It was Monday morning. Alex was still lying on the hospital bed, pretending to be injured, while Dean was on the one next to him, going through the recovery process. Ever since Dean had passed out in the forest from overusing Amara’s power, he still hadn’t regained consciousness. From time to time Alex glanced at him to make sure the recovery was going as it should. And to his surprise, Dean was indeed healing quite fast, considering his insides had practically turned into jelly after the overload of Amara’s power.

A Monday morning in the hospital was no different from any other day, except that closer to noon Sheriff Donovan showed up in the room. Not wanting to disturb Dean or Eugene, Alex suggested they go outside — and smoke at the same time. He understood perfectly well why the sheriff had come.

As they went downstairs, Alex noticed that Donovan once again looked like he had forgotten what sleep was. Stepping outside, Alex pulled out a cigarette with his good hand and lit it.

“Agent, can you explain what you and your partner were doing in the forest? And why you had a Nevermore student with you?” Sheriff Donovan began without any preliminaries.

“Eugene likes catching insects. And he accidentally saw a cave…” Alex began calmly, exhaling smoke.

“You mean the cave that collapsed?” the sheriff interrupted him.

“That’s right. Eugene told us about it, so we went to check it out. But before I continue, Sheriff Donovan… You found a camera next to that homeless man who was recently killed, didn’t you? I’m right, aren’t I? You’ve already developed the photos?” Alex said in the same calm tone.

Sheriff Donovan narrowed his eyes, realizing that somehow Alex knew about the camera. He nodded and took a stack of developed photos from his inner pocket. He carried them with him so no one else would see them. Donovan already understood the specifics of Alex’s work and could trust him at least partially.

Alex took the photos and immediately found the picture of the Hyde. For a moment he glanced at the sheriff with a faint hint of doubt in his eyes — Donovan still didn’t know that the monster in the picture was his son, Tyler, the one responsible for all these murders. And at that moment Alex felt like a hypocrite: he had no right to give Donovan moral advice when he himself forgave his daughters far too much — and they had caused chaos in more than one world. Granted, they had never harmed innocent people… at worst, they behaved like small but extremely energetic gremlins.

The sheriff interpreted Alex’s look in his own way.

“And what was in that cave?” he asked while Alex continued looking through the photos.

“Someone kept the monster on a chain. Looks like they were training it like a pet. My partner wanted to observe the cave at night — to see if the suspect would come back,” Alex explained, returning the photos.

“And judging by your condition… the suspect did show up?” Donovan asked.

“That’s right. At the time, I was at the Raven Ball in Nevermore when I got a call from my partner. He said someone had approached the cave. I rushed to help him, but the suspect decided to erase all evidence. We didn’t even get close before the cave was blown up, and he escaped,” Alex said, shaking his head and blowing out smoke.

“Did anyone leave the Raven Ball while you were there, Agent?” the sheriff asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Fortunately, no. The students and teachers were in the hall the entire time. Except for a few couples who went out ‘to get some air’. You know what I mean,” Alex said with a slight smile.

Sheriff Donovan cleared his throat lightly and nodded, showing that he understood what Alex was talking about. Alex began explaining the pre-prepared version of events: what happened in the forest, what the suspect looked like, what he was wearing, and why Eugene had been injured. Donovan listened attentively, occasionally asking clarifying questions — he was still the sheriff, and it was his duty to protect his town, regardless of who was responsible for the murders: a monster or a human.

Alex emphasized a couple of times that Donovan should stick to the story about an accidental natural gas explosion — that Alex and Dean were injured while searching for the missing Eugene, who, instead of going to the dance, wandered into the forest to catch insects. The sheriff accepted this version calmly and agreed with Alex’s reasoning. No one needed extra problems or unnecessary investigations.

What finally pushed Donovan toward a firm decision was Alex’s subtle hint: if information about the monster went public, more FBC agents would arrive in town — and any peaceful life would come to an end. The town could be placed under isolation until the monster and the one controlling it were found.

Naturally, Donovan understood what Alex meant and nodded. After a brief conversation, he prepared to return to the station to check on the progress of the excavation of the collapsed cave.

“And sheriff… remember this. The monster isn’t the kids from Nevermore. The monster is the one who enjoys killing. And such people exist even among humans. As the sheriff, you should understand that. I hope you make the right choice,” Alex said in a calm voice.

“Agent, my job is to catch criminals. And it doesn’t matter who stands before me — a monster or a human. I must protect the people of this town,” Donovan replied just as calmly, turning slightly toward Alex.

“I hope you don’t forget your own words,” Alex said, looking straight into the sheriff’s eyes.

Sheriff Donovan looked at him for another second, then lifted his hat slightly — a gesture meaning he heard and accepted the advice — and walked away. Alex watched him leave and let out a quiet sigh. He understood how hard it would be for Donovan to accept the truth: his own son, Tyler, was the monster.

Alex lit another cigarette and sighed with genuine sympathy. Donovan’s life was already far from easy. His wife had also been a Hyde… and eventually transformed after being placed in a psychiatric facility, where she was essentially killed. Donovan knew only the official version: Françoise had died during another psychotic episode.

Alex took a long drag, pulled out his phone, and opened the FBC database. He found the file connected to Françoise Galpin. The woman had previously been kept in the Oldest House — like other beings of her kind who were subject to study.

After rereading the document again, Alex exhaled heavily. The Men of Letters archives stated plainly: over time, a Hyde loses their human form and remains a monster forever — all because of a growing, insatiable hunger for killing.

On Françoise’s photo, a huge red stamp read “TERMINATED.” She had become one of those eliminated after the Hiss invasion of the Oldest House. Many creatures and anomalous objects had fallen under their influence — and most were either neutralized or cleansed. Françoise was one of those who couldn’t be saved.

Crushing his cigarette, Alex put his phone away and looked in the direction Sheriff Donovan had left.

He truly felt sorry for the man. He had lost not only the woman he loved… but would soon lose his son as well.

Once again, Alex thought about how cruelly Fate liked to toy with people.

Returning to his hospital room, Alex first glanced at Dean, who was still lying unconscious. Alex’s eyes glimmered faintly — he had activated magical vision to make sure the recovery process was going smoothly. Everything was in order.

Shifting his gaze, Alex noticed Eugene, engrossed in a book about insects. Alex didn’t even know where the boy had gotten it — but the important thing was that he had something to occupy himself with while his injured leg healed.

Alex lay back on his hospital bed, closed his eyes, and sank into thought. The vortex of Darkness created by Marilyn Thornhill confirmed one thing: she really did possess a shard of Amara’s power. And she knew how to use it, since she had managed to summon the Taken.

But the main question gnawed at Alex the most — where had Marilyn gotten this shard? The only logical explanation: the power was passed down within the Gates family. As the last heir, Marilyn had received the shard by right of blood.

However, another, far more troubling question arose — where had she learned to wield this power?

An unpleasant thought surfaced in Alex’s mind. After the death of her parents and brother, Laurel Gates had moved to England — to live with a distant relative. And Alex knew perfectly well that England had a branch of the Men of Letters Order.

Unfortunately, the British branch was known for its fanatical conviction: the supernatural must be destroyed, whether it posed a threat or lived peacefully.

Alex clicked his tongue irritably. The logical chain fit together too easily: the distant relative could have been a member of the Order, Laurel trained under them, and Laurel Gates’ official “death” was simply a convenient cover-up. With their influence, hiding something like that was child’s play.

If Laurel Gates really was connected to the British Men of Letters, the mountain of trouble that could fall on Nevermore after her death would be far bigger than anyone expected.

“Damn it…” Alex muttered through gritted teeth, clenching his fist.

“What’s wrong? Does something hurt?” Eugene asked, hearing the curse.

“Ah… no, it’s nothing,” Alex immediately offered a convincing lie, without even blinking. “My hand itches under the cast. I’m going crazy. Hey, Chum… do you have anything I can use to scratch my hand under the cast?”

“Take a ruler or something narrow that can fit. When I broke my leg as a kid, my moms taught me this trick,” Eugene said with a smile.

“Oh really? I’ll remember that. Now I just need to find something suitable,” Alex nodded.

“You’ve never broken anything before?” Eugene asked in surprise.

“Somehow I always avoided it,” Alex smirked. “This time I wasn’t so lucky. Even hit my eye.” He pointed to the bandage.

“Have you traveled a lot for your work? Well… if it’s not a secret,” Eugene asked, embarrassed but clearly curious.

Alex saw how genuine the curiosity was and decided to share a little about the places he had been. Of course, he left out the details. But even that was enough for Eugene to start asking more and more questions.

Seeing the boy’s sincere enthusiasm, Alex couldn’t help but smile. He understood — it wasn’t easy for Eugene to make friends because of his obsession with insects, his shyness, and his reserved nature. But Alex respected people like that — sincere, loyal, willing to sacrifice a lot for their friends.

Time passed at its own pace.

At Nevermore, the last class had ended. Without hesitation, Wednesday decided to visit Alex in the hospital. Right after the bell, she went to her dorm room and changed into regular clothes.

Just as Wednesday was about to leave, the door burst open — Enid rushed in.

“Wednesday, you’re going to Jericho?!” she asked quickly.

“Maybe. If you want to buy something, do it yourself. I don’t have time,” Wednesday replied dryly, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

“That’s not the point! Wait for me. I need to go to Jericho too — I want to visit Alex,” Enid babbled, quickly changing as if her life depended on it.

Wednesday squinted slightly. It wasn’t hard for her to guess: something had shifted between Enid and Alex. She still felt a twinge of irritation remembering how Enid had rushed to hug Alex as soon as he regained consciousness.

The pride of the Addams family didn’t allow Wednesday to lose — not in any battle, even if that battle involved feelings.

She had already thought about leaving without Enid, but the girl changed at incredible speed, grabbed her backpack, and was already beaming her usual cheerful smile.

“I’m ready!” Enid announced, giving a thumbs-up.

Wednesday calmly looked away and, without saying a word, walked ahead as if she didn’t care. She and Enid left the dorm and headed toward the main gates of Nevermore, from where they planned to go to Jericho.

As soon as they stepped outside, Larrisa Weems’ car stopped in front of them, lightly honking when the wheels came to a halt at their feet.

“Miss Sinclair, Miss Addams, get in. I’ll give you a ride. You’re headed to the hospital, right?” Larrisa Weems said in a calm, warm voice.

“Miss Weems, you’re going to the hospital too?” Enid asked in surprise.

“Of course, Miss Sinclair. One of our students was injured. As the director of Nevermore, I am obliged to visit him,” Larrisa replied evenly, keeping her smile.

Enid immediately lit up and quickly got into the car. Wednesday just rolled her eyes but also got in.

When they arrived at the hospital, Wednesday didn’t wait for the others — she simply opened the door and walked inside with quick, confident steps.

“Wednesday, wait for me!” Enid called and ran after her.

Larrisa Weems only shook her head quietly. She was slightly pleased that Wednesday hadn’t fully inherited her mother’s character — otherwise, she would have had to witness the same passionate and crazy scenes that Gomez and Morticia once displayed, never leaving each other’s side. Sometimes, Larrisa even thought it would have been better if Wednesday had inherited that — then there would have been far less chaos around the girl.

By this time, Wednesday and Enid had already reached the room where Alex, Dean, and Eugene were. From the doorway, they could hear Alex and Eugene chatting animatedly about trivial matters.

Wednesday calmly opened the door and stepped inside, while Enid burst in after her — like a small, hyperactive pink whirlwind, immediately rushing to Alex.

“Alex! How are you? Are you okay?” her questions poured out.

“Enid, you’re just in time. Can you show me your claws?” Alex said with a sly smile.

“For what?” she asked in surprise, but she extended her claws anyway.

Alex quietly chuckled, took her finger, and carefully slid her claw under the cast, scratching the itchy spot. Enid blinked in surprise, then laughed. Wednesday watched with her usual blank expression before silently moving over to Eugene’s bed, sitting in a chair, and beginning to ask him about his condition and the pain in his leg.

At that moment, Larrisa Weems entered the room — and froze, seeing the strange scene: Enid standing over Alex, scratching his hand under the cast with a serious expression. Wednesday, cold as ice, sat next to Eugene, seemingly pretending nothing unusual was happening.

Alex noticed the director and raised his free hand in greeting.

“I see you’re perfectly fine, Mr. Voldigoad, despite the severity of your injuries,” Larrisa Weems said, maintaining a polite smile.

“This isn’t the first time something like this has happened to me. A couple of days, and I’ll be back on my feet,” Alex replied calmly, while Enid diligently continued scratching his hand.

“I’m glad to hear that. Has your partner regained consciousness yet?” Larrisa asked, taking a seat in an empty chair.

“Dean hasn’t woken up yet. But I’m sure it’s just a matter of time,” Alex said, glancing at his friend.

“Let’s hope so. Have you reported your condition to the Bureau?” Larrisa asked cautiously. She clearly hoped that no additional FBC agents would be sent to the city.

“Don’t worry, Miss Weems,” Alex said in a professionally calm tone. “It won’t go on record. Just an unfortunate accident. Who could have known there’d be a cave with natural gas in the forest?”

Larrisa Weems exhaled in relief at Alex’s words. Wednesday barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes: the whole exchange between Larrisa and Alex sounded as if nothing special had happened, as if everything that occurred after the Crow Ball had been a simple accident.

Before their conversation, Alex had already instructed Eugene to stick to the story about the natural gas explosion, and the boy obediently stayed silent about everything he had seen in the forest.

After a brief chat, Larrisa Weems politely said goodbye and left the room, wishing him a speedy recovery.

Once she was gone, Wednesday stood up and approached Alex, who was still sitting on the bed, chatting with Enid. Alex and Enid turned to her, and without a word, Wednesday carefully lifted the bandage from his eye, examining the “wound” closely.

Of course, Alex had created the injury using illusions, and it looked convincing. Wednesday studied the burn around his eye without a hint of disgust, while Enid immediately turned away — it was unpleasant for her even to look at it.

“Healing pretty quickly,” Wednesday said, replacing the bandage.

“By the end of the week, it’ll be fully healed. I recover fast. Although… I’ll have to walk around with a cast and an eye bandage for a while, like a pirate,” Alex replied with a slight smile.

Wednesday squinted slightly but nodded, accepting his words.

A few hours later, Enid and Wednesday left the hospital. Before leaving, Enid promised she would come again tomorrow — and Alex was happy about that. He noticed a twitch in Wednesday’s eyelid and realized that she would probably show up tomorrow too. He was happy about that as well.

By evening, a doctor and a nurse came to the room for their routine check, examined the bandages, and asked the standard questions about his condition. That was the end of the day.

The next day, Alex could no longer stand the hospital walls and decided to check out so he could return to the hotel. But before leaving, he didn’t forget to create a small magical mouse to watch over Dean. Alex wasn’t sure if Marilyn would risk going after Dean, but it was better to be safe.

After checking out, Alex decided to take a walk. Unfortunately, he still had to keep up the act of being sick, since he had already started playing that role.

On the way, he ran into the psychologist Valerie, who, like everyone else, had heard the rumors. They exchanged a few words, he listened to the usual “get well soon” wishes, and then Alex went into the family restaurant — finally to have a proper meal.

While eating, he once again realized that eating with one hand was quite the challenge.

After his snack, Alex returned to the hotel. He just wanted to lie down and rest; he couldn’t stand the smell of the hospital. Without removing his cast or bandage, he stretched out on the bed and instantly fell asleep.

He woke to a voice very close by. Opening his eyes, Alex saw Wednesday — she was standing by the table, talking to Thing, who was gesturing animatedly with his fingers.

Alex blinked in confusion. He didn’t understand at all how she had gotten into his room.

Thing noticed Alex had woken up and immediately pointed at him. Wednesday turned her head and met his gaze — and from the expression on his face, it was clear that he wanted to know what the hell was going on.

“They told you that you sleep too deeply. I changed the bandage on your eye — and you didn’t even stir. You’re a gift to any killer,” Wednesday said calmly, pointing to the used bandages.

“I just love sleeping. But I’m more interested in how you got here,” Alex mumbled, yawning and sitting on the edge of the bed.

“That wasn’t hard. Eugene gave you away — he said you had checked out. Figuring out where you’d stay was easy,” Wednesday replied, tossing the bandages into the trash.

“Got it… But how did you get into the room?” Alex asked, stretching his shoulders.

“The locks in this hotel are very easy to bypass. Thing didn’t even have to try,” Wednesday said just as calmly, nodding at Thing, who was still standing on the table.

Alex looked at Thing — who confidently gave him a thumbs-up. Alex just sighed heavily and shook his head. Rising from the couch, he walked over to the window and opened it to smoke.

All this time, Wednesday calmly watched him, her mind buzzing with questions she would have loved to ask… ranging from the state of his wound to why he had even thought to check out so early.

Alex took a drag and, exhaling the smoke out the window, wondered why Enid hadn’t shown up. But the moment he glanced at Wednesday, everything became clear. Of course. It was easy to imagine how she could have sent Enid back to Nevermore… or simply not let her leave. For Wednesday, it would have taken two seconds.

“Thanks for changing the bandage,” Alex said, the first thing that came to mind.

“You’re welcome. It’s not difficult. I’ve done it more than once. I already have experience bandaging the wounded. I practiced on Pugsley when we played doctor,” Wednesday replied calmly, picking up a book from the table.

“I’m afraid to even imagine what your brother went through as a kid. A miracle he isn’t three meters under the ground by now,” Alex muttered, exhaling another stream of smoke.

“I tried a couple of times,” Wednesday said just as calmly. “But they would find and dig him up. Over time, he learned to get out on his own. A useful skill, in case he’s accidentally buried alive.”

“I don’t even know… should I praise him for his resilience or pity him for having to go through that?” Alex smirked, glancing at Wednesday’s profile.

“I think you can praise him. Just not too much — otherwise he’ll get proud again. And I’ll have to knock some arrogance out of him once more,” Wednesday said, closing the book and putting it back in its place.

“What a caring sister,” Alex remarked lightly, leaning against the windowsill.

“It’s not care. It’s upbringing,” she calmly countered, stepping closer.

“I’ll consider it care. Since you’re here… want to watch a horror movie? Or do you need to go back to Nevermore?” Alex asked, looking at her.

“Why would I watch movies where the ending is known in advance?” her even voice replied. “In real life, monsters don’t give foolish teenagers a chance to escape or defeat them. And a serial killer wouldn’t let the victim slip away to call for help. Completely unrealistic.”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Alex said and headed for the fridge. “Want a snack? Or just coffee again?”

“Only coffee with…” Wednesday began.

“With four shots of espresso,” Alex interrupted, smiling. “I remember how you like it. Don’t worry.”

Wednesday looked at him with a calm, appraising gaze — once again surprised at how quickly he picked up on her thoughts and habits. Even the suggestion to watch a movie — pointless in her view — he had made in exactly the genre she secretly preferred over others.

Alex made her coffee, grabbed himself some snacks, and turned on the TV. Selecting a movie he was sure Wednesday would like, he sat down next to her. She gave him a brief glance and continued sipping her strong coffee. Thing, completely ignoring their movie, was engrossed in a romantic story… between the two of them. On the screen, his own “scenarios” flickered by, and his fingers danced across it like piano keys.

The horror movie was accompanied by Wednesday’s endless commentary — she meticulously pointed out every illogical moment, explained why the victims deserved their fates, and with cold precision described what she would have done if she were the killer. By the end of the movie, Alex had heard so much analysis that all he could do was nod.

“As I said: a predictable ending and just as predictable actions from the killer. A typical empty attempt to scare the audience and make money,” Wednesday concluded in a perfectly even tone.

“But that’s the whole point of the movie,” Alex countered softly. “It’s meant to evoke emotions. Different emotions. Fear for the characters, tension… If you look at a movie as another world you’re allowed into to live someone else’s story, it’s worth it. Books, movies, music — all of it exists for emotions. Even now, you experienced them: even if it was just irritation at the killer’s illogical actions.”

Wednesday gave a brief nod, acknowledging the logic in his words.

“If you look at it that way… I understand what you mean. But that doesn’t change the fact that most movies are made to profit from foolish viewers, selling tickets to a predictable story.”

Alex stood up.

“How about dinner? Or do you need to go back to Nevermore?”

Wednesday looked at the wall clock and pondered whether she should return to Nevermore. Her gaze fell on Thing — tirelessly gesturing “Agree.” Wednesday squinted slightly but nodded at Alex’s suggestion to have dinner. Alex, of course, noticed Thing’s enthusiastic gesturing but tactfully pretended not to see it.

Since Alex was still playing the role of being sick, he couldn’t cook, and they had to settle for takeout. During dinner, Alex asked how her work on the book was going and what was new in the plot. Wednesday calmly explained where she had left off and what her ideas were for the upcoming chapters. Alex listened attentively, occasionally asking questions about the main heroine or suggesting ideas that, in his opinion, might be useful in such stories.

When dinner ended, Alex offered to take Wednesday back to Nevermore, but she refused, citing his casted arm — saying it was better for him to return to the hotel and rest. After seeing her off, Alex returned to his room and lay back on the bed, thinking that there really had been progress in his relationship with Wednesday. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come to his room just to change a bandage — and she certainly wouldn’t have stayed for a movie and dinner.

Before falling asleep, Alex used tracking magic to check that Dean was okay. Once he confirmed that everything was calm, he went to bed. However, in the middle of the night, he had an unexpected visitor — a green-haired gremlin in the form of Becca. The moment she stepped out of the portal, she pounced on him — no words, no pauses, as always. As a result, Alex’s night turned out to be anything but restful.

The next day, Alex woke up around noon — with an all-too-familiar feeling on his face. He had already grown unaccustomed to someone managing to chew on his cheek while he slept, and even felt a slight twinge of nostalgia.

Carefully freeing himself from Becca’s clinging embrace, he went to make himself some coffee. The moment the aroma spread through the room, Becca’s eyes flew open, and she jumped off the couch, landing on his lap mid-leap, pressing against him. Alex couldn’t help but smile and lightly rubbed his cheek against her hair.

After a quick breakfast, he helped Becca braid her hair — just the way she always asked.

“Cupcake, don’t forget to put the cast and bandage back on,” Becca said, swinging her legs cheerfully while Alex worked on her hair. “Or your pale little girlfriend will notice immediately. Then you’ll definitely get a knife in the chest.”

“Don’t worry, my love, I won’t forget. And do you really think Wednesday could kill me?” Alex smirked.

“Maybe she won’t, Cupcake,” Becca said, turning her head to him with a gremlinish grin. “But try? Oh yes. And I’d love to watch. Just like everyone else.”

“You girls just want to watch me suffer. And where’s your love in all that?” Alex asked sarcastically.

“Right here!” Becca declared, grabbing his cheeks and kissing him hard.

After the kiss, she jumped off the chair and opened a portal to return to Orario. Sending Alex a blown kiss, she leapt into the portal — which closed immediately behind her. Alex stared at the spot for a second, then just smiled. His green-haired gremlin never changed — even as a mother. And honestly, he was perfectly fine with that.

Before checking on Dean, Alex put the bandage and cast back in place, and only then left the hotel. Lighting a cigarette, he calmly headed to the hospital. There, he caught the doctor examining Eugene’s leg wound. After that, Alex checked on Dean, made sure everything was fine, and then wandered around the city just to pass the dull hours while Dean remained in a coma.

After spending several hours walking and listening to music, Alex returned to the hotel and decided to spend the rest of the day watching a movie.

Back at the hotel, Alex immediately turned on the first movie he found and grabbed some snacks. If it hadn’t been for a sudden knock at the door, he would have likely fallen asleep to the monotonous soundtrack. With a sigh, he got up from the bed, opened the door — and saw Enid on the threshold with a wide, almost radiant smile.

Before he could ask anything, she quickly leaned forward, kissed him on the lips, and skillfully slipped into the room. Alex blinked, looked after her in surprise, shrugged, and closed the door.

“Wednesday came yesterday, and now you. Do you two have some kind of arrangement?” he asked, sitting down next to her on the couch.

“Did Wednesday tell you about that?” Enid raised her eyebrows, clearly more surprised than she should have been.

A smile froze on Alex’s face. Judging by Enid’s reaction, he had accidentally hit the mark. And although he was curious about what exactly the two friends had talked about yesterday, he knew perfectly well — Enid wouldn’t answer that question. The girl, too, realized she had let something slip and looked slightly embarrassed for a moment.

“Alright,” Alex coughed lightly. “Let’s pretend I didn’t ask. So, what do you want: a walk, a movie, or just to talk?”

“A movie would be nice,” Enid said cheerfully. “Thing blabbed yesterday that you watched a movie with Wednesday and then had dinner together.”

“Thing blabbed again? Is he playing for both sides or what?” Alex squinted.

Enid just giggled and, hugging his arm, snuggled closer. Seeing that he wouldn’t get an answer, Alex stroked her hair and put on a light comedy — one he knew she’d definitely enjoy.

During the movie, Enid gradually but steadily moved closer, until at some point she was practically on his lap again. A few minutes later, she gently kissed him — and that was, essentially, the end of watching the movie. The rest of the film passed in kisses, and they only remembered the plot had long since ended when the credits rolled.

Hearing the opening notes of the credits, they both turned to the screen and burst out laughing.

“Maybe we should go for a walk after all? Since we didn’t really watch the movie,” Alex said, hugging Enid around the waist.

“I’d like to watch another movie. I really liked this one,” she said slyly.

“Did you like the movie itself, or the kissing?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

“Both. So, start the next one,” Enid said, placing her palms on his cheeks.

“Then maybe we should order some food? Are you going to eat something?” Alex asked, playfully pinching the tip of her nose.

“Anything! As long as there’s meat. And dessert,” she said happily.

Alex smiled and ran his hand through her hair again. Enid purred contentedly — like a cat, even though she was a werewolf. As soon as Alex placed the order, she kissed him again, as if afraid to lose a single second.

The kissing session was only interrupted when the courier knocked at the door. While Alex went to open it, Enid panicked and wiped the remnants of lipstick from his face so no one would suspect anything.

Alex paid, put the bags on the table, and suggested taking a break — to have dinner. At that exact moment, Enid froze, as if faced with the most important choice of her life: continue kissing or eat and then continue later.

Seeing her tortured expression, Alex just laughed and began setting the table while Enid tried to decide the fate of the evening.

To be continued…

(How I love this day. Right in the middle of a work conference, my internet went out. I had to quickly get dressed and go to the office. Hahahahaha. Today is the day when I want to strangle someone just because they’re breathing next to me. Anyway, about the plot, I think I’ll speed this week up to Parents’ Day, and we’ll get to meeting Wednesday and Enid’s parents.)

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

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep