“What? How could you just answer shortly?” Dominic shouted louder after hearing my short answer.

So, I couldn’t help telling him about the thing I heard that morning, “What should I say then? Should I argue about you pursuing Courtney before and after her marriage?”

Dominic seemed confused when he heard that. He asked innocently, “What do you mean, Lucinda?”

“You must feel easy because you think I don't know anything about you and Courtney, right?

“But the truth is, after moving to the Moonriver Pack, the thing I always heard is only about you and Courtney’s relationship.

“Do you know what Courtney was talking about with her friends at the park? They discussed your and Courtney's relationship after she got married, when you were willing to go to another Pack just to meet Courtney.”

After hearing my explanation, Dominic’s voice sounded heavy when he answered, “That’s all in the past.”

Then before he continued his answer, Dominic’s face darkened slightly, “Back then, I didn’t understand my own feelings, but trust me, I only see Courtney as my sister. We have been together since we were kids.”

“That’s why I say I understand!” I yelled, since I had been tired by the same answer he always said. The fact was I didn’t care if Courtney was his friend or his sister, because I had been upset with him since then.

“She is your childhood friend, the only one you consider as your own sister.

“Then, she met her own mate, you met your own mate, but the two of you are confused by each other's feelings.

“After that, she married, you married, and here we are now in….”

Realizing I was saying too much, I clenched my jaw. If I said that I didn’t like Courtney, I was afraid the argument would never see the ending.

At that time, my wolf also said in my mind, “Let’s clear our mind first, Lucinda. It’s too hurt to see him in our state right now. How about continuing your project in the study?”

Then I sighed and closed my eyes. I could feel that Dominic’s grab was getting too loose, so I let go of his hand and turned to leave.

But he grabbed me again before I could go to the stairs to go to my study.

At that moment, his voice was low, as if he was also tired of our argument. He said, “Lucinda, even if we have issues, you could tell me. We could work through them calmly.”

“I feel exhausted.”

Hearing my answer, Dominic started to loosen his grab again. He might have known that I didn’t want to discuss it anymore, so he let me go and said, “Fine, I’ll give you a moment to cool down.”

Before, I expressionlessly pulled my hand away, I could see that his eyes reddened slightly. But I didn’t feel guilty at all.

Maybe, in the first year of our marriage, I couldn't bear to see him sad because of me. But then, everything started to change, even though I didn’t know when exactly was the time that my heart became empty and didn’t call his name again.

***

I actually wanted to stay in the study until tomorrow morning. But when it was midnight, I felt hungry, so I couldn’t help getting out of the room and went to the kitchen to cook something.

To my surprise, when I went downstairs, I saw Dominic preparing something. There was cake, a bouquet of flowers, and also gifts on the dining table, which made me wonder what it was all for.

But before I could find the answer, Dominic already noticed my presence and smiled while saying, “Happy Anniversary, my Luna.”

However, my expression at that time was not happy nor excited by the surprise given by Dominic. I was just showing a flat expression, as if I couldn't believe Dominic would think of that at a time like this.

A few hours ago, we had a big fight, it could even be said that the problem wasn't resolved yet. But how could he suddenly act as if everything was fine and give me such a surprise?

As far as I remember, Dominic also didn't really like events like that either.

It was still clear in my memory when he said it was too much when I celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

Even though I meticulously planned dinners and carefully chose decorations, driven by a desire to celebrate and cherish our time together to show him how much he meant to me, he didn’t appreciate it.

So, starting from that moment, I tried to suppress my desire to celebrate it.

Seeing my confusion, Dominic asked in an upset tone, “Lucinda, did you forget that today is our wedding anniversary?

“Well, yesterday we did have a big fight, even filled with misunderstandings, but today is past midnight and it was our wedding day three years ago.”

I mumbled, “Oh, sorry. It slipped my mind.”

Dominic was stunned for a moment before replying, “But you used to care about this the most before? How could you forget?”

He was right.

In the past, whether it was our wedding anniversary or his birthday, I never forgot.

Even though we didn’t celebrate it, I would be the first one who expressed it and gave a small gift, not a big celebration as before.

However, I totally forgot that time.

Suddenly, he came closer to hug me and said, “These days problems must make you upset, right? I’m sorry. I promise you will come first. I will keep my distance from Courtney, okay?

“So, how about we try the cake and open the present? I promise you will like it.”

I just nodded.

Even though my heart was still not sure if he would put me first before Courtney's needs, I was tired of arguing about the same thing, so I just followed his wish that time.

However, when I was about to open the present, his phone rang.

It was Courtney’s call.

Dominic tried to ignore it and asked me to continue.

But the call didn’t stop, she even sent him a message repeatedly.

“That’s fine, Dominic. You better answer it first, I think it's an important call,” I said in a low tone.

“Alright,” he answered. But when he was about to take his phone, Dominic said and kissed my forehead, “Thank you.”

After a moment, Dominic said again in panic, "Fever? Do you have any medicine?

"I can't take you to the hospital today, you know that I have something to do.”

He was lowering her tone when saying that, but it was useless for my werewolf’s hearing. My wolf in my mind was also said, “He better not leave again this time, or we will be the ones out of his life forever”

I was shocked to hear my wolf threat.

It was not that she was never angry with Dominic or his wolf, but my wolf really loved his mate and felt that they would be together forever.

So, her attitude at that time made me very confused.

When I was wondering, Dominic’s voice came again to my ear. He said, “What? That high? Okay, wait for me. I'll be right over."

Dominic ended the call and turned to me, his eyes reflecting a blend of awkwardness and an unreadable emotion.

He told me with a feeling of guilt, "Lucinda, it is about Courtney’s son. He has a fever. I need to...."

I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat.

I replied, my voice surprisingly monotone, "It's fine, you should go. The child is more important."

“Sorry,” he said and kissed my cheek before taking his jacket and car key, leaving me alone with the half-eaten cake and a gift that I hadn’t even opened.

After a sighed, I finished the cake while using my phone.

I actually wanted to find some funny videos, but ended up in Courtney’s post again.

She posted a photo of a jewelry store, but in the mirror, I could see Dominic’s shadow. The caption read, “Buying new jewelry is an escape mechanism from a problem. Thank you, my Alpha.”

Then I noticed if the gift box he gave me before had the same name as the jewelry store in Courtney's post.

Could it be that he bought it with Courtney?

It turned out that after our argument, he went on a date with her.

The fact struck me like lightning. I had poured so much effort into this relationship, something that seemed so easy for others to let slip through their fingers.

So, I made a sudden decision to leave him and went to my parent’s house in the Saturnfest Pack.

My wolf tried to prevent me, but I said in tears that I couldn’t hold it anymore, so she let me go and kept silent in my mind.

But before I opened the door, I left a note that read, “I need to go to the Saturnfest Pack.”

I didn’t write the reason nor when I would come back, since I also didn’t know the answer either.

***

The trip to Saturnfest Pack was around four hours, plenty of time to gather my thoughts. But halfway through, my phone buzzed with a notification. It was a tweet from Courtney.

She posted a photo of Dominic helping her with her feverish son. The caption was still the same as always, it read, "Thank you again, my Alpha. You help me so much,"

Well, maybe it was for the best. After all, it was Alpha’s duty to help its Pack members, right?

Thinking of that, I turned off my phone and wanted to open my laptop to continue working on my project.

But then I realized if it was left on the table when I wrote the notes.

Damn it!

It was due that day and there was no way I could proceed without it.

With a heavy sigh, I asked the taxi driver, “Sorry, could you turn around? I left my thing behind.”

By the time we turned around, the sun was already rising, casting a pale light on my mounting worries.

So, since I should tell the client that I might submit it a little bit late, I turned on my mobile again.

Soon, my phone started ringing incessantly.

There were dozens of missed calls from Dominic. One WhatsApp message after another popped up also on the screen.