My Hockey Alpha
#Chapter 158: Dangerous Indifference

Enzo

I hardly even had time to process what had just happened before the portal closed and Selena suddenly grabbed my arm, yanking me out of my stupor as she opened another portal nearby. “Come on,” she snarled as her nails dug into the skin of my arm. I felt so numb at this point that I couldn't even feel it. “Let's go. It's almost time for dinner and you're filthy.”

I couldn't say a word as we stepped through the new portal she opened and wound up back in my room at the mansion. It felt as though the world was spinning around me. My mind scrambled already to think of ways that I could get back to Nina, but without the knowledge of how to open a portal on my own, I would be stuck here until I could find someone who knew how. At the very least, I took some solace in the fact that Nina was smart and strong and that she could take care of herself until either the Fullmoons or I came to her rescue.

“Here,” Selena said, pulling me over to the bathroom and turning on the faucet to fill up the tub. Then, her eyes darkened into a sultry expression and she smirked up at me. “Do you need some help bathing?”

"Um— No, thanks,” I said. I really wanted to yell at her to get the hell away from me and that I'd never want her to touch my naked body, but I knew that it would only make matters worse. If I wanted to get back to Nina, I would have to keep things friendly with Selena and make her believe that I wasn't going to leave; if she didn't believe me, I was certain that she would find a way to trap me here, being as powerful and as rich as she was.

Selena frowned. “Fine,” she said with a huff, turning on her heel and storming off toward the door. “Dinner is in an hour. If you're not presentable by then, you're going to be in trouble... So I'd advise hurrying up with your bath. There are clean clothes in the closet, and you can throw the ones you're wearing away, because they're disgusting.”

“Alright,” I said, restraining the urge to snap at her once more. “Thanks. I'll see you in an hour.” With that, Selena scurried out of my room. I let out a sigh of relief when she was gone, then closed and locked the bathroom door before taking my clothes off while the tub filled.

An hour later, on the dot, I stood outside the dining room. I had cleaned myself well and was wearing the stiff suit that was left for me in the closet, which was a little too small around my arms and neck and caused me to keep tugging at the collar uncomfortably.

Finally, the doors opened. The Alpha King, Selena, and my father were already waiting by the table for me. There was another woman there who I recognized as the Luna, the Alpha King's wife. She had long white hair and red eyes, and didn't speak or make any sort of facial expression. I stared straight ahead as I entered, too angry with my father to even look into his eyes.

"Welcome, Enzo,” the Alpha King said, gesturing to the chair next to Selena. She was wearing a thin silk gown that was a blood red color, and had her hair pulled back into an intricate braid. For a moment, I forgot that she wasn't Nina, and I thought that she looked beautiful... But as I quickly reminded myself that she really wasn't Nina, she suddenly became much less attractive in my eyes. With a forced smile, I sat down beside Selena.

As the servants brought out our decadent meal of roast duck and red wine, the Alpha King already began his negotiations with my father. I felt almost like nothing more than an accessory, a commodity to be traded for military support. Now that the deal had been sealed, in their eyes, I no longer mattered; what only mattered was their prior agreement.

“Now,” the Alpha King said, unfurling his pristine white napkin with a flourish and laying it across his lap, “onto the topic of the town of Mountainview...”

“My men have begun making preparations to take the town back,” my father said. “From what I hear, a few of the locals have taken matters into their own hands and have been putting up a good fight, but the town is quickly being overrun with rogues created at the Crescents’ hands. With this many rogues, my men alone won't be able to handle it all themselves.”

The Alpha King nodded thoughtfully as he cut up his roast duck, then popped a piece into his mouth and spoke with his mouth full. He gestured with his fork as he spoke.

“The rogues won't be a problem,” he said nonchalantly. “As we all know, rogues are unintelligent and easily fooled. We can easily take them all out, and then deal with the Crescents afterwards.”

I furrowed my brow and cleared my throat. “Sorry,” I said, setting my fork down while my duck still sat on my plate untouched. “But those rogues are all innocent people who were turned against their will.”

Both my father and the Alpha King, as well as the Luna, slowly turned to look at me. My father's eyes were wide and disbelieving, as though he really expected me not to speak throughout this entire meal. Meanwhile, the Alpha King only looked sickeningly indifferent.

"Well, casualties are bound to happen,” the Alpha King said. “It is war, after all.”

“But there's an antidote—"

"Yes, well, unless you have that supposed antidote on hand, and a large enough supply of it to cure everyone who has been turned, it's really not helpful... Is it?” the Alpha King interrupted.

I was speechless. Were they really being so indifferent about the lives of innocent people? These were my friends, my classmates... What if Nina had been turned into a rogue? Would they kill her, too?

Suddenly, Selena chimed in and placed her hand on my leg, making me tense up.

“What my mate is trying to say is that he only hopes you will do your best to minimize casualties... Right, Enzo?” she said, turning to look at me with a plastic smile spread across her face.

I could only stare down incredulously at my plate. Without another word, and having completely lost what little appetite I had before, I abruptly pushed my chair back and walked out.

I wasn't alone for long when I suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching me rapidly. I was standing on a small balcony that overlooked the forest below, leaning against the railing with my head bowed as I tried to think of ways to get out and get back to Nina. When I glanced over my shoulder, I saw my father approaching and immediately felt my blood begin to boil.

"What the hell was that, Enzo?” he said, stopping a few paces behind me. “You embarrassed both of us."

I merely shrugged. “Why should I care?” I asked. “Those are innocent people. There is a cure for them, and you're just going to let them die, because there are always casualties in war?”

My father fell silent for a moment before sucking his lower lip and letting out an agitated sigh. “It's not that simple,” he replied. “The outcome of this war is far more important. The town of Mountainview will go back to normal eventually...”

I shook my head. “You went to college there,” I said quietly. “You were one of the Peacekeepers. You experienced friendship there, joy, love. What happened to you? Did mom's death really turn you into such a horrible excuse for a person?” I turned then to face my father, whose eyes were wide with disbelief, but I wasn't finished. “You know, sometimes I wish that it was you who died, and not mom.”

My father's eyes widened even further. We stood like that for several moments, just staring at each other in pensive silence, before he abruptly turned and stormed off without a word.

If it weren't for my father, I knew I could be with Nina right now. Being around Selena, experiencing her scent and her abhorrent personality, knowing that Selena and Nina would be fated to have the same mate, made me realize how much I needed to be with Nina instead. I would never love Selena in the same way I loved Nina, even if we did mark each other, but my father’s selfish plans were getting in the way of that. Not only that, but he was toying with the lives of thousands of my friends and classmates, all for the sake of winning some petty war.

However, as I stood there in silence, I couldn't help but wonder if I took my words too far.

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