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Chapter 589 131.3 - Alden Evergreen

Maya could feel the pressure building, the unspoken accusations hanging in the air. Alden had always been protective, and the idea that his sister\'s life had been in jeopardy without his knowledge was a betrayal of the trust he placed in her. Maya had anticipated this reaction, but facing it now, under the weight of her brother\'s gaze, was more difficult than she had expected.

"I didn\'t want to worry you," Maya said carefully, maintaining her calm despite the storm brewing in her brother\'s eyes. "It was a... complicated situation, and I needed time to process what happened before bringing it to the family\'s attention."

Alden leaned forward, his fingers steepling as he rested his elbows on the table. His gaze remained unyielding. "Worry me? Maya, I am not some distant figure in your life to be kept in the dark. You are my sister. Your safety is my responsibility. How could you keep something like this from me?"

Maya held her ground, knowing she had to be measured in her response. "Brother. There was no need to inform you of the matter, as when the opportunity to inform you arose, the matter had hare lady been dealt with."

Alden\'s gaze remained locked onto Maya, the weight of his concern and frustration clear in the intensity of his stare. His fingers drummed softly against the table, the only outward sign of his simmering anger. But even as the tension thickened between them, Maya could see that Alden was listening—truly listening.

He wasn\'t a fool. He understood the complexities of life and the dangers that came with their family\'s position. As much as he hated being left in the dark, he wasn\'t blind to the fact that he couldn\'t always protect his sister. But that didn\'t mean he would accept being shut out when she was in danger.

"I didn\'t need to inform you," Maya continued, her voice steady and resolute. "The situation was handled, and when the opportunity came to tell you, it was already over. There was no need to bring you into a matter that was resolved."

Alden\'s eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, it seemed like he might push back further. But then something shifted in his expression—a flicker of realization. He knew Maya wasn\'t reckless, and he knew she wouldn\'t have made the decision to keep this from him lightly. It was clear that this was her own choice, a deliberate one.

Even so, the anger still lingered beneath the surface. He let out a slow breath, his voice measured but carrying the weight of his unresolved frustration. "I understand you\'re capable, Maya, but that doesn\'t change the fact that I deserved to know. You faced a life-threatening situation, and you made the decision to keep it from me."

Maya met his gaze, unwavering. "Yes, I did. And it was my decision to make. I am not a child anymore, Alden."

The silence that followed was heavy, but it wasn\'t hostile. Alden leaned back in his chair, his sharp mind working through the implications of what Maya had said. He was still upset—there was no denying that—but he also recognized the truth in her words. As much as he wanted to protect her, he couldn\'t always be there. And perhaps... Maya had grown more than he realized.

But that didn\'t mean he would let it go easily.

"I still want to know what happened," Alden said, his tone firm.

Maya took a breath, knowing that now was the time to reveal part of the truth. She had already steeled herself for this conversation, and it was time to make Alden understand.

"Do you remember when I requested a visit to Western Uxbridge?" Maya asked, her voice calm and deliberate.

Alden frowned slightly, his mind turning over the memory. He didn\'t respond immediately, but after a moment, the realization dawned on him. He nodded slowly. "Yes, I remember. It was during your semester in the academy a few months ago. You wanted to attend a cultural exchange... or so you said."

Maya nodded. "Yes. While we were there, I was attacked. A vampire. It ambushed me when I was separated from the group."

Alden\'s expression darkened immediately, the tension returning to his posture. "A vampire? In Western Uxbridge?"

"None of us were aware of that. It all happened too quickly. I was attacked by the vampire, and because of my carelessness, I let myself be captured. It was my own fault."

"And following that, he saved you from the vampire?" Alden\'s voice was laced with a mixture of disbelief and lingering anger.

Before Maya could respond, Alden\'s gaze shifted sharply to Astron. Without warning, he reached out, his hand gripping Astron\'s shoulder with a force that belied his controlled demeanor. The room seemed to grow smaller, the air thick with unspoken tension as Alden scrutinized Astron intently.

Astron remained composed, his posture relaxed despite the sudden shift in the room\'s dynamics. However, Alden wasn\'t satisfied. He had always been perceptive, and something about Astron\'s presence now felt different—more calculated, more enigmatic.

"You say you saved her," Alden stated, his voice now carrying a commanding authority that silenced any further conversation. "Taking down a vampire is no small feat. Vampires are powerful, and even seasoned hunters struggle against them. How did you manage to defeat one?"

Astron met Alden\'s gaze with unwavering confidence. "The vampire was recovering from a long sleep," he explained, his voice steady. "Its powers were not at their peak. If it had been fully awakened and at full strength, the situation would have been vastly different."

Alden\'s eyes narrowed further, studying Astron\'s features. He could sense the calm assurance in Astron\'s demeanor, but something about him didn\'t add up. "Recovering from a long sleep?" Alden echoed, his tone skeptical. "That explains its diminished strength, but why wasn\'t this documented? Vampires don\'t just sleep for extended periods without leaving any trace."

Astron shrugged lightly. "The circumstances were chaotic. The vampire attacked without warning, and by the time we investigated, most of the evidence had been destroyed or concealed. It was an isolated incident."

Alden didn\'t relent, his protective instincts over Maya flaring anew. "And you? Were you prepared for this encounter? Do you have any training specifically for dealing with vampires?"

Maya watched the exchange with bated breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that Alden\'s questions were probing deeper, trying to uncover any inconsistencies that might reveal Astron\'s true nature or the extent of the situation she had kept hidden.

Astron responded confidently, "No, I did not, and it was also not necessary. I don\'t need to train specifically for a vampire to kill it; I just need to identify the target. While vampires are formidable, proper preparation and strategy can neutralize their threat, especially if they\'re not operating at full capacity."

Alden remained silent for a moment, his piercing gaze never leaving Astron\'s face. The room was thick with tension, every second stretching longer as Alden weighed Astron\'s words against his own instincts.

Finally, Alden leaned back, his expression still stern but with a hint of grudging respect. "It seems you\'re more capable than I initially gave you credit for," he admitted. "But Maya, this doesn\'t change the fact that I should have been informed immediately. Your safety is my responsibility, and keeping me in the dark was unacceptable."

Maya felt a pang of guilt but stood her ground. "I understand, brother. It is just….."

"Sigh, I get it, I get it." Alden sighed, the rigidity in his posture softening just a fraction. "But, still. Next time, make sure to inform me about everything."

He released Astron\'s shoulder, allowing him to sit back down. The room\'s atmosphere had shifted, the initial anger now tempered by understanding, though a lingering edge of protectiveness remained in Alden\'s eyes.

As Alden sat down, he couldn\'t help but steal another glance at Astron, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. The moment his hand had rested on Astron\'s shoulder, he had sensed something—something faint but unmistakable.

A subtle yet undeniable trace of intent, one that had momentarily set his instincts on edge. It had been so brief, so carefully concealed, that Alden wasn\'t entirely sure if it had been deliberate or a natural consequence of Astron\'s presence.

For someone like Alden, who had been trained to identify even the smallest shifts in energy and intent, feeling even the slightest threat was not something to be taken lightly.

And yet, this man before him—this junior from the academy who seemed so calm and composed—had managed to evoke that sensation, however fleeting. It was enough to make Alden pause, to reconsider his initial assessment of Astron. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

He let his gaze travel over Astron again, this time with more scrutiny. On the surface, Astron appeared perfectly normal—calm, respectful, and unassuming. But beneath that exterior, Alden could sense layers of something deeper. Power, perhaps? Or maybe a tightly controlled strength that Astron had yet to fully reveal. It made Alden curious, more than he would ever openly admit.

\'This man is not as simple as he appears,\' Alden thought, his mind turning over the possibilities. \'And for him to make me feel... even the slightest hint of caution? That\'s no small feat.\'

Astron, for his part, remained as composed as ever, his posture relaxed despite Alden\'s intense scrutiny. He appeared unfazed by the attention, which only served to deepen Alden\'s curiosity. Most people, under the weight of Alden\'s gaze, would have shown at least a flicker of discomfort. But Astron? Not a hint. It was as if he had anticipated this reaction and was prepared for it.

Maya, sensing the shift in her brother\'s demeanor, glanced between the two of them. Though Alden\'s anger had subsided, she could tell that his interest in Astron had only grown. He was no longer just evaluating him as a guest—he was analyzing him as a potential unknown, someone who had far more layers than Alden had initially considered.

The room fell into a brief silence as the tension slowly began to dissipate, though Alden\'s gaze never wavered from Astron. It wasn\'t until Alden finally leaned back in his chair, his expression softening into something more thoughtful, that the weight of the moment seemed to ease.

"You\'ve certainly made an impression," Alden said at last, his voice measured. There was no longer the sharp edge of confrontation but rather the careful tone of someone weighing their next move. "Maya doesn\'t trust easily, and for her to bring you into our home… well, that speaks volumes."

Astron met Alden\'s gaze with a calm confidence. "Thank you for the compliment."

"But still….I am quite curious."

Alden was not satisfied enough.