Heavens, Aldrich, the mature and steady alpha who never cared much about the world, was feeling uneasy and flustered over such a trivial matter. Elwin thought he hadn’t been wrong in his initial judgment-Aldrich genuinely liked Maggie. It wasn’t the kind of liking where she could be used as a tool, but a sincere desire to rely on her, to develop a genuine connection.
“You two aren’t conjoined twins. There’s no need to be together every minute of every day.”
“I know.” Aldrich didn’t want to admit that he felt like a jealous and possessive husband. It made him feel unfamiliar, “I understand this is the most basic principle. I just find myself irritated by any separation from her, even if it’s only temporary. I feel like I’m sick.”
Elwin laughed and shook his head. “You’ve just fallen in love.”
“Fallen in love?” Aldrich couldn’t comprehend this. He had heard about love from people, but he rarely witnessed it in practice. The wind could be felt but not seen, and love was similar. Love had to be sensed with the heart.
“I admit I really like her. I like everything about her, being with her, wanting to give her the best, wanting to kiss her, to possess her. But does that mean it’s love?”
“Love isn’t a definite symbol; it can’t be summarized with simple words. Even a brief moment of heart flutter can be called love. But it can’t be considered love, love is a long-lasting heartbeat, wanting to give for her, wanting to possess her all the time. Love is both selfish and selfless. Selfish in wanting to tie her to you, to be the only one who can discover her beauty, to attribute all her changes to you. Her love language and thoughts should only be heard by you. But selfless is knowing that a rose needs soil, sunlight, and other nutrients. Therefore, you plant it in the garden, and everyone can see its beauty. Love is contradictory. So, you’ll be so troubled, on the one hand, you can’t stand even a moment of separation from her, on the other hand, you know she can’t live only by your side.”
Aldrich had never heard such a lengthy discourse about love.
“What should I do then? Should I keep my distance from her to avoid hurting her?” According to his father, he should love Maggie very much, but he didn’t want to hurt her. If the selfish part of love made Maggie feel suffocated, made him lose his sanity, and made him want to treat Maggie as his possession, he couldn’t agree and wouldn’t accept it.
“You can ask Maggie what kind of intimate relationship she likes, whether closer or more distant. Does she want to be tied together forever, even if it means suffocating, or does she want to maintain a reasonable distance to protect the image in each other’s hearts? This is something between the two of you, not a decision that any party can make on their own.”
Not long after this conversation, in the evening, Maggie rushed back in a hurry, accompanied by two familiar faces, Mrs. Jenkins and Urania.
Thomas and Elizabeth went to the mansion’s entrance to greet them.
“You’ve actually made a special trip. We haven’t had such distinguished guests in the mansion for many years.” Thomas welcomed Urania with a smile. “Please come in, both of you.”
Urania rolled her eyes at the evening sky, “Little devil, have you grown into someone capable of teasing your elders? I still remember convincing Elwin to take you in all those years ago.”
“The High Priest’s favor is something I dare not forget for a moment. I’ll prepare the best red tea and pastries for you.”
“Is your skill the same as fifty years ago?”
“Of course, you can rest assured.”
“That’s good.”
Elizabeth, too young to be part of the conversation, felt completely out of place. She wasn’t Maggie, and lacking the accumulated experiences of many years, she played a role in the wolf society akin to a thirteen or fourteen-year-old teenager. Watching the aged Thomas respectfully address the casually dressed and seemingly youthful figure before him, she felt a strange sense of displacement.
A feeling as if the colors of time had been washed away.
She asked Maggie in a hushed tone, “Who is this young woman? If even Thomas is showing such respect, she must be a significant figure, right?”
Maggie suppressed a smile, observing Urania as she took charge of the estate. Maggie both criticized Thomas’s gardening skills, which hadn’t improved over the years, and felt that the Blue Moon Pack’s security was too lax. Yet, in reality, she was the most naive among them.
Whispering to Elizabeth as they walked behind, Maggie explained, “This is Urania. Just call her Urania; she doesn’t like being called the High Priest because it makes her feel old. The lady next to her is Mrs. Jenkins; you know her as the owner of the flower shop. As for her other identity, I’ll tell you later.”
Maggie’s mysterious demeanor only fueled Elizabeth’s curiosity.
“I really want to know right now.”
“Why the rush? It’s not a Christmas surprise. Waiting a bit won’t hurt.”
With Maggie’s assurance, Elizabeth tried to contain her uncontrollable curiosity.
Back in the grand palace, Urania once again marveled at the luxury of the Blue Moon Pack.
“Resources are wasted like this.”
Thomas smiled but remained silent, and Elizabeth didn’t interject. In her subjective impression, palaces were always luxurious; otherwise, how could they symbolize supreme power?
Aldrich heard about Maggie’s return and hurriedly came out to greet them. Before he could welcome them properly, he heard Urania criticizing the palace, and he, still annoyed about Urania’s claim that he couldn’t love, wasn’t in the best mood. “Why don’t you ever say anything good about me when you see me?”
Urania looked innocent, “I didn’t say anything about you; I was talking about the palace.”
“But the palace is mine now.”
“I’m just questioning the system appropriately. You’ve become too sensitive lately, Aldrich. Is it because Maggie isn’t by your side?”
Maggie pulled Urania slightly, indicating her to tone it down.
“Aldrich, meet Mrs. Jenkins, whom you’ve seen before, the flower shop owner. Simultaneously, she served as the attendant to the previous Moon Goddess, Selene. After the Moon Goddess fell, she has been traveling on Earth, searching for a way to restore the Moon Goddess to her position. Also, she belongs to the divine race herself; it’s just that her position as the Moon Goddess’s attendant has kept her lingering on Earth.”
Everyone was surprised; they hadn’t expected the seemingly ordinary flower shop owner to harbor such power and identity. It truly embodied the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover.’
“This is Urania, the renowned High Priestess among werewolves. She’s the most experienced and wise sage in the current werewolf community, also serving as my enlightening teacher in delving deep into werewolf society,” Maggie smiled as she introduced the two individuals who held special significance in her life.
“Urania has agreed to visit Blue Moon Pack regularly before the werewolf society enters its next significant reform. She’ll assist everyone in answering questions and providing guidance. If you have any issues, feel free to approach her; she’ll do her best to help,” Maggie added.
Urania remained silent on the side. In truth, this decision was made unilaterally by Maggie, but out of respect for Selene, Urania was willing to make some changes and concessions.
Finally, Maggie approached Aldrich, whispering softly to him, “I have something to tell you privately.”