Chapter 129: Taja And Ronin
Kestrel had always believed that Ren was an exceptional alpha. One of the main reasons was that he had been able to keep his emotions hidden in front of her. That was a skill not many possessed. Even for powerful alphas, it wasn’t common.
Usually, Kestrel’s tendrils could pick up on the emotions floating around her. For example, she knew Priscilla had been feeling blue that day, Locky had been on cloud nine, and some young apple vendor had secretly desired one of his apples. But with Ren, her ability often hit a brick wall.
Ren had this solid psychic barrier. He had mastered the art of controlling what he let out, concealing himself so well that Kestrel’s tendrils once mistook him for an emotionless stone.
However, just a while ago, when Kestrel offhandedly asked Ren if he viewed himself as a human or a beast, her tendrils had caught a strong wave of emotion from him. The feeling was intense and sure, a bit hard to describe. But if one had to put it into words, it would have been: "Whatever you are, you’re still you. I saw Kestrel, and I cared about her."
It all clicked for Kestrel. Ever since they had arrived in this subterranean city, her heart, which had been all over the place, felt more settled.
In this vast underground maze, it had been just the two of them, but Kestrel felt a unique sense of peace. As if their combined presence made any spot they stood on special, like a sanctuary, a stronghold, a safe space.
Feeling this way, Kestrel’s tendrils emerged, stretching towards the coffee table, attempting to pat Ren’s head as he lounged on the couch opposite her.
Ren, instinctively, had ducked.
Kestrel’s tendrils went into a mini frenzy:
"He... sidestepped us?"
"Why’d he do that?"
"Did something we did tick him off?"
"Oops, guess we messed up."
Getting a bit sulky and bold, the tendrils had surged towards Ren, pinning him down on the couch, ruffling his hair in a playful manner.
The mini flashlight that Ren had on his shoulder was pushed down on the couch, lighting up half his face. He looked tense, but his lips had curved up in a smirk.
Seeing that grin, Kestrel, who had been thinking of calling her tendrils back, paused. She thought, "The tendrils were right; he too had fun when the tendrils got cheeky."
After she had woken up from a snooze, Kestrel had told Ren to catch some sleep while she stood guard.
As an alpha, Ren should have been the one keeping an eye out, as he could stay awake for long stretches. But before he could get a word out, the tendrils nudged him back onto the couch. They ruffled his hair again, passing on their thoughts directly into Ren’s brain.
"Time for bed."
"Do it now."
"When you’re told to nap, you nap."
"You’re our fave little fish."
With his hair all tousled and him pinned down, Ren didn’t fight back. Kestrel noticed him grinning again. She realized, for the first time, that his smile made him look even more charming.
"Maybe he was someone who loved to smile in another life," she mused.
"Rest well. I’ve got you," Kestrel whispered to Ren.
With the comforting presence of the tendrils, Ren soon drifted off into sleep on the couch.
In the pitch black, Kestrel kept vigil, holding a dim flashlight. Out of sheer curiosity and perhaps a hint of mischief, her tendrils began to scout their shadowy surroundings.
"Hey, look what I found!"
"What? Show me!"
"What is it? What did you stumble upon?"
"There’s candy in Little Fish’s pocket!"
"Really? I snagged one too!"
"And here! And here! He’s been stashing candies everywhere."
"He’s such a sweet fish."
The bubbly conversations of the tendrils brightened up the silent ambiance, providing Kestrel some amusement.
"Come."
A deep, echoing voice interrupted the chatter.
Instantly, the lively tendrils fell silent, as if they’d been muted.
It wasn’t any language Kestrel recognized. It felt like a pure intent, a calling. The voice seemed to bypass Kestrel’s mental defenses, resonating directly with her soul. It felt ancient, profound, and oddly familiar, sending shivers down her spine.
"Come."
It rang out again, like a solitary chime in a quiet room. Its echoes were mesmerizing, tempting, drawing her in. It evoked a deep yearning within Kestrel, like a siren’s song.
Her heart raced, a strong pull tugging at her very core, urging her to seek out the enigmatic source of that call.
To discover what or who beckoned her with such sweet allure.
To unravel the mystery behind the voice.
"Come closer."
Without realizing, Kestrel found herself taking a couple of steps forward.
Her tendrils trailed behind her, puzzled and uneasy.
"But what about Little Fish? Are we just going to leave him?" a tendril voiced, its grip still on Ren’s head, revealing its confusion.
It felt torn between the magnetic pull of the voice and the need to protect Ren, caught in a whirlwind of emotions.
Kestrel glanced back; her flashlight’s beam illuminated the vague form of Ren, resting peacefully on the couch.
"That’s right. How could I think of leaving Ren here by himself? He even gave me with a smile before dozing off," Kestrel thought. She returned to her spot beside Ren, firmly rooted in her decision.
"Come."
"Hurry up."
"To me, right now."
The voice grew more impatient and insistent. But Kestrel tuned it out, her focus unwavering, staying guard beside Ren. Every now and then, she allowed the tendrils to swipe a candy from his pocket, offering a small, playful distraction.
She carefully unwrapped the candy and sneakily popped it into her mouth, letting it settle under her tongue. One candy quickly followed another.
She then came to a conclusion: with such irresistible candies here, there was no reason to go anywhere else.
When Ren opened his eyes after his nap, he noticed empty candy wrappers littered around his shoes.
Kestrel had slyly eaten nearly all of his stash.
"You know, candies are my secret energy source. Without them, I might just doze off standing up," Kestrel teased, keeping a straight face.
They alternated between watching over their surroundings and getting some rest. After the long "night" in the Polluted Zone, the safer "daytime" began.
