Chapter 2 : He Learned the Truth of the World from Theodore

Just as he finished speaking, someone behind them threw a small bomb, landing not far in front of them. Theodore''s pupils shrank, and his body reacted before his mind, shielding Jonathan as they dodged. "Boom!" Unfortunately, even though Theodore was quick, they were still thrown by the massive explosion, rolling down the slope. Jonathan was dazed, his ears ringing, unable to hear what Theodore was saying. He only felt his body lighten before he lost consciousness.

When he woke up again, it was already dark. Jonathan opened his eyes, looking around in confusion. He found himself lying on the hard ground, with a dark stone wall above him, and a faint smell of blood in the air, which was quite nauseating. The dim firewood in the cave and the moonlight from outside cast a serene glow. Jonathan tried to sit up but found himself weak, the wound on his arm causing intense pain, making him grit his teeth. He rubbed his forehead, trying to recall everything that had happened. After they were thrown by the bomb, he remembered nothing.

A slender black shadow slowly walked into the cave from outside, limping with each step, and the smell of blood grew stronger with his arrival. Jonathan, enduring the pain all over his body, slowly got up, trying to see who it was.

He pushed himself up with both hands, straightened his body, and looked closely. The newcomer was Theodore.

"You''re awake," Theodore said, walking up to him, his voice tinged with concern.

Jonathan''s lips curled into a bitter smile. "You really are kind-hearted. Thanks for saving me."

Theodore didn''t respond, instead, he busied himself with organizing the food he had retrieved. His eyes held an indescribable emotion, as if he were deep in thought.

"You haven''t told me your name yet, or where you''re taking me," Jonathan said, feeling uneasy in the oppressive silence, and looked at Theodore.

Theodore lifted his head, his gaze fixed on Jonathan. "My name is Theodore. I don''t plan on taking you anywhere. I just thought you looked pretty and helped you out. But I don''t understand, how did a delicate Alpha like you end up here? Where are your Omegas? Why didn''t they protect you?"

"Delicate? Me? Omegas... protect me?" Jonathan frowned in confusion.

Shouldn''t Alphas be the ones protecting Omegas? And isn''t "delicate" a term used to describe Omegas? The things Theodore was saying didn''t match Jonathan''s usual understanding. More importantly, his tone was so matter-of-fact, as if this was just how the world worked. But generally, aren''t Alphas far superior to Omegas? Could it be that he''s no longer in his original world?

No, Jonathan, you can''t let your mind run wild. You need to stay calm!

"What''s wrong? Did I say something incorrect?" Theodore was puzzled by Jonathan''s confusion. This Alpha was different from any he had seen before. His clothes were strange, and his shoes seemed impractical for walking.

"By the way, you still haven''t told me your name."

Hearing this, Jonathan snapped back to reality and half-truthfully said, "My name is Dominic. I don''t have any Omegas at home..."

As he said this, he deliberately put on a sorrowful expression, prompting Theodore to continue.

Sure enough, Theodore took the bait. He rubbed his chin and said, "I see, no wonder... I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to. How is your Alpha at home? How do you manage to live?"

If an Alpha didn''t have the protection of Omegas, how could he survive with children? Those predatory Omegas would never let a sweet and charming Alpha go.

Jonathan''s heart trembled at Theodore''s words. He had never thought Theodore would fall for his story so easily. He fell into deep thought, images flashing through his mind, but he couldn''t piece them together completely.

Theodore''s words made it clear: in his view, without Omegas, Alphas couldn''t survive, and his expression showed that this was common knowledge. This reaction could only mean that this world operated on such principles. But why had he suddenly ended up in this place?

Jonathan quickly concocted a tragic backstory for himself: "My Omega dad was a rich kid who abandoned my Alpha dad. I''m an illegitimate child. Dad couldn''t marry Dad because of a family marriage, but he wouldn''t let Dad go and even took me away to threaten Dad to stay. But the main family couldn''t stand me and Dad, always bullying us in secret."

"I couldn''t stand it, so I wanted to take Dad and leave, but I had no money. So I listened to a friend''s advice and came here to take photos for a brand. Since I''m an Alpha and good-looking, there''s a market for it..."

Listening to Jonathan''s story, Theodore shook his head, his expression growing serious.

"Dominic, you''ve been deceived. The Forest of Spirits is one of the world''s top ten most terrifying places, filled with countless hidden dangers. No one would come here for that."

...

Listening to Theodore, Jonathan learned a lot, though not comprehensively, it was enough for now. As for whether Theodore was acting?

Before this, he had indeed been suspicious, but when that bomb was thrown at him, nearly blowing him to pieces, he knew it was all real.

Jonathan looked up at Theodore, seeing the determination and resolve etched on his face.

"So, what should I do now?" he pretended to be scared, trembling, eyes brimming with tears, looking so fragile that it could evoke anyone''s protective instincts.

"Don''t be afraid, I''ll get you out of here safely. I found this cave by chance while on the run," Theodore said, trying to comfort Jonathan with a softer tone. "It''s relatively safe here. Have some fruit first. I''ll keep watch tonight, you can sleep."

Jonathan nodded, understanding that he couldn''t face those hunting him alone right now, and he had a lot of questions about why he was here. But he also knew that the only person he could rely on was the one in front of him.

"Okay, I''ll do whatever you say. You have to protect me," Jonathan said, tears in his eyes but a glimmer of trust shining through.

"I will," Theodore extended his hand, signaling Jonathan to feel at ease.

Jonathan grasped Theodore''s hand, feeling an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

The forest night was both peaceful and fraught with danger. Jonathan lay on the ground, his body and face covered in dust. His clothes were pure black, so they didn''t look too dirty, but they were torn in places from the escape.