Chapter 406: A father in love can’t be helped.

Hunter shook his head firmly. "No, Father. Forget it. Even if I went to her with questions, she would rather bite her tongue than tell me the truth. I might as well save the both of us from that unpleasant ordeal."

The moment those words left Hunter’s mouth, the tight frown lines on Horas’s forehead magically smoothed away! A big, brilliant smile spread across his face, making him look almost ten years younger in an instant. Relief washed over him like a cool mountain breeze.

"Ah, good, good! Your mother cannot take the stress anymore. It could be a source of pain she does not wish to relive. You are such a good son for considering her feelings." Horas patted Hunter’s shoulder happily.

Hunter smashed the urge to punch his father and force the man to face reality. His love was more than blind; it was a devotion that refused to see flaws. His father loved his mother with the kind of love that burned quietly until it consumed everything around it.

If she ever died, his father would probably take his own life and follow her.

Horas scratched his chin in confusion. "By the way, how did you know that you were born from Somnivore sperm? Is it because you are extraordinarily stronger than average people or because you are good at math?" He looked at Hunter from head to toe. "You look human to me. There was nothing different about you as a child, and I would know because I personally raised you. Who told you about this Somnivore thing? It could be a false rumor."

Hunter coughed awkwardly, clearing his throat. "Oh, that! Well... Trinity was saying some weird, crazy nonsense to me earlier. But obviously, that old hag was just trying to mess with my head to get out of her arrest."

"I knew it!" Horas slammed his fist into his palm, cursing out loud. "That Trinity Johnson is an absolute poison! A terrible, rotten human being! She was always the worst possible influence on your mother!" He paced back and forth across the room, waving his hands dramatically. "If it wasn’t for the stupid, toxic competition between those two women trying to outdo each other’s wealth and status, Sabrina would never have crossed so many evil lines! Trinity corrupted her, I tell you! Corrupted her!"

Hunter just stood there, letting out a quiet sigh as he watched his father pace around blaming the bad influence.

Internally, Hunter vehemently disagreed. Father, you’re being way too naive... Mom didn’t need Trinity’s help to be an evil monster. She did that all on her own!

"Anyway, Father, it’s late," Hunter said with a warm chuckle, gently pushing Horas toward the door. "Go get some rest. We’ve both had enough drama for one night." He had the answers he sought, now, he could sleep.

"You’re right, my boy. I will go and keep your mother company while she is under house arrest." Horas smiled, patting Hunter’s arm fondly before heading off to his room.

Hunter watched him walk down the hallway, letting out one final, weary sigh. Tomorrow... he would surely get the answers that he was looking for.

****

Early in the morning of the next day, in the grand city of Althea_ which was strictly Somnivore territory. A place where humans were not allowed into, with the exception of the hybrids, an important meeting was happening.

Up at the absolute top floor of the Heavenreach Tower, eight youthful looking, powerful Somnivores were sitting around a huge round table. Their faces were as stiff as dried fish. The mood in the room was so heavy you could probably use it to flatten a mountain.

Almeida, the supreme leader sat right at the head seat. His chair was basically a giant throne with way too many golden leaves on the back. He casually tapped his fingers on the armrest. His sharp nails were a whopping ten inches long, looking less like fingernails and more like ten tiny swords attached to his hands.

He stared dead into the eyes of another elder, Erik who was his biggest opposition, and asked a question he had already asked two times today: "So... Erik. Where is your hybrid son, Leif?"

Erik’s nose twitched hard, wrinkling up as if someone had just shoved a piece of rotten garlic right under his nostrils. He believed that he could be a better Supreme leader, get the humans under their feet such that they can worship them like gods. He had no respect for Almeida but didn’t show it around others.

"I don’t know where he is!" Erik shrugged his shoulders high, trying his best to look innocent. "Look, Almeida...."

Almeida cut in immediately, "You will address me by my full title!"

Erik swallowed hard and forced a smile. "Supreme leader, these accusations are totally unfair! What does Leif even gain from ordering a bunch of dumb beasts to attack the human territory? Nothing! Zero benefits!"

Almeida didn’t buy it for a single second. He sneered, his long nails tapping faster. "Oh, really? Well, there happens to be a Soul Maiden waiting outside right now, ready to point her finger straight at him. If your precious boy is so innocent, why didn’t he answer my summons? I am his Supreme leader! When I say ’come here,’ he should run here like a good dog! And these were not some small beasts; they were king beasts on steroids!"

Sitting nearby, Ivar let out a loud scoff. "Classic Leif. Honestly, father, if the humans find out that we did this.... forget any kind of peace talks with them. That’s why I voted against Leif becoming commander in the first place! The man lacks discipline."

Salazo, stroked his long beard and let out a deep sigh. "I agree. It’s bad this time, guys. Really bad. My own son came back from the other side this morning and told me the human side suffered disastrous damage. People died. Lots of them." He turned his head to glare at Ivar. "And Ivar, you’re supposed to be our representative leader! I really, really don’t like how you handled this mess."

"That is why I put the soul maiden in charge and not Leif, I knew this would happen!" Ivar threw his hands up in the air.

Almeida slammed his fist on the throne’s armrest, making the fruit bowl in the middle of the table jump. "Ivar, fix it. Now! And get to know the new human leaders.... hopefully they are not asses like the previous ones, and they will return what belongs to us."

Ivar scratched his chin, his long fingernails making a rasping noise against his skin. "The only way to fix this, Great Leader, is simple. We catch Leif, tie him up like a pig for slaughter, and throw him over to the humans. Let their courts try him. Let them chop off his head or whatever they see fit!"