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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Too Old for My Alpha, Worth the Wait for His Rival: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

10 Kabanata

Chapter 1

After Marcus announced that he was ending our chosen-mate bond, he even picked out my new home for me: a small cottage beside the estate.It was close to the kitchen, so I could keep taking care of our daughters.It was close to the study, so I could keep handling his business.Even the servants' quarters were nearby.The only place it wasn't close to was his bedroom.That room would soon belong to the new Luna, 22-year-old Serena.The celebration roared on around me, every burst of laughter pushing me further outside it.Not far away, Marcus stood beside Serena, waving off every drink offered to her.My daughters linked arms with her, one on each side, chattering nonstop.In that moment, they looked like the real family.I stood in a corner, my fingers slowly tightening around my glass.The pain had come late, but now it crept through my chest inch by inch.For generations, the Silver Ridge Pack had clung to the same outdated rule: the Alpha's heir had to be male.I'd never believed i

Chapter 2

I'd barely ended the call when Marcus came back."Your anniversary gift." He held out a jewelry box. "A moonstone necklace. I picked it out just for you."I didn't take it.Marcus's hand froze in midair. A moment later, he pressed the box into my hand.He glanced at me, his voice softening. "It's what pack tradition demands. I don't have a choice. Try to understand."I've had the cottage behind the estate cleaned. You can keep running the business from there as usual."I looked up at him."So she gets to be your mate, and I get to keep doing the work?"He frowned."You know this better than anyone. Would you rather I leave it all to a pregnant woman?"For 20 years, whenever a problem arose with border trade, I'd travel through the night to negotiate.The silver poison in my blood always flared up in the cold.One winter, the pain was so bad I could barely straighten my back, but I still spent three nights at the freight depot making sure Silver Ridge had enough fuel to get through the

Chapter 3

Marcus didn't come home that night.I was used to it by now.Whenever Serena felt even slightly unwell, he'd sit beside her bed all night.The tenderness he'd once shown me hadn't disappeared. He'd simply given it to Serena instead.At dawn, I carried my suitcase out of the bedroom.The long hallway was eerily quiet, the only sound the morning wind swirling outside.Both my daughters' bedroom doors were slightly ajar.I stopped outside and slowly tightened my grip on the suitcase handle.Marcus wasn't worth holding on to anymore.But my daughters were different.The rest of my family was long gone. My daughters were my only remaining blood relatives.When Ophelia was little, she wandered off while playing and got lost on a snowy mountain. I led the search party and spent the whole day searching for her before finally finding her.When Calista was three, she came down with a high fever. I cared for her for three days and nights without rest. She recovered, but I fell sick from exhaustio

Chapter 4

Marcus's POV:It was nearly noon when Marcus returned to the estate.When he pushed open the front door, he glanced toward the living room out of habit.It was empty.For 20 years, no matter how late he came home, Evelyn had always been waiting for him by the fireplace.She would slide a cup of warm wolfberry tea toward him and go over his schedule for the day.But today, the living room was cold and empty.Marcus waved the butler over."Why isn't lunch ready? It's almost noon. Where are the girls?"The butler lowered his head, his voice tense. "The young ladies aren't up yet."Marcus frowned.He glanced toward the cottage. "And the Luna... I mean, Evelyn? Is she there?"The butler shook his head. "I haven't seen her today."Marcus snorted and strode to his daughters' room.Soft snoring came from behind the door.Marcus scowled.He raised his hand and pounded on the door."Get up!"The snoring stopped instantly."It's almost noon. How long are you going to sleep?"He heard a scramble i

Chapter 5

Marcus's POV:Suddenly, Calista's cry rose in pitch.She doubled over, nails digging into her palms as her eyes flickered between gold and black.Ophelia reached out to steady her, but fine fur had begun to sprout on the back of her own hand.A night of drinking had finally thrown their wolf spirits into disarray.Their wolf forms were becoming unstable."Mom..." Calista curled up in pain. "I want Mom."Marcus stood frozen, with no idea what to do.As Calista's pain worsened, Marcus pulled her into his arms and used his Alpha aura to suppress her wolf spirit.But she let out an agonized scream and passed out."You can't suppress her wolf like that!" The healer who had rushed in shoved Marcus's hands away and immediately gave Calista a sedative. "They aren't fully mature yet. When their wolves become unstable, they need to be soothed."The healer shot Marcus a reproachful look. "Forcing them down will only hurt their wolves."Marcus froze.He hadn't known.Evelyn had always been the one

Chapter 6

Marcus's POV:Marcus's head snapped up.His first thought was that Evelyn had come back.He shoved past Gideon and practically ran to the front door.The carriage curtain lifted, revealing Serena.Three more carriages full of luggage were lined up behind hers."What's the rush?" She smiled and held out her hand. "Did you come out just to meet me?"Marcus stopped on the steps, and the light faded from his eyes.Even so, he hurried forward to steady her as she stepped down.Serena took his arm and looked at Ophelia, who had followed him outside. "What's wrong with you two?"Ophelia's eyes were red. "Mom left."The corner of Serena's mouth twitched upward before she quickly pressed her lips together."Don't worry. She probably just needed some air."She touched Ophelia's cheek. "I'll throw you girls another party tonight. Cheer up, okay?"Ophelia turned her head away."Calista's wolf just went out of control. She passed out."She stared at Serena. "The healer said it was from drinking and

Chapter 7

Marcus's POV:It took Marcus a full week of searching to find out where Evelyn had gone.She'd gone to the Redwood Pack and was now running its trade department.He'd claimed no one would hire her, but she was already thriving in her new life.He rushed to the Redwood Pack overnight, only to be stopped outside the city gates by Dane."Evelyn refuses to see you," Dane said in a low voice. "Go home, Alpha of Silver Ridge."Marcus clenched his jaw, but he didn't dare force his way inside.The Redwood Pack was far stronger than Silver Ridge, and Dane was far more powerful than Marcus.Marcus stood alone outside the city gates all night.At dawn, he suddenly remembered something.20 years ago, he'd waited outside a door for Evelyn too.Back then, Dane had trusted Marcus as an ally and told him about Evelyn—a beautiful young she-wolf whose talent for trade had already drawn attention across the North.Marcus wanted her beauty and her ability for himself, so he betrayed Dane's trust and got t

Chapter 8

Evelyn's POV:Five years later, I rarely thought about those snowy nights in Silver Ridge anymore.I was now head of trade for the Redwood Pack and the third partner in the Redwood Group.Starting over in a new place wasn't easy.At first, I kept waking up in the middle of the night.I worried about border shipments, medicine spoiling in transit, and waking one morning to regret leaving.But Dane got me through those days.When I received my first share of the profits, I took him out to dinner.He took my hand and asked, "Can I start courting you again now?"I stared at him, stunned."A she-wolf in her 40s is worth all that trouble to you?"His smile disappeared."Evelyn, who made you think you had to apologize for your age?"That day, I cried in front of him.Now I could hold his hand without hesitating.I still hadn't accepted a new mate mark.Dane never pushed."A fated bond is the Moon Goddess's choice," he said. "But you decide when to accept it."When Silver Ridge's request for t

Chapter 9

After the meeting, I led Marcus downstairs to the lounge.He stayed half a step behind me, reaching for my hand several times before pulling back."I haven't slept well in five years," he said hoarsely. "Every time I close my eyes, all I see is your face."I kept walking."I put your room back the way it was. I threw out all of Serena's things."He hurried to catch up. "Evelyn, Silver Ridge hasn't had a Luna since you left. I told the Elders no one could ever take your place.""That's enough."I stopped at the top of the stairs and cut him off. "The past five years have been so busy and happy that I haven't had time to look back."Marcus froze and stared at me."Besides, I'm 51 now." I smiled. "Let a younger she-wolf have the Luna title."His face flushed red, then drained white."What I said back then was garbage..."I pushed open the lounge door and didn't listen to the rest.My daughters were sitting on the couch.Ophelia had dyed her hair dark red. She wore a silver eyebrow ring, a

Chapter 10

Three days later, the Redwood Pack held a grand marking ceremony.Marcus, Ophelia, and Calista were invited as guests.Moonlight flooded the terrace.Dane took the Luna's moon crown from the priest and solemnly placed it on my head in front of every guest.He smoothed the hair at my temples, and his thumb brushed my cheek."You're the gift I've waited half my life for."I couldn't help smiling, even as my eyes stung with tears.I used to think a she-wolf my age would look ridiculous falling in love again.Whenever he gave me a gift, I wanted to give him something even more valuable in return. Whenever I leaned on him, even a little, I rushed to prove I could handle everything myself.But he never asked for anything in return.When I was sick, I could just lie down and rest.When I was tired, I could skip a dinner party.Even if I did nothing at all, he was happy to sit with me for a whole afternoon.I finally believed I deserved to be loved like that.Dane leaned down to mark me.The f

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