Freya
I hadn’t heard about Silvano’s return. No one had thought to tell .
It had been half a moon cycle since I’d moved out of the pack house and into this small apartnt on the edge of Shadow Pack territory. During this ti,I had gradually grown accustod to—and even begun to appreciate—the quiet solitude of living alone. No pack politics,no disappointed looks,no competing for attention that should have been freely given.
This morning was Saturday,and I had allowed myself the luxury of sleeping in. My wolf had finally settled into a more peaceful rhythm,no longer whimpering through the night for our mate and pup. After washing up,I pulled back the curtains to find perfect sunshine streaming through the windows.
I stretched,feeling my wolf stir contentedly as I moved around the apartnt watering the small collection of plants I’d started. I was about to make myself a simple breakfast when the doorbell rang. Mrs. Winters from across the hall stood there with a covered dish in her hands.
"Freya,hope I’m not disturbing you?" Her eyes crinkled warmly at the corners.
"Not at all," I replied softly,my wolf imdiately responding to her genuine kindness. "I was already awake."
"That’s good." Mrs. Winters smiled,holding out the covered dish. "These are freshly made moon pies and venison pasta from our ho this morning. Thought you might like so."
"Thank you," I said,genuinely touched. "This is too kind."
"It’s the least we could do. If you hadn’t shifted and chased away that rogue wolf from our Amy the other day,Goddess knows what would have happened." Her eyes grew serious. "We’ve been wanting to properly thank you,but my husband and I have been so busy with pack duties,we couldn’t find the ti... we feel quite embarrassed..."
"It was nothing,Mrs. Winters," I assured her,my wolf preening slightly at the recognition. "You’re too kind."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries about the upcoming full moon celebration,Mrs. Winters left. I carried her offerings inside,inhaling the rich scent of the food. It had been a long ti since anyone had cooked for . In the Shadow Pack house,I had always been the one preparing als,making sure Isabella’s diet was perfectly balanced and Silvano’s favorite dishes were ready whenever he returned from his duties.
I ate breakfast while studying the algorithmic chanism of the Artemis System—the pack managent AI I’d been developing in secret since university. The code scrolled across my screen,complex but familiar,like returning to a language I’d once been fluent in.
In the afternoon,a news notification about Crescent Moon University’s centennial celebration appeared on my phone. I paused,checked the date,and realized it was indeed my alma mater’s birthday.
Scrolling through my feed,I found several trending topics about #CrescentMoonU100Years. The celebration’s high publicity wasn’t just because it was the most prestigious university for supernatural beings in North Arica,but also because this was its first centennial celebration.
As a result,an exceptional number of honorary alumni had been invited back for the ceremony. These were prominent figures across various fields—pack leaders,renowned healers,mystics,and innovators.
My hands trembled slightly as I recognized several familiar faces in the footage. Professor Blackwood,still as stern-looking as ever. Dr. Ramirez,whose research on hybrid genetics had saved countless lives. And... there,in the background,Johnny Nakamura,my old research partner.
mories of my university days rushed back like a flood tide. My wolf stirred restlessly within as I rembered the fire that had once driven —the ambition,the hunger to create sothing that would transform pack life forever.
If I hadn’t entered the mating bond with Silvano right after completing my undergraduate degree,perhaps I too might have been among the honorary alumni invited back for today’s ceremony. Perhaps my na would have been ntioned alongside theirs.
I closed my laptop and,after so hesitation,grabbed my keys. My wolf urged forward,suddenly hungry for connection to my past self—the self who had been more than just soone’s mate or soone’s mother.
The drive to Crescent Moon University didn’t take long. It was already afternoon when I arrived,and many of the VIP guests invited to the ceremony had left. Yet the campus was still crowded with students and alumni celebrating the milestone.
As I wandered aimlessly around the familiar grounds,a voice called out to near the Advanced Computing laboratory where I’d spent so many late nights.
"Freya? Is that really you?"
Twenty minutes later,we sat in a quiet tea house just off campus. Johnny poured a cup of wolfsbane tea,his expression curious but kind. "How have you been lately?"
I held the delicate cup,looking down at the swirling amber liquid with a faint smile. "Quite well,actually. Just... preparing for a mate-bond severance."
Johnny’s hand froze mid-pour. He clearly hadn’t expected this answer. "I’m sorry. That’s... serious."
"It’s fine," I said,surprised by how much I ant it. "It’s been coming for a long ti."
"What are your plans now? Would you consider coming back to SF AI Solutions?" The hope in his voice was unmistakable.
"I’ve thought about it,but..." I hesitated,my wolf shrinking back slightly at the thought.
Johnny didn’t know all my concerns,but he spoke earnestly,leaning forward. "The company needs you,Freya. You’re still a major shareholder,and I hope you’ll co back to take charge. The Artemis System has evolved,but it still runs on your original frawork."
"I... I..." Looking at Johnny’s serious expression,I couldn’t express my deepest fear—that I was no longer the brilliant mind he rembered.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to return. But AI developnt had advanced so rapidly in the supernatural community. I’d been away from the field for six years,focused entirely on pack matters and raising Isabella. Even if I returned now,I feared I couldn’t keep up with current developnts,let alone lead the industry as I once had.
Though Johnny and I had rarely t in recent years,even from our few encounters,I could see the concern in his eyes—the unspoken awareness of how far I had fallen from my forr brilliant self.
He didn’t know much about my mated life with Silvano. But he knew enough. Though he clearly had his suspicions,he didn’t voice them,instead speaking earnestly:
"It’s okay to fall behind for a while," he said,his tone softer than I rembered. "Your talent was never sothing ordinary,Freya. Even among wolves,what you can do with tech still amazes people like . As long as you still want this,it’s not too late to get back in the ga."
A faint smile tugged at his lips,rare warmth flickering through his usually serious face. "Besides,you were Professor Blackwood’s favorite student. He used to brag about you every chance he got."
I couldn’t help but laugh. "Please. If he heard you say that,he’d probably roll his eyes and claim I was just the tallest kid in kindergarten."
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