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Chapter 8

Elijah's POV

"She's in pain!" Mason shouted in my head in a near frenzy.

"She's going through inner torture, she's like a poor little snail that's slowly shrinking back..."

Even if he didn't say it, I knew. I could tell she was having a hard time. She couldn't stop trembling, like a scared bunny.

What had Isabella gone through to become so sensitive? She should be the crazy and confident warrior who defeats her enemies, not the way she looked now.

She's worried that she's doing something wrong. But I wanted to tell her that there would always be me.

I circled her gently in my arms and tried to soothe her with my own embrace.

"No matter what happens, I won't let go of your hand." I kissed the back of her hand. "Trust me, I'll always stand behind you."

It was clearly working. Her mood slowly eased. But soon it looked like she was thinking of some bad memory again and became more distressed. Her brow was furrowed together and she looked particularly miserable.

"I think I'll leave here...it's better for your pack and for me."

"You're my mate, where do you want to go? Do you want me to die of heartache?" I stuck her firmly in my arms and kissed her on the lips again.

I didn't want to hear those annoying words again.

Her mood was indeed rather low at first, but soon she was fully occupied with pleasure. She cooperated with me and we gradually got into the mood.

"You're going to say that you're never going to leave me." I tugged on her arm, harder and harder. "Like I'm never going to leave you."

"I'm never going to leave you." She replied with a whimper. "I swear to the goddess of the moon..."

I thought she was probably too thoroughly confused to think about things that didn't work at all. The words from her mouth kept switching between pleading and refusal.

Then probably she was too much exciting, she cried more and more, and couldn't even say the rest of her words clearly.

But it was nice to watch her sob, because at least she finally had no time to grieve. The words she kept repeating also made me feel at ease.

Thinking too much is not necessarily a good thing.

Isabella's POV

I opened my eyes in exhaustion. I looked at my arms, almost in shame at the hickeys on them.

It was as if I had been pulled into a fight by him.

Of course he did hit hard and I felt as if I had been torn apart.

"Come and have some food for breakfast, you need to refresh yourself." He walked in with a plate and gently placed it on the bedside table. "Today's breakfast is...."

I covered my neck, ignoring Elijah, and waited until he put down his plate and walked out of the house before I took the bread from above and tore into it as hard as I had bitten him on the shoulder last night.

I didn't even want to talk to him that day.

But at least he still needed me, and this realization instead gave me some peace of mind.

As I chewed on my fried egg, I thought back carefully on everything that had happened last night.

In fact, we weren't just doing the motions like beasts, we also communicated during the time. At the very least, he really didn't want me to leave and would be heartbroken by my departure.

So, what reason did I have to complain there?

"It seems like you've finally figured it out. You're a tough fighter, and I don't think you'll run away from your problems." Mia's tone was slightly upward, and I could even hear a hint of smugness.

"If Liam does come looking for trouble here, I'll fight him to the death." I wiped the grease stain from the corner of my mouth. "Even if it means dying, I want to die here, as a member of the Green Creek Pack."

"It's really nice to think of that. It's more important to focus on the matter at hand than this. Those female warriors, I think they're all fine." Mia changed the subject stiffly.

But she did make a good point. It's more important for me to get everything right in front of me than those distant things.

"They all seem to have had rigorous training, so I'm going to have to think of something else. I'll make sure they're all happy with the candidates I've selected." I took out my notebook.

I had a particularly busy schedule in the next two days.

I took them and ran several laps around the different training fields, which finally sort of selected the best ones among them. The girls who were selected shouted with excitement, while those who were left behind looked a bit dejected. I comforted them as much as I could, even hugging the ones who couldn't help but cry.

I didn't know who took the lead, but by the time I reacted, they were chanting "Luna" once again.

I patted the shoulder of the girl I had just announced as a warrior. She smiled, thanked me, and shouted "Luna" in the same wolfish tone.

"You did a really great job, and we all admire you." They were living like a flock of noisy magpies.

"You will do better than I did." I said from the bottom of my heart. "Valiant warriors."

"Wait until Luna's coronation, and we'll swear to you!" The girls huddled together and looked more alive.

Luna coronation again.

But this time when this matter was mentioned, I was not as helpless as before. This was something that I must face, so why not take the initiative to prepare myself?

"Ah, when will you hold the Luna ceremony?"

"We're getting ready, soon." I felt a little blush.

I wanted to be his Luna for real as soon as possible, too.

When I got back to my place, Elijah was not back yet. I wanted to share with him what I had done during the day, but the coldness in my house made me feel a little helpless.

"He's just going to be a little busier as the Alpha, but you'll be the same as Luna later on. It's a test of sorts." Mia's voice still sounded so slightly mocking. "Be patient, my girl."

"I know." I put those materials away in a drawer and sat back down on the bed to continue waiting. "But he's been in and out of the woods a lot lately, and I still can't help but be a little worried. those guys at White Birch Pack don't know what they'll do."

"Believe in his strength." Mia sighed in my head. "Otherwise you'll just add to your troubles too."

Rationally I understood what she was saying, but I still had a hard time getting myself to really calm down.

I didn't know how long it took before there was finally a subtle knock on the door. Immediately after the door was pushed open, his arm was wrapped in a thick bandage.

I was happy to have him back, but now this happiness had turned into displeasure at not being told the truth by him.

"What have you been doing lately? Why are you hurting so badly." I couldn't help complaining about him.

He didn't answer me, he just collapsed on the bed with his jacket on, followed by the faint sound of breathing.

I was going to say something else, but he was so tired that I didn't bother him.

Early the next morning, he was out again.

"Why has he been taking people to the forest every day lately?" I looked uneasily out the window at his back. "He's only just healed and I'm a little worried."

The people who wandered around my house were eager to help me answer questions.

"I heard they were looking for someone, but I don't know who they were looking for."

"I heard it was a lone wolf who was abandoned by the pack..."

"It seems to be a poor little cub still!"

I was not too interested in these baseless things, more so than this one they're holding in their hands.

Those were props for rituals.

"Why are you guys taking these...?"

"Ah, you mean these things. That's because the festival of worshiping the moon goodess is coming." They waved that stone pillar at me enthusiastically.

It's a great holiday, how could I forget it too? It must be because it's so good here.

I shook my head in chagrin.

This was the custom of the werewolves. On this day, all werewolves worship the moon god at the altar while offering their sacrifices.

The goodness of the sacrifice is also a reflection of the sincerity of a werewolf's heart. So each of us will try our best to prepare.

"But your offering is not to be prepared personally. The Alpha will prepare your portion all together and offer it to the Moon Goddess." The werewolf replied.

"Indeed...."

I looked at his distant back and got lost in thought.

It was already a great fortune for me to meet such a mate, and it was all a gift from the Moon Goddess. So no matter what, this time I should prepare the most sumptuous sacrifice for her.

So I packed up my package and headed out to the wolves.

"What are you doing here?" On the road, I was recognized by someone.

"I'm going to find a sacrifice to the Moon Goddess." I shook my backpack. "Remember to tell the Alpha for me?"

He didn't stop me, he just told me to be careful with everything, which I certainly understood.

This was the first time I had left the pack since I arrived at Green Creek Pack. Those trails in the forest were already very unfamiliar to me. I followed the landmarks left by Green Creek Pack and continued to walk deeper into the jungle, trying to find a satisfying offering here.

Elijah's POV

There was no sign of the girl in the forest. But again, there was no bad information.

At least this time, I still hadn't found her.

I returned home chagrined.

"Isabella?" I pushed open the door to her room, which was completely empty.

"Luna left the pack this afternoon." I got a reply from the guards.

She left?

I was dumbfounded for a moment, not hearing the words behind the guard at all, as if the whole body had run out of strength.

She did show a willingness to leave the pack!

Could it be that this time, she really left me behind?

I just felt a sharp pain in my chest, and the despair of being abandoned by mate grabbed my heart.

No, I can't let Isabella go!

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