CHAPTER 121: FOOD FOR A DOZEN PEOPLE

The owner of the small diner, a round-faced woman with streaks of gray in her hair, froze when her eyes landed on Rion.

"It’s you, Alpha!" she gasped, hands trembling before she quickly bowed so low her apron nearly brushed the floor. "It is an honor to have you here in our humble place. Is there anything you need from us?"

I could tell from her reaction that this wasn’t normal. Rion wasn’t the type to stroll into corner diners in the farthest districts. He was always busy, always tied down with council meetings, training sessions, or handling threats from aboveground.

And if he ever did eat outside, there were hundreds of better-known restaurants he could have gone to, and closer to the Central district.

So of course, the woman’s first assumption wasn’t that he’d come here for food. No, she probably thought he was here for business—inspections, orders, some kind of trouble.

"We want to eat," Rion said casually.

The woman’s eyes widened even more. For a second, she looked like she wanted to ask really? but she caught herself quickly, straightening up.

"O-of course! Please, please take a seat! We’ll serve you our best dishes!"

I gave her a smile to soften the sharp edges of Rion’s presence. "Thank you."

She relaxed a little at that, her shoulders loosening, before she hurried away toward the kitchen.

We took a seat at a table tucked into the corner, far from the other diners. The chairs were plain and a little worn, but sturdy. I noticed the other customers stealing glances our way.

Some people smiled and offered polite greetings, while others looked hesitant, unsure if approaching their Alpha was allowed.

I noticed, though, their hesitance wasn’t based on fear. Not like aboveground where even the mere mention of Rion Morrigan could make grown men pale. Here, I didn’t see trembling hands or downcast gazes.

What I felt instead was reverence. Respect. It was proof that he had done so much for the people here.

He wasn’t just a feared Alpha in the Undercity. To them, he was a protector.

I rested my chin lightly on my palm, leaning back against my chair.

"Why this diner?" I asked, curious.

Rion leaned back in his seat too, though he somehow made a simple wooden chair feel like a throne. Shadows always clung to him, even when he was at ease, making him look like he belonged more to the night than the room around us.

"I haven’t eaten here," he said evenly, "but Ares mentioned they make good dishes."

That figured. Ares probably had a talent for finding good food wherever he went.

When the food finally arrived, my eyes widened. Plate after plate was laid down until the entire table was covered—stew steaming with herbs, golden bread still warm, roasted meat seasoned perfectly, and bowls of vegetables so fresh they might’ve come straight from the garden outside.

I blinked at the spread, trying not to laugh. "She really did serve us everything on the menu."

The woman bowed again, flustered but beaming. "Please enjoy, Alpha!"

As she left, I leaned closer to Rion, whispering, "How are we supposed to finish all this?"

"Since you are so adamant about eating, you’re free to finish everything, you little glutton."

I gawked at him, lips parting in disbelief. "Are you insane? There’s no way I can finish all of this!"

I gestured at the table, piled high like a banquet for a dozen people. "You should’ve told the owner how much we actually needed so she wouldn’t prepare so much."

My gaze softened as I looked back at the spread. People worked hard to put this on our table.

"I don’t want to waste them," I muttered, half to myself.

When I glanced up, Rion was already watching me, that wicked smirk tugging at his lips. "Yes, you shouldn’t. Now start eating. We have a lot of work to do. You’ll only get to eat this much today."

My fork paused midair. "Wait... does that mean we won’t be eating again for the whole day?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded once, folding his arms across his chest.

I narrowed my eyes. "Then start eating too! You’re not dumping this all on me."

His silence was his answer, which only fueled my glare. Still, my stomach growled at the smell of roasted meat, and in the end, I focused on my hunger first. With a grumble under my breath, I dug in.

The first bite was heavenly. Tender meat that melted on my tongue, bread so warm it felt like it had just come out of the oven, broth rich with herbs.

Just as Rion said, the food here really was good—so good I forgot myself for a moment. Bite after bite, I lost track of everything else.

Rion didn’t comment, but I caught the faint curl of amusement on his lips every time I reached for another dish.

He too was enjoying this, it seemed.

* * *

By the time we left the diner, the glow in the stone walls of the Undercity had started to dim. There was no real sky down here, but the faint shift in the light told me the afternoon was slipping toward evening.

In a couple of hours, night would fall.

"We didn’t receive any message that you would be visiting today, Alpha. Had I known, I would have arranged an escort," said Delta Thane, the man in charge of overseeing the Sixth District in Rion’s stead.

He bowed politely, his voice calm but tinged with surprise.

"There’s no need," Rion replied, his tone cool as ever. "I came here not for official business."

Thane straightened, his eyes flickering toward me then. He was young, not much older than Rion by the looks of him. His shoulders carried the weight of authority, but when his gaze landed on me, that authority slipped.

Admiration lit his eyes instead.

I hesitated, then gave him a small, polite smile.

"Hello, I’m Vivien," I said, taking the initiative to introduce myself because he looked like he wanted to ask who I was. "I’m... uh, working in the Alpha’s estate."