Chapter 2
1083 Words
Louisa's POV:
On my way home, I received a call from my supervisor.
I was told to head to the Werewolf Council Academy and pick up the classified documents needed by the Rothbury Liaison Office.
After hanging up, I sighed.
I had wanted to keep my distance, but of all people, he just had to be a professor at that academy.
When I arrived at the academy, class had just ended.
Werewolf students had excellent hearing.
There were words I couldn't pretend not to hear, even if I wanted to.
"Mr. Percy's class was impossible to get into today. I only snagged a spot three days in advance."
"The female students were there for Mr. Percy, and most of the male students were there for Miss Palmer. I have to say, they really look like a perfect match standing together."
"Isn't it written in the academy records that Mr. Percy has already found his fated mate?"
"Then it must be Miss Palmer."
"Otherwise, why has no one ever seen the other one?"
My steps slowed.
In an instant, bitterness welled up in my heart.
Five years.
Five full years since we'd recognized each other.
Yet I had never once appeared openly in his social circle.
At first, I'd even pouted and begged him to share our photos publicly, to take me to academy banquets, to tell everyone that I was the mate chosen for him by the Moon Goddess.
But Sebastian would always furrow his brow and say, "Louisa, be more mature."
He would also say, "A fated bond is a matter of the soul. There's no need to flaunt it on social media."
And he would add, "You're going to be Luna in the future. Don't do things unbecoming of your status."
That day, I stood there in a daze for a long time.
From that day on, I never mentioned it again.
The students around me were still talking.
"Mr. Percy is cold to everyone, but he never unleashes his dominance when Miss Palmer is near."
"Last time, I even saw Miss Palmer tying his tie for him."
"If that isn't a mate, what is?"
They walked farther and farther away.
I stood in the hallway, quietly gazing out the window.
All the grievances I had forcibly suppressed in the past came flooding back.
But it was okay.
I already had a way out.
Tomorrow, everything would end.
After picking up the documents, I passed the second office.
The door was slightly ajar.
From inside came Alice's voice, tinged with laughter.
"Just have a sip. It's really good," she said.
Through the c***k in the door, I saw Alice sitting by Sebastian's desk.
She held a cup of moonberry drink to his lips.
Sebastian didn't like sweet things.
Once, I had brewed moonberry juice to mask the bitter taste of herbal medicine.
He had only taken one sip before setting the cup down with a cold expression.
"Sweetness interferes with a werewolf's sense of smell. Don't you even know that?" he had said.
That day, I cleaned up alone in the kitchen for a long time.
But now, facing the cup Alice held to his lips, he merely frowned slightly.
Then, at her insistence, he helplessly lowered his head and took a sip.
Alice's eyes lit up.
"How is it?" she asked.
Sebastian nodded. "Not bad," he replied.
I suddenly felt like laughing.
So it wasn't that he couldn't accommodate others.
He just never had for me.
In the office, a bit of white frosting lingered at the corner of Alice's mouth.
Sebastian pulled out a tissue and naturally wiped it off for her.
"How did you sleep last night?" he asked softly.
"Does your wolf still startle awake?"
Alice shook her head, her voice soft. "As long as I have your mental link, I won't be afraid."
She hesitated, then added, "But everyone knows you don't accept private links after nine o'clock. Am I bothering you too much?"
Sebastian hardly even thought about it. "You're different," he said. "You're the exception."
Four simple words.
Like a silver knife plunging into an old wound.
I steadied myself against the cold wall to keep from losing my composure.
The white wolf inside me, silent for so long, let out a faint whimper.
It seemed to finally understand too.
The Moon Goddess had made us recognize each other.
But she hadn't guaranteed that he would cherish me.
I stood there for a long time.
In the end, I hid every trace of feeling and turned to leave.
Back at the main residence, I took out a suitcase.
Five years in this place, and my belongings couldn't even fill a single suitcase.
Most of the space was filled with Sebastian's documents, clothes, and items he needed as Alpha.
I once thought I was running our shared home.
Then I realized.
I was merely keeping his life running for him.
In the evening, Sebastian called.
"Get ready to come downstairs," he said. "We're going back to the old residence for dinner tonight."
I murmured my assent.
His black SUV was parked downstairs.
Instinctively, I walked toward the passenger seat, only to see Alice sitting there eating walnut shortbread.
Crumbs fell onto the seat.
When she saw me, she immediately put on an innocent smile.
"Louisa," she said. "Don't get me wrong. Elizabeth asked me to come back with him for dinner."
My first reaction was to look at Sebastian.
He didn't like other people eating in the car.
Including me.
Once, when my blood sugar was low, I'd barely unwrapped a cookie before he darkened and made me get out to finish eating before getting back in.
But at that moment, his expression was calm.
As if he was already used to Alice taking this seat as her own.
Alice hurriedly brushed off the seat. "I'll move to the back then," she offered.
"No need," I said calmly. "It's just a seat."
With that, I opened the back door.
Sebastian glanced at me through the rearview mirror.
A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes.
The same situation had happened before.
Back then, I had argued with him because the passenger seat was taken.
Sebastian had only thought I was making a fuss over nothing.
"Louisa, it's just a seat. Don't make a big deal out of it," he had said.
Then I finally agreed with him.
Yeah.
It was just a seat.
It was just a man.
Just don't want him anymore. So be it.
- Writer
