12~ HER FAVORITE

SAGE POV

“Knock knock…” a gentle voice called from outside, but I didn’t answer. My throat felt too tight, my heart still too heavy so I still couldn't talk.

I had already washed up and tried to gather myself, but it felt pointless. I couldn’t die not with the Lupin soul he had just told me about but I couldn’t quite convince myself to live either. I had nothing to look forward to, nothing to fight for.

And yet, here I was, bound by the moon goddess herself to a man they called a monster.

The door creaked softly and Tracy's head peeked inside. She wore a small, hesitant smile as her eyes landed on me.

“Good morning. Can I come in?”

I stared at her for a moment, weighing her expression, before finally nodding.

It would be rude not to, and something about her presence felt… softer than the rest of this place.

She stepped inside carefully, as if afraid of disturbing me. The smile on her face widened when she saw me sitting upright on the bed, but then her eyes flicked to the nightstand and her expression froze.

I followed her gaze and my stomach flipped, His phone was lying there.

Her mouth parted slightly. “He never gives this to anyone,” she whispered, almost to herself.

I stayed silent and just stared at her. What was I supposed to say? She probably already knew what I was to him anyway.

“Well…” she began, trying to lighten the mood.

“I am pretty sure you must be confused about everything right now. Why don’t you come downstairs, have some breakfast, and then I can show you around the pack?”

“Fine,” I murmured, my voice low, and stood up. My stomach growled quietly in agreement, well don't blame me.

“Great!” she said, her smile brightening again. She reached out her hand toward me. For a second, I hesitated but then, slowly, I placed my hand in hers.

It was strange to me since I never really had female friends. Back in my old pack, I was the quiet one, the girl they bullied and pushed around.

Having someone offer friendship so openly made me both confused and oddly warm inside.

Together we made our way downstairs, and when we reached the dining room, my breath caught. The room was massive, with long tables polished to a shine and high windows letting the sunlight pour in.

Platters of food were already laid out, steaming and fragrant, filling the air with a smell that made my mouth water.

“Good morning, ma’am,” one of the kitchen staff greeted me as I approached. She even helped me pull out my chair.

I sat down and quickly reached for the phone he had left me, typing out a small thank you.

The woman’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, and she smiled faintly before asking, “What’s your favorite food?”

I froze at that question, Favorite food? I had never been asked that before. Growing up as an omega, I ate whatever scraps were handed to me. I had never been allowed to choose until my relationship with Zach grew.

“Well… Good morning… ma’am…” Another staff member cleared his throat, getting my attention.

“I am the head chef in the kitchen… We need to know your favorite so we can cook what's best for you.” I was stunned at this, a man as the chef must be so good.

Slowly, I typed on the phone. “I don’t have a favorite. I am satisfied with whatever you serve. Thank you for your hard work.”

The chef’s eyebrows rose slightly, and he nodded, clearly surprised by my words.

Tracy gently squeezed my hand. “Well… this is actually a direct order from Knight. If you don’t have a favorite, we will just have to figure it out.”

My chest tightened at the mention of his name. Everyone seemed so careful when they said it, like they were trying not to summon him by accident.

“Well,” I thought and typed on his phone. “Then I will just go with meat, and any kind of food you think would beat my taste.”

Tracy grinned. “Good choice. He would probably insist on that anyway. He says you need your strength.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded.

“Thank you so much, ma’am,” the chef said, bowing slightly. There was genuine respect in his tone, which surprised me. No one had ever thanked me before for something as simple as an answer.

Soon, the food was served. The smell was rich and warm, making my stomach twist with hunger. As I ate, my eyes wandered, catching on the head of the table. It was empty, but a full plate was set there, untouched.

I frowned and quickly typed on the phone, sliding it toward Tracy. “Why is that seat set but empty?”

She glanced at it, then gave a small, amused smile. “That’s his seat. Even when he’s not here, they prepare it just in case. When his beast is awake, things… don’t usually go well. So we make sure everything is ready for him if he comes down.”

My chest tightened. “He’s not coming?” I asked quietly.

Tracy shook her head. “Not today. He said he doesn’t want to scare you more than you already are. He’s… trying not to.”

“Trying.” The word echoed in my head as I chewed slowly.

The food was incredibly tender meat, warm bread, and perfectly seasoned vegetables. By the time I finished, I was full for the first time in what felt like forever.

I stood and bowed slightly to the chef in thanks. He blinked, clearly startled, before bowing back. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that he was shocked because no one ever bothered to thank the kitchen staff.

“Now,” Tracy said cheerfully, “let’s get some fresh air.” I nodded and followed her out.

The park grounds took my breath away the moment we stepped outside.

The air smelled of pine and earth, crisp and refreshing. The packhouse sat in the middle of a wide clearing surrounded by forest. Well-kept paths stretched in every direction, leading to training grounds, gardens, and houses.

It was beautiful, peaceful and for a moment I almost forgot the fear still coiled in my chest.

“This is where most of the younger wolves train,” Tracy explained, pointing toward a large open field where warriors were sparring. “And that over there is the greenhouse. We grow most of our herbs there…”

I listened quietly, letting her voice guide me through the sights, until suddenly she stopped mid-sentence.

I followed her gaze and froze.

There, a few paces away, stood Knight. His broad back was to us, his dark hair a little messy, his shoulders tense. Even from here, I could feel the dangerous energy releasing off him.

But it wasn’t just him who made my stomach twist.

In front of him who made my stomach twist or what was left of him. My breath hitched as the smell of blood reached me.

The figure before Knight was eating something no… devouring it and it took me a horrible, heart-stopping second to realize what it was.

He was eating another man’s heart.

I stumbled back, a choked sound escaping me, bile burning my throat. My entire body trembled as the scene burned itself into my mind.

“What the hell is going on in this pack!”