Chapter 0005

Sebastian's POV

“Healer M is absolutely intolerable! She’s arrogant and rude! I have sent her countless emails and haven’t received a single response! She’s just some Healer! We don’t even know what pack she belongs to!” Lily’s groans.

Her complaints have grown incessant, borderline intolerable. She’s so focused on gaining help from a mysterious figure rather than paying attention to her son, who needs his mother. Her voice feels like nails on a chalkboard as she repeats her woes and whines about how unfair life is to her.

Ironic, seeing how she’s always been pampered by her father and has never known a day of struggle.

“Perhaps she isn’t satisfied with the money you’re offering, Lily,” I respond, barely looking in her direction. I have remained indifferent to her grievances. They have done nothing but annoy me.

“I’ve already offered more than enough for the commission! She’s being greedy! Someone needs to talk with her about it,” Lily’s voice is sharp in response, and I finally have my gaze meet hers. She stares at me like she expects me to fix this for her as if I have a magic wand I can wave to make people obey her every command.

“Complaining about it won’t fix your problems. She doesn’t want to work with you, so deal with it. Spend more time with Evan instead. He needs a mother, which you’re clearly failing at,” I pinch the bridge of my nose.

Lily opens her mouth to speak but I shoot her a glare. I shake my head at her and snarl.

“No. You’ve complained enough already.”

Lily recently came into power in her father’s pharmaceutical company after he retired. It was easy for her at first; things ran as they should until an unexpected error occurred with their anti-inflammatory formulas. They failed and became ineffective, which caused Lily more trouble than originally anticipated.

Her attempts to fix the formula added fuel to the already burning fire at the company. I had to step in and help the company out when their funds went down the drain. At this point, the company is as good as dead, but there is one last hope with the mysterious Healer M.

“I’ll make sure to spend time with Evan…but I’m going to try and contact her again.” Lily firmly responds.

Five years ago, Lily appeared at my doorstep with a baby in her arms. I was confused as to what exactly it was she wanted. Everything changed when she informed me that the baby was mine, a product of our one-night stand together.

Fury heated my veins at her revelation. I knew Lily to be deceitful, to use anything she had to get what she wanted.

“I need a test.” I exclaimed.

The results showed that I am the father of the baby she showed up with. I accepted him as my own but made it clear that she and I would keep a distance from each other. I provided for Evan, giving him everything that he could need material-wise, but I would never take Lily’s hand in marriage, nor would I make her my Luna.

In that time, I have yet to find my fated mate. I have not laid eyes on the wolf that will complete me, that will become my Luna, and it definitely isn’t Lily. It’s something I’ve grown accustomed to.

“Evan’s always been distant with you…time with him will help you get that connection with him,” My eyes barely look her over, “Reflect on what you haven’t done and start there...and don’t feed him any more strange ideas. My son deserves better.”

She tried to use Evan to force my hand, to make me marry her. I refused, telling her that she needed to accept it and move on with her life. Then, she manipulated Evan and had him go on a hunger strike as a protest. She is a manipulative person who doesn’t deserve anything good, at least, nothing good from me.

Lily’s face sours, and for once, she shuts up and says nothing. She nods to herself and looks away, obscuring her face from my vision.

The Gamma leader, the wolf responsible for Evan’s safety, crashes inside the room where we sit. My posture straightens at the sight of him. I stand, trying to understand why he looks so frantic.

“What happened?!” I demand. The Gamma leader looks at me, out of breath.

“Evan is gone!” He exclaims.

“What do you mean he’s gone?! It’s your job to look after him!” My voice grows loud, booming across the room.

“Mobilize everyone! Search for Evan immediately!” I yell. My expression darkens, and my body heats up with anger. I rush out of the room, leaving Lily behind.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆

Miranda's POV

Ella and Noah giggle and laugh with each other as we walk down the street together. Anna has her arm linked with mine, laughing as we share stories.

An ice cream stand comes into view, and my children turn around with excited looks on their faces. Ella approaches us, looking up as she jumps with joy.

“Mommy! Can we please get ice cream? Pretty please!” Ella begs. She tugs at the bottom of my shirt, whining.

“I don’t know, guys, it’s late!” I say. Ella and Noah groan. Anna lets go of my arm, and Ella turns her attention to her. Ella bats her eyelashes at Anna, who slowly succumbs to my daughter’s charms.

“Oh, alright! Come on! Let’s go get some!” Ella and Noah erupt into cheers, taking Anna’s hands. They drag her inside. I can’t help but laugh at the sight, shaking my head as I sit down at a nearby table.

I pull my laptop out of my backpack and set it on the table, taking a deep breath. I pull up a search engine and type in the name of the pharmaceutical company that Lily now runs.

Its name is plastered all over news articles, confirming what I suspected from rumors that spread around. Their drug, particularly the one that helps with inflammation, has become ineffective.

No wonder Lily reached out to me, or rather, Healer M, for help. She’s created a dumpster fire and wants someone else to put it out for her. Typical Lily behavior.

I doubt any other healer will go near her problem, and I sincerely hope that nobody feels the need to step in and help. Lily does not need saving; she needs someone to slap her with a reality check that not everything will be handed to her.

Something runs into my leg, bumping it into the metal below the tabletop. I gasp, my hand clutching the space over my heart, and I look down. It’s Noah, but he’s wearing sunglasses. I smile down at him, my heart resting.

“Well, hi! Where did you get those cool sunglasses, mister?” I ask, leaning down. I ruffle his hair, expecting a response from my son.

But he says nothing.

I tilt my head to the side, frowning. He stares at me, eyes wide behind his sunglasses, mouth slightly agape.

“Don’t tell me you don’t recognize your mommy? We’ve only been separated for five minutes, Noah!” I chuckle in an attempt to get Noah to say something back.

“Noah? Honey? Are you okay?” Noah says nothing.

I tilt my head to the side and gently grab his arms. I bring him closer to me, keeping a gentle yet firm touch.

“Are you okay?” I ask. “Are you hurt?” The boy shakes his head. I nod and continue to inspect his body, checking for any scratches or injuries on his exposed skin that may need tending.

My gaze flickers to the sunglasses, my eyes quickly dropping to his clothes. They’re different than Noah’s, void of any color they once had. My stomach turns and my posture straightens.

“Is it okay if I…” I whisper to the child. My hand slowly reaches for the sunglasses. The tips of my fingers barely touch the frame.

“What are you planning on doing with my son?” A voice demands anger and coldness.