Chapter 2: Kiss Before Goodbye

As she walked proud and confident inside the den of the first pack she would torment in the east, she was dressed in a black trench coat, a brown waistcoat, and a black shirt. These were complemented by her black gloves and trousers, and she was accompanied by black high boots with ornamental buckles. Acheron remained leaning against the door, watching Raenerys do her thing. With his arms folded against his chest, he watched the woman with full admiration for how she can handle herself now and how she can be that intimidating like she was not that woman who once looked pathetic.

Many are waiting for Raenerys. The whole den was silent; everyone seemed to be waiting for a wrong move to be made by the woman from outside, who was now effortlessly approaching them. Despite the lack of expression on her face, they can still sense how unsettling and powerful she is. The entire place is filled with resonance. Fear can't stop her, and they can never read her mind. She's a stranger, but her name is known. Everyone knows about her, and they can't be wrong. It was her, Raenerys the Conqueror.

"We don't remember ever inviting such an extraordinary guest to our place," their alpha says with a hint of calmness and arrogance.

"Well, I am fond of surprises. I like seeing the shock that registers on the faces of the people I surprised. I like it better when that happens." Acheron couldn't help but smirk and shake his head at the way Raenerys spoke. Everything is getting more interesting. It's like he's watching a fun show, and it entertains him well.

The alpha titled his head. Tension is building between Raenerys and the Alpha. But Acheron had no intention of interfering. The alpha signaled his wolves to block Raenerys, which is why the woman stopped in the middle of her attempt to get close to where the alpha was standing. She remained composed and emotionless. She didn't seem worried or scared.

"Get her head, she will be a beautiful decoration at the upcoming festival," the alpha ordered firmly after a moment of silence.

His disciples immediately rushed in the direction of the unmoved woman. She remained standing, seemingly not intending to move, but in an instant, one of those who were about to rush her lost his head. It was fast. No one noticed how she did that without even taking a step with her feet. That caused a heavy intake of breath. Even the alpha was rattled and fixed his composure by what they witnessed. He squinted his eyes at her, but Raenerys's eyes went down to look at her bloody hand. She raised her blood-covered hand to her face level and tilted her face as she watched it, amused.

It was evident on her face how much she liked what she did and saw. It was her pleasure; nothing could stop her thirst. She badly wants to sow terror. She badly wants to kill for blood. She's bloodthirsty. She likes to kill, especially alphas. And she couldn't allow herself to leave this place without bloodshed.

Only a brief period of stillness passed before several more Alpha followers barged back in. The others there were in difficulty as well, but Raenerys repelled those who charged at her with ease. She moves over the body like a goddess of death, stained by the constant splattering of blood. Acheron did nothing until the cowardly alpha decided to leave at those times. Acheron quickly descended in front of the fleeing alpha, obstructing his path and barring him from fleeing his doom.

In contrast to the alpha's face of dread and trembling, Acheron's demeanor remained one of peaceful boredom.

"Who are you? L-let me leave... please! Spare me!" the alpha knelt in front of Acheron. Acheron's impassive visage began to tremble, and eventually, laughter began to seep from his sinful mouth.

Acheron was undeniably pleased with what was happening. Before his chuckle subsided and a deadly countenance took the place of the cheeky and goofy one, he was laughing and enjoying what was happening. But even before the alpha could get up and run away again, it went pallid. Acheron was then able to behead the Alpha as fast as the wind. Acheron's attractive face was stained with his blood, but he didn't seem to mind.

His face lost emotion again. He smelled the blood, and it smelled like their victory. The sky was getting dark when he looked up and stared at it for a moment until he sensed the presence of the woman he was waiting for.

Raenerys was walking lightly towards him. Her face, hands, and clothes were full of blood stains, but she didn't seem to care as he waited for the woman to approach him. They both had no expression on their faces, but their eyes seemed to be talking to each other. His eyes that surveyed her body went up to her face, and she saw her do the same until she stopped in front of him. They stared at each other until Raenerys glanced at the lifeless alpha at Acheron's side before gently resting her head on Acheron's chest.

"Can we go home now, my feisty wolf?" Acheron's voice is plain and calm. It seemed like a cold wind caressed Raenerys and made her shiver. She nodded, and they fixed themselves before they started walking away.

They are not planning to take down every pack here in the east; they only plan to give it a taste so that the rest of the remaining groups will join them. It was like a warning and an invitation. Raenerys strongly believed that the remaining factions would be on their side.

"Only you will return to the West to keep an eye on the den. I will head straight up North." There is a sense of finality with Raenerys's voice; Acheron couldn't help but give her side glances before he nodded his head. "What are you going to do when you see him again?" Raenerys was caught off guard by that question. She looked up at the sky and imagined herself meeting the men she used to love but now loathed.

"I will probably refrain from wringing his neck. It takes strong self-control to do that, but I will." She doesn't want to concern Acheron about letting her travel alone; that's why she said that. However, she is unsure about her potential responses deep down. But if there's one who needs to feel scared and surprised, it must be Nevil Lancaster.

She casts a glance towards the quiescent Acheron. He looks in deep thought as they reach the port. She watches him pull the anchor before glancing at her. The eyes of Acheron remained opaque. She can't help but recall how frightened she was by those eyes when they first met. That's how Acheron has always been. During those months that they were working together, the guy remained mysterious and deceptive. What she knows is what he gave her and what he shows her. Unlike Nevil, the level of Acheron is different. He's a depth you can never swim into. She still doesn't know that much about how his mind works. His calmness, those icy stares, and those playful yet perilous smirks he's giving, Acheron, remained a mystery to Raenerys. She doesn't even know why he despises his own family—he never talked about that, ever.

Acheron approached her and halted a meter away from her. "Nevil is tricky and manipulative—he wants everything to go the way he planned. He wants everyone to function the way he wants them to. He treats everyone like his puppet. That's him." Acheron's voice was certain like he knew his brother. He won't forget those times he experienced living with Nevil before he left the North. He turned to face Raenerys, whose eyes were razor-sharp. She pays close attention to any facts he chooses to impart to her. At that moment, Acheron thought about the one time he saw a kid.

Raenerys never met Acheron when she was a kid. He's busy reading books and training himself, while Nevil was busy befriending Raenerys, but Acheron saw her once. Looking at the woman in front of him right now made him question himself. ..Would she ever turn like this if he approached her? If they became friends? If it was him and not Nevil with whom she fell in love, Acheron wanted to laugh at himself for thinking about that.

He's not capable of loving anyone other than himself. He's selfish. And Raenerys is just his bridge, an instrument he's using. Nothing's more than that. He's worse than Nevil, and he will never have any romantic feelings for Raenerys. Acheron knows himself and what he is capable of. He's a goal freak; what he wants, he gets. He doesn't like failing and losing.

"I know all of that, Acheron." Raenerys shook her head and reached out to pat Acheron's shoulder, but Acheron caught her wrist. She immediately looked up at him. His eyes were dark, as were the surroundings. The moon was their only light, and his hair swayed because of the wind. She can't understand what the man is doing, but she doesn't mind. They did more than touch. They satisfy their needs. Acheron has been her blanket whenever she feels cold and needs heat. She treats her as a toy that she can use whenever she wants to play. They are both using each other for their own benefit." Don't forget to come back to me, Raenerys." His voice was strange and deep, but she just nodded her head. The next thing she knew, Acheron had captured her lips.

Acheron's kisses were nothing like the rough and aggressive ones he's always had, which was odd. He never kissed Raenerys with so much gentleness, and at some point, it caught Raenerys almost drowning and forgetting that she'd go to meet Nevil after a year. The softness and warmth of Acheron's lips were comforting yet hot. It was like he was giving her a kind of volcanic eruption in her mouth, but that gentle disaster stopped when Acheron pulled away, taking one step away from Raenerys.

"You should go. I'll leave after you." Raenerys looked away from the guy from the man who had just wreaked havoc in her system for a split second as she cleared her throat, being jolted out of her trance. She instantly averted her eyes to conceal the strange feeling she felt, looking at the ship she'd use toward the North.

It didn't take her long to stand there and head to her ship. She has men who will send her to the North's port, and while the ship was leaving, she couldn't help but notice Acheron, who was left standing on the beach and watching her from where he stood. He appeared to be intently contemplating something as he gave her a serious gaze.

Raenerys took a while to get the thought of Acheron out of her head. She has no time to reflect on what just transpired between her and Acheron. Acheron is just a tool that she can use all the time, and Acheron treats her the same way. There were more things that demanded her attention, and she didn't have time to include Acheron in them.

. . .