"Don't do that again, Natalie. You're just fooling yourself because of what you did earlier." Natalie sighed because of her friend's words. Lynn also joined Natalie on her city travel, staying with Natalie until she made sure that Natalie was doing well and had already moved on from Norwan.Natalie sits from her designated seat and looks at Lynn, who is frowning at her, while Chad is behind Lynn, who is smiling awkwardly. Chad told Lynn what had happened earlier, and Lynn was so mad because of what Chad had told her."You and he are no longer bound to each other; you are supposed to accept that, Natalie; look what he said to you earlier," Lynn said and sat beside Natalie."I know that. I'm just hoping a little that his heart will soften." Natalie said and sighed. "But I guess his heart will never be softened anymore as he is no longer interested in me." She added. Lynn sighed as she watched her best friend's reaction. While Chad sits in his designated chair, which is in front of Natal
Norwan arrives at his mansion late at night; Cora is waiting at him in front of the main door and immediately stands from her place as soon as she sees Norwan walking in her direction.“Norwan, thank goodness you’re here already; I’ve been waiting for you for an hour; where did you go?” She asked and immediately smelled the scent of alcohol from him.“Did you drink tonight?” She asked and immediately assisted Norwan, who was not in his right mind then; he was already drunk and couldn’t think straight. “Gosh, what are you doing to yourself, Norwan? This is not normal anymore. You drank too much tonight.” Cora said. “Maids! Help me get Norwan to his room!” Cora shouted, which caused all the maids from Norwan’s mansion to get up from their bed and assist Cora and Norwan. Cora puts Norwan down to the floor as she can’t carry him anymore because of his weight; she rolls her eyes and watches the maid put Norwan in his room upstairs.“Make sure he can’t have any wounds,” Cora said as she fo
ONE YEAR LATER.Cora smiles as soon as she sees herself in the mirror; after checking herself, she goes to the dining table and sees Norwan drinking his coffee alone in the dining area. She walks towards him with a broad smile on her lips.“Good morning, handsome.” Cora greets him; Norwan doesn’t look at her; instead, he focuses on the newspaper he’s holding. Cora sighed and went closer to him. “Have you eaten your breakfast already?” She asked.“Yes,” Norwan answers without even looking at Cora. Because of that, Cora frowned and looked at the newspaper he was holding.“What are you reading?” She asked as soon as she read the title of the headline. “Don’t tell me you’re still concerned with your ex-luna; she’s not worth it to think of, Norwan.” She said and sat down beside him. Norwan didn’t look at her; instead, he sat and put down his coffee nug.“Hey, where are you going? Are you not going to join me to eat the breakfast?” She asked and watched Norwan turn his back from her.“I al
“Are you gonna eat here later?” Cora asked while watching Norwan arrange his suit while looking at himself in the mirror. Norwan didn’t look at her as he had already gotten his case.“No.” He said coldly and walked away to Cora. Cora followed him while her brows frowning; she didn’t understand why Norwan acted like this. “Norwan, can we talk for a second?” She asked while following him, but Norwan didn’t even look at her as he continued walking down the stairs.“We can talk later, Cora. There is something I need to do today. I can’t be late.” He said and walked directly to the kitchen to get his drink.“But Norwan, just for a second, please.” She said Norwan was about to walk away with her when Cora blocked his way. Norwan looks at her with his frowning forehead.“About what?” He asked. Cora sighed and crossed her arms.“I don’t get why you’re acting like that, Norwan.” She said, so Norwan chuckled.“What do you mean, Cora?” He asked and took a look at his watch. “I really need to go
Everyone applauds while looking at Natalie, who is standing in the middle with her beautiful smile; she looks stunning at this point with her red curvy gown, partnered by her red mini bag and red heels. Her lips are also red, and her hair is now long, blonde, curly, and wavy; it suits her style today, and everyone in the room is admiring her beauty, including Norwan, who is straightly looking at and watching her action.“I never thought she would look like this… she’s beautiful as ever,” Norwan said with his smile and smiled while watching her, but those smile faded away as he saw Chad put his hand to Natalie’s waist and kiss her cheeks, this boils his blood as he saw what that Beta did to Natalie. Norwan was about to stand when he suddenly remembered something.“What the heck is happening to me?” He asked himself and looked at Natalie again; she was smiling with the guest talking to her.“I forgot, she's no longer my Luna anymore.” He smirks because of what he’s thinking right now. H
Natalie woke up early in the morning to get ready to go to her company day; this was the very first time she would start to work for their company as his father also gave all their family businesses to her after the ritual they did to make Natalie the new alpha of the clan. Natalie looks to Chad, sipping his coffee and driving the car. Chad will drop her off at the company building before he starts the mission given by Natalie.“Are you sure you will do the mission?” Natalie asked, so Chad turned to look at her and smiled as he nodded. Natalie sighed and looked out the window.“But why? You’re my boyfriend already, Chad. You do not need to take a mission given by me.” Natalie said that Chad forced Natalie to give him the latest mission as he wanted to do that job and take it personally as that job was connected to him. Natalie can’t say NO to him because she knows that if she does that, Chad can still do the mission with or without her permission.“I told you I wanted to take that mis
Norwan rushed to his office after reading the document that Trever had given; he was mad and wanted to hurt someone just because of what he had read. As he arrived at his office, he immediately informed his secretary to call Natalie's office and set an appointment to meet her that day. After that, he sits in his office chair facing the documents referring to the termination of the contract."What is she planning to do? Don't tell me she will terminate our business partnership just because of our past? This is ridiculous!" Norwan says to his mind and tries to calm himself, but he can't because he knows what would happen if Natalie terminates their partnership with Norwan's business. This may have caused Norwan's business to fall in sales and some investors to cancel their shares and put them in Natalie's office.Natalie's father, Grego, was known to be the most influential and powerful Alpha in town. Adding to this is that their pack was also known to be the most influential pack in th
Norwan is stunned when Natalie calls him by his full name; this is the very first time that Natalie calls him using his full name. He was also stunned while looking at Natalie; it seemed like Natalie was a very different person. From the red lipstick on her lips, short brown curly hair, and how she dressed. These things Natalie hadn’t done before. Norwan also remembered what Natalie told him about her hair.“When will you cut your hair? It’s too long.” Norwan asked, so Natalie smiled at him and put down the utensils she held.“I will only cut my hair if we break up and I move on from you,” Natalie said with a wide smile.“That’s ridiculous. Why would you even do that?” Norwan asked, so Natalie chuckled and walked in his direction.“Because I believe that my hair is the witness to how our relationship started, and all our memories resemble my hair.” She answered, which made Norwan smile secretly.Norwan swallowed after he remembered what Natalie said to him.“What can I help you? Mr. N
The fire had nearly gone out. Just embers now, glowing faintly in the hearth like distant stars. Natalie stirred, curling closer to Norwan’s chest, her breath warm against his collarbone. Outside, the wind had quieted. The whole estate, the world even, seemed to be holding its breath.Norwan looked down at her, heart full.He thought about everything—the pain they’d walked through, the sharp words, the silences, the impossible distance that had once stretched between them. And he thought about how they had come back. Not the same, but stronger. Truer. Real.His fingers gently brushed a curl away from her cheek. She sighed in her sleep, and something in him stirred with a quiet, steady certainty.Now.He reached into his coat pocket—he’d been carrying it for weeks. Waiting. Wondering. But tonight… there was no wondering. Only clarity.He shifted carefully, reaching for the small velvet pouch. Natalie stirred as he moved, blinking herself awake with a sleepy murmur. “What time is it?”“
The old vineyard estate looked different in the spring.The ivy on the walls had crept higher, full and green, curling over the window frames like nature had decided to reclaim the stone in the softest of ways. Blossoms bloomed along the edges of the courtyard, painting the corners with blush pink and cream. Lanterns swung gently from the carved wooden posts near the entrance, catching the warm afternoon light.Norwan held Natalie’s hand as they approached the heavy oak doors. She squeezed his fingers once—not nervous, but… aware. Of what this meant. Of how far they'd come.They were here together.As one.And that wasn’t just a step forward—it was a declaration.The door swung open before they could knock.Don Grego stood there in his crisp tunic, white hair swept back, and a look in his eyes that turned immediately to warmth the second he saw them.“Natalie,” he greeted first, voice rich with pride. “You came.”“And I brought this one with me,” she said, nudging Norwan’s shoulder pl
AFTER Five months.That’s how long it had been since Norwan first stood beneath the garden’s twisted archway again, with Natalie only a few paces away but heartbreaks apart.He hadn’t expected her to forgive him right away—hadn’t even dared hope. But he came back every week, sometimes with tea, sometimes with silence, sometimes with stories from the outpost or awkward attempts at old jokes she used to laugh at. Sometimes she walked away. Sometimes she listened. But slowly, something had changed.She stopped flinching when he touched her hand.She started asking him questions again—nothing deep at first, just idle curiosities. But over time, her words sharpened. So did her gaze. She stopped waiting to see if he’d break her again, and started watching to see if he’d stay.And he had. He stayed through her guarded silences, through her sharp comments and long absences. He stayed when she didn’t answer his letters. When she didn’t come to the solstice feast. When she didn’t say his name f
The cliffs were quieter now. The wind had lost its bite, and the sky hung in a heavy kind of hush, thick with the weight of words unspoken.Norwan walked beside Drixie, his shoulders hunched, hands shoved into his coat pockets. They hadn’t spoken since leaving the garden—just the crunch of gravel underfoot and the low murmur of distant waves.He didn’t know what to say.Or maybe, he was just afraid of what would come out if he tried.Drixie glanced at him sideways, her steps slowing to match his. “So… we just gonna keep walking until the sun explodes or do you want to talk about it?”Norwan exhaled through his nose. “I don’t know what to say.”“That’s funny. You used to have so much to say when you were telling me I was overreacting about Natalie.”He winced. “Drix…”“I’m not trying to rub salt,” she said, holding up a hand. “I’m trying to remind you that you weren’t exactly a saint either.”His mouth opened, then closed.Drixie stopped walking and leaned against a lichen-covered boul
The morning breeze was cool, laced with the scent of sea salt and honeyed flowers. Natalie sat on the stone ledge just outside the estate garden, barefoot, her wrap slipping from one shoulder. The sky was still pale with morning light, the world slow to wake—except for Norwan.He stood behind her, arms loose around her waist, chin resting lightly on her shoulder. They weren’t speaking, not really. Just… being.There was something sacred in that quiet. A peace she hadn’t expected to find so soon.“I forgot what this felt like,” he murmured, breath warm against her skin. “Just… existing with you.”“You never really existed with me,” she said, not cruelly—just honest. “You stood beside me. But you were always somewhere else.”Norwan tensed slightly, then nodded. “You’re right.”She reached up, her fingers brushing the side of his hand. “You’re here now.”“I am.”He pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. It was soft. Unhurried. She didn’t move away.Natalie leaned back against him, and
The wind had quieted by the time they walked back toward the estate. The path curved gently through wild grass and dune flowers, and though they walked close, their hands didn’t touch. Not yet.Natalie had always been the one who forgave too easily. Who filled the silence between heartbreak and healing with hope. But this time, she needed more than words. More than promises spoken through the haze of guilt and longing.This time, she would test him.They reached the guest suite just as the sun began casting golden light across the windows. Natalie stopped at the threshold and turned to face Norwan, studying the lines of his face.“I’m not inviting you in,” she said evenly. “Not yet.”“I wasn’t expecting you to,” Norwan replied, voice calm but rough.She nodded, her gaze searching. “I want to believe you. But belief isn’t trust. And trust…” She exhaled. “Trust is earned.”“I understand,” he said.Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Then prove it.”Norwan lifted his chin. “How?”She considered
The wind pressed soft against them, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Natalie stayed wrapped in Norwan’s arms a moment longer, grounding herself in the truth of his presence. The weight of him. The warmth. The subtle, quiet tremble in his chest.When she finally pulled back, it was not with anger or accusation, but with a kind of clarity that only came after everything else had burned away.“I need to ask you something,” she said.Norwan nodded, gaze steady.Natalie’s voice was low, but firm. “Do you really love me? Or was Cora right?”The name hit like a stone between them. Norwan’s jaw tightened, and he exhaled, ragged and slow.“She told me you never did,” Natalie continued, heart thudding. “That I was just… a choice. Strategic. Convenient. That you only wanted me for what I represented.”His eyes didn’t leave hers. “She lied.”“You’re sure?”“I’m sure.” He stepped back just enough to frame her face gently with his hands, thumbs brushing her cheekbones. “Natalie, Cora
The morning after the wedding was softer than the one before. The sun rose gently through sheer curtains, birdsong drifting in through the open window of Natalie’s guest suite. The scent of saltwater hung faint in the air, and for the first time in days, Lisanne was quiet.Natalie stood in the middle of the room, staring at the small suitcase she’d packed with practiced precision. Folded dresses, her journal, the shell necklace Lynn had given her years ago, and the lavender wrap she wore to the ceremony—all tucked away with a sense of finality.She wasn’t running. At least, not in the way she once had. This time, she was simply… leaving. Ready to return home. Or something close to it.But even as she zipped the bag closed, her chest ached.He didn’t come.That thought had rooted itself in her bones, playing on a loop since last night. She hadn’t expected a grand apology. Not a scene or a speech. But part of her, the part that still dreamed, had hoped Norwan might appear. That he’d wal
Lisanne’s gardens were bursting with color—sun-drenched and vibrant beneath the clear spring sky. Wild roses danced on trellises, and soft ribbons fluttered in the breeze, tied with care around every chair and bouquet. It was the kind of day stories were written about, with sunlight painting the world gold and laughter hanging in the air like music.Natalie stood among the crowd, smiling as the guests turned toward the aisle. She wasn’t dressed to stand out—simple, elegant, quiet in lavender silk—but something about her presence still drew eyes. Maybe it was the way she carried herself: not like someone trying to blend in, but like someone who had learned how to exist, even with ghosts whispering at her heels.When the music swelled, and everyone rose to their feet, Natalie’s breath caught.There, at the end of the aisle, stood Chad.His suit was a sharp slate gray, tailored to perfection, but his composure was anything but. His shoulders trembled. His lips parted like he couldn’t bel