It was the rainy month of Septus.

My Uncle Devon called my phone. Delivering devastating news that my parents got caught up in a stray group terror hijack at the Moonstone highway.

The following days were a blur. My uncle was always by my side, handling all the funeral arrangements. I vaguely remembered the presence of extended family, some of my uncle’s relatives, and a few college friends.

The details were hazy, except for the tears that seemed to permanently stain my cheeks. One by one, the guests left the funeral site after the urns were buried back in Duskhowl, my hometown.

To my surprise, someone besides my uncle and my parents’ immediate neighbor stayed. It was Eddy, the same nerdy guy who had wiped out my assignment data four semesters ago. He had traveled all the way from Central Metro to Duskhowl just to attend the funeral.

"Sal…" He approached me, dressed in a neat black suit, the typical funeral attire.

Despite still carrying that nerdy vibe, his overall appearance and neatly done hair made him look pleasantly refreshed compared to before.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said sincerely. I could see he was on the verge of tears, which was heartwarming despite the oddness of the situation.

I stood up and asked, “Why are you here? How?” I was so confused that I skipped over his heartfelt condolences.

“I’ve been looking for you. I-I was about to come to the graduation. I had a huge project the entire month and--”

I caught that familiar scent of fear from him. “Ed, slow down!” I slightly raised my voice, and that seemed to calm him down.

The man took a deep breath. “I had planned to meet you at your graduation. I know it might sound a bit stalker-ish, but since we were mutuals on social media, I kind of kept tabs on your schedule. A-and—”

I stared at him, trying to piece together the jigsaw of his words.

“I’m really sorry I’ve been MIA for months,” Eddy continued. “My company had this massive project, and I was working to secure a major partnership with SigmaTech—y'know, the biggest tech firm on the continent—”

He cleared his throat, stopping himself from rambling. “A-anyway…”

He fumbled with his suit pocket, finally producing a velvet box that wobbled precariously in his grasp. It was the kind of box you’d expect for an engagement ring, and he almost dropped it.

“I intended to propose to you once the long term deal was finalized,” he said, his voice wavering. “And it just so happens that the deal went through this evening, but—” He hesitated, as if the box was too heavy for him to hold. “I-I know this is terrible timing. But, Salvia, I want to marry you. I really do. I’ll cherish you for the rest of my life.”

...

His eyes locked with mine, a mix of nervousness and sincerity in his gaze.

I was completely stunned.

With us not staying in touch, it never crossed my mind that Eddy had any romantic interest in me, let alone that he had been planning this all along.

“Ed, we haven’t exactly spoken since we finished my final term assignment,” I said, my voice tinged with doubt. “I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this. You’re a decent guy, and I’d like to get to know you better, but marriage feels like a huge leap, don’t you think?”

I paused, trying to make sense of his sudden declaration. “How can you be so sure you want a relationship with me and not just some fleeting impulse?”

“I’m sure,” he said with unshakeable determination. “You’ve been on my mind constantly. You’re fun and amazing to be around. I’ve thought this through carefully—this isn’t some spontaneous whim.”

His eyes locked onto mine with a sincerity that was impossible to ignore. “I want to be your Alpha, to protect you and build a life together. I want to share my days with you. Please, Salvia—marry me. Be my Luna. Give me a chance.”

I recognized that his plea was genuine. There was something in the way he spoke—his nervous but earnest gestures, the firmness of his words—that began to break through my reservations.

After a few more months of getting to know each other better, we decided to get married.

Despite his increasingly busy schedule, Eddy always made time for me and Elric, our alpha son, who soon became the center of our world.

I’ll never forget the moment Eddy first held Elric.

Tears streamed down his face as he realized he had become a father. He swore to give his utmost to support our son, and he did.

He truly did.

Eddy stepped up in every way possible, becoming everything we needed and more.

Right.

Eddy was a loving guy. That was the exact reason why I agreed to marry him. His caring nature made me believe in a future with him.

When we received the devastating news that Elric had a rare disease, where his wolf spirit was developing too fast for his body to handle, Eddy was relentless in his efforts. He poured his time and energy into finding the best doctors in the world, refusing to give up.

He attended many of Elric’s therapy and psychology consultation sessions, often leaving important company meetings in the capable hands of Gareth, his private butler secretary.

So why?

"That kid is fine. He’s just pretending to be sick."

"Stop throwing tantrums. Don’t you see our son has picked up that bad habit from you?"

"I’ve told you. A pampered kid like him wouldn't even stand a chance against the top ten."

Eddy’s harsh words echoed in my mind. Each one of them carried venom that made me wonder...

Why did Eddy turn... hateful towards Elric?

Since when?

I had long concluded that Eddy was so deeply smitten with Trista that I blamed all his harsh behavior on her influence.

But now that I think about it...

Had he really changed so much because of Trista?

Plop!

A blue case landed on the sofa beside me, jolting me awake from my thoughts.

Eddy stood there, his face set in a grumpy scowl. “Here are your documents,” he muttered, after throwing the plastic case of divorce papers onto the seat. He then slumped into the sofa across from me in the living room.

I picked up the case and opened it, quickly scanning to ensure he had signed everything.

“Happy now?” Eddy’s foot tapped impatiently as he watched me.

I ignored him, focusing on the papers.

He clicked his tongue in irritation. “This better be enough, or—”

I snapped the case shut with a loud thud.

“This is enough.” Rising to my feet, I grabbed the document case with one hand and the handle of my suitcase with the other.

“Thank you for being so cooperative, Eddy,” I said, my voice sincere for the first time in a long while.

With that, I left the manor for good.

I spent the first few days meeting the four elders of my home village. I asked them for their kindness to persuade the neighborhood from making big news of my return with my son’s death.

I told them that Elric died in an unfortunate accident during the hunting festival. And it was so heartbreaking for me that I wanted his burial to be quiet without the fuss of the media.

The elders were welcoming and they were ready to do their utmost to help me. They also mentioned that they would prepare Elric’s burial site right next to the tomb of my parents.

I was so grateful to them and returned to my parents house for rest.

Ridley insisted to stay around and help. She said that my uncle technically hired her until the entire funeral procession was over, by that, included the burial of Elric’s ashes.

I smiled, and just let her be.

As I rested for three days in the village, waiting for the neighborhood to prepare for Elric’s burial site, it was proven that I needed her assistance more than ever. My coughs got worse when my fever raised up.

On the fourth day, after I finished warping my son’s urn with white cloth, I took it from my desk and was ready to bury him. However, somebody suddenly slammed the entrance door.

I stepped outside to check, turned out, it was Eddy who came with Trista tagging alongside him.

The man soon moved closer to me. "Where's our son?" He shouted to my face.

I clutched onto Elric’s urn. "In the heaven. You sure took your time looking for him now."

Before I could react, he had slapped me hard. I tried to keep the urn from falling and instead dropped onto the floor with it.

"Stop playing games with me, Sal. I’ve been calling him non-stop. He’s not in the academy. Not in the hospital. Where is he? Where are you hiding him?"

“Ms. Heartwell!” Ridley came rushing from the front door and helped me to get up. She then snapped into Elric, shielding me behind her. She said with caution, “Sir, I’m sure we can talk this out--”

“Who the hell are you?” Eddy cut her off.

“A chauffeur hired by Doctor Heartwell, Sir,” Ridley readily replied.

I tapped onto Ridley’s shoulder, signaling her to stay silent. And immediately asked Eddy. “I’m not hiding our son, Eddy. What are you trying to say?” I asked with pressed down confusion.

"That kid had turned to be the worst! He went to Trista’s place and stole her panties!" Eddy shouted to the top of his lungs. The way his eyes shifted golden was a sign of his fury. “My son had turned into some pervert. I need to teach him a real lesson he’d never forget!”

“What?!” I looked at him incredulously. “Elric is dead, Eddy!” I shouted to the top of my lungs. Then I looked at Trista who was clinging onto Eddy. “Elric. Is. Dead!” I emphasized every word with sorrow.

“Because of some game the two of you played!” I pointed at Elric and Trista one after another.

“Don’t lie to me! Where is my son?!” Eddy marched forward but Ridley interfered.

It turned into an immediate chaos with all the shouting and pushing but eventually, Ridley managed to stop Eddy and pushed him away.

“Sir, please! Don’t hurt Ms. Heartwell she had just recovered from her fever!” Ridley said in between her breaths, her voice still as diplomatic as ever.

“Don’t butt into my business you lowly mutt!” He took Ridley by the collar.

“Eddy!” I shouted at him. It was all I could mutter—Since when did he become so rude like this?

“I’m afraid I can’t, sir. I am hired to ensure Ms. Heartwell’s safety until the end of her son’s funeral.”

“My son is not dead!” Eddy shouted and threw Ridley to the side.

“Ridley!” I approached the woman and helped her to get up.

“It’s okay! I’m fine! I’m fine!” Ridley gently pushed my hands away as she stood up on her own.

Clicking his tongue, Eddy took out his phone.

“Fine, I’ll show you.” He turned his phone screen to us and played a video.

In the video, there was a boy wearing the uniform of Elric’s alma matter sneaking into, what I assumed as Trista’s house, through the window.

“Look at this!” Eddy played it in fast forward. The boy soon got out of the window and ran away like he had taken something in his hand.

Indeed, that boy was thin for someone his age, like Elric. He had the same height too. But the face wasn’t clearly captured in the video there was no way it was Elric.

Once the video ended, Trista looked at me with disgust. "When I got home yesterday, I found my closet was in a mess. Some of my underwear were missing. Thank the Goddess I placed a surveillance cam around my house. I found this in the recordings!”

Trista continued with a mocking tone. “Salvia, don’t you see your boy already developed such kinks? Hand him over and stop overlooking his deeds—"

Something snapped from within me. My wolf form went on an override, I moved forward following my swift instinct and clawed Trista across her face. Soon, the scent of iron permeated the air.

“Ahh!” Trista moved backwards, her hands over her face. I saw blood dripping down her face.

“Watch your foul mouth you witch!” I shouted.

Eddy was in panic, he tried to check on Trista. “Salvia! How dare you! Is this how far you want to overlook that kid’s wrongdoings?!”

“No! How dare you, Ed?!” I growled.

“I have shown you the proof. He’s in the video!” He rebutted.

“And that video is a blur, Ed!” Tears fell down my eyes as my fury peaked up. “Elric is your own flesh and blood! Do you belief he’d do something like this?!”

My heart was breaking even more. It was clear Eddy chose to belief Trista over his own son. He believed that Elric was a perverted thief.

For a few second, he stopped in his tracks. His expression faltered as if processing what I just said.

However, Trista piped up in between her gritting teeth, "You need to stop denying reality, Salvia. I wish it wasn't your son. I even met him outside the cafe on my way home after work.”

She continued after hissing the pain away from her bleeding face. “I wouldn’t forget how he eyed me from top to bottom. I can’t believe an innocent boy like him had turned into some creepy horny teenager."

I was about to lounge forward but Ridley had stopped me. “Ma’am, please. Safe your energy, you’ve just recovered.”

At that, Eddy moved forward to shield Trista again behind his back. This time he turned stern.

“Stop hiding our son, Salvia. It’s better to teach him a lesson now than later. As a father, I won’t forgive myself for raising such a perverted son."

“Enough!” I felt my bold boiling, and it seemed to get caught onto me. “Cough! Cough! Cough!”

“Ms. Heartwell!” Ridley kept me from falling.

Trista was lying. My son had been dead for over a week. There was no way she had seen him yesterday.

Yet, in all this, it wasn’t Trista’s lies that cut the deepest.

It was fine if Eddy refused to believe Elric was gone, but what gutted me was how he had turned against our son in death. Eddy knew that Elric was a loving and well-mannered son.

Yet, just now, that man had claimed his own flesh and blood as a perverted son!

Before I could sink further into the pain, a commotion erupted outside, breaking the suffocating silence.

“Sir, the villagers are coming this way,” Gareth burst through the front door, flanked by two other bodyguards. His voice was tight with urgency. “They’re demanding to see Mrs. Winslow—to make sure she’s okay—”

“I am Salvia Heartwell,” I interrupted, my voice strained as I swallowed back a cough. “I’m divorced, Gareth. I'm no longer a Winslow. I refused to be lumped together with that family name!”

The air in the room thickened with tension, heavy and palpable. For a moment, no one spoke. The silence clung to us, suffocating, until Eddy finally shattered it.

“Look at how arrogant this woman is!” Eddy’s voice dripped with disdain as he stepped closer, his eyes cold.

“You need to stop hiding Elric this instant,” Eddy continued. he then pointed at my direction, at the urn I was holding. “And what’s that white cloth you’re holding?”

“It must be some stolen underwear!” Eddy’s accusation was sharp, his voice rising in intensity.

I managed a bitter smile, the dreariness of my situation washing over me.

Ridley interjected firmly, hesitant but clear. “Alpha...Elric passed away days ago,that’s Sir Elric’s urn. Ms. Heartwell is preparing to lay him to rest today.”