I shouldn't be angry at her.
Yet every time I thought about it, my emotions spiraled out of control. Frustration consumed me. I could barely breathe.
I stood abruptly and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. The city streets sprawled below, dense with buildings. From this height, the world looked both small and vast. My gaze wandered from one building to the next, wondering which might be the apartment Serenity had rented.
Did she have enough money?
How was she planning to survive alone?
Questions bubbled up from my heart like rising foam.
Serenity had grown up sheltered in the Keller pack. Her only real skills were cooking and making coffee. Unlike Liv, she had no advanced degree or work experience. Away from pack support, could she really survive on her own?
My fingers trembled uncontrollably. A powerful urge seized me, and I spun around, striding back to my desk and pressing the internal line.
The call connected. Herman's voice came through. "Alpha, what can I do for you?"
The words were on the tip of my tongue when I felt a twinge of awkwardness. Fenrir prodded me impatiently, so I pushed on. "Isn't Serenity's birthday coming up?"
"That's right," Herman confirmed.
I cleared my throat. "Then arrange for a birthday cake to be delivered to her. Whatever else, she's still the pack's Luna. We should at least observe the formalities. I won’t have other packs laughing at us."
"Understood. I'll arrange it."
"Also—" I finally circled around to my real purpose. "She's moved out of the mansion, so make sure the cake goes to her new address. By the way, do you know where she's staying now?"
I deliberately made the last question sound casual, but Herman still took a beat before answering.
"I'm afraid I don't, Alpha." His voice was careful. "The Luna didn't leave any information."
My heart sank.
Fenrir howled inside me. I rubbed my temples, a headache forming.
Just then, someone knocked on my office door.
Without waiting for permission, the door swung open. I was about to snap at the intruder when I saw who it was. My anger subsided, though a nameless irritation took its place.
"Elias, I made you a cup of coffee." She stood there looking innocent, holding a tray. When she noticed the phone in my hand, she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry—did I interrupt your work?"
I covered the receiver. "No. But, Liv, next time, knock and wait for my permission."
"I'm sorry. I don't remember anything." Liv's shoulders drooped, her expression wounded and sad. "I won't do it again."
I didn't continue the conversation. I uncovered the receiver and instructed Herman, "If you don't have the address, just deposit her living expenses into her bank account. Check with the bank to confirm the account details."
At the very least, I couldn't let the Vernal pack's Luna starve outside the mansion walls. With some money, Serenity could at least find a place to stay instead of ending up homeless.
"Understood. I'll get right on?—"
"Elias!" Liv interrupted again. I looked up. She hurried to my desk and asked, "If you don't mind, could you let me handle this?"
"You?"
Liv nodded firmly, putting on a pleading expression—the kind of look I couldn't refuse. "The other secretaries won't let me help with anything. I don't want to just be a patient you're taking care of. Mr. Herman has more important work to do. He's busy enough. Let me handle these small tasks."
I hesitated for a moment, weighing her words carefully, and realized I couldn’t find a reason to refuse. After all, I was the one who had brought her to the company. I couldn’t let Liv suffer here. Especially when these were things a secretary was supposed to handle anyway.
