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The place they had agreed on was a neutral territory clearing.
As Ethan burst through the trees, scattering leaves with his passage, the wind whispered through the branches. He walked in and immediately scented Zoe sitting near the ancient meeting stone.
A month without seeing her felt like a year of torment to him, so much so that now, finally sensing Zoe, Ethan felt a sense of daze. His wolf nearly overwhelmed him with relief.
She had changed a lot too, in a way that resonated with his primal senses.
When Zoe was by his side in the Ashen Pack, her role as his trusted Beta meant she most often wore practical hunting leathers.
Even if they engaged in playful dominance games in his den after the day’s duties, she always presented a capable and controlled impression.
But now, she was wearing simple clothes, my hair braided, revealing her fair and slender neck. It actually made him feel as if he had returned to the past, to the shy pup Zoe who held a secret longing for him when they first met.
His wolf whimpered, remembering those innocent days.
He paused for a few heartbeats before walking over and greeting her with a forced calmness.
“Zoe, long time no see.” His scent was laced with suppressed longing.
He restrained his urge to immediately pull her into his arms, gazing at her face with greed and fascination. He needed to claim me, but knew he had to tread carefully.
“Mm, let’s keep it short. I’m willing to meet you just to make things clear between us.”
Zoe’s POV
I wasn’t in the mood for reminiscing.
I scratched patterns in the earth, and just as I was about to continue, Ethan quickly interjected.
“I know what you mean. It was all my fault before; I didn’t recognize our true bond, which allowed Isabelle to manipulate me and wound you. Zoe, I’ve only just realized now, I crave you, the only she–wolf I truly crave is you.” His wolf surged forward, projecting his feelings.
He finished in one breath, his eyes bright, eagerly awaiting my response.
In his imagination, Zoe, who craved him so much, would surely forgive him and return to the Ashen Pack with him.
But from beginning to end, my expression didn’t change;
I merely twitched the corner of my mouth, completely unfazed.
“Ethan, it’s too late, whether it’s your apology or your craving. If you’re done talking, then I’m leaving. I don’t think there’s any need to meet with you.”
Ethan’s face changed, his scent turning sharp with alarm. He instinctively reached out and grasped my hand, his expression becoming flustered.
“It’s not too late, Zoe, we still have a future. I’ve already punished Isabelle; as long as you return to my pack, I can give you anything. It’s been four years, just because of this one month, you don’t long for me anymore? I know you’re just still angered inside. You can lash out
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at me, Zoe, I beg you, please come back, okay?” His scent was desperate, pleading.
I shook off his hand and responded indifferently.
“That’s right, it was this past month that made me see you clearly. I don’t crave you anymore, Ethan, and I won’t go back. I wish you and Isabelle a long and happy life together within the Ashen pack.” My wolf remained unmoved.
As I spoke, I stood up to leave.
Ethan completely didn’t expect such a reaction from me.
In his heart, Zoe had always craved him to the bone, how could I suddenly stop craving him!
An unprecedented panic swept over him, his wolf screaming in denial.
When he learned I had left, he comforted himself that I still craved him, but now that he actually saw me, I said I didn’t want him
anymore!
At this moment, Ethan felt as if his heart had been clawed by a rogue wolf; it hurt so much.
He tightly gripped my hand, unwilling to let go. His usually proud body also trembled, and he lowered his posture, his voice even carrying a pitiful, tearful quality.
His scent was laced with pain.
“Zoe, don’t do this to me. I truly know I was wrong. As long as you’re willing to forgive me, we’ll return and undergo the Blood Rite right away. I won’t let you be nameless and without a Blood Bond anymore. In the Ashen Pack, if you want to continue being a Beta, then continue, if not, you can stay in my den and be a respected Luna. I’ll protect you for the rest of my life. From now on, what’s mine is yours, no matter who appears again, I won’t hurt you. Zoe, please, forgive me this one time. We’ve been together for so long, you can’t just abandon me because I made one mistake, Zoe.”
If it were before, I would have been very happy to hear such words. This was the Alpha I had craved for eight whole years, and we were finally going to achieve a blood bond.
But now, because of Isabelle, my heart was already dead.
Those eight years of feelings no longer existed. Those past memories would only make me hate myself for being blind and wasting so much time on Ethan.
I took a deep breath and firmly pried Ethan’s hand open.
“Ethan, I’ve made it very clear, we have no future. Isn’t what I’m doing now exactly what you wanted? Back then, I said that as long as the she–wolf you chose returned, I would leave. When Isabelle came back, I even hoped that you might have developed feelings for me and would reject her for my sake, but facts have proven that I was wrong.”
Looking at my expression, Ethan felt like he was about to lose me.
His wolf howled in anguish, sensing the finality of my words.
He kept shaking his head, crying in front of me for the first time, almost pleading as he reached out to pull me.
“Zoe, I was wrong, give me a chance to make amends, Zoe…Zoe!”
His scent was desperate, filled with raw emotion.
But I didn’t look back, I left and disappeared from his sight, leaving Ethan alone with his grief and regret.
12:01
