Ch 24: I want some answers- Part 3

Selene took a seat, her gaze flickering between Ethan and Zara. 

Those two certainly had something going on between them, but it did not look romantic. It looked more like a subordinate-superior relationship. 

But Selene did not want to comment on it and decided to keep quiet for now. It seemed like the best move to make.

Zara seemed to be struggling with what to say, her expression torn between curiosity and hesitation. Ethan, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered, leaning back in his chair with an air of indifference.

It was clear that if she wanted answers, she would have to be the one to start. But where to start was the question.

Selene exhaled slowly before speaking.

"What do you know about the upcoming apocalypse and the fall?" 

She asked, her voice steady.

The moment the words left her mouth, Zara let out a sharp gasp before she groaned in a pained way.

Her wide eyes darted toward Ethan, filled with disbelief and accusation.

"You told her? Didn't we agree to keep it all a secret until the actual time?" 

Zara demanded, brows furrowed.

Ethan lazily stirred his coffee, not even sparing her a glance.

"I didn't tell her anything. She already knew. It might have something to do with the system or the apocalypse. I am not sure about it." 

He replied, his tone almost bored. 

Zara blinked, looking genuinely shocked.

Selene remained silent, watching as Zara turned back to Ethan with urgency in her voice.

"Then how—?"

Ethan cut her off with a simple shrug.

"I found her being attacked by Scouts. Managed to save her in time."

Zara's expression softened immediately.

She turned to Selene, her gaze filled with something close to sympathy.

Slowly, she reached across the table and took Selene's hand in hers.

"You're a brave one. Surviving an attack from those things… and not losing your mind in the process." 

Zara said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. 

Selene wasn't sure how to respond to that.

She hadn't had the time to process what had happened in that alley. The dog-like creature, its unnatural presence, the way her body had moved on instinct—it all felt surreal.

And yet, here was Zara, speaking as if these things were normal.

As if the apocalypse was already in motion.

Selene tightened her grip on her own lap.

She had come here for answers.

And she wasn't leaving without them.

"What are Scouts?" 

She asked, her voice quieter this time.

Zara and Ethan exchanged glances.

Ethan simply leaned back, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as if amused that she was asking the right questions.

Zara, however, seemed hesitant to answer.

"They're the first wave. Creatures that appear before everything truly falls apart. They seek out the strongest survivors… and either kill them or turn them" 

Zara eventually said. 

Selene's stomach twisted at the implication.

"So, they were after me?" 

She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zara nodded.

Ethan finally spoke up, his voice carrying an edge of something unreadable.

"They don't go after just anyone. You've caught their attention, Selene. In simpler words, you were 'marked' by those creatures. And that's either very good… or very bad. Which one do you think it is?" 

His golden eyes locked onto hers. 

Selene felt a deep unease settle in her chest at that look and at what they were discussing. The topic felt too heavy to be taken lightly.

Everything she had just heard was too much to take in all at once. The idea that the Scouts wouldn't stop hunting her, that she had somehow been "marked," and that the creatures were actively seeking out strong survivors—it was overwhelming.

She needed time to process this. This had never happened to her in her past.

Zara must have noticed her discomfort because she leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table.

"You should think about what you're going to do now. Now that you've become a target, your life is going to change. You should think about those chances and decide what you want to do." 

Zara said, her voice softer than before. She seemed like a decent person who had been caught in this mess as well.

Selene swallowed, gripping the edge of the table.

"Are you sure they won't just… go away? Won't these creatures lose interest as time goes on?"

Zara shook her head, a grim look on her face.

"They don't leave their prey alone. Once you've been marked, they will keep coming. It doesn't matter where you go or how well you hide. They're relentless." 

She said firmly. It seemed as if she was talking from experience. But Selene had a feeling that she should not ask this to the older female.

Selene felt a shiver run down her spine when she heard Zara's words.

The memory of the attack was still fresh in her mind. The sheer ferocity of the creature, the way it moved—like it had been designed to kill.

It had been terrifying to be so helpless.

Zara exhaled slowly. 

"I was a victim too."

Selene snapped her head up. 

"You were targeted by the Scouts?"

Zara nodded but didn't offer any more details. Instead, she looked down at her cup, swirling the remaining liquid absentmindedly.

Selene hesitated before speaking again. 

"What happened?"

For a moment, it seemed like Zara wouldn't answer. There was hesitation in her eyes, a quiet sort of pain that made Selene regret asking.

"You don't have to tell me. I understand that it is tough to talk about." 

Selene added quickly.

But before Zara could respond, Ethan let out a sharp laugh.

"She died." 

He said casually, as if they were discussing the weather.

Selene blinked in shock.

Ethan leaned back in his seat, an amused glint in his golden eyes. 

"Got torn apart by the Scouts and had no choice but to form a contract with me if she wanted to live."

Zara scowled at him. 

"You really have no sense of privacy, do you?"

Ethan smirked. 

"Nope."