Chapter 194: Challenging TraditionsLIANAAs I concluded my speech, my gaze naturally drifted toward Zaylen. Amidst the crowd’s applause and cheerful faces, his pallor stood out starkly. His usual confidence and proud look for me was replaced with an unsettling tension that twisted his features into a mask of unease.I noticed Edgar, the Alpha of an ally pack that I couldn’t remember the name of, step away from Zaylen, leaving him looking like this.With a swift nod to acknowledge the applause, I wrapped up my speech, my words hurried as my concern for Zaylen grew. Stepping down from the podium, I navigated through the crowd, each step making my heart pound louder in my chest."Zaylen," I called softly, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "Are you alright? You look pale."He offered a tight smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. "I am okay, Liana. Just a bit tired, that's all."His words rang hollow, and the worry gnawed at me. "Are you sure? You don't seem like yourself.""I'm fine,"
LIANASophia was the first to respond. "This bond is sacred, Liana. It’s decided by the Moon Goddess. Who are we to deny it?"Her words hung in the air, a reverent silence following them. I could feel the weight of tradition pressing down on the room, but I wasn’t ready to back down."But what if someone falls in love with someone who isn't their mate?" I asked, my voice steady but insistent. "Are we to say that their love is less valid because it wasn’t preordained by the Moon Goddess? Should they be denied happiness because of a rule?"Sophia frowned slightly, considering my question. "The bond of mates is believed to be the strongest, the most unbreakable. It's a divine connection. Besides, the love between two werewolves who aren’t mates is not true love, Liana. Only mates can experience a love that will never fall apart."I took a sharp breath, steadying myself. "Okay, so what if someone's mate dies early on? Are they not allowed to find someone else again?"Sophia's eyes softene
LIANAThe next Sunday dawned with a clear sky and a gentle breeze, perfect for the full-day date I had meticulously planned. As the sun filtered through the curtains, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement. Today was about lifting Zaylen's spirits and showing him how much I appreciated and cared for him.We started with breakfast. I had grand ideas of making an elaborate meal, but my cooking skills were, to put it mildly, barely passable. I had grown up like a princess, with most things done for me, and only learned to cook out of necessity in university. Zaylen, on the other hand, was surprisingly adept in the kitchen.As we gathered the ingredients, Zaylen looked at me with a playful grin. "Ready to be my sous chef?" he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement.I laughed, rolling up my sleeves. "As long as you promise not to judge my skills too harshly."We started with something simple: pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Zaylen moved with practiced ease, cracking eggs with one
LIANAI tried to focus on the story, but the sudden jumps and creepy visuals were too much. I found myself squeezing my eyes shut, gripping Zaylen's hand for comfort.He noticed and leaned in, his voice soft and concerned. "Liana, you don't have to force yourself to watch this. We can leave if it's too much."I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "No, it's okay. I want you to enjoy the movie. I will just... take a small nap in the meantime." I offered him a reassuring smile, though I wasn't sure how convincing it was.Zaylen hesitated, his worry evident. "Are you sure? I don't want you to be uncomfortable."I nodded, resting my head on his shoulder. "I am sure. I want you to have fun. Besides, you are with me, so I will be fine."He sighed, wrapping an arm around me. "Alright, but if it gets too much, just tell me, okay?""Okay," I whispered, closing my eyes and trying to relax. The sound of his steady breathing and the warmth of his embrace were comforting, helping me to ca
LIANAOnce again, our date was cut short by an emergency. The relaxed, happy atmosphere we had been enjoying shattered instantly. Zaylen's expression was a mixture of shock and urgency."I have to go to the hospital," he said, his voice strained."I am coming with you," I replied immediately, standing up and grabbing my things.He shook his head, his eyes filled with concern. "Liana, you don't have to. This is—""I insist," I said firmly, cutting him off."You don’t have to come," he said, his voice strained, but I shook my head firmly."You shouldn't be alone right now. I am coming with you," I insisted, a bad feeling gnawing at my gut. There was something in his eyes that made me uneasy, a tension I couldn’t ignore.Finally, he relented with a sigh. "Alright, let’s go."As we rushed to the car, a sense of dread settled in my stomach. Something about this felt wrong. I couldn't shake the bad feeling engulfing me.Zaylen's hands shook as he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles
LIANA“Who is this girl you brought, huh? Your Luna?” Ryan spat, his eyes blazing with fury. “You think you can take over my pack by pushing me to the side? You can never do that! I will never let you take my place!”I averted my gaze, trying to block out his hateful words, and looked back at Zaylen. His eyes were filled with pain and resignation, his shoulders slumped. My heart ached for him.“Zaylen, we need to get your wound treated,” I said softly, my voice trembling with concern. “Come on, let’s go outside.”He nodded solemnly, and we turned to leave. But as we moved toward the door, Ryan’s voice rose again, filled with venomous rage. “That bastard doesn’t deserve treatment! He doesn’t even deserve to live! He thinks—”I slammed the door shut behind us, not bothering to hear the rest of his rant. The venom in his words echoed in my mind, but I pushed it away. Ryan was clearly not in his right mind. His accusations were wild and filled with a madness that seemed to consume him.W
LIANA I sat at my desk in the bustling office, surrounded by the familiar sounds of typing, running coffee machines, phone calls, and coworkers chattering. My best friend, Lara, sat in the cubicle next to mine, her blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun as she focused on her computer screen. We had been friends since college, and I couldn't imagine working in this office without her. Her sweet, comforting words always made everything much easier. I glanced up from my work and caught a glimpse of my diligent boyfriend, James, walking toward me. He flashed me a quick smile before disappearing into his own cubicle across the room. James and I had been dating for over seven months now, and I was grateful that he also worked in the same office. I have heard people say it's a bad idea to date your colleague, but I, on the other hand, thought it was nice to have a beloved someone to share lunch breaks and vent about work with. There were so many topics we could relate to, and we just
ZAYLEN I watched three pairs of eyes on me, entirely shocked at my appearance, as if I had manifested out of a UFO with three heads on my shoulder. Judging by their astonished look, it totally slipped their minds that this was my office and I always worked overtime. But today, I wasn’t in the mood to work much overtime, so I decided to go home, only to find the guy named James getting sandwiched between two women. How can boys be so dumb? First of all, you shouldn't cheat. And even if you do, do it carefully. How can you get caught? It just ends up with everyone having bad blood. Anyway, it was not my business, but I had to step in because it was happening in my territory. I couldn't tolerate enmity among co-workers. It affected the work environment and work quality; besides, that James guy wasn't even making great reports either, despite having two women in his arms, which made me a little bit curious: what did either of them see in this dude to fight over him? “What’s going