Sera woke up very early that morning, showered and dressed for the day. She looks at the room, the same sense of warmth and nostalgia wraps around her like a comforting blanket. This room feels so welcoming and it surprised her the second she stepped into it last night.
The walls are painted a soft muted beige color, providing a perfect backdrop for the vintage decor. The floors are adorned with weathered, dark wooden plans that creak gently underfoot, adding to the room's charms.
In the right corner, a well-loved armchair sits invitingly, upholstered in a faded floral fabric. Beside it, a small round wooden table holds a brass lamp with a fringed shade that casts a soft, golden glow when illuminated. There is a stack of old books too, neatly placed at the edge of the table.
"I need food," Yuri barges into the room, still in her sleeping clothes.
Sera glances at her, her expression unchanged. "Well, there is a kitchen," she notes dryly.
As if on cue, the doorbell to the cabins rings.
Sera and Yuri both freeze, looking at each other with wide eyes.
"They have food delivery here?" Yuri yawns, scratching her head. "Impressive."
"Probably not," Sera says, her curiosity piqued. She makes her way to the living room, peeking slightly to check who's at their door so early in the morning.
Sera recognizes the man standing at the door and opens it with a surprised smile on her face.
"Good morning," he greets her cheerfully. "I am here to invite you over to our Alpha's house for breakfast. I was sent to get you."
"Wow," Yuri appears beside Sera, now dressed in something more decent. "The grumpy Alpha?"
"Jung Yuri, stop," Sera elbows her friend gently, then turns back to the man. "Are you sure the Alpha invited us?"
"Perfectly sure," Jimin nods with a reassuring smile. "Shall we?"
Sera glances back at Yuri, who shrugs and nods in agreement. With a sense of anticipation and curiosity, they step out and follow Jimin to the Alpha's house for breakfast.
After 15 minutes of walking, they pass a big white kitchen door, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon fills the air inside the Alpha's cabin.
Jungkook is humming softly to himself as he sets the table, moving with an almost practiced ease.
"The food is ready!" he announces dramatically, smiling widely as he looks at the three of them.
Yuri looks at him and then frowns, leaning over to whisper to Sera. "Are you sure he is a Lycan? He's too cheerful."
Sera sighs and ignores her friend. "Mister—"
"Please, call me Jungkook," he interrupts with a wink before pulling out a chair and gesturing for Sera to take a seat.
Overwhelmed by his hospitality but also charmed, Sera smiles and sits down, feeling Yuri's playful skepticism beside her. "Thank you, Jungkook."
"Please, dig in!" Jungkook says, still beaming as he takes his own seat and encourages everyone to dig in.
Just then, the front door creaks open, revealing Taehyung with a stern from etched across his face.
Everyone turns to him, and suddenly the space falls into a pin-drop silence.
"Who gave you the permission to be in my house?" he growls, his eyes narrowing as he locks onto Sera.
"Calm down. I invited them. This is not the time to be all grumpy and mean, Kim Taehyung", Jungkook replies, his tone light yet carrying a hint of firmness.
Taehyung moves his gaze to look at everyone but his eyes return to Sera, and stay.
Sera returns his watchful gaze but looks away as Jungkook helps everyone settle at the table. The air is thick with unspoken tension. Taehyung does not move to the kitchen. Instead, he closes the front door and lingers at the end of the stairs, his presence looming over the gathering.
"What can you tell us about the researchers who came to live with you?"Sera breaks the silence, her voice gentle yet curious.
"All of us knew the researchers - Professor Han and Professor Jun. We have lost contact after they returned to the city"
Sera and Yuri exchange a worried glance, realizing the weight of the grim truth they finally have to share. Sera clears her throat, her eyes catching the sight of Taehyung approaching the dining table.
"I am sorry to be the bearer of this sad news", she says softly, voice tinged with sorrow. "Professor Han and Professor Jun died, 5 months ago"
Taehyung's head snaps to her, his sharp menacing eyes lock onto her with a mixture of shock and confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"It was an accident," Yuri explains.
For the first time, Taehyung's steely facade falters, his gaze lingering on Sera as the weight of her words settles over him like a dense god. The cabin, once filled with the comforting sounds of breakfast, now feels eerily silent, the truth looming heavily in the air.
"And you came here to tarnish their research?"Taehyung snaps, accusingly. Face contorting with anger, fists clenched tightly to his sides, he looks down at Sera. "How dare you come here to continue something that does not belong to you"
"Taehyung-", Jungkook tries to calm him down.
But then Sera immediately stands up, seeing eye to eye with Taehyung, her gaze blazing with confidence. "I am not here to entertain a childish leader of a clan that does not know how to be decent with people or strangers"
She takes a step forward, closing the distance between them. To everyone's surprise, Taehyung inches backward, as if affected by the closeness.
The reaction doesn't go unnoticed. Yuri and Jungkook exchange curious glances, while Sera's heart skips a beat. She hadn't expected him to retreat.
"I am here to finish what my mentors did not get to finish. As much as their death affects you, it affects me too. And Yuri's"
With that, Sera swiftly turns around and walks out of the kitchen, the door slamming gently but it echoes through the tense silence.
Yuri shifts uncomfortably, looking apologetically at Jungkook and Jimin. But she manages a decent nod to Taehyung. "Please excuse her temper", she means it as a joke to lighten the mood. "But you have a temper too", she directs it to Taehyung.
"I apologize for that", Jimin stands up, looking at Yuri with guilt in his eyes.
"I shall take my leave". Yuri excuses herself, making a quick move snatching two pieces of bananas from the table before leaving. The small act brings a brief, fleeting moment of levity but it helps to dispel the somber atmosphere that has settled over Taehyung's cabin.
Jungkook looks at Taehyung, slight frustration evident in his eyes. "Why can't you be nice to them, at least once?"
Taehyung's expression softens slightly, his shoulders slumping as he sighs. "I was rude"
"Then go and apologize", Jungkook urges.
Taehyung shakes his head, that weird feeling swirling in his chest making him close his eyes. "I cannot..."
"Cannot?", Jungkook presses, demanding an answer.
For a long beat, Taehyung says nothing, the silence stretching between them. "That scientist, she..."
"Sera?", Jungkook asks.
"Yes that one. I cannot talk to her", Taehyung groans.
Jungkook stares at him, studying the expression on his face. Then he gasps, slowly, as if a realization hits him.
-
NOTE
Thank you for reading Chapter 3! I hope the story started right for you hehe :D
