CHAPTER 9

East

-o-o-o-

It was the middle of the afternoon. The first day of the annual territorial meeting just ended and Alpha Kallean allowed them to roam around his territory.

“Alpha Kallean is really nice to let us stroll around the pack.” Conan’s mate, Lilia, said. Her arm was interlocking her arm around his while they walk side-by-side along the streets of the northern pack’s market.

“Alpha Kallean has always been generous.” He said. And in his perspective, Alpha Kallean is really confident about his territory. He’s allowing all the other alphas wander over his territory with the knowledge that one of them might search the place for any weaknesses that might be used against him.

But he had already excluded himself among those people. Not once did he think of fighting against Alpha Kallean because he knows for a certain degree how strong Alpha Kallean is. He had a firsthand experience when they were back in University.

“The territory is very spacy, don’t you think?” Lilia comment while roaming her eyes around every shop.

He sighed. He can’t blame his mate for appreciating the place. They came from a smaller territory and Lilia loves things that standout.

“Oh my gosh! Look at those cakes!” Lilia gasped when she spotted a cakeshop with a lot of decorative cake displayed on its window. And they seem delicious as how they looked.

They entered the shop to take a good look at the cake and the other varieties.

“They all look so pretty and delicious. Can we try some Conan?” Lilia asked with her pleading eyes.

He couldn’t say no to her. “Of course.” He said and he told her to choose a cake.

“Thanks Kaizer.”

His ears twitched and his forehead creased after hearing a very familiar voice. His heart skipped a beat. Then a familiar scent passed behind him. A familiar delicious chocolate scent. He shot his head to where the scent came from but he didn’t find anyone behind him.

The bell of the shop’s door rang and the scent from heading to its direction. He ran to the door, outside, but then, he didn’t see the person he thought was the owner of the scent.

‘…Probably just my imagination.’ He thought.

The bell of the cakeshop rang behind him. Then the voice of his mate followed.

“Conan, why did you leave me there all of a sudden?” Lilia whined.

“Sorry Lilia,” he sighed. “I just thought I saw someone I knew.”

“Really? Who?”

A pained smile painted his lips. He shook his head.

“Forget it. Did you order anything?”

“No, because you ran off without saying anything.” She said, pouting her lips. He chuckled at the cuteness of his mate. He kissed her forehead.

“Sorry. Come on. Let’s get you some cake.” He led her inside and the bell rang upon their reentry.

He decided to forget his assumptions. He sighed to himself.

‘You’re just hallucinating Conan.’ He told himself. ‘Silvi is never coming back.’

-o-o-o-

Silvi was grinning from ear to ear as she walked back to the diner while chanting ‘strawberry-shortcake’ in her head. A bag full of vegetables and meat was hanging from one of her elbows while a box of strawberry-shortcake was being held by her other hand. It was night-time and she successfully completed her shopping ingredients for the diner.

As soon as she arrived at the diner, she fished the keys from the pocket of her slacks and propped the key to the keyhole when the door moved.

She looked at it in confusion, asking herself why the door was open. Then her heart pounded. ‘Did someone break in?’

She fully opened the door and was welcomed by the darkness of the unlit place. For some unknown reason, her heart kept on pounding. Out of nervousness maybe?

No… She concluded. ‘It was not because of nervousness.’ The pounding of her heart is coming from something else. But she doesn’t know what it was. Though, she is still confused about why the door opened was opened.

Did one of her family come back for something? But if they did, she is sure that they wouldn’t miss locking the door. Or they would notice that she has arrived and greet her as soon as she comes in. They can easily identify her scent.

Having the structure of the whole diner memorized, she went to lamp on the wall nearest to her. She turned the lamp on and then heard a growl coming from behind her as soon as she turned it on.

She stood frozen on her spot. She had Diego’s growl memorized and she is absolutely sure that that growl was not coming from him. It’s definitely coming from another wolf.

She slowly turned around to see who the wolf was and she found herself face to face with an incredibly huge brown with some light brown highlights, baring his teeth towards her, releasing low and small threatening growls. The wolf was more than seven feet in height, probably a few inches taller than Sir Calber. His height almost reached the ceiling of the diner. He had golden eyes that reminded her of someone.

She scanned the wolf from head to toe…or paws. He looked so majestic, standing so proudly in his four paws. But when her eyes caught onto the white fur covering half each of his legs, like he was wearing a fury white sock. She thought that he was also cute.

After staring at the baring wolf for some time, she realized that the fear she felt seconds ago, completely disappeared while she continue to stare into his golden mysterious eyes.

Unconsciously, her hand started moving towards the growling wolf. She can’t understand why but there is something pulling her towards him. She doesn’t feel any danger coming from him at all.

As soon as her palm touched the wolf’s fluffy fur near his snout, he instantly stopped growling and stared back at her with a softened stare. Those pair of golden eyes boring into the deepest parts of her soul. His soft calm breathes brought butterflies in her stomach.

She moved her hand to gently rub the wolf and the brown wolf slowly closed his eyes, as if feeling her hand. And her heartbeat started to beat erratically that it’s making her breathe heavily.

“Who are you?” She asked the wolf in a whisper.

The wolf didn’t answer, but instead, leaned closer to nudge her by the neck and rub himself against her face.

Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to divulge into the softness of the fur and to the sweet gestured of this wolf, totally forgetting about the fact that this wolf is a complete stranger yet also familiar. She can’t also explain the uncontrollable beating of her heart.

‘Who is this wolf and why do I feel like I missed him so much?’ She opened her eyes. ‘Do I know him?’

The mysterious brown wolf finally let go of her and settled himself in staring at her. Then unexpectedly, she heard a very loud growl…coming from the wolf’s stomach. She heard him whimper which she found really adorable.

She scratched her fur by his snout. “Are you hungry big guy?”

The wolf whimpered again and slightly nodded.

“Come on.” She gestured him to slowly follow her. Because he was so big, she kept in bumping on the tables and chairs. He can barely fit the entire premise.

She got to the kitchen and she puts down the cake and the other bag of ingredients she was holding on the counter. She noticed that the wolf was wagging its tail enthusiastically.

She spoke softly to him. “Please don’t wag your tail so much.” She chuckled. “Or you’ll destroy the diner.”

The wolf obeyed. But he was still wagging his tail, gentler this time.

She smiled at him. “Thanks.”

‘Oh my gosh, his obedience is so adorable… My heart...’

“You’re a werewolf right? Why don’t you just shift so you could fit and sit properly in one of the tables?” Silvi asked.

The wolf shakes his head no.

‘So adorable.’

She shrugged. “You’re so big though. I’m not really sure how to feed you. What would you like to eat?”

The wolf tilted his head slightly.

She shrieked inside. ‘So cute!’

“I really hope you can shift so you could talk.”

The wolf shakes his head again.

She laughed. “Okay okay…I get it. You want to stay that way. I won’t force you anymore. Hmmm…How about every wolf’s favorite. Shepherd’s pie, would you like one?”

The wolf nodded his head.

“Okay then, Shepherd’s pie it is. And since we’re already close for the day, it’s on the house.”

She took all the things and ingredients for the pie. She can’t believe that was actually enthusiastic about making Shepherd’s pie.

She started chopping and she laughed to herself because she seemed like she was showing off in front of the brown wolf as she twirled the knives in her fingers and chopping the needed ingredients with intense speed.

After an hour, she finished making five sets of Shepherd’s pie. She figured that one pie wouldn’t be enough for this big wolf.

She placed all the Shepherd’s pie on the tray and placed it to the table. She gestured her to sit in front of the table. She settled herself across him on the table and sat on the chair. She also placed the strawberry shortcake in front of her.

The wolf sniffed the steam of the freshly cooked extra-large pies and his tongue literally hanged on his mouth.

“Dig in wolfy.” She told him.

The wolf showed her all of his sharp teeth but he wasn’t baring them. Instead, he was actually smiling at her.