"Of course, not." I defensively retorted. "That's not what I meant by it." A part of me wanted to glance at them both, face to face, for them to see my utmost sincerity, however, I cannot do it because I need to focus my undivided attention on the road ahead of us. "Then what?" Penelope was the one who asked me this time. "Because if you regretted being my mate, you could have told me before it happened. I like you, Ethan. You and Aiedn were all aware of that already. I will never regret mating you." Guilt itched my heart all of a sudden even if my ears just heard Penelope's voice. The tone of her voice was stabbing every fiber of my muscles. The worst part is that I don't even have anything to say to defend my case. "Stop the car, Ethan," Penelope added, her voice sounding irritated. "What? Why?" I stuttered, yet I still stepped on the brake and parked the car on the corner of the road. "Are you mad at me because I did not answer the Mating Night?" Penelope hopped out of the car
"Mark, I forgot something in my dorm. Could you cover for me for a few minutes? I'll be back later." I clapped his shoulder and immediately evacuated the place. Penelope was about to follow me to the building but Mark grabbed her hands and wagged his head sideways. As soon as I reached the nearest men's toilet room, even my wolf could not stop the tears from dripping down my cheeks like an open faucet. The truth was, every fiber of my muscles was in high spirits when Penelope finally introduced me as her boyfriend in front of her friends. And even in front of Mark. No distance that can measure my happiness from a few seconds ago. I have been so proud of myself that despite our age gaps. Penelope still accepts me with open hands. Perhaps my wolf could no longer find someone like her in the entire universe. However, my deal with the witches forbids me to be with the woman I love and treasure the most. And staying away from Penelope as far as possible, even if it wa
"I'm a bit exhausted right now, Penelope. Just done with my night patrol. Can we talk tomorrow?" I smiled at her from ear to ear, trying to make the situation less awkward for us. My wolf could not deny the fact that despite the smile I drew on my face, I could still sense Penelope feels the other way around. "On the second thought, I'm taking this basket, okay?" I added before I kissed her forehead and stepped into the room. The tears in my eyes voluntarily dripped down my cheeks as I slowly dropped my butt on the floor. I leaned my back on the surface of the door, trying to convince myself that everything is going to be fine. Penelope was still standing behind the door. I could hear the sound of her tears dripping to the floor. And I could feel her heart aching in pain. "I'm so sorry, Penelope," I uttered to myself, then wrapped my arms around my knees. "You love me and I love you. But I have to end this for the best. I love you, goodbye." "Ethan, I know
Following my confession of stark reality, no sooner had our hushed whispers and teary-eyed confidences faded to a close, Aiden, Penelope, and I quietly parted ways. Perfectly aligned twines of destiny abruptly severed, and our paths diverged in the eerie semidarkness of late evening. While Aiden's silhouette melted into the dimly lit corridors of our separate dormitory while Penelope's car roared to life, whisking her away into the mist enveloped roads, I stood alone under the dying, fluorescent street light. With the last rusty screech of Penelope's ancient Ford receding in the distance, my tentative steps led me back to the ghostly silence of my dorm room. Depositing my weary body on the worn-out armchair, I found myself impulsively reaching for the witch's book - an enigmatic link to our tangled past and an uncertain future. It lay forsaken on the corner desk, bathed in the yellow warmth of the desk lamp, an instrument harboring potent knowledge - knowledge
"What's with that look, Ethan? It's like you were mourning someone in that room." I almost stumbled to the ground the second my ears heard the voice coming from behind me. When I turned around, a flash of my terrible past flickered into my memories. "Mind your own business, Lilith." Right after letting out those words, I slowly dropped my eyes down to her stomach. Who could have thought? Lilith has been carrying Mark's baby for like how long? Five or six months now? Lilith was once my mate. And their baby was a product of their betrayal. Funny to say, but it seems that her goddess beauty no longer works for me. My wolf once high over heels every time I see Lilith. But it was all in the past now. My best friend and mate. I could not help but scoff. "A lot of things happened since then, Lilith. If you think that I am still interested in making up with you and Mark, you got it all wrong." "Once my baby gets born, can you be his godfather?" Those were Lilit
On our way to the nearest elevator, Mark's phone suddenly rang. He pulled it from his pocket and scanned the screen for a few seconds. "Change of place," he uttered and set the phone back in his pocket. "That was Alpha Ezekiel. He's waiting for you at the restaurant." We hopped out of the elevator and went back to the parking lot where a black BMW car waited for us. As far as I could remember, it was the same car Ezekiel kept on using in and out of the school. "Are you sure about using Ezekiel's car?" I hesitated to hop in but I was already left with no choice when Mark occupied the driver's seat and even put on his seatbelt already. "I mean, what if we meet an accident in the middle of our journey and scratch his car? I don't have a single cent in my account right now." To my surprise, Mark scoffed but in a good way, reminding me of the old time we shared when we were still best friends. Good memories flickered in my mind at the moment while looking at him. I also
Ezekiel also leaned his elbows closer to the table to hear my words loud and clear. "If I know anything about magic spells, you could have been dead by now. After Mark and I evaluated what you have done in your lab, you were the one whom I will cast some dark magic on." then I rested my back on the chair and took a sip from the glass of wine on the table. His expression changed right there and then. I could see a mix of sadness and anger in his eyes. But we know that between the two of us in the restaurant, he has no right to get mad at me. The situation in the laboratory was worse than I thought. Their conditions were worsening. My wolf could sense everyone's profound depression, hopelessness, and regrets. Regrets that they agreed to us locking them there. "Anyway, thank you so much for the meal, Ezekiel," I added before I moved out of my seat. Then, I grabbed a few bucks from my pocket and set them underneath one of the dishes. I did not wait for Ezekiel to say
"We'll make sure my plan will not fail, Aiden." I tried to remain calm as much as possible. "Even if I have to sacrifice my wolf for your and Penelope's survival. Anyway, do you still have the gold that I gave you?" Aiden hopped out of the bed and slide to his wooden drawer. "Yeah, I still have it with me, Brother Ethan. I am still feeling hesitant to sell this. What if it's fake?" "Appraise the gold first before selling it." I provided him with a good suggestion. "Let them check the quality of the gold if it's fake or not. Once proven its authenticity, it's up to you if you are going to sell it or not. It's for your future, Aiden." "What's the point of having a future if not without you, Brother Ethan." Aiden's statement somehow itches my heart. "We may have a few misunderstandings recently, but you will always be a family to me. No magic spells can change that." Aiden and I could not help but burst out laughing after realizing our conversation has started to beco