Disgusting.

Mordeu stood there, unable to process what was going on. His gaze flickered from Cillian’s calm expression and seemingly tired movements to Kai’s panicking countenance. 

Kai was waiting for him to say something, but Mordeu could not even form words, his tongue was failing him. He could only look towards Cillian for help, hoping that the other would see the struggle that Kai had brought upon him.

Cillian looked over his shoulder slightly; Mordeu was standing behind him. He said nothing but only pulled Kai by the arm. “You’re making a big deal out of this.”

Kai was flabbergasted at the words spilling from Cillian. He pulled up the hand Cillian had wrapped around his arm. “Do you not understand the gravity of this situation? We’re worried about one, and another has appeared.”

Cillian grabbed his face. “Stop worrying about it. I’m not going to die.” 

Cillian somehow softened his gaze at him, giving him a reassuring look. His fingers gently rubbed Kai’s face, and he watched how the fear and panic Kai had had on slowly dispersed.

Kai took in a deep breath. He visibly, practically melted into Cillian’s hand on his face. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. A smile appeared on his face, and the storm that had been in his eyes subsided.

“I worry because I care about you.” He used a finger to lift Cillian’s face by his chin so Cillian’s eyes could be focused on him.

“I know. You were almost having a panic attack just now. I’ll be okay.” Cillian reassured him with another smile.

Their intimate interaction was suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Cillian turned in the direction of Mordeu; he saw how Mordeu’s expression had hardened and the questioning look he had on. 

Cillian did nothing to soothe his curiosity, but he only shrugged and turned away from Mordeu.

Mordeu wanted to believe that he knew what that shrug meant. However, it wasn’t adding up. There was not a thought that came to his head that could explain what that was between the both of them just now.

They didn’t look like ordinary friends.

Kai cleared his own throat, adjusting his clothes and assuming the air of authority. “I am the leader of the Luna Cavalry.” 

Mordeu’s lips slightly parted. 

The questions that had been flooding his head came to a silence. Kai claimed that he was the leader of the prestigious Luna Cavalry, the same Luna Cavalry they were here training for. 

“With the authority vested in me…” 

“Come on, it’s not like you’re arresting him,” Cillian interrupted him, and he turned to Mordeu. “Kai simply wants to invite you to see my father and the other lords. There, you will repeat what you have just told us to them.”

Mordeu only nodded his head. His brain was too fumbled to even try to say anything. He was thinking why suddenly he had to appear before the three lords just because he was a red wolf, and from what he had heard from Kai, it seems that there exists another red wolf who was imprisoned and, in due time, has to be slaughtered by Cillian.

It was only his deduction from the panicking mess Kai was earlier until Cillian calmed him down.

Cillian’s special gift wasn’t obviously tranquilizing; it seems his ability to smell deeper than any wolf ever could was his special gift. Then if that was it, how did he manage to calm Kai down?

What was going on between them?

Kai led the way in front, and Cillian followed behind him. Mordeu was behind Cillian, looking ahead at the man in front of him.

His steps were casual and almost pristine, his robes were spotless, and under the sunlight, they glowed beautifully. He moved gently but fast, the hem of his clothes failing to touch the earth for a second. It was marvelous.

Suddenly, he stopped walking. Mordeu looked ahead, and Kai was still leading the way out to the front door, but Cillian had stopped following him. Mordeu hurried to where he stood as he scanned Cillian with his eyes for any injuries or unfavorable conditions.

“What happened?” he asked.

Cillian smiled at Mordeu’s worried expression. “Nothing.” He started walking again, and Mordeu was walking right beside him.

“You shouldn’t have said anything. Now your life here is going to be nothing but eventful,” Cillian said.

Mordeu wanted to say something else; he wanted to explain the reason why he had blurted it out, but he decided against it, keeping that realization to himself. More so because if he were to tell Cillian or any other person the reason why he had blurted it out, then it would make what he was feeling real. And if what he was feeling became something real, he would have no choice but to try to regulate his life around it.

He was not prepared for questioning.

“I didn’t think it would be an issue,” he said.

Cillian chuckled. “It’s more than an issue now. This has become the narrative of your life. If you had told me privately, then it wouldn’t be an ‘issue,’ but now, it has altered the trajectory of your life.”

“If I had told you privately,” Mordeu repeated. “Pardon me, I couldn’t just blurt out when we were alone that I was a red wolf. Hell, I didn’t even know it was a thing until Mr. Obsessed-With-You showed up.” 

Cillian squinted his eyes, trying to understand what Mordeu meant. He stumbled with his words. “Mr. Obsessed-With-Me?” 

Mordeu fought back a laugh. “Can you not see how dear you are to him?”

Cillian raised an eyebrow. “He’s my friend; he’s dear to me too. Isn’t your brother dear to you?”

Mordeu shook his head. “It’s not the same thing. He’s touchy with you, and just now when you were pacifying him… and don’t even get me started with that… he really wanted to…” He could not continue.

His eyes fell to Cillian’s lips, and he licked his own. His mouth had suddenly become dry, and it was something he could not fathom. “Just forget about it.”

“He was betrothed to Ayra if she didn’t get a mate in two years. His mate died a year ago, and it is a pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone. However, Ayra has a mate now—your brother. It’s up to us to find him another,” Cillian explained to him.

Mordeu chuckled. There was not a sympathetic emotion he felt towards Kai. “I doubt he wants someone else that isn’t you.” 

“Disgusting,” Mordeu spat out.

Cillian furrowed his eyebrows. “Disgusting that he might like me?” Cillian asked. “Am I too repulsive that I cannot be liked?”