Caelum's POV:
I patiently waited for Liora to show even the slightest sign of jealousy, as if I had misplaced something and was hoping to find it.
"Anna, if you…"
Seeing how she continued the conversation she was having with the young lady in front of her, I did not wait to listen to the rest of the words before leaving the house, hoping I would be able to get away from all of this.
I snapped out of my thoughts, got into the car, and drove out to join my friend who invited me to join him at the club.
It wasn't a long ride to the club, but it felt like forever, with Liora clouding my head.
She is supposed to be the last person bothering me. The last person messing with my brain.
Just as she said, she is now my stepmother!
I pulled over, got out of the car, and entered the club, which was buzzing with men and women wearing something different and sexy compared to the long-sleeve shirt and pants I had on.
"Hey man," Malachi, my best friend, called out from behind me, his usual smile on his face.
"When did you return to the pack?" I asked curiously. It's been almost five years since I last heard from him.
The last time I heard from him, I found out he was away studying medicine.
"How is everything? I heard your father wants you back so you can succeed him," his voice echoed after walking me down to an empty spot with just two seats and two bottles of beer on the small table in the middle.
I burst into laughter at his words. The last thing I expected was for him to bring those baseless rumors to me.
He knows very well how Zand treats me. How he never wanted me… all he is doing is probably a showoff that he has a son or whatever.
I would be gone after the Moonfest festival.
"I returned home because he threatened me," I muttered, reaching for the beer. "You know what is funny? My ex, who you used to—"
"Liora? Did you both break up?" Malachi's voice cut me off, an unbelievable look on his face.
I hesitated before replying, trying not to remember how she broke up with me.
"We broke up three years ago," I replied, holding back the details. "You know what is funny in all of this? Liora turned out to be my stepmother. She left me to marry Zand."
"You mean, Liora, that I know of broke up with you to marry Alpha Zand? Are you high or sick? Wait, you need a checkup," Malachi chuckled as if this was meant to be funny, bringing his arm forward to my forehead.
"Malachi, stop this! This isn't funny," I half-yelled, making him stop. "I wish I was joking because as it is, I can't stop myself from believing this new reality."
Malachi, who looked like he finally understood me, gulped down the beer he had been holding for almost five minutes now.
"If I get you right, are you saying you still love your ex who you broke up with?"
The way he worded everything made my blood boil, anger circulating through every vein inside me.
"Malachi, I didn't break up with her. She dumped me," I replied, hoping he doesn't rub it in. "Look, I have not for once stopped loving Liora even after she ended everything. I have always hoped she would walk up to me and tell me she wants us to go back to how things were between us."
Malachi remained silent, as if reading through me. Even though the sound from the music in the club was loud, I felt like my brain was becoming silent at every word I let out.
"Caelum, that is the problem. You said you broke up three years ago, so I doubt if she feels even the slightest way you are feeling right now. All you are doing now is obsessing over her," Malachi spelled everything out before I could go on.
As much as I want to deny every word he was saying, I can't lie. I don't know what to call this, even if it was dangerous, even if it was going to burn me, I want to run into it.
If it would make Liora look at me and tell me she loves me. And tell me she still loves me!
"I know, I am supposed to accept the fact that she is now my stepmother and the Luna of this pack, but Malachi, I can't," I poured down the remaining beer in the bottle down my throat, burning it all the way down. "I—"
"I know these feelings, Caelum. But trust me, you need to stop now. Besides, you said you didn't feel any mate bond between the both of you, or was there one?" Seeing how silent I was to his question, Malachi continued. "Find your fated mate. Maybe when you find her, she would make you forget about Liora, sorry, Luna Liora."
I almost punched Malachi at the last words but held it in. He just has a way of infuriating me.
"You can start by finding your mate in this club," he stood up, making me chuckle. I know what he was trying to do.
He isn't doing this for my sake. The Malachi who would always want his dick in a hoe was never doing this for me.
"Not looking this way. I would try another time."