As soon as photos of Alex in his nekomata form appeared in the family chat — which the girls happily shared — those who were on missions in other worlds felt both betrayed and overwhelmed by a wild desire to return home. After all, it's not every day you find out your husband has turned into an adorable fluffy cat that you can cuddle, kiss, and hold close.
So, the girls who were away quickly found very good reasons to postpone their assignments. Nothing terrible would happen if they took just one day off to spend the evening with their husband.
At that moment, Alex was peacefully lying on Lucy's lap, while she gently stroked his soft fur with an affectionate smile. But suddenly, he opened his eyes — his instincts were warning him that something was coming… something he definitely wouldn't like.
And he was right. The first to return home was Rory, who had been on a solo mission. Seeing her husband in his feline form, she merely licked her lips — and within seconds, she had already scooped Alex into her arms, covering him with kisses and leaving traces of purple lipstick all over his fur.
Soon after, one by one, the other girls began returning as well. And once again, Alex went through a cycle of hugs, kisses, and endless petting. His fur soon became ruffled, and he was completely covered in lipstick marks of various shades.
He tried to escape a few times, but the moment he even thought about running — they caught him immediately.
Once the girls had their fill of affection, they calmed down a little and began introducing themselves to the new family members — Lilith, Maya, and Moxxi. Meanwhile, Angel was in Valerie's room, where a friendly bond was slowly forming between them.
As for those who couldn't return — Lucina, Alice Cullen, and Samantha — each had her own reasons. Lucina and Alice were currently attending school and decided not to travel to the Danmachi world, since Alex was planning to visit them soon anyway. Samantha, on the other hand, was busy settling family matters before permanently moving in with Alex in Forks. She needed about a week to finish everything.
While Alex was lying on Juri's lap — who flat-out refused to let him go — he didn't even notice the girls starting to prepare a welcome party. And even if he had, he wouldn't have interfered.
At that moment, he remembered that he wanted to talk to Brunhilde — to find out how many people she had brought from Valhalla to join the Guild.
Taking advantage of Juri being distracted, Alex swiftly jumped over to Brunhilde's lap and asked his question. She began listing everyone she had invited. Just as Alex suspected, among them was Nikola Tesla's group and several other science-obsessed geniuses.
Silently, Alex prayed to his father that the Guild wouldn't blow up — because after briefly meeting Tesla and his colleagues, he realized one thing: they were brilliant... but seriously unhinged.
Brunhilde also mentioned that Alex's clone — the one he had sent to that world — had created doors leading directly to Valhalla. That meant that heroes of the past and demigods could now freely come and go whenever they pleased.
Alex only nodded, though inwardly he hoped that the gods from Valhalla wouldn't wander into the Danmachi world. Especially Aphrodite.
There was already an Aphrodite in Orario — a rather unpleasant one who had caused plenty of trouble. After the whole Apollo incident, most gods preferred not to cross Alex, but some, like her, didn't know when to stop. It all ended when Freya pressured Aphrodite during the Denatus, and Alex personally sent most of her followers on a "long-term vacation" — with their limbs bent at unnatural angles.
However, the Aphrodite from Valhalla worried him even more. That woman had tried to kidnap him several times or catch him alone. Yes, she was beautiful — Alex couldn't deny that — but every instinct he had screamed one thing: stay the hell away from her.
That's why he only hoped that Zeus from Valhalla would be able to keep the other gods from interfering. In the Danmachi world, only Uranus knew the true purpose of the Guild. The rest of the gods believed it was simply a trade organization run by Alex's family.
Alex was still surprised that Hermes — with his love of gossip — hadn't yet spilled the secret about the existence of other worlds. Then again, perhaps Hermes simply understood that his swift legs wouldn't save him from Alex's wrath.
Even the appearance of Helios orbiting the Danmachi world would surely raise questions, but there was already an official explanation prepared: a result of magical engineering created by Alex and Hephaestus.
As for the heroes and legendary warriors from Valhalla — Alex believed they could be trusted, even if they were each a little insane in their own way.
But what amused him the most was something else — the gods of this world, upon seeing such powerful warriors, were practically drowning in tears of envy, knowing they couldn't invite them into their familias.
"Nyahahahaha!" Alex burst out laughing, imagining the gods of Orario fuming helplessly.
The girls stopped drinking and turned toward Alex, who, sitting on Brunhilde's lap, was laughing like a mischievous anime villain cat. His laughter was so sinister and contagious that he didn't even notice at first that everyone in the room was staring at him.
Each of the girls instantly understood: Alex was plotting something again. The only question was — who would be his unlucky victim this time?
When a suspicious silence filled the room, Alex finally stopped laughing and looked around warily. Seeing the stares directed at him, he coughed awkwardly into his paw and pretended as if nothing had happened.
The girls, seeing him act all innocent, exchanged glances, shook their heads, and went back to their conversations.
Alex gave a satisfied, catlike smile when he felt Brunhilde's hand gently stroke his back. He looked up — and met her gaze, which held warmth mixed with mild irritation, as if she were thinking, "My husband is being an idiot again."
Before curling back up on his valkyrie's lap, Alex reminded her not to let any of the gods from Valhalla appear in this world without his permission. And if they did come, they were not to leave the Guild's grounds — at most, they could visit Erina, Hisako, and Alice's restaurant, which was also accessible through the Guild.
Brunhilde nodded, fully aware of what could happen if two gods with the same name met in one world. Even a casual encounter between Hermes from Valhalla and Hermes from Orario could end awkwardly — one looked like a refined aristocrat, while the other was a notorious busybody who loved sticking his nose where it didn't belong.
Some time later, Alex joined the others, and the day ended in laughter and conversation.
The next morning, Alex woke up in his usual form. On one side of him slept Juri, on the other — Lilith, while Nobuna lay comfortably on his chest, unwilling to wake up.
Alex sighed with a smile. He knew perfectly well how it would all end, and he was only glad that time magic truly worked wonders — otherwise, he might have been stuck in this world for a long time, waiting for the girls to let him go.
Carefully slipping out of their embrace, he noticed that most of the girls were already awake and busy with their own tasks. It was only natural: each had her own work to do. Some had returned to other worlds to complete their missions, others were handling Guild matters, and some were occupied with household chores. No one sat idle, waiting for Alex to go off and save another world.
Quickly getting dressed, Alex once again transformed into a nekomata. The reason was simple — he liked being a cat, and the girls liked it even more. Everyone was happy.
Pushing the door open with his paw, he lifted the local time-slowing spell that had been active in their room. But after taking only a few steps down the corridor, someone gently picked him up.
Alex turned his head and met Claire's gaze. She smiled warmly and pulled him closer to her chest. He purred contentedly and made himself comfortable in her arms.
Together, they went downstairs to the first floor and headed toward the dining hall.
When they entered, Alex — still resting in Claire's arms — saw Brunhilde sitting at the table. And next to her sat Heracles.
Alex raised an eyebrow, listened in on the conversation, and quickly realized that Heracles had come just to check on his "sister." Even though they weren't related by blood, in Valhalla, demigods always considered each other family.
Judging by the conversation, Heracles had just returned from a mission in another world. Alex leapt down from Claire's arms and landed directly on the table, making himself comfortable. He couldn't help but notice that Heracles had changed — he was calmer, more thoughtful. He used to rush in to save everyone, sometimes acting recklessly and betraying those he wanted to protect. Now, his gaze carried regret and maturity.
The girls seemed accustomed to his visits — no one was surprised.
As usual, Heracles wore a simple toga made from the skin of the Nemean lion, along with sandals. He spoke about his latest mission, and his voice carried guilt — he hadn't been able to save someone he wanted to.
Noticing the cat settled on the table, Brunhilde smiled, picked up Alex, and held him close. Heracles, not recognizing the fluffy creature as his old acquaintance, continued speaking.
"So the mission was successful?" Brunhilde asked, stroking Alex's fur.
"One could say that," Heracles sighed. "But I never imagined a child's soul could be so dark. He was born to defeat evil… but became evil himself. How can a person, called to be a hero, betray their comrades?"
Alex lazily opened his eyes and replied, his voice soft but tinged with wisdom:
"Don't be surprised, Heracles. A hero's title doesn't make a person good. In worlds like these, the title 'Hero' usually goes to someone capable of eliminating a threat to the world. But that doesn't mean they're noble. Most of these heroes are selfish, petty, and believe me, you'll meet more like them."
Heracles raised an eyebrow, staring in surprise at the talking cat perched on Brunhilde's lap. The animal's voice sounded vaguely familiar. Seeing the hero's confusion, Alex immediately introduced himself so Heracles wouldn't waste time wondering why the cat was speaking.
When Heracles realized that the cat was actually Alex, a smile appeared on his face, and he nodded in greeting. Alex then began explaining many things about heroes like the one Heracles had recently encountered. Heracles listened intently, occasionally asking clarifying questions and nodding, showing he absorbed every word.
When Alex finished, Heracles let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair. From Alex's words, he understood the main point — trying to guide such heroes onto the right path was pointless. A person raised in an environment where they were idolized and considered infallible would inevitably see themselves as above others. Only a rare few could remain true heroes. But Alex and his Guild's work wasn't just about dealing with such "heroes," who were essentially villains, but also about protecting timelines from being destroyed.
After sitting a bit longer, Heracles stood up. He had received answers to all the questions that had long troubled him. Thanking Alex, he headed back, leaving Alex alone with his family.
Deciding to relax a little, Alex prepared to have some coffee before returning to Forks. But no sooner had he thought of it than someone placed… a cat bowl filled with coffee in front of him.
He blinked, staring at the bowl by his paws, then glanced at Kiriko, who was barely suppressing her laughter as she watched her husband in cat form. The other girls at the table turned away so they wouldn't burst out laughing.
"Very funny," Alex muttered, rolling his eyes.
Standing on his hind legs, he clapped his front paws together. In that instant, the bowl transformed into a neat mug filled with fragrant coffee. Alex smirked and squinted at Kiriko, but she just raised an eyebrow, returning his look with mock curiosity.
The girls at the table exchanged glances — they were curious to see how the cat would drink coffee. The answer came immediately. Still sitting on his hind legs, Alex took the mug with his front paws and began to drink carefully, as if he were an ordinary person… if that person happened to be a fluffy, talking cat.
It looked so cute that the girls' hearts melted involuntarily. Their husband, in cat form, sipping coffee with a serious expression, trying not to spill a drop — it was utterly charming. Unable to resist, the girls pulled out their phones and started taking pictures, afraid to miss the moment.
Alex just sighed at the clicking of cameras but didn't protest. He focused solely on not spilling the drink — drinking coffee with his tongue as a cat was not the easiest task.
By the time the mug was half-empty, each girl already had several shots — and some had even set one as their phone wallpaper. Alex set the mug down on the table and, noticing the girls animatedly discussing the photos, smiled quietly. He was glad that his transformation had brought them so much joy.
But it was time to return to Forks.
Announcing this, Alex received a wave of tender goodbyes. The girls weren't upset — they knew they could always come to him for hugs or a dose of love. Without changing his form, Alex let them take turns pressing him to their chests and giving him a farewell kiss.
Before leaving, he went up to the second floor to say goodbye to those who were still asleep, then dashed out of the house.
On the way, he decided to stop by the Fertility Mistress to see Ryu and Syr, and at the same time grab some food for the Kallen family. After Alex helped them return to eating normal food without losing their vampiric nature, Esmé Kallen rediscovered her love for cooking.
Whereas before she cooked just for pleasure and the food often went to waste, now, as a true mother, she happily fed her family delicious meals. It was especially rewarding to see her husband and children gratefully praise her cooking — in those moments, Esmé felt genuinely happy.
Leaving the mansion, Alex nimbly jumped onto the roof of the neighboring building and, glancing back, noticed old Hayato strolling calmly down the street. Feeling someone's gaze, Hayato looked up and met the eyes of the black cat sitting on the roof. Recognizing him, he gave a slight smile and nodded. Since Hayato had gained great-granddaughters, it was as if a second wind had awakened in him — he felt lively and energized again.
Alex waved a paw in response and, with a slight curl of his tail, ran along the rooftops toward the Fertility Mistress.
Leaping onto the restaurant roof, he looked down and saw Anya-Nya — the cat-girl — trying to sweep in front of the entrance. Key word: trying. Since early morning, Anya-Nya had been lazy as usual, more pretending to be busy than actually doing anything.
Alex smirked and quietly jumped down, landing softly right on her head. At that very moment, the girl had just yawned and swung her broom. Feeling the sudden weight, she froze, then raised her hands and cautiously felt around the "culprit." Discovering the soft fur, she lifted the one who had landed on her head — and saw a black cat.
"Kitty-Nya! What are you doing here-Nya?" she asked in surprise, peering into his eyes.
"Anya-Nya, hi-Nya," Alex replied calmly, raising a paw.
"A talking cat-Nyaaa!" the girl squealed, dropping him in shock.
Alex landed softly on the restaurant doorstep and shot her a dry, disapproving look. At Anya-Nya's scream, the other waitresses rushed out and froze, seeing their colleague holding a broom pointed at a black cat calmly sitting at the entrance.
Ryu and Syr immediately recognized Alex — and burst out laughing. Alex just sighed. Ryu, unable to resist, scooped him up and carried him inside.
The waitresses grew curious about the cat, especially since even Ryu knew him. But the moment they heard it was Alex himself, a wave of hugs and pets began — to the displeasure of Mia, who was already getting irritated that the staff kept getting distracted from work.
The most persistent, of course, were Anya-Nya and Chloe — two cat-girls for whom the fluffy, talking cat seemed like the very embodiment of perfection.
"Why did you come, Alex?" Ryu asked, continuing to sweep the floor after Mia had scolded everyone again.
"Just to say goodbye and grab some food for the road," Alex replied, settling on Anya-Nya's shoulders, who unsuccessfully tried to scoop him up again.
"We're still closed! Don't come here begging for food," Mia said angrily, slapping the counter and giving him a stern look.
"I'm not here to beg. And anyway, I always pay for my food. My family regularly orders from here," Alex said lazily, waving a paw.
Mia frowned, gripping her rag in her fist. A moment later, she threw it straight at Alex, but he skillfully leapt — landing right on Syr's head. Anya-Nya, standing behind, didn't dodge in time and got hit in the face with the rag, then let out a pitiful groan about "the unfairness of life."
Soon, the argument between Mia and the other waitresses ended — Mia, grumbling, gave in.
Alex, triumphantly settling on the bar counter, swished his tail side to side, as if deliberately hypnotizing the girls, who immediately rekindled their desire to pet him.
While his order was being prepared, he glanced at Aisha and the two other Amazons who had previously worked with Haruhime. Alex knew that Aisha was currently in a relationship with R, but he hadn't heard much about the other two. However, seeing their smiles and calm demeanor, he understood that their lives had improved greatly after leaving the household of the goddess Ishtar.
Watching them, Alex couldn't help but recall something about the Amazons of this world. They all came from a place called the Dark Continent, inhabited exclusively by women warriors. Their patron was the goddess Kali — a cruel and domineering deity for whom strength meant everything.
Each Amazon who left her tribe did so for one purpose — to find a worthy partner and strengthen her bloodline. Kali herself gave that order, wanting her peoples to grow stronger. After conceiving a child, an Amazon was obliged to return to the Dark Continent. If she did not, rumors quickly reached Kali, and a squad of warrior women would be sent to bring the runaway back at any cost.
"What are you staring at, Alex?" Aisha suddenly said, leaning on the counter. "Don't you know I'm dating one of your subordinates?"
"Just thinking," Alex replied calmly, then narrowed his eyes. "Listen, Aisha... would you go back to the Dark Continent if you got pregnant by R?"
At Alex's question, Aisha froze as if turned to stone, and the rag she'd been using to wipe the counter slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. The other two Amazons understood what he meant at once, as did all the waitresses, including the tavern owner, Mia.
It was no secret in Orario why Amazons came to this city — to find a strong partner who could father their child. Their tribe's rules were harsh, and any Amazon who dared disobey them met a bad end. Kali — their goddess — was notorious for her cruelty, as were her followers.
"Why did you ask?" Aisha whispered, her hands trembling as memories of the tribe she grew up in surfaced.
"As odd as this may sound, R is my friend. And I like watching you two spend time together, like lovesick doves. And since my wife is Freya, I can feel the love between you. So I decided to ask what you plan to do," Alex said, lazily flicking his tails.
Aisha took a deep breath.
"I think we simply won't have a child. I told Renato about all of this, and he said that if I don't want to, we can adopt from an orphanage," she said, lowering her head. But sadness colored her voice — like any woman, she still dreamed of having her own child.
"And why are you such idiots?" Alex asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow.
Aisha flinched as if struck, looking even more vulnerable.
"What are you talking about, kid?" Mia snapped irritably, flashing her eyes at Alex for daring to offend Aisha.
"Perhaps you forgot that this city is under my protection, and R and Aisha live on my territory," Alex replied calmly, yawning slightly. "Even if they have a child and Aisha refuses to return, no one will be able to take her away. And if Kali decides to interfere — I won't mind killing another god. And if it comes to wiping out all the Amazons on the Dark Continent — I will do it. It seems you've started to forget who I am after just a month away from the city. Or was Helios appearing yesterday not enough for you?"
After those words, a dead silence fell over the tavern.
The Amazons, the waitresses, and Mia herself remembered who Alex really was. Almost everyone knew — after all, Syr never missed an opportunity to boast that she had "managed to seduce" Alex himself, at least according to her. On top of that, Ryu occasionally mentioned her husband, so the entire staff of the Fertility Mistress Tavern knew exactly who they were dealing with.
Aisha looked up at Alex, and he nodded — no words, but the message was clear: if necessary, he would intervene.
Although Alex doubted it would come to that. The Guild already had enough people capable of killing Kali. Even R himself could do it — all it would take were special bullets designed to utterly destroy the deity. That would be the end of Kali's existence.
But people often forget such things — and it seemed Aisha and R had forgotten who their patron was and what was really happening in Orario.
"How could I have forgotten about that?" Aisha said, pressing her palm to her forehead.
"Exactly. That's why I'm saying you two are idiots," Alex sighed. "The Guild has weapons capable of killing a god, and I haven't even mentioned the rest. Even if I didn't return, there are plenty of people in Orario who could throw Kali out of the city. Even Ryu could do it."
He pointed a paw at Ryu. All eyes turned to her, but the elf just shrugged, not denying her husband's words.
"And me?" Syr asked, pointing at herself.
"I'm afraid you're the type who'd stab someone in the back in a dark alley rather than fight fair," Chloe remarked with a smirk.
Everyone looked at Syr, who immediately pouted in mock offense, and then — as usual — grabbed Alex, burying her face in his fluffy fur as if ready to cry.
No one was surprised — Syr didn't even try to deny Chloe's words. Instead, she rubbed her face against Alex's fur, clearly taking advantage of the situation to press against him again.
But the main thing — Alex's words had an effect. Aisha visibly calmed down. She finally understood that she didn't have to follow the barbaric laws of her tribe if she didn't want to. She had R, who loved her as she was, and friends ready to support her.
Determined not to waste time, Aisha wiped her eyes and headed for the exit — to talk to R. Just last night, they had discussed having children, and now she wanted to revisit the topic, but without fear.
Mia didn't stop her — she understood how important this was for Aisha.
And as the tavern owner noted to herself, behind Alex's smiles and wild antics lay the face of a being capable of cruelty if necessary. Everyone at the Fertility Mistress Tavern knew this firsthand — after all, Syr often got distracted from work to watch Alex's broadcasts, and at least once, everyone in the tavern had seen what he was really capable of.
After Aisha hurried off to talk to R, everyone returned to their tasks — the hall needed cleaning, and preparations for the upcoming opening were underway. Alex, perched lazily on the bar counter, watched Ryu and Syr working tirelessly. He had never asked them to quit the tavern — if they enjoyed it, they could do what they loved. Alex respected such choices.
An hour later, his order was finally ready. He had ordered food not just for himself but for the entire Kallen family, as well as for Alice and Lucina, so the girls could have a snack after classes. Carefully storing the containers in his inventory, Alex said goodbye to everyone, allowed Ryu and Syr to hug him one last time, and, after a final farewell, darted out of the tavern on all fours.
Bursting onto the street, he easily leapt onto a rooftop, deciding to open a portal. This time, Alex wanted to try something new — opening a portal without Yamato. He extended a claw and made a smooth downward motion, slicing through the air. The space trembled, and a dark rift opened before him.
"Hm, it works," Alex smirked with satisfaction, realizing that his idea to use Yamato's power without the sword itself had succeeded. He cast one last glance at Orario, smiled faintly, and jumped into the portal.
When Alex emerged on the other side, he was surrounded by a forest. Quiet, bathed in sunlight. Looking around, he pulled his phone from his inventory and, sitting back on his hind legs, checked the screen. The time had synced with the local zone — the day was nearly over, and the last lesson was underway.
"Late," he murmured, nodding to himself.
It made sense: first Pandora, then a night in Orario — yes, he had lost some time. Pocketing his phone, Alex didn't change form and, still in his cat body, headed toward Forks School.
He dashed out of the forest, his black fur glinting in the sun, but no one paid him any attention. To the locals, he was just a stray cat. No one cared.
Reaching the school, Alex skillfully climbed a tree near one of the buildings and closed his eyes, focusing. He needed to find Lucina and Alice. The last lesson was in session, and he decided to check on Lucina first.
Leaping from the branch, Alex ran to the window of the classroom and peeked inside. As expected, Lucina was there — completely ignoring the teacher, buried in her tablet. Alex squinted, smirked, and lightly tapped the glass with his claw, just enough for her to hear.
Lucina startled, turned her head — and her eyes met Alex's. He arranged his two tails into a heart shape.
Lucina couldn't help but smile and responded by forming a heart shape with her fingers, just like he often did.
Alex squinted in satisfaction and pawed at the window, signaling her to let him in. But Lucina shook her head — the window wouldn't open. Alex put on the most pitiful cat expression he could muster, like a stray cat caught in the rain.
"Oh no…" Lucina whispered, turning away to hide her laughter. Her heart ached with pity — he looked far too cute.
Of course, Alex could have simply passed through the glass, but where would be the fun in that?
Throwing one last offended look at Lucina — to which she responded with an eye roll and a slight wave of her hand — Alex turned and ran off, continuing his search for Alice.
He knew that Alice was having her final art class — the same one he should have attended as well.
Dashing along the school walls, Alex found the right window and peeked inside. Alice was sitting at an easel, focused on a new painting. Alex squinted, trying to make out what she was drawing, and his eyelid twitched immediately.
Once again, Alice was depicting one of the most awkward moments of his life — the time when, on Moxxi's orders, he dealt with an annoying admirer by putting on a musical show with the psychos around a burning pile of trash.
"Oh, please, not this…" Alex groaned to himself.
He tapped the glass with his claw to get her attention. Alice looked up — and her eyes lit up with delight. She practically started bouncing in place — she was terribly envious of those who had already gotten to cuddle Alex, and some had even taken pictures with him.
She discreetly cracked the window open, and Alex nimbly slipped inside, landing on her lap.
"You're so fluffy and cute!" Alice exclaimed, immediately starting to cuddle him.
"Yeah, I know," Alex snorted, nodding toward her painting. "But did you really have to draw that moment with Pandora? During all the time I was there, you could have found far more inspiring landscapes."
"I thought it was funny," Alice replied cheerfully, rubbing her cheek against his fur. "You were singing and dancing so amusingly… I just couldn't resist."
Alex merely nodded quietly and stayed seated on Alice's lap while she gently stroked his head with one hand and continued painting with the other. Once again, he marveled at his wife's talent — every detail of the painting looked incredibly vivid. Even though she had depicted that awkward moment when he danced with the psychos around the burning trash pile, he didn't object — the execution was flawless.
Without taking her eyes off the canvas, Alice began asking about his adventures on Pandora. Though she had watched some of the broadcasts, the time difference had kept her from seeing everything. Alice and Lucina only knew the general events, and Alice had also glimpsed some fragments through her visions.
Alex eagerly began to describe the wild landscapes of Pandora, its insane inhabitants, and Moxxi's strange contracts. He knew Alice was particularly interested in beautiful locations, so he focused on describing the planet and what the Vaults looked like from the inside.
Meanwhile, the art teacher, walking between the rows, heard Alice talking and decided to approach. Alice reacted instantly — grabbing Alex and hiding him under her shirt, pressing him close.
The teacher came over, looked at her canvas, and, as usual, froze for a moment. Another "crazy" work from Alice — an explosion, psychos, and a singing demon amidst the fire. He merely nodded wearily:
"Yes, very… expressive. But the talent is undeniable."
Meanwhile, Alex was tucked under Alice's shirt and, looking up, found himself pressed against a black bra. Not that he hadn't seen Alice without clothes before, but the situation was… somewhat awkward. He tried to settle more comfortably, but eventually his fur began tickling her stomach. Alice pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh or give herself away while the teacher was still nearby.
When he finally pulled back, Alex carefully poked his face out of her collar, and Alice shot him an offended look in response. Alex turned away sheepishly, as if to say, "I didn't mean to, it's just cramped in here!"
They stayed like that — Alex peeking out from her collar, and Alice doing her best to pretend everything was fine. Alex closed his eyes, deciding to wait until the end of class, while Alice enjoyed the closeness. Her skin didn't radiate warmth — after all, she was a vampire — but the warmth of Alex's fluffy body truly heated her from within.
When the bell rang, Alex lazily yawned and opened his eyes. Alice waited until the other students had left the classroom before standing carefully, shielding him with one hand.
In the hallway, she quickly made her way to Lucina, who was already waiting by the exit. Seeing Alice, Lucina smiled and gently patted the cat's head peeking out from her collar. Alex looked especially cute and harmless that way, causing both of them to laugh softly.
Together, they left the school and headed toward Emmet, Rosalie, Jasper, and Jane, who were already waiting by the car. Meanwhile, Alex glanced around and noticed Edward and Bella were nowhere in sight. He quietly sighed, realizing he'd missed the perfect opportunity to ruin their "romantic moment."
"Wait, Alex hasn't come back yet?" Emmet asked, noticing only Alice and Lucina had exited the school.
Before Alice could answer that Alex was already back, everyone noticed the fluffy head of a cat sticking out from her collar. Alex remained silent, feeling a twinge of self-reproach — he'd missed the best chance to ruin the moment between Bella and Edward.
"Alice, where did you get a cat?" Rosalie asked, staring at her in surprise.
"Seriously… I didn't even notice at first. Where did it come from?" Emmet added, reaching out to pet the animal's belly.
"Hands off, Emmet. Or I'll bite your finger," Alex growled, snapping his teeth right in front of Emmet's hand.
Emmet instantly pulled back his hand and stared at the cat in shock. Rosalie, Jasper, and Jane also looked at the talking creature in stunned silence. Alice and Lucina just laughed, watching their expressions.
Alex snorted with satisfaction, leapt out from under Alice's clothes, and landed squarely on Rosalie's car roof.
"What are you staring at? Never seen a talking cat before?" he asked, stretching lazily.
"Alex… is that you?" Rosalie finally managed to blurt out, unable to believe her eyes.
"Who else would it be?" he replied, scratching his ear with his paw.
"Why did you turn into a cat?" Emmet asked, still in disbelief.
"First of all, I'm not a cat, I'm a nekomata. A cat demon, to be precise," Alex corrected, pointing to the two tails swaying behind him.
"Whatever… But why did you even do this?" Emmet muttered, waving his hand.
"Long story. Better come to my place; I'll explain everything in detail. Plus, I brought you some souvenirs," Alex said, licking his paw with a satisfied look.
After that, no one had further questions. Everyone knew perfectly well that Alex had gone to another world to deal with an idiot threatening his daughters. Their curiosity about the details was overwhelming, and the promised souvenirs were a nice bonus.
Agreeing to meet at his house, Alex leapt straight into Lucina's arms. She, along with Alice, headed toward the nearby Impala to return home.
To be continued…
(So, here it is, Forks. Again. So, if I don't forget, I'll post a post today, with some kind of voting. This post will be related to future arcs, or rather mini-arcs between the main story or during the main story. Basically, it all depends on whether I remember. This post will be on my Patreon, for all members, including free ones.)
Early access to chapters on my patreon: p*treon.com/GreedHunter