Lunar Legacy: Rise Of The Beastlord-Chapter 57: Date

Jayden could feel Cassandra's soft and squishy breasts press further on his face as she embraced him tightly. He liked the feeling. But he also like her scent; Lavender, with a touch of mint. It was comforting.

And for a while, they both remained in that position. Enjoying the comfort of each other's warmth.

When Cassandra finally pulled away, her cheeks were burning pink. "I—I'm sorry... I just... I don't know what came over me."

Jayden smiled softly, reaching out to squeeze her hands. "Cassandra... you did nothing wrong. Honestly... I feel a lot better. Thanks."

She stared at him for a heartbeat—then quickly looked away, yanking her hands back. "I—I'm glad I could help."

"But... you can call me Cassie." she added, her gaze still turned away from him.

Jayden smiled. "Cassie, huh?" he repeated, testing the name on his tongue.

She smiled shyly. "Yeah. Cassie."

"Okay, if that's what you want." he replied with a smile.

Cassandra smiled back, shy but satisfied. She scurried back to the bed, burying her face into her pillow.

Jayden chuckled at the sight. "She's really cute." he thought. Then he spotted a small chess set perched on the side table.

"Huh?" he raised a brow. "You play chess?"

Cassandra raised her head to stare at Jayden. "Yeah, do you?" she asked.

Jayden grinned. "I've never lost a game to anyone... besides my sister."

Cassandra scoffed. "Is that so?" she muttered grabbing the chess set. "Well that changes today." she muttered grabbing the chess set.

"Would you like to play with me, Romeo?" she chuckled

"Depends," Jayden grinned. "What's the wager?"

Cassandra smirked. "Loser owes the winner... a box of chocolates."

"Deal." Jayden replied.

She led him to the small table by the window. They sat across from each other, Cassandra setting up the pieces with a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

As the soft strains of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata filled the room, they began to play—trading moves, trading smiles, trading quiet flirtations between captured pawns and clever moves.

"I didn't think you'd be good at this," Jayden teased after her third defensive block.

"Don't underestimate me, pretty boy," she winked.

They spoke about everything as the game stretched on—about their moms, both fiercely independent women; about relationships, about Vampire Dairies, about loneliness and dreams, and how sometimes chocolate really was the answer to everything. Yes, that was another thing they had in common. Love for Chocolate.

And just like that, they bonded. In a way neither of them had expected.

"You know," Cassandra mused, leaning forward as she prepared her final move, "I didn't expect to like you this much."

Jayden grinned. "I have that effect."

"Cocky." she scoffed

Jayden shrugged "Maybe a little."

She rolled her eyes playfully, and then...

"Checkmate." she declared with a grin.

Jayden glanced down, acting surprised. Truth is, he'd let her win. And seeing the proud, victorious glow on her face. It was worth it.

"You're good," he said, raising his hands in surrender.

Cassandra laughed. "I know." she said

Jayden smiled, he didn't expect to bond really well with Cassandra. She was smart, cute and fun to be with.

And maybe it's because they both never knew that father, or because they both loved chocolate. But Jayden was sure of it, he was attracted to her. And she was attracted to him too.

Jayden checked the time on his holo-tab

4:15

His eyes widened, he had completely lost track of time.

He sighed and stood reluctantly. "Guess I should head back home. Before everyone starts to worry."

Cassandra nodded with a wry smile, she didn't want him to leave. But he had to. With a heavy heart, she led him out of the room to the entrance lobby of the house.

She walked him to the door, their fingers brushing as they paused at the threshold. "Thanks for coming," she said softly.

"Thanks for having me." He hesitated. "Cassie... this was really nice. I had a fun time."

"Yeah," she smiled, biting her lip. "Me too."

And just as they shared that quiet moment—

"Jayden!" Penelope's voice rang out as she approached from down the hall.

They turned. She looked radiant and casual, her expression sincere. "I wanted to apologize for earlier," she said gently. "I wasn't... quite myself."

Jayden smiled politely. "It's fine, Miss Isley. We're good."

Penelope's lips curved into a sly grin. "Jayden, you can call me Penelope." she winked.

Jayden blinked. He didn't understand, wasn't she supposed to be sober already? What's going on?

Unless...

"Oh, no. Not again." Cassandra let out a quiet groan beside him.

Penelope chuckled. "Relax, baby. Mummy is very much sober." she said

Then she raised her brow, noticing that Jayden and Penelope were standing really close together. "Oh, i can see you two had some good time together, yeah?"

Cassandra's cheeks turned pink, she quickly turned her gaze away. While Jayden smiled wrly, he rubbed the back of his neck with a knowing look..

But then—Penelope stepped closer, hands on her hips, her golden eyes twinkling. "Don't worry. I'm not judging... I'm the fun mom, remember?" she winked

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Jayden was just about to leave, mum. You're delaying him."

Penelope chuckled. "All right, I'll get straight to the point." she sighed

"See I've been thinking. And I've decided the perfect reward for you." she added

Jayden tilted his head. "Reward?"

Penelope's grin widened. "Yes, Jayden. As a reward for saving me... you get a date. With me."

Silence.

Jayden froze.

Cassandra's jaw dropped. "Mum!" she practically yelled.

Penelope winked. "What? I owe him one."

Jayden swallowed hard, utterly speechless as Cassandra gaped between the two of them.

"Besides, Jayden said he doesn't have a girlfriend." she shrugged. "So this shouldn't be a problem, should it?"

She smiled at Jayden, mischievous, playful and unstoppable.

Jayden didn't know what to say, he couldn't refuse her. She had done so much for him, and all she was asking for in return was a date. He couldn't just say no. But at the same time, he couldn't just say yes.

So he remained silent.

Penelope smirked in victory, to her... silence meant approval.

"Good. Be here, saturday night. 8pm." she muttered lightly. "I'll pick the restaurant and take us there. "You just bring that charm of yours."

"And maybe a rose flower." she winked

Jayden's pulse thundered in his ears as he tried, and failed to figure out if he was dreaming. He would be going on a date with Penelope Isley, a literal powerhouse.

He didn't know whether to be excited, scared or worried.

Cassandra slapped her forehead. "I can't believe you, mum."

Penelope shrugged. "Don't worry, it's only a simple date. I won't steal him from you." she laughed and without waiting for a reply, she left.

"See you on Saturday, Jayden." she voiced out, as she walked away. Leaving Jayden and Cassandra alone, stunned and in disbelief.

What just happened?

Jayden lingered in stunned silence, Penelope's playful grin still etched in his mind as she walked away, humming lightly to herself as if she hadn't just turned his world upside down.

Cassandra slapped her forehead beside him, exhaling sharply. "I can't believe her."

Jayden chuckled under his breath, still not quite believing it either. "She's... definitely one of a kind."

"You have no idea," Cassandra muttered, grabbing his wrist. "Come on, let's get you out of here before she changes her mind and drags you to dinner right now."

They made their way to the grand silver gate, walking side by side in quiet companionship. The late afternoon sun bathed the estate in soft gold, casting their shadows long on the stone path.

As they reached the gate, Cassandra turned to face him, biting her lip uncertainly. "I... I hope today wasn't too crazy."

Jayden smiled softly. "Nah. It was... actually really nice." He paused, then added with a smirk, "I mean, apart from almost getting seduced by your mom."

Cassandra groaned, covering her face with both hands. "Don't remind me."

Jayden laughed gently. "Relax, Cassie. She just... likes having fun, I guess."

"She lives for fun," Cassandra sighed. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder who the kid is between the two of us."

Jayden stepped closer, his gaze gentle. "I had fun too, Cassie. And... I'm really glad I came."

She looked up at him then, her lips curving into a shy, genuine smile. "Me too."

The gate swung open automatically with a soft metallic hum. Jayden stepped forward, but paused, turning back to her.

Cassandra opened her arms hesitantly. "Hug?"

At the same time, Jayden had stretched his hand for a handshake. They both froze mid-gesture, blinking at each other in amusement.

"Oh—sorry," she chuckled, cheeks pink.

Jayden laughed, stepping forward, arms open this time. "Nah... I'll take the hug. I actually... kinda wanted another one."

Cassandra's smile widened, warmth filling her gaze as she wrapped her arms around him tightly. "You're hilarious," she murmured into his shoulder.

"And you're... incredible," Jayden whispered back, holding her close.

They separated slowly, reluctant, her hands lingering briefly on his sleeves before letting go.

Jayden tilted his head, playful. "So... does this mean we're friends now?"

Cassandra smirked, raising a brow teasingly. "Hmm... I'll consider it." She winked.

Jayden chuckled, his heart light. "Goodbye, Cassie. I'll see you around."

"Bye, Jayden." She waved, leaning against the gatepost. "Try not to miss me too much."

He turned halfway, grinning over his shoulder. "No promises."

And with that, he jogged down the road, disappearing into the glowing horizon.

Cassandra stood still, watching him until he faded from view. Her heart fluttered in a rhythm both unfamiliar and thrilling.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she leaned her head back against the cool metal of the gate, her smile lingering.

"Okay, Cassie," she murmured to herself, pressing a hand against her chest. "Calm down. He's just a guy. Just... a really sweet, brave, funny, stubborn guy."

She paused.

"...who looks way too good in that jacket." she added under her breath, cheeks flushing deeper.

Shaking her head with a laugh, she turned and made her way back toward the mansion, footsteps light, a quiet warmth blooming inside her.

"Nope," she whispered with a grin. "Not falling for him that easy."

But even as she said it—her fingers brushed her lips absentmindedly, remembering his smile, his voice, the way he'd looked at her like she was the only person in the world.

And she knew that amidst all the lies she told herself, there was still an undoubtedly crazy truth...

She was already falling.

...

Jayden was sitting by the desk in his room, facing the screen of his desktop. On the way back from Cassandra's house, he stopped by the park to complete his daily quests.

When he arrived home, Jayden had a bonding session with the family as they all watched a movie together. They showed concern for Jayden's health prior to how he was found unconscious in an alley the previous day. And they also complimented his hair.

And after the movie, he went straight to his desktop and began researching. From various topics and articles, all related to one thing. The Chthonix.

The soft hum of his desktop faded as he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his tired eyes. The sun had long begun its descent, casting an amber glow through his window, painting his room in a warm, melancholic orange hue.

He sighed deeply, gazing at the blank screen in front of him. "Useless," he muttered under his breath. Hours of research, countless articles, and yet... nothing helpful.

Jayden clicked off the monitor and stood, peeling off his jacket as he collapsed onto his bed. He lay there, staring at the ceiling, letting his mind wander through the chaos of the day.

Penelope.

His jaw clenched unconsciously as he recalled her soft touch, the warmth of her breath, the playful glint in her eyes. The way her hand had trailed up his thigh. He swallowed thickly, his pulse skipping at the memory.

A dark, dangerous part of him—the part he tried so hard to suppress—wanted more. Wanted to feel her curves beneath his fingertips. To know how her lips would taste.

Jayden squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head violently. "Stop it," he whispered fiercely to himself. "She's older. She's Cassie's mom. She deserves respect."

He exhaled slowly, forcing the thoughts away, locking them deep in the vault of his mind. He had bigger things to worry about.

His werewolf origin, the system quests, the tournaments, his abilities... abilities he doesn't fully yet understand. And not to mention, abilities he hadn't even yet gotten.

And that lesds to the reason he was researching about the Chthonix in the first instance.

Earlier after Penelope gave him the Chthonix crystals, Jayden Immediately had a brilliant idea. He needed the energy of three beasts to complete the seasonal quest, and he also needed a suitable ability.

The Chthonix had the ability to change it's size and alter it's molecules. It was a perfect match. And now that he had ten of it's crystals, all he had to do was find an E-Rank Chthonix and acquire it's energy. Then use those crystals to upgrade to the next rank.

It should have been an easy plan, only... the Chthonix, even the E-Rank ones were extremely hard to find on Alpha. And the internet had confirmed that.

So his only options were to either forget about getting the Chthonix energy, or find every possible way... even if it meant going to another planet.

But as the minutes stretched into quiet contemplation, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Jay... are you in there? Can we... talk?"

Jayden recognised the voice. It was Tasha.

He sat up instantly, frowning at the unusual tremor in her voice. "Yeah," he called, already moving toward the door.

He opened it—and froze.

Tasha stood there, framed in the golden light of sunset, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. Her lips pressed together, trembling, her whole posture weighed down by something heavy and fragile.

Jayden's heart tightened with concern. "Tasha? Are you okay?"

But she didn't answer.

Instead, she stepped forward abruptly, pushing past him into the room without a word. Jayden turned after her, bewildered.

"Tasha... what's wrong?" he asked gently.

She stood in the center of his room, her gaze flickering between his bed, the desk, the faint glow of twilight on the walls—then landing on him.

Her breath hitched. "Jayden... why didn't you tell me?" she whispered, voice cracking. "Why didn't you tell any of us?"

Jayden's stomach sank. His eyes narrowed slightly, his fists clenching at his sides. He already had an idea what she was talking about.

"Dammit!..." he muttered under his breath, realization dawning like a bitter sunrise. "She promised."

He sighed quietly and stepped closer. "Tasha..."

But before he could say another word, Tasha closed the distance and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight, trembling hug.

Jayden's body went still, startled. But slowly, he relaxed into her warmth, letting her hold him.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured against his chest, her voice muffled but raw. "I'm so sorry for not seeing it... for not knowing what you were really going through. Your mom. Your sister. Your home. You lost it all... and I couldn't even comfort you."

Jayden closed his eyes, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. "Jessica told you," he said softly.

Tasha pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, her eyes shining with guilt. "Yeah. And... I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe Dad kept it from us this whole time."

Jayden offered her a small, tired smile. "I told him not to. I didn't want anyone to know. I just wanted... to forget. To move on. But lately everyone's being talking about it a lot so..." he chuckled

Tasha nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry for bringing it up," she whispered. "I got emotional."

He shook his head, cupping her cheek briefly before letting his hand fall away. "It's okay. Sometimes... I like talking about them. It makes me remember the good times. Makes me feel like they're still here, somehow."

A quiet beat passed between them. Then, tentatively, she asked, "Jayden... do you want revenge? On the EVA? For what they did?"

Jayden's breath caught. His gaze lowered, fists clenching again—but this time, he let the tension unravel. He exhaled slowly, shoulders relaxing as he looked back up at her.

"I don't know anymore," he admitted. "I used to. I used to burn with vengeance. But now... I just want to protect the people I love. I just... I don't want to lose anyone else."

Tasha's lips curved into a gentle, bittersweet smile. She reached out, took his hand in both of hers, squeezing it tight. "Then let me be one of those people, Jayden," she whispered. "Let me stand beside you. Help you. Whatever you choose—revenge, power, peace... I will support you with all my heart. I want to be with you. Always."

Jayden's chest swelled with warmth. His grip tightened around hers. "Does that mean... you've thought about it? Thought about Us?"

Tasha let his hands fall, turning away slightly as she walked to sit on the edge of his bed. She stared down at her lap, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

"I have," she admitted softly. "But... I want you to know why I had to think about it. Why it wasn't easy."

Her gaze softened. "Jayden, I want to explain everything to you."