Blake

Chapter 2

BLAKE POV

I had tried not to, but my feet had another plan.

So here I am, staring at Catleya. She’s busy talking with her helper, an omega.

Then my feet lead me toward them.

“Need a hand?” I ask as soon as I get closer, tucking my hands into my side pockets.

She immediately glances at me. “Blake—”

“Hi!”

I assess her reaction as I wait for her next words. The surprise look from earlier is quickly replaced by a death glare.

“What are you doing here?”

Disregarding the coldness, I answer, “I heard you’re running errands for the newly joined wolves. I thought I could lend a hand.”

“No, thanks. Don’t waste your time. You may leave now.” She doesn’t even give it a second thought. Somehow, I anticipated this kind of response.

She walks away, continuing her conversation with the omega. If I’m not mistaken, this is the same omega who used to help Catleya in her boutique whenever I visited before.

“Many hands are better than just two, Cat—”

“I don’t need your help. Now, leave!” she hisses, her annoyance sharp.

I don’t know why, but I still follow them inside the enormous chamber.

I can’t help but notice the changes here. Time really flies. Things have changed for the better. As far as I remember, there used to be a huge cedar tree right on this spot.

I scan the entire room with admiration. She probably designed and renovated this herself. The details are meticulous and luxurious. Perhaps this is one of the reasons so many wolves want to join the pack every month. They’ve never experienced such humble yet hospitable treatment anywhere else.

News of Caspian’s rule has even reached neighboring countries. It led to silent wars from other packs, unable to hide their envy of how deeply his pack loves him.

“What—”

Catleya doesn’t expect to see me following them.

I hid my aura, which explains why she didn’t notice me until now.

I smile, but she doesn’t react.

She’s still the composed woman I knew. She even looks better now.

“Cat—”

She interrupts quickly. “Blake, if you really want to help, then leave. Your presence isn’t helping.”

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I walk closer. She sighs deeply, then asks the omega to leave us. As soon as the omega walks out, she turns to face me again.

“What is your problem?”

“Nothing. I just want to help.”

“I told you I don’t need your help. Can’t you understand that?”

Instead, I sprawl on the wingback chair, gazing at her. “Your brother told me to help you.”

“Tell him I don’t need help. Now leave. I have more important things to do than talk to you.”

After a few moments of silence, I ask a stupid question.

“You’re still mad at me, aren’t you?”

She squints, staring straight into my eyes. “May I remind you, Blake? In case you got amnesia while being away so long. First, you told me to steer clear of you. Second—and definitely not the last—you said we should never talk again. So what do you think you’re doing right now?”

Her words freeze me, and a pang of regret washes over me.

“I’m sorry. I know I was a douchebag. I just didn’t want you to—”

“Don’t bother. I don’t need your sorry. Neither your help nor your presence! So piss off before I regret talking to you again!”

She’s mad now. I can see it. Her she‑wolf tries to take control—I see it in her eyes. A few seconds later, she storms out of the chamber. She’s gone by the time I step outside.

When was the last time we saw each other? I ask myself. But Madic replies.

“Eleven months and eight days, Blake.”

“She’s still mad at me…”

“Make amends with her, Blake. You know how much you hurt her.”

“Madic, it’s not that easy.”

“Since when have things ever been difficult for you?”

“I just can’t hurt her more. If we go back to what we were, I’ll only end up hurting her again.”

“Why don’t you try again this time? What’s holding you back, Blake? Besides, something has changed. You’ve been shutting me out, blocking me. Are you afraid I’ll see what’s in there?”

My response halts when I glance at Catleya from afar, talking to her omega and three wolves—probably the newly joined ones.

Staring at her reminds me of what happened between us. Things have never been the same since that day. I wish I had done better. Our situation today would be so different.

When the Moon Goddess relieved me from the curse, I thought my life would change too. But as days turned into months, then into a year, nothing changed. It led me to hurt Catleya—whether unintentionally or perhaps intentionally.

Yet I’m still living in between. Afraid of what lies between. Bound to protect Skye, even though she doesn’t need me anymore. Maybe I’ll be the one needing her help someday. My body feels an invisible pull to protect her, always, near or far.

I tried living like a normal human. I even went back to school, hung out with old friends and classmates. But something kept pulling me back here. I don’t know if it’s Skye or something else. Madic feels it too—something we both sense is coming.

The Moon Goddess visited me in a dream, telling me to live freely, because I am now free.

“Blake!!!”

“Ugh!” I groan, recognizing that voice.

“How did you find me here, Cody?”

“I asked Catleya.”

“What do you want? Are you done cleaning the statue?”

A big, haughty smile spreads across Cody’s face. “Hah! Of course! It’s clean like it was newly carved!”

“Good for you.”

“Yeah. Anyway, Kent and Cierra are going to the pack’s assembly. I’m sure they don’t know you’re here yet. Let’s go surprise them.”

“Don’t bother. I spoke with Kent earlier. He went to the Alpha and Luna’s house.”

“Oh! I see…”

“Besides, I need to find Catleya. There’s something I need to talk to her about. You wanna come?”

The sour look on Cody’s face amuses me.

“Wait—are you afraid of her?”

“Hahaha! Me? Afraid? Dude, she’s my little sister. She should be afraid of me—”

“But—?” I tease.

Cody may be easygoing, but he respects and treats his sister dearly. Catleya once told me that too.

Then Cody sighs. “But you’re right. Hehehe! I just love my sister so much, Blake. You know—she’s our youngest and only sister.”

‘Danger! Blake, danger is coming!’ Madic interrupts.

It’s not just me and Madic. Cody senses it too.

“You feel that, dude?” he asks, scanning the area with me.

“Men, we have uninvited visitors. Stay on full alert. I’ll handle this for now. But if things get out of hand, you know what to do,” Caspian says through our mindlink.

He links only me, Cody, Kent, the Deltas, and the lead warriors. We are the pack’s security front liners. But I haven’t fulfilled that role in months, since I wasn’t here.

“Visitors? Who are they, Alpha?” Kent asks.

“Alpha Valkan and his Beta.”

“What? But what do they want?”

“I’ll find out. For now, continue what you’re doing.”

Caspian disconnects.

“Are you okay?” I ask Cody, who doesn’t look fine. We walk toward the Village Lodging, where I saw Catleya and the wolves earlier.

“Dude, Alpha Valkan is infamous in the Southern Community packs. Haven’t you heard of him?”

“No—”

Though curious, I decide not to ask further.

“Dude, I heard Alpha Valkan is still searching for his Luna. He visits each pack, looking for her. Whoever his Luna is, I feel bad for her. She may just get beaten or worse. He loves torturing people. I even heard he killed women who dared refuse him.”