This was my second time in The Twilight Territory.[]
The last time, Mom had held my hand as we stood together in this mystical city that looked like a watercolor painting come to life–a neutral territory where supernatural beings could exist peacefully.[]
Time flies so fast… it’s been ten years already…]
“Alina! Alina!“]
The elderly woman’s warm, joyful voice pulled me from my thoughts, but the memories still clung to me like shadows.]
I shook my head gently, forcing myself to push away those dark thoughts, and raised my arm to wave back with a smile that felt fragile on my face.
“Professor Nessa!”
When I got closer, the old woman playfully swatted my arm in mock scolding.[]
“What professor? Call me Grandma! I’ve missed you so much–come here and let me hug you.“]
I gently rested my head on her shoulder, breathing in the sweet lavender scent from her clothes, and couldn’t stop my eyes from welling up. For the first time in weeks, I felt something like safety.
Professor Nessa Moonbloom was my mother’s mentor–a powerful witch who’d taught Luna Isabella everything about designing ceremonial garments for the supernatural community.[]
The old woman had never taken a mate and had no children of her own.]
She’d always treated my mom like her own daughter.[]
When Mom was alive, we’d been very close.[]
But after Mom crossed over to the eternal realm, Professor Nessa couldn’t stand Dad’s increasingly cold, business–focused attitude, and gradually we’d lost touch.[]
But she’d always been good to me, calling every few days, her voice a lifeline I’d desperately needed.
Every holiday, she’d send gifts infused with protective charms.
Last month, when I called to tell her about my engagement, she was so excited she couldn’t sleep for two days.
If she weren’t getting older and dealing with health issues, she would have flown to The Howling Vale immediately.
Thank the Moon Goddess she didn’t come…]
I downplayed what happened at the ceremony, my voice carefully controlled even as my wolf whimpered in my chest. I just said the Bloodstone pack didn’t respect me, that I didn’t want to get mated anymore, and wanted to come work with her on designs.
Chapter 9
But she was too perceptive… just from the tremor in my voice and the careful way I chose my words, she could tell I’d been devastated.
The old woman was so heartbroken she cried over the phone, and this morning she’d rushed to pick me up.
“Grandma, I’m sorry I got your hopes up for nothing. The mating ceremony… didn’t happen…“[]
“Good! Don’t mate that fool! My Alina is beautiful as a moon flower–no need to plant yourself in that pile of wolf dung.“[]
“Grandma!”
I nearly choked on my own spit, still amazed by this powerful witch’s fierce personality, but for the first time in forever, I actually laughed–really laughed.[]
“Come on! Let’s go! Grandma’s going to welcome you properly, cleanse away all that negative energy those idiots left on you. From now on, my Alina is going to be happy every single day!“]]
Í laughed and agreed, my heart feeling lighter than it had in years as I opened my phone to let Freya know I’d arrived safely.]
But the moment I turned on my phone, an avalanche of messages flooded my entire screen, and my stomach dropped like a stone.
My phone vibrated nonstop for two whole minutes, each buzz making my wolf cower deeper in my chest.]]
At a glance, 90% were from Lucian and Kaelan–dozens and dozens of messages I couldn’t bear to read.]]
I didn’t even bother looking at the content–seeing their names was enough to make my hands shake. I immediately blocked both of them and Zaria, my fingers trembling as I deleted every trace of them from my phone.]]
I sent a quick message to Freya, then shut off the screen again, my brief moment of peace shattered.]
Supporting this chatty old woman, I walked out of the bustling airport, trying to ignore how my wolf was still trembling.
The moment I stepped into the sunlight, that suffocating weight in my chest finally seemed like it might start to lift–but the fear remained.
…0
One month after staying at the studio.
I finally had to accept the truth–there was always someone better, and maybe that was exactly what I needed.[]
I’d thought I was pretty talented at design, having won plenty of awards even back in college.
But meeting the geniuses on Grandma’s team–witches, fae, and other supernatural artisans–made me feel like I was being schooled left and right, and for the first time, I was grateful for the distraction.]
I refused the “official position” Grandma offered me, deciding to really start as an intern. I needed to earn this, to prove to myself I could build something from nothing.
Every day I followed behind these masters, learning their advanced design concepts infused with ancient magic, staying so busy my feet barely touched the ground and my mind had no time to wander to dark places.[]
Chapter 9
Just when I thought these peaceful days would continue forever–when I’d started to believe I might actually be healing–Freya called me in tears, and my world tilted again.[]
“Alina, Lucian and the others have come looking for me so many times, asking where you are. I never told them anything, I swear!”
“But… but yesterday, my dad secretly looked at our chat history and told them where you are! It’s all my fault–I never thought Lucian would be so low, using my dad’s job against our family!”
“Did… did I cause trouble for you? Alina… I’m so sorry!”
My blood turned to ice. []
They’d found me. After a month of peace, they’d found me.[]
