After Bella became part of the group, she gradually began to get used to her new circle of friends, even if she still remained the shy and uncertain girl she had always been.

When Bella first sat at the shared table, she was too shy to join the conversation, answered questions timidly, and often lowered her gaze. Despite the fact that she had already gotten along quite well with Lucina and Alice, communicating with the others was still difficult for her. But the hyperactive pixie in a vampire’s body quickly melted her awkwardness, practically dragging Bella out of her shell of shyness.

Rosalie and Jane accepted Bella calmly, showing no prejudice toward the fact that she was human. Since then, Bella had spent a lot of time with everyone, taking part in joint walks, trips to Port Angeles, and other small adventures that brought them even closer together.

Following Alex’s advice, Charlie finally switched into caring father mode. To his surprise, he noticed that his daughter had become more open and talkative—Bella started to tell him about her school days, walks, and friends. It made him happy, even though he still struggled with the idea that his daughter had a boyfriend.

Now their evening routine looked the same: Edward brought Bella home, Charlie stepped outside with his shotgun, glaring at the boy, and the embarrassed Bella smiled as she pushed her father back inside so he wouldn’t scare her suitor. As funny as it looked, these little scenes actually helped Charlie reconnect with his daughter and feel like her father again.

Alex’s life also returned to its usual rhythm. In the morning—breakfast cooked by one of his wives, then a descent into the basement to ask a few questions to the crossroads demon named Albert, and only after that—a trip to school.

The other demon, Greg, turned out to be useless: he didn’t know where Crowley was. As a result, Albert had to endure the company of GIR, MIMI, Stitch, and Claptrap all day long—and by the end of the sixth hour of that madness, he gave up another demon’s name, one who might know where Crowley was hiding. Over the next few days, Alex dragged four more demons into his basement—all based on leads from the tormented Albert, who was ready to tell everything just to have some peace.

Meanwhile, Alex was texting Samantha, who was finishing up her business and preparing to move in with him. He asked how her friends were dealing with the aftermath of that night and whether they were still haunted by nightmares.

As he expected, Josh’s parents had once again sent their son to a therapist. Josh admitted he only wanted to prank his friends as payback for the past and voluntarily agreed to undergo therapy—this time without medication.

Hannah was also recovering. Her parents insisted on therapy sessions, but since she didn’t remember anything from the time she was a Wendigo, the psychiatrists concluded that her mind had simply suppressed those terrible memories—and perhaps it was for the best. The parents of Josh and Hannah didn’t know what had really happened on Blackwood Mountain and believed the story about a maniac who had kept their daughter locked up for a year.

Mike, Jessica, Chris, Ashley, Matt, and Emily were also attending therapy—after all, not everyone gets to face real monsters. Samantha, however, didn’t need therapy sessions: thanks to Alex’s protection and the memories she had seen, she accepted the supernatural world calmly and simply went on with her life, preparing to move to Forks.

During the capture of one of the demons, Alex came across some interesting information. The captured demon had been sent to look for Rowena—a powerful witch and Crowley’s mother. However, by the time Alex found him, there wasn’t much left of the demon, and Rowena had already managed to disappear.

Almost immediately after that discovery, Reginleif contacted him, asking Alex to find the Book of the Damned—just to see what it looked like. Naturally, Alex couldn’t refuse one of his valkyries and began searching for traces of Rowena. Without using his full power, it wasn’t easy, but he wasn’t in a hurry—sooner or later, their paths would cross.

Nevertheless, the death of the demon sent by Crowley to find Rowena made Alex frown—because that one had surely known where his master was. Alex needed a meeting with Amara, the embodiment of Darkness. He wanted to persuade her to join his side and play a role in a small performance meant to lure out Chuck, who had been hiding in his own private dimension ever since Amara’s release.

That made the search especially difficult: Chuck was hiding within a fold between dimensions, and if Alex so much as used his power to locate him, Chuck would instantly sense the interference and flee, erasing all traces of his presence.

A week passed like that. And then came Friday.

It was already long past dusk. Alex, Alice, and Lucina had returned from school a few hours earlier, had dinner, and were now resting in the living room. Throughout the entire week leading up to Friday, Alex felt his irritation steadily growing. He still couldn’t find what he was looking for. Not that it surprised him—Crowley had always been smart and cunning. He knew perfectly well what to tell his subordinates and what secrets were better taken to the grave.

Now Alex was sitting in the dimly lit basement of his house, facing the crossroads demon named Albert. The demon looked pitiful—there was nothing left of the once-arrogant and confident fiend.

At his feet lay the body of another demon, a gaping hole in its chest. The same one whose name Albert had given him not long ago. It turned out that this demon had been nothing more than a low-level escapee from Hell, enjoying his brief freedom… until his encounter with Alex.

Albert stared at the corpse at his feet, swallowing a lump of fear, fully aware of what awaited him next. Unlike the other demons Alex had dragged into the basement, he wouldn’t face physical torture—but something far worse. Mental torment. The kind that no demon could survive.

Alex slowly lit a cigarette, took a drag, and exhaled a thin stream of smoke toward the ceiling. His leg twitched slightly—irritation was building. With each passing day, Albert grew more useless, weaker. The once-feared crossroads demon had become nothing more than a trembling prisoner, flinching at every sound.

It was a miracle he hadn’t gone mad yet, having witnessed his “comrades” die in this very basement. Some were devoured by creatures from the Red City, others—by Davoth’s demons, consumed by Zhang Ya herself.

“Hey, Albert. Are you even listening to me? Give me the damn name,” said Alex, slapping the demon across the face.

“I–I don’t know!” Albert stammered. “I already told you every name I could remember! I swear, I don’t know!”

“I don’t care. I need names, Albert.” Alex’s voice dropped lower, darker, more dangerous. “Stop wasting my time. You gave me seven names, and only one of them knew where Crowley was. But Rowena killed him.”

“So… one more time. The name, Albert.”

The demon swallowed hard. His memory was blank, his thoughts tangled, his fear crushing his mind. He could feel it—this wasn’t a man sitting before him. The being across from him was nightmare incarnate, living horror wrapped in human form.

When Albert failed to answer, the darkness behind Alex began to shift. The air trembled as dozens of crimson eyes and twisted, fanged mouths opened in the shadows. Alex’s face distorted, swallowed by an impenetrable gloom where only faint traces of human features remained.

Albert shuddered. He knew that the demons who had died here hadn’t simply vanished—they had been consumed. Their screams still echoed faintly in the walls of the basement.

Then, from the darkness behind Alex, emerged the elegant figure of a woman in a crimson dress. Pale skin, blood-red eyes, and delicate hands wrapping around Alex’s neck. Her presence was like the breath of death itself. Albert froze—he knew that if he didn’t give a name now, he would end up in her hands.

The shadows crept closer to his feet. The eyes within them stared hungrily, and the mouths made sickening chewing noises, as if savoring the thought of his soul.

“W–Wilson Henley!” Albert screamed. “A demon named Wilson Henley! He works for Crowley! Sometimes handles the dirty jobs!”

“Are you absolutely sure about that, Albert?” Alex’s voice came out distorted, inhuman.

Albert couldn’t look away—he only nodded frantically, praying they’d just kill him instead of feeding him to the hungry shadows.

And suddenly, the darkness receded. In the basement, the creak of a door and light footsteps on the wooden stairs echoed. Alex’s face returned to its usual expression, the shadows dissipated, and a soft, almost kind smile appeared on his lips.

A second later, Alice descended into the basement. Seeing Alex, she ran up joyfully, hugged him by the shoulders, and, as always, ignored the demon’s presence—over the past few days, she had seen too many of them to pay attention.

“What’s going on, Alice?” Alex asked calmly, looking at her. “Do you need me for something?”

“Hehe, of course I need you,” she smiled, pressing her cheek against his. “Did you forget? We’re all waiting for you! We’re going out, Mr. Investigator. Or did you forget that too? So finish your little chat with this poor guy and come upstairs.”

“Of course, I’ll be up soon,” Alex replied with a slight smile. “Just need to ask a couple more questions—and that’s it.”

“Just don’t make us wait,” Alice said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek and already moving toward the stairs.

After kissing Alex, she went upstairs with a light smile, almost skipping up the steps. She knew Alex’s true nature—just like the other girls. They all understood that he didn’t hide his dark side to seem better or out of fear of scaring them. No. Alex did it so that, in their eyes, he would remain the one who smiles… not the monster he truly was.

Once the basement door closed behind Alice, the kind, loving smile vanished from Alex’s face, along with the warm gaze that had still held tenderness moments ago. In its place came an eerie silence.

Albert, watching, cursed himself once again and the day he agreed to sell his soul. Back then, he thought he would gain power, strength, wealth—but his path ended in Hell, where he became a demon. Had he known it would end this way, he would have preferred to die an ordinary human—of old age or poverty—rather than end up in the hands of such a monster.

“So… where were we?” Alex said calmly. “Ah, yes, Wilson Henley. Who is he? What does he do? Where can I find him?”

“He’s a private detective,” Albert stammered, afraid of stumbling over his words. “But he hides behind the cover of being a hunter. In reality, he carries out Crowley’s orders whenever he needs someone found. Wilson Henley caught everyone Crowley pointed out.”

“Are you sure about that?” Alex squinted.

“Y-Yes! Absolutely sure! He has his own agency as a cover. He’s not hard to find!” Albert nodded hastily.

“I hope that’s true, Albert,” Alex said in a cold tone. “Because if I don’t find Crowley… or at least Rowena, you know how this will end. Summoning another crossroads demon is no problem for me. But for now, you’re useful—so live. Stop being useful…” Alex leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “…I won’t mind feeding you to my wife’s pets. They’re just getting hungry.”

The darkness behind Alex stirred, thickening as if alive. From it, dozens of crimson eyes full of madness and hunger stared at Albert. Twisted mouths with sharp teeth stretched into bloody grins, and red fluid dripped from the fangs. It was a horrifying reminder of what awaited him if he failed.

Albert nodded frantically, muttering that he would remember more names, begging not to be fed to those creatures. Alex just smirked and stood up from the chair, leaving the demon alone. GIR, MIMI, Stitch, and Claptrap took a short break from the interrogations, claiming that they “also needed a weekend”—otherwise, according to them, they would “stage a rebellion and file a complaint with the union” that they themselves had founded.

When Alex stepped outside, Albert let out a heavy sigh. He knew he had to urgently recall the names of the demons that could be useful—otherwise, he would become food for the beings dwelling in the darkness.

Alex closed the basement door behind him and looked at Lucina and Alice. Both were already dressed and ready to go. Lucina wore tight jeans, a black leather jacket, and a white blouse. Alice wore beige pants, a white blouse, and a black women’s blazer; a clutch bag hung from her shoulder.

Seeing Alex, Alice immediately grabbed his hand and began practically pushing him out of the house, saying that “everyone’s been waiting for ages.” Lucina laughed and nudged him from behind, as everyone knew perfectly well why he had stayed behind again.

Outside, Rosalie and Jasper were standing near their car; Jane and Jasper sat inside; Edward and Bella waited next to Edward’s car.

“Dude, what took you so long? We’ve been standing here for half an hour!” Emmett shouted, pointing at his watch.

“Had some things to do,” Alex replied lazily, rolling his eyes. “Unlike some people, I happen to be a busy guy, by the way.”

Everyone understood exactly what kind of “things” he meant—except Bella. Unfamiliar with anything supernatural, she looked curiously at Edward, but he just shook his head.

Bella knew the Cullens often visited Alex, but she hadn’t been told about most of the conversations that happened in his house.

After greeting everyone, Alex, Lucina, and Alice got into the Impala, preparing to head to Port Angeles for a group outing.

As the cars were about to move, all the Cullens suddenly looked in the same direction. Alex noticed Alice tensing and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“It’s time for us to go,” Alice said, pressing her lips together. “I don’t want anyone later saying we trespassed on those dogs’ territory.”

Alex raised an eyebrow, immediately understanding what Alice meant. Just then, a beige pickup drove past on the road. Recognizing it, Alex mentally sighed—it was Billy Black, probably heading to Charlie’s to have a beer and watch a sports game on TV.

Alex hadn’t dealt with the Quileute clan yet and, frankly, had no intention to. He didn’t want to get involved in unnecessary conflicts, so he started the engine and drove off first, waving for the others to follow him. The Cullens weren’t eager to linger and accidentally run into anyone from the clan either—everyone knew such a meeting could lead to unnecessary tension.

As Alex drove past Billy’s truck, their eyes met for a brief second. Alex barely nodded before continuing.

Jacob, sitting next to his father, looked like a lost puppy upon seeing Bella in Edward’s car. Billy, meanwhile, watched the Cullen convoy, his eyes narrowing—he stared intently, warily. The Cullens returned the same look.

Bella, not understanding what was happening, noticed Edward suddenly tensing and accelerating the car.

“Edward, what’s wrong?” she asked quietly, but he just shook his head, saying nothing.

Bella frowned — after all, it was just Billy, her father’s friend. So why had Edward’s expression changed so suddenly? She hadn’t even noticed that Jacob was sitting next to Billy, since all her attention was focused on Edward.

The drive to Port Angeles was short. The town was close enough to visit just for a walk. After parking the cars, the group decided to first stop at a pizzeria — after the unexpected encounter with Billy, everyone wanted a little distraction.

They took a table in the corner, away from prying eyes. After ordering pizza, everyone relaxed, though Bella was still trying to figure out what had happened with Edward. Alex, noticing Alice frown, gently stroked her hair, as if silently saying: don’t worry. Alice smiled, her mood lifting noticeably when her favorite pizza — spicy pepperoni — arrived at the table.

“And of all days, today we had to run into them,” Emmett muttered, chewing a bite.

Bella frowned.

“What does my dad’s friend have to do with anything?” she asked, noticing everyone slightly grimace at Emmett’s words.

“Don’t worry about it, Bella. You’ll understand in time. For now, just eat,” Alex said, placing a slice of pizza in front of her.

But Bella wouldn’t let it go:

“But what does Billy Black have to do with it?” she muttered, taking a bite.

Alex quietly smirked:

“Alright, I’ll give you a hint, just so you stop torturing yourself with guesses. If vampires exist, then there are other creatures too. And knowing you, I’m sure you’ve already dug into the legends trying to figure out who Edward is. So here’s the question: in all the legends, who were the enemies of vampires?” Alex said, calmly placing slices of pizza on Alice’s and Lucina’s plates, taking care of the girls without a fuss.

Bella froze, pizza halfway to her mouth, frowning. Edward glanced at Alex and gave a barely perceptible nod — he was grateful that Alex was slowly introducing Bella to their world instead of dumping everything on her at once. The other Cullens understood too — a sudden revelation could have broken her.

Meanwhile, Alex calmly returned to his own pizza, enjoying it. Bella sat thoughtfully, barely listening to the conversations around her. She had become that curious girl again, needing to know everything.

Even after everyone finished eating, she remained silent, pondering the answer.

Alex, deciding to lighten the mood, suggested:

“Let’s take a walk to the port. A little fresh air won’t hurt anyone.”

No one objected — walking in a big group was always fun. Bella, lost in thought, didn’t notice Edward take her hand and gently guide her forward so she wouldn’t trip.

“I think I understand,” she finally said, looking up.

“And what do you understand?” Alice asked, licking a spoonful of ice cream.

“They’re werewolves?” Bella said uncertainly.

Alex smirked while Lucina fed him ice cream:

“Almost. You could say werewolves… but not like you imagine. They don’t have to wait for a full moon to mark territory or growl at neighbors.”

“In what sense?” Bella asked, surprised.

“Go on, smart guy,” Emmett interjected, grinning. “Now it’s your turn to explain to Edward’s girl how things work.”

He reached for Rosalie’s ice cream, but she pulled the cup back and gave him a sharp look.

“Emmett,” she said quietly. “Hands off my ice cream.”

Alex was at a loss for words when everyone nodded in unison at Emmett’s comment, clearly indicating that it was him who would have to explain.

He glanced at Edward, who pretended not to be part of the conversation, calmly eating his ice cream and acting as if he hadn’t heard a word.

Alex raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze to Alice. She was innocently eating her strawberry ice cream, but when she noticed his look, she simply gave a bright smile, clearly signaling that she had no intention of explaining anything.

Then Alex looked at Lucina, but she simply shoved a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth, making it clear she was “washing her hands” of the matter.

Bella, however, stared at him with the look of someone who won’t back down until they get answers.

Alex even felt like kicking Emmett for dragging him into this, but Rosalie had already taken care of it — Emmett had just tried to steal her ice cream and got a sharp smack on the hand.

“Alright,” Alex sighed. “I’ll keep it brief, so listen carefully.”

He paused, lit a cigarette, and continued:

“There are many types of werewolves. First, forget the ones you’ve imagined: bipedal, furry dogs howling at the moon. Sure, those exist, but in reality, they don’t grow fur — only during the full moon do fangs and claws appear. The rest of the time, they live like normal humans. Only at the full moon do they lose control and hunt… mostly human hearts.”

He took a drag, noticing Bella’s expression, and added:

“Yes, there are also ‘vegetarians.’ They eat cow hearts.”

Emmett quietly snickered.

“Moving on. As for the Quileute clan — they’re more like shapeshifters. They can take the form of wolves. In human form, they’re stronger than ordinary people, and in wolf form, they can go toe-to-toe with vampires,” Alex said calmly, as if delivering a lecture.

“Can they transform into wolves from childhood?” Bella asked, tilting her head thoughtfully.

“Nope. It’s more of a clan blessing or curse,” Alex shrugged. “It only activates when an uninvited vampire enters their territory. The Cullens and the Quileutes have an agreement — neither crosses the other’s boundaries.”

He took another drag and exhaled the smoke upward.

“Suppose another coven of vampires arrives in Forks — evil ones, true predators. Then more Quileutes will awaken their powers and turn into full wolves.”

The Cullens laughed at that, while Bella frowned, still trying to process what she had heard. In her mind, images from old legends and movies spun around — werewolves howling at the moon and terrorizing people.

“Billy and Jacob can do that too?” she asked cautiously.

“Oh, no,” Alex smirked. “If Billy could, he wouldn’t be zipping around in a wheelchair. As for the puppy who follows you… hmm, that depends on whether more vampires show up in Forks.”

Bella’s eyes flashed — she didn’t like him calling Jacob a “puppy.” Edward even choked slightly on his ice cream, fully understanding that Alex had hit the mark. He himself didn’t want Jacob fixating on Bella, knowing about imprinting among the wolves.

Emmett burst out laughing, imagining how all of this could turn out. It was no secret that a strange love triangle was brewing between Bella, Edward, and Jacob.

Alice, who lived in Alex’s house, had often seen Jacob come by just to chat with Bella or to invite her to the beach.

After the conversation about werewolves, Bella finally stopped bombarding everyone with questions about the supernatural — much to Edward’s relief.

As darkness fell, the group decided to head home. Alex, as usual, suggested everyone stop by his place first — to hang out in the backyard and relax a bit. Bella didn’t mind; her house was nearby, and she was happy to spend some time at Alex’s.

When they returned to Forks, everyone noticed that Billy Black’s pickup truck was still parked near Bella’s house.

Before going to Alex’s, Bella decided to stop by her own home to let Charlie know she’d be spending the evening at the neighbors’. Edward didn’t go with her — and Bella didn’t mind. She already understood the tense relationship between Edward’s family and Jacob’s.

While Bella was at home, the others went into Alex’s house. Emmett immediately claimed his favorite spot — a huge, comfy armchair where he always sprawled out whenever he visited. Lucina and Alice, meanwhile, pulled snacks from the fridge, but no alcohol — after all, Bella was supposed to arrive soon, and she was underage.

“Mmm… this is delicious. What kind of meat is this?” Emmett asked, chewing a piece of jerky. “Never had anything like it.”

“I don’t remember,” Alex replied with a smirk. “I think it’s beef. Or… not beef. Erina, Alice, and Hisako cook so many different kinds of meat from creatures from other worlds that I’ve stopped keeping track of what’s in the kitchen. All I know is that Hisako is testing new spices. That’s why it tastes so seasoned.”

“This is Hydra meat,” Lucina said calmly, placing the plate of snacks on the table.

“Hydra?” Jasper repeated, looking at the piece of meat. “The one from the legends, with multiple heads?”

“Exactly,” Alex nodded. “Although it depends on the world. In one, it’s a water hydra — heads like sea snakes. In another, each one breathes a different element. Or there’s even a mother…”

He suddenly froze and covered his mouth with his hands, realizing he’d said too much.

Everyone stared at Alex, not understanding why he had suddenly covered his mouth or what “mother” he was talking about. Lucina squinted, and after a moment, she understood why he had done it. She had seen this before — this was exactly how Alex reacted when he accidentally said something he shouldn’t have.

Lucina just let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. Alex did the same, realizing he had nearly slipped again. Every time he relaxed, he forgot that some names couldn’t be spoken aloud. Not because he was superstitious — but because in his case, saying them could genuinely bring trouble.

Even if the Hydra Mother was just one of the lesser ancient deities and the spouse of Dagon, it didn’t change the essence of the matter: she was an Outer God, a being beyond ordinary reality. For Alex, who possessed colossal power, speaking the names of such entities was strictly forbidden, lest he invoke unwanted consequences.

“What mother?” Rosalie asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why did you suddenly stop talking?”

“You don’t need to ask,” Lucina said, shaking her head. “He won’t say it anyway. Some names just shouldn’t be spoken. Especially by him.”

“Come on,” Edward said, surprised. “It’s just a name. What’s so dangerous about it?”

Alex smirked slightly and tapped his finger on the table.

“As they say, words have power. But in my case — literally. A name isn’t just a sound. It carries the power of the being it belongs to. And the more powerful the one who speaks it, the more serious the consequences. If one of you says it — nothing will happen. But if I do… let’s just say, it won’t end well.”

“How bad?” Jane asked, leaning forward with curiosity. “End of the world, catastrophe, what?”

“You’ll all go insane and then die,” Alice said with a sweet smile.

“Hey!” Emmett protested. “Don’t jinx it! And why are you saying ‘you’? Doesn’t it apply to you?”

“Hehe, no,” Alice giggled, demonstratively raising her hand to show the ring. “My super-awesome husband gave me this. So I’m protected. Just like Lucina and the other girls.”

“I thought it was just jewelry. Or a wedding ring,” Rosalie said in surprise.

“It’s both,” Alice said proudly, hugging Alex around the neck and pressing her cheek to his face. “But it has so many functions that you’ll be jealous when you find out.”

Rosalie looked at the ring with interest, and Alice enthusiastically began explaining all its capabilities: a built-in inventory where she stores paintings; protective charms and barriers; a system that alerts her to magical anomalies.

As Alice began pulling items from thin air, everyone watched with mild envy. But the moment Bella entered the house, Alice immediately hid everything again, pretending nothing had happened.

Bella looked a little embarrassed. After a few questions, it became clear — Jacob had invited her out again. She admitted that she could no longer look at him the same way, knowing he could become a werewolf.

However, everyone’s attention wasn’t on that, but on the fact that Jacob had asked Bella on a date. Edward clicked his tongue in displeasure — the agreement with the Quileute clan forbade them from interfering, or he would have long ago “taken the fun out” of Jacob’s pursuits.

While everyone was discussing the events, Alex felt his phone vibrate. A message from Samantha. She wrote that she had finished her business earlier than expected and had already bought her tickets. She’s arriving tomorrow.

Alex confirmed the arrival time to meet her at the airport. Samantha replied that she would arrive after lunch — perfect.

Alice, peeking at Alex’s phone, nearly jumped for joy. Lucina, noticing, tugged at his sleeve. Alex turned the screen — and both of them read the message. Lucina nodded with a smile: she and Alice had already become friends with Samantha.

“What are you two giving each other those looks for?” Emmett squinted and asked.

“Sammy is arriving tomorrow,” Alex said, placing the phone on the table.

“Sammy?” Rosalie repeated. “That name sounds familiar…”

“Rosie!” Alice exclaimed indignantly. “Sammy is Samantha! Forgot?”

“Oh, right, Samantha,” Rosalie recalled. “I thought she was still with her friends, worrying about what happened on Blackwood Mountain.”

“Well, her friends are busy with that,” Alex said with a slight smile. “And Sammy has already taken care of everything and is moving here tomorrow.”

“Wait,” Bella interjected. “Who’s Sammy? And what even happened on that mountain?”

“Sammy is another one of Alex’s girls,” Emmett replied casually, waving his hand toward Alex.

Bella froze, staring at Alex as if a complete scoundrel was sitting before her. Her eyes widened — shock, outrage, disbelief.

Alex just lazily looked at her with a blank stare, making it clear that Bella’s opinion didn’t concern him in the slightest. He was used to such reactions. Bella simply didn’t know who he really was.

He even smirked to himself — already forming the idea of giving Bella a “little surprise” that might just make her faint.

Trying to shift the conversation, Alex quickly realized Bella had no intention of backing down. She bombarded him with questions, and he eventually had to explain how he had met Samantha and her friends.

Bella, already diving deeper into the supernatural world with each passing day, listened, hardly believing her ears. Alex repeated the old story about the “family business” — which, in essence, was true. Bella just hadn’t known what kind of business his family was actually involved in.

When it finally dawned on her that it was about monster hunting, Bella frowned and asked,

“So you came here to… hunt someone?”

Alex shook his head, maintaining his composure.

“No. I’m here at my father’s request. School, socializing — everything like normal people,” he replied calmly, leaning back in his chair.

After his explanation, Bella sat next to Edward, stunned, clearly trying to process everything she had just heard. In a single day, she had learned about vampires, werewolves, and creatures born from the Curse of Hunger — far too much even for her strong nervous system.

Watching her slowly slip into panicked paralysis, Alex merely sighed. A subtle movement of his fingers cast a gentle calming spell over Bella. She didn’t notice anything unusual, only felt her mind clear and her breathing even out.

But the vampires noticed. Especially Edward, who immediately sensed the change in her heartbeat. He looked at Alex and nodded in gratitude.

Alex waved it off. He didn’t do it out of compassion — simply put, if Bella threw a fit and locked herself in her room, he wouldn’t be able to watch the whole romantic drama unfolding between her, Edward, and Jacob.

Bella blinked, feeling her thoughts suddenly clear.

“Strange… maybe it’s because of my ability?” she wondered, deciding it must be her unique defense against mental intrusion. That explanation satisfied her, and calming down, she decided to change the topic.

“By the way, the spring festival is coming up soon. Is anyone planning to go?” she asked, trying to hide her confusion.

The conversation quickly shifted to school matters, which bored Alex to no end. While the others discussed decorations and music, he focused on tracking a rather interesting character — a demon posing as a private detective named Wilson Henley.

Finding him turned out to be child’s play: the “detective” had his own website with reviews and contact information. Alex smirked as he read the glowing comments from people who had no idea who they were really dealing with.

He tapped his finger on his chin, pondering. He had no connections among hunters, so he couldn’t know their opinions of Henley. But Alex knew one thing — the demon acted cautiously, gaining trust before vanishing without a trace.

He decided to wait a little. Rowena was still at large, and Henley would surely try to track her down. Alex hoped to reach the witch before the Winchesters — though he knew it wouldn’t be easy.

Time passed. Soon, Charlie appeared at the doorstep — tired, but as always, wearing his good-natured smile.

“Bella, it’s almost midnight,” he said, glancing at the clock.

The girl blinked, as if coming back to herself.

“Really?..” she looked out the window in surprise, where darkness had already swallowed the streets. “How quickly time has flown…”

After saying goodbye to everyone, Bella left with her father. Alex watched her go, a faint smile touching his lips — the spell had worked perfectly.

After her departure, the others began to gather their things. Edward, already planning for tomorrow, invited everyone over — wanting to introduce Bella to Esme and Carlisle.

Alex nodded in agreement, and left alone with Alice and Lucina, he quietly muttered,

“Tomorrow’s going to be an interesting day.”

Alice smiled, stretched, and yawned.

“If you say so, someone’s going to regret getting out of bed tomorrow.”

Alex smirked, turned off the lights, and they headed to their room.

To be continued…

(Anyway, Samantha’s coming soon. And so the day arrives for the vampires to show up, which will push the plot forward. I know you’re already anticipating Sam and Dean, and I’ll try not to complain. But hey, I can afford to screw up, I guess. Anyway, it’ll all be over soon.)

Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep