Chapter 29

Well, what about it? Dane recalled the situation. Of course, if he had given it his all, it wouldn't have been impossible. If he had taken Greyson down and climbed the rock wall first.

But that might have been truly dangerous. One of them might have really fallen down the cliff. Dane had no intention of risking his life for such a trivial bet. Who would want someone to slip and die a dog's death over a few dollars? As someone had said, he needed to stay in one piece, if only to take care of Darling.

Moreover, it was all too obvious that getting entangled with Greyson Miller would not bode well for his future.

That guy, his gaze was persistent. Plus, extreme Alphas as a group were generally not right in the head. Greyson was the second son of the Miller family, already notorious as a troublemaker. Dane detested troublesome and annoying matters.

"If you had been serious..."

To DeAndre, who was looking at him reproachfully, Dane responded indifferently.

"There wasn't even a prize money, why would I go that far just to beat that bastard?"

"Would it have been different if there was prize money?"

When Ezra asked as if he had been waiting for this, Dane readily nodded.

"I would have won, no matter what."

It just so happened that he needed money for Darling's health checkup. A cat over 10 years old needed careful management in many ways.

His colleagues, who had no way of knowing his thoughts, literally wore disgusted expressions.

"We should have bet 100 dollars."

When Ezra said this as if complaining, Wilkins shook his head.

"It's too late now. Let's not talk about what's already happened."

"That's right, what matters is the future."

As someone chimed in, DeAndre immediately sneered.

"The future? Ah, you mean having to go out to scenes with Miller from now on?"

As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere at the table sank coldly. Only hands silently tilting glasses moved busily, and empty bottles and beer glasses increased one by one. Far from conversation, only a heavy silence flowed. Through it, voices from the next table came across clearly.

"Greyson, you really worked hard today. Was it tough? It's mean to train a beginner on that course, really."

"How can they be so narrow-minded and petty? If they had a heart as big as Greyson's, they wouldn't bully people so childishly."

The voices were consoling. At the end of their words was excessive sympathy along with a hint of affection. Rather than being sarcastic, it was an outright tone of taking sides. Subtle praise that naturally elevated Greyson while putting down the others. Then someone lowered their voice a notch.

"Do you still have to release pheromones on a day when you've been worked so hard?"

The pitying question also contained a secret seduction. Soft and deliberate hands moved naturally. While raising a glass, they consciously leaned in closer. The back of a hand touched an arm, and low-pitched breaths spread as if brushing against an ear. The men at the next table, who were trying to drink while ignoring this, averted their gaze in an effort not to see, but they pricked up their ears and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"It must be quite difficult having to change partners each time to release pheromones. Isn't it troublesome?"

To the continuing question, another voice cut in.

"Right, wouldn't it be better to decide on one partner?"

"Finding someone each time seems quite troublesome. If it were me, I'd seriously look for a partner."

"Extreme Alphas are different from us, right? Do they all find partners for each occasion like you?"

At the curious question, Greyson's mouth relaxed.

"Most tend to do that."

And before another speculation could emerge, he added first.

"But I'm looking for my one and only destiny."

"Destiny?"

"One and only?"

The women repeated Greyson's words with surprised faces. The men also turned around with incredulous expressions, as if they had heard something they shouldn't have. Though they were openly waiting for Greyson's next words, he continued calmly as if it didn't concern him at all.

"Like Daddy and Papa. Someone who will protect and believe in each other no matter what difficulties arise... someone who will stay by my side even if the world ends."

Greyson placed his hand on his left chest and let out a sweet sigh.

"There must be a half to my heart. I'm looking for that person."

"Oh my."

"How romantic."

The women looked at him, exhaling excited breaths. They seemed quite moved by Greyson's words, but the men at the other table were not.

"Why does that bastard say things that don't suit him at all?"

"How can someone who babbles about finding his other half change women every other day? He should at least make sense."

Until then, Dane had been listening silently. How and how promiscuously that bastard lived was not at all his concern. What was important to him was not getting entangled with Greyson Miller, and the current situation was quite satisfactory. Just as his eyes met with the waitress who had brought a new beer, and he raised a faint smile in response to her subtle eye smile, Ezra suddenly frowned at Dane.

"I've never seen anyone worse than Dane."

When Dane flinched at the arrow suddenly turned toward him, Wilkins shook his head.

"No, no matter what, he's different from Dane."

Wilkins, who seemed to be taking his side for a moment, immediately added.

"Dane doesn't change partners morning and evening."

Dane twisted his face, but they didn't stop there.

"That's only because that bastard is working. Who knows how Dane plays around on his days off?"

"That's true."

"Dane would change three times a day. He's a stud horse."

"Yahoo! Dane Striker! Champion!"

Dane was dumbfounded at how the atmosphere had shifted. Though he wasn't pleased with their arbitrary chatter, it wasn't wrong, so he just emptied his beer. Amid the guys who were exchanging jokes and laughing boisterously, DeAndre said.

"Does such a thing really exist in the world? Destiny."

"It does."

Ezra nodded firmly. Since he had actually married his first girlfriend from high school and already had three children, everyone had to accept it. Though Dane's expression as he looked at him was full of skepticism.

"A single love worth risking your life for."

"That's right!"

Though Dane's voice was full of sarcasm, whether due to being drunk or strong belief in himself, Ezra laughed heartily and raised his beer glass as if for a toast.

"Let's toast to Dane finding that person soon, cheers!"

With a "wahaha," everyone toasted and gulped down their beer. Dane also laughed, but it was closer to a sneer. Pleased with Dane's reaction, Wilkins added with a smile.

"Since we're on the topic, isn't it about time you settled down? Even if not necessarily marriage, it wouldn't be bad to seriously meet someone. What do you think? There are many good unmarried women among my wife's friends, would you like to meet them?"

"No, thanks but I'll pass."

"Dane, but."

At his merciless rejection, Ezra tried to cut in this time, but Dane added without giving him a chance.

"Let me tell you, love is just bullshit. It's simply a hormonal reaction."

"What?"

Ezra opened his eyes wide as if shocked. But Dane continued, unconcerned.

"You might be deluded for a while, thinking you could give your life for this love. But as time passes, you'll realize. That you did something ridiculous, that you were clinging to something not worth it at all. Probably after breaking up, you won't even remember each other's faces."

His colleagues who had been drinking together blinked in confusion. Dane, who had laid out such cynical words, sneered with a twisted corner of his mouth.

"Believing in such nonsense and searching for it is a waste of life. Either they don't know the world or they have nothing to do, one of the two."