Chapter 142 The Return of the Hidden Fangs
Chapter 142 The Return of the Hidden Fangs
Alex lay sprawled on the floor, one arm lazily draped over his chest while the other rested beside him, fingers twitching faintly as if still recalling the motions of his earlier experiment. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, unfocused, as though he were trying to find answers hidden within its empty surface.
The door creaked softly.
Astrid stepped in, her footsteps light but purposeful. The moment her eyes landed on him, her brows knit slightly with concern. She tilted her head, studying him for a brief second before speaking.
“What’s wrong, my love?” she asked gently, her voice warm yet laced with curiosity.
Alex didn’t immediately respond. His chest rose slowly as he drew in a breath, then released it in a long, weary sigh. His gaze never left the ceiling.
“I don’t know…” he murmured, his voice quiet, almost drained. “I was experimenting with enchanted items… but the results didn’t meet my expectations.”
Astrid’s expression softened instantly. A faint, understanding smile curved her lips as she walked closer. The hem of her clothing brushed lightly against the floor as she lowered herself beside him, her presence calm and comforting.
She leaned slightly toward him, her voice turning softer, more inviting. “Come here, love… rest your head here.”
Gently, she patted her lap, her movements slow and reassuring.
For a brief moment, Alex remained still, as if hesitating—then he shifted. His body rolled slightly toward her, and without a word, he adjusted himself until his head came to rest on her lap. The tension in his shoulders eased just a little as he settled in, his eyes half-lidded now.
Astrid’s hand instinctively moved to his hair, her fingers threading through it in slow, soothing strokes.
After a moment of silence, Alex spoke again, his voice low but steadier this time.
“Ever since I became the head of our family…” he began, pausing briefly as if choosing his words carefully. His eyes drifted slightly, no longer focused on the ceiling but somewhere distant. “My priority has been us—our family.”
His jaw tightened faintly before he exhaled again, deeper this time, as though releasing a weight he had been holding in.
“And that’s the greatest responsibility I’ve ever had in my life,” he continued, his tone carrying both resolve and exhaustion. “That’s why… during the vampire incident, I couldn’t hold back my anger.”
Astrid’s fingers slowed slightly in his hair, her touch growing more deliberate, more attentive.
“I have to become stronger,” Alex went on, his brows furrowing faintly. “For whatever disaster might come for us again.” His hand clenched slightly against the floor, then relaxed. “And that experiment… it was one of my ways to become stronger.”
He fell silent for a brief second, his lips pressing into a thin line.
“But when I tried it…” he added quietly, a hint of frustration slipping through, “the results weren’t what I hoped for.”
Astrid listened without a single interruption, her expression soft and full of quiet understanding. Her gaze remained on him the entire time, attentive and unwavering, as if every word he spoke truly mattered to her.
Her fingers moved gently through his hair, slow and rhythmic, occasionally pausing to lightly brush his forehead or trace small, soothing circles near his temple. Each touch carried a quiet reassurance—subtle, but deeply comforting. At times, she would hum faintly under her breath, almost unconsciously, as though trying to ease the weight in his heart.
Alex continued speaking, his voice rising and falling with emotion—his worries spilling out, his frustrations no longer restrained. And through it all, Astrid remained silent, offering him not solutions, not interruptions… but something far more meaningful—her full attention.
When his voice finally faded and silence settled between them, Astrid’s hand slowed, coming to rest gently against his cheek. She looked down at him, her eyes warm, filled with affection and quiet pride.
A soft smile formed on her lips.
“My love…” she began, her voice tender, almost like a whisper meant only for him. Her thumb brushed lightly along his cheek as she spoke. “I’m really happy that you think that way.”
She leaned down slightly, her gaze softening even more.
“And no matter what you do,” she continued, her tone steady yet filled with sincerity, “I will always support you.” Her fingers slipped back into his hair, stroking it gently once more. “No matter how the world sees you… I will always be by your side… until the end of my life.”
For a moment, Alex couldn’t respond.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Her words sank deep into his chest, stirring something warm and overwhelming within him. His eyes softened, and his breathing grew quieter, steadier. The tension that had lingered in his body slowly melted away, replaced by a quiet sense of peace.
His heart tightened—not with pain, but with emotion.
And in that moment, his love for her deepened even further.
Because the truth was… a man didn’t always need someone to fix his problems. He didn’t always need answers or solutions.
Sometimes… all he needed was someone who would truly listen.
Someone who would stay.
Someone who would understand.
And for Alex… that alone was more than enough.
Just as the moment settled into a calm, gentle silence—
Knock… knock… knock…
The sudden sound echoed through the room, breaking the warmth that had wrapped around them.
Knock… knock… knock…
The warm, intimate atmosphere faded, returning everything to normal.
“Ahem…” Alex cleared his throat, then slowly lifted his head from Astrid’s lap. “That really ruined the mood… I’ll go open the door and see who’s outside.”
Alex and Astrid stood up, quietly letting go of the intimate moment they had just shared as husband and wife.
Alex then opened the door and saw Balgruuf standing there, accompanied by an orc wearing a familiar set of armor. Alex took a closer look, his eyes narrowing slightly as recognition dawned on him—the armor belonged to the Dawnguard, vampire hunters.
“Ah, Balgruuf, please come in,” Alex said, stepping aside. Then his gaze shifted to the orc. “And this is…?”
Balgruuf gestured toward him. “This is Durak. He’s the one who has business with you and the Dragonborn. An unexpected situation has arisen, Alex.”
After hearing that, Alex gave a small nod and allowed them both to enter.
“Alex, you were attacked by a vampire before, weren’t you?” Balgruuf asked.
Alex nodded. “Yes… a few days ago. He said he needed the Dragonborn’s blood.”
Durak then spoke up, his tone serious. “Yeah. Lately, vampires have been showing themselves more often—and this time, they’re not even trying to hide.”
Astrid frowned slightly. “Why do you think that’s happening?”
Durak shook his head. “We don’t know. We interrogated one of them, but we only got a little information—and we’re not even sure if it’s reliable.”
Alex suddenly chimed in, as if remembering something. “That vampire attacked me… but there was also a Stormcloak soldier there. Maybe he has some information about it.”
Astrid’s eyes widened in realization. “Ah, right—the letter! I forgot to give it to you, Alex.”
Astrid then explained the contents of the letter. “In short, he congratulated us… and wants to recruit you to join the Stormcloaks.”
Durak let out a frustrated sigh, rubbing his forehead. “The war might need to be postponed for now. This vampire situation could be far more dangerous. Perhaps, Jarl Balgruuf, you could pass this information on to the leaders of both the Stormcloaks and the Empire. Incidents like this are extremely rare.”
Alex fell silent for a moment, his thoughts racing. (So the Dawnguard DLC event has already begun… the timing is really close after we defeat alduin.)
Then he spoke, his tone thoughtful. “This might be our chance to delay the war again and focus on dealing with the vampire problem, Balgruuf.”
Balgruuf frowned slightly. “But this isn’t peace, Alex. It’s only a delay. The root of the conflict still hasn’t been resolved.”
Alex let out a weary sigh. “Yeah… what else can we do? Trying to persuade those two stubborn sides is nearly impossible. At best, we can only use this situation to postpone the war.”
Balgruuf simply let out a sigh. “Very well… I’ll take care of it.”
Then Durak turned his attention to the Dragonborn and Alex, his expression turning serious. “Ahem… alright, the matter of the war is settled for now. Let’s get to the point. We want to recruit you to help deal with this vampire problem. Our leader has a bad feeling about this… there’s a high chance it could grow into something much bigger.”
Alex fell into thought. (Of course… vampires that have been hiding for thousands of years are now baring their fangs.)
He then spoke, his voice firm. “Yeah… I have a bad feeling about this too. And I don’t want to be attacked by vampires like before again.”
Durak nodded and continued, “And these recent vampires… they’re not the same as before. They used to avoid moving around during the day—but now, they’re active again. We don’t know why. It’s as if… they’re in a hurry.”
Alex felt a bit annoyed. (We only just got a few days of rest after defeating Alduin… and now the Dawnguard event shows up. So much for a vacation…)
He let out a small sigh. “Wait… I need to hear Astrid’s final decision first. She’s pregnant right now.”
All eyes shifted toward Astrid, the room falling into a brief, expectant silence.
Astrid didn’t flinch under their gazes. She straightened slightly where she stood, one hand instinctively resting over her lower abdomen. Her expression remained calm, composed—but there was a quiet strength in her eyes, something unshakable.
“I’m a Nord woman,” she said, her voice steady and clear. There was a faint firmness in her tone, as if she had already made her decision long before this moment. Her fingers pressed lightly against her stomach, a subtle, protective gesture. “Of course my child in my belly will understand this.”
She lifted her chin just a little, her gaze unwavering.
“And besides,” she continued, a faint hint of reassurance softening her expression, “it hasn’t even been a month yet—I can still move freely.”
Alex’s eyes lingered on her, searching her face. For a moment, he said nothing. Then his hand reaching out almost hesitantly before gently taking hers. His grip was warm, careful—like he was afraid of something fragile.
“Are you sure?” he asked quietly, his voice lower now, carrying a mix of concern and reluctance.
Astrid turned her head toward him, their eyes meeting.
There was no hesitation in her gaze.
“I’m sure, my love,” she replied softly, yet with absolute certainty. Her fingers tightened slightly around his, a silent reassurance.
For a brief moment, Alex held her gaze, as if hoping to find even the slightest doubt—but there was none.
He exhaled slowly, his shoulders dropping just a fraction. The hesitation in his eyes didn’t completely fade, but he accepted it.
“…Alright,” he murmured under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.
Then he straightened, releasing her hand reluctantly before turning toward Durak. His expression shifted—still calm, but now carrying a sense of resolve.
“Alright… we’ll join you.”
After that, he turned his attention to Balgruuf. His tone softened again, a trace of trust and familiarity in his voice.
“Jarl Balgruuf… as usual, I entrust Lucia to you. Please.”
Balgruuf’s stern expression eased into a warm, reassuring smile. He let out a light chuckle, crossing his arms casually.
“Don’t worry,” he said, his tone relaxed. “I don’t know how, but she’s gotten quite close with my child.”
He shook his head slightly, amused.
“Ever since he started playing with her, my son has been far more obedient than usual hahaha.”
The faint laughter eased the tension in the room, if only a little.
join my Pat_re_on if you want to read more chapter or join for free for info and announcement