Mated to A Rival Alpha-Chapter 252: In Which Home Had The Unexpected

[2 months ago]

[RANIA]

The human lands were quiet and peaceful, unlike what Rania had been used to. It was all too new, seeing people wake up and don’t even think of war. The humans were different from them in so many ways and Rania knew she would never wish to live as a human.

They had plain lives, no battle training, just waking up and going to bed like they were programmed to function for eight hours a day. It wasn’t what she wanted but she couldn’t choose.

She had just been with Chang Wook for a month and was trying her best to fit in. It wasn’t easy given the instant change, but with her banishment and current rogue status, Rania knew that she didn’t have any better options.

She just had to wait it out and the only thing that was keeping her sane through the home away from home, was the fact that she had Dalrae to look forward to.

Her sister had been adamant about the meeting every three months and frankly, now that Rania thought about it, it was the only good thing about being on this side of the realm.

"You’re thinking about her again?" Chang Wook asked when he saw Rania staring at the television absentmindedly.

There was a show running but she wasn’t interested in that. Nothing about this side made her happy and if she hadn’t been with one of her best friends she would have already gone back to obren to cause trouble.

At least sparring with her sister and her warriors had always kept her on her toes. On this side, there was nothing to excite her. The humans didn’t fight or even spar. It is like they are just living to live and wake up.

But they couldn’t be blamed given their little lifespan anyway. But even then that wasn’t an excuse for them to be that boring, right?

"Rani—" Chang Wook tried again but Rania was too deep into her thoughts that she wasn’t even hearing him. She missed home, and while she wasn’t about to openly admit it, she missed Obren too. At least back home there was something to live for and excite her.

Chang Wook looked at his best friend, the girl who had so many desires and yet whose desires had been thwarted by a kingdom that didn’t pay enough attention.

Even to that day, Chang Wook refused to believe that Rani had murdered Yanna just because she could. There had to be some other reason other than to cause Jihoon pain and he could only hope that she trusted him enough someday to let him in.

So in silence, he plopped on the couch next to her as he tried to watch the show that was ongoing. However, even he had something else in mind, or rather, someone else in mind. A woman, one who could either make or break his friendship with Rania.

But how was he supposed to explain that it hadn’t been his desire to do this? He had been thinking about her a lot, the beautiful girl with long dark hair.

Granted all the women in Obren had jet black long hair but Chang Wook had taken an interest in one so forbidden and one who would probably get him in trouble with Rania. But how else was he supposed to explain that she was his heart’s greatest desire?

How was he to tell Rania that he hadn’t intended for it to happen and that he would try and stay away? The game of what was always going to be a delicate one and they both knew it.

"If you so much as breathe I will blow your brains off," a voice was heard followed by an instant around a gunshot, one that did well to snap both friends from their thoughts because they became suddenly alert to their surroundings and were looking for the threat.

It was a crazy situation and even worse when they realized that they were too cooped up in their own world to even notice the presence of the other.

"These humans are erratic and careless as fuck. If someone tried that with me I would break their neck faster than they could the trigger," Rania said as she pointed at the chaos that had been playing in the background.

"When did you come down?" Rania asked, finally taking a look at her friend. It was already midday and they really didn’t have anything to do on this side, at least today.

Of course, Chang Wook had gotten a job as a law enforcer and he knew a thing or two about the humans. Well, that was expected, right?

"Just a few minutes ago," Chang Wook lied as he didn’t want to tell Rania that they had both been spacing out for more than an hour.

"You were thinking about her again, right?" Chang Wook asked again.

He was curious about Dalrae, more than he could ever admit to Rania. He wanted to know what she liked, how she did her stuff, and what made her happy.

He had so many questions but he didn’t want to ask Rania, not when she was missing her sister. It would be hard to face both of them.

"I wonder how she is doing. It is almost a month to the festival and I really don’t want her to get in trouble. She is alone with the crude Incayon wolves and who knows what they might do to her especially now that they know that I am away?

"What if someone attacks us? What if someone tries to run her life?" Rania asked worriedly as she stared at the television again.

She hated what she was feeling but then it wasn’t like she could go back to Obren and find it all out for herself. She just couldn’t, at least not his time and that was fucking with her mind.

"She is strong. From what you said, she doesn’t seem like the type to allow anyone to walk over her. She is strong and powerful like you and I doubt she will just sit on the sidelines.

"Besides, didn’t you say that the wolves of Incayon loved her? It won’t be that hard, right?" Chang Wook said, however, the longer he talked, the more he seemed worried for Dalrae in a different way.

And that got Rania’s attention.

Was her best friend flailing for a girl he had only ever met once? Then again wasn’t Rania’s life in the ruins because of a man she had met once and the goddess had decided to force him on her?

Oh, how they were in their own shit holes, but this time, Chang Wook’s predicament was interesting, because Rania was also curious about what Dalrae would think of this.

"You like Lim Lim?" Rania asked and Cgamnh Wook looked at her like that was the most absurd of all the things that he had ever heard. It wasn’t daily that they went on to face such realities. But what if it was an assumption?

"No way. How would I like a woman I barely know anyway? She is just someone that you care about and you are worried for her, so that makes me worried for her too," Chang Wook defended quickly and Rania let it go.

Maybe she was just overthinking but was she?