CHAPTER 6: ACE COMPANY THROUGHOUT THE DAY
1272 Words
The smoothie slipped from her fingers, crashing to the floor and splattering everywhere.
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When she opened the door, there he stood. Ace, dressed in a casual blue shirt and black trousers, matched with sneakers of the same color. One hand in his pocket, his hair danced lightly in the wind.
He was here for a reason. Thankfully, he could only smell her—meaning they hadn't arrived yet. With him here, no one would be able to hurt her, not even a little.
“Ace,” Snow muttered in shock. She never expected to see him, especially not at this hour—it was already getting dark. She wanted to ask what he was doing here and why, but her body acted on its own. Before she could think it through, her hands shut the door in his face. A second later, realizing what she’d done, she opened it again.
“Sorry about that,” she muttered, and Ace smiled.
“No problem. Is anyone home?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
He’d come at the perfect time. Her family was a bit careless, especially when it came to letting her stay home alone. At the very least, they could have invited her friends over. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized—Snow hardly had any friends. She was mostly in her own world, invisible to everyone else. He didn’t blame her. That’s the price of being tagged an Omega, the lowest rank in the pack—easy prey for bullies.
“No one is home,” Snow said quietly, offering a small smile. “Oh, come in,” she added, stepping aside.
Ace walked in, his eyes roaming around the house. It was cozy and welcoming, but the floor was wet.
“Did you drop that?” Ace asked, nodding toward the spill. Snow chuckled nervously.
She had. Seeing him had startled her—it was rare for him to show up, especially when her family was around. Honestly, she doubted they even knew him.
“Don’t worry about it,” Snow said, turning away and heading toward the storage room.
Ace turned his gaze to the door again. His wolf eyes flickered, scanning the woods deeply. There was a reason he was here, and it wasn’t casual. Were they tracking Snow? Did they suspect her?
Seeing no movement outside, he shut the door and took another look around the house. It was warm, clean, and peaceful. He was relieved she had this kind of safe space.
Snow returned from the stairs, carrying a mop and a bucket. She moved to clean the smoothie, but Ace stopped her.
“Let me help,” he offered.
Snow let out a light, stubborn laugh. “I spilled it, so I’ll clean it. Just sit down, make yourself comfortable.”
Ace groaned, “How can I be comfortable while you’re working?”
“No,” she insisted, placing the mop on the floor and scrubbing up the mess.
Ace watched her with a defeated look but turned toward the sink where he spotted two dirty cups. Without a word, he started washing them.
Snow glanced over and smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “What cologne do you use?” she asked suddenly, catching him off guard.
He paused. “Why?”
“I want to get one for Asher’s birthday. You smell really good, that’s why.”
“Doesn’t Asher smell good already?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Oh please, getting cocky now because I complimented you?” she teased. “Asher is the king of scents!”
Ace chuckled. “Hmm, but I scent way hotter than him.”
“You’re still being cocky,” she said playfully, rolling her eyes.
“Come on, just tell me the name!” she insisted, looking at him with bright puppy eyes.
Ace groaned. “Spicy Secret.”
Her eyes lit up. “Spicy Secret,” she repeated softly, and he chuckled. After rinsing his hands, he wiped them on a towel and turned to face her.
“Let’s play a game.”
Snow’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She quickly finished cleaning, put away the mop and bucket, and returned to the living room—only to freeze at the sight of several game boards on the table.
“Oooh, where did all this come from? Did you hide it in your body?” she joked, and Ace laughed.
“It was in the cupboard. So, what do you want to play?” he asked.
She pointed at a simple-looking game.
“That one?” he confirmed.
“Yes,” she replied.
An hour later…
“You lose!” Snow shouted, beaming with pride. She had won Snakes and Ladders for the third time in a row. Ace stared at the board, feigning disbelief. In truth, he was letting her win. He just wanted to see her smile. She rarely did, and that was something he noticed.
But he didn’t expect her to jump up and start dancing, swaying her hips in a sassy victory dance. He laughed. His eyes softened as he watched her—carefree and full of life, even if only for a moment.
Then her stomach growled—loud and demanding.
“You haven’t eaten properly?” he asked, concerned.
“I’m on a diet. Combat training starts after the holiday. I need to be ready,” she said softly.
“But you still need to eat,” he said firmly, frowning.
Snow pouted, and Ace sighed, standing up. He gently patted her hair and moved toward the kitchen.
“What do you want? I’ll cook,” he said proudly.
“Oooh, you’re spoiling me too much!” she giggled, and Ace chuckled.
“Come on, tell me. I’m at your service,” he grinned.
Snow bit her lip, thinking. “Hmmmm, a burger and a strawberry smoothie.”
“Okay, my lady,” he said with a bow before turning to the fridge. He pulled out the ingredients and started chopping tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, and onions with surprising skill. Snow watched him in quiet admiration.
She hadn’t expected him to be this good in the kitchen. Her gaze drifted, and she found herself thinking of Logan. She remembered seeing him in the kitchen once, slicing vegetables with the same ease. For those few minutes, he didn’t seem cruel or like a bully. She remembered almost being caught and fleeing, scraping her knees in the process. It was strange how fascinated she had been. Strange—and maybe a little disturbing.
“What are you thinking about?” Ace asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.
She smiled faintly. “Hmm, someone.”
“Do I know this someone?” he asked.
“Yes... but let’s not talk about that today.”
Then her eyes widened as a memory hit her. Her thoughts returned to the day before—when Asher arrived. Her powers had vanished. Her white hair and eyes hadn't shown. It had never happened before. Not once.
“Yesterday… when Asher came, my powers disappeared. He didn’t see my white hair or eyes. That’s never happened. So why did it?” she whispered, confused.
Ace didn’t reply. Instead, he focused on flipping the meat he was frying.
He knew why.
It had to be kept secret. If her family found out now, it would only bring chaos. And those following her… they weren’t going to stop.
So...
He had done it—suppressed her powers—so Asher wouldn’t see her in that state.
- Writer
