyrone asked, looking closely at the little girl. He also noticed that Aire resembled Raine a lot not only in physical features but mannerisms too.

    "Because you''re my daddy and mommy Raine is my mommy. You look, troubled daddy. Is mommy giving you a hard time?"

    Tyrone was stunned hearing the little girl. She seemed too mature for her age.

    Tyrone chuckled and asked, "And why do you think that?"

    "Just a wild guess. But daddy, you have to be patient with mommy no matter how much she troubles you. She''s been through a lot and the burden she had been carrying shouldn''t be taken lightly. You may see her as strong and ruthless, but she is broken on the inside¡­ Broken and lost¡­"

    Tyrone did not expect such words from an eight-year old little girl.

    "Mommy is fighting her inner battles right now but no one can tell because that''s how good she has become in hiding it. She may seem rude, playful, bold and dangerous but in reality, she''s just a woman in need of some understanding, comfort and security¡­"

    Tyrone creased his forehead and asked, "Aire, why do you seem to know a lot about these things? Were you really just the granddaughter of the secretary of defense? Why do I feel like you''re more than that?"

    Aire smiled at him and said, "Hmmm, I''m simply the brilliant and clever daughter of mommy Raine and you¡­"

    "Huh?" Tyrone looked even more confused. Aire simply laughed as she stood up and said, "Ah, I''m getting hungry, daddy. How about you cook dinner this time? I''ve grown tired of Uncle Levi''s cooking. I want to eat something you made."

    Aire did not wait for Tyrone to respond and started pulling him towards the kitchen.

    Once inside, Aire watched Tyrone prepare the ingredients needed. Tyrone, who felt relaxed around Aire, did not expect to bond with her so well. He even let her peel some vegetables for him and taught her how to cut them properly. She was very keen on learning how to cook from him.

    "Haha. Aren''t you too young to learn this?" Tyrone asked.

    "Hmm, I don''t think so. Is there any age limit when it comes to learning? I''m sure this will be very helpful to me once I grow up. In fact, you managed to capture mommy''s heart by cooking and feeding her¡­ So all the more reason for me to learn," Aire commented nonchalantly, making Tyrone stare at her in disbelief.

    Aire chuckled and tasted the dish he was currently stirring and said, "Mmm. This is so yummy I''m sure mommy will love this! You should cook for her every chance you get!"

    "What is this? You''re playing cupid now, aren''t you?" Tyrone mumbled with a pout.

    "And you will listen to me if you want her to stay with you. Hehehehe. I searched for some tips to help you and most of the people online said that the easiest way to someone''s heart is through their stomach. Since it''s well used by many, there''s no harm in you trying it," Aire commented.

    Her face lost all smiles as she added, "You should also tell her your secret. That way, you can avoid any future misunderstanding and agony."

    Tyrone''s face became serious as well. Aire was not an ordinary kid indeed.

    "Your comments are weird and suspicious. The way you speak sometimes makes it seem like you already know what will happen in the future but you also make it sound like you''re simply giving me advice." Tyrone said while looking at Aire with suspicious eyes.

    Aire only made a face at him, then murmured, "It''s because I''m not a normal kid. I''m special like mommy Raine. Anyway, let''s finish this, daddy. It''s almost dinner time."

    Tyrone shook his head when Aire changed the topic but he let it slide. They remained in the kitchen for another hour and prepared all the dishes.

    "Daddy, I''ll prepare the table. How about you call mommy and the rest so we can all eat together," Aire suggested. Tyrone nodded his head and quickly walked to Raine''s bedroom.

    He knocked on the door and waited but there was no answer so he opened the door and entered. Raine, who was taking a shower, had just stepped out of the bathroom when Tyrone entered.

    "Why are you here?" Raine asked, arching her eyebrows, not bothering about her body being wrapped only in a towel.

    Tyrone could not help eyeing her from head to toe. Raine saw his lustful gaze and shuddered subconsciously.

    He frowned before taking long strides and stopping in front of her. He was only a single step away from her

    "What are these marks? Are you hurt? How did you get it?" he asked, gently tracing the bruise-like marks on Raine''s skin.

    Raine flinched and stepped back. "What are you doing? Leave the room now. Can''t you see that I''m almost naked? I need to get dressed!"

    Tyrone did not budge as he continued touching the marks on her bare shoulders.

    "Does it hurt? It doesn''t look like a wound. Not a rash either¡­ It''s more like a bite mark¡­" Tyrone whispered while he caressed them.

    Raine bit her inner cheek because her body was getting turned on by his innocent touch. She simply smiled at him and murmured, "So do you enjoy touching my skin like this?"

    "Yes, why not? I enjoy touching all parts of your body," Tyrone blatantly replied.

    Raine was caught off guard. Tyrone stepped forward and she stepped backward till her back felt the cold wall of her room.

    "But you tell me.. Do you also enjoy getting touched by me?" Tyrone asked, staring into her eyes.

 Chapter 109 - Impatient Pup

    "Stop that!" Raine hissed.

    "Stop what?" Tyrone naively asked while his eyes keenly stared at her bare skin, touching the marks on it. "Those look like insect bites¡­ Some bug seems to enjoy your skin too much," he added before leaning closer, making Raine freeze in her spot.

    "Dinner is ready. Aire wants me to get you¡­ Get dressed already and follow me to the dining area," Tyrone whispered in her ear.

    Dumbfounded, Raine watched Tyrone turn around and walk away from her. She let out a sigh of relief.

    "What''s wrong with me?" she annoyingly murmured to herself. She felt as if her stomach was still churning and her knees still weak. Then her eyes narrowed as she whispered, "Why do I feel like he knows something? Did I miss something?"

    Raine shook her head since she was sure that she clearly made certain that Tyrone would not remember any details of their intimacy. But how come he became bolder like this? Her face crumpled as she scolded herself for letting Tyrone tease her. She preferred to be the one to do the teasing, not the other way around!

    She immediately grabbed something to wear and cursed since she had to choose a style that she could use to hide her hickeys. She soon joined the rest who were already in the dining area.

    "Wow, it''s my first time to try Tyrone''s cooking," Mia excitedly burst.

    "I got help from our little girl," Tyrone said as he casually pulled a chair out for Raine.

    It was nothing new since Tyrone used to do that for Raine often, the same way he would open the car door for her, but she suddenly felt uncomfortable about it because they were with others.

    ''Ah, maybe I''m just paranoid since I''m the only one who knew that there''s something intimate that happened between us,'' she silently reasoned.

    She could now see how frustrating it could be that she was the only one feeling conscious. But she had to maintain her feign of ignorance.

    Tyrone was adding food to her plate as well. She grabbed it from him and said, "I''ll do it."

    Tyrone let her and assisted Aire next in putting food on her plate.

    "Wow, you''re better than Levi!" Mia unconsciously blurted out. Levi was a good cook too, but Tyrone was definitely better.

    Levi gave Mia a look, the latter awkwardly smiling, "Well, you''re at least better than me, Lyne and Boss¡­"

    "Next time, I will let you cook our meal when the two of us are only together," Levi scoffed, and Mia only stuck out her tongue towards him before continuing to eat.

    "Speaking of Lyne, how come she''s not here yet?" Raine asked.

    "Oh she''s here," Levi said, nuzzling his lips towards Lyne''s direction, who was walking towards them.

    "Sorry. I caught up in the traffic. Wow, we have a feast?" Lyne commented as she sat next to Mia, looking at the dishes. Usually, there was only one dish for dinner, but there was at least four tonight.

    "Go start eating. You''ll like Tyrone''s cooking. Everything is delicious," Mia commented.

    Raine suddenly crumpled her face. For some reason, she didn''t want to share Tyrone''s dishes.

    ''How possessive!''

    She looked at Tyrone, "Next time, let Levi cook whenever Levi is here."

    "I guess the Boss prefers my dishes!" Levi proudly boasted.

    "Of course not! It''s just that I prefer to be the only one to eat what Tyrone cooks," Raine corrected, making the rest burst out in laughter.

    Tyrone''s face, on the other hand, turned crimson red.

    "Boss is so possessive," Mia commented. Raine didn''t  comment and just started eating.

    "By the way, I have a business to attend to alone after this, so don''t get worked up if you guys can''t track me or call me. I won''t take long," Raine informed. She finished her food, then stood up first and said, "I''ll go first. Have fun while I''m out because we will go hunting later."

    Everyone nodded except for Tyrone, who stared at Raine with a creased forehead.

    "Don''t worry. Mommy won''t be alone. I''ll sneak in and accompany her. Hehe," Aire whispered to Tyrone before she immediately stood up and said, "Ah, I''m so full. I feel sleepy already. I guess I''ll sleep now. Goodnight, everyone."

    Raine was inside her car, driving to go to the house of the current Mirage Historian. She shook her head as she said, "Come out now, you sneaky pup."

    Aire showed herself at the backseat of Raine''s car and hopped onto the front row passenger''s seat. Raine chuckled and stroked her head. She was in her wolf form, and she was so furry and warm. She had that mixture of silver, black, and golden furs that looked really cool.

    "I''ll let this slide this time. But the next time around you sneak into me like this, you''ll give me no choice but to punish you," Raine scolded, Aire only making a whimpering sound.

    "Hmp, if you think that I won''t do it, then you''re wrong. Mommy does not like stubborn babies, so you should behave well, okay?"

    Aire only affectionately brushed her head against Raine''s arm. Raine chuckled, "This is a confidential matter, so I''ll trust you to keep whatever you hear or see later a secret, alright? Can I trust you with that, Aire?" Raine asked, sneaking glances at Aire, who gave her a nod.

    It took Raine thirty minutes of driving before she suddenly stopped the car not far from a secured residence. She then went out of the car as Aire followed her. "I will be sneaking in, so make sure you won''t get caught, alright?" Raine instructed the wolf behind her.

    "Shit!" she suddenly cursed, seeing how Aire suddenly jumped over the wall in front of her.

    "This impatient pup!" she mumbled before quickly jumping over the wall. Aire was waiting for her, and Raine shook her head as she looked at her.

    "You, stay behind me, okay?!" she scolded, and Aire moved behind her. She climbed the house to head directly to the room where the Mirage Historian often stayed.. She had to sneak in like this to make sure that his identity was kept hidden.

 Chapter 110 - Missing Pages

    At Chen Ancestral Mansion

    "Look at you, still awake till this late at night," Carlos commented at his grandson Dion.

    Dion grinned and muttered, "It''s because you''re not allowing me to take these files away from me. I really pity Gavin. I mean, endorsing these files?" he commented while shaking his head. His father followed the old ways despite everything being much more organized if they used the latest technology these days.

    "Well, it''ll be his problem anyway," Carlos answered with a laugh as he walked towards a shelf and pulled something out. A new Mirage Historian would replace him soon and his name was Gavin Wu.

    "Here, I''ve made a family tree of the three clans. You should see this one, and remember each member from this. So if you meet any of them, you''ll be more careful with your actions. It''s not updated though, so some of the people in these photos might be the same age as your mother''s. The young generations'' pics are also not in here yet, but I do have their names written. So maybe you can remember those names and be careful not to offend any of them in case you come across any of them," Carlos explained as he handed his grandson the albums.

    These files were very confidential and not all were allowed to know about it except for his family, who he had the discretion to decide on whether or not to disclose the nature of his work to them. Still, it was much better not to give them too much information.

    "Why don''t you get some rest now and continue tomorrow?" Carlos suggested, sensing someone else''s presence inside the room.

    Dion sighed but smiled at him. "Grandpa, you go to bed first. I''ll follow you shortly. I just have to make a few calls and send a few important emails first."

    "Alright then. I''ll leave you for now¡­" Dion''s grandfather said as he stood up.

    "Grandpa," Dion muttered, stopping his grandfather from walking out of his private room. "Do you think it''ll be possible for me to meet uncle Lucas tomorrow?" he asked, which made his grandfather sigh.

    "I''ll check, but you see... that Lucas¡­ How should I put it¡­ There''s no way for me to contact him. He was always the one who ended up reaching me for anything. Well, let''s try approaching his secretary, though I had never tried doing this before¡­"

    Carlos went back inside his bedroom where he had a secret room.

    "Come inside. Let''s talk there," Carlos suddenly spoke.

    "Did you somehow see me coming?" Raine, who suddenly appeared, spoke from behind.

    Carlos chuckled, "Oh no, I can''t absolutely see the future Princess Raine. Only current and most important situations happening in the Mirage are needed to be written in the diary."

    "Hmm, I see. I guess you have the power just to have additional powers like sensing my arrival," Raine assumed. She heard that every Historian also had some unique gifts aside from seeing and witnessing important events happening in the Mirage.

    Carlos didn''t comment as he led the way inside his secret room, where they had to go downstairs. And after walking in the hallway, there''s still another door that led them inside a spacious area.

    "Ah, keeping all these files here could be handy," Raine murmured. However, she creased her forehead upon seeing that there were some animals inside, like a monkey arranging some books.

    "Ah, I get help from friends," Carlos commented.

    "I see... So this room is also connected outside so that animals could easily access it," Raine murmured. She was aware of how Mirage Historians could talk to animals. They sometimes gathered information about any critical event at Mirage Group from animals to be recorded.

    "Would you like some tea or coffee?" Carlos asked while staring at the wolf beside Raine.

    "I prefer coffee, Carlos. I need to stay awake," Raine said with a smile. "And oh, sorry. I have to bring some company with me," Raine added, referring to Aire beside her.

    Carlos chuckled, "Ah, I''m so honored to meet her. She just saved me from shortening the description of mythical creatures and supernatural beings. Now, I also use the word mutant in recordings. Hello there, little Aire."

    "I guess I don''t even need to do introductions. Anyway, I see you''re giving out some confidential information to your grandson. Although, you didn''t mention mutants. Isn''t it still forbidden to disclose such details about the Mirage History? I heard Mirage Historians were getting punished for it too¡­"

    Carlos signaled her to sit on the couch so Raine did.

    "Yes, indeed. But if it does greater good for history, then we are usually spared. Princess Raine, I know you are helping Xander in the shadows, and I am grateful to see how you''re doing good things." Carlos replied while he prepared coffee for Raine.

    Raine only gave Carlos a half-smile while she stroked Aire''s back as she sat beside her.

    "The Almighty already chose someone to replace me, and I''m sure you already heard it a while ago with my conversation to my grandson."

    Yes, Raine had heard it. Carlos used the word ''King'' referring to a particular person instead of the Almighty when talking to his grandson. It was a facade since he couldn''t disclose his gifts to his grandson and how some supernatural powers and beings existed. She honestly couldn''t understand how Mirage Historians were chosen. They didn''t reveal such information, but they would just know it was them since they had been given the gift to see things, just like how Carlos saw the new Mirage Historian that would replace him.

    "I hope Gavin Wu will do a good job like you. I came here to inquire more about the missing pages of the diary. Does the Mirage Council already know about it?"

    Carlos creased his forehead as he gasped, "The missing pages of the diaries?"

    "Yeah. Aire here saw the pages and she said that those rogue wolves who attacked the secretary of defense took those pages together with the Voyager''s watch," Raine explained with a frown. Carlos seemed unaware of it.

    "But there''s no-"

    Carlos was unable to finish his sentence as Aire suddenly howled. Carlos looked at the wolf and Raine frowned when the two just stared at each other as if they were talking with just their eyes.

    "What''s going on here?!" Raine, with a suspicious look, interrupted.

    Carlos cleared his throat, then looked at Raine, "Oh right¡­ Those missing pages would turn into ash soon since they weren''t in the right hands, so you don''t have to worry about it, Princess Raine. Whoever took any Mirage Diaries by force would face the consequences. You see, a curse would befall them so we actually do not need to do a thing. That''s why I didn''t report it to the Mirage Council."

    "But the information in there could be dangerous¡­ Whoever managed to read it..."

    It was more about the eradication years ago. How her father took the throne by force¡­

    "Yes, you''re right. But it''s destiny, Princess Raine.. Things happened for a reason, so please be assured that those missing pages wouldn''t do you or any of your family any harm."

 Chapter 111 - Bite Marks

    Raine didn''t take long, and she soon left the Mirage Historian''s house to go back home with Aire. Carlos explained everything to her in a subtle way. She could tell that something was going on. She tried to focus on driving the car, but she was still bothered by how Aire and Carlos acted a while ago.

    "Get in the back and shift back to your human form, Aire," she instructed.

    Aire quickly followed. Her dress was in the back so she quickly shapeshifted back to her human form and put her clothes on.

    Raine stopped the car at the side of the road so that Aire could sit in the passenger seat. Raine then pulled on the seatbelt and put it over Aire. She looked at her and asked, "What''s going on, Aire? I can tell that you''re secretly talking with Carlos a while ago. You two are hiding something."

    Aire looked at Raine with puppy eyes as if she was going to cry as she whispered, "Mommy, why do you look angry? I''m not hiding anything. I just relayed to Carlos the information I read from the missing pages."

    "He looked too surprised to hear about some missing pages, Aire."

    "Mommy, didn''t Carlos already explain to you the situation? Do you suspect me of something?" Aire whispered, disheartened.

    There was ba moment of silence before Raine let out a loud sigh.

    "I''m sorry, Aire," she whispered, thinking about what the big deal about those missing pages was.

    Maybe Carlos was right. There was nothing to be worried about because she was sure Carlos would say something about it already if there were. Mirage Historians were untouchable. They could practically be untouchable in any way during their time as a Mirage Historian, so he definitely wouldn''t get scared of Aire or something, right?

    Aire hugged her arm and brushed her cheek on it as she murmured, "It''s alright, Mommy. Please don''t be suspicious of me. I''m just here to be with you and Daddy. I promise I''ll behave well while I stay with you. All I want is to do good, and I don''t mean any harm for you and the rest. Please trust me¡­"

    "Alright, Aire. I trust you," Raine said with a smile before she stepped on the gas and nudged the wheel back towards the road.

    Raine let out another sigh as she drove back on the road. She didn''t not know why, but she trusted Aire the way she trusted Tyrone even though she didn''t know much about the two. She basically followed her hunch and heart about them.

    They soon arrived home, and Raine smiled as she looked at her daughter on the passenger seat. Aire had shifted back into her wolf form after their discussion and fell asleep during the ride.

    Raine went out of the car and carefully picked Aire up in her arms. She then carried Aire in her wolf form and walked towards the girl''s bedroom. She gently put Aire in her bedroom and then covered her with the quilt. She gave Aire a small peck on her head before leaving her room.

    It was almost ten in the evening. She would soon go out with her squad and do some hunting so they could find out more details about the Convel Society. She would just have to change into her uniform. She and her squad members had black uniforms whenever they would go hunt. They also covered their faces so that their targets could only refer to her as the Bloody Eyed Hunter since they always saw the color of her eyes during encounters if they were even lucky enough to be alive.

    She messaged the others to get ready as she walked inside her bedroom to get changed. She heard knocking.

    "Who is it?" Raine asked.

    "It''s me," Tyrone answered.

    "Come in."

    Tyrone went inside. Raine grabbed her outfits to get changed as well.

    "What is it?" Raine asked. Tyrone was in his uniform already. Like hers, he wore a black suit in skintight clothing. Mostly black with grey gloves, boots, and mid-section.

    ''How come he looks more drop-dead gorgeous than others?'' Raine thought but quickly snapped the thought out. It was really frustrating that she was the only one in a dilemma like this. But then, it was way better than having Tyrone keep their intimate memories intact.

    "I bought some ointment the pharmacy recommended for bite marks. You should use them," Tyrone commented. Raine wanted to laugh, but she shouldn''t.

    "Alright," Raine murmured and opened her palm to receive it.

    "I''ll put it on you. I don''t trust you. Besides, I can see them more clearly than you. You probably have them on your back as well," Tyrone nonchalantly commented, making Raine lift her eyebrows.

    "And why would I let you do that?" Raine scoffed.

    "Why? Are you affected whenever I touch you? Don''t worry, I won''t do anything, just apply them on your skin unless you''re uncomfortable and feel something with my touch¡­"

    ''What the heck? Is he challenging me or something?!'' Raine inwardly retorted.

    "Okay fine!" Raine snorted, not batting an eye from Tyrone. She sat on the edge of her bed and Tyrone bent down in front of her. Raine removed her blouse in front of him, leaving only her bra on. Her hair was up in a bun so Tyrone could perfectly see every inch of her bare skin on her upper body.

    "Do it fast, okay? Stop staring and just put on the freaking ointment!" she hissed.

    Tyrone opened the ointment, put some on his finger, and then gently applied them to Raine''s so-called bite marks.

    "So many marks. I guess whatever did it enjoyed your skin so much," Tyrone commented with a blank expression. Raine was holding her breath because of his touch.

    "Yeah, I guess so. Too bad I won''t let that bug enjoy my skin that much anymore," Raine unconsciously mumbled.

    "Is that so?" Tyrone questioned with a dim expression.

    "Why? Do you enjoy seeing me with bite marks like this, huh?!" Raine chided.

    "Well, it doesn''t look that bad. You should have more like this. It adds glow to your pale skin."

    "Are you being funny right now? Because it''s an epic fail!" Raine mocked.

    With a dark, intense stare, Tyrone said, "Do I look like I''m joking right now?"

 Chapter 112 - Boris

    Raine suddenly felt awkward with Tyrone''s reply. He looked agitated.

    "Aren''t you being too sensitive? Are you on your period?" Raine scoffed, ignoring Tyrone''s dark face.

    "And you always think everything is a joke. Aren''t you tired of playing around?" he countered with a frown.

    Raine frowned as well. "Why would I get tired of something fun? Give me that!" She snatched the ointment from Tyrone and hissed, "Wait for me outside with the others. I can manage this on my own!"

    Tyrone stood up and left her alone in the room that instant. Raine annoyingly tossed the ointment and started getting dressed instead as she buzzed, "What an oddball!"

    Only Raine, Tyrone, and Lyne went out that night because Raine instructed Levi to stay with Mia and Aire.

    Tyrone was the one driving the car, and it was the first time Raine sat on the passenger seat. Lyne felt uncomfortable in the backseat since she was always in the passenger seat. Meanwhile, their Boss always stayed in the backseat.

    ''I feel like a third wheel here," Lyne awkwardly mused. The deafening silence was making her go crazy already. She could tell that there was some tension between their Boss and Tyrone, as if they just had a lover''s quarrel.

    "Boss, you should see the video and photos Dan sent¡­" Mia suddenly spoke in their wireless earbuds.

    Raine looked at the screen and her eyes widened in disbelief.

    "Who the hell is that?!" she burst while looking at the face of a woman who looked exactly like her, though she had a different hair color and style.

    "Boss, she looks exactly like you. I already researched her. She''s Keira Chan''s sister. Not by blood; the Chans adopted her. She''s the woman who saved Keira and her husband Zach back on the indigenous island. She''s from the tribe, and the Chan Family groomed her from there. Boss, do you somehow have a lost twin?" Mia explained.

    Both Tyrone and Lyne looked at the screen inside the car. Raine had a creased forehead, "I want to meet this woman personally and see for myself. As far as I remember, I''m an only daughter."

    "What''s her name?" Raine whispered, not bothering to read the report about the woman who exactly looked like her.

    "She''s Mara Chan, Boss. They just registered her as a citizen of country D last year. She basically has an unknown origin beyond that she came from the indigenous tribe of an untouched and isolated island where Zach and Keira were found¡­" Lyne, who read the whole report in a flash, replied.

    "It says here that it took Keira a year with a group of doctors in her private island and facility to establish Mara well so she can adapt in our modern world, physically, mentally and emotionally." Lyne continued. Her curiosity was piqued since the resemblance with their Boss was undeniable. They were a replica of each other. The only difference was their aura since their Boss had that wild and dangerous aura, unlike Mara''s angelic and demure appearance.

    Raine had a blank expression, but she was in a conflicted state deep inside. She didn''t know why, but she felt something whenever she saw Mara on the screen. She couldn''t explain it, but she felt a connection¡­ And it was not something she should disregard.

    "I will personally deal with these matters. For now, let''s not make a fuss over it and focus on the tasks at hand. Our main goal was Xander Yang''s case and our preparation against the Convel Society." Raine simply commented as she turned off the screen inside the car.

    She looked at Tyrone and directly asked, "Who do you think looks better? Me or that Mara?"

    Lyne coughed at that sudden question, although it was not for her. "I''m sorry, my throat is suddenly itchy," she whispered as she shut her mouth.

    "You look the same so it''s hard to tell. Maybe I can decide once I see that Mara personally. I can differentiate then," Tyrone plainly answered.

    Raine twisted her face and no longer spoke.

    Tyrone stopped the car when they were in enough distance from the target place.

    "I will go and handle the talking first¡­" Tyrone said, but Raine opened the car door while she scoffed.

    "I always prefer the frontline."

    She walked out of the car first and put on her mask. Lyne quickly followed. Tyrone brushed his hair and followed too.

    "So impulsive," Tyrone murmured and Lyne heard it.

    She chuckled and said, "That''s our Boss¡­ but she always gets what she wants with her ways. Whatever it is."

    "Impulsiveness often leads to failure," Tyrone snorted.

    Raine ignored Tyrone''s buzzing. She stopped by the time they had enough distance from the door and turned to look at Lyne.

    "Secure the area, Lyne. Make sure no one would get out alive," Raine instructed, and Lyne quickly encircled the bar with a barrier that could hold for as long as thirty minutes. Any mutants that would pass that barrier would feel weak for about five minutes, giving Lyne enough time to finish them off in their helpless state.

    It was a high-technology recently invented under Doctor Janus'' supervision, and it would be the first time Lyne got to use it.

    Raine''s eyes turned red as she walked towards the bar and barged inside. The bar was located in a remote area without any security since most customers inside were mutants who preyed on humans, who would then have a stopover at the place or if a mutant intentionally lured them there.

    Raine''s target was the werewolf who was banished from the Night Crawler Pack of Convel Society. If she wanted to win the fight against Convel, she would need to capture someone familiar to the Convel Society¡­ Boris

    Based on their research and investigations, Boris often hung out in this bar around this time. Mia confirmed it through the road CCTV footage.

    All eyes went on her, so Raine gave the men inside a sweet smile, "Hello, Boys¡­"

    Those who instantly recognized Raine''s eyes immediately got up from their seats, trying to flee.

    "There''s no need to panic. I just need one werewolf, and his name is Boris. Can you please hand him over so we can end this discussion? Or Boris, can you please spare us any bloodshed and come to us peacefully?"

    However, five huge men stood up, blocking Raine as one spatted, "You have to go over us first, Bloody Eyed Hunter. Let''s see what your tiny body''s got in there¡­"

    "Five idiots wanting to stand in my way, I see¡­ Get it over with then."

    Raine rolled her eyes at the insignificant threats before her. The idiots were taken aback at her nonchalance, but they lunged at her anyway as they stumbled in their large and lumbering figures.

    Typically, she began her assault.

    One punch and kick, and idiot number one insignificantly fell to the ground. Idiots number two and three fared a bit better as they swiped at her fruitlessly before tripping over some chairs and fell victim to a series of vicious kicks to the chin. Raine shook her head in disappointment as she placed her feet on an empty chair.

    "Is that all? Just show Boris already." Raine impatiently snorted.

    The three remaining idiots were clearly offended by her mocking tone. Renewing their attacks, the three actually tried some coordination as they alternated their attacks one after the other against her.

    "Now we''re getting somewhere!"

    Raine dodged and weaved through the barrage of limbs lunging at her. Her lithe body coiled gracefully across the bar floor, her legs sweeping underneath idiot number three before swiftly rocking idiot four right in the chest.

    Two down, one more to go.

    "You¡­"

    "Had enough?"

    Clearly, the last idiot standing has not had enough. Being larger than the rest, he used his size to try and cover as much of the bar floor as possible. Raine deftly adjusted to fighting against the huge man. However, using his significant weight to turn his strength against him,

    "What the-"

    Without even batting an eyelid, Raine had already caught one of his heavy punches with both arms and began heaving. With his own momentum, Raine flipped the man over her shoulders and slammed him right onto the ground.

    Silence¡­

    "Okay, can the real Boris please stand up?"

    Her voice echoed across the stunned bar floor. Nobody made as much as a beep or blip as Raine stood victorious in the middle of all the carnage.

    Eventually, a rather imposing figure stood up from the sides of the floor. "What do you want, lady?"

    Looking at him, Raine smirked as she finally found her quarry. Standing tall and bear-like, the mammoth of a man was as menacing as he was probably strong. "I want some information."

    "Information, huh," the man huffed. "I don''t have to give you anything."

    "Who says I''m asking?" Raine chuckled. "Do we have to do this the easy way? Or the hard way?"

 Chapter 113 - A Reason To Spare

    Boris scoffed, "You don''t want this fight."

    The hunter smirked, "Well as a matter of fact, I do."

    Raine threw the first punch. Surprisingly, her knuckles seemed to have been the one to sustain damage as it landed. Boris was built like a truck, and it showed from the sheer strength that he wielded.

    "My turn."

    Her eyes widened as she quickly backed off from the large man. His fist descended upon her previous location, the poor floor beneath him cracking from the sheer power of his strike.

    "Oh shit!"

    Raine immediately went on the defensive as she began to rethink her strategy. Boris was a massive, lumbering beast. He may be slow, but each hit could possibly end her right then and there.

    Shaking her head, Raine began a calculated series of counterattacks. Taking advantage of his slow speed, she ducked into his range and targeted his legs with powerful kicks. It wasn''t much, but it still did damage as the man visibly got slower with each attack.

    "Damn¡­" she clicked her tongue. This would probably take a while¡­

    "Having trouble?"

    What?

    To her surprise, Tyrone had taken the field. Standing between her and the now surprised Boris, he raised an eyebrow as he lackadaisically eyed their target.

    "You¡­"

    Him?

    "Aren''t you-"

    But before the man could speak, Tyrone had already socked him right in the jaw. Boris was out for the count, falling to the ground with a massive thud.

    Raine didn''t waste any time and immediately put the high technology bracelet on Boris.

    She looked at her wristwatch, then at the rest inside the bar and said, "There''s a barrier outside the bar. It''ll shut down in about twenty minutes so I suggest you all stay here and have fun drinking unless you want some excruciating poison in your bodies, that is¡­ For now, I shall take our leave first, gentlemen¡­"

    Raine turned to Tyrone, "Bring him with us."

    Lyne let out a sigh of relief seeing their Boss coming out from the door. She immediately opened a gap between the barrier so Raine and Tyrone could get out from it.

    "Bring the car," Raine instructed.

    Lyne nodded and quickly ran towards their car. Raine waited for Tyrone to bring Boris with him before she fully enclosed the gap in the barrier. Lyne then stopped the car in front of them and Tyrone quickly moved Boris inside the backseat.

    "He will be unconscious till morning. Drive us to Yue Mansion, Lyne. Tyrone and I will stay there for a few days while Uncle is there. You then drive back to my house and keep Boris inside one of our detention rooms there. I''m still undecided if I will keep Uncle in the loop about this one," Raine commented.

    "I thought I''ll be flying back to country D?" Tyrone asked.

    "I changed my mind. You stay here. Dan just reported how well the military provides security to Xander and his family. I will need you more here¡­" Raine plainly commented. She too was getting annoyed over her indecisiveness pertaining to Tyrone. It was so unlike her.

    They arrived at the Mirage territory and they managed to sneak Boris inside. Lyne dropped Raine and Tyrone at the mansion first, then proceeded to go to Raine''s private residence as instructed.

    "It''s your first time here, so what do you think about the changes?" Raine asked as they went inside the Yue''s Ancestral Mansion.

    "Changes? You make it sound like it''s not my first time here¡­" Tyrone whispered.

    "Who knows¡­" Raine murmured with a dark expression on her face.

    "This is the Yue ancestral mansion, but my father made a lot of changes here years ago. They renovated everything and made it like this." Raine added as she continued to walk to the hallway.

    "You have less security," Tyrone noted.

    Raine scoffed, "Is that what you think? The Yue Group has top-notch electronic businesses in the world, Tyrone. With all the high technologies invented by us, you should expect lesser manpower pertaining to security. This ancestral house alone is a dead end in case the Convel Society attacks us. With all the devices installed in here programmed automatically, those werewolves will be illuminated without our people even breaking a sweat¡­"

    Tyrone didn''t comment as Raine''s expression sharpened. They went upstairs, where Raine occupied the east wing of the mansion.

    "I will give you all the information you need in here since you''re my right-hand man, Tyrone. Tomorrow, I will hand to you the floor plans of this mansion along with all the secret passages, including the underground facility." Raine stopped and turned at him with an intense stare before she continued, "I trust you, after all."

    Tyrone creased his forehead¡­ There was something strange with Raine''s expression, "What''s wrong?"

    Raine smiled at him, "I''m just tired¡­"

    Raine paused at the door and opened it.

    "Use this room next to mine," Raine relayed, but Tyrone closed the door and said, "I will walk you to your room."

    Raine didn''t say a word and let Tyrone walk her inside her bedroom.

    "Do you want me to prepare tea?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine just stared at him, "Do you think Nathaniel will spare me and my father if he succeeded in invading the Moon Clan?"

    Tyrone stopped from his trance. There was a moment of silence before he replied, "I don''t know since I''m not aware of the details on why there''s a feud between your clan and the Convel Society. All I know is that you and your clan are killing werewolves. And we all know that the Convel Society is a society of werewolves."

    Raine smirked, "To cut the story short¡­ My father killed Nathaniel''s family upon knowing that his mother was a werewolf¡­ Nathaniel''s father was the former King of the Moon Clan before my father usurped the leadership. And now, Nathaniel is the King of the Convel Society¡­"

    "I don''t know what to say. Do you think Nathaniel has a reason to spare you and your father? He might spare you since it was not your sin to commit¡­ But your father¡­ there''s no way he will spare your father¡­"

 Chapter 114 - Always Ask For Trouble

    That night, Raine had a hard time finding her sleep. She got up from bed and prepared some tea to drink on her balcony. It was already cold outside, and she hated the cold. And yet she had the urge to feel the cold of the night for some reason.

    "So Nathaniel might spare me, but not my father," she whispered while staring at the cup in her hand.

    "Are you going to just stare at your tea? It''ll get cold," Tyrone breathed. And as usual, he brought a blanket with him and wrapped it around Raine.

    "Why do you like going out on your balcony in thin clothes when it''s so cold outside," he scolded as he sat on the chair beside Raine.

    "Maybe because I know you will pop out like that and bring a blanket with you? Why are you also outside?" Raine asked. She had let Tyrone use the room next to her with a shared balcony.

    "I''m still working on something. By the way, a man named Gavin Wu called me. He wanted an exclusive interview from the Yue Group. He''s a reporter, also the main news anchor at country D. He''s connected to the Field Marshal''s daughter. He probably got my calling card during the Yang Global''s event for the reopening of their hospital."

    Tyrone had intentionally left his card to some reporters during the event by Raine''s instruction. Raine wanted to expose the Yue Clan to Xander''s group.

    "Gavin Wu is very brave. None dared to ask for an exclusive interview with the Yue Group since they were all aware that it was a perilous group to offend. He''s the first so far¡­ Ah, I guess he''s chosen for a reason."

    "Chosen?" Tyrone asked with a creased forehead, but Raine had no plans to disclose trivial matters about the Mirage''s confidential details with Tyrone.

    "You don''t need to worry about him. Lyne will handle that matter pertaining to the Yue Group," Raine answered.

    "What''s your plan with Boris?" Tyrone asked. Raine didn''t tell them yet about her plans for Boris.

    "You''re so impatient," she sighed. "But since you asked, I plan to torture that werewolf till I can squeeze out all the details I need from him," Raine replied with a smirk. "Why? Do you have your objections again with my ways, darling?"

    Raine drank her tea as casually as she could. Tyrone didn''t react, so she added, "Even if you object, it''s not like you can do a thing about it. What you need to do is to focus while we stay here in the mansion to convince my uncle with our acting. I plan to bully him and make his world a living hell while I stay here, so just move along with whatever I do. But of course, you can occasionally scold me like an obedient spy for him."

    Raine finished her tea and put the cup on the table. She was about to stand up when she suddenly cringed.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone worriedly asked.

    "It''s nothing, just some cramps," Raine mumbled. She hated the cold weather because she tended to have leg cramps and spasms.

    Tyrone shook his head and, without saying a word, suddenly carried Raine into his arms.

    Raine didn''t say a word, electing to simply wrap her arms around his neck.

    "So tell me, do you prefer Mara''s aura to mine? We have the same face, but anyone could still see the difference¡­" Raine asked while Tyrone gently put her on the bed.

    "Does my opinion about that even matter?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine had a pout as she replied, "Well, I''m curious so just answer it, will you?"

    "I prefer you," Tyrone boldly answered. "You should know that by now¡­"

    Raine thought he would leave already, and she was surprised to see him sitting on the other side of her bed.

    "Right or left?" Tyrone asked.

    "Huh?"

    "The cramps¡­"

    "Oh, the right one," Raine answered.

    Tyrone started massaging her right leg. Raine bit her inner cheek. She wore a nightgown above her knee, and he was massaging her bare legs. A devious smile carved itself into her beautiful lips as a naughty thought suddenly surged inside her head.

    "Higher¡­ there''s also hip spasms," Raine murmured, curious about what Tyrone would do.

    Delighted, she watched Tyrone''s hands crawl inside her nightgown up to her hip. She suddenly regretted what she did when his warm palms massaged her hip. They were sending something electrifying all over her body. All the hairs on her body went up, and she wondered if Tyrone could feel it.

    "Do you want me to go further up?" Tyrone asked in his hoarse voice.

    "Huh?" Raine was feeling too aroused already that her mind was practically floating. Tyrone took her silence as a yes, Raine feeling his warm hands going further up.

    ''This isn''t good,'' Raine mused as she snapped herself back to reality. She might do something stupid again if she couldn''t stop Tyrone at this point. She was already suppressing soft moans from coming out of her mouth. She didn''t want him to stop at all. In fact, he wanted him to do more.

    She gathered herself together and, with a firm voice, said, "That''s enough. I''m okay already. Go back to your room. I want to sleep now¡­"

    Tyrone stopped his hand movements, but his hands still held her hips firmly. Raine looked at him and she saw how dim his face was.

    "Tyrone," Raine called.  That was when Tyrone finally released her hip.

    "Alright. I hope you have a good night''s sleep then," he murmured as he got up and quickly turned around to leave her alone. Raine let out a sigh of relief as soon as Tyrone was gone from her room.

    She annoyingly clicked her tongue and murmured, "Ah, why do I always ask for trouble¡­"

    She hated that she had to remind herself to distance herself from Tyrone even though her body wanted nothing but to get closer to him.

    "Maybe I should just kick him out already," she muttered before grabbing a pillow and hugging it.

    "Ah, I also miss my human pillow!" she complained before closing her eyes as she tried her best to fall asleep.

 Chapter 115 - Attractive Man Has Its Merits

    At the Yue Ancestral Mansion

    The next day, Yun''s jaw tightened as he balled his fists while watching the news. Ron''s statement in the media had become the talk of the country.

    He cursed when he came to know that they were tricked. His group followed the couple, Xander, and Yera inconspicuously, but then got distracted because of the doubles¡­ including the cars and the one his group ended up following who stopped at a different house.

    "That bastard must be out there somewhere after tricking us like this!" he harshly whispered as he waited for the reports from his people out for the search.

    "Should I just bomb up the Han and Yang mansions to bring you out?" he irritatingly voiced out to himself as he stared at the news being reported on the television.

    Suddenly, he was interrupted by a loud resounding applause. Sitting in the living room area of Yue''s mansion, he could hear the sound coming closer. He didn''t need to turn around to guess who it was. He already knew it was his bi*chy niece.

    "Well done, Uncle. Really... Are you proud of your great achievements? I won''t be surprised if we hear the word Y-U-E next in the news, don''t you think? You wanna get famous, I must guess..." Raine nonchalantly commented as she sat on the couch and began to lick on her ice cream cone. She purposely stayed at the mansion to get entertained by mocking her uncle while he was here.

    "Why? Do you have any better ideas on how to deal with him? And what are you doing here anyway?! You''re supposed to handle the rescue operation of some of our people held captive by the military¡­ But it seems like you have no plans to do so!" Yun jeered. He hated that mocking look on the face of that bi*ch.

    "Relax¡­ Let those idiots stay there a little longer. I recently realized that they deserved that bit of punishment. They should learn their lesson for failing in their mission! Those lousy bastards¡­ I''m still thinking if I should rescue them or just eliminate those losers for good," Raine mockingly smiled at her uncle, followed by a wink on her face.

    "By the way, don''t you want any help? I have better plans in mind for eliminating him¡­ You have tried so many times, yet you always failed. So I thought you might need the support of my helping hands by now," Raine remarked. She continued with her play on wanting Xander dead.

    Yun gritted his teeth. One day, he would be the one to kill the bi*tch. If not for his brother who favored the little devil too much, she wouldn''t be alive today.

    ''Enjoy your days, bi*ch. Enjoy it while it lasts. Because you''ll be thrown out soon once we''re done using you!'' he mused while he gave Raine a deadly glare.

    "Tsk¡­. tsk¡­ What''s with that look? You want my ice cream, Uncle? I can ask someone to give you one but... Oldies shouldn''t eat a lot of sweets because it can make your life shorter," Raine chortled, enjoying how her uncle was unsuccessfully controlling his fury.

    Then with a mocking smirk, she added, "Back about you needing my help, you know I''m willing to help you too because that''s what families should always do. You know, help each other, don''t you think? But of course, to make me agree to it, you have to beg me for it, Uncle¡­"

    Yun abruptly stood up with a dark expression to leave his crazy niece alone before he lost control and broke her neck that instant.

    Tyrone had witnessed the exchange. He shook his head. Everything seemed to be getting out of hand.

    "Come and sit beside me. Don''t just watch from there¡­" Raine commanded.

    "We lost contact according to Dan, so tell me¡­ Do you have good news at this point? I want to find out where the mice are hiding. Father will be waking up soon..." Raine muttered.

    "Nothing yet, but I don''t feel good about this. You shouldn''t bother with your uncle. Why do you keep annoying him? Being on his bad side like this might-"

    Tyrone''s words were cut off suddenly when he felt a cold sensation on his lips. The ice cream had smeared his mouth.

    "Oops¡­ Sorry, my hands slipped," Raine whispered.

    Tyrone sighed and was about to wipe the smeared ice cream on his mouth away when Raine stopped his arm.

    "What¡­" Tyron mumbled. His body froze while he looked at Raine, who perched on his lap and held his neck with her pair of hands, making it hard for him to breathe.

    "If I hear you question me again on whatever it is I''m doing, I will make sure to kick your ass out of my sight and wipe you out entirely from this world. If you want to last long, make sure you just follow my orders!" Raine''s voice echoed in his ear.

    He coughed when she let his neck go. Raine''s fingers swept past his lips, wiping off the ice cream from his face. Then Raine licked her fingers and winked at him. "You know I hate wasting sweets.." Raine mumbled before jumping out from his lap, leaving him flabbergasted.

    Tyrone closed his eyes. Being the right-hand man of the Yue Clan Princess was a pain in the ass. Pure torture!

    He got up quickly and saw the ice cream cone on the floor. He knew why Raine purposely acted like that. It was because Dalgon, Yun''s right-hand man, was watching them secretly.

    Tyrone glared in Dalgon''s direction, "Does Boss Yun not trust me enough that you have to peep at us like that?"

    Dalgon laughed and showed himself. He patted Tyrone''s shoulder and said, "It looks like you''re enjoying the Princess''s company. The perks of being an attractive man has its merits, I guess."

    Tyrone didn''t respond and simply balled his hands into fists as Dalgon left still laughing with a mocking tone.

 Chapter 116 - Wait For Me, My Mate

    "This guy desperately needs a bath¡­" Aire commented as she stared at the sleeping man from head to toe. He had a thick beard and mustache and he really stunk.

    Lyne chuckled, "And you are always curious about everything. I told you, you don''t need to come with me since he''s wearing a very powerful bracelet that would prevent him from shapeshifting or hurting me. I can perfectly take good care of myself."

    Aire insisted on coming inside with her saying she could also protect her if the werewolf they caught went rogue.

    "I know, Aunty, but I''m also curious about how he looks like now. Ah, but he''s handsome when he got cleaned up, aunty Lyne. He won''t be a bad match for you. You will surely like him in the end," Aire added.

    "Oh my! You little cupid! Levi and Mia already complained with how you''re always playing cupid with Boss and Tyrone, Mia and Levi¡­ And now you''re adding me to your list?!" Lyne burst at Aire in disbelief.

    Aire only giggled and whispered, "Quiet, Aunty. You''ll wake your mate. Now, he won''t let you out of his sight."

    "What the heck," Lyne mumbled, utterly stunned with the nonsense Aire was mumbling right now.

    Borris suddenly jolted up on the bed. First thing he thought to do was to shapeshift and escape, knowing he was held captive by the Bloody-Eyed Hunter. Then, he remembered the man with her and his blood boiled in fury.

    "Ahhh!" he screamed when his body felt an excruciating pain. It was the worst feeling he had felt in his entire life!

    "You will only hurt yourself, so don''t try to shapeshift or else you might end up dying," Lyne commented.

    Boris glared at the direction of the voice, and saw a woman with a little girl standing in front of him.

    His glare softened, a frown replacing it as he stood up. He sniffed the area like a dog, moving towards Lyne.

    "Don''t move, Aunty. He won''t hurt us," Aire whispered.

    "I know because I have his life line¡­" Lyne mumbled. The bracelet Boris wore had a voice recognition command. And her voice was registered in it as well.

    Boris sniffed hard, his eyes widening as he sniffed Lyne from head to toe.

    "This is embarrassing," Lyne annoyingly mumbled. She clearly took a bath and did not smell.

    When Boris was almost an inch away from her bossom, Lyne commanded, "Stop!"

    Boris didn''t  stop, and he once again felt a jolt of pain that made him fall on his knees on the floor.

    "What is this!? What are you doing to me!?" Boris barked.

    "You need to behave, Boris. Any attempt to escape, attack, or even shift will give you pain one after the other. So please sit obediently and take your breakfast quietly," Lyne instructed as she sat on the table with Aire.

    Boris stared at her, and she signaled him to sit on the chair opposite of hers.

    "What''s your name, lady?" Boris asked as he sat on the chair.

    "I am Lyne, Deputy Squad Leader of the Moonlight Squad."

    Boris scoffed and showed the disgust in his face upon hearing the Moonlight Squad.

    "Bloody Hunters! You should name your squad after your Boss! Bloody Squad!" Boris mocked, his expression softening as he gave a lustful glance to Lyne and whispered, "But I guess, being a captive like this has its advantage. I got to meet my mate!"

    Lyne''s face paled as she turned to look at Aire, who only gave her a shrug and an ''I told you so'' expression.

    She was well-versed with werewolves, so she basically knew what Boris meant with the word ''mate!'' She knew how werewolves also preyed on some humans, making them their mate and turning them into one of them with their marking.

    "No!" Lyne unconsciously gasped in horror.

    "Oh yes! Just wait till I manage to get out of here because I will definitely bring you with me and we''ll  make a lot of cubs in the future!" Boris excitedly exclaimed, making Aire chuckle.

    "Oh, Aunty is very old-fashioned, Uncle Boris. Don''t scare her like that or it will take you a long time wooing her!" Aire amusingly interrupted.

    Lyne gave Aire a glare, the little girly quickly giving her Aunty a ''hushed lips'' sign.

    "Go and eat your food. I will ask another squad member to question you," Lyne weakly said as she stood up.

    She felt her knees weaken. There was no way she would end up with a mutant. She would definitely kill Boris herself as soon as the Boss was finished dealing with the werewolf!

    "Come back soon, mate! I won''t talk unless it''s you who''ll ask me!" Boris shouted at Lyne who walked out of the room, totally zoned out.

    Aire shook her head and commented, "Good luck, Uncle. This will be fun to watch¡­"

    Boris frowned, "Hey, you little pup! Do I know you, huh? Why are you talking casually to me? Do we know each other, huh?!"

    Aire stood up and gave Boris a cheeky grin, "Don''t we know each other now, rascal Uncle? I''m Aire¡­ Ah, doesn''t that name sound familiar to you. Anyway, I''ll leave now and let you enjoy your meal. By the way, Aunty Lyne cooked that herself, so make sure you finish it all if you want her to feel good."

    Dumbfounded, Boris stared at the little girl who just winked at him before walking out of the room.

    "I feel weird. Why do I feel that the kid knows me well?" he murmured with a conflicted expression. "Aire¡­" he whispered, his lips suddenly curving into a devious grin as he sniffed the air inside. The smell of his mate still lingered around the room, and he could not wait to get a hold of her!

    "Wait for me, my mate. I will definitely mark you soon!" he excitedly exclaimed, before he started eating the meals prepared on the table.. His face soured because it did not taste so well but he continued eating the edible food his mate cooked for him.

 Chapter 117 - The Kind Of Father

    After Raine and Tyrone''s discussion with the squad members, Raine handed Tyrone a file.

    "It''s the map of the whole Moon Clan Territory, the floor plan of this mansion, and the entire underground facilities and operations. You''re my right-hand man now, and like I''ve always said, I trust you. It''s only natural for you to know about these important and confidential matters since you will closely handle all of my affairs from now on pertaining to Moon Clan matters," Raine explained with a blank expression.

    "Are you sure about this?" Tyrone asked while eagerly staring at the file in his hands.

    "Yeah. But if you don''t want to, then you can return that to me now," Raine replied, not batting an eye as she stared at Tyrone.

    Tyrone closed his fist and murmured, "No, I''ll keep it."

    There was a hint of sudden despair from Raine''s eyes, but she quickly changed it as she smiled, "Alright, then. Come now and accompany me."

    She stood up from the couch and walked outside her room. Tyrone followed her in the hallway, where portraits hung on the wall. Raine stopped at a particular portrait of a woman who Tyrone presumed was Raine''s mother because of how they looked alike. At first glance, you could easily tell that they were connected and family because of their facial features.

    "There are many secret passages in the mansion going to the underground facility. I do have one in my room, but I prefer always using this door simply because I get to see my mother''s portrait. I haven''t had the luck to see her in person at all since she died after giving birth to me," Raine lamented as she pressed on the red ruby pendant on her necklace.

    The portrait moved, and Raine opened the glass door with her biometrics. "Only my uncle and I could use the passages here in the mansion. Trusted employees have a different passage, and you will see it in the file I gave you. Mia already encoded your biometrics in there, so you will have access in and out at any time."

    Raine pressed on the floor of the elevators to her father''s floor, where he was recuperating.

    "Are you going to see your father?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine turned and rested her back to the elevator door with crossed arms while she stared at Tyrone, "Yeah. Are you ready to meet him, Tyrone?"

    "I''m curious to see him. I''ve heard a lot about him during the investigation Umbra conducted."

    "So, tell me what the description your agency used to describe my father."

    "He is a ruthless and relentless man who is willing to sacrifice a lot of blood for power. Is that correct? After all, he is your father, so no one knows him better than you do," Tyrone implored.

    Raine had a faint smile and simply answered Tyrone with a nod.

    The elevator doors opened and Raine was greeted by the guards securing the area. They were about to check Tyrone but Raine hissed, "He is with me! He''s my right-hand man."

    The men halted and slightly bowed at Raine as an apology.

    Tyrone followed Raine, who continued walking down the hallway. He subtly checked the area and commented, "The security here is tight."

    "What do you expect? They are protecting the King of the Moon Clan," Raine mumbled as she stopped at the door and opened it as soon as it confirmed her biometrics. They paused for a while since they had to undergo sanitation before going inside her father''s room.

    The security inside quickly called Doctor Janus and said, "Doc, Princess Raine is here."

    Janus''s face immediately lit up as he rushed to greet Raine at the entrance door. His broad smile slowly dissipated when he saw the man walking beside her.

    It was her right-hand man, Tyrone. They had met at an online video call previously. He did not like him at all.

    "Raine," Janus intently addressed her casually.

    Raine smiled, "It''s been a while, Janus. What do you have for me?"

    "I have good news. King Marcus''s health is progressing so well that he will soon open his eyes. If this continues, then he might wake up in a few weeks¡­ Less than a month earlier than I predicted."

    Raine nodded and walked towards the capsule holding her father.

    "Tyrone," Raine whispered.

    "Yes," Tyrone answered as his eyes darted towards the man before him. He creased his forehead and uttered, "How come he looks younger than I expected? Correct me if I''m wrong, but isn''t he around 90 years old by now? How come he looks more like around in his 40s or 50s only?"

    Raine noticed that as well, but she was so consumed by the good news that her father would wake up soon that she no longer pondered about the physical changes his father had right now.

    "That is because I used a formula to preserve his skin and organs while he was in a coma. That helps in preserving his younger look, the same as how he looked before he fell into a coma," Janus explained, and Tyrone noticed how the man stuttered. He eyed him intently.

    "Nothing matters so long as you can wake him up, Janus. Make sure he comes back to me safe and sound," Raine whispered. All she wanted was to spend time with him like a normal father and daughter would do together. They would normally have such things whenever both of them were not in their training or any mission.

    In the eyes of many, her father was a merciless man. But in Raine''s eyes, he was a good father. She knew that many would question that statement since she grew up under strict training to be like him, ruthless and relentless. But no one knew his soft spot for her as a father who was willing to give his life just to keep her safe.. That was the kind of father he was to her¡­ He would die for her¡­ simply because she witnessed that happen several times as she grew up.

 Chapter 118 - Canâ€™t Fight Fate

    "How long do you plan on staying here?" Janus asked as he invited Raine into his office for a coffee. He was honestly annoyed that Tyrone followed Raine like a dog. But then

    again, he was not bold enough to shoo the man away in front of Raine.

    "A few more days, I guess. I have to make sure that we are ready anytime for war, Janus. You''re the best man I trust for it. You know how I adore your brain for inventing things and formulas for our Clan''s advantage. Those are very important for our fights against mutants¡­" Raine praised Janus, and she meant every word. Without Janus around, she, her father and their warriors would have difficulty dealing with rogue mutants using their skills alone.

    Janus''s face reddened as he gave Raine a bashful smile.

    Tyrone wanted to spill the coffee he had just drunk, witnessing how the man blushed. He felt like he was the third wheel in the scene, but there was no way he would excuse himself unless Raine asked him to leave!

    "Do you think you can spare some time-" Janus inwardly cursed, unable to continue his words because of how dark Tyrone''s face was at him right now.

    ''What is wrong with this man!'' he annoyingly thought as he fixed the eyeglasses on his face.

    Raine chuckled, "Ah, why don''t you try wearing contact lenses sometimes? You have nice eyes, Janus. They''re so green, like a forest. So you should flaunt them from time to time. But you should also wear eyeglasses every once in a while since you look so good with them."

    Tyrone''s nostrils flared without him knowing. He didn''t like how Raine was giving other men compliments in front of him!

    ''How could she be so dense?!'' he complained as he tried to calm his jealous heart and composed the expression on his face. That Janus''s smile almost reached his ears, and he was not so happy about it although he knew he had no right to even have the thoughts he had at that moment.

    Raine looked at Tyrone and instructed, "You should leave first, Tyrone. Go and check the other works with Lyne and the rest at my residence. I will follow shortly. I need to discuss some things with Janus privately."

    K. O.

    Tyrone clearly read that on Janus''s victorious face. He clenched his jaw as he stood up.

    "Alright, I''ll go ahead. See you at lunch then. I''ll be cooking, so don''t be late," Tyrone said with a dark expression at Janus before turning around and leaving the room.

    Raine creased her forehead with how Tyrone acted, but she put her smile back on her face as she turned to face Janus.

    Janus was frowning as he stared in the direction Tyrone walked towards.

    "Why do you allow your right-hand man to talk to you like that?" Janus unconsciously voiced out his thoughts without him knowing.

    Raine''s eyebrows raised as she casually murmured, "Because I want to? Just like how I allow you to casually talk to me," followed by a wink at him.

    Janus blushed and, with a pout, murmured, "But we are childhood friends. That man just showed up recently out of nowhere. There''s a big difference, I think."

    "What''s the big difference? I like him too, so that''s okay. I let people I like casually talk to me whenever I want, Janus. So don''t get too worked up about it. Now enough with this nonsense discussion. Let''s talk more about important stuff. Show me the latest inventions and formulas you messaged me about. We have to make sure that we are ready to face the Convel Society''s invasion. They are more powerful compared to us humans alone." Raine reminded with a furrowed forehead.

    Though she was prepared to fail¡­ still, Raine would try her best to eliminate as many werewolves as she could in this battle.

    *****

    Meanwhile, Tyrone''s face was as gloomy as the night sky as he went alone inside the car to go to Raine''s residence. He was so annoyed because he was jealous. He would not deny that.

    He let out a sigh as he started the engine of the car. There was a pause as he looked at the USB drive in his palm. He frowned and tilted his head before letting out another sigh. Then, he put the USB drive in his pocket. He stepped on the gas and drove out from the Yue Ancestral mansion.

    As soon as he arrived, the first thing Tyrone did was go directly into the room where Boris was detained.

    Tyrone entered, and as soon as Boris saw Tyrone, his face darkened as he gritted, "You!"

    Tyrone didn''t say a word and instead only stared at Boris. The latter helplessly sat on the chair as Tyrone sat before him.

    "What''s going on with those two?" Levi commented while he keenly watched the scene inside Boris'' room from one of the hidden cameras.

    "No conversation yet?" Mia asked.

    "I hear nothing. It''s like those two are having a one on one on who would bat an eye first," Levi jokingly said.

    Aire suddenly entered the control room, "Aunty¡­ Uncle! It''s almost time for lunch. Come on and let''s cook. I''ll help out!" she burst with a wide smile.

    Mia scratched her head and suggested, "How about we wait for Tyrone? It''s much better if we let him cook."

    Levi''s face crumpled. He quickly rose from his chair and said, "Let''s go, Aire. Uncle Levi will cook lunch today. I''ll make something so out of this world that it''ll make you forget your name as soon as you get a taste of it!"

    However, Aire still pulled Mia to get up from her chair as she mumbled, "Aunty, come on¡­ Come with us! It''s not fun just having Uncle around the kitchen! We need your critique."

    Aire was the one who closed the door. But before closing it¡­ she stared at the monitor for a while and sadly whispered, "We really can''t fight fate¡­"

 Chapter 119 - So Smart

    Tyrone impatiently looked at his wristwatch. Lunch was already finished, but Raine had not returned yet. He was starting to wonder if Raine had already eaten lunch with Janus instead.

    ''So what if she had lunch with him?''

    He let out a sigh of frustration as he continued to silently scold himself for overthinking things.

    "Daddy, you want some tea?"

    Turning his head, Tyrone smiled at little Aire, the little girl holding a cup of tea in her hands. He accepted the drink, and Aire sat beside him.

    "You look so distracted," Aire commented as she stared out at the garden in front of the veranda where they were sitting. "A bit conflicted too," Aire continued, Tyrone not responding to her words.

    Tyrone looked at the girl with a meticulous smile on his face as he asked, "You''re not really the secretary of defense''s granddaughter, aren''t you?"

    Aire''s face paled, and she blinked several times in seeming shock.

    Tyrone chuckled, "What''s with your face, dear? I was just kidding, but based on your expression, it looks like I just hit the nail right in the head."

    Aire''s face fell as she crossed her arms and mumbled, "Why not kick me out of here then?"

    "Hmm, I''m not sure why you''re pretending to be Stella, the secretary of defense''s granddaughter, but since you''re calling me Daddy, then maybe I''m gonna let you stay here for a bit longer and see what you''re really up to. I''m confident that you''re not here to harm anyone, so why would I kick you out?" Tyrone smiled. "Stay here as long as you want."

    "Daddy is really good at judging character. Of course, I''m not here to harm anyone, but I can''t also reveal who I am and why I''m here. I hope Daddy won''t say anything to others," Aire pouted pleadingly even as she explained.

    "So what happened to the real Stella?" Tyrone asked out of curiosity.

    "Dead. Those rogue werewolves tore her to pieces, and I arrived too late to save her. I know you''ll ask me next about how I managed to alter the details about Stella. Well the truth is, Stella actually doesn''t have photos or even appear publicly anywhere, so no one really knew what exactly she looked like. The only ones who even remotely knew were also the ones that were killed in that vacation house."

    "It was way too easy for me to pretend to be her. Aunty Mia didn''t have an exact photo of her so they all just assumed that I was Stella because I''m the only little girl still breathing."

    Aire narrated with a sigh. She still felt terrible about how Stella died so easily. However, it was simply bound to happen. There were just some things you couldn''t change no matter what. If it was meant to happen, it would happen.

    "So you were a werewolf right from the start. You just pretended to be someone who got infected for the first time," Tyrone concluded, earning a broad smile from Aire.

    "I have my reasons, but I promise you that I''m truly harmless. I''m just curious about a lot of things. That''s why I''m here. I won''t meddle much in the stuff that everyone''s going through right now. Please, let me just quietly stay here for a bit? With you and Mommy and the rest? Please?" Aire begged with her puppy eyes.

    Tyrone shook his head, "Alright, fine. But if you don''t behave and do something that''ll make us all angry, then I won''t be able to keep that promise."

    "Okay, fine¡­ I promise, Daddy. Don''t be sad now. Mommy Raine will end up with you in one way or another, so don''t think too much about it," Aire said with a wink.

    "How did you even know what I''m thinking?" Tyrone asked in disbelief.

    "It''s way too easy. Anyone can figure it out just from the way you look at Mommy." She clicked her tongue in faux disappointment. "You should tell her about your secret unless you want to get tortured for all of eternity," Aire advised.

    Tyrone shook his head, "Not all things are so simple, Aire. You''re too young to understand these things at this point¡­"

    Aire didn''t say a word, but she breathed out loudly, making Tyrone chuckle, "Why do you sound like that? You''re more troubled than me now?"

    Aire had a pout as she mumbled, "Because you''re so troublesome, Daddy." She clicked her tongue as she shook her head and added, "Just hang in there. Mommy will indeed focus on you and only you. Nothing more. Oh, and here she comes¡­"

    Tyrone followed Aire''s gaze, seeing Raine walking towards them with a wide and sweet smile on her face.

    "Mommy!"

    Aire quickly burst and ran towards Raine for a hug. The mother stopped in her tracks and bent down to hug her daughter tightly.

    "Look at those two acting like a real mother and daughter pair. Then again, who would even suspect that they aren''t? They share so many similarities that it would make one think that nothing is coincidental for the two being together like that¡­" Mia, who suddenly popped out of nowhere, commented as she drank the tea in her hand. It was a cup that Aire had also prepared for her earlier.

    Tyrone frowned as he stared at the two. His eyes then widened as something suddenly hit him.

    "That can''t be¡­" he unconsciously voiced out loud.

    "I know, right? Those two can''t be related somehow. The Boss didn''t have any blood relationship with the secretary of defense," Mia replied, thinking Tyrone had commented on what she just voiced out.

    Tyrone suddenly got up from his chair and informed, "Mia, I''ll be out for a while to meet up with a friend from Umbra. I''ll be quick and return come dinner time¡­"

    Raine frowned, watching Tyrone as he suddenly rushed out from his seat. She held Aire''s hand as they walked towards the veranda.

    "Where is he going?" Raine asked Mia.

    "He said that he''ll meet a friend, Boss. Someone from Umbra. He said he''ll be back before dinner," Mia answered.

    Raine raised an eyebrow as she scoffed, "And who gave him permission to go out just like that without asking me first if he can go or not?"

    Mia scratched the back of her head while Aire pulled Raine inside. The girl quickly went to defuse the situation, "Mommy, don''t get mad. I''m sure Daddy will just meet with a male friend and not with a woman."

    "Ah, Aire is so smart!" Mia subconsciously burst out. She quickly zipped her mouth, however, when Raine glared at her.

 Chapter 120 - A Long Way To Go

    Raine wasted no time and directly went to Boris''s confinement room.

    "The Bloody-Eyed Hunter¡­ So that''s what you look like behind your black mask¡­" Boris commented as soon as Raine entered the room.

    He looked past her, and with a frown, he grunted, "Where is my mate? Didn''t I clearly say that you won''t get anything from me if it''s not my mate who will question me?"

    Raine shook her head. Mia and Levi had already told her what happened. It was the reason why Lyne didn''t want to come out of her room ever since she talked to Boris this morning.

    Pulling the chair close to her, she sat in front of Boris who was sitting on his side of his bed.

    "You scared Lyne. Do you think she''ll want to face you again after scaring her like that?"

    "Scare her? Why would I scare my mate, you Bloody-"

    "Pain!"

    With a single command and a raised eyebrow, Raine inflicted so much pain on Boris that he actually cried out.

    "Arggh!! Damn, bracelet! You¡­"

    Raine''s lips curved into a sly smile as she wagged her index finger, "Ah, ah¡­ One more annoying word out of your mouth, and I might say something that could kill you next."

    Boris gritted his teeth as he controlled himself not to utter a word.

    "That''s better. Next time, address me properly. Why not start calling me Raine?"

    Boris shook his head and murmured, "You all showed me your faces, and now you''re letting me know your real name? I guess you really plan on killing me after extracting all the information you need from me. Ah, that''s a bit unfair, don''t you think?"

    Raine chuckled, "Hmm¡­ I like you. My daughter said that we could trust you. That she''s actually convincing me to spare your life if you cooperate well? Well, I''ll promise I won''t kill you," Raine smirked. "I''m sure you''re well aware how the Bloody-Eyed Hunter never breaks a promise. Although, we do have a saying that promises are meant to be broken."

    Boris let out a frustrated sigh. He was aware of the Blood-Eyed Hunter''s reputation, and he knew he had no other choice, "Alright¡­ I''ll talk¡­ I might even give you everything you need from the simplest of details. But as I said, I''ll only do it if it''s my mate who will question me. You see, if it''s the Convel Society you want, then you definitely got the right person. I''ll be more than willing to cooperate in bringing down that group so long as you heed me on this one condition. Just that one condition¡­"

    Raine scoffed, then hesitatingly murmured, "Ah, you''re mate. Aire mentioned that to me, but I know Lyne very well. And I''m pretty sure right now that she''s just dying to kill you as soon as we''re done with you. You''re such an impatient rascal. Lyne hated being shocked like that. You should have taken things slow," she clicked her tongue. "Lustful werewolves like you know nothing about women at all! Being with a werewolf is the last thing she would ever want.."

    Boris only scratched at his mustache while staring at Raine with a frown. He liked her, very sassy, but unfortunately, she was not his mate.

    Raine got up from her seat, "I''ll try to talk to Lyne. But if she insists on not doing it, then I guess I''d rather kill you than get nothing from you at all. There''s nothing to be bargained for in this situation, and I''m sure you''re well aware of that. But then again, my daughter Aire is vouching for you. So maybe I''ll give you some consideration and be a bit lenient."

    Boris snarled but controlled his emotions since he didn''t want to feel another dose of concentrated pain again. He watched as Raine left the room. It looked as if the little pup was helping him.

    Meanwhile, Aire was worried about her Aunty Lyne. She walked to her bedroom and knocked at the door, "Aunty? It''s me, Aire. Can I come in?"

    "The door''s open, Aire. Come in," Lyne replied in a low tone.

    She had elected to stay inside her room after talking to Boris. She focused on working at her pending works for the Yue Group to keep herself busy and occupied. That way, she wouldn''t have to think about the nonsense that the brute werewolf said to her a while ago.

    ''Mate?! Mate, my ass! I''ll kill you before you can even lay your dirty hands on me!''

    "Aunty, you can come out now. Why are you hiding here? Is it because of Uncle Boris?"

    Lyne was snapped back to reality when she heard Aire speak. She sadly looked at Aire and said, "How did you know so much, Aire?"

    "I''m a werewolf too, Aunty. It''s only natural that I can tell that much."

    Lyne''s eyebrows wrinkled. Did she miss some crucial information about werewolves? Could they really tell who was each other''s mate was just like that?

    "I have special abilities, Aunty, so don''t ponder too much about it. I''m sure you know mutants can obtain special abilities, and I''m one of them," Aire explained, seemingly able to read what was going on in her mind. "But someday, you''ll understand everything, so please stop hiding inside your room and just face Uncle Boris, okay? He''s actually a good mutant¡­ Just a bit loud, but you will learn to like him if you just try to get to know him better."

    "You''re so weird, Aire¡­ You''re starting to scare me," Lyne whispered with a frown.

    She wouldn''t accept it! Over her dead body! She would never allow herself to turn into a werewolf! She would not! She would rather die a human than live as a monster!

    Aire let out a sigh¡­ ''Uncle Boris has a long way to go,'' the little kid mused. She should talk less for now, or else she would scare all of them.. Or worse, she might just be digging her own pit.

 Chapter 121 - No More Teasing

    Raine was deep in thought when she walked towards Lyne''s bedroom. Aire had quickly briefed her on what happened before she went inside Boris'' room, and she was honestly surprised at how the situation turned out.

    Aire insisted that it was destiny that Boris ended up in their hands. That way, he happened to find his mate, Lyne. But Lyne would never¡­

    She let out a sigh as she stopped before Lyne''s door. Mustering up the courage, she knocked.

    "It''s me¡­"

    The door opened, revealing Aire as she smiled at Raine, "Hello, Mommy."

    "Hmm, the little pup is here. Why don''t you go out first and play with Uncle Levi or Aunty Mia, dear? Mommy needs to talk to Aunty Lyne in private."

    Aire nodded with a smile. She then left the room immediately.

    Raine then walked towards Lyne on her couch. She sat beside her, grabbing Lyne''s hands before gently squeezing them in reassurance.

    "What''s going on, Lyne? Why are you hiding here?" Raine asked.

    "I''m scared, Boss. That werewolf called me his mate¡­" Lyne stuttered. "What if I¡­ turn? We all know werewolves would do anything to have their mate with them. Unless I¡­"

    Sensing her distress, Raine patted Lyne''s head before then pulling her in for a hug as she gently stroked her hair.

    "Don''t you dare kill yourself over such small matters, Lyne. You know how your life is very precious," Raine whispered. She knew the exact words that Lyne was having a hard time finding. Either they killed the werewolf, or Lyne killed herself before that werewolf took her or turned her into his mate.

    "Don''t worry too much about it. Don''t you know me at all? I won''t let anything happen to you. I will not let that rascal take you, especially if it''s against your own will, Lyne," Raine reassured.

    There was a reason why Lyne was acting like this. Lyne had already lost her father, the most important person in her life, at the same time that Raine''s father fell into a coma. During the fight, Lyne''s father, who was a part of her father''s elite team, had been mercilessly torn to pieces by a werewolf named Danos. As a result, Lyne hated werewolves, especially so amongst other mutants.

    Though Lyne was trying her best not to hate all werewolves, keeping her rationality that not all were bad had been hard. Even so, Raine understood Lyne''s feelings¡­ The word ''mate'' the rascal uttered earlier had greatly affected Lyne. More often than not, female humans ended up being werewolf mates whether they liked it or not. Being with a werewolf, or worse, becoming a werewolf herself, would be the worst thing that could ever happen to her.

    "Lyne, you must understand. Not all werewolves are bad. Look at Aire. Maybe Aire was right about Boris. I mean, you guys can probably talk it out and come into an agreement or something. She''s vouching for him, so I''m sure that werewolf won''t force himself on you," Raine whispered.

    "I know that, Boss. It''s just that I¡­ I can''t see myself turning into one of those monsters that killed my father. What if Aire was wrong? What if he forces me to turn?" Lyne whispered, fear engulfing her whole body. Yes, she was a skilled fighter, but without their high-technology weapons against mutants, humans were pretty much next to nothing when compared to them.

    "I heard not all werewolves turned their mates. There are some honorable ones that let their mate decide on whether or not they want to become like them," Raine consoled with a dash of humor, trying to lighten up the tension that she felt on Lyne''s trembling body.

    Lyne gently pushed against her Boss and, with a pout, complained, "Boss, stop teasing me like that! This isn''t funny at all. You sound like you want me to consider this¡­"

    Raine laughed, upping the teasing even more, "Ah, I''m sorry, Lyne. I couldn''t help it! I told you to get a boyfriend back in the day, but you ignored all your suitors. If you''re already married, then that werewolf would have never bugged you, even if you''re his mate. Ah, wait, Boris could be handsome too beneath all of that mustache and beard, like Aire said. He can hide being a mutant and just keep his human form forever. Well, you can have that kind of an arrangement with him, right?"

    "Boss!" Lyne complained with a frown.

    Raine laughed, patting Lyne on the shoulder as she said, "Okay, I''ll stop teasing you now. But stop worrying, okay? Just face Boris so that we can finally wrap things up against the Convel Society. Gather your strength and face your fears, Lyne. He won''t be able to touch you even after we''re done with him. Even then, I have no plans on removing that bracelet from his arm. I''ll give you the authority on that, so you can decide what you want to do with him later¡­"

    "But don''t you plan on letting him live if he  cooperated?" Lyne asked. She knew her Boss well. She was fair, so she was sure that their Boss would let Boris live if he would help them against the Convel Society.

    Raine flashed a cunning smile, "I promised him that I wouldn''t kill him if he cooperated with us, and I will keep my promise of not killing him¡­ What happens after that will be up to you , Lyne. Besides, I''m the only one who made that promise. You didn''t promise him anything, right?"

    Lyne''s face lit up in understanding. She knew exactly what her Boss meant.

    "His life is already in your hands. I''ll instruct Levi and Mia to remove all voice recognition recorded in that bracelet from us except yours once Boris gives us the information we need. You can deal with him later. Nothing and no one will ever question or stop you, Lyne."

    "Thank you, Boss," Lyne smiled.

    Raine then suddenly received a message from Levi as her eyes glimmered. She had a mischievous smile as she glanced at Lyne.

    "What is it, Boss?" she asked.

    Raine couldn''t help herself. She wanted to tease Lyne a little bit more.

    "Ah, it''s just Levi. Our captive demands to have a makeover¡­"

    "Huh?!" Lyne gasped.

    "Doesn''t it intrigue you to see what Boris will look like after getting all cleaned up?"

    "Boss!" Lyne cried.

    Raine laughed and added, "Ah, okay, fine¡­ No more teasing. Come now, and let''s go out, alright? Stop hiding in here, okay?"

    Lyne nodded with a sigh. Getting up from the couch, she then went out of her room to follow her Boss.

    ''Why would that werewolf even bother to get a makeover when I''ll only kill him in the end?'' Lyne thought to herself with a smug expression on her face.

    ********************

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 Chapter 122 - His Blood Would Be Hers To Spill...

    Tyrone had come back earlier than expected. Raine didn''t ask him where he had been, seeing as she was aware that Tyrone was also using the Umbra Security Agency in getting vital information that could help her in Xander''s case.

    However, she was still surprised when Tyrone suddenly pulled her out of the house.

    "Let''s go back to the mansion. Your uncle''s about to go haywire soon, and I believe you don''t want to miss it," Tyrone informed. Hearing about the potential source of entertainment, Raine let him drag her inside the car.

    "Care to give me a briefing?" Raine asked with a lifted brow as she settled into her seat.

    "I received a tip that Xander and Yera''s island wedding ceremony will go on a live telecast in about thirty minutes¡­" Tyrone informed. The couple had been missing for a few days now.  Up until a few minutes ago, it would seem, Raine''s team was still trying to locate the couple.

    She wasn''t too worried. She was aware that Xander had managed to trick her uncle into thinking that they were still staying inside their home that was the Yang Mansion.

    They finally arrived at the Yue Ancestral mansion, and Raine was anticipating an excellent show, to which her uncle didn''t disappoint when the time came.

    Yun clenched his jaw as he watched the scene playing on the screen before him.

    "Get me Dalgon now!" he shouted, his veins almost popping out from under his neck. "How dare that bastard outwit me!"

    He was furious, cursing hard at the man who was smiling ear to ear on the screen in front of him as he exchanged vows with the woman beside him.

    He couldn''t believe that Xander Yang even had the nerve to trick them. He was sure his bitchy niece was laughing at him right now! He had thought that Xander already went back inside his mansion, but it turned out that they had been played all this time!

    A few moments later, Dalgon arrived and stood in front of him. The TV remote immediately flew right into his face.

    "They''re doing a live telecast of their wedding! How come none of you were able to find out anything about all this!? Go search for him now!. Search every single place with a beach! Prioritize screening all the people close to that bastard, along with all the properties of his closest friends and relatives!" Yun shouted, his anger reverberating throughout the living room.

    He was surrounded by a bunch of idiots. He didn''t see this coming. Xander was out in the open! It was pretty much an open invitation to kill him! The clock was ticking, and again, they were wasting so much time.

    Raine watched as her uncle stomped in his madness from the first floor.

    "Tsk¡­ He''s too old already. I wonder why he''s still as healthy as a bull? Usually, those with bad anger management issues like that often end up having a stroke. Or perhaps, it''s my uncle''s vitamins that are giving him more lives to live?"

    "Bad weeds don''t die so easily," Tyrone whispered beside her, also watching the scene unfold.

    Raine chuckled, "So are you saying that I too will live longer?"

    "Probably because bad people live longer," Tyrone straightforwardly answered.

    Raine smirked at that, "We''ll see then how long I''ll last¡­"

    "Don''t worry¡­ No matter what happens, I''ll always be by your side," Tyrone murmured.

    Raine flinched, quickly changing the topic by saying, "You see what''s wrong with him, Tyrone? He only instructed his men to look for the bastard''s side, completely ignoring to dig up on his wife''s side more. I bet they''ll select a less suspicious place to hide. He should have instructed them to look into Yera''s side of the family more," she chuckled. "Perhaps it''s a sign of aging. His brain and tactics are becoming rusty as he gets older. Not that I''m complaining. I know it''s an advantage for me."

    "I''ve already found out where they are. I''m just checking out all the options on how to quietly penetrate the place," Tyrone murmured.

    "Good. That''s why I''m not kicking you out just yet. You''re quite useful to me. Always remember that if you ever become useless, you''ll no longer have a purpose¡­ Not that I even have to stress that out to you, right? I don''t like keeping useless things around, and the same applies to the people around me. I kind of see people as mere things," Raine muttered before turning her head to give him a flash of her cunning smile.

    Tyrone hated those kinds of smiles from her. He let out a long deep sigh as he watched Raine leave.

    "Yes, I perfectly understand. I can''t stay by your side if I become useless..." Tyrone whispered, sadness welling up in his eyes. No matter what happens, he should strive to stay useful to her at all times. He was well aware of that fact.

    Tyrone turned around and looked at Yun. His wrath was raining like fire all on over his men. He knew, sooner or later, that Yun would eventually find their wanted location, if only because Dalgon had the capacity to do so despite not being as smart and quick as Tyrone was.

    As he knew it, the couple was at Plumeria Island; Ryu Ken''s private island. It was a very well guarded place, and it wouldn''t be easy even to penetrate the security of that island. He had an idea on how to make it possible, but it would be too dangerous to consider it. It was so bad an idea that it could be regarded as pure suicide. He needed to think of something better for Raine to enter the island safely.

    Meanwhile, Yun would soon think of some ways for Xander to come out from his hiding place should he ever become more desperate. If not for Raine, who often slapped the possible dire consequences in his face, he would have already made a bold move like hurting people close to Xander and Yera to make them come out from wherever they were hiding.

    Raine eventually went back inside her room. She sat on the couch, restlessly leaning back as she placed her head on the headrest. She stared unblinkingly at the ceiling, falling into deep thought.

    She cocked her neck, staring at Xander''s photo on her board. Her father was going to wake up soon. She had decided to spare and help Xander out, but¡­

    She raised her arms and watched her hands move above her. Her hands were stained with blood. No matter how many times she washed them, the blood will always remain in her eyes in all of their different colors. The smell of blood had haunted her since the day her mind ingrained it into her psyche. She always wondered if she could ever escape the smell of it. If her mind would ever forget the sight of the blood...

    Frustration crept into her heart once more. A few more seconds passed, and she picked a knife and threw it at the offending object. The weapon landed exactly where she had aimed it, piercing straight through the target photo.

    "Should I continue saving your life? Or should I just kill you?" she mumbled with a heavy sigh. If Xander wasn''t capable of solving the puzzle in time...

    "Should I wait for a bit more?" Raine mused as she threw another knife on the board. Her father was about to wake up soon. And if by then, Xander was still unable to knock her uncle down, well...

    Then, his blood would be hers to spill....

 Chapter 123 - Her Identity

    Tyrone sighed as he stared at the wall opposite of Raine''s room. He ate dinner alone. Raine was keeping her distance from him and he could honestly feel that it was the case. He noticed how she would often say kicking him out or maybe even saying downright insulting words to him just to get him out.

    He massaged his temple as Aire''s words replayed in his mind¡­ ''Tell her your secret.''

    He wanted to tell Raine his secret as Aire advised, but he didn''t even know where to begin. He let out another sigh. His phone beeped in his pocket, and he frowned, seeing how the offending alarm was from Yun.

    He got up from his seat and went out to meet Yun in his study.

    "Good, you''re here," Yun calmly greeted as he took in his cigarette to blow smoke. "Tell me, do you have something important to report to me?" The man was already done venting earlier. So right now, he was way calmer than his usual demeanor.

    "Yeah. Although, is it okay to meet openly like this? I''m sure your niece will find out about this," Tyrone casually said as he sat on Yun''s opposite side.

    Yun scoffed and hissed, "So what if she finds out? She''s not my problem right now. It''s that Xander! How many lives did that man have to escape death this many times?"

    "It''s just pure luck. This time for sure, he won''t escape you. Raine''s tailing him as we speak, and I think she has a lead on where he''s hiding. You should investigate his wife because that was what Raine was doing. His wife has a lot of connections, too, you know? Like the Kens, so you should start there," Tyrone informed. He already knew where Xander was, so Raine had the upper hand in getting there first.

    Raine instructed him to give Yun useful information but delayed for as long as possible.

    Yun had a satisfying smile on his face as he said, "Now, you''re talking. I see that you are finally serving your purpose. If you keep this up, then I might promote you once I take over the  Moon Clan''s throne."

    "Are you sure you can pull it off? The last time I checked the King with Raine, he still looked good. He looked like someone who can wake up any time soon rather than someone who was dying."

    Yun frowned, "It''s been a while since I looked into my brother, but his doctors clearly informed me that there''s no more hope for him. He would suggest to Raine to end his life support this week. I already agreed to it, and Raine''s approval is the only thing needed for it to pull through. There''s no hope for Marcus. I love my brother deeply, but prolonging his suffering like this is too much already. We''ve been waiting for him to wake up for so many years already, but we''ve waited for long enough just to continue further with my big brother''s suffering."

    Raine was right. Yun genuinely did love her father. Tyrone could see on Yun''s face how he grieved while saying those words. He did care a lot for Marcus. And yet, he was ready. And, Tyrone must say, he was excited about taking over the throne once Marcus died.

    "What are your plans for Raine once your brother dies?" Tyrone straightforwardly asked.

    Yun''s face dimmed upon hearing Raine''s name.

    "That brat has no right over the Moon Clan! I just didn''t get until now why my brother loved that b*tch so much like she was his own blood!" Yun grunted with gritted teeth.

    Tyrone''s eyebrows flinched, "You mean Raine is not King Marcus'' real daughter?"

    Yun laughed out loud like a maniac. He glared at Tyrone as he continued, "Of course not! Why would I let that bi*tch get in my way when she''s nothing but a bastard in the first place?"

    He scoffed, "My brother is so in love with that bi*tch Ava that he was willing to take care of that whore''s daughter like she was his own. Ava was carrying twins that day, but the other twin died. Marcus only managed to save Raine. Oh, Tyrone¡­ It''s a very long story, and I don''t have the time or patience to chitchat you about it¡­ But I''ll surely tell Raine about who she is once she''s already on her last breath."

    Tyrone gulped¡­ That was unexpected, but he was glad that he learned such a piece of vital information about Raine like this.

    "Look at you¡­ Now you know where your loyalties should lie, Tyrone. Raine is going down, and it''s as soon as my brother leaves this world for good. I''m sure you''re a wise man, Tyrone. Choose wisely."

    Tyrone wanted to ask for more, but he didn''t wish to compromise his current standing. So there was a high possibility that Raine had a connection with that woman who looked exactly like her¡­ That Mara... Could it be that they were twins? But Yun said that the other twin had died? Or maybe not¡­ There were far too many questions lingering inside his head right now.

    Yun had dismissed him so Tyrone quickly went out of the study. He was in deep thought as he walked through the hallway. Raine should know about this¡­ About the truth of her identity¡­

    Tyrone quickly walked. But then, instead of going inside Raine''s room, he instead went to his room. He would just have to use the balcony instead, as they shared the same balcony anyway. He walked straight into the balcony and entered Raine''s bedroom through there.

    "Hmm, I see that you like sneaking around inside my bedroom," Raine commented with a smirk, watching Tyrone walk towards her on the couch.

    She was sitting comfortably with her legs stretched out on the couch. She had then folded and hugged her knees, signaling Tyrone to sit beside her. She had her back on the armrest of the couch, so she was facing Tyrone at that moment.

    As Tyrone sat beside her, she playfully straightened her legs again and rested them on his lap.

    "Are you here to give my legs and hips another massage?" she mischievously murmured.

    ''Ah, and here she goes again¡­ playing with fire simply because she couldn''t help herself from doing so!'' Raine thought wryly.

    "I can do that if you want, but maybe later¡­ I have an important thing to tell you," Tyrone whispered with a hitch in his breath. He was way too distracted with Raine''s bare legs on his lap!

    Tyrone sighed as he quickly turned his head away from Raine''s shining flawless legs. They were so pure and immaculate that he could clearly see the light in her room reflecting off of them.

    He frowned, noticing that Raine''s knife board was pretty all thrown into Xander''s photo.

    "I thought you''re going to spare him already?"

    Tyrone intently stared at Raine as he waited for her reply.

    "Yeah, I hoped so too, but time is ticking. Father will wake up earlier than expected.. And even now, Xander is still unable to bring down Uncle despite all the clues we already provided him and in his team."

 Chapter 124 - Aware Of The Truth

    Raine let out a frustrated sigh as she continued, "This is getting frustrating. I can''t delay Father''s health any further. Janus said it would be too risky if he didn''t take those tubes out of him once his body was already in full condition to wake up. And I won''t risk it¡­"

    "Do you think your father will also try to kill Xander? Or would he ask you to do that instead?" Tyrone asked.

    Raine did not answer.

    Tyrone asked once more, "Would you kill Xander if your father asked you to?"

    Raine looked at Xander''s photo, and Tyrone saw the clear distress in her eyes. He should tell Raine the truth that Marcus wasn''t her birth father!

    "In the eyes of many, my father is a villain. And I can''t blame them for it since my father has done many an evil deed in the past. I witnessed all of that as I grew up. But¡­ he had been so good to me. You saw it, right? That big scar he has on his face? I was six when he got that scar. I was young at the time, but I still clearly remember what happened back then."

    There was a pause before Raine continued, "I know that something''s wrong with me. Everyone considers me as a jinx. Wherever I am, trouble was always bound to follow¡­ Not everyone likes my existence, and one of them is grandfather Philip. I know, and I can tell even at my young age, that something must be wrong with my real identity."

    "No one liked me in the family except for my father, Marcus. No one treated me like family as he did. He got that scar from grandfather''s whip. It should''ve hit me, but father shielded me by facing his father even as his face bled from the wounds."

    She continued her tale, "I saw how he bent on his knees, crying hard, pleading for my life¡­ I really didn''t understand it, but I still clearly heard the words they constantly threw at me. Abomination¡­ Chaos¡­ My grandfather called me all these things as I grew up. I learned to understand so many things¡­ Including how genuine a father''s love for his daughter can be. He trained me so hard, not just to use me against his enemies but also for my own good so that I can protect myself welI. I vowed that I wouldn''t listen to anyone but my father at that point. I would protect him in the way that he had always had while he was watching over me."

    Raine shook her head in mirth, "If you looked at it carefully, his words were right. The world is cruel, and the weak only end up getting beaten. So what was wrong with being powerful? If you are in a higher position, no one would even dare to hurt or bully you. I shared the same sentiments as him, just that the only difference would be that I prefer to use my power not to just stomp on others who get in my way, but to protect those who I love and treasure the most."

    "Raine¡­ King Marcus-" Tyrone stopped halfway as Raine''s lips suddenly covered his, sensually kissing him as she comfortably straddled his lap

    "Don''t say a word that I don''t want to hear¡­ Nothing really matters to me but except keeping that vow and promise I made to myself. He is my father, no matter what happens," Raine murmured in his lips. "Also, I kissed you to stop you from talking. That way, I won''t have to talk too much about my past as well. By the way, I''m hungry, but I''m not in the mood to eat dinner with Uncle. So how about you bring our dinner here instead and let''s just eat here?" Raine suggested.

    Tyrone couldn''t believe that Raine would do things like this so casually. He was on the verge of losing control. Her alluring scent alone was already too much to bear. He honestly applauded himself for how much control he had already exercised around Raine with all the teasing she would do to him.

    "What do you want to eat then?" Tyrone managed to ask in his husky voice. If they stayed in that position for a few seconds more, he just might lose his hold on himself.

    Raine had a devious smile as she playfully answered, "You?"

    Tyrone''s face darkened as he scolded, "Stop playing with me, Raine¡­"

    "Who''s playing with you?" Raine answered back with an innocent look.

    Tyrone felt as if he was going crazy already. He might actually explode from all his dilemmas if this kept up.

    Raine scoffed as she quickly got up from his lap, "Okay, fine. Go and get us dinner. I prefer anything so long as you''re the one who cooked it."

    Tyrone got up from the couch and walked out the door with a gloomy expression, silent as a library.

    ''I should be the one getting irritated, not her¡­ Didn''t she know that she had been torturing me for more than enough already?'' Tyrone retorted to himself.

    He sighed at the thought of telling Raine the truth. It would seem as if Raine was already aware of the truth. However, she didn''t want to accept it. It could be true that Marcus was indeed a good father to her, but that won''t erase just how heinous of a man he had been and all of the crimes he still committed to others.

    Tyrone''s mobile phone rang, and he smiled upon seeing that it was Aire.

    "Daddy, do you think you''re free tomorrow morning?" Aire asked.

    "Hmm, let''s see¡­ Why? Do you need anything?"

    "Can you accompany me to buy a present for Mommy and the rest?" Aire requested.

    "Alright. Tell me what time you want to go out. Let''s see if I can sneak out with you¡­"

    "Thanks, Daddy."

    The call ended, and Tyrone just fell even deeper in thought as he walked to the kitchen.. Thoughts of which regarding Aire, her real identity, and the real reason she was here.

 Chapter 125 - Comfortable In Being Naked

    "So, how did it go?" Mia curiously asked Levi in the kitchen as the latter prepared for dinner.

    "Ah, Mia¡­ How am I supposed to know that? If you''re feeling curious, then why don''t you take a peek in the hidden camera inside his room and see for yourself how he had a make-over of himself?" Levi snorted.

    He just provided Boris everything he needed, like razors and stuff. All of them were too busy to just watch him do his make-over inside his room. That, and Levi was getting annoyed with Mia, acting too excited to know how the werewolf looked after getting all cleaned up and fixing all the hairs in his body!

    "Why are you acting so moody?! Hmmp!" Mia harrumphed as she grabbed some oranges and peeled them. She watched him do his cooking from over the kitchen counter that she was sitting on.

    Before long, Lyne arrived in the kitchen and asked, "Is the food ready?"

    "Are you going to bring him his dinner?" Mia asked with eyes wide open.

    "Yeah¡­ I have to talk to him so we can extract more information," Lyne regretfully answered.

    "You''re not scared anymore?" Mia pondered in disbelief. She would''ve definitely hidden from that man''s eyes forever if she was in Lyne''s shoes.

    "Why would I? He''s wearing the bracelet, so his life is basically in my hands. Boss allowed me to decide what to do with him after extracting everything that we needed from him. I''ll get him his food, then question him while he eats," Lyne replied as she grabbed a tray and prepared Boris''s dinner.

    "Oh, this is interesting. I''ll leave you here, okay. I''m going to watch the two in the camera," Mia excitedly whispered to Levi as Lyne left with Boris''s dinner tray. As she passed by, she saw Aire in the living room and pulled the little kid with her.

    "Where are we going, Aunty Mia?" Aire asked.

    "Ah, we''ll take a peek at Boris''s transformation and his conversation with Aunty Lyne. It''ll be boring if I do it alone, so come and sit with me¡­" Mia explained with a grin.

    "Oh, but I already know what uncle Boris looks like¡­"

    "Huh?"

    "Uhmm- What I meant to say is that I can already tell how handsome he is once he got all cleaned up. I''m sure you''ll also feel your jaw drop once you see him. He''s actually more manly than Uncle Levi, you know¡­" Aire murmured.

    Mia''s eyes widened. She stopped walking and gave Aire a sour pout as she defended, "Stop teasing me with your uncle Levi, Aire. Don''t you see how uncomfortable he is right now? Ah, you''re making our relationship more complicated than it should be¡­"

    Aire chuckled, "You''ll somehow thank me later, Aunty. I''m helping uncle Levi notice you in a different light instead of simply being a friend."

    Mia clicked her tongue and crossed her arms as she scoffed, "Look at you playing cupid again. Hmph! If it doesn''t end up like that, I will definitely hate you."

    Aire confidently giggled, "You''ll love me for sure, Aunty. So stop hesitating and just ignore me whenever I tease you and uncle Levi. Now, let''s go watch how Aunty Lyne will keep her calm once she sees uncle Boris."

    Meanwhile, Lyne had been stuck in front of Boris''s door for a while now. She breathed in and out air with a loud exhale of encouragement before opening the door. She pushed the tray cart inside, and she frowned when she noticed that Boris wasn''t around. He was probably still inside his bathroom. He would definitely take his time grooming himself with all those hairs on him.

    They couldn''t afford to get someone to assist him, so he had no choice but to do his make-over himself. All they could do was provide him with the things he needed, which she heard Levi already gave.

    She had chosen to question him while he was having dinner. It was way better than Boris doing nothing since the man would surely just gape at her most of the time like he did before. She already witnessed his lustful eyes roaming all over her the first time they met, so she honestly expected that it would be just like that whenever he would see his so- called mate¡­ Ughh¡­ Lyne drastically shook her head at the word ''mate.'' Just thinking about the word already made her stomach turn upside down!

    While she was preparing the table with the meals she brought, the bathroom door in the room suddenly swung open.

    "Ah, that wonderful smell¡­" Boris commented with a wide smile on his face as he dried his hair with a towel.

    Lyne''s eyes widened at the sudden sight of Boris. Seeing that he only had a towel covering his lower body, she immediately turned around. Already, her face had turned into a wonderful shade of deep red. Lyne even placed a hand on her chest, feeling out the erratic beat of her heart as she tried to calm herself down.

    She almost didn''t recognize him. He looked so different after his make-over. Aire was right. He was indeed dashing and handsome, not to mention how great his body was with those abs and¡­

    Lyne''s eyes widened even further in terror as she managed to catch her own thoughts. What was wrong with her? Just a while ago, she was loathing the werewolf. But now she was admiring his physical appearance?!

    ''Are you nuts, Lyne?!'' she scolded herself.

    She composed herself as she barked, "Will you get dressed, huh? This isn''t like your den where you can walk around half-naked!"

    "What''s wrong, mate? To be honest, I''m more comfortable in being naked than having clothes at all. I don''t see anything wrong with how I look right now," Boris naively commented with a grin.

    "Stop calling me mate or I won''t hesitate to inflict pain on you," Lyne threatened.

    "And I can''t wait to inflict pleasure onto you, my¡­ Lyne. Come now and turn around. You''re making me think that you''re getting affected simply by seeing my bare chest," Boris challenged.

    Lyne, with a dark and cold aura, turned around. Opening her eyes, she silently thanked the heavens upon seeing that Boris had finally put some clothes on.

    She comfortably sat on the chair opposite him and said, "Let''s begin the talk while you''re eating."

    "Fine. But first, tell me if you have already eaten dinner because I suggest you eat with me. I''m sure that we will definitely have a very, very, long night," Boris answered with a cunning smile.. He already planned on eating slowly and answering Lyne with as much time as he possibly could the whole night through.

 Chapter 126 - Wash The Blood Spilled

    The very next day, Raine was in a conversation with Mia and Levi. It was then that she got a call from Dan.

    "Boss, Xander''s father already left," Dan reported.

    "Alright. I got it, Dan. Coordinate closely with Tyrone about Xander''s whereabouts. My uncle will definitely focus on Xander, but let''s also focus on his wife, Yera¡­" Raine instructed. "I''m sure their movements are tricky, and the military has a part in it, I''m sure."

    Ending the call, she looked at her wristwatch.

    "Do you want me to call Tyrone?" Mia asked.

    "No. Let him have a few hours of rest from being my shadow. Aire wanted to go out with him, so let them be. For now, I''ll visit my Aunty. And for that, I don''t need Tyrone with me," Raine commented.

    She then looked at Levi and asked, "Have you no important details from Rui''s phone yet?"

    Levi shook his head. "I''m monitoring the airport. And so far, no arrival details from Mr. James Yang," he answered pertaining to Xander''s father.

    Meanwhile, while Raine was on her way to visit her Aunty Ester''s residence, the old woman had already got some unexpected visitors from the Earth Clan. Lucas with his son Chad who was newly crowned as the new King of the Earth Clan.

    "It''s been a while, Lucas. Ah, your son... Time flies by so fast. I''m rooting for your son, and trust me, I will support him in this coming election," Ester smiled as she poured tea for the two gentlemen before her. Chad had a good reputation, and he was running for the presidency this coming election at country V.

    "Thank you, Ester. To be honest, we came here to talk about something else. Not about the upcoming election, at least." Lucas pointed out. "Kanya''s husband would like to meet with you and have a talk."

    Ester''s hand trembled as she immediately put down her cup. Her eyes suddenly became glossy upon hearing the name. Kanya was one of the twins; one of her nieces who had escaped the Moon Clan with the help of their father, Arthur, before he became King.

    "Lucas, what are you doing? Do you want to see me dead?" Ester whispered. She was well aware with what was going on inside the Moon Clan right now, with how Yun was eradicating the bloodlines that could become a threat to Marcus, his brother, for the throne. They were a family once, even if Marcus and Yun didn''t really carry Yue blood in their veins. But said family ties ended as soon as that eradication happened years ago¡­ They were then followed by the killings of many more that would threaten Marcus''s reign as the King of the Moon Clan.

    "Ester, I will make sure that the meeting will be confidential. No one from your clan will ever find out. He just wants to find out the truth about Kanya. They need help, Ester. His son is in danger. His son is the only living relative with real Yue blood coursing through his veins. The real successor, Ester."

    "You once said to me that if given a chance, you will correct everything that was wrong and set things straight. Now is the time, Ester, to do what''s right. He is your brother''s grandson¡­ Your blood¡­ It''s time to revise the rules. Those twisted rules¡­ While King Marcus is still infirm, Ester... " Lucas pleaded. He was well aware that Ester had been suffering from being a prisoner in her clan for years. Not in the literal sense, but in an emotional and mental sense.

    "Where is he?" Ester whispered, hesitation still evident in her eyes.

    She had already lost her son to these rules, and her own grandson was also missing. She didn''t even know if her grandson was still alive simply because she didn''t even bother to look for him. She was too afraid that he was already on the path of suffering the same fate that his father would have gotten, making her fake her grandson''s death to try and avoid it.

    Ester couldn''t help but cry as the pain broke her heart into pieces. Lucas was right. She had nothing left to lose if she ever tried to fight back. She was old already, and before she died, she should at least try to correct what wrongs she could. If only for their clan''s sake.

    "I will meet him, Lucas. Set up everything according to what you think is best. I know that the Moon Clan has been bullying your clan for some time now," she sighed. "They''re trying to frame your clan for their wrongdoings. I will do what I can to get some evidence while I''m inside¡­" Ester added.

    Lucas was startled by her daring declaration, "No, Ester. That''s too dangerous. We can handle everything on our own. I''m only asking you to help out Kanya''s kin, Xander before it''s too late." He pleaded, "Please don''t get involved in our fights with your clan. Freeing yourself from the past would be more than enough. Help Kanya''s son survive this time. A lot of innocent blood had already been shed. Please let this man live, Ester."

    "Thank you, Lucas. I will do everything in my power to help them out." Ester answered with conviction.

    Ester watched the father and son leave her. There was a silent war going on between their two clans. Despite this, the two clans remained casual with one another as if nothing was going on. Casual visits like this amounted to nothing, especially now that the election was nearing.

    She hoped that Lucas'' son, Chad, would win this fight. This way, they might finally achieve a significant change, and absolute peace might be assured.

    It hadn''t been long since Lucas and Chad left when Ester was informed by her servant of Raine''s arrival. She immediately walked toward the entrance and greeted her.

    "Raine."

    "Aunty," Raine politely greeted as she gave the old woman a respectful rub on the cheek with her own.

    The two of them were not really close, but they still had a mutual respect for each other. And to be quite honest with herself, Raine pitied Ester''s situation. However, unfortunately, she had no power to fight against her father regarding his decisions about the security of the Moon Clan''s throne.

    "What can I do for you, Raine?" Ester straightforwardly asked.

    Raine chuckled, "Hmm, you''re still sharp as ever, Aunty. I came here to tell you to help someone from your family. I saw that the Earth Clan had already visited you, and I''m sure they already briefed you about the situation. I just want you to know that I will ensure that you won''t get harmed in the process. Help him out with all you can muster¡­"

    "Why are you doing this? Your father won''t be pleased if he ever finds out that you''re doing something against his brother, Yun."

    Raine let out a sigh. She intently looked at Ester as she whispered, "That''s a hard question, Aunty¡­ I honestly don''t know the answer to that too.. But trust me, I''m trying to make everything right, doing amends, hoping that this would redeem and wash the blood spilled by my father''s hands."

 Chapter 127 - Iâ€™ll Be Gone

    Tyrone and Aire had left the house by the time Raine left to visit her Aunty. He drove Aire towards the forest as she requested.

    "I thought you''re going to buy presents?" Tyrone asked as he suspiciously sneaked glances at Aire inside the car.

    "Hmm, yeah¡­ For everybody, except my gift for Mommy¡­" Aire commented with a grin.

    In less than two hours, they had arrived at the boundary of a remote forest. There was a sign saying not to cross the wall due to the dangerous and wild animals within the forest.

    "Wait here, Daddy. I''ll be back quick," Aire commented as she got out of the car.

    Tyrone only nodded, wondering at what Aire planned to do. He sighed as he saw how Aire quickly crossed the border in her wolf form.

    "What present will she even get inside the forest?" Tyrone whispered as he waited. As he waited, he couldn''t help but ponder on so many things. Primarily, his thoughts landed with so much about Raine that he just ended up sighing in the car multiple times.

    This week would be crucial. He assumed that Xander would manage to see through things soon and file for a Mirage Trial. Soon enough, this would all be over and he had to decide on his final steps¡­

    Another frustrated sigh came out when the door suddenly swung open and a wolf entered from the back. Aire then quickly went back inside and sat on the passenger seat.

    "That''s Draki, Daddy¡­ My gift to Mommy before I leave," Aire commented, introducing the male wolf she got to stay with Raine and protect her with all its might. Aire chose the strongest, the alpha wolf inside the forest to brand as a pet for her mother, Raine.

    "You''re leaving?" Tyrone questioned.

    Aire let off a sad smile, "You know I have to leave, Daddy."

    Tyrone couldn''t say a word. He already had an idea of who Aire really was.

    "Draki is your wolf''s name, so why would you name this one Draki?" Tyrone muttered.

    "It''s so that you and Mommy will remember me whenever you guys miss me," Aire commented with a wink. "Let''s go, Daddy. We''re done here. I''m sure you''re already dying to be with Mommy right now."

    Tyrone shook his head at Aire''s giggles as she teased him. He, too, chuckled, "How come you wanted me to accompany you for this? This only means that I won''t get a present, right?"

    "You''ll get a present too, Daddy. Don''t worry," Aire giggled.

    Tyrone drove the car back onto the road. Aire had wanted to go to the mall next, so they did, leaving Draki inside the opened car. They walked hand in hand inside the mall, Tyrone having fun assisting Aire in buying stuff, including paying for them.

    "Let''s rest for a while and grab some ice cream," Aire suggested as she pulled Tyrone inside an ice cream shop.

    "You shouldn''t be overeating on sweets like your mother," Tyrone scolded as their order came to the table. Aire only wrinkled her nose at him.

    "Do you know why Mommy loves lollipops and all sweet things in general?" Aire asked. Tyrone didn''t respond. "It''s because she got a taste of how sweet life could be the first time she saved a living being from dying. She saved Nathaniel''s life when they were kids, and Nathaniel gifted her a lollipop, showing her his gratitude¡­ You shoul-"

    "Stop, Aire. You shouldn''t say such things in here, or you will be punished," Tyrone reminded, cutting Aire off from saying more words.

    Aire only had a broad smile as she said, "I always knew you, of all people, would figure things out this soon. Now, as your present, I''ll tell you where to find the Voyager''s watch and the Exordium''s list, Daddy¡­"

    Aire had just confirmed Tyrone''s hunch. Worry crept into his face as he whispered, "You shouldn''t stay long here¡­"

    "I won''t. I''ll be leaving soon after I send Draki to Mommy," Aire commented.

    "How is she there anyway?" Tyrone couldn''t help but ask.

    "Don''t worry, Daddy... You''ll just need to work hard. Nevertheless, everything will turn out fine in the end. Me being here is just proof of that, don''t you think?" Aire humorously answered.

    Tyrone didn''t ask any more questions. He knew the rules. Using the Voyager''s watch was dangerous, and there could be significant consequences upon doing so.

    "You''re such a stubborn little girl like your mother," Tyrone murmured with a sigh.

    Aire chuckled, "And you love her despite that. Father¡­ aren''t you curious about the real reason why I''m here?"

    "Will you tell me if I asked?"

    "Of course." Aire shrugged. "There''s no harm in telling it to you honestly, since it won''t cause any alterations¡­"

    "And why are you risking your life in being here?" Tyrone asked with a frown. Aire could tell that he was stopping himself from scolding her hard.

    Aire had an awkward smile as she murmured, "I want to mark him¡­"

    "Mark? Who?!" Tyrone burst in disbelief. A young girl wanted to mark a man?! Who the hell was that man!!!

    Aire blushed as she continued, "My mate¡­"

    "You''re mate?! For goodness sake, Aire! How old are you?!" Tyrone couldn''t help but ask, barely keeping his calm at the moment.

    "Technically, I''m already twelve, Daddy. I just look younger¡­" Aire murmured. Stella, the little girl whose identity she used, was just eight years old.

    "Who is it?!"

    Aire giggled. With a blush, she murmured, "He''s from the Convel Society¡­"

    "What?!"

    Aire only chuckled as she continued, "Keep your voice down, Daddy. We can talk more about it later. Not here while in a public space¡­"

    "So you''re saying that he''s a pure-blood werewolf?"

    Aire nodded.

    "You''re too young to be thinking like this, Aire! How could you risk yourself coming here just to mark a man?! This is unacceptable! Go back now!" Tyrone scolded.

    He couldn''t believe what he was hearing. He wanted to tear that werewolf apart, whoever he was for bewitching Aire like this.

    Aire shook her head. Understandably, she suddenly regretted ever telling her Daddy the real purpose of her presence.

    She had a pout when she harrumphed, "I''m going back soon. Don''t get mad, okay.. I''ll be gone before you even know it. Hmph!"

 Chapter 128 - Dare To Crave For The Rose

    Raine was so surprised when she saw Aire and Tyrone come back with a wolf that was almost half her size.

    "His name is Draki, Mommy. He will keep you safe and keep you company whenever Daddy or I are not around," Aire beamed with a smile.

    Raine instantly felt a connection form between her and the wolf. The animal immediately presented itself as meek and tamed around her.

    "Did you tell Draki to behave around me?" Raine asked with a beautiful smile on her face as she stroked the wolf''s back.

    "Yup, I did¡­ I predicted that you wouldn''t allow me to come with you everywhere you go, even if I''m in my wolf form. So here I thought, why not just bring you a wolf pet instead that can accompany you anywhere you go?" Aire chuckled. At the same time, she kept sneaking glances at her father, Tyrone, every once in a while. He had remained grumpy ever since their discussion at the ice cream shop.

    He had insisted on knowing who her mate was, but she refused to disclose any more details to him, afraid of what he would do once he found out who it was. It might change some events that would cause some unforeseen effect in her body.

    They were in the living room when Lyne entered the area with a yawn.

    "Oh my... What a cute wolf!" Lyne murmured sheepishly.

    "That''s Uncle Boris," Aire naughtily teased, playing a prank that made Lyne suddenly step back instead of enthusiastically approaching the wolf as she had initially planned.

    Raine laughed, "Stop pranking your Aunty Lyne, Aire. That''s no good. Look at how pale she is now."

    Aire giggled, winking to her Aunt Lyne as she murmured, "I''m just joking, Aunty Lyne. He is Draki, a wolf pet I got as a gift for Mommy."

    Lyne''s face fell as she scoffed disappointingly, "That''s not funny at all, Aire."

    "You woke up late," Raine commented, seeing that Lyne was still in her pajamas.

    "It''s that damn werewolf''s fault. He''s too slow giving me details. He had so many pauses mid-sentence that it''s like he''s in a drama series in the local television constantly having commercial breaks," Lyne irritatingly huffed. "He told me about a secret passage we can use to attack Convel Society territory, but he insisted on showing it to me himself for confirmation," she informed.

    "Eh, you''ve got nothing to loose in trying. His life is technically in your hands, after all. Just say the word ''die'' and he will die," Raine reassured Lyne as she reminded her of her power.

    "Go and eat your brunch first. I''ll need to go out again later. And this time, you''re going with me," Raine instructed.

    Lyne nodded at her Boss before quickly leaving to get ready.

    Raine then looked at Aire and said, "Thank you for this fantastic present, Aire. I''ll surely bring Draki with me at all times."

    Aire smiled sweetly at Raine, who moved to pull her in for a warm hug. Tyrone had a soft expression as he watched the scene. His eyes met Raine''s, and he smiled.

    Raine was surprised to see Tyrone smile so suddenly like that. It was a once-in-a-blue-moon event,  seeing as he often kept up his usual stoic expression.

    With a buzz, Tyrone''s mobile phone rang, making him answer it while not breaking away from Raine''s eye contact.

    "Alright... I will relay it to her... Yes... Thank you," Tyrone disjointedly replied before ending the call. "Xander''s father already arrived at the airport," he informed.

    At the news, Raine gently pushed Aire and said, "Go and play around for a bit, Aire. Mommy needs to work now."

    Aire immediately nodded and called Draki, saying, "Maybe I''ll introduce Draki to everyone¡­"

    Raine nodded and watched Aire walk away with the wolf.

    "Report this to my uncle as well. I need you have to gain his trust to try and get me a confidential meeting with Dalgon," Raine turned to instruct Tyrone as she walked back inside her bedroom.

    Dutifully, Tyrone followed her.

    "Dalgon?" he questioned. Why ould Raine need Dalgon, Yun''s right-hand man?

    Raine comfortably sat on her couch as she stared at the roses sitting inside the vase at her center table. She smiled, knowing that it was Aire who put them there. Ever since Aire arrived, she would always see fresh roses on her center table.

    "Uncle Yun only trusted two men in his life, and that''s Dalgon and  Fatty Long," Raine commented. Tyrone had heard about Mr. Long before, but he hadn''t gotten the chance to meet the man yet.

    Raine grabbed the stem of one of the white roses in the vase as she continued, "Between those two, I noticed some hesitation in Dalgon''s eyes. That man is calculative, and I can feel that I can easily convince him to change sides. So from now on, try your best to be nice to him¡­"

    "But I don''t like how that bastard looks at you."

    Raine chuckled at how dark Tyrone''s face was. "You''re quite possessive, aren''t you¡­ Don''t worry. You''re still my favorite, darling," she playfully stated, winking teasingly at Tyrone.

    "Ouch!" she suddenly yelped. It would seem that she accidentally got pricked by one of the thorns on the rose. She always forgot how thorny rose stems were.

    However, she was even more startled when Tyrone suddenly popped up beside her. Grabbing her hand and pulling at her finger, he focused on the one that had blood and put it inside his mouth.

    Her eyes widened as she watched Tyrone suck on her index finger as he stared at her. She gulped, the sudden jolts of electricity in her body hitting her like a chill.

    How come she was already feeling aroused just by him sucking on her finger? Already, she unconsciously bit her lower lip. The urge to pull Tyrone in and kiss him senselessly was starting to build up again.

    ''Keep your distance from him!''

    Thank goodness she could keep her control and rationality. Quickly pulling her hand away from him, she kept to her thoughts as she reined herself in.

    "What do you think you''re doing?!" she hissed.

    "Sucking on your sweet blood," Tyrone answered calmly.

    Raine glared at him as she grunted, "And who gave you permission to suck it, huh?"

    "What is going on? How come you''re acting so moody lately? It''s even worse than unpredictable weather these days," Tyrone murmured.

    Raine''s eyebrows furrowed as she just replied, "Get out and do what I asked you to do. I need some time alone¡­"

    Tyrone let out a sigh as he got up and got out. He picked up the rose that fell on the floor, putting it back in the vase with a sigh, "Why are all beautiful things so difficult to grasp? Look at this flower, so pretty but is surrounded by thorns... It is pleasing to the eye but just as difficult to hold."

    "That''s why you shouldn''t try to pick a rose," Raine scoffed.

    "He who is scared of the thorns should not dare to crave for the rose," Tyrone poetically whispered. With a devilish grin, he turned to Raine and added, "But I always yearn for the rose even if it hurts me."

    Raine watched Tyrone turn away and walk out of her room in disbelief.

    "What the hell was that?" she murmured, feeling shudders run all over her body!

 Chapter 129 - Mated

    Raine felt restless as soon as Tyrone left. He was starting to get bolder, and she feared that he was getting far closer to her than to her liking. She wanted him to feel that she was just playing around so that he wouldn''t expect something from her.

    "Maybe I should just act annoyed at him for a while," Raine murmured.

    She had a reason for why she was doing it. She could feel that they could wrap Xander''s case up soon. And by then¡­ what would follow was¡­

    Raine released a deep and frustrated sigh. She then heard a knock on her door. Getting up, she went to the door and opened it.

    "Boss, I''m ready. Should I prep the car?" Lyne asked as she stood in her doorway.

    Raine nodded. She and Lyne then walked the hallway together. It was there that they saw Levi rushing towards them.

    "What''s wrong?" Raine asked with snapped eyebrows.

    "There''s fighting inside Boris''s room. He and Tyrone¡­" Levi explained while gasping for breath. If he didn''t happen to grab his mobile phone that he had left inside the control room,  he wouldn''t have been able to see how the two men were trying to kill each other.

    Hearing the news, Raine and Lyne immediately ran to Boris''s room. By the time they arrived, both men were already wrestling each other on the floor.

    "Pain!" Lyne shouted, and Boris quickly cringed at the sudden pain.

    "What is going on in here!?" Raine yelled.

    It was only then that Tyrone got up from pinning Boris down on the ground. He and Boris glared at each other, both still clearly raring for a fight.

    Raine lifted an eyebrow as she dragged a chair to her and sat on it. She stared at the two in disbelief.

    "So, who would care to narrate what just happened? Are you two just doing some friendly exercise? Or are you two genuinely trying to kill one another?" Raine questioned.

    She gazed at Tyrone with a sharp stare.

    "It''s nothing¡­ Just that¡­"

    Boris scoffed, making Raine turn to him, "It seems like you want to say something, Boris. Or perhaps do you want me to torture you instead just to make you answer me?"

    "This man of yours is way too sensitive¡­" Boris began before pausing.

    "Continue," Raine authoritatively instructed.

    "I was just joking around when he suddenly started getting heated and wanting to kill me," Boris defended.

    Raine honestly felt like she was a school teacher counseling kids trying to fight each other.

    "Joke as in?"

    Boris was unable to answer. Tyrone stood up and went up to the plate, "It''s nothing serious. ust some petty talks and fights between men.

    "What did you say? Tell me, or I will inflict pain," Lyne hissed at Boris. She was curious to know why Tyrone would suddenly get furious like that.

    "I said that his mate was a hot bombshell and that everyone in the Convel Society would feast on her once they took over..."

    Boris couldn''t even finish his sentence. It was honestly not a joke, but the cold hard truth. Tyrone wanted him to stop saying those words, saying things that were far under their control.

    "Continue¡­" Raine instructed Boris.

    "You see, the Convel Society itself is twisted. Yeah, they united for the singular goal of bringing down the Moon Clan for now, but the society itself has multiple factions despite being ruled by one King. There are five packs forming the whole Convel Society, and not all those five packs would agree to spare the women in the Moon Clan, especially Marcus''s daughter¡­" Boris explained.

    "The worst thing that could happen if they catch you is you becoming a sex slave. Hey, I''m just stating a fact in jest, but your man suddenly got mad and attacked me, telling me to shut up."

    Raine calmly smiled at Boris as she asked, "And what makes you think we will go down instead of the other way around?"

    "They are werewolves. And all of the people in the Convel Society are skilled butchers. You''re just humans holding a bunch of high-technology gadgets. It won''t guarantee your success¡­" Boris stated.

    "The Convel Society cast you away¡­ They threw you away like trash, Boris. Don''t you want to get revenge?" Raine suddenly asked.

    "I do want to get revenge, particularly at that scheming bastard, Danos. That''s why I''m willing to help you in the first place," Boris gritted his teeth, pinning his glare at Tyrone as he continued, "I want Danos''s head¡­ understand?"

    Raine followed Boris'' piercing gaze. Her facial muscles flinched and her jaw clenched, but she didn''t say a word or ask any more questions.

    She stood up from her chair and said, "So basically, Tyrone lost control upon hearing that I''ll  become a sex slave if the Convel Society succeeded in invading the Moon Clan." Raine then turned to Tyrone, "Darling, you''re meddling too much. And what I hate the most are people getting clingy around me¡­"

    Boris suddenly coughed, making Lyne glare at him to the point that he froze for a bit while trying his best not to laugh out loud. He must admit, this Moonlight Squad that held him captive was really interesting. It was starting to look like he would enjoy his stay here.

    Tyrone had a dim expression as he murmured, "I''ll go out first¡­"

    "Your mate is mad," Boris threw out at Raine.

    "Mate?!"

    "Yeah, you two mated. I can smell your scent in him and his scent in you. So you two are pract-"

    "Pain!"

    Raine yelled, making Boris cry out in pain.

    Lyne, on the other hand, Lyne felt confused at what she just heard. Tyrone and the Boss mated? Mated meant having sex, right? They had sex?

    "Open your mouth. Babbling nonsense like that will make me not hesitate just to end your life, Boris. Be thankful that I''m still lenient, so shut your trap or I will make sure you won''t ever have the ability to speak again," Raine warned.

    "So many people threatening me in here..." Boris complained.

    "It''s not a threat but a warning. The next time you do it, I will be the implementation of what I just warned you about!" Raine retorted with a growl before leaving the room.

    Boris scratched his head then turned to Lyne with a roguish grin, "Hello, my Lyne. How''s your sleep?"

    He would have loved to continue calling Lyne his mate, but the pain of doing so was just too troublesome for him to bear. As such, he avoided calling her his mate as much as possible.

    "Terrible!" Lyne chided as she, too, quickly turned around to leave Boris.

    "Can you please ask Aire to come over?" Boris requested just as Lyne walked out of the door. Aire was the only person that had been nice to him.. Plus, Aire had promised him that she would teach him how to get Lyne''s attention.

 Chapter 130 - Enjoying Your Role

    Raine became ever so busy as days went by. It had also become a medium for her to treat Tyrone professionally, as in treating him as an ordinary right-hand man. Ever since that incident with Boris, she avoided teasing him or being playful around him.

    Right now, she was with Tyrone and Draki in an open ocean inside a luxury yacht drifting over the ocean waves. She was in her bathing suit. And this time, she chose to wear something plain instead of the usual raunchy swimsuit.

    "I saw this coming a mile away¡­" Raine murmured while looking at the photos of Senior Yang, Xander''s father, stationed in country V. The sun was scorching hot at that point, beaming its burning rays on Raine''s skin as she comfortably laid on a chair on the deck of her private yacht.

    She was on a beach not far from the Plumeria Island''s territory where Xander and his wife were hiding. It was a good opportunity for her to get some fresh air, as well, especially since she couldn''t stand to see her uncle''s rotten face inside their territory. His arrogant mug giving out instructions left and right, acting like he was the ruler in the clan.

    "Did you ever find out if there was any other reason for him staying at the Chen Mansion?" Raine asked Tyrone, who simply tapped on his tablet before handing it over to Raine to show her something.

    Tyrone felt how the sun''s rays burnt into his skin, and he wondered if Raine ever applied sunblock on her body because the sun''s heat would surely burn her skin. Such a thing would leave rashes, seeing as she currently only wore a bikini.

    "This video circulated online last night," Tyrone explained, still bothered with Raine''s skin being battered by the sun. He was unaffected by the sudden coldness that Raine was showing him because he knew that it was only a facade. Deep inside, he knew that it was not how she wanted to treat him.

    Raine furrowed her brows and smirked as she watched the video, "Wow, what a romantic scene for our seniors. What a lovely scene. It''s like I''m watching a movie. Did Uncle see this already?"

    "Yes, he did, so security for Senior Yang is loose from his side. He now wants his men to focus on finding out where Xander is hiding¡­ He''ll find Xander eventually, too¡­" Tyrone commented with a sigh.

    "I''m sure Xander''s father isn''t there just to get some tickling romance added in his life. I want you to report every detail of the old man''s movements to me. Especially when he goes out¡­ My gut''s telling me that he has some other agenda behind his current stay in our country. Make sure your movements are discreet in a way that not even my uncle would find out what you''re doing." Raine instructed and she heard another sigh from Tyrone.

    She rolled her eyes, "Why are You letting off sighs everywhere, Tyrone? We found Xander first so that''s good enough. I can save him or kill him before my uncle does anything to him," Raine murmured as she handed back the tablet to Tyrone.

    Tyrone''s face twisted at her words. It wasn''t because of Xander that he was sighing, but because he was actually worried about her burning skin.

    "Did you even put on sunblock before sunbathing like this? The temperature today is quite high, and your ski-"

    He paused, seeing Raine raise her arm, signaling him to leave.

    "What a distraction!" Raine hissed.

    She had clearly erased Tyrone''s memory, so she wondered why he was still acting so clingy around her. Not that she didn''t like it, but¡­

    Her frown changed into a warm smile as she felt Draki''s fur brush up on her legs. Her pet wolf barked and pounced on her happily. Truly her dear daughter Aire was so thoughtful in giving Draki to her as a present.

    "Do you want to swim again?" Raine asked with a smile, only to frown as she saw a bottle of sunblock lotion in Draki''s mouth.

    "What? Is he your boss that you''re following his instructions now?" Raine dryly scolded Draki, who shoved the bottle of sunblock from its mouth and onto her lap. Draki stared at her, nudging its nose on the sunblock as if instructing her to put it on her body.

    Raine turned around to look at Tyrone, who quickly avoided her glare by looking in another direction before talking to their men as if instructing something.

    "Such a nuisance¡­" she mumbled as she opened the bottle to apply some sunblock. If Tyrone didn''t stop acting like this, she would have no choice but to erase all of his memories about her.

    Raine began wondering if that memory-loss powder was indeed effective on Tyrone or if he was just pretending all along. She couldn''t really tell¡­ A lot of things were circulating inside her head¡­ so many speculations that she hoped to be wrong¡­

    A few more minutes¡­

    "Patrols are coming, guys, get your act together," Raine reminded her group when she saw the patrols approaching them.

    "I told you the security at the island is very tight," Tyrone whispered in Raine''s ear as she comfortably put his arm over Raine''s shoulder and pulled her close to him. Their role to play was as a couple on their honeymoon. And that right now, their yacht wasn''t working, effectively stranding them.

    "Looks like you''re enjoying your role too much," Raine whispered back when she felt Tyrone''s lips on her cheek and temple, giving her light kisses.

    "Who wouldn''t?" Tyrone boldly answered, even grabbing Raine''s hand and giving it loving kisses as well.

    "Sir, is there any problem?" The patrol officer asked as soon as they arrived at the yacht.

    "Oh, yeah. Our yacht has stalled¡­" the captain began, talking and explaining their cover story to the officer. The officers occasionally looked at Tyrone and Raine, even sparing Draki occasional glances.

    As such, Tyrone took that opportunity to act coy and sweeter to Raine.

    "You''re overacting," Raine mumbled in complaint when Tyrone peeled her an orange and fed it to her one by one.

    "Who says I''m acting?" Tyrone casually smirked, stealing a vulgar kiss from Raine''s lips.

    Raine''s eyes widened, but she still gave Tyrone a sweet smile since she could tell that the patrol officers were sneaking glances at them.

    Her heart was actually pounding so hard. Tyrone''s closeness was making her body burn in desire that she could not help but recall their intimate moments. She shook off those thoughts out of her head and tried her best to calm the beating of her heart.

    "I will definitely¡­ take care of you after this," Raine muttered with a plastic smile at Tyrone. The latter, meanwhile, simply ignored her warning signals and continued being touchy and sweet at her. He could no longer control it. He saw an opportunity, and he would not miss it. He longed to get close to her like this that he was close to getting mad, thinking how he could do it without Raine rejecting him.

    "I would love that¡­ you taking care of me romantically and sweetly," Tyrone whispered in Raine''s ear.

 Chapter 131 - Donâ€™t Fight Me

    The patrol boat towed their yacht back to the nearby island where Raine and Tyrone were booked to be staying. Raine and Tyrone thanked the patrol officers for their help before returning to their hotel quickly. She had let Tyrone continue with the act of being a clingy husband since Raine was inwardly enjoying it. But now that it was no longer needed, she immediately yanked her hand away from his the moment they were back inside their suite.

    Tyrone''s face darkened for a moment, then he sighed and replaced it with his usual stoic expression while he walked behind Raine.

    Raine''s mobile phone rang as she sat on the sofa. She frowned for a while, staring at the screen before answering it.

    "Yes?"

    "Dr. Candice Yao?"

    "Yes, speaking, who is this?" Raine asked.

    "I''m Ron Dr. Yao. CEO Yang''s executive assistant. The CEO asked me to contact you for a favor," the man informed from the other line.

    "A favor? How come you''re the one calling me instead of him?" Raine asked with a lifted brow.

    There was a pause before the man continued, "Actually, it was the CEO''s cousin Mr. Keira Chan who is asking for this favor. She has a sister that the Chan Family adopted last year and the woman looked exactly like you. Ms. Mara Chan came from an isolated and indigenous island where Ms. Keira and her husband got stranded and rescued a year ago. The similarities between you and Mara are something fascinating. Ms. Keira Chan would like to ask for your cooperation in doing a DNA test. It would be a big help for Ms. Mara Chan because she was longing to find out about her origin."

    There was a loud sigh from Raine before she spoke, "I''m not sure about it, Ron. I will think more about it and give you a call as soon as I decide. I know it''s not a big deal to give my sample but I''m not sure yet. Let me think about it for a while."

    "I understand, Dr. Yao. Please feel free to call me anytime on your decision," Ron said.

    "I will, Ron," Raine replied and ended the call as Ron thanked her.

    Raine did not need Tyrone for what was that call. He knew that it was about the woman who looked exactly like Raine and based on Raine''s conversation with Xander''s assistant, they wanted Raine''s sample.

    "You and that woman could be related," Tyrone could not help but voice out his opinion.

    "And this is not the time for me to think about it. I would rather wait for my father to wake up and ask him directly about it," Raine answered.

    "Would he dare tell you the truth?" Tyrone questioned but Raine only ignored him. She rested her head on the headrest of the sofa. Her eyes closed as she breathed lightly.

    "Ah, the Kens'' security is as tight as you said it would be," Raine restlessly murmured, deliberately changing the topic.

    Tyrone sat on the sofa and stared at her face. She looked weary and exhausted. Draki moved towards him and Tyrone signaled the wolf to quietly walk outside the balcony to relax and take a nap. The wolf quickly obeyed. Tyrone glanced back at Raine and took his time just staring at her beauty while her eyes were still closed.

    "The Kens are a very powerful family that we shouldn''t ever offend, especially Old Master Ken. They''re helping Xander because they treat Yera as one of their own. Try checking out the facilities on the island. I''ve heard some constructions are going on that we can use to penetrate the area easily," Raine added with a sigh.

    The call she received a while ago bothered her. Half of her wanted to do the DNA test, but the other half of her was afraid to pursue it somehow. She grew up without a sibling. Then she wondered how it would feel to have a sister, a twin? She was curious if she and Mara were truly related but somehow, she thought it would be better if she did not have a twin or sibling at all¡­ That Mara would be in a safer place where she was right now. Free as a bird¡­ away from all the mess surrounding her.

    "You look exhausted, Raine. Why don''t you take a break for a while and enjoy our stay here for the time being?"

    Raine opened her eyes. With a faint smile, she snorted, "Hmm, you''ve been addressing me rather casually as of late."

    Tyrone met her gaze, "You told me before to either address you by your name or by calling you Darling¡­"

    Raine chuckled, "And you said that you prefer calling me Boss. Hmm... What''s with the sudden change?"

    "Seriously?" Tyrone frustratingly whispered. He didn''t know whether or not Raine was just faking it. That, or she was really just that dense.

    Raine could tell what was going inside his mind. Of course, she knew Tyrone''s heart, but she preferred to act mindlessly about the unspoken matter. Well, more like she was simply choosing to ignore it like a brainless toad so that she won''t get swayed.

    ''Ah... What I''m doing is so foolish!'' she inwardly retorted to herself.

    There was a sly smile on her face as she stated, "Didn''t I warn you to guard yourself well before myself? If you continue acting weird, then don''t blame me for the consequences¡­"

    Tyrone''s face darkened and, for a while, Raine struggled hard to maintain constant eye contact with him.  His powerful gaze sent shivers down her spine. To her, what she was doing was for his own good. She had suddenly regretted everything she had done to him, thinking why she wouldn''t take responsibility for her own actions and carelessness.

    "Being with me is always a game¡­" Raine weakly whispered. She stood up from the sofa and walked towards the closet as she continued, "You can leave now. I want to rest for a while. I''ll call you back once I come up with a plan on how to penetrate Plumeria Island."

    She was about to walk towards the bathroom when she suddenly felt Tyrone''s firm hand pulling her in. To her surprise, he abruptly pinned her back against the wall.

    "A game?!"

    There was a mocking tone in his voice. The coldness in his blazing bluish-grey eyes made her body freeze from where she stood. She wondered how long she could keep up trying to stare at those fiery eyes.

    "Hmm.... You should have seen this coming¡­" she whispered, staring into his eyes with her fiery gaze as if to challenge his cold stare.

    "Yeah, you''re right¡­ But you too should have known that I''m willing to play any game you want just to stay by your side. After all¡­ you''re my sweet vixen¡­"

    Raine felt her throat dry up from his words.

    ''My sweet vixen¡­'' The words replayed themselves, repeatedly roaring at Raine''s ears. That was what Tyrone called her during their most intimate moments.

    Terror and horror engulfed her being. "What did you just say?" she whispered.

    Tyrone had a dead expression on his face as he repeated, "You''re my sweet vixen¡­"

    "You¡­ you''re not human?!" she gasped in disbelief. The memory lost powder did not work on him? She already had a hunch, but she tried to ignore all the signs¡­ She somehow wanted to be wrong with all of her assumptions for the first time in her life. On the bright side, she was able to breathe a little bit better now from all of those speculations drowning her mind on whether the Glawackus powder worked on him or not.

    "You didn''t forget?" she fearfully asked.

    There was a smirk on Tyrone''s face. He leaned closer to the point where his lips almost touched hers, "How can I forget those wonderful moments? You should know that you''re not someone that can be easily forgotten. You are someone who drives other people crazy, and you drove me insane!"

    Raine''s face paled. She felt so lost that her mind felt as if it was thrust instantly into a chaotic mess.

    She parted her lips to say something, but all she felt was his familiar warmth on her lips as he silenced her. He was kissing her hungrily, leaving her no room to even think let alone say a word. She tried to push him away, but strangely enough, he seemed to become so strong that he didn''t even budge. His chest felt like a hard rock pressing her against the wall.

    To her chagrin, he had easily grabbed her hands off his chest and pulled them up above her head, pinning them firmly behind her. Tyrone then probably sensed her next move as he quickly lifted her up.

    Immediately, her legs subconsciously wrapped themselves around his waist.

    ''What is wrong with me?'' With a thought, Raine tried to regain the senses that the kiss had slowly lured away from her. However, it was too good¡­ His soft lips pressed against hers. For the last time, she found herself just wanting to stay in his arms that way, convincing herself that she probably deserved to have these kinds of feelings towards him.

    There was an inner struggle going on inside of Raine. She was highly unsure of how to handle herself.

    "Don''t fight me¡­ Please don''t fight what you truly feel for me..." he breathed, almost begging her.. He wanted her badly and knew that she felt the same way about him.

 Chapter 132 - My Sweet Vixen**

    "Please, stop fighting it¡­" Tyrone weakly begged into her ear, followed by a gentle kiss applied below her earlobe. He couldn''t take it any longer. He truly felt as if he was really going to go insane if he continued playing with her games like this. He didn''t know if his interpretation of her was correct, but he could still tell why Raine was acting that way towards him.

    He looked at Raine, his eyes practically begging her as he released his grip on her wrists.

    Raine wanted to ask him what he was. Who he really was? However, the words wouldn''t come out of her mouth. She was too afraid to hear the answer¡­ She was too scared to find out the truth.

    Instead of saying a word, Raine wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned forward to give Tyrone''s lips the kiss that she craved for.

    ''Is this okay? To continue following my heart?'' she silently asked herself. But Tyrone''s loving kisses and warm embrace seemed to be giving her assurance that everything was okay.

    Tyrone didn''t expect the sudden kiss Raine granted him. He had honestly readied himself for Raine to ridicule and reject him. But that would not stop him because he could no longer part with her. He didn''t want to push himself this much onto her, only to do so as safely as possible. He only wanted¡­ wanted...

    What did he really want?

    The answer was simple. It was to be with Raine forever. Funny, seeing as she often described herself as his worst nightmare. But to him, she was his most beautiful dream. The more he stayed by her side, the more he became greedy¡­

    It was not part of the plan. Everything became so twisted just because he couldn''t fight his growing feelings for her, the Bloody-Eyed hunter¡­ the Moon Clan princess¡­ He saw it coming, yet he continued following her¡­ following his heart''s desire. Now, all he could think about was how he could keep her by his side.

    He unconsciously groaned when Raine bit his lower lip. There was pain at the act, but the undeniable pleasure of her mouth pressing against him aggressively sent electricity running all over his body. The act only pushed him over the edge. Her scent, her soft body¡­ Everything about her drives him crazy. There was no way he could stop now.

    Like a hungry wolf starving for a luscious meal for far too long, Tyrone slid his tongue inside Raine''s mouth, urging her to reciprocate his thirst. Thankfully, Raine didn''t fail him as she entangled her tongue with his. They were now tasting each other relentlessly. If Raine only knew his struggles in controlling himself around her.

    Not having enough, Tyrone pulled her top off and tossed it on the floor. She was wearing her bikinis, making it way too easy for him to remove it till he finally freed the warmth of her beautiful and soft bosoms pressing against his chiseled chest. Her bosoms, those nipples he longed to feed on. He was too hard¡­ his manhood yearning to enter its home.

    Raine moaned inside his mouth as he probed even deeper, searching the insides of her mouth for her exquisite taste. She wanted to feel even more his skin, so Raine tried pulling his shirt up. Tyrone quickly helped her out, and Raine pulled him down again to kiss him. However, he bent down to pull the remaining of her bikinis off while his damp lips trailed whatever tracts of skin that would come to his sight.

    Raine gulped needily as she suddenly grabbed Tyrone''s hair, her knees already feeling like jelly. His tongue and lips had trailed down towards her core, making her feel so positively weak. He raised one of her legs to his shoulder as he then sensually kissed the sides of her thighs. His damp tongue licked her skin, trailing once again down towards her most sensitive spot.

    Raine bit her tongue as soft moans escaped her mouth. She was too lost to the sensation that she could no longer stop him even if she wanted to. Her body felt too weak even to try to protest.

    Tyrone continued with his ministrations. He wanted to hear Raine''s moans of pleasure with his every move. He wanted her to writhe under his touch like she used to. He wanted her to cry hard in great pleasure because of him, only him!

    His tongue finally made its way to her sex, tasting the sweetness that had haunted him for so many days. He wanted to taste all of what she had to offer, and he tried his best to control his urge and need for her. But it was so damn hard. He groaned in satisfaction, feeling how her body tense while she released her moans of pleasure. He lapped and licked her insides, sparing not a single space unattended. It was all his to claim!

    Raine felt Tyrone filling out her entrance and she couldn''t take it any longer. She was already unaware of how her body brushed against him as he slid his tongue inside her opening.

    "Tyrone¡­" she cried as he continued licking and suckling on her glistening folds. She didn''t know what he was doing down there precisely, but the waves of pleasure coming from deep within her core was just too much to bear. She could already feel her body exploding soon.

    Tyrone himself was dripping with pre-cum just from pleasuring Raine alone. She was clenching his tongue hard, and he could feel her body trembling from his touch. His tongue continued its work while his thumb rubbed her swollen clit. Eventually, he felt her jerk before him. Her essence poured out of her sex and he lapped it all up, lovingly drinking her orgasm as she continued to tremble.

    After a while, he slowly moved upward, planting gentle kisses on her soft skin till he reached the valley of her hard mounds. He was not done with her¡­ He was just getting started¡­

    Raine''s body was still trembling when Tyrone continued doing as he pleased, making her moan nonstop as he took turns in licking and sucking on her nipples. Giving herself the chance, she pulled him up to her and kissed his lips. She moaned. She could still taste herself on his lips¡­

    "I love how you smell and taste¡­ So sweet," Tyrone whispered to her lips, trailing his kiss towards her jawline and down to her neck. He passed through her collarbone before then going back to the crook of her neck, planting hickeys all over her skin. He lifted her up, and Raine moaned as he brushed himself against her wet slit.

    "Say it¡­ Say that you want me too, Raine. I want to hear it from my sweet vixen that I''m not the only one going crazy here. Do you know how hard it is for me to play your game just so that I can continue seeing you? I''m going crazy every time I want to hold you, touch you, kiss you... To truly have you, but I can''t. You''re torturing me too much," Tyrone whispered to her lips as he feverishly stared into her eyes.

    ''What''s the point of denying it when my body didn''t have the slightest intention of rejecting him?'' Raine helplessly thought.

    She met his stare and hoarsely whispered, "Yes, I want you so badly¡­"

    Raine saw the beautiful smile radiating on Tyrone''s face as he once again captured her lips with a kiss. It was such a needy act that she ended up gasping for breath as soon as he released her.

    He was now closely staring at her as he began to position himself. Entering her depths, his hard length probed her insides with one solid thrust.

    "You''re so tight," Tyrone whispered, not breaking eye contact as he continued with his movements. He pumped in and out of her as gently as he could, knowing how tight Raine was.

    Raine pulled him close and ravenously kissed him on his lips as he continued pounding her. An electrifying tinge ran all over her skin with how his hand grazed her mound while continuing to plunge himself in and out of her folds. Slowly, his movements gradually grew stronger and faster, bringing her higher to one peak after another. Her body couldn''t take it anymore.

    She cried hard inside Tyrone''s mouth as she convulsed for yet another mind-blowing orgasm. However, Tyrone didn''t stop as he screamed her name repeatedly with each thrust.

    "It feels so good," he groaned onto her earlobe, licking and nibbling on it as he drew closer and deeper down her moist walls.

    As he approached his peak, his hold on her hips became more and more forceful as his ravenous thrusts reached a fever pitch. With one last thrust, he cried out her name.. Her eyes widened as she felt him pierce her most sacred of places, his warm seed flooding her womb as his shaft throbbed with pleasure inside her.

 Chapter 133 - Quench His Needs**

    Exhausted, Raine tightly hugged Tyrone to support her spent body. She was still trying to catch her breath from their previous activities when Tyrone suddenly made her jerk more than twice. He was still inside of her, their bodies trembling with the euphoria that just erupted after their magnificent union.

    When Tyrone finally calmed his body, he moved towards the bed and gently put Raine down. He stared at her, Raine parting lips in an attempt to say something. However, Tyrone didn''t allow her to utter a word as he crushed his lips against hers once again.

    She gasped and clutched his arms as she felt him starting to move again, growing in size inside her.

    "Once more, please¡­" he begged into her ear, his tongue and lips already playing with her earlobe.

    She chuckled with a whisper, "What''s the use of pleading when you''ve already started to attack my insides?"

    "I can''t get enough... You feel so warm and tight... So good¡­ Are you hurting?" Tyrone whispered as he continued pumping her slowly and gently, scraping at her tunnel in and out. He was so gentle that Raine managed to suppress her soft and sweet moans with each thrust.

    At first, there was still discomfort since he was really big when inside her. She didn''t even know how she managed to fit him in there, but the pain and discomfort gradually gave away as the pleasure began to take over. She was truly amazed at how pain and pleasure felt so much greater when experienced at the same time.

    "I''m fine," she managed to utter the words, followed by a moan when Tyrone''s hand settled on top of her mounds, kneading and caressing them gently.

    Not satisfied, he bent down to capture one of her peaks, licking and swirling his tongue around her exposed nipple before sucking on it hard, acting like a hungry baby craving for his mother''s milk. The sensation he was giving her was just too much. She unconsciously spread her legs even more as she raised her hips to meet his thrusts. She wanted more¡­ She wanted him to go even deeper inside her.

    Tyrone growled at her sudden movements as he sucked on her nipples hard, taking turns torturing one peak after another as he continued to ram himself against her harder and faster. This time, he moved faster and deeper to meet her demands. As if in approval, she began aggressively meeting his every thrust.

    "Ah, I love you so much," Tyrone whispered as he grazed his lips past her neck.

    Raine stared at the ceiling as her body rocked against his relentless pounding. Tyrone was transparently telling her again that he loved her, but Raine didn''t dare reply to it. Instead, she moved her hands to grab his hair. She then gently raised his head to face him and pulled him in for a kiss.

    Raine gasped at the satisfying feeling of being filled to the brim. The sounds of her moans and grunts filled the room. Their lips had interwoven with each other as their bodies moved together in one beautiful rhythm.

    Soon enough, Raine started to feel the familiar overwhelming feeling of warmth growing inside her core. As they shared their bodies, their breaths also intermingled, one breathing the other''s exhaling. He was filling her with so much love that she wanted to accept it wholly. However, would she do it just for once? Was it even possible? Tyrone had already erased all of her self-restrain and worry with his passionate and loving kisses. As it was, he was already moving deeper and faster within the depths of her walls.

    "Tyrone," Raine called out his name, and it sounded like music to Tyrone''s ears.

    "Say it again," Tyrone whispered into her lips, and she called out his name again, screaming and crying as she quenched the heat within him.

    Faster and deeper, he was rearranging her insides as she clung to him tightly. He felt her nails dig into his back as he rocked her harder towards her highest peak. She could feel his extreme need for her. And for once, she just wanted to let herself get lost in it¡­ To quench his needs and fulfill her body''s desires.

    Tears ran down Raine''s cheeks as an intense climax erupted from within her. A loud growl from Tyrone followed as he then unleashed his potent seed straight inside her womb. Breathless, their bodies remained intertwined, both of them laying on the bed, trying to calm their breaths.

    Tyrone nudged his nose into her shoulder and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He cuddled her into a warm embrace as Raine closed her eyes. She was utterly spent, too tired to move or lift even a single finger.

    "Rest for a while," Tyrone whispered.

    She was already sleep-deprived from all the work and tasks she had to finish. Coupled with their passionate lovemaking, Raine''s consciousness faded as she easily dozed off to sleep at the height of her senses. Tyrone smiled as he felt Raine''s heavy breathing, knowing that she had finally fallen asleep.

    He didn''t want to get up from the bed at all and just wanted to cuddle with her and take her repeatedly, but then, he didn''t want to tire her out so he should know her limits. Raine''s body was not like his, who could easily make love to her all day long!

    He stayed for a while, dwelling on her beauty as she slept peacefully in his arms. He wanted to kiss her, but he controlled himself or else he might not be able to stop himself from going further. Raine needed rest, after all¡­

    After some time, Tyrone quietly and carefully extracted himself out of bed. He pulled the quilt over Raine''s body and gave her a quick peck on her lips before walking to have a quick shower and get dressed.. He didn''t want to order food delivery, so he went out for a while to buy some fresh food in the nearby market to cook her some food.

 Chapter 134 - Mark Of The Crescent Moon

    Some time later, his mobile phone suddenly rang. It was Mia.

    "Aire''s missing! I''m trying to call Boss, but her mobile phone is off," Mia informed with a panicked voice.

    Tyrone closed his eyes and sighed. He had turned off Raine''s mobile phone so that she could rest more.

    "I''ll handle it. I can contact her. Don''t worry, Mia, I know where she is¡­ If she''s not back in thirty minutes, call me again," Tyrone instructed with some reassurance.

    Immediately, he finished buying all that he needed and went inside the car. Stepping on the gas, he rushed to go back to the hotel to reach out to Aire.

    Meanwhile, Aire was following Boris and Lyne outside when her Daddy reached out to her.

    [If you don''t come back home within thirty minutes, I will personally pick you up and send you back this instant, Aire.]

    Aire''s body tensed as she froze in her tracks. She was currently in her wolf form, secretly and quietly following Boris and Lyne to a tunnel leading to the secret passage for Convel Territory.

    Aire answered with a whisper of protest, but she had to follow her Daddy Tyrone or else he would definitely send her back that instant. She had an agreement with him, but it looked as if her first attempt had already busted her.

    [Alright, I''ll come back in thirty minutes, Daddy. I promise. I''m just out to play with other wolves, checking out if I can bring back one more reliable pet for you too. You see, I can''t ask uncle Levi or the rest to accompany me. You''re busy too, so I went out on my own.] Aire explained.

    [This is so unacceptable. I told you not to go out on your own! You''re too stubborn.]

    [But you don''t need to worry, Daddy. I already told you that nothing or no one could harm me while I''m here. I''m basically untouchable, Daddy.] Aire reasoned.

    Her Daddy Tyrone already researched all the details about the Voyager''s Watch and its guardian, so he should know by now that Aire won''t be in any danger at this time. And even if she would, it wouldn''t ever cost her life. However, there will be consequences if she ever altered something during her stay in this era. That was why Daddy Tyrone was so against her marking her mate right now. However, she was unable to do it in the future¡­ simply because her mate was already far too strong and was someone who couldn''t be easily fooled.

    Tyrone felt like his head would burst at any minute. Aire was too stubborn to listen to him.

    [As promised, I will definitely come back in thirty minutes, alright? Don''t worry too much and just enjoy your time together with Mommy.]

    [Be sure you won''t be late, because I mean it¡­ I will send you back to your own time!] Tyrone warned even as Aire reassured him that she would come back.

    Her Daddy Tyrone was the only one capable of sending her back. She still had five days left, but her Daddy Tyrone could send her back earlier if he ever wanted to. She had just begged him to allow her more time on the clock too. Only those who bore the Mark of the Crescent Moon had the authority and ability to use the Voyager''s Watch¡­ and she and her Daddy bore said mark on their bodies.

    Aire sighed. She really needed to finish the reason why she was in this time in the first place¡­

    She continued with her tracks as she began to catch up with uncle Boris and Lyne.

    ''That''s it!'' Aire mused from a distance.

    Uncle Boris and Aunt Lyne were having a discussion¡­ a debate rather¡­ so Aire quietly and carefully sneaked past the two and immediately went out. She chanced upon a fall, and she immediately jumped. The place was already looking quite familiar to her. She was unable to use the main entrance since she wasn''t a part of the Convel Society yet at this time, but she smirked as she still knew the many changes that would happen to the territory once her mate ruled it.

    She giggled, recalling her handsome mate, who would stubbornly disobey the elders. He constantly insisted that he didn''t need a Luna to become a powerful leader. He had wanted to break the norm for werewolves regarding the Mate Pull. He didn''t believe in it, and he even swore that he would never acknowledge any Mate Pull he would experience.

    Aire, however, felt that Mate Pull the moment she laid his eyes on him. He only laughed at her when she pointed it out, stating she was merely hallucinating since he would never acknowledge such a thing. After all, he was ten years older than her. He even joked that he wouldn''t wait till she became a lady and would rather accept an arranged marriage from the Elders just so that she would stop bugging and following him around.

    Even if it was a joke, Aire knew that it was still possible. He was a King, after all. And even if he stubbornly disobeyed the Elders countless times, it was still inevitable for him to have a wife to bear his cubs¡­ Or if he still insisted on not having a wife, then marking him was still a viable solution so that he would suffer. Unless, of course, if he followed that Mate Pull that would point him at her. That was why she resorted to time traveling like this. Once she marked him, no one would also dare take him as a husband!

    ''Just you wait, cause I''m coming for you soon,'' Aire thought as she quietly walked through the forest. She thought of it numerous times before coming to the decision. She was way too determined that nothing could stop her.

    Despite the unfamiliar trees, Aire could still easily navigate the familiar area. She paused as soon as she reached the training grounds of the warriors where her mate once diligently trained at. After all, he was ambitious, one that wanted to lead the werewolves.

    ''Regan,'' Aire whispered as an enthusiastic warmth crept up inside her. Soon enough, she spotted the ten-year-old boy. He was taking his training seriously, unlike the others. She knew she only had a few minutes more to spare, so Aire ran to him.

    "Who are you?" Regan asked in awe at the little pup who suddenly approached him. It was the first time he had seen her.

    [I''m Aire. Can you help me? I''m lost in the woods and found this place¡­] Aire talked to him telepathically.

    [Don''t you belong to a pack here?] Regan asked.

    [I don''t¡­ Please at least help me out of the woods. I''ll be fine then. I just need to be on the main road.]

    [Alright, let''s go.]

    [Wait, please get me a dress for a twelve-year-old girl? I would like to transform into my human form.] Aire requested.

    Regan scratched his head but quickly heeded her request anyway. He ran and promptly came back with a dress he had gotten from his sister. Aire asked him to turn around, then quickly transformed into her human form and put on the dress.

    "You can turn around now¡­"

    She chuckled in her mirth, seeing how Regan''s mouth drooped at the sight of her.

    "Let''s go?" Aire commented.

    Regan, who had finally gathered his senses, led her to the main road.

    They soon reached the main road, and Aire hugged Regan as she whispered, "Thank you¡­"

    With a breath, she sank her fangs between his neck and shoulder. Regan was caught off guard as the pain surged through his body.

    "What did you do?!" he helplessly whispered in terror.

    Aire simply smiled at him, "I just marked you. You''re mine, so wait for me and don''t play around with other women, okay? See you soon, Regan."

    Regan, with parted lips, could only watch as the little girl transformed back into her wolf form, running away like a flash.

    *****

    A/N: You probably know by now what kind of mutant Tyrone is? Do you remember Regan, Decan''s son, who couldn''t accept how his father lost the Throne Challenge at Chapter 42? I might write Aire and his story in Volume 2 of this Book. That''s just a plan... I have to finish the other books yet.... haha

 Chapter 135 - Cover Your Scent Like This

    Aire was back in thirty minutes.

    "You¡­ How could you leave like that without telling us?! You almost gave us a heart attack!" Mia scolded as soon as Aire was back inside Raine''s house.

    "Aunty Mia, please call Daddy first and confirm to him that I''m back," Aire said with her puppy eyes while she looked at the clock. Mia frowned but still relented as she called Tyrone.

    Meanwhile, Levi shook his head and snorted, "It''s a wrong decision to remove her bracelet. See how she got loose like this and made us all worried."

    Aire had a pout and murmured, "But I didn''t take long. I promise I won''t do it again, Uncle and Aunty, so please don''t get mad anymore. Ah, wait¡­ I''ll make you two your favorite tea and sandwich."

    Mia deeply sighed while she looked at Aire''s back as she left for the kitchen. She had already grown fond of the little girl that she truly panicked when she didn''t find her anywhere inside their residence.

    "Don''t you find it odd that Tyrone was able to contact her but we can''t?" Levi murmured, "I mean, we didn''t stop trying to dial her number, but her mobile phone was clearly off. Or maybe she didn''t have a signal¡­"

    "We should put a tracker on her this time around, including her mobile phone, Levi," Mia whispered. She didn''t want to wrack her brain about these things anymore. She was just grateful that Aire was back to them safe and sound.

    "By the way, what would you like me to cook for dinner, Mia?" Levi asked.

    Mia was surprised. Levi didn''t bother to ask her about food at all back then. He just randomly cooked whatever food he wanted.

    "Anything is fine with me," Mia murmured, acting busy as she tapped on her mobile phone.

    Levi scratched his head, "But I want to know what particular dish you prefer¡­"

    MIa looked at him with a frown as she casually said, "I love everything that you prepare, Levi, so anything is fine with me¡­"

    Levi blushed. He didn''t know what was wrong with him. But lately, he was taking a particular interest in everything that Mia liked. It was as if he was observing her a lot more lately.

    ''Ah, it''s that little pup''s fault!'' Levi mused with a twitched mouth.

    Aire would always notice something about Mia in front of him. Then she would ask him what he thought about it. To her credit though, he agreed with her on topics like how beautiful Mia''s lips were, her dazzling green eyes, and the way that she smiled at him with a charm.

    He didn''t actually know when it started precisely, but he had become much more aware of Mia''s presence. It was like he stopped getting used to being with her.

    ''Maybe because we spent every waking moment together lately?'' he inwardly reasoned. He had always been out in the field more like Lyne. Meanwhile, Mia was always in their hide-outs as their main technical support during operations.

    "By the way, any news from Lyne?" Mia suddenly asked.

    "Oh, right¡­ I''m in charge of the control room now. Wait, I''ll go check."

    Levi rushed towards the control room, and Mia smiled. Levi seemed to notice her more now, just as Aire predicted it.

    *******

    Meanwhile, Lyne wanted to smack Boris right in the face because of how close he was to her.

    "Give me some space!" Lyne hissed as they continued to walk inside the forest. They already used the tunnel, leading them to a waterfall inside the forest.

    "I have to protect you. How often do I need to reason with you for you to understand that I need to be this close? It would be far too easy for some random animals to jump on you. Or what if it were werewolves? I told you that they set a lot of traps in here¡­" Boris explained once more. Well, he did exaggerate things a bit since he wanted to sniff Lyne''s scent a bit more. Being this close to her like this truly made his blood boil with desire.

    "Are you sure this will lead us to the Convel''s territory?" Lyne snorted.

    "Of course¡­ Their training ground is very much wide open since the construction of the barriers isn''t complete yet at this side. Anyway, no one would dare to use this path since this forest is a prohibited area for being filled with dangerous wild animals. That''s not to mention the fact that some witches are hiding in the area, so only a few brave idiots would use this route," Boris scoffed. "We''re already lucky since we used the underground tunnel¡­ It''s the secret passage that we can use to bypass the prohibited and most dangerous area of the forest."

    Suddenly, Lyne stopped walking, making Boris bump onto her back.

    "So technically, we''re in the clear and safe for now like you said¡­ This area isn''t that dangerous then," Lyne snorted.

    Boris scratched his head as he inwardly cursed his blabbermouth tendencies. He stared at Lyne with a cheeky smile before he added, "You mean ''not safe.'' I told you already that there are traps here, so we need to keep close. That way, I can tell you when to stop at any time."

    Lyne rolled her eyes, obviously not buying what he said. Nevertheless, she had no choice but to listen to Boris since he was the one that apparently knew the area. He was more familiar with it, after all.

    "Aren''t we getting near?" Lyne asked with a frown. They had already been walking for long enough already.

    There was a sudden howl, and Boris quickly pulled Lyne close, pinning her behind a large tree trunk.

    "What''s wrong?" Lyne asked.

    "Ogre¡­" Boris whispered.

    "Ogre howls now?" Lyne hissed, pursing her lips when Boris whispered in her lips.

    "Of course not. That''s a wolf friend of mine giving me a warning that an ogre is nearby¡­"

    The distance was too short. One slight push and Boris''s lips would definitely touch hers. Not to mention that his body was currently towering over hers, hugging her to be precise.

    She could feel his hot breath against hers, and Lyne froze right then and there, unable to think properly about what to do. Something was wrong here, and she was not happy with what she was feeling at the moment.

    "You see¡­ ogres eat humans. The sun''s almost down, so I''m sure that it''s pretty hungry right about now. It might smell you, so I have to cover your scent like this¡­" Boris murmured. And to Lyne''s horror, he felt his lips against hers.

    For the longest time, Lyne couldn''t move. She was like a statue with her eyes wide open. Boris was kissing her! And it was her first kiss!

    ''How could a kiss cover once scent and how dare this man steal my first kiss like this!?'' she silently retorted.

    Gathered her strength, she pushed at him with all of her might, but he was like a rock pinning her firmly against his body.

    "Don''t move! Stay like this for a minute, dammit! Out of all of these ugly creatures, I hate fighting ogres the most!" Boris harshly whispered inside her lips as he continued sucking on her lips and sliding his tongue back inside her mouth.

 Chapter 136 - Wolf-man Form

    Lyne counted the seconds in her head as she tried to keep her sanity intact despite how weak her knees had become. Not to mention the fact of how her body was feeling something strange building up inside!

    However, she then left their position to continue as it was as she heard a monstrous sound approaching. They had already encountered an Ogre before, so she instantly heard the similarities. And here she thought that the werewolf was just tricking her. Still, she was far from convinced that he needed to kiss her like this!

    It had been over sixty seconds, And Boris still wouldn''t stop! Having had enough, Lyne bit his lips, forcing Boris to let her go.

    "Ouch! That hurt!" Boris complained.

    "Your one minute is up, you pervert!" Lyne hissed. Her face was practically red in a mix of anger and embarrassment.

    "Pervert? I''m just trying to save you while also saving myself the energy to fight an ugly ogre! Damn¡­ Why are you so moody¡­" Boris mumbled. Shaking his head, he shamelessly grabbed Lyne''s hand and pulled her to walk with him. "Let''s go continue walking. I''m so tired of having to explain myself to you. This is just the simple act of holding hands since it''s safer that I lead you like this. As opposed to us continuing as were with traps scattered all over the place, So please, stop complaining or calling me a pervert because there''s no malice in holding hands like this in times of crucial moments. Unless you''re feeling something towards me¡­"

    There was no response.

    Boris suddenly stopped walking. He turned at Lyne and looked closely. "Don''t tell me you''re getting affected with us simply holding hands like this? Do you somehow feel the Mate Pull as well? I heard that humans can''t feel it, but some could feel what they call ''attraction'' instead?"

    Lyne could clearly see Boris''s teasing smile in his eyes. With a frown, she firmly replied, "Of course not! Stop stalling and continue walking. Let''s get this over with quickly since I can''t tolerate your presence any longer!"

    "Fine. Let''s go¡­" Boris mumbled as he tightened his grip on Lyne''s hand.

    He walked and led the way with a wide smile still on his face. He couldn''t believe that the trick Aire told him about using an ogre friend of his would actually work.

    ''How did that little girl even know that I have an ogre friend?!'' Boris inwardly wondered. He was way too enthusiastic at hearing Aire''s suggestion earlier that he only now realized the fact that a little girl knew such personal details. How did that happen?

    He shook his head and thought to ask Aire about it later. For now, he was blissful of having skin-to-skin contact with his mate like this. He honestly didn''t plan to kiss her, but hugging her a while ago ignited the hungry beast inside of him, so he went for the attack. He wondered if he could ever control himself and take things slowly, as Aire had suggested.

    "We''re almost there," Boris said as they reached the cliff, stopping and pointing his finger below. "That''s the training grounds¡­ This is the best view I can get for you. Now do your thing before the sun goes down," he commented.

    He watched as Lyne took her shots and videos that she was currently sending live to Mia and Levi.

    "I need to get closer¡­" Lyne whispered.

    "Why?"

    "I have to install a barrier¡­" she quickly replied.

    "But it''s way too dangerous," Boris denied.

    "I''ll be quick, so stand guard," Lyne coldly answered as she quickly moved in to install the barrier on the ground. They would need it as a backup once they penetrated the Convel Society. The Boss''s plan was to attack the Convel Society''s territory first.

    It was honestly a very dangerous and risky plan, but it was the only way to keep the Moon Clan territory intact¡­ for them to attack the enemy first and subdue them before they could be a threat.

    Boris looked around carefully. There was no security in the training grounds since they thought it wasn''t needed, given that all the monsters lurking at this side of the forest were just that dangerous. However, none knew about the secret passage they used except for him¡­ This passage saved his life, and he owed it to that ogre he named Hans. Boris balled his hands into a fist. He was now nothing but an exiled alpha! It was all because of Danos, so he would make sure to break that man''s neck soon.

    "Let''s go. Someone''s coming¡­" Boris hissed.

    "Just a few more seconds," Lyne whispered as she waited for the gadget to turn green before pressing a button that would make it blend into the ground. The barrier would kill any werewolf that would pass by it. She needed to install it this early for it to have a wide coverage as days passed by. Mia and Levi would then work on it to expand the coverage even further. And hopefully, it would cover the whole territory of the Convel Society by the time they start attacking.

    "Done," Lyne whispered.

    The instant he heard her, Boris immediately pulled at her and carried her in his arms. He then quickly ran back inside the cover of the forbidden forest.

    "You can put me down now!" Lyne almost yelled.

    "No. We can move faster this way!" Boris uttered.

    As they ran, Lyne noticed how Boris''s skin slowly became hairier. She looked up and instantly fainted, seeing his monstrous form.

    "Damn!" Boris cursed. The last thing he wanted was for his human mate to see his ugly wolf-man form, but he needed to shift because he was way faster and stronger in this form. He would need it, seeing as he smelled the presence of an alpha approaching.

    He only stopped after he had confirmed that nobody had followed his tracks. He then immediately ran back to the secret passage.. Once inside, he quickly shifted himself back to his human form.

 Chapter 137 - To Merge The Two Societies

    At the Convel Society Territory

    Decan growled as he stormed inside the meeting hall.

    "We should have put guards at the open training ground in the north. I sensed a strong presence just a while ago!" he barked. Although the strong presence had quickly disappeared,  it was still alarming that it had even been there in the first place.

    "Relax, Decan¡­ I''m sure it''s just some random troll, ogre, or witch," Danos mocked. All of them were aware that no one alive could ever penetrate to that side of the territory. They would die before they could even reach the north side of the Convel Society. That was why it wasn''t guarded. They simply didn''t see the need to waste resources for it. And the treaty ensured that no creature would dare enter their territory from the north.

    "I agree with Decan. It''s still for the best that we put guards there as a precaution," the other elders seconded.

    "Yes. King Theodulf already instructed me about it along with the line-up of duties. The rotation should start tomorrow at dawn. Please look at the folders on your desk. That''s the plan for the attack at the Moon Clan, particularly at Marcus''s residence and where he''s supposedly located," Aspen briefed as the elders and officers quickly glanced at documents.

    Aspen signaled his men to turn on the screen in the meeting hall for a wide projection display off the plan.

    "This¡­ Where did you get all of this information?" Danos questioned as he stared at the complete details pertaining to the Moon Clan.

    "I already told you that King Theo is working hard to extract the information himself, so I trust that you will no longer question his presence during this time. He''ll come back soon, so we must prepare everything as he asked till then," Aspen reminded.

    "He wanted to reclaim the Moon Clan¡­ What is his plan? Rule two societies?! We already know that he''s Nathaniel Yue, so why are you still addressing him as Theo?" Danos scoffed.

    Aspen let out a sigh. Theodulf was Nathaniel''s wolf name. He forgot to ask Nathaniel if he preferred to be called Nathaniel now, since he had already disclosed his real identity to the Elders.

    "I will ask him what name he''d prefer us to use in addressing him later. And about ruling two societies, the Elders and the officers could ask him that directly once he comes back. I had assumed that he''d be back by next week, but for now, the main goal is to prepare everything we need until his return," Aspen explained.

    "What kind of plan is this? Isn''t this too generous?" Danos asked in a mocking.

    "The King didn''t want to spill innocent blood, so the main goal is to finish Marcus and Yun along with all of their followers¡­"

    "I heard that Marcus''s daughter is gorgeous. It would be a waste to finish her off as well. I will take that one for myself," Danos enthusiastically declared.

    Decan shook his head. Danos was a plague to their society. He should have taken care of him during his reign, but then again, they still had rules that needed to be followed. As such, it was not so easy to bring the man down. He was cunning and calculative enough that he even managed to frame all of his deeds to Boris, the former alpha of the Night Crawler. He had Boris banished from the Convel Society far too easily, making the current Alpha of the Night Crawler nothing but a puppet in Danos'' hands.

    "The King would only have a chosen few to accompany him in penetrating the Moon Clan," Aspen added.

    "I see¡­ He wanted to spare innocent blood? Then what about the innocent blood Marcus had taken from our society? Isn''t he a bit biased by having Moon Clan blood flowing through his veins? Isn''t this unacceptable, gentlemen? Can''t you see what his main goal is? He''s practically using the Convel Society to exact his revenge on Marcus! He''s not doing these things for the welfare of the Convel Society, but for his own personal vendetta!" Danos barked. He wanted to take down the entirety of the Moon Clan! He wanted no one to be spared!

    Murmurs erupted inside the meeting room, making Aspen sigh.

    It was at that moment that Nathaniel''s face appeared on the screen. Everyone fell silent, showing their respect to Nathaniel.

    "I apologize if I still can''t appear in person. I''m sure Aspen wouldn''t call me if there''s nothing important going on. Please feel free to fire away all of your concerns," Nathaniel said with a serious face.

    Aspen quickly asked him about what name they should use to address him properly.

    "You can address me as Nathan¡­"

    Decan spoke next as he relayed Danos'' concern about him having a personal vendetta. Decan was also curious about his plan, so he asked, "Do you plan on ruling at two societies once we succeed in taking down Marcus?"

    "I plan to merge the two societies into one¡­" Nathan answered with a straight face.

    "That''s absurd! No one in their right mind would agree on that!" Danos yelled.

    Nathaniel''s face darkened as he hissed, "I see that you''re always disrespectful, Danos. Does the Convel Society not have rules on how to properly address their Kings? I should probably focus more on the order and decorum going on inside the Convel Society. If you, Danos, yelled at me one more time, then don''t blame me if I decapitated you first as soon as I return¡­"

    Danos''s face paled. No one dared to ever threaten him! He looked around for support, only to see that everyone in the room had already cowered before their king. Danos inwardly cursed as he unwillingly whispered, "I apologize, my King."

    He quietly clicked his tongue. He was only waiting for the attack on the Moon Clan to be over. And after that, he would definitely kick this young man''s ass out of the throne that rightfully belonged to him!

    "About the merger I''m planning¡­ I know it may sound outrageous at first, but I truly believe that it can be achieved. I will personally discuss more about the details once I return. We will weigh the benefits, as well as the pros and cons together¡­" Nathan flared at Danos as he continued, "Until then, I hope that everyone cooperates with the plan of not spilling innocent blood."

    Nathan knew that his idea would be difficult to impose, but he strongly believed that it could be done, But if not¡­ then he had no choice but to choose between the two societies.

 Chapter 138 - Take Me*

    Back at the private resort and island, Raine finally woke up. She felt sore, a pleasant ache radiating between her thighs. It was proof that what happened a while ago had been far from being a dream. It was real.

    She let out a long sigh before getting out of bed to take a quick shower. She then quickly put on her panties and wore a loose spaghetti strap dress that stopped just above her knee.

    Walking back to her room, she paused for a while as she grabbed her mobile phone.

    "Why is it turned off?" she scoffed as she turned her mobile phone back on. She sighed, reading the messages from Xander''s assistant, trying to convince her to cooperate and send a sample from her if she didn''t want to personally submit it to the hospital.

    "They sound desperate¡­" she whispered as she dialed Ron''s number. "Hello? I''ll cooperate and send a sample. Tell Keira Chan that she owes me one," she arrogantly muttered.

    She was honestly not interested in knowing the truth. But then again, there was no harm in knowing if she and Mara were indeed related. She would simply try her best to protect Mara if it turned out that they were indeed siblings.

    "Thank you, Dr. Yao. CEO Yang would be pleased to know that you will be cooperating with us in this endeavor" the assistant said on the other line.

    "No worries. Also, please send me Mara''s profile along with her photos. I want to check and see her too," Raine said. "I''ll contact you as soon as I''m back in the country."

    She then ended the call. She didn''t mean much of what she just said. It was just so that it would sound like it was the first time she had heard about Mara.

    She put her mobile phone back on the bedside table. It was already turning dark outside and her stomach was starting to grumble. She was pretty sure that Tyrone had already handled dinner, so she casually walked towards the kitchen of the suite since he wasn''t in the living and dining areas. And sure enough, she shook her head at the wonderful sight.

    Who would have thought that a man cooking in the kitchen with an apron on would look this sexy?

    ''Would be nice if he only wore an apron without anything underneath it,'' she naughtily mused before quickly shaking away the lewd thought. Glawackus powder won''t be effective on him anymore, so there was no way that she could escape the situation. She might as well enjoy it. Maybe she''d just cross that bridge when she got to the point where she needed to stop?

    ''That''s a very irresponsible plan you got there,'' she silently mocked herself. Tyrone''s back was facing her, so she wondered if he had already felt her presence¡­ He was far from human, after all.

    Tyrone was almost done cooking when he smelled Raine''s scent entering the room. He intentionally didn''t turn around despite her presence. He was honestly nervous and quite worried on how Raine would react to him now that she was awake.

    Before, it was him who would warn Raine not to get close to him or he would quit his job. But gradually, the tables slowly turned and now he was the one trying to cling hard to her. He was practically doing everything in his power just for her to not kick him out from her side. Tyrone let out a frustrated sigh. He was getting far too worked up inside his head¡­

    It was then that hat he felt Raine''s arms wrapping around his waist. Her body pressed against his back for a warm hug.

    "Why are you cooking when we can just ask for room service? I''m starving," Raine commented as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

    Tyrone smiled. "It''s just about done cooking. Just take a seat and I''ll serve dinner," he replied as he turned off the electric stove."

    He just couldn''t wait to turn around and crush her in his arms. Turning around, he saw the beautiful smile on Raine''s face as she asked, "What did you cook?"

    ''I hope this isn''t a dream,'' Tyrone thought as he stared at Raine.

    "Go prepare some actual food. I''m not the meal here," Raine joked, but Tyrone ignored her as he leaned down to kiss her. He always preferred to eat more of her than any other food all day and all night long!

    Reciprocating, Raine accepted his warm lips, even snaking her arms onto Tyrone''s neck as he suddenly lifted her up and set her down on the kitchen counter.

    "We should eat¡­" she murmured as Tyrone''s kiss trailed down her neck.

    "Hmm, yeah, after this," Tyrone huskily whispered.

    He was way too hard right now for him to simply leave her alone. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her. He was so thirsty for her that he didn''t want to stop while Raine was this accommodating of him. He kissed her bare collarbones, pulling the straps of her spaghetti straps down and letting it slip. Predictably, her bountiful bosoms spilled forth for his pleasure.

    He smiled wickedly as he saw the marks he had just made on her skin. They were so perfect and domineering that he wanted to add more to mark his territory.

    He stared at her once more as his hand roamed her body.

    Raine twitched pleasurably at the way Tyrone was caressing her skin. The tingling sensation brought so much hot arousal to course through her veins that she couldn''t help but let out soft moans as Tyrone keenly watched her expressions with every touch.

    His fingers then trailed further down to her thighs to reach the edge of her underwear. Slipping past it, he attacked her sweet spot. Raine''s body shivered immediately in response. He leaned in to kiss her neck, and she could hear his ragged breaths warring against the loud thumping of her heart.

    "I want to go inside you like this," Tyrone whispered into Raine''s ear, followed by nibbling on her earlobe.

    Raine couldn''t take it any longer. Her weakening body caused by the intense sensations Tyrone was giving her made her desperation grow stronger. She clung to his neck, letting out puffs and moans as an ecstatic shiver went up to her spine.

    His hot lips went back and forth on her earlobes, neck, and clavicle while his firm fingers gently rubbed the tender skin of her sweet spot. Raine bit her lower lip as she savored Tyrone''s continuous playing with her wet folds. She then gasped as she felt his fingers slip inside her entrance.

    Tyrone groaned as he felt her squeeze his fingers with her inner muscles. In response, he clamped down his teeth on her skin and suckled hard, making Raine moan in pain and pleasure.

    "I can''t stop wanting you," Tyrone whispered. He sounded so desperate that it brought flutters into Raine''s heart. She wanted him so badly as much as he wanted her.

    "Then take me¡­" Raine answered back with a gasp.. She had already decided to be selfish, to go with the flow just this once. To simply¡­ let go¡­

 Chapter 139 - Over And Over**

    Tyrone immediately dove in for her luscious lips. He kissed her desperately. It was as if he was someone quenching his thirst in the middle of the desert and she was an oasis giving him his sweet relief. As redundant as it may sound and seem, he simply couldn''t get enough of her. She was too wet for him, inviting him to partake in her body, and it was driving him mad.

    "Maddeningly beautiful¡­ My sweet vixen," he whispered on her lips before capturing it with his lips once more.

    Meanwhile, Raine''s hand moved to touch his throbbing erection beneath his shorts, earning a pleasurable groan from Tyrone as he moaned inside her mouth. She deftly unbuckled his shorts, trying to pull it down to let his member free. Feeling her hands, Tyrone helped her out, removing his shorts without leaving Raine''s lips unattended.

    "Take me¡­" Raine whispered as soon as Tyrone released her lips, only to lick her down towards her neck to suckle her skin.

    "Say it again¡­" Tyrone desperately whimpered. His heart was thumping so hard just from hearing Raine''s words. Hearing how she wanted him as much as he wanted her made almost his body float on cloud nine.

    "I want you inside me so badly¡­ Take me whenever you like¡­" Raine seductively whispered into his ear.

    Feeling motivated, Tyrone brought his member out and parked it in front of her waiting hole. Raine gasped, too lost in her burning passion as the tip of Tyrone''s shaft rubbed against her wet entrance. She was more than ready to accept him.

    Opening her legs, her actions invited him inside her just from allowing easier access to her core. Tyrone slid his tongue inside Raine''s mouth. At the same time, he pushed himself inside of her in one slow thrust, filling her insides to capacity with his size. She was still tight, but her dripping arousal made his movements way easier than before. He groaned as the intense pleasure overwhelmed his whole body.

    He began his slow movements while his hot tongue traveled back and forth all over her skin. Focusing in particular on her bosom, he bent down to flick one of her hard pinkish tips, swirling around it and grazing it with his teeth. He was suckling on both of her nipples alternately, making her gasp as the familiar heat began pooling inside her stomach. The burning pressure was getting way too much, and she didn''t want him to stop.

    The fire inside them kept on burning as she met Tyrone''s every thrust. He groaned, feeling her walls clamp desperately at him from all sides. He was throbbing with every thrust, pulling out until only his tip remained inside her before moving back in with an almost excruciating manner and making their bodies tremble in ecstasy. Raine felt so wet and hot inside, making him melt and crave for more with every thrust.

    "I feel so good inside you," he couldn''t help but whisper those words in her ear. He wanted her to know what he felt whenever he was inside of her. "Does it feel good for you?" he asked as he licked her earlobe and continued with his pleasurable rhythm.

    Raine heard him but was unable to utter a coherent word to Tyrone. She could only moan out her answer, "Uhuh," turning him on even more. His lips couldn''t get enough of her skin as well, taking turns giving attention between her lips and breasts. He then bent down once more as suckled on her nipples one after the other, making both peaks swell even more.

    Tyrone''s relentless assault made the burning sensation building up inside Raine''s body intensify even further. Because of Tyrone''s constant suckling on her nipples alongside his other hand kneading the other, she was already on the verge of exploding.

    He was just sweeping across her body to oblivion so much that Raine tossed her head and arched her body in aching response. She would definitely fall on the floor if not for Tyrone firmly holding his body against hers while he thrust inside of her. Her thighs became slick with her arousal as she pushed herself further and deeper into Tyrone with every thrust.

    She had been close to exploding for what felt like hours now that she was beginning to squirm against him, clinging onto him as tightly as she could as if her life depended on it. Tyrone then dwelled back to her lips, kissing her passionately as he moved in and out of her, finally pushing Raine over the edge.

    "Tyrone!" Raine cried into his mouth as she reached her climax, her body convulsing around him as her walls desperately milked his erection.

    However, Tyrone didn''t stop there. He was like a beast who wanted more as he continued pounding her senseless, deepening his kiss as he made her breathless.

    Raine was shocked. She could still hear the constant sound of their hips colliding against one another. She never thought it would even be possible, but Tyrone managed to bring her to her highest peak over and over again. Deeper, harder, faster, the relentless orgasms she experienced made her cry hard from pleasure.

    Eventually, after what felt like forever, she finally came for the last time as she felt him completely fill her to the brim. Her body twitched at the electrifying overload of stimulation. Meanwhile, Tyrone''s body tensed as he released his eager juices inside of her, burying all of it deep inside her womb.

    They hugged each other as they were panting, their sticky sweats igniting as their bodies stuck with each other.

    "I feel so¡­ tired and hungry¡­. Can you please¡­ feed me with real food now?" Raine weakly whispered.

    Tyrone chuckled as he slowly pulled himself out of her and whispered, "Go and clean up. I''ll prepare the food."

    "Ah¡­ I''ll do it later¡­ I want to eat now¡­" Raine mumbled. She didn''t trust Tyrone a single bit. They might end up making love again after she cleaned up, and she wasn''t sure if she would survive another round of relentless lovemaking. It was better that they ate now.

    "Alright," Tyrone answered with an adorable smile.

    He moved and grabbed the tissues at the kitchen to wipe Raine clean with. She tried to grab it from him, saying she would do it, but the former was too stubborn, saying, "No need to feel shy when I''ve seen everything your body has to offer already. I even counted all the moles you have all over your body."

    "I have no moles!" Raine snorted. Her face was so red in embarrassment.

    Tyrone teased, "Yeah, there''s none at all. That''s why it''s easy to count. Zero moles. So flawless¡­"

    Tyrone helped her wear her panties back, and Raine watched him put his shorts back on before quickly serving her their dinner.

    Of course, Raine saw it coming¡­ Tyrone was at it again¡­ Pampering her and feeding her. None of them dared to ask any questions or talk about the memory loss powder and everything, but Raine was actually waiting for Tyrone to talk about it.. She wanted him to tell her everything she wanted to know without her asking for it.

 Chapter 140 - Heâ€™s A Werewolf

    Inside his house, Boris let out a sigh while waiting for Lyne to wake up. Soon enough, Lyne opened her eyes to a very unfamiliar room. She suddenly jolted awake, and hissed at Boris who was staring at her, "Where am I?"

    "In my house," Boris plainly answered.

    "What?! Why am I here?!" she barked as she quickly got up from the unfamiliar bed.

    "You passed out, remember? I didn''t know where to bring you to since you covered my eyes during our journey. Obviously, I didn''t know any place of yours, so I took you to mine," Boris snorted. "Come now. Let''s eat. I was starting to think that I was going to starve to death just waiting for you to wake up," he murmured as he walked ahead out of the door.

    Lyne quietly followed behind him, carefully observing her surroundings as she walked. He had a nice apartment, she thought. And she wondered where this place even was.

    "This is where you live in? Is it in the City?" Lyne curiously asked, making Boris smile.

    "Of course not¡­ It''s in the Province, at least a four-hour drive away from the City¡­ It''s already night out, so it''d be better if we just travel tomorrow before dawn," he suggested. "It''s not safe to travel back at this hour. You see, I live in this remote area to hide and lay low since those bastards are still hunting me down," Boris gritted his, referring to Danos'' men. He had been in exile as punishment, but knowing Danos, the bastard probably wouldn''t stop until his head parted ways with his body.

    "I see that Danos was the one who framed you. He must be really good if he managed to bring an alpha down," Lyne nonchalantly commented as she took a chair that she pulled for herself back from his dining area.

    She had already noticed that he had a gentlemanly side to him despite being a pervert. His house was actually nice and spacious, giving her a certain retro-vibe in terms of interior design. Looking at it now, she kind of wondered what it looked like outside now, but it was already dark out.

    "I''m honored that you took the time to thoroughly search for details about me," Boris teased with a delighted smile as he put the food on her plate.

    Lyne blushed, but she quickly frowned and scoffed, "Of course. We all had to know enough details about you before capturing you. And give me that. I can manage to get food my own."

    "You still look cute even in your bratty mood¡­" Boris candidly voiced out, earning a sharp glare from Lyne.

    He only chuckled and shook his head. He simply couldn''t wait to just lay his hands all over her body. Unfortunately for him, his mate was a human. And even more unfortunate for his patience, he was not like most werewolves who would act like barbarians and attack their human mate whenever they wanted just because they were weak. No... he wanted Lyne to somehow accept him first before showing her how she belonged to him.

    "How come you''re rude to me but act cool around Aire and Tyrone?"

    Lyne furrowed her brows and gasped, "What about Tyrone?"

    "Your Boss told me that you have a vendetta against werewolves because you have some sort of trauma¡­ That since Danos killed your father, you began hating werewolves so much that she warned me to keep my distance," Boris pinched the bridge of his nose.

    "I mean, I understand that Aire is an adorable kid and is very likable overall. That could be the reason for her exception, but how come you act so cool and nice around Tyrone when he''s a werewolf, like me. Aren''t you being unfair to me? I haven''t done anything to you, but you''re acting all annoyed at me. You should understand that we werewolves can''t fight the Mate Pull, and-"

    "Wait! Just wait a minute¡­ What did you just say about Tyrone?!" Lyne asked incredulously. She couldn''t seem to get a grasp on what she had just heard¡­ Tyrone was a werewolf? Did she just hear it right?"

    "You didn''t know?" Boris''s eyes widened. Lyne''s shocked expression told him all the answers he needed. "Well, I''m sure your Boss is aware of it since they mated¡­ Technically, she isn''t marked yet, but they shared each other''s scents which indicate they already mated¡­" Boris casually stated.

    Lyne gulped. She was having a hard time processing what she had just heard. "It¡­ It can''t be. She must not¡­ The King¡­ Oh, King Marcus will wake up soon¡­ Oh, what would she do?" she unconsciously gasped.

    She was way too worried for Raine now. The Clan would never accept Tyrone. The eradication¡­ The new rules the king implemented after the eradication of King Arthur, his family, and his followers... Having a relationship with a mutant¡­ Raine was their Princess. A lot of people from the Moon Clan looked up to her, waiting for her to rule¡­ But as soon as her father woke up... He wouldn''t just exile, or at worst, kill his own daughter. Surely he wouldn''t do such a thing once he found out about Tyrone and Raine, right?

    "Hello?"

    Boris had to wave both of his hands in front of Lyne just to get her to snap back to her senses. She had fallen into deep thought,  staring blankly at her plate while having a conflicted expression on her face. Helpless, Boris was dying to know what was going on inside her head.

    He had clapped and snapped his fingers at her, just to get her attention.

    "How come Aire didn''t mention..." she blankly whispered.

    "Oh, she probably assumed you all knew? I, myself, assumed that you were all aware of Tyrone¡­" Boris answered though he wasn''t even sure if the question was even directed at him, seeing as Lyne seemed to be talking to herself.

    "Our Boss is probably not aware of it... Right! I remembered her mentioning something about how she couldn''t tell in Tyrone''s eyes whether he was human or not¡­" Lyne murmured desperately.

    With trembling hands, Lyne picked up her mobile phone from her pocket.

    "You look so worried. How about we eat first? I mean, she''s been with Tyrone for far too long already, yeah? I can even tell that they love each other just from the way they keep looking at each other. Even in their interactions and their constant bickering and debating, it''s kind of obvious if you know what you''re looking for," Boris continued to voice out his opinions.

    "Be quiet please!" Lyne hissed.

    His constant mumbling was distracting her.. She stood up to get a good, quiet place in the corner as she waited for Raine to answer the call.

 Chapter 141 - Fear Of Acceptance**

    After dinner, Raine walked straight to the bedroom to clean herself up. Predictably, Tyrone followed closely after, entering the bedroom behind her. Taking note, she was about to say something when she heard her mobile phone ring. Quickly answering, she recognized Lyne on the other side of the call even as her eyes followed Tyrone who had walked straight to the bathroom.

    "What is it, Lyne?"

    "Boss¡­ A-are you aware that¡­ T-Tyrone''s a werewolf?" Lyne stuttered. She was still overwhelmed with various emotions. Mostly, she was still way too worried for Raine.

    At Lyne''s words, a deafening silence lingered for a moment as Raine''s eyes fixated themselves on the bathroom door.

    "Tell me what you found out and how you found out," Raine calmly ordered. She had a blank expression as Lyne explained everything, relaying to her how she came to know what she knew now.

    "Aire''s probably aware of it. We can confirm it with her, Boss," Lyne whispered, hoping that Boris was just playing a prank on her or something.

    "No need to involve my daughter in it, Lyne. Please keep what you found out a secret for now, and tell Boris to do the same," Raine neutrally responded. "We don''t want to worry the others, don''t we? I''ll handle everything on my end, so don''t worry too much, Lyne. Just focus on the task I asked of you¡­ Alright?"

    "But Boss¡­"

    "Do you understand me, Lyne?"

    The bathroom door swung open, and Raine immediately glanced at Tyrone closely. Their eyes met.

    Raine let out a frustrated sigh and whispered, "Lyne? Please, do you understand?"

    "...Yes, Boss. I understand. I know that Tyrone is a good, uhm¡­ person? Mutant? But still, please be careful. Don''t forget that the Moon Clan has rules. Rules that we can only change  if we can take the throne¡­"

    There was a faint smile that formed on Raine''s face as she helplessly said, "Keep reminding me, Lyne. I''ll see you soon¡­"

    By the time the call ended, Tyrone was already an inch away from Raine''s face.

    "Something wrong?" Tyrone asked.

    ''Yeah... Who are you?'' Raine wanted to ask, but she was way too afraid to do so. She inwardly cursed herself. She had just experienced something so overwhelming and memorable that it was borderline life-changing, so why did it have to end so soon?

    Tyrone''s arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he whispered, "You looked bothered. What did Lyne say?"

    Raine wrapped her arms around his neck. With a sigh, she breathed, "Can we not talk about work right now?"

    Tyrone chuckled as he nudged his lips onto her forehead, lovingly kissing her as he whispered, "And what do you want to do?"

    "Sleep?" Raine tiredly muttered. She just wanted to rest her head the whole night and not think about anything at all. Things had just become far too complicated for her to care for at the moment.

    "But I''m too far from being sleepy¡­" Tyrone smirked as he grazed his lips across every part of her face, kissing each and every part of her lovingly.

    All too predictably, she felt her body respond. Raine wondered if there would ever come a time when her body would not tremble from his simple touches and kisses. She felt feverish with how lovingly his lips peppered every inch of her skin, leaving no space untouched. He felt so warm that, despite the ache and soreness that her body was feeling, she couldn''t help but reciprocate his urges.

    In one swift motion, her naked body brushed against his skin. And the next thing she knew,  Tyrone was already laying her down on the bed while feasting on her lips. It was as if he was too unwilling to part bodies with her.

    Tyrone was trembling with unbridled desire for her. He just couldn''t have enough of Raine, his feast that never seemed to run out of delicious treats. She was like a drug that he became addicted to after one shot. Hungrily, he kissed her neck, adding more marks to what little unmarked clear skin that he spotted.

    "You''re mine," he whispered possessively with every lick and nudge of her skin. His hands traced the familiarity of all her beautiful parts, lingering particularly on the areas where she would moan louder than usual. He quickly spread her legs, placing himself in between her thighs and on top of her as he kissed her collarbones. He couldn''t help but pause his journey between her neck and collarbone as his free hand went in between her thighs to caress her weak spot.

    He wanted so badly to dig his fangs into her skin right then and there and mark her¡­ The urge to do so was great, but he managed to control himself with even greater effort. After all, he had yet to tell Raine what he truly was¡­ He could wait for the right opportunity, but for now, he wanted to make her body and soul truly his¡­ He would mark her when she knew all the details, and only at her own accord at the right time.

    He wanted to tell Raine about him, but the fear of acceptance¡­ of her accepting him¡­ It was always hindering him from uttering a single word.

    Raine bit his shoulder when she felt his fingers slip inside of her. He wanted to make sure that she was ready for him before entering her with his cock. Feeling around inside her, she was already more than wet enough for him, and it always drove him crazy.

    "I love you," he whispered on her lips while staring into her eyes. "I love you so much."

    He continuously confessed his love to her, followed by the slow deep thrust of his manhood deep into her entrance, sheathing himself fully inside her inviting warmth. Raine''s twitching walls squeezing at his manhood would kill him soon. She felt so good as his hips moved. He dug in, and her body was wracked with pleasure as he kept moving in and out of her.

    "Tyrone¡­" she uttered her name as he once again brought her to the gate of heavens. Damn¡­ She was already too sore, but she couldn''t even feel the fatigue at all whenever he was riding her desperately. It was as if he was just dying to fill her with so much warmth and love.

    She cried, followed by a rough series of pants coming out of her lips. With a bright explosion of pleasure, she felt the familiar sensation of lukewarm liquid pooling inside her belly. She kissed him hard as tears rolled down her cheeks.

    She was starting to become greedy¡­ Wanting someone that she knew she shouldn''t have. She wanted to answer him¡­ to his confession of love. However, she knew that she still couldn''t reply to it. There were still many things inside her head that prevented her from responding to every love confession he made.

    For once¡­ she just wanted to remain in the exact same position that they had now, without thinking of anything else but the joyous sensation of their bodies joining as one.

    ****

    A/N: Feb. 1, 2022

    I think I showered you with enough *** scenes haha do you want more?

 Chapter 142 - The Marks Glowing

    At the Convel Society Territory

    Danos'' nostrils flared as he clenched his teeth in anger.

    "How dare that asshole push his authority towards me?! He''s not even a pureblood!" he grunted madly as he walked out of the meeting hall, not bothering if others could even hear him.

    Well, most of them were used to him by now. He was well known to be someone who just loved to stab others behind their back. And yet despite his reputation, no one could exile him out of the society due to his wide array of connections and contributions to the growth of the Convel Society. There had also been no proven evidence against him, enough that could be used to strip him of the status of being an Elder and throw him away from Convel Society.

    "But he''s stronger than a pureblood¡­" Sasha, the alpha of White Claw Pack, commented with a smirk.

    Danos''s face darkened as he looked at the woman from head to toe. She was the youngest alpha in the Convel Society and the first woman on top of that. Most males in their society drooled over her, himself included. Well, he already had a wife, but it wouldn''t hurt to add more women to his collection. Not exempting Marcus'' daughter from the equation, of course. That girl intrigued him far too much.

    "You sound like someone who adores our King. Are you one of those females in heat for a handsome man like him?" he mocked with a grin.

    Sasha raised her eyebrow as she sneered, "I would definitely prefer handsome young hot blood like him, that''s for sure¡­"

    Danos''s face darkened as he glared at Sasha''s back, who let out a mocking laugh as she walked ahead of him. That woman truly thought of herself as the future Luna.

    ''Dream on!'' Danos silently snorted, his expression dimming further as his eyes darted to the lost Decan. If their former King hadn''t lost to that half-blood, he would''ve already thrown Decan to the pit by now and had stolen the throne from him. He had already prepared everything for Decan''s fall, but this Nathan suddenly showed up, appearing out of absolutely nowhere and messed up all his plans in gaining the throne for himself.

    He approached Decan and asked, "Will your eldest daughter join in the selection for a Luna?"

    "I''m not sure, Danos. It would be up to her if she wants to join, and so far, she''s not saying anything to me about it. Either way, I''m not even sure if her mother would allow her to join in the first place, seeing as she''s just eighteen," he shrugged. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, Danos. I''ll go ahead," Decan said as Danos nodded watching the man walk away at that instant. Danos scoffed. He simply could not stand that man.

    Decan went out of the King''s place and headed back to their home. The Convel Society occupied a wide area of the forbidden forest. People weren''t aware of the place''s existence. After all, they had long protected the area for centuries by having their kind in high positions inside the Government. That was how they managed to hide their society''s existence from the general populace. The area they occupied was vast, almost equivalent to a town in their country, but it was still a safe haven for those in their society. On top of that, they had a high level of security in the area.

    Reaching his destination, Decan stopped the car in front of his house and went inside.

    "You''re late for dinner," his wife mumbled.

    He chuckled, simply giving her a warm hug. This was one of the reasons why he was grateful that Nathaniel spared his life¡­ He was able to return home safely back to his family like this.

    "The kids?" he asked.

    He had three kids. Crissa was eighteen, Ruth was twelve, and Regan was ten.

    "Crissa''s still at work, and Ruth is probably studying in her room," his wife informed him. "By the way, will you please check on your son Regan while I prepare for dinner? I felt that something was wrong with him as soon as he got home, but he kept saying that he''s alright¡­"

    "I''ll go check on him then," Decan replied, before walking towards Regan''s room.

    His son was already on his bed, but he was still awake, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling.

    "Your mother''s worried about you. Did something happen?" Decan asked as he sat on the side of the bed. Regan sat up and showed his shoulder to his father.

    Decan''s eyes widened¡­ Regan was way too close to his father, and he was only comfortable with telling his thoughts and problems to him.

    "Some girl marked me earlier. I think she''s not one of us. But the weird thing is¡­ I can''t remember her face or anything about her at all. All I know is that she bit me¡­" Regan confusedly uttered.

    "You guys are too young for this... I mean, I''ve never heard of something like this ever happening. Don''t worry too much about it, son. I''ll ask an expert more about this. I''m sure there''s some explanation for it that we might not know," Decan reassured his son. "For now, just sleep early, okay? Get some rest."

    Regan nodded, and soon, Decan left his room after making sure that his son had calmed down.

    He had a frown on his face as he went back to the dining room.

    "What''s wrong?" his wife, Dinah, asked.

    "Our son got marked, Dinah. This is something highly peculiar," Decan whispered, utterly confused with what had happened to their son. "I have to investigate this. See who that little girl who marked our son is."

    "Is that a bad thing?" Dinah pondered.

    "Not really, unless she was her mate. But if not, then he won''t be able to choose his own woman in the future except for the one who marked him. It won''t be a bad thing if the little girl who did it was someone nice¡­ but what if she wasn''t? Plus, what if something bad happens to her? Then our son''s life would be in danger as well," Decan worriedly postulated. They had a history in the family where male werewolves do not experience the said ''Mate Pull''. It was honestly considered a disorder in their race, but he believed it was not a disorder but a privilege granted to their lineage, a privilege to choose the woman they wanted to like and love.

    "I mean, we don''t know anything about who she is yet, so I need to check. Something''s weird about Regan''s mark too. It''s not like the usual mark that we have¡­ The mark''s glowing¡­ I sensed some other power or energy in it, and that kind of unknown is what''s really scaring me. It''s foreign, Dinah¡­ Something out of my knowledge. I might need to seek help from an expert about it along with some Elders who might know more¡­"

    "No! We have to keep quiet about it for now. It''s dangerous, especially when Danos is still inside the society," Dinah urged. "This thing can be used against our son, so we should keep this a secret and tell Regan to keep what happened to himself.. Let''s investigate things in our own confidence. We can''t risk our son''s future if it''s something unknown to our tradition and beliefs¡­"

 Chapter 143 - His World Just Stopped Rotating

    "What''s this¡­ A mole?" Levi mumbled as he repeated the recent conversations he had extracted between Rui and Xander through Rui''s bugged phone.

    "Huh?" Mia was sleepy. But upon hearing those words from Levi, she immediately grabbed the headphone and listened.

    "What? Shane Li?! I know her!" Mia gasped as she removed the headphone.

    Levi turned at her, interest piqued.

    "She''s with us. You know, ''Shadow Beauties'' training. But unfortunately, she didn''t pass the health exam, so she luckily escaped the horrendous training at an early age. However, that girl was a hacker. Well, not as good as me, of course, but she has the talent," Mia could not help but voice out her observation.

    "We should tell Boss about it, that Xander''s planning to plant a mole in the Moon Clan. Damn, I can''t believe how Xander''s team is improving with the help of the military. That General Zach Lim is very competent at his job."

    Technically speaking, there was also a very tight security detail around Xander and Yera now. That was including their family, that Dan and the other squad members were assigned to at country D to keep Xander safe. Plus, she and Levi were having difficulties hacking into the military system of country D. It was the toughest security system they had encountered so far.

    "He''s taken," Levi suddenly scoffed.

    Mia raised an eyebrow as she snorted, "Where did that come from? Your comments seem out of tune¡­ Duh¡­ Who cares if he''s taken. It''s not like I want to marry the guy. I''m simply admiring his good qualities."

    Levi scratched his head. He didn''t know what came over him as he suddenly said that. He honestly felt annoyed, seeing how Mia was smiling at the mention of the young General.

    ''No way!'' he inwardly barked as his eyes widened.

    Mia yawned, "Well, I''m going back to sleep now. Wake me up if there''s something important¡­"

    Levi only nodded as his eyes followed Mia''s back as she walked out of the control room. He looked at the screen, but quickly turned around with a smile on his face as he heard the door open again, "You for-"

    He paused, his smile fading quickly. It wasn''t Mia that he was seeing. Instead, it was Aire.

    Aire giggled and teased, "Uncle, you look disappointed to see me. Did you expect Aunt Mia to enter instead? She''s on her way to her room already."

    "Don''t start with me," Levi growled with a pout. "Why are you still awake, huh? I thought you wanna rest early?"

    Aire approached him. Grabbing his wrist, she put a bracelet around his wrist.

    "What''s this? Levi asked with a frown.

    "Ah¡­ Can''t you tell that it''s a bracelet, Uncle Levi?" Aire coyly answered while still putting the bracelet on.

    "I know, but why give me a bracelet all of a sudden?"

    "You all have been good to me, so I asked Daddy Tyrone to accompany me in buying presents as a token of my gratitude," Aire smiled. "I already gave Draki to Mom, and this is for you. I also gave one to Aunty Mia earlier."

    After a few moments, Aire finished putting the bracelet on Levi. He raised his wrist, looking at the new accessory.

    The little girl at her handiwork, "See? It suits you. I got Aunt Mia the same design, and it looks good on her too. This way, you two will look good together."

    Levi''s face flushed. He didn''t expect that as a benefit.

    "Aire, stop teasing me," he complained.

    Aire only chuckled, "But I''m not teasing you. Aunty Mia likes you too, and I think you like her too. Life is short, you know¡­ And the kind of life you two both have, it''s better not to waste time and seize the moment¡­"

    Levi stammered out in disbelief, but Aire only giggled at him.

    "Ah, how about some milk and snacks? You''re probably hungry, right? Do you want me to get you something?" Levi nervously asked, trying to change the topic.

    "I''m not hungry, Uncle. I''m gonna sleep now. Goodnight," Aire said, yawning as she then quickly left the room.

    Levi let out a frustrated sigh. Aire had a point, but he was still unsure about what he was currently feeling. And besides, he didn''t want to ruin what he currently had with Mia.

    Standing up from his chair to do some stretching, he looked at the monitor screen. He had finished up all of his pending work, and he soon left the control room to go to his room and get some sleep.

    He was walking into the hallway when he suddenly stopped. Frowning, he noticed Mia going out of her room before walking towards the opposite direction.

    "Mia?" he called out. However, Mia kept walking.

    Silently, Levi followed her, and his eyes widened at the sudden movement. Moving quickly, he lunged towards her and caught her as she almost fell.

    "Mia!" he grunted as he pulled her closer to him, holding onto her waist tightly. "Are you sleepwalking?!" he snapped.

    She seemed as if she was far from him, to the point he had to shake her shoulders to try and wake her. However, she didn''t not budge. Instead, she put her arms over his neck and pulled him for a sudden kiss.

    Levi froze. He felt as if his soul had just left his body. To think that it was only a peck¡­ Eventually, Mia suddenly broke the kiss. She had lolled her head away from him. Not having enough, he had to lean to catch her lips as they got away from him.

    However, Mia suddenly blinked, looking at Levi with questioning eyes, "Levi?"

    ''Shit! Is she awake now?'' Levi panicked to the point that he suddenly removed his hands off Mia, causing her to slump to the floor. "I''m so sorry!"

    Levi quickly helped her get back on her feet, while inwardly, he cursed himself for his clumsiness.

    "Oh my God¡­ Don''t tell me I was sleepwalking?" Mia burst with disbelief.

    "Wait, are you alright? Nothing hurts?" Levi asked worriedly.

    "Yeah, I''m fine, but I''m fully awake now¡­ I sleepwalked?" she wondered in disbelief. "I guess I did, seeing as I don''t even know how I got out of my room when I''m supposed to be sleeping. Ugh¡­ I should''ve locked my door¡­ damn¡­"

    "Yeah, you did¡­ Does it happen often?" Levi asked as his mind wondered if Mia was even aware that she kissed him?

    "Oh, not really. Just when I''m fatigued or sleep-deprived," Mia murmured.

    It was true. Mia indeed needed a lot of sleep since she was often more awake than asleep for the past few days.

    "How about you rest more? I''ll cover for you on some of your work, okay?" Levi offered.

    Mia''s face lit up. With a wide smile, she hugged him tightly, "Oh! You''re so kind! Thank you!!!"

    Levi gulped. His world just stopped rotating right at that moment.

    ****************

    A/N: Know about Zach Lim''s funny love story. I promise you there''s not a dull moment and it''s very light.. Something you will truly enjoy so kindly search the book and add it to your library. The title is The General Who Hates Me

 Chapter 144 - His Mate**

    Tyrone and Raine''s constant lovemaking continued all throughout the night that Tyrone had to control himself hard not to wake her up once she had fallen asleep just minutes after midnight. She laid there unmoving in his arms, with her head resting quietly on his chest.

    He gently stroked Raine''s hair, removing a few strands of hair covering her beautiful face. He let out a satisfied sigh as he quietly and carefully moved to get out of bed. He didn''t want to do it, but he still had some work to finish. He, too, had become far too anxious to finally close Xander''s case so he and Raine could finally talk about what they had between the two of them. They just didn''t have the right timing right now. They had to solve Xander and Yun''s case first¡­

    He grabbed his boxer shorts and put them on before going outside the bedroom. Opening the door, he saw Draki standing by the doorway.

    "Why are you still awake, huh?" Tyrone asked Draki as he patted his head. The latter softly whimpered and walked with Tyrone before settling on the couch beside the man as he opened his laptop.

    Checking on his mobile phone, he quickly dialed the control room after seeing that Mia had left him a message.

    "What''s going on? Where''s Mia? I just read her message about a mole that would infiltrate the Moon Clan?"

    "I''m covering for Mia till dawn. I''m about to call the Boss too, but I guess you should know too. Also, I''ve got another piece of news from Rui''s bug. They''re talking about an intruder that tried to harm Xander. But fortunately, the military caught him," Levi briefed. "The only problem they had was that he died in the way of self-shutting down before they could extract any more information from the intruder. There was a chip implanted in his head¡­" he finished.

    "Alright. Raine''s sleeping right now, but I''ll inform her of the situation as soon as she''s awake. Thanks, Levi," Tyrone said before ending the call.

    After which, he immediately wrapped up his work, including sending a filtered report back to Yun. He then quickly walked back to the bedroom and joined Raine on the bed.

    Raine had her back to him, so he pulled her close to him until her bare back finally touched his bare chest. Tyrone groaned hard, regretting what he just did due to the raging hard-on that he once again sported. With something as simple as skin contact, he got immediately aroused. It was far too difficult. Raine was naked against him, and he couldn''t help himself as he ended up removing his boxer shorts while showering her shoulders with faint kisses.

    His hand that was initially on her waist eventually trailed upwards, cupping one of her breasts as he began to partake in his body. She had wonderful round breasts that almost perfectly fit in his wide palm. He gently squeezed her mounds while his leg began rocking, his throbbing cock rubbing against her sweet spot.

    Raine moaned as she sluggishly murmured, "I thought you''ll let me just rest till the morning..."

    "I''m sorry. I just couldn''t help myself. You''re too hot. It felt like I''m always losing my mind whenever I''m near you," Tyrone whispered into her ear, followed by licking and nibbling on her earlobe.

    Raine ended up moaning as what was left of her drowsiness in her body got replaced by intense arousal. Tyrone''s hand brushed against her nipples, carefully caressing her mounds and peaks. She unconsciously moved her bottom, brushing it against his erection as she responded. Tyrone''s hand then crawled all over her skin. Roaming down to her hips, he moved one of her legs up a bit, positioning her from behind as he continued licking and sucking the skin just above her shoulders.

    With a moan, she subconsciously hooked her leg around him, giving his hand full access to the tingling spot between her thighs. He rubbed her flower, making her moan at the pleasurable sensation as he worked her clit while simultaneously brushing the tip of his manhood against her already weeping entrance.

    Impatiently, Raine''s hand helped guide the hot shaft inside of her, making both of them gasp as he slid inside. He rocked his hips hard, penetrating her deeper and deeper as Raine gasped and moaned at the sensation of being completely filled. His breath tickled her back, the remarkable sensation that she was feeling seemingly never-ending every time he would take her like that.

    "A-Ah¡­"

    She gasped with every thrust, her body subconsciously moving to meet his every demand. He continued rubbing against her sensitive nub on her core, giving her wave and after pleasurable wave of ecstasy. The intense thrusting pushed her deeper into the abyss. Coupled with his incessant rubbing of her nub, she could feel the pressure within her building up far faster than ever before.

    He bent forward as his kisses trailed  across her shoulder blades, all the way to the back of her neck. All the while, his chest was constantly making close contact with her exposed back. Both of them were gasping and humming with immense pleasure. It was something she had already experienced multiple times in one day, and yet the feeling of him pulsating inside her walls, growing bigger and bigger with each thrust was still as unbearable as ever. Soon enough, she would have yet another mind-blowing explosion!

    And soon enough, her body convulsed, followed by his loud growl, as he once more released his hot seed deep inside her very being. He hugged her tightly from behind as they both relaxed their trembling bodies, giving her one last peck at her back before slowly pulling himself out of her thoroughly pleasured core with a satisfied sigh.

    "Y-you should¡­ sleep in your room instead¡­" Raine weakly mumbled as she turned around to face him.

    Tyrone chuckled as he pulled her close with his arms instead. It was as if he was way too afraid, too fearful of letting her body slip away from his.

    "The bed smells awkward. And it''s sticky," Raine sheepishly murmured into his chest. The scent of their lovemaking was all over. She felt sticky, too but she just wanted to rest now.

    Tyrone chuckled, "Yeah, that''s alright. They''ll replace it tomorrow morning anyway. I''m gonna wipe you clean with a towel later. Now, get some sleep. I promise I''ll diligently behave myself and won''t disturb you in your sleep¡­"

    "But I don''t trust you¡­ And I don''t trust my body as well¡­" Raine weakly whispered with her eyes closed. She would not mind him cleaning her up in her deep sleep since she was really dead tired and it was not like she had anything to hide anymore in her body from him.

    She felt like she couldn''t even lift her finger from all of the exhaustion. She had never thought that constant lovemaking could sap at her strength like this. Even more so than fighting strong mutants.

    "Shhh¡­ sleep now," Tyrone whispered as he gently stroked her hair, caressing it gently to make her feel relaxed.. He liked how the musk and the smell of sex practically enveloped the room. He loved how his smell covered hers¡­ indicating that she was his¡­ His woman¡­ His mate¡­

 Chapter 145 - Fuck Me, Baby!

    At his house, Boris couldn''t sleep at all, knowing that his mate was just in the other room, sleeping alone and utterly defenseless. He had volunteered to sleep on the couch inside the spare room where Lyne was sleeping, but she immediately kicked him out.

    "How cruel¡­" Boris murmured as he got up from his bed.

    He strode towards the door and went out to get some sort of alcoholic drink from his bar, but he stopped in his track as he heard some kind of noise in the drumming from kitchen. Sniffing, he smiled. He had caught Lyne''s scent.

    "My rabbit is probably hungry," he whispered to himself as he quietly approached her.

    Tossing and turning, Lyne couldn''t get a wink of sleep. So instead, she looked for some hot milk to drink even if she didn''t know if Boris had some or not. After all, she wouldn''t dare wake him up over something as insignificant as this. And besides, Boris was quite persistent on insisting far too many things towards her, so it was best option not to ask that man about anything.

    "Damn!" she impatiently cursed as soon as she saw that nothing was inside the kitchen cabinet.

    "What''s my little rabbit looking for?" Boris whispered in her ear.

    At his sudden appearance, Lyne reflexively moved. However, Boris immediately caught her hand, hugging her from behind and completely ignoring the attempted attack on him.

    "Hey. It''s just me, okay. Your mate, Boris, not some enemy to attack," he whispered from behind her ear.

    Lyne could feel his hot breath. Another curse came from inside her head before she hissed, "Let me go! Why would you even sneak behind my back like that!? And stop calling me mate!"

    At her insistence, Boris released her as she then turned around to face him. Boris was scratching his head as he cheekily asked, "Apologies, my Lyne. I forgot about it at that moment. So tell me, what do you need? I''ll prepare it for you if you want."

    Lyne stared at him. Up until now, she still couldn''t believe how his handsome face could turn into something so monstrous? Then again, all werewolves shapeshift in that kind of form. She didn''t like it at all. Well, not all werewolves were handsome in human forms like Tyrone and Boris. Obviously, she preferred that Boris stay in his human and handsome form. She smiled at the memory of his makeover. After all, it had revealed his handsome face from behind all of the hair covering his face.

    And predictably, her eyes widened in disbelief as soon as she realized what was going on inside her head again.

    "Hello?" Boris tried to get her attention back.

    Despite his overwhelming presence, Lyne quickly cleared her throat as she said, "I can''t sleep, so I''m looking for some milk."

    "Oh, that? I only have powdered milk in here. Do you want it hot, warm, or cold?" Boris asked.

    "Just hot, please," Lyne answered.

    She watched as he grabbed the powdered milk from the last row of the cabinet that she hadn''t opened yet.

    "Why are you outside anyway?" Lyne mumbled.

    "Ah, I can''t sleep as well, so I planned to get some alcoholic drinks. You see, that helps me sleep¡­"

    "I see," Lyne nodded.

    She sat at the kitchen counter, Boris joining her as she did.

    "Here," Boris said, handing her a mug of hot milk. Without prompting, he sat beside her and asked, "Can I just ask you something?"

    "Fire away¡­" Lyne muttered as she began drinking her milk.

    "Do you despise me?" he straightforwardly asked.

    Lyne was caught off-guard. In the short period that she got to know him, she discovered that Boris was honestly someone that was far too transparent for their own good. What she saw was what she got. She liked how he was brutally honest on everything, as well as with his blatant candidness, which was kind of opposite to her own disposition.

    She unconsciously bit her lip and murmured honestly, "Well, I don''t actually despise you. It''s just that imagining myself as a werewolf''s mate is a bit too much for me, you know? I probably just have a bad impression of your kind because of my father''s death."

    Boris sighed, "I''m sorry if I''m a bit overbearing. You see, I''ve honestly been waiting for so long to find my mate that I got too excited when I found out that it was you," he wholeheartedly apologized. "You know¡­ it was like a dream come true when I recognized your scent. I understand that you wouldn''t want to associate with my kind, especially after you''ve seen my monstrous wolf-man form. I didn''t want to show that ugly side of me to you either, but I''m stronger and faster in that form. And as soon as I detected a strong presence near us, the thought of seeing you get hurt alarmed me so much that I immediately swept you away from that dangerous place."

    Lyne didn''t know what came over her when she reached out to touch Boris''s cheeks as she whispered, "That''s okay. You did it for me. I probably just got too surprised, is all. You see, that form is quite scary, and we used to¡­ Hmmm¡­ kill some rogue ones using those forms¡­"

    Her eyes quickly widened as she suddenly snapped out and realized what he was doing. She was about to pull her hand away, but Boris held it firmly.

    "Just wait for a second. Your palm feels warm¡­ It''s the first time you ever touched me, and I just want to feel it a bit more. Please?"

    Lyne gulped hard, swallowing the lump in her throat as she timidly nodded. How in the world did she suddenly turn gentle towards him? And even then, what surprised her the most was how gentle Boris was despite his brusque aura and demeanor. Or maybe he was only gentle around women like her?

    ''Dummy. You''re his mate, so he''s probably trying to soothe and coax you.'' her inner self warned her, causing Lyne to quickly pull her hand away as she held her mug with her two hands while drinking.

    Boris chuckled, "You''re so cute, blushing like that." Then suddenly, his face became serious as he boldly declared, "I will kill Danos, Lyne. I will take my revenge alongside your own vengeance for the man that killed your father. If I''m able to kill that werewolf, the one you despise the most¡­ Do you think you can finally accept me?"

    Lyne was speechless. She didn''t know how to answer such a proposition.

    "You don''t need to answer it. Maybe, I''ll just find out the answer once I killed Danos," Boris murmured with a sigh.

    Lyne suddenly stood up from her chair, saying, "I think I''ll go back to my room now."

    "Alright. Dream of me¡­ Well, at least the handsome side of me so that it won''t be a nightmare. I prefer the erotic kind of dream, okay?" Boris teased as Lyne walked out with her back towards him.

    Watching her, he laughed hard when he saw Lyne raise her hand and give him a solid one-finger salute.

    "Yeah! Fuck me, baby!" Boris fired back.

    "Go to hell!" Lyne yelled as her shadow disappeared. Boris shook his head with a grin.. He honestly felt that his relationship with Lyne was progressing rather swimmingly.

 Chapter 146 - Restrain That Greed

    The following day, Raine woke up late as expected. The bed was already empty, making her feel a bit disappointed at not seeing Tyrone''s captivating face the moment she opened her eyes. She would''ve loved to wake up with him beside her, but looking at the wall clock, she could only sigh at how late it already was. It was almost lunchtime!

    "Damn¡­ Everything in my body aches," she whispered as she got up from the bed to have a quick shower. She had marks everywhere!

    "Damn!" she scoffed while picking up an appropriate outfit. Good thing she brought a long-sleeved turtleneck dress with her.

    Walking out, she immediately shook her head at seeing Tyrone readying the table at the dining area.

    "Good mor- hmm¡­ Good afternoon," he greeted with a broad smile as he instantly walked towards her and pulled her in for a sweet, gentle kiss on her lips.

    Raine''s heart melted at that simple gesture. He was just too adorable and loveable with him showering her with more of his smiles rather than his usual stoic face and constant frowning.

    "My body aches all over," she murmured on his lips with a pout. Well, it was a warning not to try to touch her at places right now. She was practically helpless whenever he would lay his hands on her. She was also dead serious, with her body still sore from their relentless lovemaking.

    Tyrone chuckled and pulled out a chair. He then sat on it, gently dragging her to his lap. "I know you''re sore, so I promise to behave well. Now, let me feed you and do all the work," he cooed before looking at the time. "Damn! I took time in the kitchen. I''m supposed to wake you up and bathe you, but you woke up way earlier than I expected."

    And here he was¡­ He was already back to doing whatever he pleased. It was in a good way, though, whenever she was vulnerable to him like this. However, this was also the scariest part, her getting used to this kind of treatment from him. Unlike whenever she would distance herself from him, he was far from readable and placid.

    Instead, Raine didn''t care as she let him do what he wanted, feeding her and pampering her to no end. Oh, how she wanted it to never stop¡­

    "I''m full," Raine murmured when Tyrone tried to give her one more spoonful of rice and meat.

    Tyrone retreated his hand and whispered, "How was it?"

    "Huh?"

    "The meal? I cooked it, so how was it?"

    Raine opened her mouth to answer, but Tyrone pulled at her nape and kissed her lips instead, slipping his tongue inside. He tasted every part of the insides of her mouth that Raine ended up gasping for air as soon as he broke the kiss.

    "It tastes good inside your mouth," he murmured with a devilish smile before giving her a quick peck on her lips. He then hugged her tightly, resting his head on her chest. He could probably feel and hear her heart constantly skipping out of rhythm by now.

    "Let''s stay like this for a while. I need to calm down and behave," he helplessly whispered.

    Raine smiled and gently stroked his hair. "We have to go back now while planning the next move. Dalgon left me a message, and he agreed to my terms regarding him defecting to me. I need to make a solid plan and wrap up Xander and Uncle Yun''s case before my father wakes up," Raine murmured.

    "I¡­ wanted to talk to you, Raine, about an important matter. About my¡­" Tyrone whispered with a pause. He was trying to tell her everything early despite his hesitation and fear. However, he was too unsure of how to start. He thought that it would be better to tell Raine everything after wrapping up Xander''s case, but the burden in his heart had already weighed him down for long enough.

    Raine sighed. She could feel how Tyrone''s body stiffened and tensed, so she murmured, "Shhh, let''s talk about it later. After Xander''s case¡­ we can talk about it."

    "Alright, let''s do that¡­" Tyrone muttered.

    They stayed like that for quite some time, basking in each other''s presence until Tyrone''s mobile phone rang on the table. Raine immediately grabbed it, seeing Aire''s caller ID.

    "How come my daughter is calling you instead of me?" she scoffed as she quickly answered the mobile phone, not bothering to get up from Tyrone''s lap.

    Raine had a pout while staring at Aire on the screen.

    "Mommy! I knew you''d be with Daddy, so I called him instead since you''re not answering my call," Aire explained as if reading Raine''s expression.

    "Hmm¡­ Mommy''s mobile phone is inside the bedroom right now."

    "Okay. How''s Draki, Mommy?" Aire asked.

    "Hmm¡­ He prefers to stay outside the balcony as of now, Dear. Why? Do you miss Draki more than Mommy now?" Raine asked with a pout.

    Aire chuckled, "I always miss Mommy. When are you and Daddy coming back?"

    "Tomorrow, Dear. We''ll see you tomorrow," Raine whispered. She initially wanted to leave this evening, but she supposed that there was no harm in extending their stay for one whole day. As Tyrone suggested, she too would love to enjoy and unwind, even if it was just for a short time.

    "Alright, have fun. I just checked on you two. You two look so good together. No wonder I''m this pretty. Anyway, bye, Mommy, Daddy," Aire uttered with a grin before ending the call.

    "Huh¡­ Come to think of it. We three would definitely make a good family," Tyrone unconsciously muttered.

    In response, Raine bit her inner cheek. She suddenly got up on his lap and said, "Let''s go fishing? I honestly haven''t tried doing something like that, so I thought I might as well  try it now¡­"

    "Alright, I''m good at it. I''ll teach you. Let me get the yacht," Tyrone boasted. He excitedly grabbed the telephone to dial for hotel reception and ask for an arrangement.

    Raine simply watched him with a gentle smile on her face as she mused, ''He would make a perfect husband in the future.''

    That gentle smile was in contrast with the sorrowful and regretful look staining her eyes. She wondered who that lucky woman would be. After all, there was no way that it could be her¡­ Greediness was a plague that could quickly eat a person alive if they didn''t know when to stop.

    ''Restrain that greed, Raine,'' she reminded herself.

 Chapter 147 - You Are Mine

    Tyrone got them a small private yacht that he himself maneuvered just enough so that their distance away from the island would get them in waters deep enough for fishing. They also brought Draki with them, who did nothing but sleep in a comfortable spot on the yacht.

    Raine was sitting on an inclined chair facing the ocean. She was in her usual bikinis while wearing shades over eyes. The weather was actually nice today. It wasn''t as hot as yesterday, but she still bothered with putting on sunblock since Tyrone insisted. He clearly wanted to do it himself, but she denied him the chance, knowing that he might end up not just putting sunblock all over her body. They were out to go fishing, not to make love in the open ocean!

    Meanwhile, Tyrone couldn''t help but ogle at Raine''s figure? How could he not, especially when he could visibly see the marks he made on her skin? They glowed against the sunlight like wonders¡­

    "Why are you staring? Are you happy that you littered my skin full of hickeys? Turn around and focus on preparing the fishing rods, okay?" Raine rolled her eyes. She saw how the brute had an ear-to-ear grin while staring at her from head to toe.

    "They look magnificent on you, is all. You should have them more often," Tyrone jokingly said as he sat in front of her to set up the fishing poles.

    "Are you fond of fishing?" Raine asked while taking off her shades, diverting the topic with a blush on her face.

    There was a pause. Tyrone looked at the calm sea before letting out a loud breath, "Spending some time out in nature like this gives you a dose of clean, oxygen-rich air. Being around water like this feels good," he explained. "They say that moving water produces a lot of negative ions that regulate sleep patterns. I''ve always had problems with sleeping, so this kind of ambiance does wonders on my mood most of the time."

    "Do tell."

    "I do love fishing. I often go fishing whenever I want to clear my head. It''s honestly one of the healthiest habits," Tyrone chuckled. "Whenever I''m battling depression or simply struggling to concentrate, a few hours with a rod in my hand helps me a lot. Somehow, I could reach a flow-like state, that feeling of being in the zone which creates a sense of calm and fulfillment despite everything."

    "Alright then. You start now, and let me see if you''re a good fisherman," Raine murmured as she grabbed the bottle of sunblock.

    "I thought you wanted to try it?" Tyrone reminded.

    "Yeah, wait, let''s put some sunblock on you," Raine replied. She had noticed that Tyrone''s skin on his back was drying up, and he also had some sunburns. Squeezing out some lotion, she started applying it on his whole back. Her hands moved up to his nape, and she creased her forehead.

    "I just noticed, you have a crescent-shaped moon tattoo?" Raine murmured. It wasn''t visible because of the nape-length flow haircut on his back covering it.

    "Uhm, it''s not a tattoo. It''s been there since birth, so it''s more like a birthmark," Tyrone said.

    "Oh, that''s so cool. It''s so beautiful. The crescent-shaped moon is so perfect¡­" Raine whispered. The uneven distribution of black-colored spots made for a perfect black crescent-moon shape and complexity.

    Coming near it, Raine unconsciously gave it a gentle kiss.

    "Stop that. You''re arousing me¡­ You don''t know how much I''ve been controlling myself since this morning," Tyrone complained, making Raine chuckle.

    "Alright, fine. Let''s just catch some fish for you to cook later for dinner," Raine smirked while hugging his back.

    Tyrone let out a frustrated sigh and mumbled, "That''s not helping at all."

    Raine laughed and let him go. She then grabbed a fishing rod and cast the bait-covered hook to the water, imitating what Tyrone had done earlier.

    "Hmm, what now?" she mumbled, watching the line bob with the waves.

    "Wait patiently," Tyrone murmured.

    Seconds passed. Then minutes. The couple watched their lines in the silence of the ocean waves.

    "Oh, mine is moving. I think I caught one!" Raine excitedly gasped. She immediately spun the reel to claim her catch.

    "Is it heavy?" Tyrone asked.

    "No, it''s too light. I can do it," Raine murmured, but her face suddenly fell upon seeing that it was a baby fish.

    "We can''t eat this. It''s still too young," Raine mumbled in disappointment while removing the small fish from the hook, releasing it back to the water. "I guess fishing is like dating. It''s all catch and release until you find a keeper¡­" Raine snorted.

    Tyrone chuckled and shamelessly stated, "You already found a keeper in me, so try not to put me back in the ocean."

    He made it sound so light, but those words had a heavy impact that hit Raine exactly on her weak spot. She turned to Tyrone, wondering if he said it because he could already tell what she would do next. She then shook her head. She should just ignore it.

    Raine said nothing of his words. Instead, she said, "We''ll go back to work tomorrow. Please¡­ let''s remain professional with each other till then. Can you do me that as a favor?"

    She hated doing this often¡­ Ruining the good mood, but she often had the urge in doing do maybe because she felt guilty¡­

    Tyrone turned and stared at her. He tried to look calm, but the confusion he felt couldn''t be contained. Raine smiled and touched his face as she clarified, "What I mean is that you can have me all you want while we''re still here. But later, once we go back to country V, you''ll behave. We''ll be back in a professional relationship as employer and employee, okay? I hope you understand that I need to concentrate on many things first and foremost. Let''s not be greedy¡­"

    Tyrone felt a lump on his throat. But with a serious face, he said, "Okay, I''ll be patient, but we need to make things clear between us after solving Xander''s case, Raine. I''ll let you finish your business with Xander," he gravely nodded. "But after that¡­ we should seriously talk about our relationship. I am serious about you, and I would do anything just to keep you. You are mine, Raine, mine alone, and I''m your¡­ yours alone¡­"

    Raine gave him a soft smile. She moved to sit on his lap, still cupping his face with her warm palms as she straddled him. She narrowed her eyes at him and, with a mischievous smile, murmured, "You''re the possessive type, aren''t you? But I''m sure you''re already aware that I''m someone who wouldn''t let simply anyone own me¡­"

    Tyrone would''ve said something more, but Raine cut him off by sealing his lips with hers.

    Tyrone knew that Raine was subtly trying to silence him by seducing him like this, but she should understand that this was far from stopping him. Fine, he would play her game and wait till she finished wrapping up Xander''s case.. He could wait¡­ But after that, he would not let her escape him ever.

 Chapter 148 - To Despise Me

    So far, Raine had succeeded in diverting Tyrone''s attention towards her as she and Tyrone shared a passionate kiss.

    "I thought you''re sore?" Tyrone whispered on her lips.

    "I still am. Why? I''m just kissing you," Raine whispered back with a seductive smile.

    Tyrone let out a long sigh and complained, "But I''m not even close to a saint. Please don''t tempt me. I can''t promise that kissing is enough for me if you won''t stop."

    Raine chuckled as she quickly moved out from his lap. Instead, she sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder while hugging his arm.

    "This is nice. So solemn and relaxing. I bet the sunset view here is nice as well." Raine murmured.

    "Yeah, we''ll have to wait for the sunset before leaving. You can swim around if you''re getting bored of fishing," Tyrone murmured.

    Taking casual offense, Raine grabbed the rod once more and said, "I''m not bored at all. How about we make a bet? Whoever catches more fish can ask for one request from the other."

    Tyrone chuckled, "Sure, why not? Prepare to grant me that request then."

    Raine smirked, "You''re too confident. Just wait and see if you can beat me."

    "Let''s set a timer. We should leave before five-thirty PM, so that''s one hour," Tyrone suggested.

    With a nod, Raine agreed.

    After an hour¡­

    "Can we add a bit more time on the clock, please? Look, the sun is still up," Raine pleaded.

    Tyrone shook his head and grabbed the fishing rod from her. She had a frown on her face as Tyrone pulled her up to make her sit in front of him. He had a blanket and hugged Raine with it.

    "I won already. You won''t beat me even if we stay that long. Let''s just enjoy the sunset now," he murmured in her ear, hugging her from her back tightly.

    Raine comfortably rested her back and head on his chest. "What''s that one request you want me to grant?" she curiously asked.

    "For you to stay by my side¡­" Tyrone murmured.

    Raine''s body stiffened immediately. Tyrone felt it instantly, making his face dim at the implication. "Is it so hard?" he couldn''t help but question.

    "Yeah¡­ I''m not sure if I can''t grant you that request. Can you just change it and make another easy request?"

    Tyrone felt as if his heart was burning. He tried to compose himself as he said in jest, "I never thought that I''m someone who''s that hard to be with. You do know that you just stabbed me with a double-edged knife straight to the heart, right?"

    "You''re a mutant, Tyrone. I already know about it. I''m a hunter, and you know that. I kill mutants because that''s part of my responsibility¡­" Raine neutrally responded. "We''re from different worlds. It''s an ill-fated relationship, and I''m sure you''re aware of that as well."

    "That''s bullshit when you''re not even a real Yue. So technically, you don''t have a responsibility!" Tyrone burst. He tried his best to keep his calm despite being on the verge of losing it. Raine''s words were just as good as turning him down! He couldn''t accept it. No! He wouldn''t accept it at all!

    "How did you know?" Raine questioned with a frown. Her relationship with her father could be questionable, but none were even aware that her father was not a Yue except for Lyne, Mia, and Levi, who she believed wouldn''t dare tell Tyrone about it.

    Raine''s face paled¡­ Was her hunch about Tyrone right all along?

    There was a pause from Tyrone. He looked like someone who had been caught off-guard, but he immediately countered, "Aire told me about the torn pages from one of the Mirage diaries¡­ Including the one that said that your father wasn''t a real Yue¡­"

    Raine should''ve felt relief by those words, but somehow, she didn''t. She looked at Tyrone intently, doubt highly evident on her face.

    "Right, I''m not a real Yue¡­ Yet, I''m still part of the Moon Clan, and it''s my people and my family. My father will wake up soon, and you know that he won''t accept a mutant like you for me. Don''t you dare ask me to choose between you and my father either¡­" Raine weakly uttered.

    In response, Tyrone hugged her tightened. Raine didn''t complain.

    "I¡­ I will¡­"

    "Stop! Please¡­" Raine cut him off from saying any more words. Tyrone''s face fell even further.  "Like I said, let''s talk about things more seriously once I wrap up Xander''s case. And I hope that we will honor each other''s decision by then," she whispered. "Right now, I''m honestly a mess, Tyrone. Things are far from easy for me. Everything seems borderline impossible, so please, don''t push me too hard¡­"

    There was only silence between them. No one knew what was going inside each other''s heads at the moment, but Raine somehow trusted that she made herself clear with him. It would be better not to keep his hopes high.

    "It''s getting dark now. I''ll maneuver the yacht back to shore¡­" Tyrone plainly said before leaving Raine alone at the deck.

    Raine got up as well. She followed Tyrone to the bridge, hugging him from behind without uttering a word. Tyrone let out a sigh but chose not to say a word as well.

    If only things were easy¡­ If only she could choose to be selfish, then she could just run away with Tyrone whenever and wherever she wanted¡­ But things were fucked up¡­ So messed up that it would take her far too much time to fix everything. She wouldn''t even dare to ask Tyrone to wait until she was finished settling her affairs.

    "Just keep this in mind. I will do anything¡­ no matter what¡­ just to have you and keep you by my side. Even if that means you have to despise me¡­" Tyrone firmly declared.

    ''Despise him? Could I despise Tyrone? Could I really despise someone I love?'' Raine silently questions herself.

 Chapter 149 - Family Isnâ€™t Always Blood

    As soon as they were back in the hotel suite, Tyrone prepared dinner with the fresh fish they had caught. There were no arguments that happened between them. Raine immediately joined him in the kitchen as soon as she was finished with a quick shower.

    "Can I help out, please?" Raine murmured with a smile.

    Tyrone nodded. He grabbed one more apron and put it on Raine, stealing a kiss from her lips while tying the apron on her back.

    Raine only chuckled. "What do you plan on doing with them?" she asked while looking at the still flopping fishes in the sink.

    "The best way to cook them is to keep it simple and easy," he replied. "Do you want to do the fish?"

    Raine''s eyes widened in horror as she mumbled, "I only kill humans and mutants. I haven''t tried killing animals yet, much less a fish!"

    Tyrone shook his head and whispered, "Ah, good thing I''m a good cook then. You''re fortunate, do you know that? Only an idiot will let me go."

    Raine frowned as she silently murmured, "Okay, fine. I''m an idiot."

    As if reading Raine''s dark expression, Tyrone whispered with a grin, "Instead, please remain as the genius that you are."

    "Whatever, "she only gave him a smug eye roll as Tyrone chuckled to lighten up the mood.

    Raine watched Tyrone do his thing with the fish, like removing its scales and cleaning out the innards. He made it look easy, but as soon as Raine tried it, she just couldn''t do it properly. As such, she ended up just preparing the ingredients that Tyrone needed for later.

    "Ah, I''ll do the grilling!" she quickly volunteered, so Tyrone let her.

    Deftly, she added the stuffing, then squeezed out some lemon before putting some parsley as Tyrone instructed.

    After everything was said and done, Tyrone fed Raine with the already-grilled fish while she continued grilling what few uncooked fish remained.

    "Oh, this tastes good¡­" Raine murmured as Tyrone fed her more. Raine signaled at him to also eat also, but Tyrone only shamelessly opened his mouth in response, asking her to feed him. So, of course, Raine did.

    "How come a hulk like you is acting so cheesy," Raine scoffed as she fed him.

    "Only around the woman I love," Tyrone added, making Raine feel shivers run around her spine.

    "Stop that. I''m having goosebumps!" Raine complained, making Tyrone laugh out loud. She couldn''t help but dwell in that wonderful sight. It was like a once-in-a-blue-moon event, and she was glad that she could make him laugh in simple ways like this.

    "Stop staring at me like that, or I''ll just lift you this instant and lock you up in the bedroom for the whole night," Tyrone jokingly warned as soon as he noticed how Raine was staring at him intensely.

    Raine pouted, "You can do that later. Can we enjoy our dinner first? I need to recharge and eat a lot before you completely drain me again."

    Tyrone chuckled and fed her more. After a while, he suddenly asked, "If you''re just someone ordinary, like a common human and not someone involved with some secret group, what would you plan to do with your life?"

    "Hmm¡­ I''d like to be a simple pediatrician like my disguise as Dr. Candice Yao. At first, my father didn''t understand why I insisted on taking Medicine and specializing in pediatrics. But after I told him that it was my dream and that I''m hoping I can still achieve it, he actually let me do it," Raine recounted with a smile. "My father sometimes disagrees with me with a lot of things. But you see, once he feels that I really want it, and he thinks it won''t harm me, then, in the end, he would always give way for me¡­"

    She could still remember how she managed to convince her father with her great acting skills using her tears. Her father honestly had a soft heart, but he was also someone so hellbent on killing mutants. She honestly wanted to know why¡­ But whenever she asked, her father would just ignore the question completely.

    Through her words, Tyrone realized just how deep Raine''s love was for Marcus as a father despite the two not sharing the same blood in their veins. He was aware of the quote saying, ''Family isn''t always blood. It''s by heart¡­''

    Looking at it now, Raine might actually choose her father over him, and it was a fact that was softly killing him.

    "How about you?" Raine asked back, interrupting Tyrone from his stupor.

    Tyrone took in a deep breath before letting out a loud sigh as he replied, "Well, I honestly dreamt of nothing except having a peaceful life together with the woman I love¡­ Building our own family together."

    Raine felt as if she had just cut her tongue at that moment. She was only grateful that her mobile phone rang.

    Immediately grabbing it, she answered, "Yes, Mia?"

    "Xander did it, Boss!!! The Mirage Trial will happen! The King of the Earth Clan is helping him out. Xander will arrive here at Country V tomorrow! They completed gathering the evidence they needed¡­" Mia excitedly reported. They finally got all the details through Rui''s bugged mobile phone.

    "That''s great! I''ll fly there tomorrow with Tyrone. He''ll monitor everything there. I''ll just have a quick visit to Father and meet with Janus. Tell Lyne to prepare my flight back to country D on the same day," Raine instructed. She then gave a few more detailed instructions before ending the call.

    "Why do you need to fly to country D when Xander will arrive in country V?" Tyrone asked with a frown.

    "Oh, I need to infiltrate Plumeria Island and make sure Xander''s wife is safe. I don''t need to worry about Xander being in country V since he''ll be under the protection of the Earth Clan," Raine waved her hand. "Uncle is stupid, but not stupid enough to harm Xander now that the man requested a Mirage Trial. Instead, Uncle will try to harm the closest person to Xander''s heart, and that''s his wife and father, who are both currently in Plumeria Island."

    "How would you infiltrate the island? The security there was real tight."

    Raine had a broad smile on her face as she mumbled, "Being a real medical practitioner has its own benefits, darling. I worked at Yang Globals, so I''m sure I could easily get recommendations to work at the hospital in Plumeria Island."

    That wasn''t the only reason why Raine wanted to go back to country D.. She had to personally see the DNA test results between her and Mara conducted at Yang Globals hospital.

 Chapter 150 - A World Of Bliss And Pleasure Together**

    After dinner, Raine was the first to enter the bedroom since Tyrone still had to feed Draki and make some calls. She brushed her teeth and then unceremoniously walked towards the bed. She stayed there, just sitting with her back on the headrest. Feeling bored, Raine turned on the television and searched for some random movie to watch while waiting for Tyrone. Soon enough, he finally entered the bedroom. Raine watched him casully as he entered the bathroom immediately to clean up.

    "That was quick," Raine commented when Tyrone emerged out of the bathroom in less than five minutes, quickly crawling on the bed towards her.

    "I simply can''t wait to be with you," he roguishly said. "Do you want to watch a movie?" he asked while resting his back on the headrest beside her, inconspicuously pulling Raine into his arms. He noticed how Raine kept on switching through channels for movies.

    "Yeah, but I don''t know what to watch. I can''t even remember when I last watched an actual movie," Raine murmured.

    "Hmm, what genre do you prefer? Romance? Comedy? Horror? Suspense? Action?" Tyrone asked.

    "How about some werewolf movies?" Raine commented with a blank expression.

    Tyrone gulped and murmured, "Okay, like underworld movies? Lycans? Vampire kinds?"

    Raine nodded. As such, Tyrone switched to the appropriate channel and let it play.

    "Why do you want to watch it? Do you want to know more about werewolf stuff like me? You do know that movies and books are far from reliable, so you might as well just ask me if you want to know more about werewolves," Tyrone bravely stated.

    "What a way to confess that you''re a werewolf," Raine whispered out a scoff.

    "But I bet you already knew¡­" Tyrone murmured.

    "Yeah, just yesterday. Boris told Lyne. He thought we all knew¡­" Raine murmured.

    "Ask me anything, and I''ll answer whatever it is that you want to know¡­"

    Raine shook her head. She rested it on Tyrone''s shoulder as she weakly said, "It doesn''t matter. For me, you''re just you¡­ The Tyrone I knew. Honestly, I don''t want to ask you anything. But if you''re offering to tell me everything yourself¡­ Then I suppose I''m all ears, willing to listen¡­"

    Tyrone didn''t comment. Instead, he hugged her tightly. After some time, he possessively whispered, "You''re my mate¡­"

    Raine''s eyes widened as she turned and tilted her head to meet his gaze, "What?!"

    "The Mate Pull¡­ I felt it the moment I laid my eyes on you¡­" Tyrone confessed.

    "Huh?"

    Raine was caught off-guard. It had been so sudden that she didn''t even expect it. She was well-versed with the nature of werewolves, of course, along with the nature of the so-called Mate Pull, but she was far from being a werewolf. Although, knowing Tyrone well enough¡­ she was sure that he wouldn''t mark her without her consent.

    "I¡­ I don''t know what to say," Raine whispered out helplessly.

    She really didn''t know how to respond to such a confession. She couldn''t even begin to feel that Mate Pull that he was talking about, but she at least acknowledged the undeniable truth that she was hopelessly attracted to Tyrone. In fact, she could even say that she was already in love with him if her interpretations of her own feelings were correct. She honestly didn''t know if it was love already, but she was assuming that it was. Maybe it wasn''t as deep as what he would like it, however, since she was not yet ready to sacrifice all the others just for her love for him.

    Or¡­ was she love him deeply enough for her to sacrifice her own happiness with him just to make sure that he would be safe from her father?

    "It''s alright. It''s a werewolf thing. And don''t worry, as much as I wanted to, I won''t mark you unless you agree to it¡­" Tyrone reassured.

    Raine smiled at him and whispered, "Thank you."

    Tyrone let out a sigh before leaning down to press his lips against hers. It was passionate. Raine felt his soft tongue pushing into her mouth as she moaned at the invading sensation. He cupped the back of her neck and stroked her hair lovingly with his fingers while his lips continued suckling at her delicate mouth. A delicious shiver shot down her spine, and Tyrone felt her nipples stiffen through the sheer of her nightgown.

    When Raine felt him, cupping her breasts and stroking them, a painful ache throbbed from within her lower abdomen. It had always been like this, and she knew that only Tyrone could make her body writhe and gasp in pleasure like this. She could feel the scorching heat radiating from his body, and yet it didn''t burn her. Far from it, she really loved his familiar warmth.

    Pulling her towards him and setting her lap against his lower body, Tyrone pushed up the hem of her nightgown.

    "Still sore and aching?" he asked through her mouth as he continued planting soft kisses on her lips.

    "I''m good," Raine hoarsely answered. Of course, she was still a bit sore, but it was nothing compared to how achingly painful her body was screaming in her mind to be taken.

    He touched his forehead to hers, brushing the tips of their noses together before drawing her lips into his mouth again. He slipped his long fingers under her nightgown, softly caressing the inside of her legs, making Raine grab on to his silky hair while trying desperately to keep her body from going out of control from the pleasure.

    Tyrone relentlessly sucked and nipped at the base of her throat as he urgently undid his boxer shorts. Feeling him push aside her underwear, part of the burning need inside her was quenched as he slowly eased into her inviting folds. Raine gasped at the tight feeling inside her, his shaft reaching the deepest parts of her core as their bodies joined once more.

    Raine threw her arms around his neck as she moaned hard at Tyrone holding her hips and deepening their union. Their closely intertwined bodies slapped against each other, her body moving unconsciously as if she was riding a hung horse. Her walls eagerly tightened around his manhood as he penetrated her all the way to the hilt before reluctantly letting him go, only to then tighten up again as her aching womb tried to pull him deeper. Her heart pounded with desperate passion as she melted into his hot kisses.

    The night was still young, and she inwardly promised that he would let him take her through the whole night for as long as he wanted.

    And such, they made love for the whole night. Gentle, rough, each sensation was savored like there was no tomorrow for them. They simply let themselves enjoy each other''s company without thinking of anything. Instead, they into a world of bliss and pleasure together in a seemingly borrowed time they did not want to waste.

    ********************

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 Chapter 151 - Power Struggles

    At the Yue Mansion, Yue Clan Territory

    Raine and Tyrone had arrived back in country V, and like how Raine warned him in advance, she was back to her usual demeanor as the Moon Clan Princess. Gone was the Raine from just a day ago. Instead, she was now acting calm and cool as if nothing had happened between them in the past two days.

    As such, Tyrone had to endure the cold shoulder as he promised until they solved Xander''s case. Although, he wondered if he could manage to last that long.

    Raine went straight to the Yue mansion that morning to visit her father at the underground facility. The scanner went over Raine''s face, and the glass door opened in her wake. She entered the room filled with high technology, Tyrone following behind her with silent sighs.

    "How is he?" Raine asked Janus, who instantly greeted her warmly.

    "He''s stable and in good condition already, Raine. He''ll be ready to open his eyes in just two weeks," Janus confirmed.

    Immediately, Raine signaled Tyrone to leave her alone with Janus. Tyrone nodded, leaving the room with a frown on his face. Raine''s father would wake up soon, and he assumed that Raine would signal Janus as soon as Yoon received his verdict from the Mirage Trial. He clenched his fists as he looked around him.

    Every corner of the room was heavily guarded with hidden cameras, not to mention the laser beams. One wrong move made by anyone in here would compromise the King''s safety, and a beam would easily hit that someone and shred them to pieces in an instant.

    Marcus'' safety was the top priority. ''Two weeks,'' Tyrone mused. One would never get bored with how time flies. Before anybody knew it, it could be the next day and realize that two weeks had already passed.

    ''What would you do now?'' Tyrone questioned himself.

    Tyrone''s mobile phone vibrated, and after reading his text message, he looked in Raine''s direction. He waited till she went out with Janus, then he whispered the news to Raine about how Xander''s plane had just landed at country V.

    She then looked at Janus and said, "I have to go now, Janus."

    The latter nodded and walked Raine out of the room. Tyrone childishly wanted to kick the man away. After all, he did nothing but place himself in between Tyrone and Raine.

    "That man is annoying," Tyrone couldn''t help but voice out his opinions as soon as they were finally inside the car. He was about to send Raine to her flight to country D.

    Raine chuckled, "Stop being jealous and clingy, okay? You promised, and we both agreed to act professionally. No mixing personal life with work."

    "I know¡­ It''s just that he''s like¡­ Ah, never mind," Tyrone scoffed with a pout, making Raine shake her head as she suppressed her laughter with how cute Tyrone was acting while he was jealous. She knew what Tyrone meant. She knew that Janus had feelings for her, and Tyrone noticed it too.

    At that moment, Raine chose not to tease Tyrone anymore. They should focus on the tasks at hand before her father woke up. She wasn''t sure if her father would spare Xander, so they must finish the Mirage Trial first before she could let the tubes out of his body.

    "It''s too bad that I won''t be available to welcome Xander on his arrival and congratulate him personally for entering the actual world full of power struggles," Raine murmured as she looked out the window of the car door beside her.

    ******

    At the Deputy Chairman''s office at Yue Group Building...

    "Are you sure about that?!" Yun exclaimed, clenching his jaw in fury. Dalgon had just confirmed Xander''s arrival in their country.

    "Yes, Boss¡­" Dalgon reconfirmed.

    "Those Quan clan people are really getting on my nerves! Maybe we should start a proper war with them. Waging a silent war with them doesn''t seem to be effective. Do they really think that they are still untouchable? F*ck these Mirage Rules. It''s time we create our own rules!" Yun hissed. He and his brother were already against the system and the order implemented by the Mirage Rules.

    They were all bullsh*t, too soft for their tastes. What they needed was an iron hand in the system.

    "Is he with his wife?" Yun asked while grabbing his tobacco cigar.

    Dalgon lit the cigar and answered, "He''s alone, Boss."

    "Keep searching for his wife. She will be useful¡­" he instructed. "That Xander is planning something against us, though I know that he has a connection with Chad, who hid behind Xander''s cousin before¡­ I still sense that those two are up to something. Did that Xander think that I really can''t touch him even if he''s under the Quan clan''s roof?" Yun smirked. After all, he had planted several spies at the Quan clan territory.

    "Where''s Raine?" He asked next.

    "She went back to country D. She said that she had gone to settle some of her unfinished business," Dalgon answered.

    Yun threw his tobacco cigar at the man''s face. "What kind of answer is that? I told you to put a tail on that brat! I can feel the wench doing a lot of shady things behind my back! She''s a real pain in the ass!" Yun yelled.

    He would really kill that brat if his brother didn''t wake up soon. The only reason he was lenient to that bastard was because he knew how his brother treasured that wench in his heart.

    Raine''s constant mocking was still very vivid in Yun''s memory. He would grit his teeth in annoyance whenever the wench''s laughs would just pop up in his head.

    Dalgon, meanwhile, scratched his head while looking at his Boss''s furious face. He did put several tails already, but his men always ended up coming back with broken bones. With the last team he sent, he received a call directly from the Princess that she would break his bones next if he sent another team of men to tail her.

    "Sorry Boss¡­ I''ll scold the men so that they  would give out a precise and detailed answer next time." Dalgon lied. He was more afraid of the Princess than his Boss. He had already witnessed firsthand how capable the Princess was in breaking his neck with just a flick of her finger.

    The Princess even had better offers for him. The Yue clan was in deep sh*t ever since King Marcus fell into a coma.. Dalgon must make a wise choice, and at that moment, changing sides and supporting Princess Raine was the best choice.

 Chapter 152 - Genuine Words

    The car stopped in front of the private airport the Yue clan exclusively used. Raine creased her forehead when Tyrone followed her inside the airplane.

    "What do you think you''re doing?" Raine asked when Tyrone comfortably sat beside her.

    "Dropping you off at country D. Don''t worry, I''ll fly back here after I make sure you reach your destination safe and sound," Tyrone casually commented.

    Raine''s eyebrows snapped as she murmured, "I need you to stay here. Why are you being stubborn, huh? You''re being clingy again¡­"

    "I''m your bodyguard, remember? Protecting you is my top priority," Tyrone reasoned. "Why do I even need to be left behind when Lyne and the rest can manage the situation? Also, you said it yourself¡­ Nothing will happen to Xander under the Earth Clan''s protection," he stated, but it was not actually the main reason he was there.

    "Daddy is right, Mommy. He must stay beside you. And, of course, with me as well since I want to hang out more with you and Daddy but I''m always left behind," Aire''s voice chimed in, shocking Raine.

    "You¡­ Why are you here!?" Raine blurted out in disbelief. She couldn''t believe how everyone was being stubborn to her right now! First Tyrone, and now Aire? How did this little pup even manage to sneak in without her knowing!?

    Tyrone sighed. Aire had insisted that the three of them spent their remaining days together. She only had three days left before the Voyager''s Watch pulled her back to her era.

    "Mommy, you''re always busy. If I tell you that I want to come with you, I''m sure you won''t let me. So instead, I asked Daddy Tyrone to bring me with you guys. Promise I''ll behave and be a good girl?" Aire pleadingly explained with her puppy eyes. Raine could only sigh.

    "Geez, you two¡­ I''ll just check on something in country D before flying to Plumeria Island next. Don''t tell me you plan to come with me there as well?" Raine questioned in disbelief, though she could already tell that she was right.

    "Aire can come as a wolf pet with you while I''ll be your secretary. Just like how I''m your secretary at Yang Globals hospital¡­" Tyrone commented with a reassuring smile.

    The pilot announced that the plane was about to take off from the intercom. The flight attendant assisted them to their seats. There was no point in kicking these two stubborn werewolves out of the plane now, so Raine just let them go with her.

    "Fine¡­" she murmured in defeat.

    Aire hugged her tightly that instant. "Thank you, Mommy," she said followed, by giving a kiss on Raine''s cheek.

    Eventually, a sweet smile replaced Raine''s frown as she turned her other cheek, signaling Aire to kiss it as well. Aire gladly kissed her and both of them giggled. Tyrone, who sat in front of them, shook his head with a smile. The two looked so adorable¡­

    He let out another long sigh. Despite the heartaches he was going through and would go through in the future, Aire was one solid piece of evidence that everything would turn out well in the end. He would surely succeed in convincing Raine to stay with him. He only needed to bide his time and exercise great patience.

    Well, hopefully, it would be enough. He actually didn''t know the details about such a thing because he didn''t bother to ask Aire about it, knowing full well that it would have a side effect on Aire if she ever said words and did actions that could alter what was already written in their fates and destinies.

    He was just glad that Aire listened to him in not doing something risky like marking her mate, which was her main goal for coming to their era in the first place.

    "So tell me, Aire. Do you want to continue studying? Go to school like normal kids when school opens?" Raine asked as she stroked Aire''s curly hair. She was so fond of her, and she honestly had that feeling that Aire really was her own daughter. Maybe it was because she saw many similarities between them?

    Aire let out a long sigh at her question, so Raine asked further, "What''s wrong? You don''t want to go back to school?"

    "Nothing, Mommy. It''s just that I can''t wait to stay with you and Daddy for longer¡­ By the way, I heard Plumeria Island is a nice place. I''m sure we''ll all like our stay there while you do some of your work. You don''t need to mind me since I can keep myself busy with Daddy, or maybe play around with the other wolves in the forest of the island."

    "Hmm, don''t worry, Mommy will make time to play with you, of course. I''m sorry if I''m often busy," Raine apologetically said. She almost forgot about Aire''s situation when her father eventually woke up. And Janus'' experiments in differentiating humans from mutants were also practically completed as well.

    ''So many things to do,'' Raine helplessly mused.

    Tyrone noticed how Raine''s expression changed, but it was so quick that she instantly smiled again as she continued talking with Aire. Tyrone could only watch the two with a satisfying smile.

    Just barely an hour into their flight, Aire was already asleep. In response, Tyrone moved and said, "I''ll carry her inside the cabin and put her on the bed."

    Raine nodded and watched Tyrone carry Aire in his arms. Funny how the three of them looked like a real family¡­ How Tyrone looked so good in being a father...

    Soon after, Tyrone came back and sat beside her.

    "How dare you two sneak up on me like that?" Raine scoffed.

    Tyrone only chuckled, "Our daughter begged me, so how can I say no?"

    ''Our daughter?'' The words rang lovingly in her ears, and it was honestly so satisfying to hear. However, Raine chose not to comment about it. She only shook her head and mumbled, "Don''t spoil her too much."

    "That won''t do. I''m already planning on spoiling you and Aire with all my might¡­" Tyrone boasted with a grin.

    Raine could only heave out a long deep sigh. Tyrone always sounded confident. She found herself wondering where all of his confidence came from? As much as she wanted to, however, deep in her heart, she loved hearing those kinds of genuine words coming out from him.

    He grabbed her hand, clasping their fingers together as he raised it to his lips, kissing her knuckles as he whispered, "Everything will be fine¡­"

 Chapter 153 - Pampering You To No End

    "Everything will be fine¡­"

    Those words somehow comforted Raine. She just hoped that Tyrone was right despite all of her worries right now.

    Ron messaged her earlier, relaying the DNA test results a while ago. And even then, she still wanted to check it all personally. Keira Chan had contacted her as well, requesting her to meet up with her and Mara, but she had only replied telling her that she would think about it.

    "What is it?" Tyrone asked. He could feel that something was bothering Raine at that moment.

    "The DNA results showed that Mara and I are biologically related," Raine whispered. "I wanted to ask Father once he woke up, but I''m still hesitating. After all, what if my father wasn''t aware of it too? I mean, this information might put Mara in a tight spot¡­ She seems happy with where she is right now, and being involved with me might cause her misfortune," she couldn''t help but voice out her worries to Tyrone.

    "Won''t your father let you go? If you want out from all this¡­ being the Bloody-Eyed Hunter¡­ the Princess of Moon Clan?"

    "It''s not that easy. I owe my father my life, and I have a vow to honor," Raine murmured. She sounded too conflicted.

    "If Nathan Yue came back and took all those responsibilities¡­ You will be free. Let him take over," Tyrone whispered.

    Raine stared at him, "That will only happen if my father dies. Do you honestly think I will let him die?"

    Tyrone didn''t comment. He held the same stoic expression as he pondered on his words. After over a minute of silence, he spoke, "What''s your plan?"

    "Keep my father alive and fix things. As much as possible, I don''t want Mara to get involved with me, so I''ll meet her and Keira soon," Raine enumerated. "My father¡­ It''s best that he didn''t know about it¡­"

    Tyrone nodded. He truly understood Raine, to the point that he really felt bad for her. Aire was right. She had acted so tough and ruthless after all this time, but deep inside, he could tell how broken she was with all of the things she had constantly kept bottled up inside her. Even so, she remained strong, trying her best to do all that she could do to solve everything her way.

    "How about you rest with Aire? Get enough sleep. Come," Tyrone said as he carried her in his arms.

    Raine chuckled, "Hey, I''m not a kid. I''m capable of walking, so why bother carrying me?"

    "I told you, I''m hell-bent on pampering you to no end. Stop complaining, okay? Just receive everything that I throw at you," Tyrone snorted.

    Gently putting her to bed next to Aire, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "Go sleep and relax. I''ll wake you two up once lunch is ready," Tyrone said with a beautiful smile on his face. It was like a fresh breath of air as always as Raine ended up smiling back with a nod.

    Oh, how she wanted to open up to him¡­ However, she was still restraining herself too hard for her own good.

    Laying on her bed, she closed her eyes and tried to relax like Tryone said. She was far too exhausted. Not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well.

    Time went on, and Tyrone woke the two ladies for lunch right on time. After which, the two immediately went back to sleep. After a few hours of travel, the plane was finally about to land. Both Raine and Aire woke up at the ready as the Pilot''s announcement droned off from the intercom.

    "Did you have a good sleep, Mommy?" Aire asked with a broad smile on her face.

    Raine nodded, "Yes, Dear. How about you?"

    "Me too, Mommy. Let''s go out and see what Daddy''s doing," Aire said, pulling her mother out from the bed. They then went out and saw Tyrone with a serious look on his face while he was on his laptop.

    "You''re working?" Raine asked.

    "Yeah, I''m done now," Tyrone answered, closing his laptop. "The plane is landing. Sit down and buckle up on your seats¡­" Tyrone said, pulling the two to their seats.

    The plane landed in country D at around late afternoon. As planned, Raine went straight to Yang Globals Hospital, not wasting any more time during her stay since she still had to fly to Plumeria Island next.

    "Go and play with Aire in the park nearby. I won''t take long," Raine instructed before going out of the car and entering Yang Globals hospital.

    Tyrone nodded, watching from the car as she entered the hospital before proceeding to the park with Aire.

    "Daddy, you look so worried. Mommy can manage everything and you will-"

    "Stop, Aire. I told you to be careful with your words and make sure not to cause any alterations to the future. I can''t afford to see you facing the consequences in the future!" Tyrone reminded.

    So Aire quickly sealed her lips. If her father found out how she already succeeded in marking her mate behind his back then he would definitely get mad.

    Meanwhile, Raine walked in the hallways when a mischievous smile curved her lips, her attention peaking as she passed through Doctor Rui Dee''s office.

    "Should you have some fun, Raine? Let''s mess with our Mr. Meddling doctor before going to the laboratory, shall we?" she whispered to herself with a grin. Rui was like an ice breaker to her now. She loved teasing and playing pranks on him with Xander, but then she guessed, Rui would have to endure her alone since Xander was hiding at Plumeria Island.

    She was about to walk towards Rui''s office when Dr. Gong spotted her. "Dr. Yao!"

    "Oh, good afternoon, Dr. Gong. I was about to see the COO before going to your office next to extend my thanks for the recommendations¡­"

    "When do you plan to start working on that island? I still couldn''t understand why you would choose that place," Dr. Gong commented.

    "Hmm¡­ I needed some fresh air, Dr. Gong. Working in Plumeria would be good for me mentally. You see, I really needed a decent change in scenery, and that island seems like a good area to unwind, as well as to reset," Raine explained. "Anyway, thank you again for taking care of me. I''ll start with work tomorrow morning. I''ll be flying there this evening," she said with a lovely smile. Plumeria Island had asked Yang Global hospitals for recommendations, and Raine asked Dr. Gong about it, knowing how the Island had contacted Yang Globals hospital about available doctors.

    "Wow, that''s quite fast. But anyway, good luck, Dr. Yao. I''m sure things will be alright. You have better opportunities ahead of you. Who knows? You might even meet someone interesting there."

    Raine smiled before excusing herself to proceed to Rui''s office. She shook her head at Dr. Gong''s words. Everyone in the hospital threw the same look at her, thinking how she must be so heartbroken now that Dr. Xander Yang was happily married to another great doctor.. Her flirtatious acting with Xander, along with how she looked interested in him was probably top-notch that she was receiving that ''what a pity'' look from the male employees at Yang Global hospital, as well as all those ''she deserves it'' look from the female employees.

 Chapter 154 - Give Me Danosâ€™s Head

    At Raine''s Private Residence, Moon Clan Territory

    "Ah, it feels a bit weird now that Aire''s not around. Also, how come¡­"

    Levi could not continue his words, only ending up gulping his spit as he looked uncomfortably at Boris. The man casually sat with them at the dining table. He was really happy that he was there eating with others instead of eating alone in the corners of his own room like a prisoner.

    "Don''t worry about him and focus on eating. Like I said, he saved my life, and this is the least I could do for him. Besides, Boss agreed to his request," Lyne reassured.

    Boris had shamelessly asked their Boss to let him casually roam around the house and not just be detained inside his room. He said that he had proved himself enough as someone who could be trusted by showing them a secret passage leading to the Convel Society territory. Not to mention how he saved Lyne from an ogre and possible danger while Lyne was carrying out her duty in installing the barrier.

    "Sorry," Levi murmured.

    "That''s alright, buddy. I know that this might get awkward, but please don''t mind me. I promise I won''t cause any one of you trouble¡­" Boris murmured with a grin. He was obviously way too happy just from his tone.

    "So, did Lyne agree on being your mate?" Mia boldly asked. She was dying of curiosity, but she knew that she wouldn''t hear an answer from Lyne. So instead, she might as well ask Boris.

    "Mia!" Lyne burst. She glared at her, throwing daggers at Mia with just her eyes alone.

    "What? I''m curious. Is that wrong?"

    Boris chuckled, "No, she hasn''t¡­ yet¡­"

    "Yet?"

    Levi audibly mumbled out, but Mia elbowed at him to shut up, making him zip his mouth shut. He tried his best not to offend Boris even though he was practically under their prejudice due to the bracelet he still wore. And yet, even with all the precautions, he couldn''t help but wonder if what they were doing was okay¡­ They were practically harboring mutants, and it was against the rules of the Moon Clan. Such an act was punishable by exile, and worse, death for some specific grounds.

    The word ''yet'' sounded like Boris had his hopes that Lyne would agree. Levi sneakily looked at Lyne, then back to Boris. ''Did something happen?'' he couldn''t help but muse.

    "Eat," Mia whispered in her ear, noticing how Levi kept on vaguely looking back and forth between Boris and Lyne.

    Lyne sighed as she focused on dinner. She was bothered ever since that incident of her staying at Boris''s house. His offer to her kept on popping up inside her head. She was way too spooked. And upon hearing the ringing from her mobile phone, she immediately answered it, seeing that the one calling was her aunt that was currently staying with her mother.

    "Excuse me¡­ I''ll just get this," she said as she got up from her chair and answered the call.

    "Lyne, your mother. I really don''t know what to do with her anymore," her Aunt pleaded, crying.

    "I''m coming, Aunty¡­" Lyne said as she rushed towards the door.

    "It''s probably about her mother," Mia commented, noticing the worried look on Boris as his eyes followed Lyne''s back.

    "Her mother?" Boris asked.

    Mia let out a sigh, "Yeah. Ever since Lyne''s father died, er mother would always have a nightmare saying Lyne''s father was not at peace because of that horrendous death. Even after all these years, she still couldn''t accept how her husband died in such a gruesome fashion. I still remember how she would always beg Lyne to kill the one responsible for her father''s death, saying that she would only be at peace if her husband would have justice. You see, Lyne''s mother watched it, that video¡­ of how her husband was torn to pieces by that Danos, all while laughing like a maniac."

    "Why did she even see them?"

    "Lyne''s mother was working with the technical team specializing in retrieving and restoring destroyed files. So she was there when they tried to revive video clips of what happened during the night that King Marcus and King Danos met. Unfortunately, she was the one who managed to retrieve the clip of the fighting that evening¡­ particularly, the one that showed how her husband died while calling out her''s and Lyne''s name till his last breath." Mia continued.

    Levi sighed and interrupted, "I saw that video. And to be honest, that Danos was really scary. Those bloodshot eyes and hunger for blood were practically oozing from all over his body. He was like a crazy werewolf. I also heard how King Decan was trying to stop him, but he was already on a crazy killing spree, murdering humans left and right, sparing no one¡­"

    "I will kill that Danos and offer his head to Lyne," Boris firmly declared with gritted teeth.

    Levi and Mia exchanged meaningful glances at Boris''s declaration.

    Meanwhile, Lyne drove to their home and quickly went inside her mother''s room.

    "What happened?" Lyne asked her Aunty, who was sitting at her mother''s bedside.

    "What do we do, Lyne? She had another nightmare, screaming again about how she would kill that Danos. It''s been years already, and we thought the psychiatric treatment would be effective. But I guess what the doctor said was true¡­ that her symptoms would eventually come back so long as she wasn''t able to meet what her heart desires¡­"

    Her mother desired only one thing in this world, and that was to see Danos''s head rolling down her feet. Lyne tried her best to accomplish such a task, but it was far too hard for her. She couldn''t even find a good opportunity to attack that werewolf alone without her being torn into pieces before she could even touch a strand of the monster''s hair. If only she was gifted like her Boss¡­ She might stand a chance in ending the monster''s life on her own but she was not. Boris was right¡­ Without their weapons, they were nothing but weak humans that those werewolves would just cut into pieces.

    Her mother opened her eyes, and as soon as she saw Lyne, she whispered, "Lyne. Please help me? I keep hearing that monster laughing while your father''s screaming in pain. We must kill that monster and bring justice to your father''s death¡­"

    She held her mother''s hand and whispered, "Please hang in there, Mom. I''ll definitely bring you Danos''s head soon. So please, promise you''ll get better once that monster dies."

    After spending a meaningful time with her mother, Lyne returned to Raine''s residence with a heavy heart. Boris''s offer constantly kept popping inside her head now. She must be nuts to even consider it, but it was the best option she had at the moment. She was far from confident that she could finish Danos off with her bare hands once they attacked the Convel Society. No¡­ she needed help.

    As such, the first thing she did was walk inside Boris''s room.

    "Lyne?" Boris was startled by Lyne standing in front of her door.

    "I''ll accept you.. You can make me your mate so long as you can give me Danos''s head¡­" Lyne droned out to Boris without even batting an eye.

 Chapter 155 - Whereâ€™s The Snack?

    Raine arrived at Plumeria Island late with Tyron and Aire, the latter of which had already shifted in her wolf form. The Kens, particularly Ryu Ken and his wife, the owner of Plumeria Island, provided their employees and workers with suitable accommodations. It was on a consolidated building, and they simply gave them their assigned units or apartments. Surprisingly, Tyrone''s unit was just beside her. His was just a one-bedroom unit, while hers was a two-bedroom apartment.

    "Mommy, can you please bring me and Daddy with you tomorrow at work? Promise I''ll behave in my wolf form," Aire asked with a smile. She was back in her human form, with Raine combing her hair before sending her to bed.

    "Hmm¡­ You might scare some of the patients there," Raine considered.

    "I won''t, I promise. I''m sure they''ll see how adorable I am if you will bring me to the hospital with you, hugging and carrying me all the way as you walk to your clinic," Aire cheerfully suggested.

    "That sounds like a good plan. Alright, you should go to sleep now if you want to go with me. We have to wake up early tomorrow, okay?" Raine finally relented, putting Aire to sleep with a smile.

    The little kid nodded at her mother''s words, kissing her on the cheek before laying down on the bed. She yawned as she whispered, "Goodnight, Mommy. Please kiss Daddy goodnight for me."

    Raine blushed as she shook her head. Aire constantly acted like Tyrone was her real father, even playing cupid as she constantly pushed her to get together with Tyrone. She didn''t bother to correct Aire, however. Her eyes were too lively whenever they talked to her as her parents. Addressing them both as father and mother, correcting her as such might change that attitude, and she didn''t want to deny the little girl her simple joys if it wouldn''t do any of them harm anyway.

    "Good night, my dear," Raine whispered as she bent down to kiss Aire''s forehead. Raine then pulled the quilt up to Aire''s chin before walking towards the door. Giving her daughter one last glance, she gently closed the door.

    There was a long pause before Rane walked back to her room with heavy steps. She lied down on her bed, but she was far from being sleepy. As she waited for drowsiness to take her, her mobile phone suddenly beeped.

    [If you''re not asleep yet, would you like to have a late snack with me?]

    She really shouldn''t entertain this, but she should at least reply to him. Or maybe she should just ignore it, pretending that she was already asleep.

    ¡­

    After some time¡­

    "Fu*ck this!" Raine annoyingly hissed as she got up from the bed and pulled out a robe to wear over her nightgown. She then walked out of her bedroom, taking slow steps as she walked towards the door going outside her apartment. She still was hesitating by the time she had reached the knob to open her door. For one minute, she constantly touched the knob, only to then remove her hand before going back for it again.

    "This is frustrating," she whispered.

    She really shouldn''t do this. However, most of her consciousness wanted to see Tyrone and be with him. It looked like, in the end, she became the prey of her own game. And by the time she finally opened the door, she had truly realized just how hard she lost in her own game.

    Raine was utterly surprised to see Tyrone in front of her door.

    "What are you-MPPH!"

    He even did not let her finish her words as he suddenly stepped inside and pulled her closer for a deep and passionate kiss.

    "You took so long to reply that I thought you''re already sleeping. But knowing you, you won''t sleep this early. And so, I took the initiative to come here myself," he quickly explained, his lips still lightly brushing against hers. "Aire?" he hoarsely asked.

    "Sleeping in her room," Raine weakly answered. She gasped when she felt her feet stop touching the ground.

    He was carrying her as he asked, "Right or left?" nuzzling his nose at the two doors.

    "Right," she faintly answered, staring at him in disbelief. "Where''s the snack?" she suspiciously asked.

    "Me." he plainly and shamelessly answered, making Raine''s jaw drop.

    "So you''re saying that I''m your snack¡­ and you''re mine?" Raine snorted in disbelief.

    There was only a roguish chuckle as Tyrone opened and closed the door behind him.

    "Put me down," Raine barked.

    As if obeying her, Tyrone put her down on the bed only to stay on top of her, weighing her down.

    "I forgot the snacks in my room. I''ll get it after this¡­" Tyrone huskily muttered, sealing her lips, leaving her with no room to protest.

    He was getting out of hand. Raine had clearly instructed him not to get intimate with her while they were still occupied by Xander''s case! But despite that, her body didn''t have the will nor the energy to kick him out of her bed. All the while, she already started justifying the act as something acceptable inside her head. It was only for this time, right? Maybe she could spare these borrowed moments before leaving him for good.

    She suppressed a shiver. Just the thought of leaving him for good was honestly killing her. She felt as if something sharp was piercing through her heart and soul whenever she thought about it. But then again, it was all for the best.

    She gently pushed at Tyrone and they stared at each other''s hazy eyes. "You''re such a stubborn werewolf, aren''t you? I told you not to get intimate and as far as I remember, you also agreed in it, but here you are sneaking into me like this¡­"

    There was a frustrated sigh as Tyrone whispered, "You left me no choice. If I won''t agree with you that time you will surely kick me out. It''s killing me, Raine. I tried my best to behave. It''s just that¡­ I miss being with you so much. Treating me with indifference like I''m just some random colleague feels like hell. Can we spare at least an hour or two just being with each other like now?"

    "You mean having sex?" Raine pointed out.

    Tyrone''s face darkened as he laid down beside her, roughly scooping her in his arms.

    "It''s not sex¡­ It''s making love. But I didn''t mean just that. If you don''t want to make love, then we can at least cuddle each other like this. Being near each other like this is more than enough for me. Though, it''s honestly still torture since it''s just too hard to control myself from wanting you more and more. I feel like I''m really going crazy anytime. I didn''t know I can be this hopeless, to be honest. It''s not just lust because I already told you numerous times that I love you. But I think it''s also because I''m a werewolf, so my needs are a bit uncontrollable unlike most hu-"

    Raine stopped him by pressing her lips against his as she whispered, "You talk too much¡­"

 Chapter 156 - Are You Still Hungry**

    Raine broke the kiss she initiated and glanced at Tyrone''s distorted face filled with desire. She unconsciously asked herself if she really had enough willpower to deny this man the ability to take her whenever he liked?

    ''Look at you now¡­ Why ask the obvious when you''ve totally lost it? You already have white flags raised all over your body!''

    "Hmm, are you sure that you''re okay with just cuddling? Can you even promise me that?" she teased Tyrone, a smirk forming from the corner of her lips, ignoring how her inner self had just mocked her a while ago.

    "I¡­ Uhm¡­"

    Tyrone''s voice shook unsteadily, wondering if he could really promise such a thing despite how his body was already on fire. He was sure that Raine could already feel the growing bulge in his groin trying to pierce through the fabrics restraining it.

    He had really tried to do as she requested, but he simply couldn''t sleep at all. He was so madly into her that even her faintest scent still lingered around him, making him go insane with its constant presence. He never thought that the Mate Pull could be this strong despite him not marking her yet. Was it because he was simply far too deeply in love with her?

    "It''ll be hard, but I''ll try my very best. I really can''t promise that though¡­" Tyrone apologetically murmured with a deeply-wrinkled forehead. His lips narrowed as he tried his best to control his body from pinning Raine down that instant.

    Knowing her effect on him, Raine flashed an evil smile as she leaned down. She kissed him slightly at the side of his mouth, making Tyrone whimper.

    "Do you have any idea what you''re doing right now?"

    "Having my snack? Why not indulge yourself in getting a snack for free?" Raine playfully answered.

    ''Ah¡­ His sweet vixen just turned back into a sly one,'' Tyrone mused as his body stiffened at Raine''s deepening kiss.

    He groaned at the smothering touch as she pulled at the hem of his shirt, removing it and tossing it to the floor. She then pulled on his shorts next, removing them from her immediate view. It was like torture. Her slow movements were killing Tyrone.

    He found himself staring at Raine''s figure with burning orbs, his vixen removing her nightgown along with her panties. She was beautifully naked, crawling on the bed towards him. He had to count his breaths to keep himself intact. He had already seen every part of her, but he still wanted to see even more of her¡­

    Raine smiled. She could see how Tyrone''s eyes were filled with lust and desires.

    She gasped when Tyrone suddenly moved, rolling on top of her and pinning her on the bed. Removing what''s left of her clothes on her body, his lips were already within reach of every inch of her body. He particularly took his time addressing her mounds, caressing them with his mouth as he kept flicking her nipples with his hot, damp tongue.

    Raine clung desperately into his neck, shuddering in pure pleasure. She spread her legs wide open, helplessly dissolving into the arms of the hungry wolf. However, Tyrone was taking his time as he sprinkled tiny kisses further down her body, running his lips across her flat stomach, till he eventually reached the length of her long legs.

    Hungrily, he buried his head deep into her core. He gently rubbed at her weak spots, sucking on the tender flesh inside her thighs. Raine''s toes curled as she wept like a baby, her whole body flushing red and pink because of the intense pleasure. She shook her head like crazy, her body trembling helplessly at the cacophony of sensations.

    Responding to her body''s yearning, Tyrone skillfully intensified her pleasures without even pushing his fingers and tongue deep into her. She was already way too close, but she wanted him to fill her so badly. Temporarily stopping her own build-up, she hastily pulled him in and kissed him ravenously, brushing her entire self against him.

    Getting her signal, Tyrone promptly propped her ass up and positioned her perfectly against his extremely thrilled body.

    To her delight, Raine felt something hard and hefty slide smoothly inside her, filling her tightly to the brim. She looked at Tyrone with hazy eyes, his face looking at her with overwhelming passion. Tyrone embraced her tightly as he trembled like a man desperate to be inside of her. He puffed and inhaled deeply when Raine moved her waist and tinkered with his body. His fiery desire showed with his every thrust. He suckled on her lips as he vigorously ravaged Raine''s insides.

    Her mind completely ablaze, Raine met each deep and hard thrust from him with equally ravenous fervor. Soon enough, a deep, pleasurable convulsion arose from deep within her core, her legs shaking violently as if they were on fire. She wept in mind-numbing pleasure, tears of ecstasy rolling down her cheeks.

    "You''re driving me crazy¡­" Tyrone groaned as he bit and nibbled at her earlobe. He was moving faster. Pistoling her insides harder and deeper as Raine completely lost control over her entire body. Tyrone gasped through his teeth, his member ready to explode as he moved like crazy.

    Eventually, Raine felt the ensuing tension building up in her body pop as she screamed, her body jerking together with Tyrone as he too, shivered in a great climax. Reaching their peaks at the same time, they embraced each other as if they shared one body, waiting patiently for their perfect climax to subside.

    "That''s¡­ one of a hell of a snack¡­" Raine panted, her voice hoarse from her screaming.

    Tyrone chuckled as he removed his weight on her, but he pulled her along with him in his arms for a tight embrace, as if he was afraid that she would leave the bed despite him still being inside her. He actually couldn''t believe that Raine would just easily surrender herself like this to him. He should be glad and blissful, but he couldn''t help but feel worried.

    He unconsciously let out a frustrated sigh as Raine asked, "Hmm¡­ that sigh didn''t sound good."

    "I don''t know why I''m having this weird feeling," Tyrone opened up. He was on cloud nine and extreme bliss whenever with Raine but somehow he felt like these wonderful moments with her were hanging in the balance. He had plans but somehow he was not confident about it.

    "What feeling?" Raine whispered.

    "It''s nothing. I''m probably just worrying too much. Being paranoid and all that. I''m sure you won''t kick me away so easily, right?" Tyrone asked in jest.

    Raine gulped. She moved and raised her head to look at him. She had a smile on her face as she whispered, "You worry too much. Are you still hungry? Do you want more snacks? How about I let you have all the snacks you want tonight, huh? Will you stop worrying and asking me too many questions if I do that?"

    Tyrone opened his mouth to answer, but Raine had a habit of often sealing his lips with her lips that Tyrone would always end up thirsty for more.

 Chapter 157 - Sleep Here From Today Onwards

    Tyrone woke up early the next morning, and he immediately smiled at the beautiful sight before him. He loved it whenever he was the first one to wake up and spent most of his early morning simply dwelling about and staring at Raine who slept like a bedazzling beauty in her sleep. She looked so meek, obedient, and vulnerable.

    He sighed. He simply couldn''t get enough of staring at her, but he still needed to get up. Quietly and carefully, he released her from his arms before planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He then went to the bathroom for a quick shower and a change of clothes.

    Aire was the second one to wake up. She immediately went straight to the kitchen because she smelled something good. She wondered if her Mommy was cooking, only to be delighted at the sight of her Daddy with his apron on, enthusiastically humming while stirring something on the stove.

    "Daddy! Did you sleep here?" Aire asked.

    Tyrone glanced at her and nodded with a bright smile. "Yes, I did. Good morning, sweetie. Grab a seat at the dining table. I''ll be done here in a minute," Tyrone commented as he turned off the stove to ready the table.

    "I will wake up my Mommy first then since it''s her first day at work. She should be up by now too," Aire volunteered.

    "Ah, that''s better. Please do it, sweetie," Tyrone agreed. He would''ve loved to wake Raine up, but it might end up with something more than just simply waking her up. Tyrone shook his head. He was always like a wolf in heat whenever he was around Raine. It had already gotten to the point that he, himself, was starting to question how he was that totally insane for her.

    Meanwhile, Aire excitedly ran to Raine''s room to wake up her Mommy. She was glad to be with both of her parents like she used to. Ah, she had a lot to tease her parents about once she came back to her era.

    Entering the room, she immediately crawled onto the bed. She then leaned down to her Mommy who seemed to be still in a deep sleep.

    "Mommy, it''s time to wake up. You don''t want to be late, right?" Aire murmured near Raine''s ear, followed by her pinching Raine''s cheeks since her Mommy still wasn''t budging.

    "Ouch! That hurts dear!" Raine complained, wearing a beautiful smile on her face knowing that those little hands were from Aire. "Ah, you little cutie pup! Come here!"

    With a smile, Raine pulled Aire to the bed and tickled the little girl under her armpits and sides, making Aire burst into laughter. She was far too adorable with her crisp giggles echoing throughout the room.

    "Stop, Mommy! Daddy''s already cooked breakfast, so hurry up and get ready, okay? You don''t want to be late for work and get kicked out on this island so fast," Aire chortled, still chuckling.

    Raine let her go and said, "Fine. I''ll be quick, okay? So go and disturb your Daddy in the kitchen instead."

    At her words, Aire nodded before quickly walking out of the room.

    Raine had a wonderful smile on her face. "How nice would it be to have this kind of peaceful life all the time," she murmured as she stretched her arms. Waking up with an adorable daughter in the morning and a very reliable husband doing household work and pampering her was truly a dream that she wanted in the future. "Ah goodness¡­ Why can''t I just be selfish?"

    With a sigh, she got up from the bed. She knew that such a dream wouldn''t work out since her father would surely look for her if she ever decided to run away like that. At worst, her dreams would just crumble away, so it was only a waste for her to think about being selfish.

    She took a bath and quickly dressed up for work. Tyrone and Aire were already at the dining table by the time she went out, already waiting for her. The moment Tyrone saw her, he quickly stood up from his seat and pulled out a chair for her.

    "Ah, you should sleep here from today onwards, Daddy. Only while we stay here on the island, at least!" Aire suddenly commented, making Raine cough.

    If Tyrone would sleep in their apartment, then the more they would look like one big happy family, right? Not to mention how many times¡­

    Raine''s face turned a deep red at the mental image, realizing how perverted her thoughts had become at that moment! Shaking her head, she immediately removed those thoughts away from her mind and put all of her attention on her plate instead.

    Tyrone chuckled and patted Aire''s head as he whispered, "Alright, let''s do that, shall we? I''m a better cook than Mommy, so Daddy will handle the household work for my sweet vixen and sweetie."

    "Ah, you called just me sweetie, so I assumed Mommy is the sweet vixen? But isn''t that a bit too long?" Aire murmured. In her era, her Mommy had always complained whenever her Daddy would call her his sweet vixen, saying that it was too long. Daddy still called her that though.

    "Hmm¡­ Do you have a suggestion on how I should call Mommy?" Tyrone asked with a grin.

    "You''re calling her¡­" Aire immediately paused as her Daddy gave her a meaningful look. She immediately corrected, "Ahm, I think, sweet vixen is cool."

    "I think it''s too long. How about just calling me by my name, huh? Raine?" Raine snorted.

    "My sweet vixen sounds better¡­" Tyrone insisted.

    "Yeah, Mommy. You''ll get used to it. It''s unique," Aire seconded with a giggle when her Daddy gave her a high five.

    ''Ah¡­ These two!''

    Raine could only shake her head. It''s only too bad that she didn''t want to be a killjoy in front of her daughter. The two got along well as if they were really a father and daughter duo. Tyrone was obviously enjoying it though. Not that she wasn''t enjoying these kinds of light talks as well, but she was just way too worried at the moment. She knew that these moments were just fleeting.

    "Let''s just eat, guys. We have to go soon. Enough with the bantering," Raine reminded.

    The two answered in chorus.

    "Aye, Mommy!"

    "Aye, my sweet vixen!"

    Raine had an awkward smile as she shook her head, staring at her two twits in disbelief as they continued giggling at each other.

 Chapter 158 - Yummier

    The hospital at Plumeria Island was still undergoing construction even though it was already operational. It wasn''t as big as the ones back in the Capital City since it was just an exclusive facility for the personnel on the island and their families, but it was still rather substantial.

    Ryu Ken, who was the owner of the island, hired new doctors referred by Yang Globals hospital since the population on the island was growing. Since most doctors preferred to be in the City, they mostly had to staff interns rather than have accredited medical practitioners. As a result, they only managed to hire a few doctors in different fields that preferred to work in that kind of environment. That was why it was way too easy for Raine to offer her services and get accepted.

    "The Kens are not that simple to read, so we should still be careful," Raine reminded Tyrone before they entered the hospital.

    Upon entering the lobby, the Director immediately welcomed her and Tyrone. However, she had a weird expression on her face upon looking at the wolf in Raine''s arms.

    "Oh, it''s my pet wolf. She''s quite adorable, yes?. She''s not harmful, so no need to be afraid. I trained her well," Raine cooed. "I call her Draki¡­"

    The Director simply nodded before her expression changed as soon as she saw Aire acting so meekly as the Director patted her on the head.

    "Alright, I''ll show you two to your clinic. I''m sorry that you have to start this early after you just arrived last night. You see, many of the children recently need check-ups, and not all of the doctors we have right now can deal with them, especially those with tantrums and everything."

    "Hmm, I understand. Dealing with kids can be tricky. But then, that''s my specialty. I''ll do my best," Raine reassured.

    She was sure she would meet Yera soon in the hospital, knowing how the latter would definitely volunteer to be in this facility instead of just staying at Ryu''s mansion on the island. That would be boring for an active medical practitioner like Yera.

    With a nod, the Director showed Raine to her private clinic before leaving to attend to other matters. Immediately, Raine sat on her swivel chair, looking around as she spun on her seat.

    "Not bad¡­"

    Nodding in approval, she then watched Tyrone place their stuff in her clinic. She was patting Aire on her lap she frowned. Tyrone had just placed her transparent jar filled with lollipops on her table, only it had some extra additions inside it.

    "You put in chocolates?" she questioned with a lifted brow.

    "Yeah. I mixed them in with the lollipops," Tyrone explained. "They''re dark chocolates. Try having them instead. It''s better and healthier than lollipops. I fear that your sugar will shoot up if you keep having too many sweets."

    Raine grabbed a lollipop and snorted with a pout, "Remove those dark chocolates. I don''t like bitter things. Geez, I have enough bitterness in my life, so please don''t you dare try to slowly remove my lollipops from my routine¡­"

    Tyrone had an awkward smile as he mumbled, "You already have me and Aire. That would be enough sweetness in your life, don''t you think? We''re the very healthy kind of sweets too."

    Raine only rolled her eyes as she unwrapped one vanilla-flavored lollipop and put it in her mouth.

    Tyrone stared at her as if he waiting for her reply. As such, Raine, as evil as she was, licked and sucked on the lollipop in front of Tyrone in a very seductive and sensual manner as she whispered, "It''s so yummy, licking and sucking on it like this. So tell me, are you saying that your sweetness is yummier than this?"

    "Raine! Aire''s with us!" Tyrone scolded with a terrified look, making Raine burst out in a fit of laughter, ignoring the growing blush on Tyrone''s face.

    "What? Did I do something wrong?" Raine naively questioned.

    Tyrone helplessly shrugged his shoulders, still flustered with how Raine managed to torment him with those evil tricks of hers.

    Raine, still chuckling, murmured, "My dear, look at your Daddy walking around with a dirty mind like that. It''s just some joke, so why is he getting worked up like that? Anyway, just try to sleep around while we wait for our patients to come in."

    She laughed inwards as she brushed Aire''s fur, who seemed to be sleepy at the moment. Tyrone could only sigh as he continued with his work.

    As time passed, he eventually flipped the ''the doctor is in'' sign and began assisting the walk-in patients as soon as the time for Raine''s clinic hours was up. To their surprise, they were swamped with work. Both of them didn''t expect that many patients to come in. It would seem that the Director wasn''t exaggerating when she said that many children on the island needed check-ups.

    Raine was checking her final patient for the morning when Tyrone suddenly spoke on the Bluetooth she was wearing. "Oh, you''re right. I see Yera approaching. She''s in her white doctor''s coat, so she''s probably here to work."

    Tyrone quickly moved and intentionally opened Raine''s clinic, not letting it close as he went inside so Raine could see Yera passing by the hallway from within her office.

    "Say ''ahhh,'' darling¡­ Open your mouth, sweetie. This cute doctor needs to see those tonsils. Then later, I''ll give you something for being a good girl," Raine commented with just enough volume in her tone that Yera would hear while performing a check-up on the little girl.

    "Hmm, you''re probably eating too many sweets and cold foods, right? How about we stop taking them for a while so that your tonsils will heal faster, sweetie?" Raine cooed as she started writing prescriptions.

    On the other hand, Yera paused, hearing a familiar voice from an open clinic where a doctor in a doctor''s coat was checking her patient.

    "Oh, that''s Dr. Yao. You probably know her since she was also a previous doctor at Sir Xander''s hospital," the man with Yera informed. "We hired her after seeing her good credentials and background."

    "Dr. Yao?" Yera burst out when Raine walked her patient and her patient''s guardian out of her door. At the doctor''s call, Raine acted as if she looked surprised to see Yera.

    "Oh hello, Dr. Yera Han.. You''re here too? I can''t believe we''d meet each other in a place like this," Raine cheerfully greeted Yera with her usual warm, but calculative smile.

 Chapter 159 - Heâ€™s My Man

    Yera nodded at Dr. Yao as she gave her an awkward smile. Yera was still having some briefings so she excused herself from Raine.

    Raine smiled, thinking how her job would be easy now that Yera, as she expected, also worked at the hospital with her. She would not sweat getting close to her and she could easily penetrate Ken''s mansion where Yera was staying.

    After Yera''s briefing, she then went to Dr. Yao''s clinic and invited the latter for some coffee. Yera waited for Candice to be ready at the waiting chair outside Candice''s clinic. The door was opened and she could not help but give Candice sneaking glances while she was talking to her secretary and endorsing some things. The man looked familiar.

    ''It''s still the same secretary? Did he follow her here?'' Yera could not help but wonder while she looked at the two. She now remembered where she had seen the man. He was Candice''s secretary, humored to be gay but she did not believe that baseless humor. He was definitely a straight man.

    Raine looked at her and gave her a signal that she would be done soon so Yera nodded. Soon Raine went out and immediately pulled Yera at the coffee shop as soon as she finished endorsing some works to Tyrone.

    Inside the coffee shop beside the hospital, Raine was silently analyzing Yera''s build. It would seem that Yera had gained more weight since the last time she saw her.

    ''Could it be that she''s pregnant?'' Raine mused.

    Raine couldn''t help but have her curiosity piqued. If Yera was indeed pregnant, then she would have to work harder to ensure the woman''s safety.

    "I''m shocked you invited me for a chat," Raine commented with a meek smile. She wondered why Yera invited her when she knew how Yera was probably annoyed around her because of how she bluntly flirted and chased Xander before.

    "I know, right. Well, it''s just good to see familiar faces in here¡­ Also, can I ask for a favor?" Yera directed. She wanted to make sure that no one would find out that she was there so she hoped that Candice could seal her mouth about seeing her on the island.

    Raine sipped on her coffee before speaking, "Yeah, I know. Don''t worry. I''ll zip my mouth about seeing you here. I know Dr. Yang''s life is in danger. It''s all over the news, so I''m aware."

    Yera let out a sigh or relief and, with a smile, whispered, "Thank you."

    "Hmm, chocolate? Isn''t cold mocha coffee your favorite?" Raine directly asked, making Yera frown. "Is it because you''re pregnant?"

    Raine wanted to make sure if her intuition was correct.

    "How did you know that iced mocha is my favorite?" Yera suspiciously asked. She didn''t want to answer her about the suspicion of her pregnancy. They were not that close to be sharing such information with each other.

    Raine laughed, "Everybody knows that at Yang Globals hospital. You''re quite popular¡­"

    Yera lightly smacked her lips as she looked at Raine, "Why work here?"

    ''She''s avoiding my question about her pregnancy. This is interesting¡­ I guess she''s definitely pregnant? Or maybe she simply doesn''t want to answer me?'' Raine silently concluded.

    Raine met her eyes and replied, "Why not? I like peaceful places. And to be honest, I want some time alone. An environment like this helps calm my thoughts on various things." She sighed, "Being in a simple place like this without too much chaos is my biggest dream. Ah, if only I could¡­ I''ll definitely stay on a very private island like this."

    A brief lull in the conversation occurred, the silence between them passing only for a beat before the quiet was broken once more.

    "By the way, how''s Dr. Yang? Is he with you? If so, can I visit him? It''s been a while since I last saw him," Raine asked in rapid succession, making Yera''s face sour even further.

    An awkward silence ensued. In an effort to keep the conversation moving, Raine broke out into a fit of laughter and mumbled, "Don''t worry, I won''t mess around with a pregnant woman around, okay. I''m just curious about how he''s doing. I hope he is doing fine despite the threats in his life."

    "He''s good. No need to worry about him," Yera plainly answered, tersely sipping on her chocolate. "This place is good and relaxing. Very different from the city. It''s like a paradise in here, to be honest. I''m sure you''ll enjoy it here, unlike how busy things are working in the City and big hospitals like Yang Globals," Yera casually commented, diverting the topic.

    "Yeah, I guess you''re right. By the way, I went back to the city the other day. Rui is managing the company. You''re aware of the DNA test, right? The one I did with the woman who looked like me?" Raine opened up. She didn''t know why, but she wanted to lessen her load on that issue somehow and have someone to talk with about it. And somehow, she just felt like Yera was the perfect fit for it, knowing they were not that close, and as a result, was an unbiased third party. "It just doesn''t make sense. I heard that she''s from an isolated indigenous island." Raine added with a hum.

    Yera looked at her for a moment, "Sometimes, unbelievable things can happen in a way that we thought shouldn''t be possible. What matters is that we learn to face everything with courage. Or whatever it is, I suppose."

    Yera was aware of the DNA testing, but she didn''t bother to hear the results since it had nothing to do with her in the first place. She had her own burdens that she needed to focus on better.

    "How long are you planning on staying here?" Raine whispered as her thoughts wandered back to Kiera Chan''s for her to meet Mara since they were twins. She had said that Mara was overly delighted and positively couldn''t wait to meet with her.

    "How about you, Dr. Yao? Do you see yourself staying here for too long?" Yera asked her back.

    Raine turned her head at Yera and answered, "It depends¡­ For now, it''s for the foreseeable future. Who knows? We might get along well while we''re here." Raine looked at her own drink, "Having a drink together like this would be nice every once in a while. Though, I would''ve preferred it if Dr. Yang was with me right now instead of his pregnant wife," Raine jested with a wink.

    "By the way, why do you think I''m pregnant?" Yera suddenly asked out of the blue.

    "Dear¡­ You''re gaining weight. Can''t you see your chubby cheeks in the mirror? I won''t be surprised when you suddenly turn into a hog," Raine lackadaisically teased. "That would be an advantage for me, I guess."

    With Yera''s question, Raine concluded that Yera herself probably did not check yet if she was pregnant or not. But Raine somehow could sense that Yera was pregnant just with Yera''s appearance and aura¡­

    Yera''s face twitched as Raine laughed out loud. She then calmed down as she apologetically said, "Ah, please don''t mind me. But I guess it will be nice if your baby will take after a beautiful lady like me, don''t you think? Maybe I should bully you more often?"

    "You always loved to irritate and spoil the mood around you, Dr. Yao," Yera complained.

    "Please just call me Candice. Friends?" Raine asked with a genuine smile, extending her hand to Yera for a handshake.

    "Fine. So long as you''ll stop bullying me, okay?" Yera scoffed, Raine only giving her a wink in response. "By the way, I noticed that your secretary is the same person that you had back in Yang Globals. Also, you have a pet wolf?" she curiously mentioned.

    "Oh right. He is Tyrone, and this cutie here is Draki. I''ll formally introduce you to them sometime¡­" Raine casually replied.

    "The secretary¡­ Is he your boyfriend?" Yera asked.

    Raine''s eyes narrowed at her as she mumbled, "Hmm, are you asking me that to make sure that I''ll no longer go after Dr. Yang?"

    Of course not! It''s just that I noticed how he looked at you¡­" Yera defended.

    "How he looked at me?"

    "Yeah¡­ His eyes are full of sparkles, and there''s something intense in there. It''s like he''s constantly trying to memorize your face, afraid that he might forget if he ever looked away too long. Something like that," Yera mumbled.

    "Will you feel at ease if I say that he''s my man?" Raine teased.

    Yera only chuckled, "Ah, never mind. But I''m glad to see familiar faces on this island. Really, welcome, Candice. I also hope that we two would get along well."

    "Yeah¡­ Me too¡­ And by the way, he''s my man, and I believe I love him already," Raine proudly stated.. If all else, she could at least open herself up on how she really felt for Tyrone like this.

 Chapter 160 - Will You Dare Betray Me

    The Moonlight squad members became very busy with every task assigned to each and every single one of them. Mia remained at Raine''s private residence inside Moon Clan Territory to monitor everything through her computer while Levi had to go out often with Lyne to monitor the Yue Group while Raine was not around. And like their Boss suspected, Yun was on fire with embezzling countless amounts of resources from the Group as the two managed to keep everything that was happening to the Group''s ledgers on record.

    Dan and a few of the members fled back to country V to continue in monitoring Xander''s safety in the shadows though Earth Clan was doing a great job in providing total security for Xander. The rest of the members were on stand-by at the nearest island to Plumeria island.

    Levi and Lyne were doing their usual business work that day inside the Yue Group building.

    "So, what''s going on between you and Boris?"

    Levi couldn''t help but ask the question as an icebreaker while he did some back stretching inside their Boss''s office. His head was already spinning around because of too many numbers on the monitor of his laptop. It would be nice to take a break and divert his attention to something else before his brain would explode. He hated the business world but surprisingly he was the only one more suitable in it like Lyne who their Boss could rely on while she was gone and busy on other things.

    Predictably, Lyne stopped what she was doing as she squinted menacingly at Levi.

    "What? You see, since you came back with him that day¡­ Well, how can I say this? Huh, you seem more comfortable around him unlike now?" Levi burst out with a teasing grin. He noticed that Lyne was no longer grumpy around Boris like she used to. And he was not the only one who noticed the change. Mia picked up on it as well. His eyes suddenly widened as he gasped, "Don''t tell me you''re considering him? That Mate Pull? Do you somehow feel that? You want to become a mutant now?"

    Lyne raised an eyebrow at Levi''s questions in a row. She let out a sigh then plainly spoke, "Why not? That way, I''ll be stronger, right?"

    "Yeah, but¡­ I mean¡­ Seriously? Do you see yourself shapeshifting like one of those monsters we used to kill?" Levi questioned. He could not help but cringe while he imagined Lyne changing into a werewolf!

    As far as they were concerned, among all of them in the squad, it was Lyne who was dying to kill every last werewolf in existence. Well, not all werewolves, but those who were rogues and were deemed a threat to humanity. Those at least clearly deserved to die, especially that so-called Danos who mercilessly killed her father.

    "Well, I won''t mind as long as Danos dies before my eyes. I''ve chosen to accept Boris once he brought me Danos''s head on a spike," Lyne coldly revealed. "After all these years, my mother still couldn''t move forward. She''s still having those nightmares where she often heard my father''s pleas for justice, all while his body got torn to pieces despite him begging for his life¡­" she commented with a grim expression. She was way too anxious because she was powerless to exact her revenge on her own.

    "I just hope you''re making the right decision then. Either way, we''ve always got your back no matter what happens," Levi noddingly reassured. "Well, Boris might seem like a nice person despite his brusque and tactless personality, but it''s still way too early to tell¡­ Will you mention this to the Boss? I think it''ll be better if she''s also aware of it," he suggested because he was worried for Lyne. Their Boss would not allow this and would surely tell Lyne to be patient and wait for their mission to attack Convel Society soon. Their Boss promised Lyne that she would end Danos herself.

    "I''m not sure. Boss already has a lot of things on her plate right now, and I don''t want to add myself to her already long list of burdens," Lyne sighed. "Although, I''m sure she''ll make up her own countermeasures and try her best to kill Danos with her own two hands like what she had promised me before... It''s just¡­ I don''t want this situation to add even more pressure on her," she explained, Levi nodding in agreement. "Anyway, enough with you butting your nose into my affairs. How about you and Mia? I feel like something is going on between you two. I mean, lately, I noticed how you''re constantly acting strange whenever you''re around her."

    Levi snorted, "Me? What''re you saying? I''m just being my usual self, Lyne." He harrumphed, "Hmp! How dare you tease me just to get back at me?"

    Lyne only shook her head at his defensiveness, stopping her own speculation short as they still had a lot better things to do than to chit-chat about their own personal affairs.

    "Anyway, let''s just focus on our work now, shall we? I''m sure Prince Yun would go haywire at any moment now once the summons for the Mirage Trial reaches his doorsteps," Lyne commented with a smirk. SSomehow, she could already feel their impending victory against Prince Yun.

    *****

    True enough with Lyne''s assumptions, at the Yue Mansion, Yun was raging mad as he read the summons he received regarding the trials from the Mirage Council.

    "What is this?"

    He didn''t expect something like this to happen. Fuming, he crumpled the paper in his hands and threw it to his men.

    A trial? Who dared to even file a complaint against him!?

    As if by design, he quickly found the answer to his own question in his mind. His mind immediately drifted to the fact that Xander was currently in their country, staying at the nearby Earth clan territory.

    "I want everyone logging every single shred of activity inside and out of our territory! I want everyone checked thoroughly! Someone in here''s stabbing me in the back, and I want to know who it is!" Yun shouted. It wouldn''t be easy for Xander to get to that trial if none from Moon Clan helped or assisted the man.

    Currently, there were only a few people who were even remotely powerful enough to assist Xander in this trial...

    "Put the entire household of Ester under house arrest! No one among her household should leave for anywhere without permission from me! And find Raine now! Include all of my entire household and the King''s other women in house arrest!" Yun commanded with an iron fist.

    He ground his teeth into dust. Whoever it was that dared to stab him in the back like this would die instantly.

    "Sir, will you attend the trial?" Dalgon asked.

    Yun hit the man''s head and hissed, "Dimwit! Of course, I have to attend that trial! They probably already have valid evidence for that trial to get approved."

    Things were getting out of hand now. Why at this time, when he was about to usurp the throne, did he get entangled in all of this mess? He would end up as a dead man if he somehow couldn''t get things back in order in this trial.

    "Are you tailing Xander''s assistant?" Yun reminded him.

    Dalgon nodded, "Yes, They have a lot of communications and transactions going on in their facility at country U. Mr. Long has all of the information. He said he will report to you directly once he has gathered some useful data for us."

    "How about Xander''s wife?" Yun followed up.

    "We''ve already found out about her location, but the security there is too tight. She''s under Ken''s protection?" Dalgon explained as he laid out the details of the place.

    At the information, Yun let out a loud sadistic laugh like a madman. The Demon Don¡­ He had heard of that man from the underworld...

    "Hadn''t they had enough bloodbath in their family? And they still want to join yet another bloodbath for the sake of strangers?" Yun growled. "I don''t care how you do it, but I want you to have Xander''s wife in your custody by my signal. I''ll see how the trial goes, and if it ever happens to go against me, make sure that Yera Han is in our hands with but a snap of my fingers," he ruthlessly instructed with gritted teeth.

    "At once, Sir."

    At his word, his lackey expressed his usual nod of obedience. However, as soon as Dalgon had left, Yun called out for his butcher.

    "See to it that Dalgon is properly mobilizing resources according to my instructions," he mumbled.

    Yun was disappointed at how slow Dalgon had become lately. He hadn''t worked so sluggish before. It was almost suspicious enough to suspect that something was wrong. As such, he wouldn''t dare entrust all the important work in Dalgon''s hands anymore.

    "Will you dare betray me, Dalgon?" he snarled with squinted eyes.

 Chapter 161 - Steal A Kiss

    At Plumeria Island

    Raine enjoyed her second day of working at Plumeria''s Medical Center. Doing mundane hospital work¡­ It felt as if she was still living a normal life for a while, with Tyrone and Aire keeping her company.

    It was honestly a nice feeling, one that Raine actually hoped wouldn''t end quickly. Unfortunately, she had to remind herself that it was nothing but fleeting dreams for her. She was way far from being a normal or ordinary person. Besides, she was currently on Plumeria Island for a mission and nothing else. It was already good enough that she could leisurely experience this wonderful feeling on the side while in the middle of a mission.

    Occasionally, she would both intentionally and accidentally bump into Yera while doing their respective rounds. They would grab snacks together now and then. Raine would also pull Yera in for some casual chit-chat. If not for them being caught up with Xander''s case,  they probably could''ve been real friends eventually. Yera was such a nice person that Raine couldn''t help but wonder how it would feel once she opened up about Mara''s arrival in her life as her twin. And yet, here she was again, thinking that Mara was better off without getting involved in her life.

    "Why did you become a doctor, Candice?" Yera asked her out of curiosity. They were outside in the garden of the medical center, watching some of the patients roaming around and soaking in the sun''s rays.

    Raine crisply chuckled, "Hmm¡­ I guess it''s because I wanted to save lives instead of killing? Or maybe it''s because being a doctor gives me a better opportunity to kill legally?"

    Yera''s eyebrows connected at her words as Raine winked at her. "You can never get serious, huh?" Yera sighed. It would seem that every time Raine spoke, it felt like one should never take her seriously.

    Raine laughed out hard upon hearing Yera''s words. She then pulled something out from her pocket. "Here. This one''s a trusted brand and has quite accurate results. You should really check now if you''re pregnant, you know?" Raine nonchalantly stated.

    During one of their casual chats, she found out that Yera had still not tried to get a pregnancy test done yet. As such, she was quite worried about Yera''s condition. She had a nagging feeling that Yera was really pregnant.

    Hesitantly, Yera accepted it and asked, "Why does it look like you''re more curious about my pregnancy than I am?"

    "Hmm¡­ Well, I want to know so I can be more gentle to you. Like, not pulling your hair out or something if we ever ended up fighting," Raine casually answered, then taking note of a few more additions lining the doctor''s pockets. "Besides, I noticed that you''ve been eating a lot of sweets lately. You should tone that down. Or maybe just give it all to me since I love sweets. Too much sugar won''t be good for your baby anyway."

    Raine gave the woman an honest smile. Yera always seemed to have a lot of chocolate packets in her pockets whenever they met. She would even offer some to her whenever they were chatting, not to mention the sweet pastries that the doctor always had for snacks.

    "You''re weird, you know that? You just said you wouldn''t mess with a pregnant woman. Do you mean you''ll still mess with Xander even if he''s married once you find out that I''m not pregnant? Besides, you already have a handsome man yourself!"

    Raine looked at Yera with a wicked smile, "Why not? It''s exciting, isn''t it? You should know, I''m something of a playgirl. So anyway, inform me if you''re pregnant, so that I might consider not messing with you and Dr. Yang. I do care about you, though, even if I still can''t guarantee that I''ll behave whenever it comes to Xander."

    Raine rose from her chair to leave, but momentarily paused as she bent a little to whisper at Yera, "You see, I like Dr. Yang a lot. So much that I can''t keep my hands off him¡­"

    Yera had a frown on her face as she watched Raine''s retreating back. The younger doctor then quickly trotted back inside the hospital.

    Raine chuckled. She had already warned her not to take her words seriously most of the time since it was her habit to irritate people. But even so, Yera still took her seriously at times when she was obviously joking.

    ''Ah¡­ definitely pregnant! It would be nice if their baby would look like me, right?'' Raine mused with a grin. She had to keep her facade of liking Xander somehow so that Yera wouldn''t mention her presence on the island to her husband. Knowing Yera''s personality, the latter wouldn''t even mention to her husband that she was also working in the same hospital.

    Walking back to her clinic, a small smile crept up on her face as she saw Tyrone and Aire in her wolf form dozing off together on the couch.

    "Slackers¡­" she murmured as she stared at the two.

    Aire was in her usual wolf form, her head resting on Tyrone''s lap while the latter''s head rested on the couch''s headrest. They had changed her clinic hours to match the same schedule as Yera''s clinic hours. The older doctor had already left the hospital by now though, so Raine and Tyrone could also head back to the apartment for the day.

    She leaned down, towering over Tyrone''s face to steal a kiss from his lips. But before she could press her lips against his, he spoke, "I''d prefer if you kissed me with me knowing it¡­"

    Raine hovered over his face for a split second. With a smirk, she gently slapped his face and mumbled, "There was a mosquito on your cheek."

    "Ouch¡­ That''s too harsh," Tyrone smirked as he composed himself.

    Raine felt her face twitch as she scoffed, "Next time, you should keep your eyes and mouth shut whenever you sleep.. That way, you won''t catch me whenever I plan to steal a kiss from you."

 Chapter 162 - Aireâ€™s Existence

    Tyrone chuckled, "You know you don''t have to steal kisses from me. If you want, I''ll gladly allow  you to claim unlimited kisses from me whenever you want." He then moved to gently wake up Aire. "Sweetie, we''re going home now," he whispered, lightly patting Aire, who quickly opened her eyes and jumped to Raine''s arms.

    "Mommy''s girl," Tyrone shook his head as Raine chuckled. Aire would only see him whenever her mother was not around, after all.

    "Is your Daddy, right? Are you really Mommy''s girl? Why do I think that it''s the other way around?" Raine teasingly questioned Aire with squinted eyes. Her daughter only answered her with a yawn, however. "Are you still sleepy, dear?" Raine cooed while stroking Aire''s fur. The girl preened at the attention, comfortably snuggling herself even further into Raine''s arms.

    "She''s definitely a Mommy''s girl¡­ like how I''m into her Mommy¡­" Tyrone whispered, giving Raine a quick peck on her lips.

    Raine''s face reddened as she scoffed, "Stop teasing me and let''s go."

    She walked ahead of him. Her mouth twitched as she heard Tyrone chuckling from behind. The two of them acted like a real couple, and Tyrone was obviously enjoying it¡­ Not that she didn''t¡­

    Raine quietly let out a frustrated sigh as she cheered herself on, ''Just go with the flow. Have some fun while you still can, Raine.''

    Leaving the hospital, Tyrone and Raine went straight to their apartment, with Aire shifting back to her human form. The little girl was in deep thought on how she could bring her parents together, making them enjoy each other''s company while they were still in their mission. She also only had two more days to spend with her parents. Luckily, tomorrow was her mother''s rest day from work. Tonight would be her last night with her parents in this era, so she wanted it to be memorable somehow, rather than them just staying in and sleeping inside the apartment all day.

    "Mommy, it''s still early. How about we all go camping tonight in the mountains? I heard from others in the hospital about how they recently opened that safe zone up in the mountain for employees and their families'' leisure," Aire excitedly suggested. "Daddy or you just need to get an approval and permit for it from the management."

    Raine looked at her daughter before taking a glance at her watch. Seeing that it was just around two in the afternoon, she murmured, "Alright. That''s a good idea. It''s still early, so I think it''s possible if they''ll allow us."

    "I''ll inquire for it now," Tyrone enthusiastically chimed in and quickly made calls. He already knew why Aire suggested it. His daughter only had two days left before she disappeared from their era as if nothing had happened. No one would remember Aire and her stay in this era except for him. It was no wonder then that Aire got Draki for Raine.

    After some calls, Tyrone looked at Raine and said, "I''ll have to go to the administration office to fill up some forms. You two get ready and bring some things you might need for the trip. I''ll pick you up in an hour or two. I''ll also go on ahead and check the area first¡­"

    Raine nodded at his suggestions, and Tyrone left. While preparing for their trek up the mountain, Raine''s mobile phone rang. Looking at the caller, it was Levi.

    "Boss, it''s up," Levi informed. It was the bug that Raine managed to install on Yera''s mobile phone when she borrowed it to save the doctor''s number.

    "Alright. Monitor it well," Raine instructed before ending the call.

    After packing some necessities, Tyrone soon called to confirm that their camping request had been approved. As such, Raine and Aire finalized their preparations.

    "Mommy, can you braid my hair, please?" Aire asked.

    "Sure, Sweetie."

    Raine nodded as she started brushing Aire''s hair and braiding it. She was done with almost half of her hair when she noticed a suspicious mark at the back of Aire''s left ear. Her eyes suddenly widened as her hands froze in between doing braids.

    "This¡­ Aire¡­ You also have a crescent-shaped moon mark?" Raine gasped. She had been caught off-guard. The mark was exactly the same as the one Tyrone had on his nape. "What is this?"

    There was a terrified look on Raine''s face as she stared at Aire in her reflection at the vanity mirror.

    Sensing her mother''s distress, Aire turned and hugged Raine tightly on her waist as she whispered, "I''m sure you''ll figure things out, Mommy. But please¡­ don''t ask me any more questions. I can''t disclose too many details since I may let out more words that could alter things in the future." Aire regretfully sighed, "Don''t be frightened¡­ please¡­ Daddy already knows about it. I might face a lot of unforeseen consequences if I ever cause things here that could alter what''s already preordained by the future."

    "You¡­"

    Raine was speechless. Aire intentionally didn''t say a word. It would be futile, knowing that her mother would forget about her once she disappeared and came back to where she came from anyway.

    "Can we just enjoy our camping tonight with Daddy? Please?" Aire almost pleaded, still hugging Raine tightly.

    "The Voyager''s Watch¡­" Raine whispered.

    "Only those who bear the crescent-shaped moon mark can use its power, Mommy," Aire explained, knowing that she could at least disclose that much.

    "You''re my real daughter¡­" Raine whispered out. It was a dazed statement as she finally put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

    "Mommy," Aire murmured, hugging her tightly.

    Raine was still in shock with what she had just discovered. Was this for real? She and Tyrone would have a daughter? Aire? Won''t Tyrone suffer or die once her father woke up and found out about him?

    There were a lot of questions going through her head. It honestly felt like she was about to go crazy about it. But she couldn''t ask Aire¡­ No! She won''t compromise her daughter.

    "It''s alright, Aire. Mommy wouldn''t ask you anything. Now, let''s wait for your Daddy to come and pick us up¡­" Raine breathed out reassurance as she gently stroked Aire''s hair.. Somehow, the burden in her heart felt a little bit lighter at the revelation of Aire''s existence.

 Chapter 163 - She Didnâ€™t Deny It

    Inside Raine''s private residence, Boris was waiting for Lyne to arrive from work when Draki joined him.

    "Hmm¡­ I envy you, Draki¡­ You haven''t met your mate yet, so you''re not going through the struggles I''m currently having. I honestly don''t know whether or not to feel happy that Lyne agreed to marry me after killing Danos. It would be nice if she agreed because she likes me, but I guess it''s far too early to expect something like that," Boris mumbled with a sigh petted Draki by the head. He looked at the bracelet he was wearing and added, "You''re lucky, huh¡­ not to have this thing on you..."

    "Eh, don''t worry. You''ll be free from that bracelet soon enough. Once the Mirage Trial ends, we''ll be attacking the Convel Society right after on the same day," Mia reassured him as she sat beside Draki. "Who knows? Maybe Lyne might decide to remove that bracelet even earlier before that. It really seems that you''re rapidly gaining Lyne''s trust more than she anticipated. Coffee?"

    Boris kept his silence, signaling to the newcomer that he didn''t want the offer.

    "Suit yourself then," she shrugged. "So, you guys can really talk and understand wolves? How about other animals?"

    "Just wolves. They are a werewolf''s best friend, after all," Boris answered.

    "Ah, like how dogs are man''s best friend, except that we can''t actually understand or talk to them," Mia snorted as she handed the coffee to Boris anyway. Unlike Levi, she was already comfortable around their guest-slash-captive.

    "Why do you always drink coffee? Caffeine isn''t good to human''s body," Boris scolded like an older brother.

    "Is it also not good for werewolves?" Mia countered with a grin.

    "We have better bodies and immunities than humans, so caffeine is nothing," Boris snorted before letting out a small sigh. "Ugh¡­ I''m missing that little cupid."

    "I know, right? Aire talks beyond her age sometimes. I bet she already gave you a lot of tips and advice. Right now, she''s probably playing cupid between Boss and Tyrone," Mia chuckled.

    "Do you know when they''re coming back?" Boris inquired.

    "Not sure¡­ It depends on the situation. Anyway, I''m sure Lyne is arriving right about now," Mia teased, looking at the wall clock. Lyne and Levi would usually arrive at around past two in the afternoon, or maybe an hour beyond that.

    "Yeah, she''s here. I can smell her already," Boris seconded.

    "Geez, you creatures and your sniffing tendencies¡­ Anyway, I''ll be going now. I wouldn''t dare witness any bickering today¡­" Mia scoffed as she quickly stood up, calling Draki to come with her.

    Boris chuckled. Mia was like a little sister that he can get easily comfortable with. She was an easy person to get along and have a comfortable conversation with.

    Soon enough, Levi and Lyne entered the premises. At the sight of her, Boris instantly flashed a broad smile at Lyne. Levi simply shook his head and just casually greeted Boris before quickly walking towards the control room.

    "How''s work?" Boris asked Lyne.

    "Tiring," Lyne mumbled as she sat beside him. "Have you seen the plans?"

    Lyne closed her eyes and placed her head on the headrest. She actually wanted to go directly to her room and get a bit of rest, but since Boris was already there, she might as well discuss business with him at an open area like this instead of his room.

    "Yeah, Mia mentioned to me that we''ll attack right after the Mirage Trial had ended," Boris recalled while closely staring at Lyne. She had such an angelic face, and Boris was glad that the wolf in him had very good taste in choosing a mate.

    "I see. Make sure that you will not disclose any information about this to Tyrone. Boss doesn''t want to involve him in this operation," Lyne informed him just as she remembered. "As soon as the Mirage Trial is over, Tyrone won''t have any access to the Moon Clan. He will be dismissed¡­"

    Boris frowned, "You mean, he''ll be out? But aren''t they mates? Those two belong to each other! Your Boss is his mate."

    Lyne opened her eyes and turned to him, "That doesn''t mean that the Boss considers him as her mate. You see, things are complicated, and please don''t inquire more about it since it''s not your life to ponder over." She then tersely continued, "The Boss has her reasons why she needed Tyrone out of her life¡­"

    "That''s harsh¡­" Boris sympathetically mumbled. All of a sudden, he now felt bad for Tyrone. "But I guess I''m fortunate that you needed me in your life?" he muttered next.

    Lyne only answered him with a sigh. She then flinched when she suddenly felt Boris holding her hands.

    "What are you doing?!"

    "Holding your hands. You should get used to the skinship already since you''re already mine," Boris nonchalantly mumbled, making Lyne''s eyebrow arched as she glared daggers at him.

    "Hey, aren''t you being too greedy? Our agreement was to bring me Danos''s head first!" Lyne sternly reminded as she tried to pull her hand away from Boris. The latter didn''t budge, however. Instead, he even pulled her hand to his lips so he could kiss it.

    ''This man!'' Lyne mentally screamed, terrified at the weird feeling she was having with that simple act of his lips touching her skin.

    "I''m confident that I''ll be able to kill Danos, so I don''t see the point of holding back myself from getting close to you," Boris declared. "Besides, you''ll be mine soon. If the Mirage Trial ended this week, the attack would follow shortly. Also, I don''t like it if you flinch away from me every time, so it''s better that you get used to me touching you."

    Ignoring the way Lyne was reacting, he then looked at her directly and mumbled, "I can feel it¡­ How your body is reacting. I can even hear the loud beating of your heart. That means I have an effect on you. Right, Lyne? You like it when I''m near and touching you like this. You can feel it too right? The desire growing in your body. I can''t wait to make you mine¡­ Make you scream my name¡­"

    Lyne''s eyes widened in disbelief. Gathering her resolve, she abruptly pulled her hands away from him and stood up from the couch, leaving Boris alone in his lonesome. She didn''t know why, but she felt as if she had cut off her tongue at that moment. Her face burned red in embarrassment as she walked away. She was affected by his bold words, and she didn''t like how her body reacted abnormally!

    Pondering on his words, however, Boris sounded¡­ correct? She had wondered what was wrong with her ever since that day¡­ Was it because of the kiss? Her first kiss? Or maybe she was simply starting to accept him, thinking that no one could help her exact her revenge anymore except for Boris? He was her only option as of now and based on her research, Boris was the only capable Alpha who could even kill Danos.

    Meanwhile, Boris had a wide grin as he watched Lyne''s retreating back, "She didn''t deny it."

 Chapter 164 - Was He Really Worth It?

    Tyrone had prepared everything they needed for the camping trip before quickly picking up Raine and Aire. Raine tried her best to act normal despite everything she had just found out. It was really a lot to process, but still, she kept her calm. She really just wanted Aire to have a wonderful time with them. Maybe later, once Aire was asleep, would she talk to Tyrone about her small revelations.

    A few moments of driving later, they arrived at their destination. Raine immediately grabbed their backpacks before then beginning their trek up the mountain.

    "Mommy, give me your mobile phone. This is a nice place. You and Daddy should have some photos," Aire suggested. "You two are lucky to have me as your photographer, you know?"

    At her words, Raine handed the little girl her mobile phone. Aire then also asked for Tyrone''s mobile phone before then taking some photos of the couple every once in a while, switching between the two phones every other shot.

    "Why is it always us? You should join in¡­" Raine commented with a smile.

    "I can''t, Mommy. My face will be deleted from it once I disappear," Aire regretfully smiled. Tyrone looked at Aire, who gave him a nod before nodding to Raine as well.

    "She found out, Daddy," Aire simply replied.

    An awkward silence followed after the little girl''s reveal. Nobody dared to speak, as if frozen midstep in the middle of the forest.

    A bubble seemed to pop as Aire broke the silence, "Let''s continue walking. The sun will set soon. It''d be nice to witness it from a nice spot on top of the mountain. Let''s hurry."

    Aire then walked ahead of them. Tyrone had a map with him and a radio that the admin provided.

    "We''re actually the first ones who tried to camp in the mountains. They plan on opening it tomorrow, but I requested them to fast-track it for tonight¡­" Tyrone informed as they were walking, breaking through the awkward atmosphere. He already thought Raine might ask many questions, but she remained reticent. It was probably Aire who mentioned to her the risk of asking for more details.

    "How did you convince them?" Raine finally spoke.

    "I told them that I planned to propose to my girlfriend tonight," Tyrone shamelessly stated, making Raine cough.

    Aire chuckled and scolded, "Wow, Daddy¡­ If you do that later, you should''ve kept quiet about it. To keep the suspense intact."

    Tyrone only chuckled as Raine shook her head. She didn''t take his words seriously, knowing that Tyrone was just joking about it. He had simply created an alibi to convince the admin to allow them to camp today.

    Hiking up the mountain, they took a small break every once in a while. Reaching a suitable spot to set up camp didn''t take them much time, however...

    "This looks nice!" Aire commented as she raised her arms, feeling the warm breeze hitting her body. Meanwhile, Tyrone readied the tent, with Raine helping him out.

    "How long have you known?" Raine couldn''t help but ask, her curiosity getting the better of her while Aire was away searching their surroundings while taking photos of them.

    "Just a few days ago, I managed to put the pieces together because Aire talked far too maturely for an eight-year-old kid. She knew too much that I got suspicious¡­" Tyrone explained. "Also, you two have so many similarities between each other that none would even question that she was your daughter. I''m sure you felt it, too, that strong connection to her. I got to confirm it when she asked me to accompany her in giving you and the rest some presents. She got you a wolf pet. Draki; a name taken after her wolf name."

    "Why is she here then?"

    "To mark her mate, apparently," Tyrone sighed. "She''s too stubborn like you. I already warned her not to act on impulse. Altering things from the past can cause disastrous consequences¡­" he explained.

    Raine''s eyes widened as she gasped in terror, "Are you sure she listened? What if she managed to sneak out without us knowing and marked that mate she''s referring to? What will happen to Aire in the future?"

    Tyrone froze and glanced at Aire. "It can''t be¡­ She promised me that she''d behave¡­" he whispered with a hint of doubt in his voice.

    Aire looked at them with a broad smile and yelled, "Smile, Mommy and Daddy!"

    "She won''t tell us that, Tyrone. We''ll probably only find out about it in the future," Raine weakly whispered. She somehow doubted that Aire would behave. She was their daughter, after all. Obviously, she would''ve inherited more than her inherent stubbornness.

    "Who''s the person that she came here for?" Raine asked.

    "She didn''t want to tell me¡­"

    "Can I at least ask her who it was?"

    "No. That may cause some change¡­" Tyrone whispered, "If both of us found out who that boy was... All she said was that the boy was from the Convel Society. Someone who was bound to be a ruler."

    "This is so frustrating!" Raine anxiously growled as she fumbled over the tent out of lack of focus.

    "I''ll handle this. Why not go to Aire?" Tyrone suggested.

    Raine immediately nodded. Dropping the tent, she grabbed a blanket and rolled it on the ground.

    "Aire, come here. Sit with me while we wait for Daddy to finish the tent and prepare our dinner," she called out, Aire quickly sitting beside her. "So, Daddy told me you came here to mark a man. Aren''t you still a bit young to think about romantic affairs?" Raine calmly asked.

    "I''m already twelve. Going thirteen once I come back to my era, Mommy. I know what I feel and want By that age. It''s love¡­"

    Raine gulped at her words. With a sigh, she murmured, "I think that''s just infatuation, dear. Way too early for love."

    "Mommy, It''s a werewolf thing. Later, you''ll understand what I mean¡­ The Mate Pull developed earlier with me, and it''s quite strong that I can''t just let him go," Aire explained.

    "Can you tell me more about him? How was he in your era? Was he handsome? What are his characters?"

    "Of course, he is handsome. A lot of women flocks around him Mommy and it''s annoying. He was crowned King weeks before I left to time travel."

    "He''s too old for you, Aire!" Raine burst as she did the math.

    "Just ten years older, Mommy," Aire murmured with a grin.

    Raine tried her best to calm herself and, with a faint smile, coaxed, "Sweetie, how about you spare Mommy specific details like a name perhaps¡­"

    Aire chuckled before laying down her head on Raine''s lap, "I know what you''re trying to do, Mommy. Suppose I tell you or Daddy his name¡­ You two might kill him just to make sure that I can''t mark him. But it''s already too late. I marked him already. While I know that I might face the consequences once I come back, I''m sure that I''ll be able to overcome it no matter what it is. Besides, I have you and Daddy by my side, so I don''t fear anything¡­"

    Raine was stroking Aire''s hair, it''s color a rich red auburn much like hers. With a cracked voice, she whispered, "Was he really worth it?"

    "Yes, Mommy. He is¡­ Like how Daddy was worth it for you to fight for and hold on to¡­"

 Chapter 165 - How Many Children

    The sun was setting in the distance, and Raine watched that beautiful scene unfold with Aire sitting on the blanket with her. By the sidelines, Tyrone started with cooking their dinner, all while sneaking glances at Raine and Aire''s direction every once in a while, bearing that satisfied smile on his face whenever he saw the two enjoying themselves.

    Raine let out a sigh as she stroked Aire''s head. Up until now, Aire''s words were bugging her. Did that mean that she would fight and hold on to Tyrone in the near future? How could that be when she''d already planned everything out? She would dismiss Tyrone as soon as the Mirage Trial was over. No contact and no connection with him would be left at all. She was planning to use on him the powder that she particularly requested from Janus, something that was strong enough to erase even the memory of a mutant if he would insist on not letting her go. The powder wouldn''t erase his memory entirely, but only the particular parts like his involvement with her and the Mirage.

    Raine hid a pained smile. It truly felt as if her head would explode at any moment now because of all the things rumbling inside of it. Still, she did her best to clear her thoughts since she really didn''t want to spoil their evening. They were here to have fun, not to ruminate about the distant future.

    After a few beats of comfortable quiet, Aire broke the silence while she watched her father do his cooking not far from them. He was quite reliable, doing everything on his own. Their tent was also ready.

    "Daddy is so prepared. He managed to bring everything we needed and even do everything all by himself in a flash," Aire proudly praised.

    Tyrone chuckled, "I''m quite a good catch, right? Only an idiot would let me go." It was the second time already Tyrone mentioned the same thing about Raine being an idiot if she would let him go. And he intended to keep reminding her about whenever he could though he knew how Raine would only brush it off way too quickly. He was so hopeless, thinking of ways on how he could make Raine not let him go because he somehow sensed that Raine was planning something behind his back.

    "Don''t worry, Mommy''s not an idiot, Daddy," Aire reassured with a grin. She then turned to her mother and said, "Isn''t that right, Mommy?"

    Raine gave Aire a pout as she mumbled, "Mommy''s not an idiot, of course. I''m just a bit stubborn like you!"

    Aire had an awkward smile, knowing that her mother was simply dying to scold her if she wasn''t stopping herself from doing so¡­ Sensing her distress, she moved and hugged Raine as she whispered, "Don''t worry, Mommy. Everything will be fine."

    Raine could only let out a frustrated sigh. She hadn''t mentioned her earlier conversation with Arie to Tyrone yet; about how the former already admitted that she had marked the boy. Tyrone would definitely get anxious about it, like how she was feeling right now. She wanted to scold Aire, but what was the point when everything was already said and done?

    However, Raine still had to tell all of this to Tyrone since he was the only one whose memory about Aire would remain intact. He would be the only one who could do the searching and remember things about the future to save Aire from her potential punishments, whatever those might be.

    The twilight sun gave way to the darkness as the moon shone brightly up in the night sky. Tyrone kept a fire lit for them as he served them their dinner. They all sat together in the large picnic blanket as they ate, Raine feeding Aire and letting her eat more, especially from Tyrone''s fruit platter.

    "Briel will be jealous once I tell him that we camped out like this," Aire giggled. It was a first time experience for her to go out to the mountains like this with her parents.

    "Briel?" Raine and Tyrone murmured in chorus.

    Aire''s smile widened as she said, "Yes, Umbriel¡­ my brother. He''s a year younger than me. He looked exactly like Daddy. A carbon copy, as everyone says."

    "What?!" Raine burst in disbelief.

    "How many children are there now for Mommy and me?" Tyrone amusingly inquired, knowing that such a question wasn''t too risky.

    "So far, three¡­ after Umbriele¡­ the next were twins," Aire informed with a giggle.

    Raine almost choked on the food she was eating that she had to drink a whole bottle of water in one straight gulp.

    "I see that we''re quite vigorous in the future. I bet I will ask for more," Tyrone shamelessly declared, making Raine''s face turn crimson red.

    Raine was flabbergasted. She was rendered speechless while listening to Tyrone and Aire. He was very careful in asking his questions, at least, ensuring that the answer Aire would give, wouldn''t give out enough details that would compromise her.

    "That''s enough. Don''t ask her any more questions," Raine scolded after managing to gather her wits again. "And you two, focus on finishing our food!"

    They had to stop. She was curious too, but she was way too scared to know more, especially when she knew that Aire had to face these mysterious consequences if she ever let out one wrong word.

    Tyrone acquiesced, no longer asking any more questions as he understood Raine''s sentiments. He was more than happy to know that their future together was productive. On the other hand, Raine couldn''t fathom whether or not to believe her own daughter. Was it really possible? Tyrone and her, together? A family together?"

    After dinner, they played some games that Aire wanted, like cards and charades. It was fun, and Raine eventually realized how hard she was laughing whenever she was together with Aire and Tyrone.

    "Mommy, are you having fun?" Aire asked while they looked up at the night sky, waiting for the tea and milk that Tyrone was preparing for them.

    "Of course, I do," Raine whispered truthfully as she pulled Aire closer to her.

    "In a way, I''m glad that you won''t remember about me once I go back. I know how much you''re worried about me, Mommy. Daddy''s worried too, but unlike you, he''s way calmer.  No wonder he was chosen to bear the crescent-shaped moon mark," Aire wistfully smiled. "No matter what the future holds¡­ you must trust him. You know that he loves you so much that he''s willing to do anything, even sacrifice everything just to have you¡­"

    "Shh, Aire. Please stop saying any more words about the future. Mommy''s more than happy with your existence," Raine shook her head as she spoke. "I don''t want your future to be compromised, so I''ll just face my future in my own way. Don''t worry about Mommy, okay? Think more about yourself. You''ll face an ordeal once you come back, so you should be ready. Honestly, I''m kind of worried about what it could be¡­"

    "But it''s not something about me losing my life¡­ Of that, I''m certain, Mommy," Aire reassured to lessen her mother''s weariness.

    ''But I''m sure it''ll be something that will make you suffer somehow,'' Raine silently murmured. Aire had made big changes by marking her mate, possibly changing that boy''s life and future¡­

 Chapter 166 - The Deepest Parts Of Her**

    Aire yawned as she rested on Raine''s lap. Her mother continued stroking her hair until Aire finally fell into a deep slumber.

    "Let me carry her inside the tent," Tyrone whispered.

    Raine nodded, letting Tyrone carry Aire in his arms and inside the tent. She stayed outside, hugging her legs and resting her chin on her knees as she stared at the dark wilderness beyond the fires. She didn''t know how many times she had let out a sigh for the past few days, only that she managed to stop herself from letting yet another one out as she felt a blanket cover her shoulders. Tyrone sat on her back, stretching his legs while pulling her in between his thighs so she could rest her back on his chest.

    "She marked him. Aire confessed that she managed to mark the boy," Raine weakly whispered.

    Tyrone''s jaw clenched as he whispered, "Did she tell you more? Like some details about the boy?"

    Raine let out another frustrated sigh and murmured, "No. Nothing except that he will be crowned as King of the Convel Society twelve years from now. That means the boy should be around ten by now."

    Raine already set her mind to attack the Convel Society. But based on Aire''s words¡­ she would fail in destroying that group. Even so, she must continue to attack the Convel Society as her plan dictated. She had her reasons for doing so.

    "I''ll look into it. I can find out who that boy is, and I will deal with it," Tyrone whispered into her ear. "Don''t worry. I won''t let anything bad happen to Aire."

    "The Voyager''s Watch¡­ Is it with you?" Raine asked. Even if she found it, it was worthless since Aire said that only the chosen people with the mark would even have the ability to use it, and Tyrone was one of the few of those people.

    "Not yet, but Aire told me where I can find it."

    "Do you plan to use it?" Raine asked.

    "Hmm¡­ Not at this time. I don''t see the need for it," Tyrone genuinely answered.

    "Don''t you want to change anything in your past?"

    There was an elongated pause as Raine waited for Tyrone''s reply. A sigh was let off before Tyrone spoke, "I have a lot of things I want to change in the past, to be honest¡­ But I don''t think it''s worth it. And the consequences I have to face¡­ If I go back in time and alter things, what would happen to the now?" He worriedly pondered, "Will I even get the chance to meet you? Or have children with you? I don''t think I''m willing to risk that. I''m content with what I have now, and with how my future is unfolding¡­ holding you like this¡­"

    Raine bit her lower lip and whispered, "But you might experience a lot of pain along the way if you keep holding on to me."

    A certain chuckle escaped from Tyrone''s lips that made Raine move. She turned her body just so she could face him.

    "Is that funny?" Raine pouted with a frown.

    "Well, you worry too much, my sweet vixen. I don''t mind experiencing pain¡­ After all, you''re worth all of that and more."

    Raine let out a frustrating question, "Why are you such a fool?!"

    "If loving you makes me a fool, then I''d be glad to be one for eternity," Tyrone straightforwardly whispered.

    "Dimwit¡­" Raine muttered out before she closed the gap between her lips and his. She kissed him passionately, pushing her soft tongue into his mouth.

    Tyrone cupped the back of her neck and gently stroked her wind-ruffled hair, his fingers running through her scalp as his lips suckled on Raine''s delicate mouth.

    Already blazing ahead, his hands aggressively moved as he unbuckled Raine''s shorts, trying to remove them as Raine eventually helped him with it. She covered her lower body with the blanket as she turned it around, Tyrone pulling her closer towards him as he settled her lap against his lower body.

    As if becoming hyperaware, Raine consciously looked around, making Tyrone chuckle as he whispered, "It''s fine. There''s only us here. Even if someone does come, I''ll notice it right away. I''m a werewolf, remember?"

    "Yeah¡­ Sniffing is your hobby, I guess," Raine scoffed as Tyrone laughed while he continued raining down kisses on her neck.

    A delicious shiver shot down Raine''s spine as the foreplay continued. She could feel how her nipples had already stiffened underneath her blouse. Meanwhile, Tyrone cupped her breasts with his fingers, gently massaging her hard peaks beneath her thin blouse and bra. She could only moan softly at his touch.

    Feeling the heat radiating from his body, Raine shuddered. He had slipped his long fingers inside the blanket and started to caress the insides of her legs softly. Feeling his digits play at her slit, she clutched at his silky hair and hummed.

    "You smell so good," Tyrone whispered while licking her neck. He groaned weakly as he buried his face in Raine''s shoulder. He was fighting the urge to bite and mark her right then and there, and it was so damn hard to control his fangs from going out! "I want to strip off all of your clothes. Lick and kiss every inch of you before filling you up with my seed¡­" he murmured as he caressed her over her clothes, making Raine shiver with unbridled excitement. She would want that right at that moment, but it would be beyond unwise to make love naked in the open!

    Tyrone''s words alone were already making her wet between her thighs. The thought alone was so arousing that she had begun unconsciously brushing against his bulge. Relentless, Tyrone sucked and nipped at the base of her throat as he urgently undid his pants, letting his erection free and quickly easing it slowly into her wet entrance, letting a rough moan escape Raine''s lips.

    "It feels so good to be inside of you," Tyrone grunted at her tightness as he reached for the deepest parts of her core. Even through all of this, he continued showering her neck and ears with kisses in between thrusts, grasping forcefully at her hips to further deepen their union. Raine quickly threw her arms around his neck, desperate as if she was about to fall from the sky and Tyrone was the only thing keeping her in place.

    With only the campfire and the light of the moon above illuminating their activities, their bodies fervently slapped against each other, staving off harsh chilly wind ruffling against her hair. Raine moved her body like she was riding a horse, her walls eagerly squeezing, tightening around his manhood as he penetrated her all the way to the base before reluctantly letting him go, only to tighten up again as though she was trying to pull him deeper.

    Her heart pounded with desperate passion as she melted into his hot kisses, letting herself sink and drown into his love as they both reached their highest peaks together. She hugged him tightly, her body twitching at the feeling of his seed saturating her insides. They kept their bodies connected after the fact, both of them basking in the afterglow of their intense lovemaking beneath the moonlit night.

    "I bet we''ll have more than four children in the future," Tyrone playfully whispered in his rasp voice.

    Raine didn''t respond, only nestling herself cozily into Tyrone''s embrace, the only place where she truly felt secured.

 Chapter 167 - What Is It That You Want

    Raine''s Residence, Moon Clan Territory, Country V

    Levi stayed in the control room with Mia. It had been a while since they last saw themselves staying together for this long in a single room; maybe around three days or so ago. It had been their arrangement since Levi usually accompanied Lyne at the office during those days.

    Even so, that wasn''t the only thing Levi had been thinking about. He was still in a dilemma regarding that night when Mia sleepwalked and kissed him. He was itching to ask her about it, but he didn''t even know where to begin, especially since Mia wasn''t mentioning anything about it at all.

    ''Does that mean that I''m the only one who''s feeling like this?'' Levi annoyingly huffed to himself. He was way too disturbed and affected by that one incident.

    "How are things here?" he asked, filing his question at the back of his mind for the meantime.

    "Good so far. Boris isn''t a bad companion if that''s what you want to know," Mia casually replied before cracking open her late-night snack.

    "Yeah, I noticed you two getting along well," Levi snorted.

    "Well, he''s a nice person. Very transparent," Mia complemented. "I like men like him¡­ They''re not afraid to show their true colors, whether it be good or bad. He''s¡­ bold enough to speak whatever it is that''s on his mind, you know?"

    Levi''s face twitched as he scoffed, "I guess it''s too bad that you''re not his mate then."

    Mia raised an eyebrow. She turned to Levi and questioned, "What''s wrong with you? Do I sound like I want to be his mate? Am I not allowed to appreciate the good qualities I like in him as a person?" She shook her head, "Why do you even look so grumpy? You sound more sarcastic than the usual."

    Levi felt a lump form in his throat as he quickly defended, "I''ve always been like this. Aren''t you already used to me being a casual jerk-ass from time to time?"

    "Huh? You only act like that whenever you''re around the Boss, especially if men are lurking around her¡­" Mia''s trailed off, her eyes widening as she stared intently at Levi. It was as if she was deeply searching into his soul, her penetrating gaze seeing beyond the underneath.

    "What?" Levi mumbled with a frown. He could feel the erratic beating of his heart as Mia held her gaze. He became more nervous and uneasy in his seat the longer the staredown continued.

    "You act like that because you''re infatuated with the Boss. Well, you thought you loved her, but I believe it''s just a crush¡­" Mia postulated without pause. "Wait¡­ Don''t tell me you have a crush on me too? Or perhaps you ended up liking me along the way?"

    Deep down, Mia was already counting her small mercies. It was a risk, but she was ready to hear his rejection, knowing Levi''s personal character. Even so, she still wanted to try her luck. Who knows? Levi might end up saying the exact words that wouldn''t leave her disappointed.

    Levi''s face paled. That question was way too sudden. He practically clammed up, unable to answer Mia quickly as he stuttered. "W-what nonsense a-are you saying? D-Don''t flatter yours-self!"

    Hearing his reply, Mia let out a disappointed sigh and muttered, "Just I expected..."

    "What?"

    "Nothing. Just stay focused on monitoring Yera''s bugged phone," she sneered before stuffing her mouth full with her snack, not bothering to ask Levi if he wanted some since she was far from being in the mood to treat the dense idiot nicely.

    Meanwhile, Levi found himself scratching his head. Mia looked annoyed at him, and he wondered why.

    Time ticked on, and there was this awkward silence that Levi wasn''t used to whenever he was with Mia, who loved to talk and chat around.

    "How about your sleepwalking? If you want, you can sleep early tonight and I''ll cover for you," he offered, breaking the silence.

    "No need to worry, Levi. I can handle myself just fine. And for the record, I got enough sleep while you''re not around. Boris was good enough to cover simple tasks for me and let me get some sleep in while you''re gone," Mia blurted out, not caring about how her words would sound since what she was saying was the truth. Boris did ask her if there was something he could do to help her while Levi and Lyne were both busy outside.

    "Why do you have to mention that werewolf again?!" Levi complained. He was annoyed at constantly hearing Mia say nothing but praises for Boris as if the man was a better companion than him.

    "What''s wrong with it? What''s with you getting worked up like that? You look like some jealous man who strongly denies how it''s nonsense to like me," Mia grunted. She was really pissed off right now.

    "That''s what I meant¡­ you make it sound bad. It''s not like that, okay? It''s-"

    Levi froze midsentence. He couldn''t continue, the proper words never seeming to show up on his lips. It was bad. He didn''t even know how he would express himself when he didn''t even have the proper tools to interpret what was happening to him at the moment.

    "So, you mean you like me?" Mia asked, hope coloring her face as it lit up.

    "Uhh¡­ No?"

    "No? You mean don''t like me?" she continued.

    "No- I mean yes- I-I don''t know, okay?" Levi shook his head in both confusion and frustration. "Something''s just¡­ off. I just don''t like hearing you praise other men¡­"

    "And why don''t you like it? Is it normal for you to act like that with a colleague or a friend?" she questioned with a pout. She wanted to hit Levi''s head so badly¡­ It was as if she was giving an impromptu psychiatric session to a teenage boy when Levi was a whole damn year older than her!

    "Mia, I''m¡­ I''m confused," Levi confessed.

    Mia sighed as she shrugged her shoulders, bleeding off some of her annoyance as she looked at him straight in the eyes, "Confused about what? Your feelings towards me?"

    Levi nodded.

    ''Well, that was great progress,'' Mia thought. At least he was confused with his feelings, which meant there was like¡­ what? A fifty-fifty chance?

    "Okay, fine. Go figure out what you want with your life. But in the meantime, don''t get into my nerves about other men since I''m a free woman, Levi," She let out another sigh. "I can admire anyone and even hang out with whoever I want. I might even try to go on blind dates as soon as we finish up with the attack on the Convel Society¡­"

    Levi''s frown mixed with his own swirling emotion, culminating in a slight mumble as he asked, "What I want? Well¡­What is it that you want, Mia?"

    "Why? Will you give me what I want, Levi?" Mia countered without batting an eye at him.

    Levi opened his mouth, but his gaze went to the sudden commotion on the screen. In shock, he yelped in alarm, "Boris. He collapsed!"

    Mia followed his gaze at the monitor. It was the CCTV footage in the kitchen where Boris was now lying on the floor.

    Without any time to waste, the two of them immediately rushed towards the kitchen.

 Chapter 168 - Betrayal

    After yet another session of passionate lovemaking, Raine and Tyrone finally composed themselves and soon joined Aire inside the tent. They slept on each of Aire''s sides in a way that she would be in between the two of them. Raine yawned as she closed her eyes. She felt so tired that the moment she laid her back on the tent, she quickly dozed off to sleep.

    Time ticked on. And as soon as Tyrone was sure that Raine was already asleep, he grabbed his personal mobile phone and went out. He walked further, having enough distance from the tent not to be heard before making a call.

    It was only just a ring when Kiran picked it up. His dear friend was obviously waiting for his call.

    "So, the prodigal friend is still alive? Tell me¡­ How come you''ve been avoiding all my calls and ignoring all my messages?" Kiran barked as soon as he answered his phone. "Damn! How could you be so cruel?!"

    Tyrone chuckled and scoffed, "You''re even more possessive than my woman! How is it that you''re clingier than her?"

    "OMG! You finally got laid? Who is it? Ah¡­ I''m not so sure if I can even call her lucky or what-"

    "Stop talking nonsense, Kiran. I need to talk to the Chairman. Tell him to answer my calls and messages, or else I''ll barge into his den unannounced," Tyrone commanded. "Trust me. He won''t like me invading his privacy¡­"

    Kiran massaged his temples, "Ah, but his temper right now is a bit¡­ Fine. I''ll tell him that." Then sighed, "Geez, you two¡­ Could you two just reconcile and talk with each other already? I''m not your referee, alright. I hate being the middleman between you two."

    Tyrone chuckled, "Well, he won''t understand my sentiments since he''s cold-blooded¡­ He already made up his mind towards his goal, and nothing could ever stop him from changing it now."

    Kiran frowned as he scoffed, "Aren''t you two the same? It''s not like you''re not cold-blooded too! You two get along too well since you''re both birds of the same feathers." He let out yet another exasperated sigh. "Geez. I don''t even know what''s going on anymore; why you''re both prolonging this silent war between you guys. I can''t believe that I''m all alone right now! I miss hanging out with you two! Tell me, what did you even do that got him so pissed off at you?! "

    Tyrone shrugged his shoulders as he murmured, "I¡­ uhh¡­ unexpectedly¡­ fell in love¡­"

    "Too cliche! Are you telling me that the so-called Mate Pull or Soulmates thing in werewolves are real?" Kiran burst out in disbelief. "What the hell is going on? How long did you guys want to keep me in the dark? This is too frustrating already!"

    Tyrone laughed at Kiran''s rapid-fire questions. "Ah, but this is for your own safety, Kiran. It''s for the best that you know less. Besides, your talent is managing the business. Just focus on bringing more money to the Umbra Security Agency¡­ Who knows? You might own it someday¡­"

    There was silence before Kiran spoke, "I don''t care about Umbra! Damn, It''s you and the Chairman that I care for most. It''s why I''m doing my best for that agency in the first place! That Agency was both his and your first home! Dammit! We''re family! So please just makeup you two!"

    There was a loud sigh from Tyrone on another line as he said, "There was a change to the original plans. We have different fights now, Kiran. He''s against how I suddenly changed. That''s all I can tell you. You know what? Try asking him."

    "No way! You know his temper after that incident¡­ He really changed a lot, and he is filled with nothing but revenge right now," Kiran whispered with another sigh. "I mean, I''m honestly just glad that you somehow managed to take things differently. Compared to before¡­ you seem more carefree now. I guess love really does change everything¡­"

    Tyrone chose to ignore the statement about love as he shook his head, "Anyway, just please stay with him and assist him with everything while I''m not there. We both know that he''s been through a lot as well."

    "Don''t worry, okay? Like you, that man doesn''t even need me at all!" Kiran complained with a pout, making Tyrone chuckle.

    "Stop that! I can already picture your funny face right now," Tyrone teased. "Geez, man. Get a woman and keep yourself loose, Kiran."

    "Hah! And now you can even joke like that?! Now I''m really dying to know who your woman is, especially now that you had a 360-degree personality change!" Kiran fired back. "And what is it really? Do you wanna have me make more money for Umbra? Or do you want me to get a woman?! You do know that I can''t do both!" he scoffed.

    "Yes, you can. Do it simultaneously. I''ll hang up now. Take care of yourself, Kiran. And don''t forget to relay my message to that cold-blooded king," Tyrone jokingly reminded him before ending the call that instant.

    Looking up, the moon shined brightly in the sky as he stared at it. It was a crescent-shaped moon tonight, not unlike his mark¡­ Raine''s questions replayed themselves constantly in his head. Most notably, the one that stood out the most was whether or not he wanted to go back in time and change the past.

    His past¡­ He would''ve loved to go back before and change things. But then, like his answer¡­ he simply refused to even risk altering the past if it meant he would lose Raine in exchange for it.

    Tyrone smiled as he savored the cold breeze of the night one last time before walking back inside the tent. There was a dim chargeable light inside as he entered. He hadn''t turned it off yet because he wanted to stare at Raine and Aire for a while.

    "Four children, huh¡­ I think I''d love to have at least ten kids¡­" he dreamily mumbled, not aware that Raine was half awake and heard him.

    "Screw you. I''m not going to torture myself pumping out kids for you," Raine snorted with a mix of disbelief, light amusement, and annoyance. "Go to sleep and stop dreaming. If you want, you get pregnant yourself."

    Tyrone shook his head and leaned down to kiss her, "Go into a deep sleep, my sweet vixen. And just dream of me, okay?"

    At his words, Raine pulled him into the remaining space by her side and snuggled into him, whispering, "I need my human pillow. It''s warm and comfortable¡­"

    Tyrone embraced her tightly and whispered, "You''ll have your pillow all you want, forever."

    "But you do know that betrayal is the one thing I hate the most. If you betray me¡­ I will never forgive you," Raine murmured next to him before her breaths became heavy.

    Tyrone''s body froze and stiffened, wondering if Raine was just talking in her sleep or if she was actually issuing a warning. Was it a real threat?

    Tyrone inwardly cursed.. He wanted to tell Raine everything, but things were way more complicated than it would seem on the surface.

 Chapter 169 - See You Soon

    Raine woke up with a radiant smile, the relaxing sound of nature ushering in the new morning. Gently opening her eyes, her smile widened even further upon seeing Aire snuggling next to her. She still couldn''t believe that she would have a very adorable daughter like Aire. Yet, she was feeling ecstatic with how her future unfolds, wondering if she would end up with Tyrone after every turbulence that they might encounter in the future. Would their future together see this kind of light? She still felt everything was a dream ever since she discovered Aire''s identity.

    "So cute," she whispered, giving her daughter a gentle kiss on her forehead.

    However, her smiles quickly faded when she recalled the ordeal the girl had to face as soon as she came back to her own time. With that thought in her head, Raine carefully and silently moved so as not to wake her up, rising up from her spot and going out of the tent.

    As expected, Tyrone was already awake. The sun was yet to rise, but he was already standing there, looking at the beautiful scenery of the mountain. Raine quietly approached him and snaked her arms around his waist, lovingly pressing herself on his back as she murmured, "You always wake up early. And I feel so sticky..."

    Tyrone chuckled,  placing his arms over hers as he replied, "We''ll just have a quick breakfast then. We can head to the waterfalls right after so you can wash up properly." He then turned around to face her before hugging her tightly. "This feels nice," he whispered, savoring the pleasing scent still lingering within her.

    With a hungry sniff, he mumbled into her neck, "I want to mark you, Raine¡­ Marr-"

    Raine didn''t let him finish his sentence, however. As always¡­ Raine stopped him from talking by kissing him on the lips. She then let him go and whispered, "I''m hungry. What are we having for breakfast, Mr. Jack-of-all-trades?"

    Tyrone could only sigh as Raine pulled him down to the blanket on the ground. "I  guess I''ll make you some hot chocolate," he whispered.

    Raine let out an amused scoff as she quickly grabbed her phone to make herself look so busy. Last night, Tyrone had also tried mentioning him marking her. He almost went on about marriage too, but she kept on stopping him from voicing those thoughts. She only hoped that Tyrone wouldn''t push it further at the moment. She was really not just ready for that kind of commitment. If anything, she was just buying time to leisurely spend with him for the remaining borrowed time they had left¡­

    Looking at her screen, she frowned upon seeing the several missed call alerts on her notifications.

    "Raine, I-"

    "What happened to Boris?"

    Tyrone stopped himself as he heard Raine suddenly speak to her mobile phone. ''Did something happen?''

    "Boss, he''s still unconscious. Levi and I believe that the bracelet is having some harmful side effects on him, but we can''t decide on whether to remove it or not," Mia reported with a worried tone.

    "How is that even possible when we already removed any traces of silver in that bracelet... Send me his vitals," Raine instructed. With a ding on her phone, she received the relevant information she needed. Quickly analyzing it, she instructed, "Remove the bracelet. Damn that werewolf¡­ I can''t believe this."

    Tyrone looked at her screen and asked, "What is it?"

    "It seems like he was having an allergic reaction from the bracelet attached to him," Raine shook her head in disbelief. "So pure-blooded werewolves like him can also have some allergies?"

    "Levi''s removing it now, Boss," Mia informed.

    "Got it. I''ll send you some prescriptions. Buy the correct dosage and administer it to him," Raine ordered, partly switching into her doctor persona as she spoke. "Let''s see if it will work on him since I''m not sure if human medicines would be effective on his body. If symptoms still persist beyond an hour after administration, call me¡­ I will have to consult Janus about it," she finished up before eventually ending the call.

    "Janus? Is he familiar with werewolves? If you want, I know someone who could help," Tyrone offered. "A friend, of course. He''s a werewolf but also a medical practitioner¡­ He surely knows better than Janus since most werewolves come to him for treatment."

    Raine gave him a cunning smile as she said, "Darling, do you trust me that much to even introduce me to another mutant? I bet he won''t like meeting me¡­"

    "I trust you, Raine. Stop with this nonsense of poking me about you being a hunter because no matter what, I will always have your back," Tyrone declared with finality. "We will solve this issue you''re having together. So please, let''s talk about us seriously¡­"

    "Yeah, and I told you that we''ll do it after Xander''s case, right?" she rebuffed him. "You can tell me everything you want to say once we wrap this case up. Right now, I''m not ready for any sort of distractions. We both need to focus on saving that man''s life. You yourself wanted to save him, right?"

    There was only a loud sigh before Tyrone nodded. He knew that the longer he waited, the heavier the burden became in his heart. However, he still understood Raine''s point of view.

    "Now about that mole, Shane Li... I''ll let her enter the Moon Clan with ease. You just make sure that she won''t get caught once we come back to country V, okay?" Raine decided, giving the man an agreeing nod. "Let''s keep her safe from Uncle''s grasp."

    "Good morning, Mommy! Daddy!"

    Upon hearing the cheerful greeting, Raine and Tyrone turned to look at Aire. The girl had already woken up as she walked towards them.

    "Wow, the sun is rising! It''s so beautiful watching it with my parents like this," Aire smiled as she sat beside her mother. "You two have been so busy lately that we weren''t able to go out often on family outings," Aire informed as she sat beside her mother.

    Seeing the two getting comfortable with each other, Tyrone prepared the hot chocolate for both of her girls, as well as some sandwiches to serve as their breakfast. Laying them all out, they ate together, having great conversations like real family would. Soon after, Raine approached Tyrone to help him wrap their stuff up.

    "It''s okay. I''ll do it. Just play with Aire. I''ll be finished here soon," Tyrone said with a wink.

    Raine chuckled as she shook her head. She then leaned closer and gave him a peck on his lips before walking towards her daughter.

    "Mommy, are we going to the waterfalls now?" Aire happily asked.

    "Yup!" Raine answered excitedly, arranging Aire''s hair in a bun like she did with her own hair.

    "Tonight¡­ I might disappear at any moment once the blue moon shows. Can we all sleep together in one bed later?" Aire weakly asked. She then turned to Raine and added, "Time flies so fast¡­ Soon, you''ll meet me again as you hold me in your arms, Mommy, till then¡­ See you soon..." Aire commented with a sigh. If her calculations were correct, the Voyager''s Watch would bring her back to her time when the blue moon showed, and according to her research, it was tonight. But she wished for some delays if possible since she was having fun watching how her parents'' love story developed.

    "I hope there''s no blue moon tonight, Mommy. I don''t want to go back yet." Aire murmured

    Seeing her distress, Raine pulled Aire in for a warm embrace, kissing her Aire on the forehead as she whispered, "Yeah, I will see you soon, Sweetie. This is far from being a goodbye¡­"

    Tyrone could hear the conversation of Raine and Aire while he was wrapping up the tent. He couldn''t hold the anticipation in his smiles. Based on Aire''s age, Raine would get pregnant around this year. They would probably know about it next month once Raine missed her monthly period.

    "A penny for your thoughts?" Raine commented with snapped brows, noticing how Tyrone was staring at her and Aire with an ear-to-ear smile.

    "Ah, just thinking if we managed to, you know¡­ Have Aire this month," Tyrone murmured with a grin. Flustered, Raine crumpled her face and scoffed, "Stop thinking about those and quickly pack up everything so we can take a dip now to the waterfalls."

    Tyrone only laughed and no longer teased Raine. He still had a lot of available time to spare to shower Raine''s womb with his seeds and secure Aire''s existence in the future¡­ Then Umbriel¡­ The twins and many more!

    Raine shook her head as she sneaked glances at Tyrone once in a while. He was still smiling alone while he was packing.

    ''He looks so excited about having children. I''m sure he will make a good father in the future¡­'' Raine mused with a loving glance at Tyrone.. Maybe she deserved a happy ending too, like how other ordinary people do.

 Chapter 170 - I Wonâ€™t Break The Trust

    At Raine''s private residence inside the Moon Clan Territory.

    Lyne refused to leave Boris''s side. She was also the one who put the IV in, as well as being the one to administer the medicine their Boss prescribed. She still could not believe how he suddenly passed out like that. Good thing that Levi accidentally glanced at the monitor of the CCTV in the kitchen or else they might find him only in the morning and who knew what could be his condition by then. She was so worried as she kept on looking at her wristwatch.

    "Dammit, Boris! Wake up! How could you be this weak when you promised to bring me Danos'' head!? Dammit! Open your eyes!" Lyne complained in frustration.

    She didn''t know when she actually started worrying about the man in front of her. Why was she even worried in the first place? Was she that concerned that her only hope in getting her revenge was about to get rolled over by a stupid anaphylactic reaction? She was having a weird feeling that she was unwilling to name or analyze at that point.

    ''It''s because I need him to kill Danos,'' that was the thought she kept on reminding herself.

    She sighed as she sat at the side of his bed, constantly letting outdone sigh after the other while waiting for him to open his eyes. It had been two and a half hours already. It wouldn''t bode well if he still wouldn''t wake up after three hours. Gently holding his wrist, she massaged it as reassurance. Levi already took off the bracelet from him, and she wondered if it would be safe to just leave him without a security gadget attached to him like this. After all, she had the same opinion as their Boss in that the bracelet was no longer needed since Boris could clearly be trusted.

    Looking back now, Lyne shook her head as a wry smile appeared on her face. Who would''ve thought that after everything she had been through, she would end up depending on a werewolf in the end?

    Lyne let out another sigh. She was about to let his wrist go when she suddenly felt his hand firmly hold hers.

    "Boris?!" Lyne called out in surprise, unconsciously leaning down as she waited for him to open his eyes.

    His lips moved, letting out air in the quietest of ways. He was whispering something.

    "What is it? Do you feel anything? What''s wrong? Are you in pain or something?" she worriedly asked, leaning even closer as she waited for his still-closed eyes to show signs of life.

    To her own shock, her eyes widened when she felt Boris''s hand on her nape, pulling her closer till there was only an inch-wide gap between them. His eyes opened. With a devious grin, he whispered, "I feel something aching¡­"

    "Huh? Aching?" Lyne questioned with a frown.

    "And no medicine could heal it," Boris continued with a low murmur. He was already minutes ago but he intentionally did not open his eyes when he felt Lyne hold his wrist. Somehow, curiosity kicked in him, wondering what would Lyne do or say. But he could no longer prolong his facade with Lyne touching him. Just her simple touch like that was waking up the beast in him¡­ the desire he had been controlling towards her. He wanted to bury his nose in her scent while kissing her senselessly.

    Before Lyne could question him further, his lips were already pressed against hers in a hungry clash. Her eyes widened at the unexpected assault. She tried to move away, but Boris held her firmly, even managing to pull her to his bed as he trapped her in his arms. Having the advantage,  he continued to kiss her senselessly, not even letting her mouth have an inch of headway in escaping him.

    Lyne was panting hard for breath when he finally released her lips. She couldn''t move from his tight grip, so she hissed, "Let me go! What''s wrong with you!?"

    "But aren''t you worried about me? I still feel weak. And I told you¡­ No medicine can heal me. Just your body next to mine like this will do," Boris''s smirk could be heard from his tone alone. "Please don''t move. Just let me have enough rest like this with you."

    "Why are you so weak!? And how dare you promise me Danos''s head when you had the tendency to pass out like that!"

    Boris smiled as he simply buried his face into Lyne''s hair. She might sound annoyed, but to Boris, he felt as if it was Lyne''s way of being sweet and thoughtful towards him. He could be wrong, of course. He might come of as simply another stalker or predator to most, yet he still believed in his own interpretations of Lyne''s words and actions.

    "That''s why I''m telling you to stay still and just let me recover my strength by simply devouring your scent like this," Boris insisted. "I''ll get better in no time."

    "You''re just taking advantage of me!" Lyne rightfully chided.

    Throughout her distress, she felt an uneasy sensation because of some weird feeling inside her body. It was making the alarm bells in her mind ring incessantly, which meant she needed to get out of Boris''s arms as soon as possible. Even the unwanted kiss was something dangerous for her. Lyne bit her lower lips. Boris was so warm¡­

    "I''ll be leaving now. I''ll let you recover on your own," Lyne announced while staring directly at the ceiling. "It''s good that you''re finally awake. It means that the medicine is working as intended¡­ I still have a lot of things to do, so kindly release me." This was ridiculous¡­. She was practically like a rigid pole in his arms, completely unmoving against his vise-like grip.

    "You know, you''re allowed to breathe, Lyne, so just relax your body. It''s not like I''ll eat you alive, holding you like this," Boris chuckled. "Though I must admit that this is simply too tempting. Seeing as you guys removed my bracelet, I won''t break the trust you all put in me. That especially goes with yours. So don''t worry, I''ll wait till I kill Danos for you. By then, I know that I will make you mine¡­"

    Her eyes widened even further in utter disbelief? Relax her body? How could she after what he just said!? She felt herself clam up even further, which Boris immediately felt.

    "Ah¡­ Just breathe in and breathe out. You need to get used to this kind of skin-to-skin contact since I''m planning on doing it a lot more once I claim all of you, Lyne," Boris greedily breathed into her ear. "And I''m not even starting yet¡­"

    To her horror, she felt his wet tongue licking her ear, saliva coating her sensitive flesh, causing her to turn her head and abruptly face him.

    "What the hell are-!"

    Before Lyne could voice out her outrage, his devious mouth quickly attacked her lips once more. He even held her cheeks just so she couldn''t move her face away from him. Fighting back, she used her hands to push against him on his chest, but Boris''s other hand deftly caught her hands, pinning them upward.

    This was bad. He was way too strong, and she was far too weak to fight against him.

    ''Too weak? Or maybe you''re just turning putty?'' her inner self slapped.

    Slowly melting into hopelessness, she unconsciously answered another breathless kiss, letting her tongue entangle with his, savoring how he tasted. What she did make Boris stop as he stared at her in disbelief.

    "W-What?!" Lyne hissed, managing to gather some semblance as soon as she was given a reprieve.

    "You kissed me back?"

    It was a question since Boris was unsure if he was right. Did he truly feel Lyne returning his kiss? Or was he just hallucinating? But it felt so great with Lyne responding to him like that unlike how she was always stiff and nervous on their previous kiss. He felt her tongue entangling with his and he honestly did not want to stop. It was really a struggle to stop and control himself. He was afraid that he would end up doing more if he would not stop at that point. The Mate Pull was no joke and the attraction he had towards his mate was really strong.

    "So?! You said I should get used to you, right?! So that''s what I''m doing!" Lyne cried out. "Damn! Can you just release me already, huh?! And instead of playing around, why not rest and gain your strength back?!"

    Lyne contorted in controlled fury, purposely acting annoyed knowing how deep red she was because of embarrassment. She honestly didn''t know whether she kissed him back or not. If yes, then it was purely unintentional. But the fact that she got carried away didn''t sit right with her at all.. Something was wrong with her, and she really had mixed emotions about it.

 Chapter 171 - Time Traveler

    Raine, along with Aire and Tyrone, had a great time dipping their toes in the clear water of the falls. They played a few games in the water and enjoyed the wonders of nature together as a family.

    "She''s having fun," Raine whispered as she watched Aire playing with Tyrone. The girl was clinging onto her father''s back as they waded into a deeper part of the natural pool.

    "Daddy, swim there," Aire requested, and Tyrone followed. Their laughter and giggles were like music to Raine''s ears.

    He would definitely make a good father. Raine sat a few meters away from them, staying behind in the shallower parts of the plunge pool. Her eyes locked on to her future daughter, one of her hands she unconsciously hovered over her belly. She just had her period, so it would be impossible for her to be pregnant at that moment.

    "Will I really conceive Aire?'' she wondered in a daze. It was still a mystery to her how things would end up unfolding beautifully despite the myriad of complications surrounding their situation.

    Soon enough, Tyrone left Aire to play at the rocks, a small stream coming from the waterfalls playfully cascading over the girl as she swam towards Raine''s direction.

    "Come here¡­" he whispered, pulling her to the middle of the pool. With a wry smile, Raine let him hug her from behind as they both watched Aire from a distance.

    "This place is really nice. It must be nice to own a private island like this," she murmured.

    "We can buy one and live on that island with our family," Tyrone playfully suggested, to which Raine only chuckled. Of course, she could just buy one somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But even then, it would be only a matter of time before her father would eventually track down her location.

    "What''s wrong?" Tyrone whispered in her ear when he sensed her distressed sighs.

    "Nothing¡­" Raine deflected. She then turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a passionate kiss as she whispered, "We should go back now."

    Tyrone chuckled and hugged her tightly in his arms, burying his face on the crook of Raine''s neck. If Aire wasn''t with them, he would''ve probably already taken Raine for quite a generous number of rounds.

    "Stop with those naughty thoughts of yours. The water here is so clean and pure. It would be a shame if we tainted it," Raine teased, feeling his growing erection poking at her under the water.

    Tyrone laughed, "Maybe we can come back later. Only the two of us, filling the pool with our love."

    Raine hit him on the chest as she gently pushed him away, "Go get Aire. It''s time to leave¡­"

    Looking up at the dimming sky, Tyrone could only agree with her assessment. After all, it was better for them to go down the mountain while the sun was still up. As such, he turned around and swam towards Aire''s direction.

    After everything was said and done, they soon all came down the mountain. Using the car the management provided to Raine, they had a stopover at a nearby meat shop so that Tyrone could buy a lot of meat for Aire.

    Seeing the copious amounts of food being bought, the little girl pouted as she complained, "How come you only prepare so much meat for me during our parting, Daddy?! It''s like you''re giving me a farewell party!"

    Tyrone laughed and explained, "We''re not sure if we''ll have a blue moon tonight. I''ve heard that some predictions could be wrong. There could be some mistakes in the calculations. So in case that there''s no blue moon tonight, I''ll prepare a feast for you, Sweetie!"

    Raine only smiled and chuckled at the playful banter between father and daughter. With bags of meat in their hands, they went back inside the car and headed straight back to the apartment. Raine was glad that Aire was having a great time in her last moments with them in this era. It was nice to have such wonderful and memorable memories at her age, and it was good that Aire could keep these memories intact. The same could be said for Tyrone as well.

    Upon arrival at the apartment, Aire shifted back to her wolf form before going out of the car. Once inside the apartment, she went back into her human form and had a quick shower with her mother.

    Lovingly, Raine wiped her daughter dry and dressed her well. After a while, Aire began to feel sleepy as Raine brushed her hair. They were sitting on the side of the bed, with the girl practically sitting on her mother''s lap

    "How about you take a nap, Sweetie? It''s still early anyway," Raine sweetly suggested, Aire sleepily nodding at her mother''s words.

    "Stay with me, Mommy," Aire sluggishly murmured.

    Readily acquiescing to her request, Raine gently stroked Aire''s hair, patiently waiting for the girl to fall asleep before kissing the little girl in the forehead once she was deeply asleep. Carefully and quietly, she eventually left her room. After which, she walked straight to the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine.

    "Hmm, a bit early to drink, don''t you think?" Tyrone commented. He had just finished taking a shower and had wandered into the kitchen to drink some water only to see Raine with a bottle of wine in her hands.

    Sitting on a chair by the kitchen counter, Raine simply shrugged as she popped the bottle open, "I felt like drinking just a bit."

    Tyrone grabbed two glasses and sat beside her. Grabbing the bottle from Raine, he murmured, "Let me." He then poured wine into the two glasses.

    "Did you check if we''ll have a blue moon tonight? I hope there''s an error and Aire stays more with us," Raine murmured as she took a glass into her hands. She would love to spend more time with Aire and create a lot of fun memories Aire could cherish with her.

    "I did¡­ But there could be some discrepancies in the prediction, so I''m not sure either if it would be tonight," Tyrone admitted. "I can honestly just send back Aire earlier, but she wanted to stay here for a bit longer, using up the remaining time allotted for her naturally."

    He took a small sip from his glass as he continued, "The Voyager''s Watch is a bit complicated. We can only use its power during the full moon. Then, we can time travel and stay in that time period for as long as we want, except for when a blue moon appears. At that point, the time traveler won''t have any other choice but to disappear and return to their original time." Tyrone glanced at his phone. "There''s supposed to be a blue moon for this month, so Aire has no choice but to return. She would be pulled back to her time as soon as it appeared."

    "It''s just sad that I won''t remember anything about Aire. Isn''t it a bit unfair that you''re the only one who would remember everything about her after," Raine mumbled out a complaint.

    Tyrone thought the same. It would be sad that he was the only one who could remember everything. Besides, he was yet to meet the person Aire told him. That person was already waiting for him to retrieve the Voyager''s Watch in this era since that person believed that he was the only bearer of the mark who deserved to protect the Voyager''s Watch from others that would intend to use it in a wrong manner.

    He had a lot of questions regarding the voyager''s watch that he would rather not ask Aire and compromise her situation more for the possible ordeal with details she could utter that might cause any alteration in the future.

    One of the main questions was, would Raine only forget all about Aire, or that also included all events with Aire in it? Like the camping they just had while with Aire? He wanted to know if that memory would remain in her or it would be wiped out since it involved Aire in the picture? Tyrone was feeling anxious about it because he did not want it erased in Raine''s memory, especially the wonderful lovemaking they had last night and their moments at the waterfalls.

    The only person who could give him more information about the Voyager''s Watch was the one protecting the Voyager''s Watch right now and Tyrone planned to meet him soon just that he still had a lot of things to handle as soon as they got back to country V.

    Tyrone sighed before taking yet another sip of wine from his glass. He then held Raine''s hand and gave her a sweet smile as he boldly and teasingly said, "Don''t worry. You''ll be seeing her soon. If the calculations are right, you''ll conceive  Aire at around some time this year.. Let''s just work harder to make it happen on schedule."

 Chapter 172 - Would No Longer Attack

    Raine hit Tyrone''s chest, the latter only chuckling at the playful gesture.

    "How can you joke around like that? Tell me, are you really that shameless?" Raine snorted. "Is this the real you? The stoic character is just a facade, right? A ploy to get women interested and curious about you."

    She downed her glass of wine. It was nice that Tyrone was acting more comfortable around her now. Teasing him like she used to do now was actually fun. It was unlike before when he was too stiff and bore no reaction every time, which sometimes made her truly anxious inside.

    "Hmm¡­ I''m honestly amazed at how I''m opening myself up more these days. To be honest, it''s a nice feeling. Ever since I''ve been with you and gradually got close to you, I feel more unrestrained¡­" Tyrone admitted. "At first, I tried my best to control my feelings and emotions. But I guess you have a talent in bringing out the best in me so naturally? Your dangerous beauty and tactics completely trapped me. I think that''s what you really planned from the start¡­ You seduced me, and you succeeded."

    "Seduce? Me? I didn''t even make an effort," Raine arrogantly claimed.

    "I guess you effortlessly seduced me then," Tyrone amended his statement, massaging his nape while letting out a timid smile.

    "That''s a grave allegation, darling," Raine smiled as she drank another gulp of wine.

    "And you''re guilty of it, so you should take full responsibility for me," Tyrone candidly declared.

    Raine was glad that her phone decided to ring at that exact moment just so that she could dodge the conversation. She could feel their words getting serious with his expression alone. He was opening up to her, and she was glad that she unintentionally helped him out with his personal struggles, like showing his true emotions. But the more that their conversation became deeper, the more that she would be attached to him, and such a thing would only make it harder for her to finish everything on her plate.

    Looking at her screen, it was Lyne who was calling. So she quickly answered, "Hello?"

    "Boss, the medicine is effective. Boris''s condition is stable now," Lyne reported with relief palpable in the tone of her voice.

    "Oh, that''s good then. Tell that werewolf that there''s no room for him to get weak," Raine let out a light chuckle. "We need him. Monitor his condition and let him drink the medicine that I''ll prescribe next. We''ll proceed as planned as soon as the Mirage Trial concludes. How''s the barrier?"

    "It''s at fifty percent now, Boss¡­ Levi said that it will be at a hundred percent in just three to four days."

    "That''s good then. We''ll be ready by then," Raine nodded in approval as her eyes darted at Tyrone, feeling his intense stare boring into her. Raine had a blank expression as she continued, "How are you, Lyne? I''m sorry that I have to make you put up with Boris till our mission. I already instructed Levi to have the bracelet customized, removing the compound that was causing his allergy. He''ll give it to you, and I''ll let you decide on whether to put it back on him or not."

    "I understand, Boss. Please don''t worry about me," Lyne neutrally droned out. "I will handle things here. Boris is actually showing great progress. I believe he can be moderately trusted. He too has unfinished business against the Convel Society, so I don''t think we need to put the bracelet back on him. He will definitely help us since he also needs us to exact his revenge on Danos."

    There was a sigh from Raine as he whispered, "Alright then, he will be under your discretion, Lyne."

    After a few more detailed instructions, Raine ended the call. She then looked at Tyrone, who was keenly staring at her, obviously listening intently to her conversation.

    "Did I miss out on something? Like the plan after the Mirage Trial? Will you still continue on your plan against the Convel Society? Right after the Mirage Trial?" Tyrone questioned with a frown. He was unaware of all the details about it. He knew that Raine had a plan to attack the Convel Society but not right after the Mirage Trial concluded. Raine had kept him in the dark on this plan. He was not aware of the barrier either.

    Raine smiled at him, "Yeah, I''m implementing strict security protocols to the Moon Clan Territory. Putting up that barrier would mean death to any mutants that would enter the vicinity."

    Tyrone frowned as he whispered, "So I can no longer enter? You know that I''m a mutant, Raine. Are you kicking me out? How about Boris?"

    "My father will wake up as soon as the Mirage Trial concludes, Tyrone," Raine bowed her head away from him. "You should have seen this coming. He is the King¡­ I know you too well¡­ I planned to tell you this after the trial, but I guess it would be fair if I tell you this early. I will no longer need your services as soon as we secure Xander''s safety. There''s no way that you can step foot in Moon Clan Territory after the trial. The same goes for Boris¡­"

    "Why would you do that? Do you plan to ditch me out of your life as soon as the Mirage Trial ends? You can''t possibly do this to me, Raine! To us!" Tyrone''s voice roared. Just the thought of not seeing Raine would make him go crazy!

    "Please cooperate, because the last thing I would want is to see you being ripped into pieces¡­ The Convel Society can attack Moon Clan Territory at any moment, so that barrier also serves as our defense against them. To protect our people." Raine explained. It was true that they also installed a barrier in the vicinity of the Moon Clan Territory. She simply left out a detail that they installed the same barrier outside the Convel Society as a backup plan.

    "The Convel Society would no longer attack, Raine," Tyrone murmured.

    Raine''s heart skipped a bit. Staring intently at Tyrone and without batting an eye, she asked, "What do you mean?"

    Tyrone met Raine''s stare. There was a sigh, followed by a pause he felt his heart skip a beat.. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he gulped, opening his mouth to speak.

 Chapter 173 - Enough With The Leisure

    Raine weakly walked inside her room. As soon as she was inside, she shut the door closed, slumping to the floor as she leaned her back on the door.

    She was speechless with the revelation that Tyrone had just given her. She didn''t know what to say after hearing all of his confessions that she just ended up walking out on him without saying a word.

    A wry smile emerged on her face, followed by a sarcastic laugh.

    "Hahahaha¡­"

    She laughed like an insane person, cackling by her lonesome as tears rolled down her cheeks. She honestly didn''t know what to feel about it all. Should she be glad or sad with Tyrone''s confession? She was way too conflicted to even sort her emotions out. Everything just became way more complicated than it should be.

    Being the mutant that he was¡­ It was already a complication in of itself¡­ Added in with his real identity, it only made things infinitely worse. She didn''t know how long she stayed unmoving on the floor, staring absentmindedly at the direction of her balcony. She was glad that Tyrone didn''t come to her since she wanted to be alone for now. It was already hard enough to try and clear her head out as it is.

    By the time she finally pulled herself together, it was already dark out. Her eyes widened at seeing the moon. Alarmed, she rushed out of her room to look for Aire.

    "Aire!?" she hysterically cried.

    "Mommy?!" Aire, who just got up from bed and out of her room, answered.

    Raine immediately hugged her and whispered, "It''s not a blue moon, Sweetie."

    "Yeah, I guess the calculations are wrong and there''s been a mistake. Nevertheless, I''m glad to see that half-moon in the sky. Hehe!" Aire chuckled, patting Raine on the back as she muttered, "Mommy. Too tight. I can''t breathe."

    Hearing her, Raine immediately let Aire go before bending down to kiss her the forehead as she whispered, "I''m so glad that we can spend more time together, Sweetie."

    "Mommy, did you cry? Your eyes are swollen," Aire noted with a frown.

    Raine smiled and shook her head as she replied, "Ah, I''m just glad to see you not disappear. Are you hungry? How about we go to the dining room and see what Daddy prepared?"

    Aire nodded, and the two walked towards the dining room where Tyrone was preparing the table. Raine let out some air, avoiding Tyrone''s gaze as she focused more on guiding Aire to her seat, sitting beside her on the table.

    "Wow, so many meats!" Aire enthusiastically gasped, drooling at the myriad of steaks on the table.

    "Dig in, Aire," Tyrone said with a wink,

    Aire began eating as soon as Tyrone filled her plates with the meats that she loved. He also put food on Raine''s plate, though their eyes cleary avoided one another. None of them spoke. Mostly, they focused their attention on Aire alone.

    "Daddy, did you check the forecast for when the next blue moon will come?" Aire asked in the middle of dinner.

    "Yeah. It''ll happen within this month, Sweetie," Tyrone replied. "They were sure of it. I guess it''s only the exact day that won''t be reliable enough. Let''s just wait for it."

    "I hope it''ll be delayed for a bit more," Aire giggled with a grin.

    "Aire, how come I''ve never seen the Voyager''s Watch on you?" Raine curiously asked, still avoiding looking in Tyrone''s direction.

    "Oh¡­ I''ll show you, Mommy," Aire excitedly said as she then showed Raine her empty palm.

    After what seemed to be a few seconds, the Voyager''s Watch appeared. It was a vintage circle watch with no numbers on it. It was made of pure gold, almost looking more more like a pocket watch without a string. However, what caught Raine''s attention was the design in the middle¡­ the crescent-shaped moon.

    "It will bind to the user, so I can hide it and show it to anyone whenever I like," Aire explained.

    "Like Magic?" Raine gasped.

    "Hmmm¡­ I''m not sure, but I guess like magic, Mommy," Aire commented with a pout.

    "Carlos had said that there were many around the world who bore the mark; those that could use the Voyager''s Watch if they were desperate enough to do so. So I guess that explains why we can hide it like this from others unless we''re not good enough to handle the Voyager''s Watch by ourselves. You can give it to them, or they will force you to give it to them it¡­ Some said that some even killed each other to gain possession of it¡­" she narrated.

    "Wait, Carlos knows about it? The Mirage Historian?" Raine asked, Aire, nodding with an awkward smile. "You two knew each other This whole time?!"

    To her chagrin, Aire nodded once more. Raine couldn''t believe how the two of them acted on her face that night!

    "Sorry, Mommy. You see¡­ Hmm¡­ I need to keep a lot of things from you. Carlos knows any and every detail about the watch," Aire murmured as her gaze turned to her Daddy Tyrone.

    In this era, the Voyager''s Watch was with Carlos, and the man was simply waiting for her father to get it. He wondered when her father would meet Carlos for it, however.

    Another bout silence broke out, a silence that Raine shattered by saying, "Tyrone, you need to go back to country D with Aire tomorrow morning."

    "Huh?!" Both Aire and Tyrone gasped. That was too sudden.

    Raine finally looked at Tyrone. He could feel her cold gaze boring through his eyes as she spoke, "The mole should''ve already arrived at the Moon Clan by now. I want you to look after her. Not one of my squad members could do that at this time since they''re all busy with they''re own tasks. I will handle Yera from here, so please go back with Aire to country V and make sure that things are working as planned so we can secure Xander''s safety."

    "But¡­"

    "Don''t question my instructions, Tyrone," Raine authoritatively stated, her firm tone standing as a stark contrast to her former behavior. "Enough with the leisure and let''s get back to work, shall we?! Or would you rather me have someone replace you as my right-hand man? Do I need to remind you of our stipulations?"

    Aire gulped as her eyes flitted back and forth between both of her parents.

    ''What did I miss?'' the little girl confusedly thought.

 Chapter 174 - She Had A Choice

    At Raine Private Residence, Moon Clan Territory

    Boris quickly recovered his strength and was able to join Lyne and the rest for dinner that evening.

    "Geez, you should''ve told us that you''re allergic to titanium," Levi mumbled.

    Boris chuckled, "No way¡­ Why would I say anything about my weakness? Besides, titanium alone wouldn''t kill me."

    "But you can die if you expose yourself to it for far too long," Lyne snorted. She couldn''t believe how Boris was so careless not mentioning important things such as that but then he had a point that it was a weakness that others could actually be used against him.

    "You sound worried. Maybe I should stab myself with titanium every once in a while just to make you worry about me often. I wouldn''t mind doing it," Boris shamelessly stated, not minding that there were others in the room. He was just being his usual self, vocal as ever. He was enjoying how Lyne''s face was blushing like that.

    Lyne blushed in embarrassment as she shot Boris a murderous glare, making the man quickly shut his mouth.

    Mia frowned as she mumbled, "Oh please¡­ Can we stop with the bickering while I''m here? Let''s just eat in peace and have some casual conversations, yes?" She understood the tension going between the two, having those so-called ''Mate Pull'' and stuff but she preferred that the bickerings she was witnessing were not between other people but hers and Levi.

    Mia''s face twitched, recalling the cliffhanger in their conversation before Boris passed. ''What nice timing!'' And now she did not even know how to bring the topic back between her and Levi.

    Meanwhile, Levi gulped as he gave Mia sneaky glances every other minute or so. After Boris''s incident, he and Mia didn''t manage to continue where they left off. It was honestly an awkward situation with just them working and not talking to each other. Levi was getting anxious, and he wondered if Mia felt the same way too. Then again, there would be no way for him to know unless he talked to her about it. Levi could only sigh as he ate in silence with the rest.

    After dinner, Levi and Mia went back to the control room while Lyne headed directly to her room, leaving Boris to do the same. She still had to keep on reporting to the Yue Group and make sure that everything was going according to plan regarding Yun''s embezzlement of company funds and his intentions to frame Raine up for his own corruption.

    She sighed, wondering how their Boss could even manage handling everything, including leading on all fronts despite the personal struggles she had to go through involving Tyrone. She could only imagine the stress of it all, especially now that her father was about to come back.

    Cleaning herself up getting ready to go to bed, she stared at the ceiling absentmindedly. There were a lot of things going inside her head and she quickly cleared her head since she needed enough sleep especially now.

    Lyne was close to dozing off when she suddenly felt a lump on the side of her bed. Moving quickly, she immediately went to attack the intruder but halted as she saw Boris''s face with the dim light of her room.

    "Dammit! What are you doing on my bed?! Why are you even here!" she hissed as she took a parting glance at the door that she was sure she locked before going to sleep. This man would be the death of her!

    Boris seemed to understand what she was thinking and said, "The sliding door by the balcony is open. You do know that we''re better than monkeys when it comes to climbing¡­"

    "Yeah, sneaking into someone else''s room like a thief is part of your specialties!" Lyne scowled with a righteous frown.

    Boris, however, ignored her obvious discomfort as he shamelessly asked, "Can I sleep in your room tonight? I was planning on using the door, but I was¡­"

    Lyne''s eyebrows snapped. She then rolled her eyes as she chided, "You mean you''re trying to sneak in and sleep beside me thinking I wouldn''t wake up. I''m sure that''s why you didn''t bother to knock on my door or even call or message to ask if I''ll agree to it first!"

    Boris remained silent, only giving her an unapologetic smile for getting caught as he scratched his head. He just couldn''t help it.

    Lyne let out a frustrated sigh as she complained, "Aren''t you so full of yourself!? You should be doing this once Danos''s head is already rolling by my feet!"

    "And I will deliver it to you soon, right after we attack the Convel Society," Boris reassured. "Danos''s head is the first thing I will look for. Don''t worry."

    A part of him could tell that he was so close to breaking. He said that he would honor their agreement, but he just couldn''t help himself. It was really hard for him since he was an impulsive person, someone used to always using his strength or cunning to get what he wanted regardless of what anyone else might say.

    Aire had told him to take things slow with Lyne, but it was something that he was utterly incapable of. He was someone who preferred to finish things in one go. Someone who felt like time was too precious to even waste a single second in taking his time to properly do the deed.

    Lyne was his mate¡­ So close, yet still beyond his reach¡­

    He let out a conflicted and frustrated sigh as he searched for the proper words to say.

    "Bring me his head¡­ and you can do anything you want with me. Till then, can you at least refrain from touching me?! I''m serious about it. Don''t give me bullsh*it about this ''Mate Pull'' thing because obviously, I won''t be able to find myself to relate! You''re creeping me out, Boris¡­" Lyne coldly reiterated.

    Boris swallowed a lump down his throat, feeling the frigid chill oozing with every word she uttered. It was unfair. Here he was, burning and dying for her, but Lyne somehow acted distant again.

    And here, he thought that he was making good progress, that their interactions were showing signs of improvement.

    Was he wrong with his assumptions all this time? Why was the Moon Goddess so harsh with him by giving him a human as a ''Mate''... A tough one woman to crack on top of that!

    With dropped shoulders, Boris got up from Lyne''s bed and whispered, "I''ll be going now. Sorry for disturbing you. Goodnight, Lyne." His kind and humans were really different in a lot of things and one of them should blend to work things out. He was willing to do it¡­ He was trying to do it with the utmost that he could but then he guessed he was doing things in a wrong way or he was not doing enough?

    Lyne bit her inner cheek, noticing the disheartened tone in Boris''s voice. She watched his back as he walked towards the balcony and left. When he was finally gone, she wearily slumped her back, her lifeless body plopping itself onto the bed.

    She had a choice. It wasn''t like Boris forced her to agree with his offer. She could always decline, and yet she chose to agree. As much as she valued herself both as a woman and as a person, she was still willing to keep her end of the bargain.

    Boris''s shameless aggressiveness was a bit too much for her to process. She recognized that she had conflicted feelings that she herself was having a hard time sorting out properly. Yet, she appreciated how Boris would still listen and do what she wanted despite his constant bouts of sexual harassment, justifying that they would lead into doing the deed sooner or later.

    For some reason, she found his compelling and persistent ways not annoying lately¡­ But that wasn''t to say that she was enjoying it¡­ It seemed more like a balanced tightrope between begrudging tolerance and outright hatred?

    Lyne heaved a deep long sigh before finally closing her eyes. On the other hand, Boris stayed outside as he stared through the glass doors of Lyne''s balcony. He frowned deeply as he mumbled, "Where''s that little cupid? I don''t know what else to do¡­"

    Boris was at loss¡­ Desperation was plastered all over his face. He had to have Lyne at least willingly even though he managed to give her an offer she eventually accepted. He wondered how the courting of humans was since he was not familiar with it. Aire mentioned it but it lacked details. He wondered if Mia could help him since Mia was more mature and knowledgeable in this adult stuff compared to Aire.. Mia knew Lyne far too long so maybe he could ask Mia for help instead? He was really out of his depth when it came to capturing a woman''s heart.

 Chapter 175 - Torn

    That night, Raine slept in Aire''s room. She had wanted to talk to Tyrone and be with him, but she wasn''t ready for the inevitable conversation yet. Or rather, she felt as if she would only blow up on him if they met right now. She didn''t even know what to say to him yet, let alone have a decent conversation with him.

    His revelation...It was something that she refused to see coming. In truth, she had already foreseen something like this happening the moment she let Tyrone enter the picture. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer... What a bullshi*t phrase for people who ended up falling in love with each other. She was sure that it was the phrase Tyrone had in his mind the moment he accepted the job to work for her. Against better judgment, she blindly convinced herself that her hunch was wrong despite not having any reason not to trust it. And lo and behold, it was right all along.

    On the other hand, Aire behaved rather well and didn''t bother to ask both of her parents what happened earlier that day. After all, she already had an idea about what went down anyway. She was more than mature enough for her age to know that she shouldn''t ponder on things that were beyond her control. Truth to be told, she, herself, was already nervous about coming back to her era, knowing full well that she had to face whatever ordeal would meet her for changing the events of the past.

    Aire let out an inaudible sigh. She just had to trust on her father and how he would be able to handle everything by the end. But even then, Aire couldn''t hide the sadness on her face just thinking of the days that she wouldn''t be able to spend with her Mommy anymore. If anything, it would be nice to spend the rest of her remaining days with both of her parents.

    On their shared bed, her mother cuddled into her. With them being so close, Aire could feel and hear her Mommy''s restless quiet sighs.

    "Mommy, are you awake?" Aire couldn''t not help but ask, turning around to face her mother.

    "Yes, sweetie?" Raine replied as she managed to flash Aire a sweet smile.

    Aire returned a smile and murmured, "Do you want me to unwrap a lollipop for you?"

    Raine chuckled, lovingly touching Aire''s cheek as she said, "I think I''ll need to tone down eating lollipops for now, Sweetie."

    "Hmm¡­ How about getting some air, Mommy?" Aire suggested with a whisper.

    Raine pulled Aire for an embrace and cooed, "Don''t worry about me. Just sleep, Aire. Mommy is doing fine¡­"

    "Good night, Mommy," Aire breathed out with a small yawn.

    Time slipped by, and Aire fell into a deep slumber in Raine''s embrace. Seeing her daughter fast asleep, the mother quietly moved and carefully got up from the bed. It was almost midnight, but being sleepy was far from her body''s agenda right now. Walking towards the balcony, she was startled when she saw Tyrone sitting quietly by her glass doors.

    "Please stay. Let''s talk about this," he begged in a gasp.

    Raine stayed rooted from where she stood as Tyrone got up. In one swift motion, the man hugged her tightly.

    "I''m sorry that I''m not able to tell you the truth so soon. It was really hard on my part, and I''m struggling hard on how to tell you everything properly. I didn''t even know how to start," Tyrone helplessly whispered.

    Raine''s heart broke with each word that she processed. Of course, she understood how things were tough on Tyrone''s part. However, she was still a mess at that moment, unable to even fathom what to do and how to proceed further with the mighty revelation that just got unceremoniously dropped on her lap.

    Tyrone, who perfectly knew what was in Raine''s mind, murmured, "Just do what you need to do and focus on our mission to secure Xander''s safety. After that, can you please trust me? I''ll handle everything on my end¡­"

    "But my Father¡­" Raine weakly muttered out. She was torn. She knew in her heart that she loved her father more than anything else in the world¡­ before Tyrone even came into her life...

    There was silence¡­ then Tyrone whispered, "I''ll talk to him, Raine¡­"

    Raine closed her eyes shut. Tyrone made it sound like everything would be solved as easy as saying it would, but in reality, she knew that it was far more complicated than that! Talk to her father? Raine felt like her head would explode at any moment from hearing such a stupid concept.

    She couldn''t help the tears that kept falling down her cheeks. This was the most difficult tribulation that she had ever encountered. Try as she might, her beleaguered mind just couldn''t think of a better solution to handle the situation in front of her¡­ One way or another, she felt that only bad were about to happen, either to Tyrone or her father.

    "Everything will be fine. I''m willing to do anything, Raine, just not to lose you," Tyrone confidently declared, making Raine cry even more. It was the first time that she cried like this.

    It took a significant amount of time for her to gather herself. They stayed on the balcony, sitting together while staring blankly at the dark, starless night. Tyrone held her close to him in an embrace as if lulling her to sleep.

    "There''s a lot of things to do. We need to make plans," Raine mumbled. "I don''t want you getting hurt in the process¡­ I don''t want to lose you," she weakly whispered.

    "You won''t. Let''s wrap Xander''s case up first. I''ll fly to Country V tomorrow as planned," Tyrone nodded. "I need to settle some important matters on my side as well¡­ Can Aire stay with you instead? I''m sure our daughter would love to be with you in her remaining days here¡­"

    Raine sighed deeply and mumbled, "She would prefer to be with the two of us¡­ but our time is very crucial.. We need to hurry up before Father opens his eyes."

 Chapter 176 - Iâ€™ll Have No Other Choice

    The following day, Raine woke up in Tyrone''s arms. Looking at his sleeping form, she smiled because it was the first time she actually woke up earlier than he did. This time, it was her turn to stare at his handsome sleeping face. Everything in him was perfect. Even the minute flaws that were easily negligible were still so desirable for her.

    Her eyes trailed across his facial features, beginning with his eyes as if memorizing every single detail. "How come no one looks more handsome than you in my eyes?" she mumbled with a pout.

    She and Tyrone discussed a lot of things last night, and one of them was Tyrone''s suggestion to mark her and complete their union. He explained how marking her would solidify their physical and emotional connection. He said that he could easily protect her from any harm that might come her way by doing so. By the end of it, he simply wanted her to think seriously about his offer and consider it in a positive light.

    Raine let out a long sigh as she dwelled in Tyrone''s warmth. He had plans, and she genuinely trusted him. However, knowing her father''s propensity and personality, nothing about his plans could be absolutely certain¡­

    Everything would''ve been easy if she was someone who could easily go against her father, but she was not like that. She owed everything to her father¡­ her life first and foremost¡­ Only a monster would go against someone who gave them life¡­ and she was not a monster.

    "Are you satisfied?" Tyrone sluggishly murmured with a smile on his face. Knowing that Raine was in his arms, he had a good night''s sleep. He pulled Raine closer. With his eyes still closed, he murmured, "How come you woke up earlier today? What time is it?"

    "The sun''s rising, so get up and prepare our breakfast," Raine said with a grin, trying to sound unbothered with the problems looming over their heads. "You have a flight to catch. Work double time, remember?"

    At her chiding, Tyrone finally opened his eyes and kissed Raine on the forehead, then moved on to her lips as they started to become passionate with one another. However, the momentum was cut short with the sudden knocking on the door.

    Raine broke the kiss as she chuckled, "Our little pup is probably hungry¡­"

    "And worried at not seeing her Mommy by her side," Tyrone added. He then looked at the door and called, "Come inside, Sweetie."

    At Tyrone''s call, Aire opened the door. Upon looking at both of her parents together, the little girl let out a loud, relieved sigh.

    "I thought Mommy left us already. Thank goodness¡­" Aire breathed out in relief.

    Seeing her daughter, Raine sat on the bed and opened her arms wide, gesturing at Aire to come to her. The latter quickly smiled, pouncing at her on the bed with childlike happiness.

    "Do you want to stay with Mommy? Or do you want to go with Daddy back to Country V?" Raine sweetly asked. "He has a lot of things to do there, but you can enjoy more of this island if you stay here with me."

    "That''s just unfair. You make it sound like Aire will enjoy herself more with you than with me," Tyrone complained with a pout, making Raine and Aire laugh together.

    "I want to stay with Mommy, of course¡­ Well, Daddy is often with-"

    Raine quickly covered Aire''s mouth, cutting the girl off as she smiled, "No more details from the future, Aire, please?"

    She did not want Aire to suffer more in the future if she happened to accidentally utter more words that could alter things.

    Aire gulped. It had simply been a slip of the tongue, but what she was about to say before getting stopped was indeed about the future.

    "Sorry, Mommy. I didn''t notice¡­" Aire apologetically murmured.

    The two future parents let out a sigh at their daughter''s honest mistake. Tyrone shook his head, taking the opportunity to have a more binding agreement between them. "From now on, promise us that you''ll talk less, okay? This is also why you should stay here with Mommy rather than come with me to Country V with others. You might accidentally spill some information to the rest, right? Let''s just prevent you from talking about the future before the blue moon. Just to be safe."

    Aire could only nod at the sensible suggestion. Seeing his daughter agree, Tyrone finally got up from bed to prepare their breakfast as Raine stayed behind to prepare Aire so that the two of them could properly send Tyrone off the airport for his flight.

    Aire was smiling as she stared at her parents at the dining table.

    "You two really look good together, Mommy, Daddy. I hope your love story will become a successful one like-" she immediately stopped herself upon seeing the look on both of her parents'' faces. Aire ended up swallowing the remaining words, leaving them unspoken with a sheepish smile.

    "I''ll go visit Yera today in Ken''s mansion with AIre in her wolf form. That''s after we drop you off at the airport," Raine informed before giving a wink to her daughter. "She''ll then help me plant some bugs inside the mansion¡­"

    Yera seemed to like Draki the wolf the last time she saw her, so she was sure that Aire could quickly enter the mansion and do the work.

    "That''s so exciting! Being on a mission with Mommy!" Aire cheerfully exclaimed.

    Raine chuckled and affectionately patted Aire on the head, "Right? So go finish your breakfast now."

    Aire eagerly nodded. After which, Raine then looked at Tyrone and said, "Just make sure that the mole could quietly do what she needs to do for the military. We have a strict system now, so make sure she won''t get caught without suspicion." She purposefully enumerated her thoughts as she continued, "Uncle is going all out. He even put Aunt Ester''s household on house arrest. Dalgon is covering for me, but for now, I should return to see Uncle at the earliest possible time. Maybe right after I put the bugs in the mansion and let Dylan enter the island with two more of my men."

    She had already endorsed Dylan and the two squad members to be hired as workers on the island for different fields. Particularly, Dylan would be stationed in the hospital near Yera''s location, while the other would become one of the servants inside the mansion. If all goes well, the three of them could start in as early as two days.

    "I understand." Tyrone nodded in understanding before adding, "Also, about the attack¡­ Don''t tell the rest to let their guards down till I contain everything from my side¡­"

    There was a loud sigh from Raine as she begrudgingly concurred, "I agree. You might have a hard time dealing with this one, and I absolutely refuse to compromise my people. I will wait till the Mirage Trial¡­ Hopefully, things will be fixed by that time. Or else.... Well, you do know that I''ll have no other choice but to proceed as planned¡­"

    Tyrone gravely nodded.. He, too, hoped for things to go smoothly as soon as he came back to Country V.

 Chapter 177 - Inside The Mansion

    Aire wanted to console her mother while they were on the ferry but she suppressed herself from doing so, knowing she might utter more detail from the future. It was a good thing that she was in her wolf form with Raine when they returned to the island after dropping her father off at the airport, which also helped her not utter anything.

    She was worried for her parents but somehow relieved as well, knowing how her parents would be able to surpass all the obstacles coming their way together.

    As soon as they arrived at the island, Raine headed directly to Ken''s mansion to visit Yera and complete the mission. Looking from the outside, the fence surrounding the mansion already screamed sophisticated technology, not to mention the security implemented in and out of the mansion grounds. Now that she thought about it, she was unsure if her two men would even be lucky enough to get accepted there. At most, it would only be Dylan who could successfully infiltrate the premises.

    Standing in front of the gates, Raine had Aire on one arm and a box of a blueberry cheesecake for Yera on another. The security at the gate had asked her to wait while they verified with the lady of the mansion for her visit.

    ''She''ll really be safe here," Raine mused as she gave the head of security a smile and a nod before he disappeared into the building. The Ken''s security on the island was impressive.

    Inside the mansion, the head of security personally looked for Yera.

    "Madam, someone''s outside wanting to visit you. It''s Dr. Yao from the medical center. Should I allow her to enter? We have thoroughly checked her already, and she''s clean," the head of the security reported. They were very strict even though Dr. Yao was a known employee. After all, she was still new and they couldn''t let anyone just enter the premises of the mansion.

    "Hmm, alright. You can let her enter. I will wait for her in the garden," Yera answered as she left her room. "Have someone escort her to me there."

    Picking up his orders, the head of security came back and picked Raine up. Escorting her to the garden, the man let her sit on one of the chairs.

    "Please wait for madame here," the head of security informed, signaling her to wait at one of the tables in the garden.

    "Thank you," Raine whispered before getting herself situated. When she noticed that the man had already left, Raine kissed Aire''s on the head as she looked around.

    "There are CCTVs everywhere, sweetie. Hmm¡­ Plant the bugs inside the pots in the house that you could reach. Make it look like you''re just sniffing around each pot to piss," Raine instructed with a chuckle as her daughter let out a soft growl. The girl''s lips were shut tight, storing some of the bugs inside her mouth before leaving.

    "And there she goes¡­" Raine sighed with a smile.  "I do wonder where in this huge mansion would be her room. My job seems tougher than you¡­" she murmured to herself before plastering on a wide smile as she saw Yera approaching her. The woman was obviously gaining weight and Raine could not help thinking if she too would gain weight once she became pregnant?

    Her face reddened at the sudden thought out of nowhere. But then she kept a beautiful smile on her face while looking at Yera and thinking about her own pregnancy in the future. She was curious though if Yera would answer her truthfully once she asked about her pregnancy later. She already knew Yera was pregnant from the bug she planted on Yera''s mobile phone and she was genuinely happy for her and Xander. Having a baby was such a great blessing.

    "I''m surprised by this visit," Yera casually smiled at Dr. Yao, who was already sitting on one of the chairs in the garden. "What''s the occasion?"

    "Nothing. I just missed you, so I stopped by to see you," Dr. Yao plainly spoke.

    "Really¡­" Yera doubtfully questioned. "I don''t see you doing casual house visits, Dr. Yao.

    "Okay, fine¡­I just wanted to see how big you''ve become already," Raine admitted with faux remorse. "But to my dismay, you''re still rather adorable. That''s too bad. I actually brought some sweets for you so that you''ll grow bigger faster. After all, the bigger and uglier in shape you get, the better it gets for me in my mission to seduce your man, right?" she teased.

    Yera frowned before letting out a sigh. "Why do you always talk that sh*t to me?" she couldn''t help but chide. Raine only chuckled.

    "Hmm¡­ I guess it''s true that women do become moody when pregnant. Look at how irritated you are right now. Aren''t you still use at me?" Raine teased some more before finally taking the hint from her co-worker''s irritated face. "Okay fine, I bought this from the city when I dropped Tyrone off at the airport," she replied with a chuckle, enjoying Yera''s rather vague expressions.

    Taking on a serious tone, Raine asked, "By the way, what''s the result of your pregnancy test? It''s positive, right?" When Yera nodded, she let off a sincere smile. "Congratulations then. I guess I can go easy on you from now on. I hate hurting pregnant women."

    Looking around, Raine then commented, "And I guess your life is in danger too. The security''s very tight, I even had to leave my mobile phone back at the gate before coming in. Maybe next time I visit you I''ll just wear a bikini so that it''ll be a little less hassle for those boys to check on my things."

    Yera only shrugged her shoulders. It wasn''t like she would even have a few visitors around. Dr. Yao was the only one if she was being honest, and she was really surprised by the sudden visit. Then again, the two of them seemed to be getting along quite nice lately, so she didn''t mind. She honestly liked how carefree and tactless Dr. Yao was; a stark contrast to her own personality which was more of a reserved type. Candice was a breath of fresh air in her daily routine on the island. Over time, she was getting used to Candice''s constant teasing, and was even starting to appreciate them more as of late.

    "The mansion is quite big and beautiful," Raine complimented. "Oh, how I would love to have a tour and get some selfies, but my phone is currently with those men," she pouted.

    "Sorry, but touring is not allowed. It''s not our mansion, and Bro Ryu wants to keep it extremely private. It''s the reason why I''m meeting you here outside in the garden," Yera explained, Raine nodding in understanding.

    It was then that Aire came to play her part, seemingly eager to bug the mansion to the gills.

    "Haha! Draki''s really cute," Yera cooed as she patted Aire''s head. It was a good thing that Yera was someone who did not hate pet wolves. She seemed so fond of Draki.

    "I bet Draki wants a tour to stretch her legs for a bit. Would you mind? Promise, Draki will behave well," Raine suggested with a smile.

    "Ah, alright. Draki''s harmless anyway, so we can let it run around the garden," Yera agreed.

    In that instant, Raine let Aire go. The wolf stayed with them for some time around the garden, but when Yera was already busy talking with her Mommy, she immediately sneaked inside the mansion to do her task.

    The two had a couple more pleasant conversations, and Yera never thought that Dr. Yao could be someone that she would be comfortable with like this despite the woman''s utter lack of tact. Her fellow doctor said what was on her mind most of the time that she ended up opening up to her. Raine took that opportunity to talk more with Yera about various stuff, making Yera engage in a productive and funny conversation so Yera would not notice how the wolf was no longer in the garden.

    On the other hand, Aire quickly returned to the garden as soon as she completed her mission. It was an easy task because she was way lucky not to encounter any people around her way.

    "Ah, I think I''ve stayed here long enough. You probably have some other things to do, and I''ve already disturbed you enough as it is," Raine commented with a smile.

    Thanking Yera for her time, Raine stood up to leave. But before leaving, she asked Yera where the restroom was.

    "Hmm, let me escort you there," Yera volunteered, but Draki suddenly jumped up to her, acting so cute that the doctor chuckled as she tried to dodge Draki''s affectionate licking.

    "No, I got it. The first hallway from the right, correct? Stay here and finish those snacks you''re eating while playing with Draki.." Raine insisted, Yera nodding as she got completely distracted.

 Chapter 178 - Iâ€™ll Help You Out

    At Raine''s Private Residence, Country V

    As with their usual routine, both Lyne and Levi went out early in the morning to report to the Yue Group office, leaving Boris and Mia behind the headquarters.

    "So, Tyrone''s coming back. The poor guy¡­" Boris murmured. He was currently sitting beside Mia in the control room.

    "Do you know what''s going on? It''s honestly weird for the Boss to kick Tyrone out. I mean, she''s obviously very interested in him, so why would she kick him out after Xander''s case is over?" Mia conspiratorially questioned. "I honestly don''t understand. Tyrone''s reliable and very competitive. I also think he''s trustworthy enough to keep working with us."

    Boris only sighed, keeping his mouth shut as Lyne had instructed. Raine didn''t want to tell the others about the real matter regarding the man. Lyne was just lucky enough to know the truth through him by accident.

    "Hmm, I just follow instructions from the Bloody-Eyed Hunter, but I''m sure she has her reasons in her decisions," Boris vaguely commented.

    "That''s true¡­" Mia sagely nodded. "I mean, I trust Boss, but the curiosity''s still killing me."

    A sudden silence ensued as Mia returned to checking some of the videos on her monitor screen. Boris, meanwhile, sneaking glances at her, wondered on how he could ask Mia for some help and tips on his current mate problem.

    "Stop that, Boris," Mia muttered with a sigh. "Can you just directly ask me what you want?"

    The large man scratched his head and mumbled with a timid smile, "It''s about Lyne¡­"

    Mia let out a sigh, turning to him as she shook her head.

    "It''ll be tough for you since you''re a werewolf, but just show her how sincere you are and I''m sure she''ll open up to you eventually. Lyne is the reserved type of woman. Honestly, she''s a late bloomer, I think," Mia commented with a shrug. She had never seen or heard Lyne being interested in any man before. The woman didn''t even know how to vocally appreciate handsome guys like her whenever they watched movies. It was always Mia that ended up commenting on male leads.

    "It''s hard for me. It''s my first time encountering something like this¡­." Boris whispered out.

    Mia sighed, sensing Boris''s frustrations in his voice. "Hmm, at least you''re willing to adapt and adjust for Lyne, and that''s a good start. Just give her a very generous amount of extra patience, and maybe try to slow things down," she advised.

    Boris''s shoulders dropped as he let out a loud sigh, "That''s what Aire said too."

    Mia chuckled, "Why not try courting Lyne first? Like going out on dates? But then I guess that would be impossible with how busy Lyne is." She put a hand on her chin as she tried to come up with ideas, "How about trying cooking for her more? I think that''ll suffice. I''ll help you out and pull Levi out of the picture in case he''s being a hindrance."

    The kitchen was practically Levi''s territory whenever he wasn''t in the control room. Mia held a crooked smile, already thinking on how the situation would benefit her without being too obvious. To be honest, after her last encounter with Levi and their incomplete conversation, things had become even more awkward between them. If she played her hand right, she could use this opportunity to make Levi interact with her again.

    "Also, grab that pen and paper. I will tell you all the things that Lyne likes and dislikes¡­" Mia instructed with Boris quickly following.

    She shook her head as Boris jotted down everything that she was saying. It was honestly looking pretty obsessive when she thought about it. "Wow, I never imagined that a werewolf like you can be this desperate to win a mate''s heart over."

    Boris scratched his head and mumbled, "I didn''t imagine myself like this too. To be honest, I''d prefer the easy route of kidnapping Lyne and imprisoning her after the mission. It''s something werewolves usually do; abducting their human mates and forcing them to love them, that is¡­"

    "And you will regret that for the rest of your life if you do it. You won''t achieve happiness like that. And on top of that, it''s not a human thing to do," Mia sagely chided. "I understand that werewolves are different, but humans can''t just roll over and accept that. Won''t you like a happy relationship together with your human mate? If you ended up with abduction like other werewolves, then that human mate would only see you as nothing but an animal and a monster¡­"

    She shook her head as she continued, "By doing things by force and against her will, you will both end up miserable in the end. That human will resent you, and might end up killing you and stabbing you in the back."

    Boris deeply sighed, "That''s why I''m asking for help. I really don''t know what to do. If I follow my wolf''s instinct, I''ll just end up abducting Lyne. But a part of me doesn''t want that. I honestly want to have a good relationship with my mate¡­ I''ve long awaited for her, and I want to make it work since she''s a human."

    Mia smiled, "And don''t worry. I''ll help you out as best as I can, okay? I can sense that you''re really sincere about it, so I''ll teach you about the ways of humanity too if you like¡­"

    Boris''s eyes lit up, "Oh! Thank you so much, Mia. I''ll surely repay you for this."

    "It''s nothing really. I just hope that you succeed and Lyne can achieve true happiness in the process, despite everything¡­" Mia genuinely hoped.

    "By the way, there will be a barrier around the Moon Clan Territory, right? Will that mean that I''ll be banned from entering too?" Boris asked as he recalled.

    Mia let out a loud sigh, "Yeah. You see, King Marcus is about to wake up, and he''s still technically the ruler¡­ He''s hell-bent on wiping out mutants here on earth, so the barrier is for your own safety as well, including Aire and Tyrone so that none of you will try to enter."

    She smacked her lips before shaking her head. "Anyway, you have a safe house, right? You''ll be safe going out with Lyne so long as you keep your human form. Boss will surely exempt you from the hunt. She''ll protect Aire, Tyrone, and you from King Marcus, so you don''t need to worry too much."

    That was the plan. The Boss wanted their Clan to have peace with good mutants as well so she would try to convince her father, king Marcus to consider it once he woke up. It could be tough, though since King Marcus seemed to have this deep grudge against mutants.

    On the other hand, Boris had no other response but to nod at Mia, but there was something else that was bothering him. It was the Convel Society... He wondered if Raine could really bring it down¡­ Also, it wasn''t like he was against everyone in the society.. It was mostly all on Danos and all his minions that helped the former on framing him.

 Chapter 179 - Earth Clan King

    After Raine and Aire had successfully planted the bugs in the mansion, and with Mia confirming the signals, the two spent the rest of their days hanging out and swimming at the beach in Aire''s wolf form. Her daughter would''ve come as a human, but there were a lot of people around from the hospital that might ask about Aire if she was ever caught out with her in her human form.

    Another evening came, and the two were happy at the lack of a blue moon in the sky. Tyrone then had a video chat with them, informing the two that he had already arrived at Country V.

    Yet another day passed by, and Raine reported at the hospital for work even though Yera wasn''t around to attend a wedding on the island. It had been the wedding of Xander''s father. Mia already informed her that Chad, who was the Earth Clan''s King, had already arrived on the island with Xander and her lawyer.

    "Ah¡­ Even elders can have their happy endings. It would be nice to meet Chad in person, don''t you think, Sweetie? I wonder if our paths will cross while he''s on this island," Raine murmured as she stroked Aire''s fur, carrying her in her arms before going out of her clinic to walk around. She still had a bit of free time before her next patient came. She had heard a lot about Chad already, but unfortunately, the two of them haven''t gotten the chance to meet personally.

    "How about we walk around outside, Aire? We still have a while before my last appointment," Raine suggested, with Aire agreeing with a soft howl and a snuggle.

    Walking outside, the warm weather softly greeted them as Raine put Aire down on the road. Along the way, they walked by an ice cream shop that Raine stopped over to buy some cones. Looking around, the island was really nice despite the many construction works still ongoing. They also provided benches on the side of the road for passersby who would want to take a seat and rest if the weather was good.

    Spotting one of the said benches, Raine sat near the road with Aire. They were currently on a hill where they could see the beach from their view. She then gave Aire her bowl of ice cream, having requested her serving to be put on a bowl so that her daughter could comfortably eat it as a wolf.

    "Do you like it?" Raine asked, Aire letting out a howl of delight in response.

    Smiling at her daughter''s delight, Raine began eating her own cone of ice cream. She then stood up with ice cream in hand, walking forward for a bit to have a better view of the beach.

    "It''s calm today¡­" she whispered with a smile as she enjoyed inhaling the fresh air of nature.

    Meanwhile, Chad was with one of Ken''s drivers and security detail to give him a tour around the pleasant spots on the island. He sighed. He couldn''t help but recall the time that he spent on Keira''s wonderful island. It had been similar to this when he came with Mara.

    Another long sigh of frustration came out of his chest as he turned and looked at his window. It was there that his eyes caught a particular and familiar figure.

    "Mara¡­" he whispered, turning to the windshield at the back seat as they passed the woman with an ice cream cone by the side of the road.

    "Stop the car!" Chad quickly instructed. And as soon as the car stopped, he immediately jumped out of the door.

    "Mara!" he called the woman out, who had already stopped walking as she looked at the sunset and the beach from afar.

    Despite his voice, she didn''t even look back at him. With more power in his tone, Chad called out once more, "Mara!"

    Raine, who was deep in her stupor while staring at the ocean, heard the man''s voice calling out the name ''Mara''. She smirked and murmured, "Don''t tell me that we''re bound to meet now?"

    With a smile, she turned around to face the man calling out to her with her twin''s name. She was aware of how Mara became connected to Chad of the Earth Clan, who had stayed in Country D with the Field Marshal. It was Keira Chan''s family who had adopted Mara during his early days of hiding, after all.

    "Hi," Raine cheerfully greeted.

    Chad stood frozen near her. The woman looked exactly like Mara, but her aura was vastly different. She wasn''t Mara. She could never be Mara. She was wearing a laboratory gown, so he could only assume that she was a doctor.

    "You called me by a different name. I guess you mistakenly thought I was her. But at least you realized I''m not her," Raine flashed her a smile before turning her gaze back to the lovely view of the sunset.

    "Are you a doctor working on this island? What''s your name?" Chad curiously asked as he stood next to her.

    Raine gave him a glance over before letting out a seductive smile on her face. "I''m Dr. Candice Yao, studly man," she introduced herself, giving him a wink as she then licked her ice cream cone.

    Chad gulped. Mara would never dare to do something like that. It was a very cunning and sly way of behaving.

    Keeping his gaze, he then heard her chuckle as she turned her gaze to the sun.

    "Hmm, can I ask you a question, studly man?" Raine spoke as she continued eating her ice cream. She had a mischievous grin, already thinking of Tyrone''s eventual reaction if he ever happened to hear her calling another man a stud.

    "What if we live in a very chaotic world where there are wars everywhere? What if you were given a chance to lead in that world? How in the world would you handle it?" she asked, not even waiting for him to agree on even answering. The man next to her was running for president in their country, after all. Not to mention how he was also the King of the Earth Clan. Such a position was one hell of a job, so she would love to hear his perspective on ruling.

    Hearing her question, Chad simply shook his head, smiling faintly as he looked at the sun.

    "Leading a chaotic world. Hmm¡­ Only tough ones could ever do that¡­ Someone who could overcome the love for power would be a perfect leader for a chaotic world¡­ Someone who has the time and patience¡­"

    Raine looked at Chad with a wide smile on her face as she suddenly asked, "Do you think you can be that person, studly man?"

    Chad''s jaw dropped as he stared at her. Meanwhile, Raine only gave him a wink before looking at her watch.

    She cursed, "Oh crap. I''m late for an appointment with one of my patients. Here, my ice cream tastes good," Raine hastily shoved the half-eaten ice cream cone to his empty hands. "I have to leave now. It was nice meeting you, studly man."

    Dumbfounded, Chad could only watch as the woman picked up what seemed to be a wolf from the bench before running away in a rush. His mouth agape in awe, staring at the ice cream cone in his hands in disbelief as she disappeared into the distance.

    "Huh¡­ Well, that just happened¡­"

 Chapter 180 - My Wedding To Raine

    Another day has passed, and Tyrone didn''t waste any single idle moment during his stay at Country V. He personally made sure that the mole inside the Moon Clan facilities wouldn''t have a problem in completing her mission for Xander. The Mirage Trial would commence soon, and they had to make sure that Xander held any scrap of solid evidence he could find to prove Yun''s wrongdoings.

    That night, Tyrone subtly followed the mole''s movement with Mia''s guidance who had access to all the camera footage.

    "I think she''s on the move based on her body movements," Mia informed Tyrone from her end. "She''s been checking the cameras every once in a while."

    "Alright. I understand," Tyrone affirmed as he quickly moved closer to the mole''s location, making sure to keep enough distance away from her so as to not be suspicious.

    "She''s currently in Zone Two. Oh¡­ I knew she''s now wearing a control maintenance uniform¡­And she''s still good," Mia commented with a wide grin as she watched the mole. The known intruder managed to freeze the cameras, but Mia could still easily unfreeze the cameras if she wanted to. Still, she simply turned her attention to the other cameras and continued watching her move along the system.

    The mole vaguely scanned her surroundings, spotting all the hidden cameras near Zone Two. Disguised in a control maintenance uniform, she used the ID she duplicated from one of the staff members to navigate the area. Every movement was precise. She eyed the timer on her watch as she quickly pulled out some of the electrical wires in the control area and connected them to the device that Zach had provided.

    Waiting patiently, she sighed as she let the tab reach a hundred percent. She then looked at the wristwatch and took note of her current time window. Thirteen minutes left before the next shift arrives. She was calm and composed as she waited, watching the CCTV footage on her phone for any sort of unwanted attention. Switching feeds, she paled upon seeing someone approaching the Arc Two door.

    "Fu*k!" she cursed, seeing the tab at around ninety percent. Nervously, she counted the steps and estimated the amount of time that the man could reach the door. At least a few more minutes. She still had time.

    "Faster!" the mole grumbled, immediately disconnecting the device as soon as it reached a hundred percent.

    Stashing the tab, she then immediately stepped out from Zone Two and walked back towards her designated area.

    "Stop!"

    The mole flinched as she heard the inevitable stern voice. Her heart almost skipped a beat as she stopped right then and there.

    "What are you doing here?" the man asked. Based on his uniform, he was one of the security detail stationed on the floor.

    The mole was sweating as she quickly thought of a good alibi. She inhaled slowly, turning around when she heard another man speak.

    "What''s going on?"

    Shane gulped. The man who had suddenly appeared was Tyrone, Raine''s right-hand man. She had recently known about it from her family that the Princess had appointed a right-hand man. As part of her job, she needed to know about any updates on her objectives, especially on the royal family before starting to work back at the Moon Clan facilities.

    "I saw this unauthorized person in the area, Sir," the man dutifully reported. He was about to look at the mole more closely, but Tyrone stopped him.

    "You can leave. I asked for her to be here."

    Obediently, the man nodded and immediately left.

    After the man had left, Shane looked at Tyrone, utterly relieved. However, she now wondered why he helped her in the first place.

    "Go. The next time someone sees you again in an unauthorized area, you will die," Tyrone warned. Without him around, one wrong move on her part would mean her swift demise.

    Heeding his advice, Shane nodded and quickly left the area with a relieved sigh. If her family found out how dangerous the work that she was doing¡­

    Another loud exhale came out of her mouth as she entered the restroom where she changed out of her disguise and disposed of them. It was the one place that was safe from the rotating surveillance outside.

    As she safely got back out, she still felt conflicted on why Tyrone was there just at the right time¡­ It honestly felt as if he had let her off very easily.

    "Did she secure what she needed?" Tyrone asked Mia through their comms.

    "Yes. She managed to get all the files they needed," Mia reported. "I think that alone would be enough for them¡­"

    "Good work, Mia. I''ll be leaving the territory to attend to some business, then," Tyrone nodded. "Just call me if there''s something important."

    Ending the call, he let out a long deep sigh as he walked out of the facility. Looking at them now, there were still a lot of things that he needed to fix from his side.

    He was about to enter the elevator when he heard a cough from behind him. Turning around, Janus met his inquisitive eyes.

    "You''re back. Is Raine with you?" Janus asked with a frown. He really did not like the man that he could not hide his annoyance around his presence. He was back but it seemed that Raine was not with him or else she would already check her father on him.

    "No. She''s doing something important right now so she''s still not around," Tyrone coldly replied. He could sense that Janus was irritated seeing him around but then again the feeling was very mutual.

    "I see," the doctor neutrally responded. "Can you tell me when she''s coming back?" The elevator doors opened. Tyrone entered, with Janus following behind him.

    "I''m not sure. There''s no definite date, but she asked me to check on her father''s condition every once in a while during my stay here so I will head to the King''s quarter and check on him," Tyrone responded as he pressed the button to the floor that King Marcus was on. Of course, Raine did not ask him that but he only wanted to check on Marcus'' condition.

    Marcus was in a coma for a long time, more than centuries but his appearance even became younger. His gut was telling him that Janus performed an experiment on the King using samples from mutants but then he would not be able to prove his hunch from Raine. They would only find out the truth once King Marcus woke up and he showed evidence of being not a human.

    Janus didn''t bother with a comment. There was a charged tension between the two men. In his mind, Janus was busy physically comparing himself to Tyrone.

    ''He''s more lean than me¡­ But aside from that, I''m sure I''m way better!'' Janus tried to cheer himself up despite knowing how deep inside he was really threatened by the man standing beside him. Maybe it was because he was beside Raine more often than him? As a man, he could feel that Tyrone liked Raine just the way Tyrone looked at Raine and Janus did not like it, knowing Tyrone had more advantage than him just by merely being close to Raine due to their work.

    But then Janus inwardly consoled himself by recalling King Marcus'' promise that he would have him as Raine''s husband the moment he woke up from his recovery. He firmly held onto the king''s words.

    Arriving on the floor, they entered the king''s room in silence. Tyrone looked closely at the capsule and murmured, "So he will be waking up soon?"

    "Yeah. Just a few weeks more, and he''s back as new." Janus plainly answered.

    "Something seems weird. Did you somehow use any samples from a mutant?" Tyrone directly and casually asked. Janus felt a lump on his throat but he quickly composed himself and answered, "I don''t think you''re in a position to question the procedure of the king''s recovery, and either I''m obliged to answer you."

    There was a moment of silence that Janus broke shortly.

    "I can''t wait for the king to wake up and fulfill his promise. He promised my wedding to Raine will follow as soon as he wakes up¡­" Janus straightforwardly stated.

    Tyrone turned at Janus with a dim expression as he grunted, "Is Raine aware of this?"

    Janus met his stare with a proud smile, "She''ll soon know once the King wakes up. Raine will never disobey her father, whom she loves more than her own life¡­ And no one in our clan is more fit to marry the princess other than myself."

    Tyrone had a wry smile as he challenged, "Are you sure about that?"

    Janus frowned at the other man''s provoking tone.

    "Raine is mine. Try stealing her from me if you can¡­" Tyrone firmly goaded before turning around to leave the room, leaving the other man totally flabbergasted with what he just said.

    ********************

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 Chapter 181 - Action Than Words

    Tyrone gritted his teeth as he walked out of the facility. It was no wonder now why he felt something was off with Janus. He was arrogant and confident, knowing Marcus got his back. Marcus would wake up eventually, and that was a definitive truth.

    As soon as he was back in his room in the mansion, Tyrone hit the wall with a balled fist in one heavy blow, not minding the pain and the wound it could''ve caused him. He wanted to talk peacefully, but he wondered if it would still even be possible¡­ Janus sounded so certain about his words, and he could only assume that Marcus would choose Janus for Raine. But despite this, Tyrone still had to wait for the man to wake up first. It wouldn''t do for him to make any hasty move till then.

    ''What are you going to do now, Tyrone?'' he inwardly questioned himself. Things were indeed getting even more complicated, but he would never give up on Raine no matter what. He would move heaven and earth if that was what it took to keep what was his!

    He was still in a state of complete fury when his phone rang. Closing his eyes, he calmed himself down before answering the call.

    "Yeah," he neutrally answered his phone. "Of course. I''m coming." His nephew finally agreed to meet him after blocking his calls and messages due to their disagreement on many things lately.

    Ending the call, he then rushed out of his room, only to stop in the middle of the hallway as he bumped into Yun.

    "Ah, I''ve heard that you''re here, but how come you seem to be in a hurry without seeing me first? You seem to forget about me already, Tyrone? Don''t tell me you plan on changing sides¡­" Yun questioned him with a dark gaze.

    "I''m sorry, Prince Yun. It''s not like that. I wouldn''t dare do that to you, knowing your capacity and power. I just got an important call from Raine. They already found out the exact details on where Xander''s wife is, and I''ve yet to know the details so I''m in a hurry now," Tyrone deftly answered. "I plan to relay it to you as soon as I confirm it."

    Yun''s face lit up and he asked, "I can''t believe how slow Dalgon is working that Raine found out about it first! Where did he hide his family?"

    "At Plumeria island, the one owned by Ryu Ken," Tyrone announced.

    "Alright. Go and confirm it to me immediately," Yun instructed with a frown.

    With a nod, Tyrone left with a brisk walk. Yun''s eyes followed the man as he left, irritation brewing as he came up with a way to address it. "Have someone follow Tyrone now!" he suddenly yelled at one of his men through his comms.

    Things were not going his way lately! The Mirage Trial will start tomorrow, and he needed Xander''s wife or any of that bastard''s family to threaten the man as his backup plan in case the worst would come his way. He did not know why but he felt like Xander had something solid against him to be this confident to request a Mirage Trial.

    "We already wiped out your bloodline in the clan. Just how lucky you can be to be alive this far, you bastard?!" Yun retorted with a clenched jaw.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone had a grim expression as he went back inside the car. He tried to call Raine but then quickly ended it before her phone could even ring. He didn''t want her to notice how sulky he was, so he instead sent her a brief message informing her that he had already reported to Yun that Yera was in Plumeria Island.

    Starting the engine, he drove his car out of the Moon Clan Territory to meet his cousin. Looking at his side mirrors, he frowned when he noticed that Yun had him followed by his lackeys. Tyrone let out a sigh. He expected it, but that didn''t make it any less annoying.

    Taking out his phone, Tyrone made a call to his men. "Take care of those bastards tailing me," he instructed with a frown.

    As soon as the call ended, he received a video call that instant from Aire. Tyrone quickly answered it with a broad smile on his face.

    "Hello, Sweetie," Tyrone greeted.

    "Daddy, I will give the phone now to Mommy. She asked me to call you," Aire said with an adorable smile. Tyrone saw Raine''s face on the screen of his mobile phone.

    "I read your message. Is everything in order? The trial will start tomorrow. Uncle will pressure you for sure. He won''t manage to penetrate the island in just a short time so you can confirm the details to him now."

    Tyrone was driving so he was not looking at his mobile phone screen.

    "Yes, I will call him back shortly and confirm the details." Tyrone answered, giving his mobile phone a quick glance and a wink to Raine before he added, "I love you, Raine."

    Raine was caught off-guard with the out-of-the-blue sweet talk that made her blush hard.

    "Mommy, you should say the same to Daddy," Aire interrupted in the background. Tyrone chuckled. Raine never said those words to him yet but he did not need it since he could already feel Raine through her actions.

    "Aire, Mommy is so cruel to Daddy¡­ Can you scold her more for me?" Tyrone requested with a grin.

    Raine rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Focus on driving. I will see you soon so make sure there''s no problem there once we come back."

    "Right, that''s probably in two days, right? Anyway, I''ll be waiting. I miss you and Aire so much¡­"

    "I miss you too, Daddy and Mommy too misses you and loves you so much," Aire answered since her Mommy was having difficulty expressing herself in words.

    Tyrone chuckled and said, "Alright, Sweetie. Please end the call now. Bye."

    Aire ended the call and then looked at her mother while shaking her head.

    "What?!" Raine scoffed.

    "Mommy, it''s a good thing to be vocal about your feelings often, you know¡­"

    Raine had a pout as she mumbled, "Ah, your Mommy prefers action than words."

 Chapter 182 - Find The Truth Behind Her Past

    After about five minutes, Tyrone finally drove towards his destination after ensuring that no one was still following him. The favorite hang-out place of his dear nephew was about an hour away from the Capital City and was located on a mountain just beyond the outskirts of the city.

    After stopping his car in an old ruined building at a hill, he ignored the signage of ''Caution: Wildlife Area'' as he made another call.

    "I''m here¡­" he snorted with a hint of annoyance as soon as his call was answered.

    From the other line, there was a brief chuckle from the man before he spoke, "What are you waiting for? I already reinstated your authority for access inside, you hopeless love dog!"

    Tyrone irritatedly drove his car to the entrance spot, where he was scanned before descending down underneath the ground on a massive elevator. It was an underground hide-out of his nephew. His ''safe heaven,'' as he called this creepy place. The brute removed his access at the place after their last fight.

    Exiting his car, Tyrone saw him waiting for him by the entrance of his cave with a glass of red drink in his hand.

    "Gross¡­" he mumbled with a twitch on his face.

    His nephew simply chuckled at his disdain, "What? Do you prefer watching me sucking and drinking directly into someone''s skin? So¡­ what do you want, huh?"

    Tyrone ignored him and directly entered the cave''s entrance. Inside, the cave was equipped and made with modern technologies running along its walls. His nephew was very good with technologies, he must say. He was the brain of Umbra Security Agency, the Chairman.

    "Aren''t you living comfortably while Kiran is working his as*s off?!" Tyrone scoffed as he walked directly to the bar and got himself a drink.

    "Hah! And what about you?! Ah, I guess you too are working your as*s off in being a lover boy for the enemy?!" his nephew mocked. Like Tyrone expected, his nephew still could not accept how things turned out. And he perfectly understood him yet¡­ there were things so beyond his control, like, falling in love.

    Tyrone''s face darkened as he mumbled, "Things just happened unexpectedly."

    There was a loud scoff, "Ah, but didn''t I warn you right from the start? Yet you still insisted on having it your way with the so-called saying of ''keep your enemies closer?" His nephew shook his head with a shrug. "So what are you going to do now, huh?! How could we even convince the entire society not to pursue this war that we arranged against the Moon Clan? Because I''m pretty sure you''re here to convince me not to proceed, right? Damn! This is why you shouldn''t have a beating heart!!!"

    "She''s my mate and I won''t let her go no matter what," Tyrone growled. "I''m willing to do everything¡­ sacrifice anything for her," he helplessly stated, his aggression fading before taking a drink of the whiskey in his glass.

    There was another sarcastic laugh as Tyrone''s nephew mumbled wryly, "You sound so hopelessly in love¡­ Your mate? I''m sure you recognize her scent right from the start knowing her identity, yet you still accepted the offer to work with her and be close with her. What a way to torture yourself, my dear Uncle! You''re hopeless that you''re ruining years of actual planning just because of a woman! And the worst part is that she''s Marcus''s daughter."

    "She''s not his real daughter¡­ She''s not of Marcus''s blood, so I want to save her," Tyrone declared. "Although, it''ll be hard considering the strong bond she has with Marcus as her father."

    "What do you mean?" his nephew asked.

    "You have to help me search for what really happened when Raine was born and how she ended up in Marcus''s custody. Something doesn''t sit right with me since Raine had a twin¡­ And that twin came from an indigenous isolated island somehow. You''re the only one who could help me find the truth behind her past. Please¡­" Tyrone begged.

    There was a frustrated sigh from his nephew as he spoke, "It''s so unlike you to beg like this¡­ Look, I''ll do what I can and help you in this, but this won''t mean that I''m agreeing with us not attacking the Moon Clan. We both lost everything dear to us because of Marcus. And he and all his followers must die. We must claim back what is rightfully ours."

    Tyrone heaved a long sigh and whispered, "Let me try talking with Marcus first once he wakes up."

    "Once he wakes up?! Seriously? Do you want to wait for him to wake up when we can just let him sleep forever! Do you hear yourself now?! Dammit! I won''t hear any more words from you regarding this matter. I want Marcus dead, and no one would stop me, not even you!"

    Tyrone did not say a word knowing it would be a waste of time only.

    "I will just call you once I find anything about your precious so-called mate¡­"

    "Raine is different from Marcus and I''m sure you know that, so treat her with respect. Even it was just a simple mentioning of her name!" Tyrone scolded with a frown.

    There was another sigh before Tyrone''s nephew spoke, "You said it yourself¡­ She has a strong bond with Marcus as a father. And like I said¡­ I won''t back down to whoever block my way in killing Marcus."

    "No one is stopping you from killing Marcus, but if you dare touch a single strand on Raine''s hair¡­" Tyrone, with a heavy heart, murmured.

    "Damn you and your stupid heart! Fine! I will kill Marcus without touching a single strand on your mate''s hair!" Tyrone''s nephew scoffed annoyingly, making Tyrone laugh.

    Tyrone walked towards him and patted the man''s shoulder, "That''s right. Be good, okay? I''m still your Uncle after all."

    The annoyed nephew only rolled his eyes and scoffed, "And I''m still older than you!"

 Chapter 183 - The Future

    As Raine had predicted, only Dylan managed to pass the screening and subsequent interview to work at the Plumeria Island Hospital as a medical aide.

    "It''s alright¡­ As long as the signals from our bugs in the mansion and Yera''s phone are good, then we''re all good," Raine reassured Dylan. "I''m sure Yera will be safe on the island. Just make sure you stay on high alert for any suspicious movements around her," she followed up, before then giving a few more instructions regarding his security detail.Ending the call, she then looked at Aire and said, "Are you ready? We''ll be going back to Country V today."

    Aire had a broad smile upon hearing the news as she said, "Of course, Mommy! I can''t wait to see Daddy and the rest again."

    Raine chuckled, then signaled Aire to shapeshift back into her wolf form for convenience''s sake. She could always just go back to her human form once they were inside the private plane, after all.

    Taking the afternoon flight, Raine purposely didn''t inform Tyrone that she would return to Country V that day. She was supposed to return tomorrow, but she eventually decided to leave earlier as planned.

    Looking at the time as they boarded the plane, Raine noted that their arrival would be in the late evening. Taking advantage of their idle time, mother and daughter took the opportunity to sleep and rest during the flight. Before the sky got dark, however, Raine found herself waking up on her own. She never left Aire on the bed, electing to simply stare at her daughter as she sneaked glances at the time.

    Seeing the clock tick on, she let out a relieved sigh, seeing that Aire hadn''t disappeared on her. They were lucky that a blue moon hadn''t appeared for tonight as well, seeing the usual darkness outside the window of the plane.

    With sweet relief, Raine woke up Aire with kisses and whispered, "Get up, dear. It''s time to eat dinner with Mommy first. Later, I''ll let you sleep more, Sweetie."

    Aire sluggish opened her eyes and murmured, "But I don''t like their food here. Daddy is a better cook than them."

    Raine chuckled, "They prepared some steak for you tonight. Your favorite, remember? So come and let''s eat."

    At the table, Raine couldn''t help but ponder more about the boy Aire had marked. "So the boy is from the Convel Society. You should tell Mommy his name by now, Aire," she goaded. "You see, I''m very curious to know more about him. I Promise that Mommy won''t do anything bad to him. Besides, you''re already connected with him, right? Since you marked him? You will feel his emotions¡­"

    "Yeah. That''s right, Mommy," Aire blinked in deliberation. "Hmm¡­ I guess I''ll tell you his name then, Mommy. But you have to make a promise first that you won''t tell Daddy his name," her daughter bargained. She didn''t see the point of hiding her mate anymore. After all, her Mommy would forget about it all anyway.

    The young girl waited for her mother''s response, who only stared at her with narrowed eyes.

    "Ah, how come you''re bargaining with me like a professional?" Raine complained with snapped brows.

    "I only learned from the best," Aire giggled. "But anyway, you have to promise that you won''t tell it to Daddy. Or else, I won''t say his name."

    Knowing her mother''s personality, Aire knew that she was someone who would never break a promise. She was confident that her mother would keep her mate''s details from her father.

    "Fine, I promise I won''t tell your Daddy that he''s your mate," Raine assured with a wink.

    Aire''s face reddened as she bashfully whispered, "Okay. His name is Regan Park."

    Raine''s eyes widened as she yelped in surprise, "Park? Like Decan''s surname Park?"

    Her daughter nodded as she added, "He''s Uncle Decan''s firstborn son."

    "Uncle Decan?!" She barked in disbelief.

    Aire opened her mouth to say more, but her mother quickly signaled her to stop. "I don''t need any more details about the future, Aire!" she hissed.

    The future mother felt like her head was going to explode from the information overload. Decan was the reason his father was in a coma! And Aire was calling that man ''Uncle?'' How the hell did that happen in the future?! But then, she wouldn''t try to dare compromise her daughter.

    Raine inwardly cursed, suddenly regretting that she even asked Aire about it. She no longer knew what to do in order to not alter the events of the future. It was of vital importance, since her daughter would suffer consequences if she was ever careless with her words.

    "Uncle Decan is alive in the future. That information would surely not cause any alteration of the future, Mommy, so don''t worry and keep that information I provided in mind," Aire informed, assuming what was going on inside her mother''s head.

    Raine smiled and nodded at her daughter''s words. That was more than enough¡­ Decan was alive, which would that mean that her father¡­

    She fell into deep thought. Those two were mortal enemies, so the only possible answers would be that either her father died, or if those two came into an agreement. Such a thing would be impossible knowing her father. He was burning in a fury last time, cursing Decan to the core and vowing to mercilessly kill the werewolf. That was before her father fell unconscious in her arms.

    With dropped shoulders, Raine helplessly stared at Aire. It would be nice if her daughter would not face any problems in telling things about the future. Then, they could probably change a lot of things here in the past to make sure that the future would be a good one.

    "I''m sorry, Mommy. You and Daddy are now in a dilemma because of my presence here," Aire murmured as she bit her lip.

    Seeing her girl in distress, Raine sighed deeply before pulling Aire into her arms as she comforted, "No, Sweetie. I''m honestly happy and grateful to know about your existence. Don''t worry too much about me or Daddy. We''re just, you know, a bit delighted. It''s just that processing these bits of information from the future and somehow connecting it to the current events here are taking a lot out of us¡­"

    She let out an assuring chuckle as to not make Aire worry. She then added, "I guess everything will unfold soon. I just have to move along with planning things as I used to do."

    "Right, Mommy. You can do it," Aire winked with a tear in her eye. "You and Daddy will do well in the future."

    Raine laughed, "You know I hate sad endings, right? So I just hope that you''re right. Anyway, go and finish dinner so that you can sleep more after."

    She really hated sad endings, so she could only hope that things would turn out well in the end.

 Chapter 184 - A Modern Wizard

    At Yue Group Building...

    Lyne gulped when she received a delivery from Boris in her office. Looking at it, it was a dinner box with a note.

    [I personally cooked this meal for you. I would''ve loved to deliver this personally to your office, but I understand that I should lay low and avoid going out of the territory often. Also, Mia couldn''t go out to help me and accompany me in going there. Please enjoy these, and I hope you''ll tell me how they taste later. Don''t tire yourself out too much¡­]

    She sighed as she tucked away the letter somewhere in her pockets. It was dinner time already, and yet she and Levi were still stuck doing overtime since the next few days would become very hectic with the Mirage Trial coming tomorrow. Their Boss predicted that a one-day trial wouldn''t suffice, but a verdict would definitely be handed out come the second day of the trial.

    Her door swung open, Levi entering the room. "Let''s go and have dinner first. Or do you prefer me to call for a-" he stopped when he saw the dinner box. "Wow¡­ Who sent that?"

    "Boris¡­" Lyne whispered, almost coming out as a gap.

    "Nice¡­ I guess I''ll be eating alone¡­" Levi snorted. "That werewolf... How dare he not send extra for me."

    Lyne chuckled, "Come here and take this to the pantry. These are more than enough for the two of us." She shook her head as she stood up, "He cooked a lot. I don''t think I can possibly finish it all alone¡­"

    Levi followed behind her, grabbing the boxes to prepare them on the table at the pantry area.

    "Indeed, there are so many dishes... Is he trying to fatten you up before eating you-" he stopped himself and swallowed his next words, realizing that Lyne might not like his joke.

    "I guess that''s his plan," Lyne nonchalantly commented as she put some of the dishes on her plate to taste them. Not that she needed to. She already knew that Boris was a good cook since she had tasted some of his recipes back in his home.

    "Wow, I didn''t know that Boris can cook," Levi unconsciously praised as he grabbed more dishes on his plate.

    "I know, right? Seems like men in our group are just straight-up better in the kitchen," she seconded with a soft smile. Somehow, Tyrone and Levi were both excellent cooks as well, while the Boss, Mia, and her, well¡­ They were definitely good with other things beyond cooking.

    Levi only giggled. He couldn''t help but tease with a smile, "Hmm, looks like the werewolf is working to gain our Lyne''s interest again. Not bad."

    She refused to comment on his words, electing to simply continue eating away quietly. She indeed appreciated small gestures like that. And with how Boris was now behaving well around her, it at least made his eagerness somewhat tangible this time around.

    "It''s a plus. If you''ll rate him from one to ten with ten being the highest, what''s his number right now?" Levi curiously asked despite knowing that Lyne would probably not answer him.

    ''Six?'' Lyne inwardly answered while giving Levi a simple shrug of silence. "By the way, how''re the funds?" she asked.

    "Oh, I''m done," Levi sniggered. "It''s still under our Boss''s name in Yun''s system, but in reality, it''s all on him. But I''m worried. King Marcus will wake up soon, and we all know how he loved his brother since he''s his only remaining flesh and blood he has left, right? What if-"

    "Stop worrying. That''s why Boss had prepared a perfect plan. Yun won''t die due to the verdict, but with his encounter with the military¡­" Lyne reassured. "It''s already to our advantage that he''s committed a lot of illegal things and facilitated most of our fighters and the Shadow Beauties for his terrorist attacks just to frame the Earth Clan. He''s trying to shoot all his targets with one bullet with his lousy tactics that it simply all backfired on him¡­" she scoffed. The Boss''s plans were all solid, and would surely not have any loophole once her father woke up.

    "But¡­ We''re going back to being under his ruling. I mean¡­ Do you like King Marcus as our king? Remember how he sacrificed the infected fighters in our clan?" Levi cautiously asked. "I mean, your father died from a werewolf''s hand. But if you think carefully, he could''ve also died by King Marcus''s hand just by getting infected alone¡­" he voiced out. He still couldn''t get how those fighters died after being infected from the last clash with the Convel Society group.

    "It''s not King Marcus''s direct orders, Levi¡­" Lyne murmured. "It''s Prince Yun''s orders to eliminate them all."

    "Yeah, because Prince Yun is following our rules and protocols to kill all mutants and any human infected by mutants," Levi continued. "So before falling into a coma, I''m sure King Marcus would''ve done the same. Plus, we must not forget how he eradicated King Arthur, including his entire family and all his followers. It''s a mass murder that they forged into an act of punishing treachery even when there''s clearly none. Those mutants with King Arthur were a non-threat at all to be eradicated like that..."

    Levi mumbled out with a low voice, "Wouldn''t it be better if the King wouldn''t wake up at all? What if our Boss were to lead our Clan as Queen?"

    There was deafening silence for a moment before Lyne spoke, "We both know how the Boss loves her father even if they don''t share the same blood. Boss would sacrifice her own life just to save King Marcus¡­ We all know as much as that, Levi. And the irony is that we''re are willing to sacrifice our lives for the Boss."

    Levi sighed deeply. They both know that Lyne spoke nothing but the truth.

    "Even now, she''s not erasing our memories about the eradication¡­" Lyne recalled.

    "Yeah, I''m sure she''ll do that before King Marcus wakes up, or right after the verdict on Prince Yun," Levi sighed. "Ah, to be honest, I hope she won''t erase it anymore. I really don''t mind keeping that a secret for the Boss''s sake."

    Lyne chuckled and jested, "Pray that we run out of Glawackus Powder then."

    Glawackus was a fearsome critter, one that was very hard to find. The powder came from the creature''s eyes, and just a small amount dusted over a human''s eyes would wipe out the human''s memory.

    "I think King Marcus has a lot of it in reserve so that Dr. Janus could facilitate the mixture for the memory loss powder. Besides, he practically had a nonstop supply of it from a credible hunter," Levi murmured. "Also, I''ve heard that Dr. Janus is currently conducting a promising experiment that would enable us to produce more of it without having to hunt for more Glawackus creatures. Huh¡­ I just realized how important Dr. Janus is in our Clan. His brain is really exceptional. He''s like a modern wizard too. No wonder King Marcus trusted him above all," he mumbled.

    "I agree. King Marcus will definitely do anything just to keep a man like Dr.. Janus under his wing," Lyne seconded.

 Chapter 185 - I Miss You**

    It was almost midnight when the mother and daughter pair arrived at their private residence inside the Moon Clan Territory. With her daughter already asleep, Raine carried Aire directly to her room. Gently putting her down on the bed, she pulled the sheets over to cover her from the cold. She then gave her a goodnight kiss before leaving her in her bedroom. Raine then walked to her bedroom. She shook her head, seeing Tyrone already sleeping on her bed instead of doing so in his room.

    She didn''t make a sound as she moved inside her bedroom. Going to her bathroom with her sleepwear to have a quick clean-up, she then carefully and silently joined Tyrone on her bed. The light was dim, but it was more than enough for her to have a good view of how handsome and adorable the man on her bed was right now. Looking at him, he looked weary, and there was a knot on his forehead.

    ''Are you having a bad dream?'' Raine murmured while she pointed her index finger in between Tyrone''s eyebrows.

    "I''ve heard that werewolves will have this strong bond after the marking wherein you''ll feel great pain and die once you lost your mate. Ah, you see, I don''t particularly look into stuff like those about mutants before. But lately, I''ve had the urge to research more into it," she murmured with a sigh.

    It was true. She was usually more interested in finding the strengths and weaknesses of mutants. Any other details that couldn''t help her kill them were irrelevant, so she was honestly not well-versed with the Mate Pull thing or the Mate Bond stuff. She only knew that Tyrone wanted to mark her, but she hadn''t decided on it yet¡­ Although, she was leaning more on not wanting him to do so.

    Leaning closer and snuggling into his neck, she filled her lungs with his intoxicatingly masculine scent. Oh, how she missed him so much in the few days. She only returned earlier as planned because she had missed this man so much already.

    She had a devious smile on her face as she moved on top of Tyrone, placing gentle kisses on his face starting from his forehead. As soon as her lips reached his closed lips, she immediately settled and drank deeply on the sensation of his light breaths escaping into her lips. Truly, she took her time in enjoying his luscious lips.

    Meanwhile, Tyrone had smelled Raine''s scent, wondering if he was simply hallucinating. He could also feel her soft lips prying on his lips, making him groan in great pleasure. Slowly opening his sleepy eyes, he almost gasped as he saw her silhouette glow against the dim light.

    "Raine," he sluggishly whispered.

    "Shh," Raine mumbled into his lips before sliding her tongue into his now opened mouth.

    Tyrone moaned at the sudden assault. It was there that he realized that he wasn''t dreaming or hallucinating the feeling of her soft body pressed against his. As if sensing his doubts, she then deepened the kiss. Her moans of need were too demanding, and he didn''t hold back in giving what she was asking for. He passionately returned her deep kiss, entangling his tongue with hers as his hands began touching her curves and roaming on her delicate body through her thin nightgown. His hands eventually rested on her thighs, gently sliding inside the hem of her nightgown to feel the warmth of her flawless skin.

    Raine eventually broke the kiss, only to trail her lips towards his jawline all the way down to his neck, licking and suckling on his skin as she let her lips pass over them. He was already shirtless, so Raine no longer needed to remove anything except for his boxer shorts. Already, she could feel how hard he was with his erection poking up to her body. Reaching his chest, she kissed his bare muscles as she lingered particularly on his nipples, nibbling and feeding on them exactly like how he would always do it to her, giving him so much pleasure.

    Tyrone groaned. He wanted to crush Raine in his arms right then and there, but he was torn away from the thought of how good her ministrations were on his body. Before he knew it, she licked further south, making knots form inside his stomach from the intense pleasure. Looking down, even the way she pulled down his boxer shorts was too seductive. The way her eyes looked up to him just made his breath hitch simply from watching her every move.

    Gently, he grabbed and caressed Raine''s hair as she began working his shaft. His toes curled as he felt the heat consume his body from her constant licking and technique in sucking off his erection. Just from the way she worked her tongue, he knew that he wouldn''t last long. He didn''t want to spill his juices and waste them inside her mouth, so he pulled her away, signaling her to stop as he whispered, "I want my seed inside your womb, my sweet vixen, not inside your mouth."

    Raine let out a sweet chuckle as she removed her nightgown in front of him in one swift motion and tossed it on the floor. She leaned and sealed his lips with hers.

    "How come you''re here?" Tyrone managed to ask while they were kissing.

    Raine broke the kiss and stared at him with a pout as she whispered, "Because I missed you."

    His face reddened, making Raine chuckle as she marveled at his cute expression. She then almost screamed when Tyrone suddenly moved and put her back on the bed, reversing their positions as he adjusted himself on top of her.

    "I miss you more," Tyrone whispered, followed by a sudden thrust of his length inside her damp core. He kissed her hungrily as he slammed in and out of her like there was tomorrow. It was intense, and Raine could feel the desperation and longing on his rough deep thrusts. It was honestly as if he couldn''t get enough of taking her, pushing himself in and out of her insides harder, deeper, and faster.

    With each primal thrust, Raine felt herself come closer to exploding with a great climax. Soon enough, she reached her pinnacle as she cried his name out loud while her body convulsed underneath him. Meanwhile, Tyrone continued pounding her convulsing walls until he could no longer hold his orgasm back. With a great thrust, his body jerked on top of Raine as he released all of his baby-making fluids deep inside her womb, his spent length pulsating rhythmically inside her.

    With satisfaction spreading throughout her core, Raine hugged him tightly. He was still inside of her, and she didn''t mind his weight at all.

    "I should leave you more often¡­ That way, I could feel how much you missed me like this. Absence makes the heart grow fonder indeed," Tyrone jested.

    Raine didn''t bother with a response, instead simply moving and rolling on top of him. She kissed him hard and passionately, gently moving her hips while he was still inside of her.. When she felt him become hard again, she knew that the night was far from over.

 Chapter 186 - Mirage Trial

    Morning soon came, and everyone was busy with each of their respective tasks. All except for Aire, who mostly played with Draki as she quietly observed everyone together with her Uncle Boris, who was left with no choice but to take care of her, and entertain her.

    "I''m sure Xander''s very nervous right now," Raine commented while she was in a meeting with Lyne, Levi, Mia, and Tyrone inside the meeting room.

    Everyone nodded gravely at her words. This was the starting point of Xander''s real battle, and Raine, along with her team, was honestly anxious about it as well, furiously hoping that everything would all turn out in Xander''s favor as planned.

    The Boss looked at Lyne and instructed, "I will need to secretly meet up with Uncle''s lawyer and discuss a few more things in person. Please make the arrangements as soon as the first trial ends today."

    "Noted, Boss. I''ll do what''s needed," Lyne dutifully answered.

    "Currently, they''re on their way to the venue for the Mirage Trial," Mia informed as she stared at her laptop''s monitor.

    The courtroom for the Mirage Trial was located at a secret place. It was the place where an impartial judge heard all the disputes between any of the three clans, and it was compulsory for them to abide by the chosen decisions. Today was the commencement of the trial against Yun Yue of the Moon Clan for his crimes. Xander was the plaintiff, while Yun was the defendant.

    Raine already knew how Xander''s team had put a lot of effort into making their case strong enough for her Uncle Yun to escape his actions. They had met a lot of supporters from within the Moon Clan with Raine''s help. From the shadows, they confessed how they didn''t like the unethical ways that Yun was perpetuating while temporarily being the person in charge. They were Raine''s followers who had wanted their clan to ethically reach the heights, a complete opposite of what Yun was doing.

    So many people had given their statements, and some were even ready to be witnesses when it came to testifying for Xander''s claim to the throne. All the evidence they held was only pointed towards Yun, King Marcus''s brother, just like how Raine had arranged it.

    "I''ll be going now," Tyrone informed as he stood up. He could attend the trial in person since Yun asked for him.

    Raine nodded. Tyrone would be their ears and eyes as one of Yun''s men during the trial. He was the only one who provided Yun with the exact location of Xander''s wife, earning him a huge deal of trust from Yun.

    Soon enough, Tyrone arrived at the location on time. Each Clan had two Mirage Council members in the courtroom, ending up with six Council members in total that comprised the judicial system. Those Council members would analyze all the facts presented by each party, and in the end, they would vote if the defendant was guilty as charged before the judge concluded with the final verdict. If the defendant was proven guilty, a punishment would be placed according to the Mirage Laws.

    As it stood, the complaint against Yun was punishable by death; by hanging as requested by Xander if proven guilty.

    "All rise¡­"

    The judge soon entered.

    Raine and the rest could only watch what was happening live from the hidden camera in Tyrone''s contact lens. She smiled when she recognized the judge.

    "Uncle will have a hard time escaping what''s coming his way," she whispered with a smirk. The judge was the retired chief justice of the supreme court of Country V; the one who was known for being fearless in spite of bribes and death threats. He was also famous for his very unbiased judgments, and Raine truly adored the man for being an upright civil worker during his service in the country.

    Truly, he was someone who was not afraid to die in his line of service. He also had that famous line of ''death''s going to happen sooner or later. What matters is you do the right thing before death knocks on your door.''

    Raine sighed in temporary relief. It was a good thing that the Mirage Council wasn''t corrupted. They had hired a good, reputed, and unbiased judge for every trial.

    "The defendant is accused of multiple murders of their family members all in the name gaining power within the clan¡­" the house speaker began before calling out for the plaintiff''s representative to begin by stating their accusations.

    Xander''s attorney, Lana Huang, stood up and began presenting her case.

    "With due regards to the Judiciary and the Justice sitting in charge of the courtroom here, the first thing I want to present as the basis of my case is the letter left by my client''s mother, which clearly states how Mr. Xander Yang was unknowingly connected with the Moon Clan by blood," she succinctly stated. "This makes him the only true heir alive for the clan''s leadership, and that is something that made the accused try to kill my client several times, to which he had sometimes escaped through his wit, and sometimes through his luck," the lawyer nodded as she glanced at her notes. "Your Honour, as everyone is aware of, the previous King Arthur, as the legitimate son and the pure-blooded king of Moon Clan, bore twins. His twin daughters were Kanya and Kelly, who everyone had thought had died in an accident. But the truth was that the twins were not dead. Instead, they lived in silence, disguised peacefully abroad at Country D."

    Attorney Lana paced the room as she drove her point across, "They''ve lived the life of ordinary people, only wanting to stay away from this world of chaos and crime. Eventually, they met their partners and got married to them. Kelly bore a son named Bernard, and Kanya bore a son as well, who is Xander Yang." Then attorney Lana introduced Xander to everyone as Kanya''s only living offspring before she continued, "As I''ve stated, the family of Mr. Yang lived harmoniously with a peaceful life. That was until King Arthur, the twins'' father, had died. Then began the tragic suffering and ruthless killings of King Arthur''s lineage to gain unhindered control of their clan''s power to misuse and commit crimes with..."

    Mia shook her head while watching intently. She unconsciously murmured, "Wow, she''s good¡­"

    "Who wants some popcorn?" Levi asked with a grin, noticing how all eyes in the room were too focused on the big TV screen in the room. It would be an interesting watch more than a movie for sure.

    Raine could only sigh, knowing how her father would retaliate once this trial came to his knowledge. That was why she had to meet with Chad to ensure that her father wouldn''t know anything about it at all.

    ===========

    Author''s Note (Feb. 22, 2022):

    Follow Lana Huang and Liam Sy in their rollercoaster love story by searching and adding the book "The Law of Attraction". Again it''s a standalone book so no need to read in sequence. By the way, I think that book was by far my most successful one so make sure you read it.. Haha! Thanks.

 Chapter 187 - To Abduct

    Raine went out of the meeting room and let the rest watch the rest of the trial if they wanted to. Walking around, she stumbled into the sight of Boris and Aire playing chess in the living room.

    "The trial ended?" Boris asked when he saw her.

    Raine shook her head as she sat beside Aire.

    "I guess it''s boring then," he added, noting Raine''s distraught expression.

    It wasn''t that it was boring, but she just couldn''t stomach hearing the gruesome deeds Yun had committed. She knew very well that some of them were her father''s fault, like the eradication of King Arthur, his family, and his followers.

    Lazing around, she quietly watched Aire and Boris play for some time. A few minutes later, Lyne appeared from the corner and told her, "The meeting with Yun''s lawyer is already set, Boss."

    Raine nodded as she stood up and signaled Lyne to follow her into her bedroom so that the two of them could talk more discreetly.

    "Boss, aren''t we going to tell Levi and Mia about Tyrone being a mutant?" Lyne questioned.

    Raine let out a long sigh, "Let''s spare them from having additional baggage over their shoulders, Lyne. I don''t want them to end up like you. You''re always worrying too much even when I clearly say that I can handle everything."

    She didn''t bother telling Lyne the truth about Tyrone''s real identity. After all, she was planning on erasing all their memories before her father woke up anyway. It was the better option to make sure that they would be safe and sound in the future. She would also have to erase their memories regarding their involvement in Xander''s case.

    "It doesn''t help that you can''t, Boss¡­"

    "What was that?"

    "Nothing," Lyne blinked as if she hadn''t whispered out her opinions or anything.

    Dismissing what she just heard as a trick of the wind, Raine simply gave Lyne a reassuring smile as she teased, "Well, I think you need to focus more on your own problem, Lyne. Aside from work, that is.

    Lyne only had a pout, immediately getting what her Boss meant with those teasing grins.

    "I see that you haven''t put Boris''s bracelet back on. Levi said that it''s already safe for him to use," Raine pondered.

    Lyne had an awkward smile. She didn''t want her Boss to know that she had made a deal with Boris. She wanted to keep it a secret from her, knowing how their Boss would rightfully react. In short, she simply didn''t want to trouble their Boss who already had enough important things to do on her plate.

    "I think it''s no longer needed. Boris seems harmless now, and much more dedicated in helping us out," she answered with a strained smile.

    "Hmm, alright. I''ll trust your decision on this," Raine nodded before looking at her wristwatch. "I suppose I''ll have to get ready. The trial''s about to end soon."

    Hours passed, and Raine and Lyne proceeded to make their way to the meeting place that they had agreed upon to meet Yun''s lawyer.

    "Do you think he could be trusted?" Lyne inquired.

    There was a wide smile on Raine''s face as she meaningfully mumbled, "He''s Liam Sy, the best amongst the best. His vaunted skills are the reason why Uncle did everything just to get the man to represent him. But little did he know that behind a man''s weakness is always a woman. He might not have lost all his cases all these years, but that was until his opponent became his wife."

    Lyne nodded in understanding. The Boss was honestly playing Prince''s Yun like a damn fiddle right now. Everything was well planned, and their Boss had everything dancing to the pull of her strings. The Mirage Trial was like a play being directed by their Boss, and none knew about it except her, Levi, and Mia.

    The two were already in the car when Mia suddenly called.

    "Boss, we have a problem," she reported. "It''s the bug on Rui''s phone. Yera has to fly out of the island to do a very important surgery. It might open an opportunity for Prince Yun."

    Raine cursed and hissed, "Why would she do surgery in these crucial moments?!"

    "The person she''s going to operate on is Dr. Rui''s fiance."

    Raine''s shoulders dropped. Yera was the best brain surgeon in the world, so it was understandable that she would volunteer to do the surgery for a close friend.

    "When''s the schedule?" Raine asked to the other line.

    "Boss¡­ It''s on the same day as the second trial¡­" Mia almost whispered.

    Raine clenched her jaw. It was an unforeseen event that could jeopardize everything they had planned for. She mumbled out in annoyance. "This isn''t good¡­"

    Mulling on their options, Raine''s face lit up with the sudden brilliant idea that came to her head. She looked at Lyne and instructed, "Mobilize the squad. I want everyone in Country D that day to surround Yang Globals Hospital."

    *****

    Meanwhile, the trial had finally ended. All of the evidence presented was in favor of Xander''s team, and Yun was getting mad and talking shi*t inside his car.

    "This is not good! I need Xander''s wife before the second trial! Contact Long! I want him to handle the operation in abducting Yera by any means necessary!" Yun barked out. "I don''t care if there''s bloodshed everywhere, so long as that bitch will be in my custody by the end of the day!" he screamed inside the car, his face bright red with fury.

    Beside the man, Tyrone felt his vibrate. Quietly looking at the message, it was Raine, informing him that Yera was about to fly to Country D. Receiving such a message only meant one thing, and that was he should relay this information to Yun.

    "Boss, Raine asked me to go to Country D," Tyrone informed.

    Yun turned to him and hissed, "Any idea why she would want you there?"

    "She received a tip that Xander''s wife will be returning to Yang Globals to do a very important and crucial surgery¡­"

    Yun creased his forehead, but a smirk quickly replaced the hesitation on his face as he inquired, "And when is that?"

    "In two days, the same day as the second trial¡­" Tyrone relayed.

    "Good work, Tyrone. Who would have thought that you could be this reliable? I wonder what that b*tch is up to though¡­"

    "She wants to abduct Miss Yera and strike a deal with Xander Yang without shedding blood. She wishes to get the full power of becoming the ruler of the Moon Clan with Xander''s full consent so that she would look good in everyone''s eyes by the end of it, especially with the Mirage Council." Tyrone reasoned with a heaping dose of bullshit, and Yun seemed to eagerly buy it with his nodding.

    "Sneaky bi*tch as always!" Yun scorned with gritted teeth. He could not wait to wipe Raine''s existence once he became the ruler of Moon Clan.

    Tyrone was honestly confused on why Raine would want Yun to know about these sensitive details, but he trusted her and her plans.. His shoulders dropped, however, knowing that he only had two more days left to handle the problems on his side, which was honestly giving him a hard time.

 Chapter 188 - Revealing The Truth

    That night, Raine waited patiently for Tyrone to come back. She was way too worried about his progress in his part regarding the Convel Society. Lying on her bed, it was past ten when she heard his footsteps echo inside the bedroom.

    Getting up from bed, she sighed, seeing the weariness in his aura. "Are you struggling?" Raine asked as she signaled him to sit on the side of her bed.

    Tyrone let out a long sigh and weakly whispered, "I will need more time¡­ I''m sorry."

    Raine hugged him from behind and whispered, "That''s alright. I think we can wait for you to finish your business with the Convel Society." She then reassured him as she spoke, "Let''s talk to the rest tomorrow and explain everything to them. I''m sure we can work on other things and delay the attack. I''ll also talk to Janus and see if we can have more time. I''ll have to inquire about the longest possible time that Father could theoretically stay inside the capsule."

    She wasn''t going to lie to herself. She had already expected that things would turn out like this.

    "Will it be okay for the others to find out the truth?" Tyrone hesitantly asked.

    "I don''t know to be honest but regarding the future. Aire is our great proof. We can tell them the truth that she''s our daughter who came from the future. It''s no big deal since they won''t remember Aire anyway once the blue moon appears," Raine reasoned.

    "Alright then. Let''s do what you think is best¡­" he agreed with a worn-out tone.

    Raine frowned. "You sound exhausted. Come, I''ll give you a nice massage to help you relax," she offered as she pulled Tyrone down to lie on the bed, serving him as she removed his shoes and socks off.

    Tyrone chuckled as he watched Raine take care of him. "I''m not confident that I can relax once you touch me," he scoffed with a naughty grin.

    Raine pouted, "Stop being a pervert and just relax for tonight. I''m really good with massages since I studied for them. Expect parts of your body to feel good after I''m done with them¡­"

    "Hmm, I believe you''ve studied more on how to efficiently give pain to every part of the body," he teased.

    Raine chuckled, knowing that it was true. However, she still defended, "Yeah, but part of that is also about how to give pleasure to the body since, you know¡­ I prefer giving my victims a bit of pleasure first before ending their life."

    "You won''t end my life then, right?" Tyrone teased some more, making Raine roll her eyes before then removing Tyrone''s shirts and pants.

    "Roll over. I''ll start on your back," Raine half-ordered as she grabbed the ointment that she kept on her bedside drawer, totally ignoring the growing bulge inside Tyrone''s briefs.

    "There''s no blue moon again. Though I believe that it will appear tomorrow night," Tyrone whispered, followed by a pleasurable groan as Raine started moving her soft hands to work the muscles in his nape. Her fingers dug deep into his skin, kneading his stiff shoulders before moving on to his back.

    "That''s too soon then. I hope it''ll be delayed for a bit more," Raine murmured with a pout.

    "Are you busy tomorrow? How about we give her a farewell party?" he suggested.

    "Hmm, but I don''t want to bid her farewell since we''ll be seeing each other again," she hummed in thought. "How about we just bring her to an amusement theme park tomorrow right after we talk to the others? I can spare the day for her tomorrow," she suggested as she continued to expertly massage her man. She wanted him to relax and rest because he had been working so hard in the past few days, not just for her, but also for the Convel Society. And not to mention the fact that he still had to report to Yun and make sure that things would move according to her plans.

    Raine had an elegant smile on her face when she finally felt Tyrone''s body relax. He was close to dozing off, so she made sure to give him a gentle touch as she dug her fingers into his soft and fleshy muscles and kneaded them gently.

    She didn''t stop even though she already knew that Tyrone was asleep. After some time, she finally moved and pulled the sheets over Tyrone''s body. She then laid down beside him and snuggled in as close as she could. Giving him a soft kiss on his lips, she whispered with a smile, "I love you... Goodnight¡­"

    Raine then closed her eyes, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

    *****

    The following day, Raine called everyone in her house for a meeting.

    "What''s going on?" Lyne asked Mia and Levi, only for the two to only shrug in their shared cluelessness. She then turned to Boris, who also shook his head. The unwarranted wink she got in exchange, however, ended up souring her mood. Aire, who saw the silent exchange, simply chuckled at the interaction.

    A few minutes later, Raine entered the meeting room with Tyrone. She had a stern expression on her face as she positioned herself to be the center of attention.

    "I''ve called you all to inform you that we will be delaying the attack on the Convel Society for now. Hopefully, we can prevent bloodshed from happening," Raine started.

    "What?!"

    Everyone in the room burst out in chorus except for Aire and Tyrone. Understandably so, seeing as all the work they''ve put into the operation might essentially be going to waste.

    Raine let out a long sigh before she started explaining the situation. The team''s eyes were glued on Tyrone and Aire as they listened to her narration, her words revealing the truth about the current situation.

    "Pinch me¡­" Mia absentmindedly asked Levi.

    "No, slap me!" Levi replied with a frown as they all stared at Tyrone and Aire in disbelief.

    "This can''t be! What about Danos?! I need his head!" came Boris''s violent reaction. However, his body suddenly stiffened as he felt Lyne''s hand squeeze his leg from under the table.

    He turned and looked at Lyne, who merely gave him a silent glare telling him not to say a word. Boris frowned, but as Lyne signaled, he did his best not to open his mouth. The fact that her hand remained on his thigh also helped him not to make a fuss. His heart was beating so loud and fast with that simple gesture from Lyne.

    "Are you really from the future?" Levi asked Aire, the little girl nodding in affirmation. "Oh gosh, please tell me what happens in the future? I mean, what will happen to me?!" he curiously asked.

    Aire was about to open her mouth when Raine scolded, "Don''t say anything!" All eyes went on Raine, so she explained, "Don''t ask Aire about the future. My daughter will face an ordeal with any alteration she might cause to the future while she''s staying here.. And also, we will now be going out as a family since there''s a high possibility for a blue moon tonight, causing Aire to disappear back to her era."

 Chapter 189 - Another Full Moon

    Raine and Tyrone brought Aire to the amusement theme park early in the morning, so the girl had enough time to enjoy the attractions with them to the fullest in case the blue moon indeed appeared that night.

    "Is this your first time going into an amusement park?" Raine asked, seeing how her daughter had looked so much in awe as soon as they entered the park.

    "Yes, Mommy. I can''t tell you the reason why though," Aire whispered.

    The future mother had a bright smile as she praised, "That''s fine, Sweetie. And good job. Less talking means fewer mistakes on your part. Anyway, at least now you get to enjoy this¡­"

    Behind the two, Tyrone watched the mother and daughter pair walking hand in hand in front of him. He was glad to see how Raine also acted like a kid while mingling with her daughter. She was laughing and smiling beautifully, and it was exactly how he just wanted to make Raine happy for the rest of her life. It was mesmerizing, seeing her being carefree and not having to worry about anything else aside from him and their future children.

    Catching his own thoughts, Tyrone let out a sigh. He knew that it wasn''t possible at that point in time. Still, he quickly shrugged off the negative thought and called the two, saying, "Wait for me!" He then chuckled as he placed himself in between the two, putting his arms over each of their shoulders.

    Raine and Aire laughed at his actions, both of them simply holding on to Tyrone''s waist. The two girls'' hands met on the man''s back, clasping one another as they held on to those they held dear.

    The family enjoyed each other''s company, and soon enough, the hours passed by so quickly¡­ The sun was starting to set when Raine and Tyrone decided to go somewhere uphill where they could admire the lovely sunset, also making sure that there was some semblance of privacy for the three of them.

    Grabbing the blanket he brought, Tyronespread it across the ground, making sure that they picked the perfect spot for the view.

    "Daddy is always so ready for everything," Aire praised in amusement as she sat on the blanket with her mother. Being prepared, Tyrone also put an extra blanket over Raine and Aire''s shoulders so that they could share. Immediately, Raine cuddled Aire deep into her embrace.

    "Let me join in on the action," Tyrone chuckled as he sat beside Aire, who was now in between her loving parents.

    "The sun''s setting soon, and I really hope that there''s no blue moon," Raine cautiously hoped with a pout as tears unconsciously fell from her eyes. The flow of hopeful sadness only intensified when she felt Aire hug her tightly.

    Meanwhile, back at Raine''s private residence, four people gathered in the control room with Draki to discuss important changes and to allocate the tasks required for the sudden change of plans. There were sighs coming off from each and every one of them with every conceivable roadblock they had to address.

    "This isn''t good." Boris was the first one to break the silence. Bringing in Danos''s head was his only way to win Lyne over, but it would be impossible for him to do so alone. He had never planned to do it by himself. He needed Raine''s support for his plan to work.

    "I know, right? We prepared hard for it. I mean, didn''t the Boss know how Mia and I worked our brains off for that barrier?" Levi complained with a sigh. "And implanting small bombs throughout the areas wasn''t-"

    "That''s enough, you two. There''s no point in getting bitter and discussing grievances like this," Lyne cut the complainer off. "The Boss knows what she''s doing, and I''m sure it''s for the best¡­ at this moment, at least."

    "Lyne''s right¡­ But what cracks me up more than anything else is Aire''s identity," Mia humorlessly chuckled. "I mean¡­ Damn, so Tyrone and the Boss in the future became husband and wife, and she- Ah, no wonder I feel like I''m seeing the Boss whenever I look at Aire. That sly little devil was like the mini-Boss with her cunning bargains and stuff!" she exclaimed. She still couldn''t believe how Aire played them all dancing to her tune.

    "And the worst part of it is that she''s about to return to her own time tonight without us even having the opportunity to interrogate her about the future," Levi almost pouted in disappointment. "Oh, right. We can''t do that since there''s some kind of ordeal coming for her if we do that¡­"  he contorted. He then squinted his eyes in Draki''s direction and scoffed, "No wonder you''re here, Draki. You''re nothing but a replacement, huh!"

    "Now, we know why that little brat knew a lot of things about us, giving us love advice an-" Mia paused as her eyes met Levi''s. ''That only means that Levi and I would end up together in the future, right?''

    Her face reddened, and so did Levi who probably had the same thought. Or was it close to that one? Mia wasn''t sure since she didn''t know what exactly Levi and Aire talked about. Still, she was sure that such was the case since she finally put the pieces together with the hints Aire subtly gave her whenever they spoke about Levi.

    The awkward atmosphere was interrupted when Lyne got up from the chair and said, "There are more than a lot of things we need to discuss as a team. I will need to talk to Dylan first so that he could relay the information to others as the Boss instructed." She then moved to proceed with her orders. Since the plan was already perfect, everyone involved had been ready to execute their objectives the moment the Mirage Trial ended tomorrow.

    Lyne had to disseminate the new orders, which were to delay the plans and wait for further instructions.

    Seeing his mate leave, Boris also stood up from his chair and quietly followed behind Lyne. Sensing him behind her, however, Lyne halted her steps and turned around to face Boris with an arched brow.

    Boris scratched his head and hesitantly murmured, "What would happen to us now?"

    Lyne didn''t expect such a question, but she could understand where Boris was coming from and his sentiments. She let out a long sigh before she turned back and instructed, "Follow me¡­"

    Boris returned her sigh and followed her to her bedroom. Noticing where they were, he inwardly cursed, thinking how he should behave and control himself knowing that they were alone in an enclosed space alone.

    Casually sitting on the couch, Lyne looked at Boris in a daze and murmured, "Let''s make our conversation quick because I have to talk to the team and relay the changes in plans for tomorrow, Boris. You do know that tomorrow will be a crucial day."

    Boris sat beside her and gathered enough courage as he said, "I''ll try my best to kill Danos on my own, Lyne. Can I ask you to please still allow me to be close to you? Can we at least date formally? Like, give me enough of a grace period of your choice? Please let me show you how sincere I am. Please give me a chance."

    There was a moment of silence before Lyne looked at Boris with a faint smile as she said, "I will answer you tomorrow, Boris, after the Mirage Trial. For now, let''s finish the work at hand¡­ I need to relay important matters to the team."

    Boris understood Lyne. As such, he quietly left her bedroom.

    Letting out a long sigh, Lyne grabbed her mobile phone to start dialing back the plans. She had mixed emotions with the sudden turn of events. She was worried but relieved at the same time. Worried since her chance to get revenge would be delayed or could no longer happen anymore, relieved that somehow they did not need to go to fight. She was honestly worried for everyone''s safety¡­ Yes, they were trained enough and the high technology weapons to their advantage, and yet, in reality, their human bodies were not as strong as werewolves.

    She let out a sigh and she was about to dial Dylan''s number, but the sun outside her balcony looked so beautiful that she took her time staring at it for a while. She even walked to her balcony and had her time to enjoy the peaceful scenery at that moment. It was so beautiful how the sun would set like that and later rise again¡­

    The sunset was quicker than usual. Soon enough, the full moon graced the night sky in all of its splendor. There was a moment where everything seemed to freeze, and Lyne suddenly shook her head and murmured, "Did I forget to do something? Why do I feel like there''s something I need to do but I can''t remember?"

    She then looked at the sky. "Another full moon? It''s the second time this month, so it''s the blue moon¡­"

 Chapter 190 - Missing Details In Her Memories

    "Raine?" Tyrone worriedly called out when Raine suddenly zoned out. The full moon was up, and Tyrone could only watch as Aire disappeared in his arms in a blink of an eye. Raine saw it too, but there was a long pause from her, staring blankly at the direction where Aire was sitting. "Raine¡­" he called out once more, with her finally blinking as a calculative frown appeared on her forehead. She then looked around, with Tyrone simply observing her reactions.

    "Something feels weird," she whispered as she looked at her wristwatch and murmured, "Sh*it, we should head back. There are a lot of things to do. I need to see Janus and see Father''s condition."

    Without even batting an eye, Raine stood up and walked towards the car. She then stopped mid step and turned to him with snapped brows as she exclaimed, "What are you waiting for!? Enough with the leisure. There''s still so much work to do."

    At her words, Tyrone quickly moved and picked up the blankets. He then walked towards the car and started the engine to get back on the road.

    "Don''t you remember, Aire?" he couldn''t help but ask as they made their way back to base.

    "Aire? Who''s that?" Raine tersely asked.

    "Ah, nothing, I mean the air¡­ A while ago at the hill. The air was so good and you liked it," Tyrone whispered with an awkward tone.

    "Air? I honestly feel weird, Tyrone. Did something happen? I feel like there''s something I''m forgetting, but I can''t point it out," Raine frowned as she parsed through the muddy spots scattered throughout her memories. Her eyes then suddenly widened as she turned at Tyrone, giving the latter a suspicious look.

    Tyrone could feel the intense stare of Raine from the corner of his eyes. "What?"

    "Did you somehow use the Glawackus powder on me, Tyrone?" Raine accused with a dark expression on her face.

    He let out a long deep sigh before he replied, "Of course not. Why? What''s going on? Is something wrong? Do you feel sick or something?"

    He was about to steer the car to the side of the road, but Raine stopped him as she said, "Just drop me home and report back to my uncle. Tomorrow is a crucial day, so stay with him at the trial till then¡­"

    "I understand," Tyrone whispered. He did need to stay with Yun tonight and make sure that everything was going well according to Raine''s plans.

    Reaching Raine''s private residence, Tyrone stopped the car.

    "You go on ahead," she tersely stated as she moved to go out. However, Tyrone held her back by the wrist. Turning around, Raine was about to ask why she was being held up only to suddenly feel Tyrone''s lips smack against hers.

    Tyrone had kissed her passionately as he whispered, "I love you, Raine. My sweet vixen..."

    Raine lovingly smiled at him. Raising her hand, she touched his face, caressing it as she murmured, "So cheesy¡­ You''re giving me goosebumps. Geez¡­ You should be going."

    She gave him one last kiss before she left the car and went inside the house. Seeing her disappear behind the door, Tyrone then drove the car out to his next destination.

    He had a sigh as he complained, "It''s so unfair that I''m the only one who can remember Aire."

    *****

    Meanwhile, the smile on Raine''s face faded as soon as she went inside the house and received Dylan''s call.

    "Boss, the men are ready for the attack on the Convel Society tomorrow, right after the Mirage Trial¡­" Dylan informed.

    Raine felt lost. She didn''t know what was going on, but it felt as if there were a lot of missing details in her memories.

    "Dylan, I''m not sure what''s going on, but something feels wrong," Raine voiced out her confusion as she listened to Dylan discuss the previous plans and instructions she somehow gave to her squad members. She recalled some of the details, but there truly seemed to be some missing pieces that she only managed to put together once Dylan discussed every tidbit of information to her one by one.

    "Boss, are we good for tomorrow or should we cancel or delay it?" Dylan asked.

    "We will move as planned, Dylan," Raine reassured before ending the call. Still, something wasn''t right, and she could tell that some of her memories were lost. Rightfully, there was only one thing that could explain this¡­ the memory loss powder¡­ someone had used it on her.

    Immediately, she called Lyne and the rest to convene in the meeting room to discuss the operation for tomorrow. Raine walked in with her complete squad waiting for her. Standing in the center, she began with a stern conviction.

    "Tomorrow is a crucial day. We will proceed as planned; we will attack the Convel Society as soon as the sun sets," Raine reconfirmed. "Do you all know the details?"

    Having asked her question, it was there that found out that the others were experiencing similar feelings as hers.

    "I don''t understand. I feel like my head''s about to burst just from thinking about all this. What did I miss? Something''s happening with my memories, but I just can''t recall doing some of these things that I apparently did," Mia painfully mumbled, utterly confused as she checked her laptop.

    Raine clenched her jaw¡­ She looked at Levi and instructed, "Could you check the CCTV footage in the house and see if something weird happened? I feel like someone used memory loss powder on us."

    The latter nodded, understanding what her Boss was trying to say.

    "Memory loss powder?" Boris inquisitively asked.

    Lyne looked at him and explained, "It''s just a phrase we usually use when something feels weird¡­"

    "I see¡­" the large man nodded before noticing something else that seemed off. "By the way, what about Tyrone? Isn''t he supposed to be here so that he would know about the plan?"

    "No¡­ Starting tomorrow, he will be out of the Moon Clan. Father will wake up soon, and mutants are still forbidden inside the territory," Raine tersely spoke before then turning to Boris as she added, "You as well. You shouldn''t show yourself in this place as soon as we''re finished with the attack on the Convel Society. There''s a barrier ready to deploy, and Levi will put it up starting tomorrow night. It will cost you and any other mutant your life if you ever attempt to enter the Moon Clan territory."

    "I understand," Boris whispered with a sad voice.

    For some reason, he already felt comfortable staying at Raine''s residence and with the people in it. All he needed to do was kill Danos tomorrow, and Lyne would agree to be with him.

    Looking at Lyne, he sighed deeply as he thought about the task at hand.

 Chapter 191 - Iâ€™ll Be Taking Over From Here

    At the Moon Clan Royal Mansion.

    "Boss, Xander''s wife has arrived at Yang Globals Hospital to perform a surgery," Mr. Long reported. They may have already found out that Yera was staying at Plumeria Island, but it was still quite hard for them to get inside and break the high levels of security on the island.

    "Make sure you''ll be able to get her, Long. I want her in our hands," Yun ordered as he blew smoke out of his mouth. "Xander is preparing to reveal more strong evidence tomorrow. But with his wife in our hands, he would surely back out with all those accusations."

    Yun could feel that Xander was up to something that could give him a great disadvantage in the trial. The worst part was that the judge was a real impartial one. He was a pain, but laying a hand on that judge was akin to asking for an open war against the other clans, something that Yun couldn''t afford to let happen. He wanted to live and rule, not die like a wild dog.

    Looking at his two most trusted men, Yun hissed. "If you two disappoint me on this¡­ You both know very well how you will end up¡­" he threatened. "I don''t keep useless people around me, and those who know my secrets cannot be allowed to live. So if you two want to stay alive, make sure you do things properly!"

    Tyrone watched the conversation between Yun and his men from his room, quickly relaying any relevant information to Raine.

    Raine, who was inside her bedroom, called her pet, "Draki!"

    The handsome wolf ran towards her, and Raine smiled. "Are you ready for some killing? Or should I just leave you here?" she whispered, enthusiastically playing with her pet despite the fact that she couldn''t remember how she got the pet wolf. Either way, she was still sure that the wolf was hers.

    Turning on the widescreen, everything that was happening inside Yang Globals Hospital popped up in her feed. Scanning her screen, she eventually saw Yera enter Xander''s office.

    Raine flashed a smirk, knowing how things were going according to her plans. She would let her uncle abduct Yera, who the man would definitely bring in to one of his hide-outs in the country. He wouldn''t dare harm her till tomorrow, though, so for now, she could get enough sleep and recharge before rescuing the pregnant woman tomorrow.

    ****

    Morning came, and Raine immediately checked in with Mia and Levi to see if they found anything suspicious from the CCTV footage inside her house.

    "Boss, there''s nothing suspicious at all. Everything seems normal, even Tyrone''s movements," Levi reported, yawning at the lack of sleep from checking on everything.

    "Hmm, alright. Take a bit of rest and let Mia substitute for you," Raine instructed. "Get at least four hours of sleep before our attack on the Convel Society later. For now, I''ll be leaving to play as some knight in shining armor while rescuing a pregnant woman."

    Seeing the two nodding at her words, she casually grabbed one lollipop, peeled it open, and then put it in her mouth, rushing outside. Dalgon had already contacted her, informing her of the location where Yun brought Yera after Mr. Long had succeeded in kidnapping her. She was sure it had left a bloody affair, leaving a lot of civilians wounded from their clash with the military officers. As such, she already had her team pull out that night and return back to her at Country V.

    Arriving at the hideout, Raine made it just in time for a break in the Mirage Trial. Looking at the proceedings, Yun had seemingly already sent Xander a video copy of the abduction of his wife with a threat to kill Yera if Xander wouldn''t back down from the trial.

    Unfortunately, it was way too easy for Raine to enter the hide-out with Dalgon''s help.

    Walking forward, Raine could already hear the commotion inside the room where Yera was being held. Hearing how Long was threatening the pregnant woman, she hurriedly barged her way inside.

    At that moment, Mr. Long got pissed off with Yera''s yelling and spit. He was about to hit the woman when the door suddenly opened with a loud bang!!

    Yera''s eyes widened, seeing Raine standing on the forcefully opened door. The woman then immediately barged inside, casually looking at all the men present with a lollipop rolling in her mouth.

    "You! You''re one of them? Who are you?" Yera whispered in great shock, staring blankly at Raine, who had just entered through the broken door. She stood in front of Mr. Long, glaring at him with her beautiful but burning red eyes.

    "Princess Raine? What are you doing here?" Mr. Long asked with round eyes as she quickly removed his hand from Yera''s face. His face paled in shock. Their operation relating to Yera''s abduction was strictly confidential, so how did she even find them? ''How come she''s here?'' he annoyingly thought.

    "What? You didn''t expect me to come here?! For real, Fatty Long?" Raine lazily questioned, grabbing a chair from the side and taking a seat. She crossed her legs as she stared at the man with a scrutinizing look. "Since when did you get the authority to ask questions to me? How dare you question my presence here!"

    Yera could only stare at the woman that they all called Raine in disbelief. She was a Princess? She''s connected to these horrendous people?

    Raine turned to Yera and asked, "Are you alright, dear? Did they somehow hurt you? Tell me if they even made as little as a scratch on you, and I will cut every limb off this Fatty Long for every scratch!"

    Yera gulped, almost making her cut her tongue out in fear. She was speechless, staring blankly at Raine in disbelief. She didn''t know what to say to her as she was sure that she was a part of the gang, and maybe even held a higher position than all the other goons who were currently in the room.

    A long deep sigh escaped Raine''s lips before glaring back at Mr. Long with a grunt, "Hey, Fatty Long! Don''t you know that it''s rude to kidnap a pregnant woman?!"

    Mr. Long twitched upon hearing her words. He truly felt like beating her to death just for her calling him in that way. He couldn''t even dare, however, unless he wished to die.

    "Fatty Long, she looks surprised and scared! What did you do to her, huh?" Raine added with a hiss.

    Mr. Long inwardly cursed and glared at his men. ''How did the bitch even manage to locate them!?'' he irritatingly cursed. If Yun ever finds out about Raine getting involved in this, they would surely be dead.

    "What''s with that face? Is this operation supposed to be a secret from me?! You look pissed off¡­ Fatty Long..." Raine chortled with a raised eyebrow.

    That childish woman was getting on his nerves now. She was the only one who called him Fatty Long. If not for her father, King Marcus, who doted on the bitch so much, he, himself, would''ve already taken her as one of his women to tame.

    "Tell my uncle that I''ll be taking over from here," Raine instructed with a stern look.

    Mr.. Long gulped, knowing what that look meant for him and his men.