Chapter 5: A Message

Yvette

“So now your way of checking up on me is following me around?” Kael asked, his voice laced with anger.

For a moment, I stood frozen in place.

The laughter from his friends died instantly.

Several of them exchanged uneasy glances which I already expected because I could tell none of them had expected to see me here tonight.

After all, this gathering had been arranged in a hurry for Lyra’s birthday celebration. Plus, they had even chosen one of the most private rooms in the entire building.

Yet here I was, standing right in front of them. It was purely a coincidence though, but I knew for sure that right now, they were already wondering how much of their conversation I had heard.

My chest tightened painfully.

For a split second, a memory flashed through my mind…the younger Kael from years ago. The boy who had once fought three rogue wolves just because one of them had insulted me.

That boy overlapped with the man standing in front of me now. This man was cold and unkind, far from the boy he used to be.

Once upon a time, Kael had loved me so fiercely that the entire pack envied me.

That was the main reason I kept wondering. When exactly had that love turned into this… irritation?

I steadied my breathing and forced a faint smile onto my face.

“Relax, I’m here for dinner, not to spy on you,” I said calmly and turned toward the restroom again, but before I could take two steps, Kael grabbed my wrist.

Ouch… that hurts.

“Yvette, can you stop creating unnecessary trouble? I’m here discussing pack business, and if you keep acting like this, you’ll embarrass me.” He said impatiently.

I slowly pulled my arm free from his grip because it was beginning to hurt really badly.

“Creating trouble?” I repeated, my eyebrows lifting slightly.

Since when did walking to the restroom count as causing trouble?

What a ridiculous accusation.

I watched him as he looked at me like I was dirty… something that he was grossed out by and wanted nothing to do with and a sad smile broke out on my lips.

Years ago, when I first noticed Kael’s feelings changing, I had tried desperately to hold on to him. I clung to him like someone drowning, hoping the Kael who once loved me would return.

But that only made things worse because he eventually began to resent me and because I had once known how deeply he loved me, the absence of that love hurt even more.

Kael’s expression darkened when I didn’t argue back and he saw the small smile plastered on my face.

His friends quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.

“Luna Yvette, you misunderstood,” one of them said nervously. “The Alpha really is discussing business tonight.”

“Yeah, yeah, important pack matters.” Another chimed in hurriedly.

“I see.” I nodded calmly, then gave them a polite smile.

“In that case, please continue. I wouldn’t want to disturb Alpha Kael’s important work.” I turned around and walked away.

They fell silent for a moment watching me walk away. I’m sure they didn’t expect me to be calm and were expecting the usual drama, tears, and theatrics.

Too bad, that old me is gone.

I wasn’t going to do that anymore because in twenty-one days, the separation agreement would take effect.

And Alpha Kael Draven??

He would become nothing more than a stranger to me.

I could still hear them whispering behind me as they watched my retreating figure.

“Alpha… Luna Yvette really does keep close watch over you,” one muttered awkwardly.

“Maybe you should go after her and explain things,” another suggested.

I didn’t know what their expressions looked like but the next thing I heard was Kael calling me annoying and I almost laughed. I mean what’s really new?

I quickly used the restroom and then returned to the table.

Dinner ended soon after and when I returned home later that night, I realized Kael still hadn’t come back.

Not that it mattered.

I showered, changed into comfortable clothes, and climbed into bed.

For the first time in a long while, I slept peacefully.

……

The next morning came and I went to the pack office as usual. After finishing the monthly reports for the trading department, I knocked on the door of the finance office.

“Come in.”

The department head skimmed through my report and nodded approvingly.

“Well done, Luna Yvette, it’s really been a pleasure having you be humble enough to work with us” he praised.

I thanked him politely and left the room.

As I walked through the hallway, whispers followed behind me. I could already guess why.

Members of the pack rarely saw me in the communal dining hall during the day. Usually, at noon, I would leave the office early to prepare lunch for Kael.

Even if he never ate the meals.

For years, I had cooked for him every single day to the extent that it had become a habit.

A foolish one.

When I entered the dining hall at lunchtime, several pack members stared in surprise. But I ignored them, took my tray, and sat down quietly.

A female pack member across from me leaned forward curiously and asked.

“Luna Yvette… aren’t you going home to cook lunch for the Alpha today?”

“No,” I replied simply, picked up my fork, and began eating calmly.

In the past, I would cook elaborate meals for Kael and personally deliver them to him because watching him eat had once made me happy.

But later, I discovered the truth.

Most of those meals ended up untouched or sometimes thrown away entirely.

“Did you two argue?” The nosy pack member asked again and I almost scoffed.

This was what Kael had reduced me to. Because of his infidelity and his constant disrespect of me publicly, many members of the pack felt it was normal to just walk up to me and ask me anything they liked.

“No, he has another woman,” I answered casually and the table fell silent instantly.

They were all looking at me like I had suddenly grown horns overnight, but I didn’t care any longer.

Because soon enough…

None of it would matter anymore.

………

Later, around three in the afternoon, my phone binged with a message from Scott Curtis.

A respected healer from the Northern Medical Research Division.

This was the third time he had contacted me this month but this time, his message was brief.

“Luna Yvette, we would still like to invite you to participate in the medical research project we mentioned earlier. Your knowledge of herbal medicine would be extremely valuable.”

“However, if you decline again, we will assume you are not interested.”

I stared at the message quietly and a faint smile slowly appeared on my lips.

I might only have three months left.

But perhaps it was time to start planning how to use them.

A future that had nothing to do with Alpha Kael Draven.