The night grew late. The party, once lively and full of laughter, began to quiet down. Some had decided to retire, tired and sleepy.One of those who stayed was Oscar. He paid no attention to the clock striking three in the morning. He continued to enjoy the camaraderie, even though Era had left the party an hour ago."Alpha."Oscar turned to find a glass of beer aimed at him. He took the drink with a nod. "Thank you.""I should be the one thanking you, Alpha," Dom said as he sat down. His hands rose and rested on the table. "I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve you, Alpha."Basically, every member of the pack would be proud to serve his Alpha and Luna. Oscar acknowledged that, but he sensed something different in Dom's tone. There was an undercurrent of intimacy. So, he immediately prodded Dom with a question. "What's on your mind?""I heard a myth once, Alpha."Oscar's eyebrows raised. Now, upon reflection, Dom seemed to be overly obsessed with all sorts of myths. He sil
Era put aside her amazement at Oscar's enthusiasm; she had her own agenda for the day. Some of it was related to her new role as Luna, and some of it was personal.The first thing Era did after breakfast and getting ready was to review the pack's weekly reports. Often this was just a formality since the pack was in a safe and controlled state.Next was an agenda that required Era to leave the palace. The destination was a hospital built specifically for the health needs of the Xylvaneth Pack.Era's arrival was greeted with great enthusiasm. The Pack—whether they were medical staff, regular employees, or even patients—were ecstatic at her arrival. They chatted and discussed many things. Most importantly, she didn't forget to encourage the patients to get better soon.Era left the hospital with indescribable emotions. As far as she could remember, no one had ever greeted her with such enthusiasm. Not many people would look at her with such sparkling eyes. For the first time, she felt all
A sense of excitement greeted Oscar's return that night, at ten o'clock to be exact. His nostrils flared, expanding, and contracting with the joy that unexpectedly surged in his chest. A broad smile broke across his face as he calmed down and inquired, "So, you mean Era is worried about my health?"Aaron nodded, trying to hold back his own smile. "It seems so, Alpha.""Ahem!" Oscar cleared his throat again, this time scratching the tip of his temple with his index finger. "I didn't expect her to be so concerned about my health."Aaron remained silent, just enjoying Oscar's beaming expression."Alright. I guess I should see Era as soon as possible. I don't want to worry her for too long," Oscar concluded with an irresistible urge. He had to meet Era as soon as possible. "Good night."Oscar left Aaron and Philo without further ado. His original intention to discuss the work with Philo in the office was completely forgotten.This time, Aaron couldn't help but chuckle. When Philo exhaled
It was still fresh in Era's mind that she had once felt reluctant to leave the Xylvaneth Palace. However, upon reflection, she had indeed intended to leave at that time, and had even promised not to set foot there again. So, she wasn't at all surprised when the reluctance she felt that morning worsened as she prepared to leave for the Celestial City.As a student, Era's status required her to leave the palace temporarily. There were several things related to her final research and preparation for her graduation in the fall that she needed to take care of. So, she planted the idea in her mind that the sooner everything was done, the sooner she could return to the Palace.Era left the palace at seven in the morning, and of course, Oscar accompanied her to Celestial City that day. As usual, Oscar would make sure they arrived safely in Celestial City. Meanwhile, Seth was already waiting for their arrival.The smooth and uneventful journey ended shortly before eleven in the morning. At tha
Era decided not to dwell on Gerald and Barbara's strange behavior. There was something far more pressing to deal with at the moment—the strange looks from her fellow students. They were clearly staring at her with a different intensity than before.Her forehead was furrowed. Their eyes darted around. Then Era's voice questioned Seth in a hushed tone. "Is it just me, or is there something different about the way they look at me, Seth?"Seth sighed as he scratched the tip of his temple with his index finger. "Actually, that's what I wanted to tell you," he said, causing Era to turn and look at him curiously. "There's been some news circulating around campus lately, especially after the incident that happened to you in Arbora Forest."This time, Era's steps stopped abruptly. Her expression changed. She looked at Seth with a horrified expression. "Don't tell me that..."Oh no! Era couldn't even bring herself to finish her own sentence."You're right," Seth said with a helpless nod. Obviou
As it turned out, there was another thing Era had to take care of besides her research data and graduation preparations, namely her part-time job at Central Perk & Pour. This cafe, quite popular among young people, had been her lifeline before she met Oscar.Era decided to quit. She thought the sooner the better. Besides, she needed to focus on completing the final processing of her research data.Era's reasons were logical, but still caused surprise, especially for Audrey Perry. It seemed difficult for her to accept the fact that Era would soon quit."Are you serious, Era?"Era nodded as she closed the door to her locker. "Of course I'm serious, Dree. I handed in my letter of resignation earlier. So, this month will be my last month working here. Besides, just think about it. The boss has been very nice to me because I haven't been to work for over two months. Logically, I should have been fired by now, right?"Dree couldn't help laughing. "You're right. You should have been fired, b
Not long had passed and these moments would surely fade away soon. This thought briefly crossed Era's mind as her workday came to an end and she and Dree strolled through the night streets together.The chill of the night air was beginning to feel different, a clear sign that the season was about to change. Era zipped up her jacket to cover her neck, which was beginning to feel chilly. Meanwhile, Dree beside her seemed unaffected, her jacket unbuttoned and occasionally fluttering in the night breeze.Era narrowed her eyes and looked at Dree, her forehead slightly furrowed. "Don't you feel cold?""Cold?" Dree repeated, as if she had to confirm Era's question while also looking back. Then she smiled faintly and shook her head. "It doesn't seem too cold yet.""Really?" Era asked.Dree nodded. "Besides, how can you not like the cold when you've spent most of your life in Avaluna Village? Isn't there hardly any sun?""You're right," Era grumbled, memories flashing through her mind. She rea
Dree's confidence only added to Era's confusion. On the other hand, the man seemed to want to take advantage of it. It seemed that his mind was clearer now, and the idea of leaving crossed his mind. Besides, he had to admit that Seth possessed a strength that wasn't fully reflected by his casual and neat appearance.The man growled and tried to pull his hand out of Seth's grip. "Let go of me!""Don't expect me to let you go," Seth replied casually, tightening his grip. The man's cries of pain grew louder as a result. "So, what do you want me to do with him, Era? It's clear that he has bad intentions towards you."Era wasn't sure. "I don't know him, Seth. I don't know why he blocked my way.""Did you hear that?" Seth raised his fist at the man with a gesture full of intimidation. "Tell us, who are you and what is your business with her? Tell us, or I can't guarantee that your fingers will stay intact."The man gritted his teeth. His pride was hurt. As a result, his rationality faded ag