Harry could feel the trembling and stiffness of the man beneath his hand as it rested on Patrick’s shoulder. He was his closest friend, and at this moment, Harry could empathize with all of Patrick’s confusion.
“You didn’t hurt her. Look, she wouldn’t have been here if it weren’t for you. You fought for a better life for her, for more opportunities,” he said.
He knew how to comfort Patrick, how to calm his friend down. He could feel Patrick gradually ceasing to tremble as his pain slowly subsided.
“You gave her everything you wanted to give her, just like the details you told me about. You accompanied her to the art exhibition she liked, brought her food when she skipped dinner. You both enjoyed the breeze in your secret corner, watching the clouds and the sun, discussing heartfelt matters.”
He gently reassured him, “How could you ever bring yourself to hurt her? Her every worry would pain you. Her tears would keep you awake. You’ve dedicated all your kindness and patience to her. Trust me, and believe in yourself, you’d never hurt her.”
Patrick’s voice still trembled slightly, “But won’t my feelings hurt her?”
“Yes. Even if your love is something you can’t control, as long as you remember that you are doing it for her, you’d never tolerate anything that would hurt her, right?”
Patrick quieted down.
Yes. Just as Harry said, he would never allow anything to exist that could harm Emma. He would smother all those things at their very inception.
He would protect her, just like all werewolves protect their mates.
He pledged to the moon goddess that he would protect his little wolf, ensuring that happiness and smiles would forever grace her face.
“Thank you, Harry. My friend, you are my strongest support, I cannot imagine what I would do without you,” he sincerely thanked Harry.
Harry didn’t mind; he had always been the alpha’s beta. He was their most loyal servant.
“You don’t need to be polite to me, just trust me,” he said.
Patrick gave him a genuine smile, “Do you still not have a destined partner?”
Suddenly asked about a partner, Harry was taken aback, then muttered softly, “No. But I’m not as eager for a destined partner to appear as you are.”
Patrick frowned, “Is it because you already have someone you like?”
Harry looked evasive. He hadn’t intended to let Patrick know about this so soon, “Yes.”
Patrick was very surprised; he hadn’t expected that Harry had someone he liked, he hadn’t even noticed any hints.
“Who is it?”
Harry thought his friend was sharp when it came to work and decision-making, but always slow in these personal matters. But that’s exactly why he needed a beta to handle these things for him.
“Someone you’re very familiar with.”
“Someone familiar?”
Patrick thought for a few seconds, “Could it be Emma?”
Harry: “…”
Patrick quickly negated his own answer, “It couldn’t be Emma. Is it Julia?”
Julia was Harry’s current assistant, a pretty girl with light golden hair and blue eyes, efficient in her work. She had a melodious southern accent, every pronunciation sounding like a song.
Harry commended Patrick’s ability to make connections.
“Seems like you’ve forgotten she has a boyfriend.”
Patrick never cared much for gossip, especially not about his friend’s assistant. He furrowed his brow in confusion, “Then who is it? You shouldn’t play riddles with me. You know I’m not good at it, and I’m always slow on the uptake.”
Harry sighed, “It’s Nicola.”
Patrick’s eyes widened in an instant.
“Nicola, as in the one I’m thinking of?”
Harry asked irritably, “Do you even know anyone named Nicola around us?”
Well, Nicola was quite nice, he thought. Nicola was beautiful, generous, and understanding. It seemed that the outstanding qualities that endear people to others were quite similar, just like his Emma. Emma never held onto other’s offenses, she just endured them lightly and moved on.
He just hadn’t realized it. “When did you start liking her?” Harry found it hard to answer. The answer made him feel a bit embarrassed. Could he say that he began to like Nicola ten years ago when the three of them were closest friends, and Nicola liked Patrick a lot, sticking to him every day, asking him to catch rabbits and birds, while Harry watched them play from the sidelines? That was when he started to like Nicola?
It made him feel quite ashamed.
Patrick stared at him, not allowing his gaze to waver. “Look at me, Harry. You said you wouldn’t lie to me.”
With that, Harry couldn’t refuse any longer.
“I started liking her before she left the werewolf society. Once, I was climbing a very tall tree in the forest, and I fell. I shouted forhelp, but no one came. Later, she found me. She said I wasn’t in any of the usual places, so she came looking for me.”
Nicola bandaged him up without asking how he got injured. She couldn’t transform into a wolf, so she had to carry him back to the pack, despite him being twenty pounds heavier than her. She didn’t even mention how he got hurt because the place where Harry was injured was generally off-limits to everyone.
So, Nicola was put in solitary confinement for two days.
“That’s how,” Harry said helplessly. “That’s how I started liking her.”
The plot of the hero being saved by the beauty was common, but now the storyline of the beauty saving the hero was becoming popular. Patrick thought Nicola was indeed well-suited for Harry. She seemed more stable, calm, and not easily swayed by inexplicable emotions.
“Did you tell her?” Patrick asked.
This was precisely the reason Harry hadn’t wanted Patrick to know about it so soon. He hadn’t formally asked for Nicola’s opinion, to be his partner.
“Not yet. She said she didn’t want to stay in the werewolf society, and that’s what made me hesitate. Just like you feel hesitant and uncertain because you’re afraid of hurting Emma, I feel the same way because I don’t want to hold her back.”
Patrick didn’t say anything. He didn’t have much say in this matter.
Harry didn’t want to dwell on this topic and asked him, “Besides Emma, did you call me for something else?”
“Shirley,” he said. “I’m sure this time she came to see me because my mother did something behind the scenes.”
Harry nodded, “Yes, we all know that. But what do you want to do? Jennifer has a lot of influence in the Silver Moon Pack. Besides the decision to choose Nelson as a partner, which caused some discontent, as Luna and your mother, she’s made many accurate and swift decisions, and everyone respects her.”
“I know, but she can’t interfere with my choice of partner. I can compromise on other things, but not this. I won’t choose Shirley as my partner, absolutely not.”