Semua Bab Five Years a Virgin: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Alaric Goremane was in the shower as the muffled sound of running water drifted from the steamy bathroom.The air was heavy with the scent of the aromatherapy oil I'd chosen, supposedly one that stirred the most primal desires in wolves.I'd slipped into the lace slip I'd saved for tonight, and its sheer fabric hugged my curves perfectly.When Alaric stepped out, I steadied my pounding heart and slid my arms around his solid waist from behind. Then, I pressed my cheek against his muscled back."Honey, I'm ready…"His body froze. With a sudden, sharp shove, he threw me off as though I were filth, and my fingers burned him.Meeting my stunned gaze, he gritted his teeth and hissed, "Who said you could touch me?" …I jolted awake and felt my heart racing against my chest as cold sweat covered my forehead. So, it turned out that this was just another cruel, pathetic dream.As I panted heavily, my eyes landed on the flight ticket on my nightstand booked weeks ago. It was bound for the pack

I pushed the door to the ballroom, where the long table was covered in mouthwatering dishes, but I did not have the slightest appetite at all.Ten hours of travel followed by four hours in the rain had left me drained.At the party, everyone seemed to forget I existed. I listened to stories of their days at the wolf academy and current conflicts within the pack. No matter where the conversation began, it somehow always found its way back to Alaric and Serene.Their past lingered in every word, every shared glance, and every tactful smile. It felt as if I was an outsider, through and through.After the party finally ended, I followed Alaric to his quarters on the border. It was a single, bright room with minimal furnishings and exactly his style.The only thing that didn't match the room's cool aesthetic was a soft pink throw pillow carelessly tossed on the couch.He took a new pair of slippers from the cabinet for me, but I noticed another pair of clearly-worn she-wolf slippers b

On my journey back to the downtown district, I leaned wearily against the window. Memories of the past five years flashed in my mind.My wolf had never been so silent and couldn't even manage a whimper. I knew that just like me, she was dead and empty inside.How had I spent the past five years?For nights, I'd been alone, wrestling the restlessness and heat from the mate bond. I'd never slept a night in peace.When managing pack affairs, I'd faced the power-hungry elders' schemes alone. When patrolling the pack compounds, I'd fought off rogues in the woods alone.Even when the roof of the downtown district's council hall leaked, I was the one who'd climbed up to see it fixed.So, why exactly was I still holding this farce of a mate bond?The plane sliced through the clouds as I looked out the window, where the sky stretched in an endless expanse of blue. A healing clarity settled in my chest.Ten hours later, we finally touched down at the airport in the downtown district. Whe

Alaric had lost weight, which sharpened the cold, untouchable angles of his face.When our eyes met, he panickedly crushed the cigarette between his fingers.The victory feast around us roared with laughter and music, but he walked against the tide of wolves toward me in steady steps."I regret it now, Kyna," he said. His hoarse voice carried a crack of vulnerability even he failed to notice.As I stared at his pale face, I momentarily fell into a daze.He seemed different, yet somehow still the same. He was still the Alpha who could stand in a simple shirt and pants and make every other wolf in the room lose their color. But now, I felt nothing for him.Looking into his sincere eyes, I puzzledly asked, "What do you regret?"He held my gaze and murmured, "Let's start over, alright?"I shook my head without hesitation, and my tone left no room for negotiation when I said, "No. I'm doing just fine on my own."For a moment, he faltered as if he hadn't expected my decisive rejecti

Immediately, I saw raw confusion and helplessness on Alaric's face. His usually cold composure cracked for the first time like a man who'd just lost his footing.But I was done and running out of patience for his games. "Alaric, do you know that once the Moon Goddess' mate bond is severed, it can never be restored? I don't need your late attempts to make up when the damage is done. Some wounds can never heal."For some reason, I was reminded of the bouquet of Easter lilies Alaric had gotten Serene for her birthday. They'd been apart for years, yet he could clearly remember all her preferences. What about me, his mate for five years?And now, after I'd made up my mind to cut that tie clean and draw a hard line between us, was this his way of making up to me? Was this how he was going to win me over, by not knowing I was allergic to the flowers he kept giving?It was ironic.I stared at him and watched his lips move like he wanted to speak, but I didn't want to hear any of it. "