Love Unspoken

"Is she injured?" The question hung in the air, a sharp note of concern.

Sean responded hastily, "Merely a scratch from a dog, nothing of grave concern. She's currently receiving a rabies vaccine from the doctor."

Suddenly, the name "Sean" echoed through the room, uttered by Alexander.

The sound of his name caused Sean's body to tense, his nerves on edge.

"Yes, Alexander!" he responded.

"Is it really just a minor injury?" Alexander's voice was devoid of emotion, yet it bore an overwhelming pressure that made Sean feel the weight of it even through the screen of the phone. Forcing himself to maintain his composure, Sean assured, "Yes, it's really just a minor injury. I'll send you the photographs later."

"I don't need it. You should know the consequences of lying."

"I know, I know!" Sean's voice was tinged with desperation.A moment of silence ensued on the other end of the line before Alexander finally spoke, "Choose a nice gift for her." "Okay."

"And don't forget about the main task."

"I won't forget!" After Sean Vance finished speaking, Alexander hung up the phone, leaving Sean in a cold sweat.

He wiped his forehead, took a moment to compose himself, and then returned to the bedroom.

"How is she? Is the situation serious?" he asked the doctor.

A surge of worry washed over Sean as the doctor pointed at the freshly stitched wound on her leg. "Look at the wounds. Can't you tell whether it's serious?" The wound was bowl-sized, with skin missing at the site of injury.

Sean had previously assured Alexander that his dogs were loyal and obedient, following commands without question.

But now, seeing Quinn's injury, he couldn't help but worry about the consequences of his lie.

As the sky gradually darkened, the doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed with relief.

"Finally done stitching. She should regain consciousness once the anesthesia wears off."

Sean pulled the doctor aside and whispered a stern warning, "Don't you dare mention this to anyone."

The doctor looked confused. "Who is she?"

"Don't ask, just promise to keep silent, or else the dogs will have you for their meal tomorrow!" Sean threatened.

Startled by Sean's fierce demeanor, the doctor quickly agreed. "Alright, alright, I won't say anything. I'll pretend I don't know."

"Good, now leave," Sean ordered, and the doctor hurriedly exited the room.

Sean then summoned two other individuals. These men had previously studied the black rings and had developed a tool to remove the one from Quinn's ankle.

Alexander had brought her here not just for a playful encounter with the dogs, but primarily to have the ring removed.

"Why didn't you remove it earlier?" the men asked, confused.

"I was waiting for Alexander's order. Now stop wasting time and remove it," Sean replied impatiently.

"Alright."

The men approached the bed, placed a box on it, and took out a transparent bottle. As they held Quinn's ankle, they noticed bite marks on the black ring. They were grateful for the ring; without it, her slender leg might have been severed. One of them carefully dropped a drop of white liquid onto the black ring. After a few seconds, the liquid reacted with the ring, producing a faint sound, and the ring snapped. They removed the ring, placed it in the box, and handed it to Sean. After receiving it, Sean promptly dismissed them.

When Quinn woke up, it was already past two in the morning. She was roused by an intense pain that had her gasping for breath. The anesthesia had worn off, and her legs throbbed with a fiery agony.

In her dream, she had been attacked by a swarm of dogs, and now the pain she felt was even worse than in her nightmare.

But the pain wasn't just in her legs.