Patient B-2

Chapter Forty-Three: Avalyn

I was far from thrilled when I realized Idalia's plan for Wrath and me involved attending the auction as Mr. and Mrs. Renelly. It wasn't just the undercover aspect that bothered me; the real challenge was pretending to be married to Wrath. The thought of feigning affection for him felt even more daunting than the mission itself.

I almost argued that Sophie should accompany Wrath, but given her limited experience in such matters, it's better if I go. Idalia could go herself, but it's obvious she doesn't want to; otherwise, she would have volunteered. At least it's not Cierien- he's too nice, and I'd probably enjoy spending time with him. With Wrath, I know I can suppress my feelings every time he says something stupid- which he has a habit of doing.

With Idalia's plan laid out, she disclosed the auction's location and how she obtained the information. A distant cousin, who no longer exists, had extended the invitation to the duo but won't be joining us, for obvious reasons. Luckily, since it's the couple's first appearance at such an event, we shouldn't be recognized- at least, that's the hope. Given that it's an invite-only affair, WWA will likely be less vigilant, not expecting our presence, especially since we've only ever been seen at the mostly-human auctions and their after-parties. The mission is straightforward: get in, find Jeannette, and get out.

Idalia also mentioned that she has a lead on the whereabouts of two WWA doctors, though she still needs to devise a proper plan before we can take them out. Our ultimate goal is clear: eliminate every doctor affiliated with WWA to cripple their ability to conduct experiments. They might try to recruit more, but my mission has always been to rid the world of as many WWA members as possible, and it seems everyone is on board with that. I just hope she shares her plan with me soon- the ominous meeting she mentioned is approaching rapidly.

None of us have a problem with multitasking. This week, we'll take out the doctors and infiltrate the upcoming auction. I'm confident we can handle both tasks effectively. Once we get Jeannette back, we can focus on eliminating as many WWA members as possible.

Aren's soft hum pulls me back from my thoughts, his eyes closed as I thread my hands through his hair. The strong scent of toner makes my nose scrunch involuntarily. As I rub the dye through each strand, I ensure it's completely saturated, double-checking that I haven't missed any spots before we wash it out. I still had bleach and dye left over from when I went blonde, and an idea struck me as soon as we all went our separate ways after our discussion at the coffee table. Honestly, I was just bored, and Aren makes me feel warm inside, so I wanted to do something nice for him- something to make him feel good.

Dark brown dye still sits on half of my head, leaving my hair now half and half- just like his eyes. As soon as I started on mine, he wanted to match, so here we are, toning the yellow from his bleached half.

Dyeing my hair in such a distinct way may not be the most strategic decision, but seeing Aren practically bounce with excitement, exclaiming that I match his eyes, made it all worthwhile. I can always return to a single solid color if needed, but for now, I'm sticking with it. I want him to feel confident about his appearance- I want him to understand that I find him stunning and one-of-a-kind. He should never feel self-conscious about his mismatched eyes.

He's incredibly handsome, and the half-and-half look suits him perfectly. The dark brown contrasts beautifully with the white eye, while the blonde accentuates the brown one. I could gaze at him endlessly- he's simply breathtaking.

"Alright, time to wash," I murmur, reluctantly removing my now sticky fingers from his hair.

His hands reach up to grab mine before I can move to turn on the shower. "No," he whispers, his eyes still closed. "Keep playing with my hair... please, Av."