Alex was sitting in Hannah's hospital room — the girl who had spent an entire year trapped in the form of a Wendigo, and who, with his help, had managed to return to her human self. In the same room was Chris, lying on a neighboring bed with his leg in a cast, with Ashley at his side, refusing to leave him and surrounding him with care and attention.
On the bed opposite Hannah lay Jessica, who was being looked after by her boyfriend, Mike. Emily was under Matt's watch, though she still couldn't forgive him for that moment when he let her dangle over the abyss as the radio tower collapsed.
Hannah's brother, Josh, was fussing over her with almost excessive enthusiasm, going out of his way to make sure she felt better. Not far from the group, by the window, sat Alex himself. Beside him was his new girlfriend — Samantha. Not long ago, she had learned the whole truth about Alex and his family.
If not for the spell soothing her mind, she would have surely had a nervous breakdown from the flood of revelations: about her world, about the existence of other realms and gods, about theorists and scientists who only speculated about things that, for her, had now become reality.
While the others took turns explaining to Hannah what had happened during the year she'd been missing, Alex sat with a faint smile on his lips, simply observing. Samantha, meanwhile, was still trying to sort through the truth he had literally "uploaded" into her consciousness. From now on, she had to live with the realization that her new boyfriend wasn't human at all, and that he had an enormous family no one even suspected existed.
Listening to the teenagers chatter, Alex decided to check the family chat. He was sure a storm of messages awaited him, since that night he had played the role of an ordinary man hunting monsters. Pulling out his phone, he opened the chat, and sure enough — there were endless notifications. Reading from the beginning, he twitched several times in surprise. His family members had clearly enjoyed themselves, following his adventure. The chat was flooded with screenshots, commentary, and collective laughter.
Samantha, noticing Alex was busy with his phone, carefully peeked over his shoulder. What she saw made her raise her eyebrows in disbelief. Dozens of screenshots flicked across the screen — including a shot of her wrapped in a towel, hugging Alex. That had been the moment when she ran from Josh, disguised as the killer, and called Alex for help. When they met, she hadn't been able to hold back and had clung tightly to him.
Samantha couldn't understand how such footage had even made it into the chat. She tugged lightly on Alex's sleeve and pointed at the screen. He immediately understood what she meant and silently gestured upward, toward the ceiling.
Glancing up, Samantha caught a brief glimpse of what looked like a glowing blue orb with wings — like a tiny fairy. Confused, she looked back at Alex, only to see him tilt the phone toward her, showing the live broadcast, and whisper an explanation into her ear: it was a fairy-drone that constantly followed him, streaming everything to his family.
At first, Samantha was stunned, thinking his loved ones had been secretly watching them the entire time — supposedly in case he needed help. That seemed logical enough. After all, when they had left Blackwood Mountain, they were met by Alex's armed men. But then he explained the real reason for the surveillance: his family was keeping an eye on him only to make sure he didn't lose control and accidentally level the mountain.
At that revelation, Samantha was utterly speechless. She stared at him with wide eyes, as if to ask: Are you serious right now? Alex only shrugged and tilted the phone again, showing his family members joking in the chat, debating whether he'd have the patience to make it until dawn without destroying something.
In that moment, Samantha truly wondered for the first time: What have I gotten myself into?
Alex, noticing her expression, chuckled to himself. Maybe it was worth adding her to the family chat as well — let her meet his girlfriends and learn everything firsthand. He understood perfectly: they would never miss a chance to tell Samantha all about the things he had done over the years.
Still sitting in the ward and listening to the teenagers talk, Alex noticed the door open, and a doctor in a white coat appeared on the threshold. His visit was entirely expected — a routine check-up of the injured, first and foremost Hannah, Jessica, and Chris, who had suffered the most.
After a brief examination and a few questions, the doctor asked Alex to step into the hallway for a word. Alex calmly nodded, slipped his phone into his pocket, and followed him. The conversation was simple: the patients were generally out of danger, but they would need a few days under observation to rule out infection or complications.
Before leaving, the doctor asked him to settle the bill. Alex, showing not the slightest irritation toward hospital bureaucracy, merely nodded and headed to the reception desk to pay for the teenagers' hospitalization, as well as for old Jack, who was still unconscious.
Leaning against the counter, Alex waited for the nurse while lazily scanning the hospital lobby. His gaze lingered on two detectives, who had yet to leave the building. They stood off to the side with paper cups of coffee. Feeling his eyes on them, both looked back, and Alex gave them a friendly nod.
He couldn't have cared less what those detectives would do next: there were no traces left on Blackwood Mountain. On his orders, the mines had been collapsed, and every sign of the Wendigo's presence thoroughly erased. All the police would find were the caved-in shafts, the half-ruined Washington lodge, and the old sanatorium — with not a single clue remaining that monsters had once been chained up inside.
A couple of minutes later, a nurse approached the desk.
"What can I do for you? ... Ah, it's you. How are your friends? Are they all right now?" she asked, recognizing Alex only after a moment.
"Yes, they're fine. Thank you for asking. The doctor asked me to settle the bill for the hospitalization, so here I am," Alex replied with a light smile.
"Oh, Dr. Murphy... he's always impatient when it comes to payments. Just a second, I'll print out the form," the nurse sighed, sitting down at the computer.
"Did something happen? Why is the attending doctor so insistent on payment?" Alex asked, leaning on the counter.
"Nothing serious. It's just that several times Dr. Murphy happened to get patients who ran off without paying for their treatment. He's a good man, but after that he became more cautious," she explained while printing the paperwork.
"In his position, anyone would do the same. At least he hasn't turned into a bitter doctor who trusts no one," Alex remarked, taking a candy from the bowl on the counter.
"True. Now, fill out the form. You know, it's very noble of you to cover not only your friends' expenses but also that injured old man you brought in with you," the nurse added, handing him the documents.
Alex only smiled and began filling out the form. To him, money was nothing more than numbers that could be replenished at any time. If he clung to it too seriously, how would he be any different from greedy parasites who drained others for profit? Finishing the paperwork, he headed to the financial office, humming a light tune under his breath.
It was Sunday, and the thought that tomorrow he would have to return to school made him sigh heavily. Watching Bella and Edward's awkward relationship could be amusing at times, but that didn't change the fact — he still had to go.
After finishing the payment, Alex went down to the ward floor. As he stepped out of the elevator, he raised an eyebrow in surprise. By one of the doors stood a man in a strict black suit — like an undertaker, ready to console a grieving family. At least, that's what anyone else might have thought… but not Alex.
He could see the man's true nature. This was no funeral worker, but a reaper — here to escort the soul of the dying to the other side.
Curious whose soul the reaper had come for, Alex moved closer. Peeking carefully into the room, he saw a touching sight: gathered around the bed of an elderly man was his entire family — adults, teenagers, and even children. The old man was smiling at his loved ones, while two little ones sat right on the bed, happily chatting with their grandfather.
Alex couldn't help but smile. In his eyes, this man had truly lived a happy life — if, in his final moments, he was surrounded by family.
The reaper by the door turned his head slightly toward Alex. In that instant, Alex understood: this was no human standing beside him. But the reaper didn't care much about Alex's presence — he was focused only on ensuring no one interfered with his duty.
"Interesting, what kind of life must this old man have lived, to have his entire family here," Alex said quietly, turning to the reaper. "What do you think? Care to share his story?"
"This man lived a long and difficult life," the reaper replied, gazing at the smiling elder. "His wife died of cancer many years ago. I was the one who escorted her to the other side. But he did not break. He raised five children alone, making sure they got everything they deserved. He worked day and night until his hands cramped from exhaustion. Now his children are successful and happy. And today, all of them are here, by his side, to see him off on his final journey."
Alex nodded, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Fitting, that you — the one who once took his wife — will now accompany him as well. But looking at this old man, I see he was a true father. He'll leave without regret, for now he can tell his wife what kind of people their children have become. His family will grieve, but he won't regret a thing."
"You're right, stranger," the reaper answered quietly. "There is no regret in his heart. He is ready. All that remains is to say goodbye and spend his last moments with those he lived for."
"That's good to hear," Alex said calmly, with a light smile. "Well then, I'll be going. You carry on with your work, reaper."
He cast one last glance at the figure in the black suit before turning back down the corridor. Encounters with reapers were nothing unusual for him. Hardly surprising — in this universe, Lady Death herself once had a messenger, before the Winchester brothers sent him to the afterlife. But Death always returns. One reaper dies — and another is born to take their place.
Alex couldn't help but smirk, thinking of Chuck. Chuck had played his chess game well — eliminating Lady Death's messenger with someone else's hands. But there was one thing Chuck never understood: Lady Death simply didn't care that one of her servants had perished. For her, only balance mattered. And if anyone dared to disrupt it, Lady Death was always ready to remind them that her games end the same way for everyone. Even if you're immortal, even if you think yourself omnipotent — the result is the same: death and complete annihilation.
These thoughts left not a trace of worry in Alex's heart. The encounter had only given him the story of one old man who had lived a worthy life.
He returned to the ward, pulling a candy from his pocket and popping it into his mouth. From behind the door came lively chatter. Alex just shook his head — the teenagers were talking instead of resting. At least they weren't discussing anything they shouldn't say inside a hospital.
Alex opened the door, and all eyes turned to him.
"Where have you been after talking to the doctor?" Samantha asked.
"Dealing with local bureaucracy. Walking through offices to pay your bills," Alex replied calmly, sitting down next to her.
"Wait… you paid all our bills?" Chris exhaled in astonishment.
"Yeah. So what? It's not like I bought a castle in the Scottish Highlands for each of you. Although, honestly, a castle is a real hassle. Maintenance, expenses… a constant headache," Alex said lazily, rocking in the chair.
"Wait… you mean you could've bought yourself a castle? How rich is your family?" Emily asked, looking at him as if he were a wonder of the world.
"Well, maybe you can at least roughly say how rich your family is? I'm just curious," Chris added, watching Alex with interest.
Alex thoughtfully stroked his chin.
"Hard to say. Even roughly. But I'll put it this way… my family has a private military aircraft carrier," he said with a faint smile.
When Alex mentioned his family owning a private aircraft carrier, silence fell over the ward. The only sounds were the footsteps of orderlies and doctors in the corridor.
Samantha, of course, already knew — she had seen the carrier in the memories Alex had shared with her. But for her friends, it was a complete shock. Mike, Jessica, Matt, Emily, Chris, Ashley, Hannah, and Josh stared at Alex, then at Samantha. One thought ran through all their minds: Samantha was insanely lucky to have such a boyfriend. They just didn't know how truly lucky she really was.
"How much does a military aircraft carrier even cost? That's got to be a fortune…" Chris muttered, staring at Alex in disbelief.
"To be precise, the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) cost about 13.3 billion dollars. Probably more now," Alex said, continuing to rock in his chair.
"For heaven's sake… That's a whole damn aircraft carrier! This isn't a cruise ship you can invite friends onto. It's a freakin' military aircraft carrier! How did your family even manage to buy it?" Mike stared at Alex, unable to believe his ears.
"It's all about connections. Maybe someone in my family has good ties with the military. Besides… she used to be in the weapons trade. But that's all minor stuff," Alex replied calmly, shrugging.
He had deliberately brought up Coco and her past as a weapons trader. But that was all in the past: now Coco was his wife and helped him in the guild. At that very moment, a message from Coco appeared on Alex's phone: she no longer traded weapons and had no intention of returning to that boring work. Alex just smiled as he read her words.
The others, catching the mention of a female weapons trader, became even more curious about Alex's mysterious family. But he had no intention of revealing too much: he answered vaguely or skillfully steered the conversation elsewhere, tossing in a few stories to distract everyone from the topic.
By evening, Josh's parents arrived at the hospital. From their conversation, Alex understood that they had taken the first available flight to see their daughter, who had been considered missing for a whole year. He became curious whether the other parents would arrive too — including Samantha's.
While the family reunion was underway, Alex stepped outside for a smoke. Samantha immediately followed — she wanted to spend a little more time with him. She understood that soon he would have to leave. As strange as it sounded, tomorrow he had to go to school. At the thought, Samantha felt a bit disoriented: it was hard to believe that someone like Alex even went to school.
"When are you planning to go back home?" she asked, taking his hand.
"Soon, I think. Unfortunately, the school didn't burn down over the weekend, so I can't miss another drama between Bella and Edward," Alex smirked.
"I'd love to see that too. But I'll have to wait until everyone is discharged. Only then can I go back home," Samantha said with a smile, gently shaking her head.
"Are your parents coming for you? Or are they too busy?" Alex asked, looking at her.
"I already called them and told them we got into trouble. But I didn't give details, just asked them not to worry. They won't keep us in the hospital for long anyway," Samantha replied, leaning against him.
"Good that you didn't tell everything. So here," Alex said, nodding as he pulled a phone from his pocket that looked just like his own.
"Why are you giving me a phone? I already have mine. Although… this one looks way better than mine," Samantha said in surprise, taking the device.
"Phones like this are used by my entire family. You said you wanted to watch the broadcast too. Well, with this phone, it's possible. It even allows you to call other worlds and much more," Alex explained calmly, mentioning a few of its functions.
Samantha looked at Alex in amazement, then at the phone in her hand. Seeing her confusion, Alex patiently helped her set everything up so she could start using the new device immediately.
He added Samantha to the family chat so she could interact with the others and not feel like an outsider when she met any of them. Alex carefully explained the phone's functions so she would understand exactly what she had received. The more Samantha learned about the capabilities of the new device, the more her amazement grew.
It took almost half an hour, and looking up at the evening sky, Alex realized it was time to head back — he had already stayed longer than he should.
"You're leaving already?" Samantha asked sadly, clearly not wanting to part.
"Unfortunately, yes. But it's not forever. As soon as you finish your things, come to Forks. For now, I'm living there," Alex said, hugging her.
"Will you be there long? I don't want to come, and you'll already be gone," she asked, looking up at him.
"I think until the end of the school year. That's about three months. After that, I'll focus on work seriously," Alex replied, gently swaying with Samantha in his arms.
"Mmm… Then as soon as I finish everything here, I'll come straight to you. I want to see how you live. And at the same time, check out the vampires… I've only seen them in movies," Samantha said with a slight smile.
"Just don't forget to call me beforehand when you're about to come. I need to meet you at the airport," Alex said, resting his chin on her head.
Samantha nodded and pressed closer to him. Even though their separation would be short, it was still hard for her to let Alex go. She even caught herself thinking: how could one night change her life so drastically?
After standing with her a little longer, Alex finally decided to leave. But before disappearing, he cast protective spells on Samantha — just in case some demon tried to possess a human and start a massacre while she was nearby. Thinking of demons, Alex was already planning a curious idea that required only the right location and a few necessary items.
For a farewell, he kissed Samantha and vanished into the air, leaving her standing on the hospital porch. Seeing him disappear like a mirage, she just shook her head — now it was part of her new life, completely turned upside down in just one night.
Alex appeared at his home and immediately remembered he hadn't picked up his coat from Samantha, the one she had worn all night. But he didn't care: Hephaestus had made him a new one — far cooler than his old black coat.
No sooner had Alex stepped over the threshold than Alice barreled into him at full speed. She clung to him and showered his face with kisses. Within seconds, Alex's entire face was covered in traces of lipstick with the scent of strawberries.
"Look who's back! Our dear representative of an ancient and wealthy mysterious family, pretending to be a private detective and running from monsters with a bunch of teenagers," Lucina remarked cheerfully, sitting at the table with a tablet.
"Don't forget, my love, you're part of this family too. And I wasn't lying when I said our family is ancient and mysterious," Alex said, hugging Alice around the waist.
"And I never claimed otherwise. Tell me, did you have enough fun this weekend?" Lucina smiled.
"Mmm… almost. A couple more things left, but that'll be closer to night. For now, we can grab a bite and have a proper coffee," Alex replied, heading to the table.
Alex settled at the table next to Lucina, while Alice, as usual, climbed onto his lap, pressing her entire body against him. Using magic, he quickly changed into casual clothes, but the bandages applied at the hospital still remained — a reminder that he had pretended to be injured.
Lucina heated up dinner and brewed some coffee, placing a mug in front of Alex. Both girls watched him curiously, wondering what else he had planned for the day. For now, though, they decided not to rush things and let him eat in peace.
"How long are you going to keep wearing those bandages? You're not really hurt," Alice finally said, turning to him while still comfortably perched on his lap.
"Hmm... I really forgot about them. I'll take them off after dinner," Alex replied absentmindedly, not looking up from his food.
Lucina and Alice exchanged glances and nodded, continuing to watch him eat. Alice reached for some food herself, choosing cake. Thanks to Alex's efforts, the Cullens could now eat normal food, though once a month they still had to drink blood or make do with blood-based candies. That was their only "vampire" limitation. Alex could have returned them fully to human nature but saw no point — besides, the Cullen family was quite content with their current state.
Alex finished his meal and took a sip of coffee, but the silence in the living room put him on edge. Neither GIR, Mimi, nor Stitch were in sight. Even Peach, whom he had sent to Valeri in advance so the trio wouldn't feel left out, hadn't helped — there was none of their usual chaos in front of the TV, no piles of pizza boxes or scattered snack wrappers.
"Where are those three?" Alex asked, nodding toward the empty couch.
"They're upset that you didn't take them on the Wendigo hunt. So they locked themselves in their room and refuse to come out," Lucina sighed, shaking her head like a mother with three spoiled children.
"Ah… alright. Let them sulk. They'll have work to do tonight anyway," Alex said calmly, taking another sip of coffee.
"And what are you planning for tonight? Don't tell me you're heading off to some cursed place alone again," Alice squinted at him, staring intently.
Lucina looked suspicious too. One wrong word, and Alex risked being relegated to the couch: either for the night or, worse, for the whole week, sharing it with three restless gamers.
"I'm not going anywhere. Well… I am, but I won't have to leave Forks," Alex said, rolling his eyes at their skeptical looks.
"And what exactly are you planning that doesn't even require leaving town?" Lucina asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We're going to make a deal with a demon," Alex smirked.
"You mean the crossroads demon? Seriously? And why do you need this adventure?" Lucina's voice held genuine surprise, while Alice just stared at him, eyes wide.
"I need Crowley. And where else to find the King? With his subjects, of course. Who else would know where their master is hiding?" Alex explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Lucina wanted to argue but instead smiled and said,"Hmm… alright. I won't miss the chance to see that. I'm coming with you."
"Me too!" Alice chimed in, almost bouncing on Alex's lap. "I want to see these crossroads demons."
Alex smirked and nodded: in any case, everything was supposed to go peacefully — just a conversation with the crossroads demon. Though he knew perfectly well that the "peaceful conversation" could turn into threats and torture at any moment if the demon decided to be stubborn.
Finishing his coffee, Alex went up to the second floor and knocked on the door of the room where GIR, Mimi, and Stitch were holed up. As expected, there was silence. But the moment he lazily threw through the door that he was going to catch a demon with Lucina and Alice, the door swung wide open. The whole trio appeared on the threshold — dressed in priest robes, armed with a bag of salt and a canister of holy water.
Alex grinned, seeing how quickly their "grudge" dissolved at the mere mention of the magic word "demon."
"As always, let them know there's someone to beat up, and they're ready," he muttered, chuckling, and went downstairs accompanied by the trio.
GIR, Mimi, and Stitch eagerly followed behind Alex, dragging a twenty-kilogram bag of salt and a ten-liter bottle of holy water, looking as if they were headed not for a demon hunt but a full-blown war against the forces of evil. Lucina shook her head: in moments like these, they looked like children — quick to get offended, and even quicker to return to their crazy nature.
Alex decided to wait until midnight before starting the ritual. But the trio could barely stay still — every five minutes they glanced at the clock, shifting from foot to foot like children on Christmas Eve.
"It's time," Lucina finally said, now dressed in outdoor clothes. "Midnight. We need a crossroads. Alex, everything ready?"
"Pretty much. The summoning box and the paint for drawing the demon trap are all in the backpack," he nodded, slinging the bag over his shoulder.
"I know the perfect spot," Alice said excitedly. "The main thing is that it has to be a crossroads, right?"
"Exactly. Everything else is just details," Alex confirmed.
Alice smiled broadly and dashed out of the house first. Barely keeping from tripping over their own load, GIR, Mimi, and Stitch rushed after her. Alex and Lucina exchanged glances, couldn't help but chuckle quietly, and, holding hands, followed them.
Before starting the car, Alex cast one more glance around to make sure they didn't look too suspicious. Soon, the whole group was settled in the Impala. Alice, sitting in the front seat, enthusiastically guided the way.
Ten minutes later, they reached a deserted crossroads. Alex parked on the shoulder and stepped out, lighting a cigarette.
"Well, now all that's left is to draw the trap, and we can begin," he said, exhaling smoke into the night sky.
Without waiting for a command, GIR, Mimi, and Stitch pulled spray cans of red paint from the backpack and, with surprising skill, began drawing lines of symbols on the asphalt.
Meanwhile, the fairy-drone Navi hovered above the crossroads, broadcasting everything in real time. The girls left at home immediately set aside their tasks and stared at the screen: they were eager to see how the ritual would unfold. Even Samantha, who had just become part of this madness and was still in the hospital with her friends, watched the live feed of the demon summoning. She already understood perfectly well that all of this was now part of her new life.
Ten minutes later, the trap was ready. It was time to summon the crossroads demon.
To be continued…
(I'll tell you a secret. I deliberately stopped at this point. I am the greatest villain. Muhahahahaha.)
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