*LAUREN*When I opened my eyes, it was Alex's handsome face that greeted my vision. I blinked a few times, trying to chase away the fog lingering in my brain. Then the nightmare of losing my grandmother came back to haunt me.I quickly looked at the empty space beside me. "W-where is Granny?" I asked Alex in panic."Cam down, sweetheart. We bought a coffin from the town and then put Granny in it while you were sleeping. I decided to act on my own without asking for your permission because it was the best thing to do under the circumstances. I didn't wake you up because I don't want to disturb your sleep," Alex explained in a gentle tone.I got up from the bed and exited my room, rushing to the living room. And when I arrived there, I saw a golden coffin in the middle of the living room, adorned with beautiful flowers. I ran to the coffin and looked down at my dead grandmother's lifeless face behind the glass. I burst into tears. "Granny, please don't leave me alone here! Please come b
*ALEX*I woke up at 5:00 a.m. in the morning as the sun was rising on the horizon. Another day has just begun.Today, Grandma Ursula's body will be buried in the mansion's cemetery, located 300 meters away from the 5-hectare mansion. The servant informed me last night that he had already dug a six-foot grave below the ground and that it was ready for burial.I got up from the bed, went to the bathroom, and daydreamed of my human mate while I was doing my thing under the shower.I left the bathroom feeling refreshed. A few moments later, I exited my room and went downstairs to check on Lauren.When I descended the stairs, I saw her standing beside the coffin, looking down at Granny Ursula's serene-looking face behind the glass of her golden coffin. I went to her side and said, "Good morning, dear. Have you already eaten your breakfast?"She nodded her head and replied, "Yes.""Ah, okay. I'll have my breakfast first and rejoin you later." I said, walking in the direction of the dining r
*ALEX*She might have her doubts about accepting my offer, but I am confident that she will eventually accept it, whether she likes it or not."Please give me enough time to decide, Sir," Lauren replied, avoiding my eyes and staring at the empty space in front of her."OK. I'll give you enough time to decide." I sighed inwardly. "Let's just focus on Granny's burial for now." I said, rising to my feet and leaving the dining room quietly. I want her to analyze my offer carefully. I'm feeling confident that she will accept my offer since I'm kind to her and I'm offering her a bigger salary.After breakfast, Lauren stayed in the living room, staring intently at Granny's coffin with sadness covering her eyes and face. With each passing minute, she was aware that her time with her precious grandmother was coming to an end.I sat there on the other end of the couch, itching to be near her but at the same time wanting to give her much-needed time to mourn the passing of the person who is both
*LAUREN*Granny's coffin was already buried six feet below the ground, and yet my heart is still bleeding from the loss. I know I could never bring Granny back to life, but staying here for as long as I can in her final resting place will give my grieving heart a few moments of solace.After crying for so long in Alex's arms, I felt shamed because his t-shirt was already soaked with my tears. While I was still drowning in the sea of sorrow brought on by the unexpected passing of my cherished grandmother, one of the men offered me a chair to sit on.Alex offered me a bottle of drinking water to quench my thirst. "Have a drink, dear," he said, standing beside me."Thank you, sir," I replied and accepted the bottle. I consumed the contents in one sitting.The shade of the tree offers us protection from the blistering rays of the sun on such a hot afternoon.Earlier, I thought it was going to rain because of the gloomy atmosphere, but the sun appears again on the horizon and shines even b
*ALEX*We arrived at the basement door, and I grabbed the doorknob and pushed it open. I looked at my nervous-looking companion standing beside me. I can feel the loud beating of her heart. "Don't be afraid, sweetheart," I said softly, wanting her to calm down.Lauren looked down at the pitch darkness below. "It's so dark in there," she said, her voice trembling a bit due to nervousness. I'm itching to hold her hand so that she will feel relaxed, but I went against it."I know. Just wait here a little bit, sweetheart, and I'll light the candle before we go down, and I'll also inform the wolf that he needs to shift into his human form to avoid scaring you," I said, stepping on the staircase, ready to go down."Um, wait, what is the wolf's name?" She asked, and I halted on my step.I looked at her and smirked. "You will know his name later. I'll go down now before you change your mind," I responded, and I descended the stairs, taking my time and trying to remember the state of my room d
*LAUREN*I can't sleep; everything Alex told me in the basement hasn't sunk deep yet in my system. I was in denial.I even forgot to thank him for curing my face.Then his claim that I was his mate and his future Luna shocked me and gutted me to the core.When Granny was still alive, she once informed me that the Moon Goddess chooses the mate for each werewolf, and this mate bond binds them together. And once the wolves find their mates, they are extremely possessive!Oh, no!That must be the reason he kept calling me sweetheart! He already considers me his mate! But I'm a human being! I'm not a werewolf!Is Alex's claim valid?If he thinks so, then I can't escape him unless I leave the mansion now!I'm truly in a difficult situation.I'm not a werewolf; I'm a human being! I should be excluded from their shitty tradition.Right?I don't want to marry a werewolf! I want to marry my own kind!The whole mate bond shenanigans are fucking ridiculous!I looked out the open window of my room
*ALEX* I woke up the following day feeling depressed and dispirited. My bewitching human mate doesn't like me. She doesn't want to have anything to do with me, and it's making me sad and anxious for what lies ahead for us. It bothered me so much that my heart started bleeding the moment she told me that she didn't want to be with someone of my kind. It's a blatant rejection that definitely hurt me and my wolf, but thankfully it's not yet the absolute worst thing that happened because my human mate doesn't yet know how to reject the mate bond properly. As long as she doesn't yet know about the mechanics of rejection, we're both safe. If I can't convince her to give us a try, I have no choice but to force her to submit to me, whether she likes it or not. It's comforting to know that she hasn't properly rejected me yet; I still have enough time to make her fall for me. And I'll do whatever it takes to win her over. After Lauren tried escaping last night, I had my men guard all the en
*LAUREN* I felt relieved as I watched Mr. Wolf leave the garden without saying goodbye to me. He is such an annoying guy! He keeps pestering me, and the only way for him to shut up is to accept his offer. Honestly, he's not really bad when it comes to the look department because he is such a complete package. He is handsome, tall, and has a muscular body. His messy, shoulder-length hair added to his charisma. The only downside to Alex is that he is a werewolf. It would be gross and terrifying to wake up in the middle of the night, cuddling with a wolf in my bed. So yeah, rejecting his romantic intentions as early as possible is the best thing to do for both of us. I don't pity him because he can always find a woman who is willing to have a romantic relationship with him because he has the looks and the money. Gah! Why am I even thinking of him? I continue tending to my plants. After a while, I was getting tired, so I went to the bench for a rest. Looking at the flowers, tears s