章 34: The Secret Of Life

[RANIA]

"Even in the face of death you still are cranky and hard-headed," Paloma sighed defeatedly. She could see that Rania was trying to distract herself from the pain. The woman was hurting too much, but her pride wouldn't let her accept the help of the feral queen.

"Well, what can I say? It's a Rania thing. Someone like you won't understand, so don't even bother," Rania responded, her voice still coming out in painfully slow breaths.

She sounded like she was choking on her blood, probably because she had taken more hits than her body could handle. Hers had been a suicide mission and it was openly insane. That much was evident.

"Why won't you tell him?" Paloma asked again, like she knew what Rania was avoiding.

"I don't know what or even who you are talking about. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to crawl and find a shade since this place looks like shit.

"Oh wait, where will I sleep, now that the cave has been demolished by that stupid Jihoon?" Rania asked and Paloma just let out a small laugh.

She still couldn't believe that this was the Incayon alpha, looking helpless as fuck and yet somehow, looking so sure that she could fight another feral and win.

This is what a dangerous woman looked like, because clearly, she was willing to go all out, and that should have scared everyone who knew her or even heard of her.

"You're my guest Rania, only since you look like you can't walk. Though I must applaud your strength, that is something," Paloma said proudly. She didn't have to hide it because ever since she had known Rania, the young woman had never once disappointed her.

"Fuck off," Rania said, expectedly. Her voice coming out even more rougher. If she wasn't careful, she would slip into a coma.

"As you wish, Rania. Just remember that I know something about you two. Something that you don't want him to know, and it's not just about his mate. Anyway, it is not mine to tell, but I have to say, what a pity you have become, protecting that which you shouldn't," Paloma said and Rania scoffed.

Whatever Paloma was on, Rania would need some because that shit didn't matter to Rania. It however seemed like Rania had an ace up her sleeve and was too scared to use it. What could be the reason?

And was Paloma talking about Jihoon??

"Tell him, and let's see if he will believe you," Rania dared Paloma to go on ahead.

Their lives were already complicated enough and if Paloma wanted to make it a little harder, then Rania was open for it, besides she had nothing to lose anyway.

Nothing but herself.

Though it kinda seemed like Kim Rania was willing to throw herself away.

"There are things that even I am not allowed to divulge. I may be a rogue, Rania, but I'm still a moonchild, and I don't want the goddess banishing me too like you did," Paloma said, reminding Rania of the grand banishment of Paloma.

All the woman had done was know something she shouldn't have and Rania couldn't have had that.

She knew so well that people would try to kill Paloma just to get back at Rania. So as a gift, Rania banished her, and made her the queen of any and all rogues in the supernatural world.

It was a great show of how much power Kim Rania had. But then, when she had done, it, Rania had been sarcastic as fuck. She had never expected it to work.

Turns out it did.

"I don't care."

"Oh, but you do. I see you are a good liar, but I'm better, Rani. Seeing you holding it back, watching him be free when you are living in a cage, makes me happy anyway. Besides, I know you'd rather die than tell him yourself.

"That, right there, is the best justice the universe has ever given me," Paloma said as she walked away.

"Fuck off, Paloma" Rania said, reminding herself to punch that woman into next season if they ever met again.

"Oh hi there, Jihoon, I thought you'd slept," Paloma said to Jihoon, before quietly saying, " I hate what they turned you into, my love. I'm so sorry Rani, I truly am."

"Naah, I still gotta see how much pain that little tartmole can take. Good job today by the way, Paloma," Jihoon said as he bit Paloma good night and walked back towards Rania.

Jihoon's heart broke for the woman he was looking at. He wanted to scold her for being stubborn, and tell her that what she had done was stupid. He wanted to remind her that she was still important to the supernatural world, but he couldn't tell it openly.

He couldn't let her know that he cared, because that would defeat the purpose of their entity, plus it would make things complicated since Rania had killed his mate.

Jihoon couldn't explain his reason for caring for the wild woman, but he knew for a fact that he didn't want to be in a world without his favorite nemesis.

This woman gave him a reason to live, even if the reason was her death.

It was all that Jihoon could ask for.

He wanted her around, even though she was a maniacal woman.

'What?' Rania said to herself when she heard Jihoon's voice.

Rania was in shock when she heard Jihoon's voice.

Rania knew he had heard them and she wasn't ready to talk about anything with Jihoon right now. She wasn't going to pretend that everything was okay between them. Besides, she knew they were better off enemies than friends or something more.

So before Jihoon could say anything, she spoke.

"I know I'm hot and you can't take your eyes off me, but could you have some respect and let a girl crawl in peace?" Rania mocked Jihoon, the anger in her voice was so fake that even Jihoon sensed it.

He could tell that there was more to what Paloma had said and he wanted to reassure Rania that he wasn't curious about it. He didn't know why he wanted to reassure Rania, but the urge was stronger than what he could comprehend.

Something was going on between Rania and Paloma and it wasn't one that Jihoon would overlook.

As the smart guy he was, Jihoon had figured it had something to do with him, but then why the fuck would Rania keep a secret from him?

The woman hated him more than life so why did Paloma's statements feel like Jihoon could have done something to help Rania?

What were the two women hiding anyway?

"If you're worried about what I heard—"