Freya
As we settled at a small table, he ordered an assortnt of food for us both, insisting I try everything.
His kindness was refreshing. Selene purred contentedly inside , appreciating the genuine respect that had nothing to do with my status as Silvano’s mate.
I couldn’t help but notice how York looked at – like he was puzzled by sothing. Perhaps he was comparing what he saw with the rumors that circulated among the younger pack mbers. Whatever version of they’d been told about clearly didn’t match the woman sharing street food with him tonight.
"You’re really nothing like they say," he finally blurted out, then imdiately looked mortified at his slip.
I smiled, taking a bite of the delicious grilled lamb skewer. "And what exactly do they say?"
York fidgeted uncomfortably. "Nothing important. Just... pack gossip."
I let him off the hook, but Selene was fully alert now. So there were stories about circulating among the pack youth – stories different enough from reality that York was surprised by the real .
As we ate, I wondered what Silvano was doing. Had he even noticed I wasn’t ho yet?
It was nearly 1 AM when I returned to my new apartnt. The small space felt wonderfully mine – no household staff hovering, no judgnt, no need to maintain the perfect Luna façade. I kicked off my shoes and stretched out on the sofa, feeling Selene’s approval rumble through .
*This is what freedom feels like.*
I checked my phone – no ssages from Silvano. Not that I expected any.
The next morning, my phone rang just as I finished my solo run – a luxury I’d never been allowed as Luna. Running alone had always been deed "inappropriate" and "unsafe" for , despite the fact that I was a fully capable she-wolf with fighting skills that had once impressed even Timothy.
Isabella’s na flashed on my screen. I answered without thinking.
"Mom! Where are you?" Her excited voice burst through the speaker before I could even say hello.
I paused, suddenly protective of my newfound independence. "What’s up, Bella? Do you need sothing?"
No one except Elena knew where I was staying. This solitude, this space to breathe and rediscover myself – I wasn’t ready to give it up yet. Not even for Isabella.
"I miss you, Mom," she whined, her voice taking on that playful, demanding tone she used when she wanted sothing. I could picture her perfectly – sprawled across what used to be my side of the bed in the master bedroom. "Can you take to school in a bit?"
"Mom’s place is a bit far from your school," I replied carefully. "I won’t make it in ti to pick you up today. Maybe next ti."
"Oh... Okay." Her disappointnt was evident, but in typical Isabella fashion, she bounced back imdiately. "Mom, you must take to school tomorrow morning, okay?"
I hesitated, my wolf bristling at the thought of returning to the pack house. Even for a quick visit. Even for my daughter.
The silence stretched between us. I knew Silvano was likely listening – Isabella always put her calls on speaker when she was with him. The thought of him monitoring our conversation made Selene bare her teeth in irritation.
"How about letting Dad take you instead?" I suggested.
"No, I want you to take ," Isabella insisted, her voice taking on that teary quality she’d perfected over the years. "You haven’t taken to school in a while - except for yesterday."
I sighed. This was motherhood – the responsibility didn’t disappear just because I needed space. My wolf and I might be reclaiming our independence, but we still had obligations to the cub we’d brought into this world.
"Okay, Mom will take you tomorrow," I conceded.
Her tone imdiately brightened. I heard Silvano’s voice in the background, reminding her about breakfast and being late for school.
"Ah, I haven’t brushed my teeth or washed my face yet!" Isabella exclaid. "Mom, I’m going to brush my teeth and wash my face first, I’ll talk to you later!"
She hung up before I could respond. Typical Isabella – always in a rush, never quite finishing conversations properly.
I stared at the phone, a mixture of emotions washing over . Tomorrow I would have to face Silvano again.
Tomorrow.
After arriving at the conference room, I settled into my seat alongside the other staff. We waited more than ten minutes before Silvano finally made his entrance.
The mont he walked in, Sherry gasped audibly beside , her eyes lighting up with undisguised admiration. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him, her wolf’s reaction to an attractive alpha male painfully obvious.
It wasn’t until the eting officially began that she snapped back to reality. She tugged at my sleeve, whispering excitedly, "Alpha is really handso!"
I had barely glanced up when Silvano entered. My wolf, Selene, remained completely unmoved - a stark contrast to how she once responded to Silvano’s presence. At Sherry’s comnt, I didn’t even lift my head, offering only a perfunctory, "Mm."
Sherry seed surprised by my lack of interest. But then understanding dawned on her face - I was married with a child who wasn’t exactly young anymore. Of course I wouldn’t be swooning over my boss.
Throughout the eting, Sherry’s attention remained fixed on Silvano, her wolf practically preening. She paid no attention whatsoever to the actual content being discussed.
After the eting concluded, Silvano left first, with others filing out behind him. Sherry continued to daydream until Jake approached to collect the materials I’d just recorded, snapping her out of her reverie.
Jake reviewed my notes, nodding with approval. "Not bad, good work."
"It’s nothing," I replied, my wolf quietly proud of the professional recognition that had nothing to do with my status as a Luna.
Once Jake departed, Sherry suddenly realized she hadn’t been paying attention during the eting and quickly asked to share my notes.
After scanning through them, she developed what looked like a headache. "Freya, did you study architecture before?" she asked, clearly bewildered by my detailed terminology.
"No," I answered simply.
"Then how do you know so many industry-specific terms?"
"I learned them by finding books on my own," I explained. "But it’s just the basics."
Over the years, I’d spent considerable ti learning about different industries to perform my job effectively. My wolf had always enjoyed the challenge of mastering new skills - sothing I’d had precious little opportunity to pursue as Luna.
"You’ve also read books related to the dical industry?" Sherry asked, clearly impressed.
"Mm," I confird.
"What books did you read?" she asked eagerly. "Could you send a reading list? I’d like to take a look myself when I have ti."
"Sure, I’ll send it to you later," I promised.
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