Chapter Eight: Grumpy Old Alecto.

"Take a chill pill. Would you? Why the outburst?" Luna's eyebrow furrowed in confusion. What was going on in her head?

"I'm sorry." Her voice softened. "Let's forget about the outburst. I don't know what came over me."

"Oh! Okay."

Rendall wondered what was on her mind as he studied her.

Was she thinking of rejecting him? He sighed. If that was what was on her mind, then it was good, right? The feeling was mutual, wasn't it? He wondered if she even knew he was her mate.

Helia had always seen herself as someone who was always in control but this werewolf was making her lose control easily and she hated it.

She knew that she needed to do the needful fast and make sure she does not cross paths with the wolf again.

"We should go to Alecto now." Helia feigned a smile and Rendall nodded in agreement to what she had said.

Helia led the way and Rendall walked behind her.

It had been hours after sunset, yet, they had not gotten to Alecto's house. Helia's hair was jet black already and her amber eyes had turned green too. Rendall had watched in wonder as her hair and eye color changed immediately after the sun went down. He had seen nothing like that before. Helia was indeed special. 

After a long walk that wore Rendall out, Helia stopped at a cottage. 

"We're here," Helia announced and Rendall sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness."

"Lazy wolf," Helia scoffed.

"What did you say?"

"I was complimenting you," Helia flashed him a smile that was intended to look fake.

"I heard you anyways."

"How do we call him out to accept us as his guest?" Rendall asked, looking around for any sign of Alecto

"We'll just walk in."

He was not expecting Helia's answer. He walked into the house with her nevertheless and they met an old man sitting at a table with his white hair and back facing them.

Rendall looked around. They were books everywhere and he noticed that a pile of books was what served as the old man's chair.

"Little lioness, why do you bring a werewolf along now that you've finally paid a visit to old Alecto?"

His voice was calm but yet they sent shivers down his spine. Nobody's voice had ever had that effect on him. Rendall had never heard a voice like his before. It was warm and at the same time cold— an unusual combination.

"We have questions. That's why we are here."

"I know why you're here silly." He stood up from his chair of books and turned to face them. He looked at Rendall and scowled. "I just hate the idea of having a werewolf as a guest."

He turned to Helia. "Little lioness, you know this fact."

"I know but since you know why we are here, you must know how important this visit is." 

Alecto smirked and gave a slight nod. "I do and that is why I will consider having a werewolf as a guest for a few days."

"Do you have answers to our questions?" Rendall asked.

Alecto frowned and turned to Helia. "Did you not tell him how much I hate dull and unintelligent people. Staying under the same roof as a werewolf is already annoying and now this werewolf turned out to be dull-witted."

Rendall's face turned red and Helia chuckled. Rendall was beginning to dislike the old werelion.

"I only asked a question. I don't want to waste my time here only to find out that you have no answers to my questions," Rendall said hoarsely and Alecto glared at him.

"I can tolerate a werewolf and a dull person but I can never tolerate a person who gives me attitude. Mind the way you move your tongue whenever I'm around, werewolf," Alecto warned. "If I seem overbearing, you can use the exit."

"Control yourself, Rendall," Helia said to Rendall sternly, supporting Alecto.

"But---" Rendall stopped talking when he saw that Helia was beginning to glare.

"Apologize," Helia said in a commanding tone and Rendall's eyes widened. He could not believe his ears. Was she seriously telling him, the heir of Wulfe to apologize?

Rendall looked at Alecto who had a smug look on his face then he turned to Helia. "But He---"

Helia glared hard at him and he did not protest again.

"I'm so sorry for my careless outburst." Rendall's head bowed in defeat. His ego had been trampled upon. A feat nobody had ever been able to achieve until now. Wow! He had just spent a few minutes with this man and he was already making things hard for him. 

"Your apology is not sincere enough," Alecto began, pissing Rendall off. " But, I'll forgive you and this forgiveness comes with a price. My cravings for meat increase daily but for years now, I have not had a taste of flesh. Tomorrow, you would go into the forest, hunt, and bring all the games you would catch to me."

This man was unbelievable, Rendall thought to himself.

"But you're a werelion so why---"

"I won't say it again. If I seem overbearing, you can use the exit," Alecto interrupted. Rendall looked at Helia but to his dismay, he saw her glaring at him. He did not blame her though. They both needed Alecto's help and he, Rendall was making it hard.

"I'd do as you say." Rendall had to give in.

********************

As Rendall opened his eyes, he a ray of light struck it and he twitched his eyes. 

"Ouch!" He winced in pain as he felt a sharp pain at the back of his head but the pain left as fast as it came.

He sat up straight on the straw mat and looked through the window. The sun had risen and beautiful songs of birds could be heard. It was a beautiful morning which was ruined as he remembered what had happened yesterday.

His host's behavior did not please him. He groaned when he remembered that he had to hunt for the grumpy old man. He loved hunting but he hated the fact that he had no choice but to hunt for the grumpy man. It was like he was commanded to do so and would have to face consequences if he did not. He would be an Alpha soon so how could he let this old man command him as he liked. He was no one's servant but the heir of Wulfe and a soon-to-be Alpha of wolves.

"Instead of being hospitable, he demanded that I should hunt for meat instead," Rendall grumbled as he walked out of the room he had slept in. 

Helia's room was opposite his and her door was widely opened. He stood at the entrance of her room and he watched Helia's lion sleep. Her mane was the same color as Helia's hair during daytime— it was blonde. It was shorter though. As he watched the lioness, he thought of how it looked like Helia's daytime look.

Conri wanted to mark it mate badly but Rendall thought of ten thousand reasons why he had to reject this mate of his. She was a werelioness afterall and will most likely reject him as her mate. The thought of Helia rejecting made his chest ache and he wondered why. He thought she was beautiful but they were other beauties in the world so why should the thought of her rejection hurt him?

She opened her eyes. She must have sensed someone watching her so she looked at the entrance immediately and saw Rendall watching.

Her eyes were fixed on him for a while until he was able to decipher that she wanted him to leave so she could shift and change her clothes. 

Getting the message, he closed the door and opened it when she called his name.

"Why were you watching?" She asked as he stepped his foot into the room. She was in her human form. She was wearing the strapless gown she had given him yesterday. He began to titter.

"I was not. I was just about to leave for hunting."

Helia gazed at him without saying a word. It took a while before she finally said something.

"You should try to get into his good books."

"Is it because he likes reading and loves good books?" Rendall laughed as he thought of how Alecto's dwelling place was filled with books but he stopped laughing when he saw that Helia was frowning at him. "Come on! That was just on a lighter note. The atmosphere was too stiff. I felt laughter would lighten things up a little."

He sighed in surrender when he saw that Helia was still frowning. "I tried my best to compose myself before him but he kept on making things hard."

"Apparently, you weren't trying hard enough."

Rendall frowned. He opened his mouth to defend himself but closed it without saying a word. No matter what he said, he knew that Helia would not see Alecto as the one at fault.

"Rendall," Helia called out softly and this made his heart melt. His wolf got more excited. "Alecto has some information that we need in order to find a way to lift the curse. To get this information, you would have to tolerate him. I know that he is being hard on you and this is really bruising your ego but you should bear it in mind that we would gain a lot if you try to be nice to him regardless."

Rendall nodded his head like how a remorseful child who agrees with his mother after she had scolded him would. He raised his head and his eyes went to the container of elixir that was almost empty.

"You're running out of your magic potion. Tell me what you use in preparing it so I'd get them for you. I would be out in the forest soon, hunting. I can get you the herbs you use while I hunt. Describe what the herbs look like."

"You should not worry. No less than five plants that serve different purposes have the same appearance in this forest. Even if I describe the herbs I use extremely well to you, you would most likely get another herb. It takes a gifted and skilled person to know the specific herb I need."

"Then you should come with. I would hunt while you look for the herbs and other things you would need."

As these words left his mouth, he wondered why he had said the words. He should try to avoid this werelioness but here he was, inviting her to come with him as he went hunting and providing an opportunity for them to spend more time together. 

"I do not think they would be a need for that. Alecto most probably has all I need. I would ask him."

"Little lioness, I have all that you need."

Rendall looked at the entrance, where the voice had come from and he saw Alecto.

Rendall frowned. The old grumpy man was here to annoy him again.