Chapter 171 - He Deserves

A bit startled at her sharp observation, Zeus kept his silence for a few seconds sitting still facing her opposite. Taking a deep huff of breath, she chose to ignore her query meticulously while she was still gawking at him impertinently.

"This spiritual ruby...will protect Eva from approaching danger. It will also keep that bastard hellhound away from her." His voice sounded very intense.

"Hellhound?" Frowning her eyes with a shade of dread, she interrogated him quickly in a blunt note.

"Eva was kidnapped by a hellhound." He murmured, lowering his gaze down from her.

"What!?" Shrieking out in shock, Clara swirled her eyes gasping a heavy puff of breath. "What on the earth has been happening around Eva?" 

Watching her appalled expression, Zeus stayed calm for a few seconds, shifted his face outside the cafe with a blank gaze in his dark eyes. "I guess, there are many things you still don't know about yet, Miss Clara.

But...Eva needs to be protected...I am evident enough that he would come back for her again. I can sense a greater conspiracy behind it.

That's why I want to make sure he won't lay a single scratch on her even if I am no longer here..." He was expressing his concern in a polite note, staring at the murky clouds up intensely.

Clara stayed still for a few seconds trying to process the unexpected revelations looking extremely perplexed. Stroking her hair up from her forehead, she took a sip of the coffee to calm herself down. "I...I can't believe it! A hellhound? Gosh...I never expected it to happen..."

"In the forthcoming future, maybe...she would be targetted by other beasts. As both of us know, she is a special hybrid from a pureblood... It's just that, she herself isn't aware of the capabilities she owns... But, her strong sweet fragrance indicates that she does have a mystical possession of power. That's why...she has to be protected no matter at what cost..." He asserted deeply.

"So that's the reason...her father wanted me to stay and protect her forever... Maybe, he had sensed it earlier!" Gulping her saliva she lifted her chin up and intensely looked down deep into his eyes which were fixed at the outer scenario. "I am amazed by you, Mr. Zeus!"

"Huh?" He quickly shifted his glance towards her, fretting his brow ridge.

"Your own life is on the line right now and yet...you are still madly concerned about Eva! The way you ignored my question... proved that my hunch was indeed right. They are wolfsbane scars, isn't it?" She probed.

A small sad smirk escaped his chapped lips while he took a heavy sigh out. "Indeed, I can't escape a wolf's gaze..." He retaliated.

"Tomorrow is the red lunar eclipse..."

"I know...That's the reason, I decided to ask you for the favor a day before, Miss Clara." 

Hearing his calm and composed response, she was further startled. Rolling her dark gaze, she grumbled out intensely, "how can you be so tranquilized about such a dreadful situation? You might lose your life if you can't bear the pain... You know it's one of the most horrific curses in the world of wolves! You are a true-blood alpha...the effect might worsen on you!

Yet, you are still only worried for her? Shouldn't you worry about yourself at least now?" 

The smile he had on his face faded completely as he lowered his head down. He tossed a heavy sigh out before responding to her.

"I have brought it all on myself so I don't have a choice rather than bearing the consequences. Yet...I am worried about my pack and...Eva..." While answering, he raised his gaze up to look at her perplexed face and sounded much morose. "Miss Clara, if...I can't make it this time... you have to keep the promise you made once with her father. Don't make her feel alone again... I wish forever to see the happiest dimples on her face when she smiles..."

"She will...never be happy without you, Mr. Zeus." A sad gaze shimmered in her sullen eyes while she whispered those words to him. "In this world, no one can make her happier than you and that's what aches my heart the most." 

GRUMBLE!

All of a sudden, a hoarse, loud rumbling sound came out of those dusky clouds piled up on the murky horizon. The weather seemed much gloomy which further intensified the depth of the agonizing situation persisting between them. 

"It looks like it would rain at any moment... Miss Clara, you should head back to your workplace now." Gently, Zeus stood up from the seat and sadly glanced at the bracelet on the table placed before her. "Please don't forget to give it to her... And... Please take care of my Eva..." 

"Fuck! Why does this request sound like a goodbye?" Her heart throbbed a little with this thought and abruptly, she stood up from the chair staring deep into his gaze, fretting her grimace. "You are a powerful alpha of your pack. You have to survive this curse and come back...at least...for Eva's sake. O...Okay?" 

A wide smile appeared on his face hearing her honest concern. He was about to turn back and head outside but suddenly, he paused for a moment and looked back at her.

"Also...whatever the conversation happened between us...I want you to keep it a secret. I...I want to see her so bad but I am afraid, she would break down if she ever hears about this curse. So...even if I am gone, you have to protect your secret...okay?" He murmured.

"It feels so fucking awful to keep it hidden from her but she is already devasted enough...I don't want to shatter her entirely..." She wondered silently averting her eyes down.

"Also...keep our meeting as a secret from Czar." 

"Huh?"

Hearing his unexpected command, deadpanned in shock she flung her eyes up to gawk intensely at him. He had still a small smirk lingering on his face as he mumbled those words out.

"Wh-What do yo-you mean?"

"Are you wondering about how I know about you both...right?" He reciprocated, putting his arms in his pocket.

Ogling at him nervously, she gulped her saliva and stuttered anxiously, "I...I wanted to keep us a secret from the others...How come you know about it? As...As far I know, wolves can't read each other's minds, right?"

"I didn't go that far, Miss Clara. It's just...I saw Czar's Porche parked at your workplace. I didn't expect him to gift his favorite car to anyone." He retaliated in a deep, calm voice.

"Favorite car?" She scrunched her eyebrows, reciprocating him nervously. "But he had told me...it was...one of his unused cars that he had been bored off..."

"He lied." A chuckle escaped his lips as he remarked at her assertion. "It's the car he loved the most and...he gave it to you. So...you must be holding a special place in his heart, Miss Clara." 

"What?" Baffled at his answer, she forgot to even blink her eyelashes, staring all numb.

"Czar is the type of guy...who likes to hide his emotions from the rest under his fake witty smile. He won't budge about anyone except the ones he truly cares about. He may be arrogant to you or likes to throw unnecessary tantrums to annoy you, but he indeed has a kind heart. I...I know, he just likes to act tougher. That's all...

See you again if destiny permits... Miss Clara." Tossing a warm smile at her, he slowly turned away and started heading out of the cafe with giant footsteps.

She stood still watching him from behind with a deep, dark gaze profused with sadness. 

"Why? Why is fate so cruel to this person who always puts others before himself? Darn! He deserves to live! Both of them deserve to be happiest together!" Mumbling on her own, she glanced at the bracelet while a tingling pain stung deep her heart.

"Damn it! How am I going to give it to her? I don't wanna give it to her as his remembrance...Ahh, it's so freaking painful for me..." She quivered clutching the bracelet tighter in her grip.

.............

It was around 7.30 pm...

The dusky clouds had gathered thicker on the skyline giving the atmosphere a darkish resemblance before the lunar eclipse. Eva was sitting in the living room turning the lights with countless thoughts crowding her mind in the darkness. She had a frown face, with her eyes fixed on the window outside. 

"Both of them looked good next to each other... I...I was always a frail woman who caused so many troubles to him... She is powerful, beautiful, and stronger enough to stay right next to Zeus in his need... 

Perhaps... a mere human like me was never worthy for him... I...I was living in a dream until now..." She was wondering inside when a loud door unlocking sound interrupted her thinking. 

Walking inside the darkroom, Clara turned on the lights and saw she was sitting on the couch looking much distressed. She too had an agonizing look on her face and as both their eyes met, they stared at each other for a while.

"Eva, why are you sitting in the dark?" She inquired first, walking slowly towards her.

"Well...It's nothing... But, you are a bit late today. The weather is quite unpleasant outside, so, I was worried for you, Clara." She stated in a polite voice.

Taking a deep sigh out, Clara slowly sat on the couch and her glance shifted to Eva's phone which was kept on the table near her.

Quietly she grabbed the phone and stretched her arm to hand it back to her. "Here...make...make a phone call." She stuttered.

"To whom?" She probed curiously.

"Zeus." A cold husky voice escaped her trembling lips.