Chapter 17
“Are you okay?” his baritone voice asked again.
“You‘ re the one stalking me, Lucien?” I answered his question with another question. Despite breaking up, he still keeps showing in unexpected places like a looming shadow always trailing behind
- me.
“I told you: you need me in the Foghounds. Pack‘ s unfamiliar city.”
“I’ve been here over a month!” I flashed my fangs at him. “I’ve been to a couple clubs and malls and restaurants already. I’ve been walking home alone on my own for a month, Lu!”
He lowered his gaze as he snuck his hands on his pockets, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I only want to keep you safe. I only want what’s the best for you, Vesta.”
ཁྱད་
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When I saw him, the fear crippling my senses vanished. It’s him who had been watching me all the time. “You‘ ve been stalking me this whole time!”
“It’s not stalking when my intentions are good, Vesta.” His hands shot to my blushing cheeks, “I’m trying to protect you as a friend. You’re far too defenseless
because you‘ re an Omega, Ves. If only you did not break up with me, you would have been my Luna and your wolf will have strength equal to mine.”
I blew out a cool breath, my tone uninterested in dealing with him further.
“Not all strength is physical, Lucien. Sometimes it’s being able to be strong enough to watch the man you love prioritize another woman because of his pack responsibilities.”
He was quiet but he didn’t remove his eyes from mine. My eyes flew right to the scent mask he’s holding like he recently removed it. “Why are you wearing that if
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you‘ re not stalking me? What‘ s with hiding your scent?”
The wind suddenly silenced as if it fled from Lucien‘ s presence. “Would you let me protect you from afar if you caught a hint of my scent?”
“No–yes!” I growled, opening my apartment’s door in rage. “Just, please- go away! Stop making my heart confused with your presence. I’ve already moved on, Lucien.”
“So have I!” He snarled with equal fury. “I tried to forget you as a girlfriend and I did. But…I still crave you after you rejected me and broke up with me and severed the bond between us. I’m going crazy for you, Vesta Blake. My wolf is going crazy if we don’t see you even for a day.”
I retreated to my apartment but he held the door open. “You‘ re sneaking around me and you almost sent me into a heart
attack!”
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He flinched as if just realizing the repercussions of his actions. “From now on, I’ll accompany you home at night. I don’t want to be returning in the Brightheart Pack with your fresh corpse, do you?”
I hissed like a viper ready to strike.
“Plus,” he held up a hand, amusement lacing his tone. “I’m your neighbor, Vesta. Shouldn’t you be nice to your neighbor? Aren’t you making friends here in the Foghounds Pack?”
I gripped the door tightly and slammed the door to his face.
He only opened it with a kick.
“You‘ re damaging the property, you prick!”
“I don‘ t care,” he chuckled like a maniac.
I threw my hands up in defeat. I’m not in the mood to further argue. Without
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another word, I closed the apartment door gently and locked all of my four locks.
I made myself tea with honey. Opening the door to my balcony, I settled myself in one of the chairs and drank in the view of the city.
“Calm now?” Lucien‘ s voice flitted through the gap of our balconies. He definitely lives next door. He was shirtless, flaunting his muscles as he stretched and did some push–ups in front of me.
Lignored him and took one last sip before going inside my room, shutting out his odd presence and unflinching scent and the weird comfort he brings every time he was there.
I heard my neighbor opening his door and then scanning the hallway like some wolf guarding its territory before striding back to his lair.
Although frustrated by the revelation I unraveled, I washed it all off with a nice
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cool shower.
Skak
95
I was drying my hair when an unknown number lit up my screen.
It’s impossible if it’s from my parents or Francis. I bet it‘ s from Lucien or-
There’s no or. There’s no one else who
would be messaging me like that.
“Vesta, it’s Charmaine,” I read the first message. I rolled my eyes. What drama would this girl be stirring up again?
I was entirely shocked that she had found. my number, but more surprised that she was reaching out to me at all. Charm
hadn’t contacted me since that incident at
the Starmoon Restaurant or when Lucien announced that she’s not his girlfriend.
Once again, curiosity killed the cat in me and I opened her voicemail. “Vesta Blake, I’m sorry. I…I don’t know how else to say this but I’m sorry. I’m messaging
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you because I know I’ve caused more drama than our TV station has produced.” she chuckled but then cleared her throat a heartbeat later. “I have feelings for Lucien, yes. But it was foolish of me to belittle you just so I can have him. Another thing I was wrong is that…he didn’t love you. I was wrong: Lucien loved you all this time. Beta Thomas also confessed his love for me. Though at first it was difficult, I eventually accepted him. We re now celebrating our first monthsary. As for Lucien, he never sees me as a woman–he only sees me as a sister, nothing more.”
I don‘ t care if I can also hear my loud. heartbeats in my chest, I let her voicemail continue. “He truly loves you. Vesta. I know this is selfish but if there’s still any part of you that cares for him, yearns for him, please forgive him. Please. For me. For Thomas. For the betterment of the
Brightheart Pack. I hope there’s still a chance between the two of you. Please don’t let me be the reason why your love just went to a waste.”
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I was speechless when the voicemail ended, a flurry of emotions stormed within. my heart.
As I closed my eyes and let my tears stream down my face, I heard the faint tinkling of bells just outside my apartment door.
I quickly went to open it and found Lucien standing there, holding a pair of small bells. tied to a rope hanging on my door frame.
“Here’s a bracelet version of it. It‘ Il be
more convenient that way.” There was warmth in his eyes I’ve never seen before.
I accepted the silver charm as I looked up at the enchanted windchime hovering.
above both of us.
Moonlight entered the hallway from the bushes. The Moon Goddess has never left
us after all.
True to what Charmaine has said, there was still love swirling beneath his stubborn
facade.
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As we stared at each other, I remembered the time our eyes met for the first time in college.
We’re feeling it now too.
It’s not impossible to fall in love again.
I smiled at Lucien, the first I had since we first met during our college time. I never lost my love. I just need to find it for the second time with the same person at the right moment.
“Would you like to come inside, Lu?”
His smile was answer enough as I opened the door wide, welcoming him to my new
life.
THE END
