CHAPTER TEN
755 Words
Seith’s POV
Watching her train so seriously reminded me of our university days.
Jade had always been hardworking. No matter how difficult the lessons were or how exhausting the schedules became, she never slacked off. She was always focused on her studies, always determined to be the best.
Apart from her boyfriend and her best friend, she rarely spent time with anyone else. She kept her circle small and her distance clear.
Back then, she never noticed me.
Our paths barely crossed even though we attended the same university and studied for the same degree. To me, she was like a rare flower placed behind glass—beautiful, untouchable, and always surrounded by people strong enough to protect her.
I only learned her name during our master’s program.
That was also when I became friends with Grace. She was dating my roommate at the time, so we often ended up hanging around the same place.
I still remembered the day I finally gathered the courage to ask about Jade.
“Grace, can I ask you something?”
Even saying those words had taken me weeks of hesitation. I knew Jade already loved someone else, but asking about her name shouldn’t have been a crime.
“Sure,” Grace replied casually. “Ask.”
“You have a friend, right?”
Grace raised an eyebrow playfully. “I have many friends.”
“Which one?” Mathew asked from beside her.
Grace looked at me carefully before a knowing smile spread across her face.
“I think he’s asking about Jade. Right?”
I nodded slowly, though I suddenly felt embarrassed.
“Everyone asks about her,” Grace teased. “Do you like her?”
The question caught me completely off guard.
“No—no,” I answered too quickly, making even myself sound suspicious. “I just always see you two together. She seems… reserved. I never really see her around other people.”
Grace laughed softly. “Yeah, Jade doesn’t like crowds. But if you really like her, tell me. I can help you win her over.”
I frowned immediately. “Doesn’t she have a boyfriend?”
“Well, they recently broke up,” Grace explained. “She’s single now. So if you’re interested, I can help you. I don’t want her to feel lonely.”
I didn’t know how to respond after that.
Because the truth was… I did like her.
Very much.
But I could never bring myself to pursue her.
At that time, I had nothing. No money. No reputation. No future worth bragging about. Meanwhile, Jade was someone who seemed born to shine. Someone admired by everyone around her.
I could never stand beside her equally.
So I chose to admire her from afar.
Eventually, during our doctorate studies, she started dating someone else. Less than two years later, I heard they had gotten married.
That news broke something inside me.
I left the city soon after, partly because staying there made it impossible to forget her. Grace was the one who later helped me find a job, and the moment I heard it involved working for Jade, I accepted immediately without hesitation.
I didn’t care what the position was.
Even if I could only stay by her side as an employee, it was enough.
And now, there I was.
Training the girl who had once been my first love while working as her assistant.
Every day, I saw her. Every day, I stayed beside her.
It was something I had secretly wished for years ago, yet I still forced myself to keep my distance.
Because Jade was still the same hardworking woman I remembered from university.
In fact, she had become even more impressive.
She learned faster than any werewolf I had ever trained. Her stamina, strength, speed, and abilities improved at an unbelievable rate. She pushed herself beyond her limits without complaining, no matter how exhausted she became.
I avoided handling her transformation training myself.
I didn’t want my nature to scare her away.
I didn’t want her to see the difference between me and the other werewolves.
So instead, I stayed strict with her during training. Cold. Serious. Distant.
I convinced myself that if I acted harsh enough, she would never notice the feelings I tried so desperately to hide.
But every time I watched her train, I found myself admiring her all over again.
Just like I did back then.
Because the truth was simple.
I liked Jade.
And I had always liked her.
- Writer
