Chapter 5

“I didn’t know you were in New York,” Noah stated.

Myla froze, captivated by the sight before her. The tips of his silky black hair had a white tint, matching the color of his shirt, which was still soaked brown. He had a cross bag swung carelessly on his waist, exuding an air of casual confidence. His trousers trailed his long legs, seemingly endless, and he sported silver rings on all his fingers of both hands. Finally, he was tall – a true giant, an embodiment of elegance too remarkable for mere mortal eyes, as her wolf keenly observed.

‘Our eyes are unworthy to gaze upon his elegance,’ her wolf marveled.

‘I agree,’ she replied, completely shocked.

‘I think he’s trying to talk to us, but I’m too stunned to be sure,’ her wolf whined.

‘He’s really hot.’

‘He’s really hot,’ Myla admitted, perfectly agreeing with her wolf.

“...LA”

Startled, she snapped out of her daze, realizing his hazel eyes were far too close for comfort. She had unknowingly encroached on his personal space, her face only inches away from his, her momentum halted by his firm hand on her shoulder. He looked alarmed, and she could tell she must have appeared spaced out.

“I’m so sorry. I’m still getting used to my wolf, and, uh…she makes me move without realizing sometimes,” she quickly offered, concealing the truth.

‘You have something called audacity,’ her wolf chided, annoyed at being blamed for Myla’s actions.

‘Sorry, sorry, better to blame it on you than on both of us at once,’ Myla said, trying to smooth things over with her wolf.

‘Tch,’ her wolf scoffed.

“Oh, it’s okay, pretty lady. Understanding your wolf is really hard at the beginning, but you’ll get the hang of it,” he reassured her, removing his hand.

“Again, I’m sorry. Uhm, I’ll pay for your dry cleaning,” she offered, fidgeting. Friend or not, he was still an alpha, and ruining someone’s day was not a good start. He surely wouldn’t be very forgiving with an unapologetic day-ruiner.

“It’s fine. I was heading home anyways,” he waved it off.

“So, you came to New York pretty early,” he remarked, raising an eyebrow.

She cleared her throat, debating whether she wanted everyone to know that her mate had basically rejected her.

“Personal reasons,” she said, tapping her fingers rapidly on her hips.

Noah made a thoughtful sound.“Sooo…can I at least help you wash the shirt” she tentatively offered.

Noah nodded and continued walking.

Hold on a second! What in the world was happening?! Why was he walking away? Weren’t they friends? Did he think she was some country bumpkin? Was it her clothes?

‘He’s leaving, why?!’ her wolf interjected.

‘We creeped him out with all the staring and the awkward offer. No surprise he’s making a run for it,’ Myla responded.

He had barely taken four steps when he turned to face her. “Well, pretty lady, didn’t you offer to wash the shirt?” he asked teasingly.

‘Don’t tell me he took that seriously!’ Myla exclaimed mentally.

‘It’s so rude to ask a lady to wash your clothes,’ her wolf chimed in, her voice laced with a hint of self-righteousness.

He was supposed to say it was fine. After all, she didn’t even know what the shirt was made of, so how could she possibly know how to wash it?!

She cleared her throat, trying to sound confident. “Yeah, I did. So, take it off, and I’ll go wash it,” she replied, infusing a cheerful tone into her voice.

Seeing him half naked would be an interesting compensation for the work she unexpectedly found herself with.

Noah widened his eyes momentarily, then smirked. “I would be arrested for public indecency,” he retorted, a touch of sass in his response.

Myla’s eyebrow twitched. “No, you won’t. You’re a werewolf; you could just say you unexpectedly turned,” she shot back, putting her hands on her hips and raising an eyebrow as if challenging him.

“Lying to the authorities, tsk tsk. I thought you were a good girl,” he playfully shook his head, teasing her.

Her face flushed, his words sounding... well, a bit indecent.

“I was just kidding. I have a jacket lying around somewhere,” he reassured her with a laugh.

‘Oh, wow. Would it be wrong to record this conversation and listen to it later secretly?’

“Who cares if it’s wrong!” her wolf said enthusiastically.

What was going on? They were both acting like they’d never seen a man before.

“Do you have anywhere, in particular, you want to see?” Noah asked, scanning the surroundings and likely judging the street crowd.

“No, not really. I think I’ll… go to my room,” she replied, slightly dizzy.

“I knew you were staying at a hotel,” he exclaimed, smacking his fist into his open palm as if having an “a-ha” moment. It was all pretty adorable.

Focusing was becoming increasingly difficult. It seemed like her wolf was determined to cause a fuss, and in broad daylight, no less.

Meeting her eyes, Noah must have seen something she couldn’t quite grasp, the dizziness intensifying.

He gently took hold of her elbow and guided her in a different direction.

Myla struggled to contain the overwhelming urge to cling to him throughout the short walk. Was this the price she had to pay for leaving her mate and fleeing thousands of miles away? It certainly felt like it, and Noah being an alpha probably didn’t make things any easier.

“Come on, pretty lady, let’s get you some rest,” he gently guided her into a waiting vehicle.

The moment she got in, she felt an immediate sense of calm. Huh, that was unexpected.

“You look much better, but it’s still best to get you rested,” he clicked their seat belts and started driving.

The entire ride was silent, except for the internal dialogue between Myla and her wolf.

‘What the fuck was that for?!’ Myla shouted angrily.

‘I... I don’t know. I think it’s the withdrawal from our-’ Her wolf’s voice trailed off, sounding lower than ever. ‘From our mate,’ she finally admitted.

Myla sighed, grappling with the emotions. ‘We’ll... move on,’ she resolved.

‘I don’t know if I want to,’ her wolf replied with a touch of melancholy.

‘We have to. Oh, by the way, do you have a name?’ Myla quickly shifted the conversation.

‘My name is Myla. I’m you, dumbass,’ her wolf responded, sounding slightly perkier.

Myla couldn’t help but hide a smile. ‘Nope. Let’s call you... Wyla. You know, short for wolf Myla.’

‘That’s horrible.’

‘You love it.’

‘I despise it.’

‘I can sense you love it.

‘...’

“We’re here, pretty lady,” Noah announced, his smile warm as he opened her door. What a gentleman!

“Um, where exactly is ‘here’?” she asked, perplexed.

“My home,” he replied with a smile, leading her toward the entrance of a tall building.

Was this the residence of their alpha leader? Was she about to meet Noah’s father? The place was quite impressive.

As they entered the room, Myla couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the surroundings. The walls were pristine white, adorned with LED lights shaped like vines in the corners, casting a gentle yellow glow that exuded pure joy. The furniture matched the theme, all in white, and a very light yellow center rug added a subtle touch of color. A large flat-screen TV graced one wall, and surprisingly, there was a chandelier, which was both fitting and unexpected, not quite what she would have imagined for Noah.

It was clear that this place reflected Noah’s upbringing, and she couldn’t help but wonder about the person responsible for maintaining this spotless environment. Where were the pack members coming and going, and who took care of this beautiful home?

“Oh yeah, I have two younger siblings,” Noah’s voice broke through her thoughts, bringing her attention back to him. “The female is very shy, and the male hates people, so... it’s best you steer clear. You can explore the house.”

He casually strolled out of the living room, presumably to change his clothes. Myla found herself processing this information – though, in reality, she didn’t need to know about his siblings, especially since she wouldn’t live with them.

Or was she? Panic gripped her as the realization hit her like a wave. They could contact her father, and she might have no choice but to stay with them. The house was stunning, inviting, and comfortable – but she hadn’t come to New York to swap one set of pack duties for another.

She sat at the edge of a chair, contemplating what she’d say to Noah when he returned. After about four minutes of scrolling through her phone, exhaustion got the better of her, and she drifted off to sleep.

In her dream, she encountered the ethereal woman again, this time in her human form. The moon goddess reached out and touched her cheeks with a gentle smile. Her expression was benevolent, and her warmth radiated through the simple gesture.

“My little one,” the moon goddess spoke tenderly, her voice like a soothing melody. She pulled on Myla’s cheek playfully, and her smile became even more enchanting.