At eight o'clock in the morning, the hospital had almost no patients. I asked Aunt Mary to wait outside the examination room. And then I knocked on Dr. Grace's door."Come in," came Dr. Grace's gentle voice from inside the room."Good morning, Dr. Grace," I greeted politely as I walked in."Good morning, Zoe. Is there anything wrong with your health? Any lingering effects from the head injury last time?" Dr. Grace asked with concern, setting down her pen upon seeing me."Thank you for your concern, my head is fine. But this time, I have something important to share. I found out that I'm pregnant two nights ago," I said.Upon hearing the news, Dr. Grace was somewhat taken aback. "Oh, unbelievable. I'm sorry to hear that.""I was surprised too. You are the only person in the pack who knows about this, but as time goes on, my belly will grow bigger, and the secret will be hard to keep. I don't want that to happen, so I intend to leave the Red Moon Pack and live with my aunt's family in t
It’s late at night, I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, putting myself in a hunting state of mind, imagining as if I were observing prey. Hold your head high, with no tilting, and maintain a steady gaze, with no wavering. Yes, that’s right! Do relax the expression, don't appear tense, even if your heart is pounding, just ignore it. Focus on the person or object in front of you, disregarding your insignificant inner turmoil. That’s much better. Put on a subtle smile, don’t be too serious. Perfect, nearly perfect.After several hours of practice, my eyes were bloodshot, and my face felt stiff from smiling, but I was finally satisfied with the progress I made. I assured Aunt Mary that I would strive to be firm, confident, and decisive, even when facing wolves of much higher rank than myself. In a few more hours, at 10 o'clock in the morning, we would meet Alpha Joan and Luna Irene at the pack house. At that moment, I would have Aunt Mary witness my progress.It was getting late now.
As we drew closer to the Nightwalker Pack, I found myself growing increasingly restless. An inexplicable restlessness enveloped me, causing my body temperature to rise, my heart to race, and my cheeks to flush like on a fire. Maybe it was just one of those early pregnancy symptoms, as I recalled reading about it online. The car eventually reached the border checkpoint of the pack, and there were a few vehicles ahead of us waiting for inspection. We joined the queue, and soon, several cars lined up behind us."Looks like the Alphas from surrounding packs are arriving at this time," Alpha Joan remarked casually.My physiological response intensified at this moment. I felt the heat building within me, and even a sip of water from a bottle didn't offer much relief. Part of me wanted to strip off my clothes, but reason told me not to give in. I settled for unbuttoning the top two buttons of my shirt, seeking some relief. As I opened the car window, a faint scent of pine wafted in, intoxica
"Good morning, how did you sleep last night?" Aunt Mary greeted me."Not bad," I replied with a smile. In truth, I didn’t sleep well at all. I had dreamt all night about Rose mating with that silver-gray wolf."Come with me to my room, we'll pick out a dress for the ceremony. Our body shapes are similar, so you should be able to fit into my clothes," she said, linking her arm with mine as we descended the stairs.Inside her dressing room, she presented me with several new dresses, still with tags attached. I chose a violet silk one-shoulder evening gown, adorned with a violet corsage at the shoulder. I then applied a simple makeup, with light pink eyeshadow and a touch of lip gloss. "Your skin is flawless, you don't need the foundation to add anything," she commented.When everything was done, Aunt Mary looked at me in admiration, "You are truly stunning."Before leaving, I put on a trench coat to keep warm. The road was bustling with cars, people streaming towards the Packhouse for t
Countless thoughts swirled in my mind, and I had to frantically focus on the task at hand to divert my attention. My hands moved swiftly, and soon, I had a mound of peeled potatoes and a large bowl of corn kernels before me.Suddenly, my shoulder was tapped, and I turned to see Aunt Mary looking at me with confusion. "Zoe, can you hear me?" she asked.I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Of course."Aunt Mary let out a sigh of relief. "I called your name several times, but you didn't react at all, just kept peeling potatoes. I thought you were in a trance or something! Let's go, there's only fifteen minutes left until the ceremony begins."The venue was all set, with nine rows of seats for the audience. According to werewolf ranks, the highest-ranking alphas sat in the front row, followed by the betas and gammas in the second row. Aunt Mary, Uncle Marcus, and I settled into our seats on the left side of the second row. As we sat down, the seats in the back were already filling up,
The room was elegantly decorated with a touch of rustic charm, adorned with symbols of the Nightwalker Pack. Chandeliers bathed the hall in a warm, golden glow.The long banquet tables were laden with an array of delectable dishes. Exquisite platters of roasted meats, savory stews, and grilled vegetables tempted my appetite. The aroma of various spices and herbs mingled harmoniously, tantalizing the senses. Dessert stations offered an indulgent selection of treats, from luscious chocolate cakes to fruit tarts, creamy pastries, and the cookies Aunt Mary made. There were waitstaff gracefully weaved through the crowd, carrying trays of cocktail glasses.Abel handed me two glasses and offered one, "Are you feeling at home here since your arrival?""Quite well," I replied, taking a sip of the wine."Do you have any plans? Are you thinking of exploring around?" he inquired."Not yet," I answered simply.We continued with casual small talk, interrupted occasionally by some of Abel's friends
After Norton left, my life gradually returned to its usual pace. At first, his name would come up frequently, and whenever I encountered people from the pack, they would jokingly call me as "Norton's headache." I didn't give any response they expected to this joke, and over time, no one mentioned it again. There were a few occasions when Norton was invited to the pack house by Alpha Alis, during which I would lock myself in my room, fearing the chance encounter. Besides those instances, he vanished entirely from my life. Eventually, Rose came to accept this reality, and she no longer opposed my decision not to seek another mate.In my daily life, Aunt Mary and Uncle Marcus took meticulous care of me. Aunt Mary prepared sumptuous dinners for me every day, and Uncle Marcus drove to Herman once a week to purchase everything I needed. To help me integrate into the community, they hosted several parties, introducing me to new friends. With their assistance, I became close friends with Alph
The Slice of Life café had been a cherished establishment in the pack for over 60 years, passed down through three generations of dedicated owners. Three years ago, Mrs. Wilson took over full management after her mother's retirement. The café resided in a two-story brown wooden house, the property of Mrs. Wilson's maternal family. The ground floor housed the bustling café area and food preparation section, while the second floor served as the living quarters for the Wilson family.Although the café's location between the Packhouse and the training grounds made it a convenient stop, the younger members of the pack seldom frequented the place. Instead, they preferred to drive 20 miles away to Herman's café, a more modern and trendy spot. When asked why they shunned Slice of Life, they often cited its old-fashioned décor and offerings."It's like a place only traditional Brits would visit," someone once remarked.Mrs. Wilson was well aware of this issue and had long desired to renovate t