Everyone looked at me with suspicion, silently asking why some rich housewife wanted to play at working. I realized that to find a job, I had to change my image.
I went to a hair salon and cut off the long hair I'd grown to imitate Liv. I tied it back in a clean, practical ponytail. Then I listed all the clothes I'd brought from the Vernals on secondhand sites. The money I made bought me affordable jeans and T-shirts.
The image of the Luna of the Vernal pack vanished completely. In her place stood an independent woman surviving on her own.
When I sent out résumés again, my luck improved. A small supermarket hired me as a cashier. The hours were long, and the pay wasn't great, but it was a fresh start. I was content.
Days slipped by. Three months passed.
My pregnancy symptoms grew stronger as time went on. Sometimes I couldn't eat at all. My back ached constantly, and I was always exhausted. My lack of energy drew curious and concerned looks from my coworkers.
But I didn't dare tell them I was pregnant. I was afraid of losing my job.
Still, in the quiet of night, I worried about my future. Right now, when I wasn't showing much, I could still hide the truth. But once my belly grew and I couldn't work anymore, my boss would definitely let me go.
What would I do then? How would I maintain my life?
Carrying that persistent anxiety, I fell into a heavy sleep. The next morning, just as dawn broke, my phone's shrill ring jolted me awake.
My head was splitting. I'd worked the night shift yesterday and hadn't gone to bed until four in the morning. It was only seven now—I'd slept three hours at most. Sleep deprivation left my brain foggy and my stomach queasy. I didn't even look at the caller ID before answering.
"Hello? Who is this?"
The person on the other end didn't respond immediately. I could only hear quiet breathing. Then came a low voice. "Serenity, you don't even remember my number anymore?"
Elias!
My mind snapped awake as if I'd been dunked in ice water.
I pressed my lips together. "Why are you calling me?"
"I'm still your Alpha. Do I need a reason to call my Luna?"
For some reason, he sounded unhappy. I had no idea who had upset him. It confused me. His beloved woman had returned to his side. I'd stepped aside voluntarily. Shouldn't he be living happily? Why did he sound so irritated?
"If you don't have anything important, I'm hanging up." My tone was cold from exhaustion and discomfort. He seemed to notice. I thought I heard him grind his teeth, but it might have been my imagination. "Wait. I'm calling about something important."
"What is it?" I didn't want to analyze his moods anymore. I was just tired.
"The Moon Ceremony is next month," Elias said.
I paused. His reminder finally jogged my memory. It was the Vernal pack's most significant annual celebration, always held in autumn. Every pack member attended to pray to the MoonGoddess for prosperity. As Alpha and Luna, Elias and I were required to lead the sacred ceremony together.
"Is it that time already…," I murmured.
My busy but fulfilling work life had made me lose track. Before, I never would have forgotten. It was one of the few events that got me out of the mansion while I was under house arrest, and one of the rare occasions I could be with Elias.
"So your memory isn't completely shot after all." Elias's voice came through again. "We need to confirm the ceremony procedures in advance. Where are you? Come back to the mansion immediately."
"Do I really need to come back?" I frowned. All I wanted now was to cut ties with Elias and the Vernal pack. I didn't want to return there. "No one wants to see me at the ceremony. To them, I'm the Luna who betrayed the pack."
"You don't want to come back?" Elias asked. I stayed silent. He gave a cold laugh. "Serenity, don't think leaving the mansion means you're free. You're still a member of the Vernal pack. No matter where you go, you can't escape that identity. Come back. Don't make me order you."
His words made me bite my lip.
No wolf could refuse an Alpha's command. The word yes was already rising in my throat. But my gaze happened to fall on my work uniform hanging by the bed.
The plain blue supermarket vest had no style or shape. It looked utterly ordinary. But it burned into my eyes and filled my limbs with courage.
