Kevin’s POV
I leaned against the edge of the bed, my mood extremely gloomy. Liam conscientiously laid out a mat on the floor without disturbing me.
Anna Edwards…
The woman claimed that was her name, but I wouldn’t easily be swayed. I would stay here and uncover the truth.
Glances from the right occasionally made their way to me. Irritated, I looked at Liam. “What’s up, speak.”
“Alpha, isn’t that woman’s attitude a bit disrespectful? She arranged such a shabby room for you. Look at the firewood over there; I seriously suspect this used to be a woodshed.”
I glanced in the direction Liam pointed, where neatly cut branches were piled up, and spiderwebs adorned the eaves.
“Clean up this room again.”
“Alright, Alpha.”
After Liam cleaned the room, it was already early morning. Moonlight streamed in from the window, and the rustling sound of leaves outside accompanied Liam’s snoring. I had no sleep, attempting to communicate with my wolf.
Me: Eric, did the Moon Goddess really choose a second mate for us?
I’m not sure either, Kevin. After all, you did reject Ella five years ago.
My wolf sighed.
Me: Have you sensed anything special, unusual? About that woman.
Unusual? I can feel her wolf has awakened; it seems calm and obedient. But, you know, Ella’s wolf hadn’t awakened back then. I can’t make a comparison.
Me: But is it really possible for two people to look so similar? And for her to coincidentally become our mate, what’s the likelihood of that?
Yes, I’ve never encountered something like this before, and I’m troubled now. But regardless, she is our mate, and we can’t let her out of our sight.
Me: So, even if she might not be Ella, you would accept her?
I-I’m not sure either, Kevin, but this is the bond given by the Moon Goddess. You know, I’m just a wolf…
Me: Enough, you don’t need to say more.
Eric fell silent, seemingly caught in a dilemma. My inner self resisted; I couldn’t easily accept a new mate, even if it was a fate bestowed by the Moon Goddess. I love Ella; we grew up together, she is my unique love and mate.
Anna’s POV
The next day, I woke up to the sound of clashing in the yard. I sat up abruptly.
Wearing a light blue tiered skirt, with golden hair cascading down, I hurried to the yard, hoping Kevin and his Beta weren’t causing any trouble, attracting the attention of the Blue River Pack wolves.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
Kevin, bare-chested with well-defined muscles, perfect chest, was covered in sweat. His sharp nose and lips were sexy and hot, almost causing me to gulp.
Why is this shameless playboy appearing shirtless in our yard early in the morning?
“What are you guys doing?” I pretended to be stern.
“Exercising. Liam and I are from the Blood Moon Pack, and morning training is a habit among Blood Moon wolves.” Kevin’s blue eyes stared at me, seemingly bottomless.
“Okay, but this is a clinic. Don’t do violent things here that could scare my grandma and other patients.” I avoided his gaze, unsure if he was testing me.
“Alright, I apologize.” He smirked, still looking at me. “So, did I scare you too, Miss Anna?”
Kevin took only a few steps to reach me. Due to the intense exercise, heat radiated from him, male hormones bursting. His slightly panting breath hit my forehead.
“Please stay away, sir. It’s impolite to be so close to a woman you just met.” I stepped back two paces.
“Sorry, I’m Kevin, and my other companion is Liam.”
“Very well, Mr. Kevin. I must warn you again, behave with your companion Liam, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have my grandma’s consent. Now, put on your clothes and come to examination room 2.”
“Okay.”
Kevin put on a T-shirt and followed behind me, passing through the yard’s gate. Along the way, I felt the intense gaze behind me, furrowing my brows and recalling yesterday’s conversation with Camila.
“Grandma, trust me. Those two male wolves coming here are definitely not for treatment. We can’t leave them here.”
“Anna, and what if they are?” Camila sat in a chair, took a sip of her drink, and continued, “They came here for you, right? My granddaughter, for the past 5 days since your recovery from muteness, you’ve still been using sign language to communicate with other wolves. And today, you voluntarily spoke, proving their influence on you. They are acquaintances of yours, aren’t they?”
Camila glanced at me casually, and my eyes paused. She knew everything. The Blue Moon Pack’s wolves referred to Camila as Mad Granny, but she was anything but crazy; in fact, she was wiser than anyone.
My silence made Camila sigh. She affectionately touched my hand. “Anna, this is your challenge; you need to address it.”
I lowered my head, looking at Camila’s aged, wrinkled hand, deeply moved. She always knew I wasn’t the real Anna, yet she treated me as her granddaughter, never questioning my past. Choosing acceptance and understanding, I was touched. Camila had long become family to me, and I was willing to heed her words.
“Alright, grandma, I will deal with it.”
Ending the recollection, I took the medical kit from the cabinet, wore the stethoscope, and said, “Please, have a seat.”
Following my command, Kevin sat on a wooden chair. His tall and robust figure made the small chair appear somewhat comical, and then our doctor-patient performance began.
“Do you experience any discomfort regularly?”
“Yes, doctor. I often feel chest tightness, especially when I’m agitated.” When he said “doctor,” there was a teasing tone.
“How long has this symptom been going on?”
“About 5 years. Whenever I’m agitated, I can’t control my anger towards people around me. I throw things, and then…”
“And then what?”
“Then the anger erodes my sanity. I seek out people to vent my anger. Yes, I seek out my enemies.”
I observed Kevin’s serious expression, his posture upright. It made me doubt if we were genuinely discussing his condition. I placed the stethoscope on his left atrium, listening to his heartbeat.
“Okay, this seems to be stress-induced hypertension, affecting your heart rhythm. It’s not a big problem, just make sure to rest…”
“Not only that, doctor. When I’m agitated, I become bloodthirsty and want to kill to quell my anger. Those enemies I mentioned.”
I paused for a moment, locking eyes with Kevin. His blue eyes stared deeply into mine as he continued.
“Since losing my mate five years ago, I launched a crazy retaliation against the Black Wolves. Blood Moon Pack wolves began to fear me, even my father said I became cold-blooded and cruel.” Then he laughed, “Do you know why?”
My breath stopped for a second, trying to maintain composure. “Usually, people return to normal when they let go of their obsessions.”
“But I can’t do that. Guilt and anger almost killed me. Every night, when I close my eyes, I recall the past, and then I can’t control myself, sinking into memories I can’t escape.” Kevin’s hand rested on mine, and the stethoscope sank into his T-shirt. “How do I let go of my obsession?”
His heartbeat magnified, the scalding body temperature came through. I withdrew my hand, attempting to keep a calm tone. “I’m sorry; your issue is psychological, and I’m just an ordinary surgeon.”
“But I think you can cure my ailment.”
I took off the stethoscope from around my neck, realizing that Kevin was testing me. Impatient, my tone revealed annoyance. “Kevin, if you genuinely came to me for treatment, I can use my expertise to help you. But, I’m sorry; psychological issues are beyond my scope. Now, you can leave, and I will have my grandmother refund your payment.”
Seeing me give him the eviction notice, he stood up anxiously. “Wait, Ell-, sorry, Anna, I didn’t mean to offend you. I just… I just feel that you are very similar to my former lover.”
When he mentioned “lover,” my heart couldn’t help but race. I remembered the revenge against the Black Wolves he mentioned, conflicting emotions enveloping me. Could Kevin really be, as Lucy said, searching for me all these years? Does he truly love me?
“My lover’s name is Ella. I owe her a lot. The Moon Goddess once bestowed her upon me, but in my youthful foolishness, I rejected her as my mate. Anna, I’m sorry for treating you as her replacement. Seeing you reminds me of her, makes me feel alive. Please help me, let me stay by your side. I won’t disturb you; I just want to look at you until I let go of my grudge. Then, I will leave.”
Kevin spoke cautiously, showing vulnerability. I hesitated a bit.
“When I let go of my grudge, I will definitely never appear in front of you again and sever our mate bond.” He continued to tempt me.
“How long do you need?”
“At least… six months.”
“What?” I wanted to refuse; six months seemed too long.
“Five months?” He bargained with me.
“One month,” I said.
His brows furrowed, seemingly struggling internally. After seeing my determined expression, he sighed after a moment.
“Fine, one month.”