Chapter 4
Sylvia's back was pressed against the icy door, leaving her with nowhere else to go.
Kaelen held the moonstone between his fingers, examining it carefully under the light.
Sylvia huddled by the door, her nails digging into her palm. The pain kept her alert.
She kept telling herself that it would be fine because she thought there were so many identical ones in the Crescent Shrine, and he couldn't tell.
The gift's address was a rental apartment on the other side of the city, completely different from the address registered with the pack.
"These beads are polished so carefully," Kaelen suddenly remarked. "Every curve was shaped by hand. It's not some factory product."
Sylvia's heart skipped a beat.
This strand of moonstones had been crafted by Kaelen himself.
She once vented in a chat that her luck had been awful lately, and nothing was going right.
Three days later, she got a package with a card: [Blessed at the Crescent Shrine; may your bad luck vanish. —Your Darling]
She thought he'd bought it at the Crescent Shrine, but it turned out he'd made it himself.
"The wolf fang is real, too." Kaelen's fingers brushed over the small fang. "A pup's baby tooth. Only the top members of the Crescent Pack get to wear one. That 'girl' must be pretty important."
Sylvia's throat went tight. "H-Her family's pretty well-connected."
"Is that so?" Kaelen didn't confirm or deny and then handed the bracelet back to her. His fingers brushed her palm lightly, soft as a feather, and sent a faint tingle through her skin.
Kaelen looked down at her, his eyes holding emotions Sylvia couldn't decipher. "Mind if I ask whether this friend is a guy or a girl?"
"A girl!" Sylvia blurted out. She snatched the bracelet and slipped it on. "It's really a girl."
Kaelen raised an eyebrow, his smile growing wider.
That smile sent chills down Sylvia's spine. She felt like prey targeted by a hunter. He had laid out every trap, waiting for her to walk right into it.
"You can go now," Kaelen said, turning back to his desk. "By the way, the Mate Ball is in three days. All unmarried adult werewolves are required to attend. You—"
He paused, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. "You're eighteen, right?"
Sylvia's blood ran cold again.
The Mate Ball was the most sacred ritual in the Crescent Pack. Silver moonlight would descend under the Moon Goddess's Blessing, leading grown werewolves to their fated mates.
By old rules, only those who could shift into wolf form were permitted inside. Wolfless folks weren't even allowed to stand nearby.
"Alpha Lord, I can't shift into a wolf. I have no right to attend." Sylvia heard her own voice, barely a whisper.
Kaelen's fingers paused above his phone screen.
The hall was eerily silent.
Sylvia could hear her own heartbeat, thumping like the final countdown.
"Can't shift?" Kaelen repeated, his tone flat. "That's a pity."
Sylvia had no idea what he meant by "pity". She wondered whether he was sorry that she couldn't go to the ball, or whether he was sorry she didn't qualify as his "sweetheart".
She didn't dare ask or think deeper.
"I'll take my leave now." Sylvia practically stumbled out of the side hall in a fluster.
*****
The moment the door shut behind her, Sylvia's legs went weak. She leaned against the wall to keep herself from falling to the floor.
She stared at the moonstones on her wrist, which felt burning hot.
Her phone buzzed in her apron pocket.
The texts read: [Honey, you've been so cold to me today.]
[Did I do something wrong?]
[Sad puppy emoji]
Kaelen also Venmoed her a large sum of pack coins, with the amount representing a long-lasting relationship, and indicated he was willing to do that.
Tears stung her eyes the second she saw the transfer record.
She recalled the first time Kaelen sent her money half a year ago. Back then, Vivian dumped dirty water on her in public. She hid herself in the storage room, crying.
Then his message popped up: [Cheer up and buy yourself some sweets.] He also Venmoed her a huge sum of money that meant the world to her.
She asked him how he knew she was crying.
Kaelen replied: [Your texting habits changed. You started using more punctuation. That means you're upset.]
Being cared for like that felt like grabbing a floating log while drowning. She clung to it tightly and never wanted to let go, yet she dared not climb on board.
Deep down, she knew this warmth would drift away sooner or later, and she would end up sinking all alone.
Sylvia refunded Kaelen, made no reply, and blocked him without a second thought.
She took off the moonstone bracelet and buried it in the deepest pocket of her apron.
She couldn't wear it anymore. She couldn't talk to him anymore. She couldn't risk him ever finding out the truth.
She had to figure out how to end things with him.