Ella’s POV
I turned around and saw a tall manf wearing a white shirt. Our eyes met, and he smiled.
“Anna, it’s really you. I heard you took a position here.”
I was stunned.
Henry Nelson, the hybrid son of Alpha Oscar,
Why was he here so late?
And did he just see me drop blood for the spider?
Henry’s demeanor was completely different from his brother Luke’s arrogant and domineering attitude. He was very refined, always dressed in well-tailored shirts, with a warm and inviting smile. His eyes showed sincere kindness. He had amber-colored eyes, well-groomed hair, and despite his noble status, he was approachable and beloved by the Blue River Pack.
That’s also why Luke hated him and liked to tease him.
“Henry, what are you doing here?” I pocketed the glass bottle and stood up from the chair.
“Anna, you can speak now!”
“Uh, yes, that happened not long ago.”
“Awesome.” Henry walked towards me with excitement, then stopped, speaking sincerely, “Anna, I never imagined your voice could be so pleasant.”
“Thanks, thank you.” Henry was always so gentle; sometimes it was hard to resist.
“Since we parted ways at the hunting ground last time, I’ve always wanted to see you again.” He chuckled and ruffled my hair. “I sincerely rejoice at the recovery of your voice and the title you won in the community ceremony.”
“So, why aren’t you sleeping so late?”
“I happened to be unable to sleep, took a stroll around the estate, and heard Ava say you took a position. I’m glad you’re here,” Henry’s attractive amber eyes blinked, “Is your job going well? If you have any troubles, you can tell me.”
“Uh, yes, but don’t worry, it’s just a minor thing for me.”
“Good, Anna. Actually, I came here for something else…” Henry took a small box from his suit pocket. “This is a gift I prepared for you. Honestly, I’ve wanted to give it to you for a long time, but considering my brother Luke, I didn’t have a chance to get close to you.”
I was stunned. I never expected Henry to have been keeping track of my affairs. To be honest, if it weren’t for Luke causing trouble every time he found me, I had almost forgotten about resolving the prank he played on him at the hunting grounds half a year ago.
“What is this?”
He opened the box, revealing a moon-shaped necklace with diamonds.
My tongue was tied in surprise. “Henry, your gift is too precious…”
“Don’t be nervous; it’s just a little something from me. As a friend, you’ll accept it, right?”
Henry gazed sincerely into my eyes, and I unconsciously swallowed my refusal.
In the moment of distraction, I felt a coolness on my neck as he put the moon necklace on me.
“Wait-”
“Anna, wearing it makes you my friend.”
“Okay, fine.” I took a deep breath.
Henry looked satisfied as he admired the necklace around my neck. But whether it was my imagination or not, for a moment, the warmth in his eyes seemed to retract. His gaze lingered on my neck, and I awkwardly touched it.
“Thank you for the gift. It’s already dawn; let’s go back and rest.”
“Okay, hope to see you again soon.”
On the way back to the dormitory, I pondered while touching the moon necklace. Something still felt off, but then I remembered Henry’s clear gaze. Maybe he really just sees me as a friend.
Henry’s POV
My mother is human. When I was very young, the Blue River Pack’s werewolves would secretly call me Hybrid.
My father, Oscar Nelson, has two wives and three sons. This often led to comparisons between my human mother and his Luna by the werewolves. As for me, I was frequently compared to his other two sons. Despite him bestowing upon us a prestigious status and a prosperous life, it wasn’t what I wanted, and I wasn’t happy at all.
“Henry, learn to control your emotions. Don’t let people see what’s inside you.”
Since I was five, my mother taught me not to show emotions in front of anyone, not to have a self, to always remain humble and gentle. This way, we could lower people’s animosity towards us because we were different among the werewolves.
Different, yes, my brothers and their mothers often referred to my mother and me as different.
My father appeared to be a responsible, tolerant Alpha of the Blue River Pack, but in reality, he was very greedy and selfish. He had both the mate given by the Moon Goddess, Mrs. Willow, and my human mother as his wives, making his two wives the gossip topic among the werewolves.
Sometimes, I envied my two brothers; they could be themselves and pursue freedom. Whereas, I had to conceal my desires and emotions, becoming the perfect gentleman in everyone’s eyes. Fortunately, after more than twenty years of pretending, no one saw me as different anymore. However, the shame of being different was deeply buried in my heart until two years ago when I encountered a she-wolf.
“Hey, look at that mute Omega, always alone by the river, looks so foolish.”
A she-wolf mocked her, and others joined in laughter.
She didn’t even look at them and continued to scatter the bait in the river. Then, various colored fish surged up, creating a spectacular sight. She smiled and interacted with the fish, and they swayed with her movements. The shimmering waves reflected on her face, and it was the first time I saw her calm and bright hazel eyes.
She seemed immersed in her own world, confident and radiant. I found myself silently watching her from the shore until she left with her bamboo basket.
Later, I heard she was a physician at Mad Granny Clinic, a mute Omega, a peculiar anomaly. Since then, I started paying attention to her.
Anna thought our first meeting was half a year ago in the forest’s hunting ground, but in reality, I had known her for two years. Honestly, Luke’s prank wasn’t an accident; I planned it, knowing she was nearby collecting herbs. Fortunately, I won, and she indeed got into trouble because of Luke. Now, the trouble is that the arrogant guy Luke seems to have taken an interest in her.
What bothers me more is that she has been marked by another male wolf.
Damn it, maybe I should have made a move earlier. Who the hell marked her?