Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Jonea Fallon

I sighed and sat quietly in the tub. I looked up at the ceiling with paintings of clouds and exotic ornaments. My body sags a little. I sink my whole body into the water full of flowers. Only my face is showing on the surface.

"Looks like, starting today, I won't be able to bathe myself."

I closed my eyes, and suddenly Hunter's face flashed back in my mind. The face when he looked at me so coldly while holding the contract paper in his hand.

Instantly I felt goosebumps. I crossed both arms over my chest.

"Why did Hunter go that far? I could understand him having to defend the pack and protect his people. But, is there no other way than submitting and enslaving Luke Draken?"

I just realized the atmosphere in this stone house is so quiet and cold. My bath water is also not warm anymore. It's summer, but why do I feel like I'm shivering so much in this place?

I want to get out of the bath. Something burst out of the slightly open window beside the bath just then. I screamed in surprise and failed to get out of the bath.

I sink my body back into the water. So that whoever snuck in, he doesn't need to see me naked.

I peered over the water's surface and saw three oddly shaped squirrels popping out of the window.

What creatures are they? Very odd shape. Their body is the size of a squirrel, their tail is like a fox's, and their ears are long and drooping like a rabbit's. Their fur looks so soft and bulging like a hamster. I have never seen this strange beast.

I quietly sat down in the corner of the tub, hugging my knees to my chest. Three small animals that resemble squirrels were jumping from the window. They ran around the edge of the bath.

One tail is on my right side, and two are on my left. The three cute and adorable little creatures looked at me with innocent bright red eyes.

"What creatures are you? Are you endemic animals to this place? I've never seen your forms as cute as this."

I stretched out my wet hand very carefully. One of my forefingers tried to reach the top of the head of one of the squirrels on my left. Suddenly the squirrel grabbed my index finger and bit it hard.

"Ow!"

I screamed in surprise and pulled my hand back quickly. He actually bit me.

I checked my forefinger, which was injured, and started to bleed. I put my hand in the water until the blood stopped.

The squirrel that bit me smiled. Yes, the beast really smiles! In my whole life, I have never seen an animal that can smile like a human. I was getting scared and shivering.

"What kind of squirrels are you guys?" I screamed in fear.

Even more surprisingly, one of them started to speak. Genuinely speaking in human language.

"Oh, come on, don't call us squirrels! That name is so tacky. That's just a human term for rodents who like to eat nuts. But we are different!"

"Then what creatures are you guys?"

"Yeah, call us neighbors? Because we live not far from here." The squirrel actually smiled broadly.

"My name is Roka!"

"I'm Moka!"

"And I'm Koka!"

The three were so noisy and excited to introduce themselves while hopping like a squirrel. They really can't stay still.

I giggled at their behaviour. I just realized it was my first laugh since separating from Aland and ending up in the Lycan King's stone house.

"What kind of creatures are you guys? Do you eat humans? One of you just bit me!"

“Ai… ai… ai… calm down! Don't get so excited like that. Your voice is quite loud and bothers my hearing a bit," protested Moka.

"Are you really human? Lycan King brought home a Red Moon Gilr. Because that's what we heard. That's why we came to say hello. But your blood tastes so bland. Tastes like human blood."

This time, it was Roka who spoke. He was the one who bit my finger earlier.

"That Lycan King is quite strange, isn't he? Why did he take a human to be his bride?"

I'm just speechless. So they don't know I'm a red moon girl with Lycan blood in me? That's a good thing. I don't want to attract a lot of attention. Does this mean they are also supernatural beings?

“Sweet… sweet… sweet… Our dear girl!" said the three of them together.

"Our girl?" I repeated their words.

"Don't worry; if you need our help, why don't you join us? Did that Lycan King keep you captive here? He's going to keep you as a slave? We can free you if you ask."

The three of them kept twitching and turning. I was exhausted from following their direction of movement from the corner of my eye.

"Or you can call us best friends!" said Koka. "Because starting today, we will provide you with much information and assistance."

"Yes, that's correct!" said Moka. "Especially the information about the silver-haired youth you've been looking for all this time. Oops!"

Suddenly I jerked awake from the bath. I don't care if they see my naked body or not.

I'm really close to Moka. "Do you mean Aland? How do you know about him? Do you guys know where Aland is? Quickly tell me!"

I was getting impatient and hysterical when I thought they were mentioning Aland.

"Jonea!" Daran called from the bathroom door.

I sat back in the bath because I was shocked and scared that Daran would catch me talking to an alien.

"Aren't you cold? I don't think the water's warm anymore."

"Yes! I'm fine. So you don't have to come in here!"

I quickly got out of the bath and grabbed a towel. I just realized the little creatures have disappeared. I'm still working on them!

I ran to the window and looked for them but saw nothing. I only realized I was standing on that black castle's third or fourth floor? From here, I can see a view of the hills in the distance, which are so beautiful, with flowers scattered out there.

"Hurry out, and we'll have lunch together!" Daran exclaimed.

"Y-yes!" I answered hastily while closing the window.

I rushed to get clothes. Then, I realized I didn't have any clothes other than the white dress Arman gave me at the auction. The dress had also been snatched and destroyed by Daran.

There should be clothes in the room. I saw there was a large cupboard made of wood with intricate carvings.

I came out of the bathroom. Daran was no longer there. This is his room. With hesitation and curiosity, I opened the cupboard.

With only a towel wrapped around my body, I opened the super-large wardrobe wide. All of them contain clothes with uniform models and colours.

"What is this? He actually wore all black in the same style? Every day? Every time? What a boring man!"

I opened another part of the cupboard that looked smaller. There are some drawers. When I pulled it, I quickly closed it again.

"What a disgrace! I'm sorry I opened it."

Why should I look into his private area? If Daran found out, he would definitely be furious.

I closed the cupboard again and put everything back in its original position. Some people who are crazy about neatness will notice if their personal items move even an inch.

"Then what should I wear to go out and have lunch? There's no way I'm going downstairs with just a towel."

After a moment of silence, I saw a chest in the corner of the room. From the chest sticking out a little edge of the cloth. It's women's clothing. I can find something I can use. He must have kept something different from the dull black.

"Whoa!"

I exclaimed in shock. Inside the old chest was a pile of clothes that looked like they had been left unused. I took one and put it on.

"Jonea!" call Daran. This time it sounded even more impatient.

I still need to have time to dry my hair. I ran out of the room, only wearing the old clothes that I found.

"What is this?" Daran snapped when he saw me hurrying into the dining room. "What clothes are you wearing?"