Chapter 149 - When The Clock Strikes On His Birthday Pt. 3

Kai looked at his best friend, pushing down the glass of ale that Lun was prepared to drink and moved closer, surprising his companion on their wild night that seemed to have just begun. Lun frowned, moving closer knowing already that the prince was going to say something extremely ridiculous.

"Let's go, let's leave!" Kai exclaimed with wide eyes and Lun sighed.

"Why? Why do we need to leave just because the dogs are here? We have nothing to do with them." his friends answered him  while Kai looked at the entrance anxiously. The two werewolves were looking at the inside of the tavern, their eyes searching for an empty spot, a place they could sit and celebrate Philip's big day.

"I don't know. I just feel like something bad will happen if we meet. Let's just leave." He repeated and Lun shook his head. In the end he gave in, dropping his glass on the table and searching through a little pouch on the inside of his jacket. He took out a few silver coins and let them on the table, the silver hitting the wood and twisting until it dropped motionless on the dirty table. 

Kai was the first one to get up, his head dropped, his body slithering between the guests as he tried to remain hidden. Their entrance, the place they stood was their exit and the vampire bit his bottom lip, anxious. 

He wanted to avoid Philip. He was unsure of what he felt. He was completely sure that just a few hours ago he had growing feelings for him, he was interested and even somewhat depressed at the thought he couldn't express it. Yes, it wasn't really something grand, it was more of a very smooth beginning to something that he hadn't felt in a while ever since he had left Soran. It was this specific feeling you get when you find someone interested for the first time, when you're wondering what could they be thinking, what thoughts harbor in their minds and what emotions could be nesting in their hearts. Once you are pulled in, everything, front the slightest movements or the smallest gazes could mean something, imaginary or true. Kai was sure he was starting to feel like that but after the clock striked, after that very insignificant moment when he stood in front of the clock tower, his eyes following the flow of the enormous clock, something had definitely changed. 

He hit a man by accident, his body crouched, just the top of a blond head visible while he tried to run away. Only if you paid attention or if you were looking for him specifically you might have seen him. Or else he was just an unknown figure between the many. He felt a tag on his shirt and looked back, seeing Lun mimic his movement. For a second, they looked at each other, realizing how ridiculous they looked, like thieves trying to run away into the night. Lun rolled his eyes, Kai managing to communicate with him without any words as he shook his arm, signaling him to move forward. 

"We are fucking  jesters." Lun mumbled but Kai decided not to comment on it. "Is this because you're interested in the wolf? Tell me the truth. Stop acting like a schoolgirl and do something. You're a prince, is this how you should behave?" Lun kept ranting, dissatisfied with the situation as he came face to face with a man's very lowly dropped pants and he almost gagged. 

"Stop talking okay?" Kai whispered angrily, turning around one time so he could scold him. "And no, I am not interested in him. Not anymore…I think. There is something really weird happening. We need to get out of here before he finds us and I promise you I will explain everything, just get me out of here! Is that so hard to do?" Kai asked him, intensively, his blue eyes stuck on his best friend while he talked but Lun wasn't looking at him, he was looking at something behind him. 

His brown haired friend tilted his head to the side, an indescribable expression on his face.

"Maybe it is hard after all." he answered and pointed at what he had been staring at all along. 

Kai turned back, curious only to face two strong legs, dressed in a pair of leather pants. He slowly raised his head, getting the full image of the man that was standing in front of him and lastly he focused on his face. Seeing Philip very clearly, his hands on his waist, looking down at him with a faint frown, his eyebrows raised. 

"What the heck are you doing?" Philip asked him. His tone was obviously judgemental and both vampires stood up, trying to gather the last few pieces of their remaining pride. 

Kai had sobered up. The shock had been so great that the beautiful haze that made everything look entertaining and funny was already gone. Now he had crushed back into reality and he had to face this thing that was growing inside his chest. He couldn't explain it. The young prince was smart, smarter than most men but before him stood the most difficult riddle. The question on what had just happened to him. He felt stupid, thinking that he couldn't answer a question about his own self. Somehow he had become the subject of a very complicated and long philosophical conversation he wasn't willing to open right now. 

"We were looking for  something." Kai said, trying to seem cool.

"Alriiight" Philip answered, drawing the word so long that it was clear to the two men that he didn't believe them. "Kai, can I talk to you for a second? I need to tell you something very important." The werewolf said, his expression turning suddenly very serious. Kai gulped, worried about what he wanted. 

"No." The prince answered strictly. "You see it's a fun night and talking with boring people like you will ruin it so how about you move to the side so my friend here and I can skip to the next place." he said, sounding a bit cruel and insulting. He didn't mean to say it like that, he just wanted to escape, he thought and his eyes widened. "Anyways, just move." he said again and pushed Philip to the side intending to run away. 

He didn't manage to make one step before he was stopped. His leg in mid air when he felt Philip's fingers wrap around his arm. 

"Just a second. It won't take long. I promise." The werewolf told him and Kai rolled his eyes, his head falling back before he grabbed Philip's wrist, squeezing it a bit too much. The young man hissed, letting go of him, a dumbfounded expression on his face as he met with Kai's icy eyes.

"Who told you it was okay to touch me?" Kai asked and Philip frowned. 

He was surprised by Kai's behavior, who wouldn't be after all? At one moment he seemed to be a fun and confident young man while the next he could only see a snobbish and cold royal. He looked at the man in front of him, disappointed.

"What's wrong?" Philip asked him and Kai shrugged his shoulders. He had a lazy smile on his face, as if he didn't recognize the werewolf's worry. 

"Nothing's wrong dog. I just simply don't want my night ruined by you. Also we are not that close for you to think that you can touch me. Don't forget who I am." Kai said, his hands resting on his sides. Philip tensed up, his fists forming slowly while his knuckles turned a bright white. He didn't know what to say, he didn't want to lose control at the same time. He had to talk with Kai, tell him about everything he found out. After his birthday, so many things had changed for the werewolf and him finding the prince here could be nothing else than fate. While everyone laughed, while ale was being spilled from shaking glasses, while the waitresses passed them by, the two men remained quiet, staring at each other, tension rising as if this was some kind of contest. Philip exhaled, trying to relax.

"Just for a second. I promise you, if you don't like what you hear I won't bother you again. Your highness." he told him, the last words coming out of his mouth with difficulty as if he was being forced to say them. Kai hummed, entertained by the worry in the werewolf's eyes. He was standing on a rope, beneath him a stormy ocean and even though Kai had never really seen the sea before he could imagine it, him drowning in it. Falling, being pushed by his anxiety and he laughed. 

"Why should I?" he asked him and Philip's hazel eyes widened. 

"Stop being such a prick." the werewolf commented, not really answering and Kai squeezed his eyes. 

"How did you just call me?" 

"A prick. Are you deaf or are you pretending not to hear me?"

"Oh, well now I really want to go outside with you." he said between gritted teeth, taking one aggressive step forward. Philip was slightly taller than him so he raised his head, their eyes meeting while he flashed him a gorgeous smile. The werewolf froze for a second,  his heart fluttering as he witnessed the smile of an aggressive devil. 

"Come out." he repeated, trying to sound serious. 

"I will. I can fuck you up a lot easier than in here." he said, pushing him to the side.  "Don't cry later." he warned him. 

Philip didn't really believe him at that moment. 

He should have.