I hesitated for a moment before reaching deep into the box and pulling out a small, almost empty bottle. Handing it to Kate, I said, "This is all I have left. You'll need to use it carefully."Kate's face lit up, and she gave me a big, grateful hug. "You're a lifesaver, Cecily," she said with a smile.I hugged her back, but my thoughts were elsewhere—on Michael. If he found me because of this, I knew I'd have to accept whatever he decided. I just hoped that when the time came, he’d show me a little mercy.The next morning, I woke up feeling surprisingly better. My chest wasn’t as tight as it had been, and although breathing was still a bit uncomfortable, the nausea had mostly passed. I reached out to my wolf, Mia, in my mind. She responded, though weakly, and I could tell she wasn’t as angry as she had been yesterday. She was lending me her strength, helping me cope.'Thanks, Mia,' I thought, grateful for her support.Mia gave me a half-hearted, slightly sarcastic response, but I knew
After breakfast, I offered to clear the table, wanting to keep myself busy. Aunt Carol had some errands to run in the morning, so she left us with a smile and the freedom to do as we pleased around the pack. I washed the dishes, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in my chest, but it wasn’t long before I noticed Kate was nowhere to be found.I wandered around the first floor, my mind racing with thoughts of what might have happened. When I couldn’t find her downstairs, I made my way up to the second floor and saw her door was shut. I knocked softly, and when I heard her faint response, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.Kate was sitting on the edge of her bed, fiddling absentmindedly with a Rubik’s Cube. Her face was tense, and she seemed lost in thought, her usual lively demeanor replaced by something darker and heavier.I approached her quietly, sitting down beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked gently.Kate kept her eyes on the Rubik’s Cube, her fi
I felt like something had shifted, like I had tapped into a part of myself I didn’t even know existed. It was as if I could sense Kate’s every emotion, every hesitation, and somehow, I knew exactly what to say to make her feel better.Kate’s eyes, which had been glued to the floor, slowly lifted to meet mine. I gave her a reassuring smile, hoping it would be enough to ease the tension between us. "Kate," I began softly, "you’re one of the kindest, most selfless, and most attractive people I know. You’ve always had this unique spark that makes you stand out in a crowd. I’ve always envied you for that. You think I’m brave, but honestly, I’ve just been forced into situations where I had no choice but to act tough."I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "Do you know why I came here? It wasn’t because I was brave or strong. It was because I couldn’t cope with my situation anymore, so I ran away. I knew deep down that Michael would find me eventually, but I couldn’t face him or my f
For the next few days, Kate and I made the most of our time at the Ancient Woods Pack. We let loose and enjoyed the freedom that came with our little getaway. With Aunt Carol giving us space, we didn’t bother with anything that could ruin our mood. Instead, we ate good food, went on long walks through the thick woods, and cooled off in the creek. It was a refreshing break from everything.The air at the Ancient Woods Pack was cooler, thanks to the dense canopy of trees, and the temperature felt just right for us werewolves. Lying on the soft grass in Aunt Carol’s backyard, I turned to Kate, who mentioned she’d run out of the powder I’d given her to mask her scent. She decided to stay inside today to avoid any run-ins with Alpha Alex, and honestly, I was a bit worried for her.Over the past few days, we hadn’t talked much about our mate situations. But I knew that before all this, Kate had been pretty optimistic about finding her mate. I thought that after the night we talked about it,
Kate’s face tightened for a moment, but then she said stubbornly, "I’ll leave it to the Moon Goddess to decide." I could tell that she was still grappling with some deep-seated fears about having a mate, probably because of what she’d seen me go through. But I’d already said all I could. All that was left was to support her in whatever choice she made.“Kate, whatever you decide, I’ve got your back,” I said, squeezing her hand. “But once you meet your mate, your body changes. I’ve felt it myself. If you don’t know they exist, it’s one thing. But when you do know and still keep away, it messes with you. It’s like going against what we are.”I started to share with her my own experiences, the intense feelings I’d had with both Robert and Michael. “You and your wolf will crave each other. You'll want to be near them, to touch them. And the more distance you put between you, the stronger that urge becomes.”“You saw what kind of shape I was in when I first got here,” I continued. “If it g
"But Alex also mentioned he was suspicious of you that night because you didn’t have a typical werewolf scent. So, why did you hide your scent? What were you running from?" David asked, his gaze never wavering from mine.I felt a wave of confusion wash over me. Who exactly was David? He had shown up early in the morning at Aunt Carol’s house, but he seemed very familiar with Alpha Alex and had all this information about us. I was trying to piece it all together when Aunt Carol came down the stairs, still wearing the nightgown we first saw her in. Her hair was slightly messy, but she had a relaxed, natural look about her.David’s face softened immediately when he saw her. He walked over to Aunt Carol and casually slipped his arm around her waist. They exchanged a quick kiss like a couple deeply in love, lost in their own bubble. I could almost see the pink hearts floating around them."Oh, the kids are still here, David," Aunt Carol said with a playful complaint, though I could tell sh
The four of us finished our breakfast together.To be honest, most of the time, Kate and I just sat there watching Aunt Carol and David shower each other with affection. I had never seen such a clingy pair of mates. My parents were very close, but they never fed each other omelets during breakfast, let alone sprinkled it with countless kisses. It was clear they were deeply in love, and they weren’t afraid to show it.Kate seemed used to it. She’d been around them long enough to understand their dynamic. I could see why she looked forward to finding her own mate so much and why she was worried about the way I had handled my relationship with Michael. She had built up such high expectations for her future mate bond, and seeing the reality of it—the good and the bad—had scared her.After breakfast, David left to attend to some pack duties, and Aunt Carol had pre-arranged meetings, so they both went their separate ways. Kate decided she needed a nap to recover from the early wake-up call
I followed Alex deeper into the forest, retracing the path we had taken earlier. The forest's lush canopy above created dappled patterns of light on the ground, and with each step, I grew more excited and nervous. It had been a week since I last saw Michael, and my heart beat faster with every step, like a rabbit preparing to leap out of my chest. I could already picture him in my mind—his boyish yet rugged charm, his curly brown hair, warm brown eyes, and that fresh, sweet scent that always enveloped me in comfort."Go straight ahead from here. He's in the clearing," Alex said, pointing ahead.I followed Alex's gesture, my thoughts racing with the anticipation of our reunion. Would Michael sweep me up in a hug or kiss me in front of everyone, then whisk me back to his place? I found myself smiling at the thought—whatever he did, I knew I would be okay with it.Suddenly, a thought struck me: if Michael were to lose control, the Ancient Woods Pack could be caught up in the mess. I didn