Zara

I cringed, hid my face, and began to cry quietly. I promised myself I wouldn’t cry again, but the pain in my heart at that moment was so blinding, and this nightmare seemed so real.

Soon, I heard the door close and knew he was gone. I hugged my legs and just sat there. The door opened a few minutes later, and someone entered.

"Luna!" "It was Asbela’s soothing voice. I raised my head and smiled weakly at her, and she simply hugged me, a look of worry flickering across her face.

"I’m with you, everything’s okay." I sobbed quietly in her warm embrace, and she simply left me alone.

Crying, I fell asleep and woke only when Asbela slowly shook me. I opened my eyes, letting them adjust to the dim light in the room.

"Hello, good morning," she greeted me with a smile and helped me sit up. "How are you feeling?"

I rubbed my eyes and let out a yawn. "Better, still night?"

"No, it’s almost 8 am."

"Oh! What happened last night? You came into the room, right?" Vague memories of last night flooded back, and I wondered where Alpha was.

Asbela sat down next to me on the bed and put her arm around my shoulders. She smiled understandingly and explained:

"You had a nightmare, and Alpha didn’t know how to comfort you. So he came and called me. I stayed with you, and then you fell asleep peacefully. I simply woke you up."

Her words made me look around, but I couldn’t find Alpha anywhere. "So Kane hasn’t returned?"

She shook her head.

"He was sleeping in your room and simply called me to wake him. Madame is awake and will ask questions."

I understood what Asbela meant.

"I’ll change and go downstairs for breakfast."

Asbela nodded gratefully as I got out of bed and went to get my clothes; She had already laid them out for me. Only then did I remember. "Asbela, could you bring me my usual nightgown? I’m not very comfortable in it." I pointed to the one I was wearing, and she frowned.

"But Alpha will love it very much. You look stunning; men love nightgowns like this."

’Oh! Dear Asbela, if only she knew how pretentious our relationship was.’ Nova rolled her eyes.

"I know, but please. Sometimes I just want to feel comfortable." She nodded hesitantly, but I knew she didn’t want that.

After completing my morning rituals and leaving the bathroom, dressed for the office, I stopped short when I saw Alpha sitting on the bed with a somber expression.

His large hands were folded in front of him, as if lost in deep thought. His eyes were bloodshot again, indicating he hadn’t slept all night. He was still wearing his nightgown.

His gaze shifted to me and remained fixed on my face until I, pressing my face together, said indifferently, "I’m ready. We’ll go together when you are."

He rose slowly and walked toward me, stopping next to me. His slightly worried gaze met mine, sideways. He asked, "What did you see last night?"

Shadows of darkness danced in his eyes, never leaving mine. How this man could influence me so profoundly was incomprehensible, but I wasn’t about to give up.

"Nothing, and it doesn’t concern you," I said sharply, leaving no room for further discussion.

He closed his eyes for a second, as if trying to hide something that was trying to burst out. Opening them, he quietly walked away, and I exhaled, holding my breath. He smelled strongly of tobacco and smoke.

’How much had he smoked?’ Nova worried.

’And so early in the morning?’ me too worried about Alpha’s health.

’Does he really not care at all about his lungs and this aspect of his health?’ Nova asked.

I put on my heels, picked up my bag, and checked my phone inside. No answer for Nova.

Alpha appeared soon after.

He looked fully dressed in a dark gray three-piece suit with black oxfords. His muscles showed through the fabric, and I had to look away. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

A familiar scent hung in the air as he walked toward me. "Shall we go?" Alpha asked, his voice not a hint of sarcasm.

There was hostility. Alpha was in his element, as we were about to have breakfast with his mother. Alpha opened the door and gestured for me to go out first.

I went out, and he joined me. We went down the stairs, and he said evenly, "Eat breakfast properly, unlike dinner. Health is important."

I wanted to turn around and argue with him, but Clarie’s voice interrupted my thoughts. "Finally! I thought the old me would never see you both again. Come on, breakfast is getting cold."

So, instead of telling him to go away, I forced a smile on my face and wished his mother good morning.

***

Alpha Kane

I thought I could act cold and indifferent, but when she burst into tears, saying I was the cause of her nightmares, I almost lost my composure.

The agony in her voice and the tears streaming down her face broke my heart. If I had stayed there any longer, I would have had to beg for forgiveness.

I didn’t even know how to comfort her without touching her, and at that moment, she needed support. My hands couldn’t do it, even though my heart didn’t want to leave her in such a fragile state.

The thought of me being the cause of her nightmares felt like a thorn in my throat. What kind of monster does she consider me? It was torture I never expected or thought I’d endure.

So I quietly left the room and called Asbela.

"Zara had a nightmare and needs a woman’s support. Stay with her tonight," I ordered Asbela with a heavy heart.

As soon as she left, I went downstairs to my secret room, hoping Mom wouldn’t rummage through it at night. She had a habit of doing so, and I was sure she’d try to find any loopholes in our relationship.

The torturous night seemed relentless, so I smoked it until dawn. The thought that I might be the cause of her suffering haunted me, and the little sleep I’d managed to squeeze in evaporated.

I snuck back and stayed in Zara’s room until it was time to wake her. As soon as Asbela gave me the green light that Zara was awake, I returned to my room and saw her beautiful presence emerging from the bathroom.

She looked refreshed; at least she wasn’t crying anymore, and that was all that mattered. A turquoise cardigan draped over her shoulders as she looked up at me with feigned detachment.

She might have tried to hide all these emotions, but now and then, I caught glimpses of her true feelings. She still didn’t hate me.

Standing up, I walked up to her and, stopping next to her, asked. I had to ask; I knew she wouldn’t tell me, but I had to try. "What did you see last night?"

Her eyes looked at me with a hint of worry she couldn’t quite hide, and she said sternly, "It’s none of your business."

I knew I had no right to, but I would never stop worrying about my Luna. No matter how hard I tried to harden my heart, it was drawn to her again and again.

This stupid organ, its purpose is to pump blood, and here it craved it, as if it were the very oxygen it needed to keep pumping. With difficulty, I pulled away from her and changed, getting ready for the new day.

I’d noticed the night before that she was simply playing with her food instead of eating; the plumpness in her cheeks seemed to have diminished, and I would have been very upset if it had affected her appetite because of me.

So, as we started down the stairs, I reminded her to eat. She gave me another withering look, but before she could respond, my mother’s voice rang out. She was standing a few steps away, watching us.

Zara’s entire demeanor changed when she saw my mother and greeted her sweetly. "Good morning, Caleri."

My mother smiled sweetly at her and greeted her back.

"Good morning, Mom." I kissed her on the cheek, and she looked genuinely happy.

"I’m terribly hungry. Let’s go eat." Mom was an early riser and usually ate breakfast at dawn. She waited quite a while for us.

We settled down to breakfast. A selection of food was on the table: pancakes, eggs, croissants, muffins, and toast.

Zara put a pancake on her plate. I asked her to see how much she ate. She glanced at my mother and asked, "How was your night?"

"Comfortable; I enjoy spending time with my son," Mom replied without hesitation, and I smiled at her, putting scrambled eggs and sausage on my plate.

We enjoyed breakfast in a pleasant, healthy atmosphere, where Mom was having a heartfelt conversation with Zara. I was incredibly surprised.

"I saw you walk the runway with my son. You have style, and that dress was one of a kind." My mother’s gaze shifted to me, and I saw a hint of pride in it. She knew I designed it.

"Thank you! I had wonderful mentors, and your son is an excellent stylist," Zara added respectfully, maintaining a believable smile.