CHAPTER 6

Alexis's point of view

"Mmm... I like it... ohh..." I moaned, enjoying the sensation as it melted in my mouth.

“Be quiet. You have to concentrate, okay? It’s hard to make you moan like that.” The man who was making me happy said with a smile.

“I thought it was just about muscles, but it turns out you really have skill with your hands. What else can you do with those hands?” I couldn’t help but ask.

He was just about to answer when the door to the room we were in burst open.

“Guys, can you keep it down? I’m studying, for God’s sake. And Alexis, watch how you talk. If anyone hears you, they’ll think you’re having sex, not eating.” The girl, or rather, my new friend, yelled while glaring at me, which only made me laugh. Her pouty expression was really entertaining.

"But he cooks really well. Come here and try it. The pasta he made... it tastes... mmm..." I said before spooning some pasta into my own mouth.

"Hey, you really have no manners! Oh, by the way, there's a letter for you. It's in this box, placed in front of our door. Can you see it? I didn’t find the sender’s name. It seems to be from one of your other admirers.” Audrey said with a mischievous smile, then kissed her boyfriend, the one who cooked this delicious pasta, before joining in the meal as well.

As I tore open the envelope, whose scent felt familiar, I looked at the letter and smiled slightly. A secret admirer. Nothing new. I knew exactly what it contained, a list of rules I had broken this month. After reading it, I opened the gift box and froze, surprised to see a jade pendant neatly placed inside. Well, this was clearly not a bad letter.

"Wow, it's so beautiful! Do you know or suspect anyone who might have sent this to you? It's strange that a letter doesn't have a sender's name. I mean, if someone gives a girl a gift this expensive, at least they want the girl to know who sent it," said Audrey, gesturing dramatically with her hands.

"Take it easy, honey. It looks like our Lexi has a secret admirer. And from the smile on her face, I think that admirer has a chance. I mean, just look at this gift," said Shane before sitting down next to his girlfriend.

Watching the two of them, I could only shake my head slowly. They were the sweetest people I had ever met. Honestly, I was proud of my decision to come here and stay with this sweet couple, even if it meant breaking a few rules.

I didn't care.

I became bolder, stronger, and far more sarcastic than before.

I like myself better now. I used to be too wise, too loving, too humble, and too emotional. All things that now feel exhausting. Apparently, living freely outside the house for almost a year does have its advantages.

I noticed the stamp at the bottom of the letter and on top of the gift box. Even though I already knew, it was clearly from the council. Audrey and Shane were certainly not to blame for not knowing what the council was, or who sat on it.

They were human.

Truly human. And I lived with them, people who even knowing our identity was considered a grave sin in my community.

But here I was now, living peacefully with them, sleeping under the same roof, eating the same food. And yes, I also attended the same college as them.

That was my first violation. Instead of attending a werewolf university, I chose a human university with not a single werewolf in it. I heard that the alpha of the Blood Moon pack founded this university, but he rarely comes, making it the perfect hiding place for me. I did break some rules, but even if the council found out, they couldn’t do much about it.

All of this was easy for me because I was a lantern, and my scent was perfectly concealed by the pendant Mark had given me that day.

Eight months ago, when I killed my first victim, or rather, my first three victims, the person who had pointed a dagger at me turned out to be Mark.

That day...

After I killed the outsider, I felt the tip of the dagger press against my body. I turned around, ready to see who it was, but before I could recognize him, I heard that voice.

"I finally found you, my omega."

That deep, hoarse voice made me scream in surprise, then I spontaneously turned around and hugged Mark, who immediately hugged me back.

"Don't think I'll let you get away with just hugging me! What do you mean, Alexis? How could you do this to me after all my efforts to ensure you lived peacefully? Why didn't you ever tell me that you were being treated so badly?" he said, looking at me disappointedly, then continuing without pause.

"And most importantly, why didn't you call me when your partner cheated on you and you rejected him? Who told you to run away? Why didn't you call me when you were training in the forest to become an outsider? Didn't I tell you to open that box when you needed help? I'm sure you didn't even care. Do you know how hard I looked for you? I even spread your information to all the groups and asked them to look for you. Do you know how dangerous it was ..."

Hearing his chatter, I felt warm inside, like I was coming home. For the past four years, he was the only man who treated me like a normal person, not a disabled person. My eyes welled up, and I hugged him tightly.

"I was afraid you would hate me. And honestly, that makes sense. I rejected my partner. I'm just a lantern, I thought the council didn't care about me anymore, and I didn't want to lose you either. So I chose to leave before I was abandoned again because of this situation," I said, turning my face away, unable to look at him.

"Alexis, are you serious?" Mark said, turning me around to look him in the eye.

"Do you think I was desperately looking for you just because my father told me to? I really care about you. Can't you see that? Besides, we already knew you would reject your partner. Last year, on his birthday, we knew he was your partner. If you haven't realized it, since then I've visited him more often than in the previous three years," he said, making my eyes widen.

“So… you knew everything from the beginning? Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered.

Deep down, I already knew the answer.

“We didn’t tell you because we knew you wouldn’t be able to handle rejection at seventeen, especially without the strength and support of the wolf you have now.”

"The wolf... is mine?" I asked softly.

"You never really thought you didn't have it, did you?"

"So I do have the wolf?"

"You'll know when the time is right."

"Now, let's go back to the council house. I'll watch over you until you know what you want to do," said Mark, making me roll my eyes.

After successfully escaping from that damn group, did he really think I would just give up my freedom? Of course not.

"I'm not going with you."

"What do you mean you're not coming?"

I explained my decision.

“I want to go to a human university and get a degree. I want to live like a normal human, not a werewolf who can’t change. I want to live among humans, where I’m treated as an equal, not a disgrace. And I want to be in a place where my beauty is appreciated. If werewolves don’t want me, so what? This world isn’t inhabited by just one species.”

I knew he didn't like the decision, but he had to accept it. Now I was an outsider.

"Alright. But I will determine the boundaries of the territory you can and cannot explore."

"Alright, Father," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Don't call me that," he said with a dark face, making my cheeks flush.

"Here, take this pendant. I have a feeling you won't want to come with me. This pendant will hide your scent perfectly," he said as he hung it around my neck, then kissed the corner of my lips softly.

How I wished Mark was my partner. But the Moon Goddess seemed to prefer toying with fate and my happiness.

"Remember this. No matter what happens, you can always count on me," he said before hugging me tightly.

"By the way, have you heard about this?" Audrey's voice interrupted my thoughts, her mouth still full of noodles.

"About what?"

"If you stop thinking about food for a moment, maybe you can listen," my conscience admonished.

“She’s talking about the university founder’s sudden visit. She said he wants to make sure everything is running smoothly,” Shane explained, making me frown.

The founder?

Isn’t that Alpha, the leader of the most dangerous group, Alpha Sebastian?

Is he coming? Why?

Has my cover been blown? Or is this just a routine visit?

Whatever the reason, I won’t let him know who I am. I don’t want to die yet.

“You guys go ahead, I feel a little nauseous,” I said, pretending.

That excuse always works.

“The deans have announced that no one is allowed to be absent tomorrow. Anyone who skips class will get a hundred points,” said Audrey.

A hundred points?

My eyes widened.

This must be a joke. If that happens to me, I'll only need twenty more points to fail completely. I could fail this semester and have to repeat it.

Maybe... if I can avoid the alpha, I can still save myself.

Moon Goddess, you always know how to make everything complicated, don't you?