Chapter 4

I reached out and stopped the chair.

"Take the cushions off and return them to the guesthouse."

The servant immediately did as instructed.

"As for the seats, let Marcus tell Noah himself."

"Let him explain why he broke the promise he made this morning."

A soft laugh came from behind.

Celia stood by the door, holding the silver cup she had just chosen.

"It's just a meal. Why make things difficult for them?"

I turned around.

She glanced at the removed cushions, her tone becoming even gentler.

“Iris is new here and doesn’t know anyone. She’ll feel less scared if she sits next to Marcus. Noah isn’t a guest, so it doesn’t matter where he sits.”

"Since it's the same wherever you sit, why don't you sit down there?"

Celia's smile froze for a moment.

Then, she lowered her eyes and stroked the rim of the glass.

"This was Marcus's arrangement."

She placed the silver cup next to his seat.

"If you're unhappy, you can go ask him."

I looked at her.

She knew how Marcus would answer.

That certainty didn't even need to be hidden.

I would ask.

I took the cushion offered by the servant and turned to leave.

Before leaving the hall, I heard Celia instruct the servants to warm up Marcus's favorite wine.

She had begun to arrange everything here as if she were the mistress of the house.

...

I found Marcus in the inner courtyard.

He was talking to some guests when he saw me. He simply raised his hand, indicating that I should wait a moment.

I didn't wait.

"Noah's seat has been removed."

The smile on his face faded slightly.

"I know."

"You promised him this morning."

"It was just a change of seats. I didn't say I wouldn't spend time with him."

Marcus lowered his voice.

"Help him sit down first. I'll go over after I've finished entertaining my guests. Do we really have to make everyone unhappy over something like this?"

Someone else called him.

He responded and then patted the back of my hand.

"Listen to me, don't let Noah start overthinking things like you."

I watched as he turned back towards the visitor.

This time, I didn't stay to wait for him to finish.

Back at the inn, I checked my luggage again and asked someone to invite the familiar caravan leader.

"Please reserve a carriage for us tonight."

The caravan leader looked at the neatly folded clothes by the bed and hesitated for a moment.

"Luna, aren't we going to wait until tomorrow morning?"

"We're leaving tonight."

I gave him the travel expenses.

He didn't ask any more questions, took the money bag, and nodded.

After he left, I squatted down in front of Noah.

“Dad moved our seats to the guest section. He said he’d come over after he finished entertaining the guests.”

Noah was buttoning up his new clothes one button at a time.

Upon hearing this, his hand stopped.

"Didn't he say he wanted me to sit next to him tonight?"

"Yes, he said that."

I stopped trying to find excuses for Marcus.

“We don’t have to go. Your luggage is packed, and Mom will take you to the beach.”

Noah looked down at his clothes.

After a while, he gently grabbed my sleeve.

"I want to ask my dad myself."

"He clearly promised me this morning."

I took his hand.

"Okay, Mom will go with you to ask."

...

As night fell, the fire in the fireplace in the hall burned brightly.

The long table was laden with roast meat, bread, and warm wine. The gifts, which I had personally checked, were being delivered to the guests by the servants.

Celia sat to Marcus's right, smiling as she called out everyone's names.

Not long ago, she needed me to write those names down for her.

Upon seeing us, the gray-haired team leader immediately stood up.

"Luna, you've arrived."

He moved the chair next to him to make room for us.

I nodded to him, but did not sit down.

Noah gripped my hand, his gaze fixed on the main table.

Marcus was cutting up the meat on Iris's plate.

The girl couldn't hold the knife properly, so he pushed his plate over and gave her the meat cut into small pieces.

Noah walked slower and slower.

Just then, a guest who was visiting Greyfell for the first time raised his glass.

"To the Alpha and the beautiful Luna! May your family get through this winter safely."

His gaze fell on Celia and Iris.

The old team leader next to me frowned, about to speak, when Marcus had already raised his glass.

"Thank you. I hope all of you who have come from afar enjoy yourselves tonight."

The rims of the glasses clinked together, producing a crisp sound.

He did not correct it.

Celia looked up at me, her smile deepening.

Noah's hands suddenly clenched.

"Mother."

He looked up at me, his eyes full of confusion.

"Did that person mistake someone else for you?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't Dad tell him?"

I opened my mouth, but couldn't make a sound immediately.

Over the years, I've answered far too many questions for Marcus.

Why doesn't Dad come home for dinner?

Why is Dad always busy?

Does my dad not like me?

At that moment, I finally had no words left to say on his behalf.

Noah let go of my hand and walked to the main table.

I followed him.

"Dad."

Marcus was listening to Celia speak, and only lowered his head after a moment.

"Why don't you go sit down?"

Noah glanced at the seat next to him.

"You said you'd have dinner with me tonight."

"I know. You go with Mom first and wait a little while."

Noah did not move.

His fingertips touched his father's sleeve.

"When are you coming?"

Marcus frowned slightly.

Several people around stopped talking and looked over.

He pulled his sleeve out of his son's hand.

"Noah, don't bother me at a time like this."

The child's hand was hanging in mid-air.

I reached out and caught it.

"You told him to come."

Marcus looked at me, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes.

“I didn’t ask him to come over now.”

"He's been waiting for you since morning."

"So what?" he asked in a low voice. "Do you want me to leave the guests here and only keep him company?"

Noah's face gradually paled.

"I don't..."

His voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the clatter of cups and plates.

Celia sighed softly beside Marcus.

"Never mind, Marcus. How about I take Iris with me, so they won't be upset?"

As soon as she stood up, Marcus took her hand.

"Sit down."

Then he turned his head and looked at me.

"Take Noah back first."

"This is the first time Celia and her daughter are eating with the pack. Don't make them feel uncomfortable just because you're here."

I looked at the hand that was gripping Celia's wrist.

He wasn't unaware that someone was embarrassed.

However, he never intended to protect us.

Beside me, Noah suddenly tugged at my hand gently.

"Mom, I won't ask anymore."

I lowered my head.

His eyes were already red, but he was still trying hard to hold back his tears.

"Let's go."

I knelt down and smoothed out the wrinkles in his sleeves.

"Okay."

Marcus seemed relieved.

"That's right. Let him rest early, I'll come over later."

I did not answer.

As I turned to leave, holding Noah's hand, the old caravan leader called my name again.

"Luna, the child hasn't eaten yet."

He picked up a clean cloth, wrapped several slices of bread in it, and quickly brought it over.

As I took it, he glanced at the main table, his lips moved, but in the end he only whispered:

"Be careful on the road."

"Thanks."

I clutched the still-warm bread and led my son out of the hall.

Laughter rang out again behind me.

Marcus was trying to coax Iris into having a taste of the sweet soup.

Noah did not turn around.

...

Back at the guesthouse, he sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his already packed luggage.

I poured him some warm water and broke the bread into small pieces.

"Eat something first. It'll be cold in the carriage; you can't go hungry."

He took it and slowly took a bite.

As he swallowed, tears streamed down his face.

"Mom, I didn't take her seat today."

"I know."

“I didn’t ask my dad to kick her out either.”

"I know."

He finally burst into tears.

"I just want him to have a meal with me once."

I pulled him into my arms, my palms pressed against his trembling back.

After a long while, he managed to suppress the sob in his throat.

"It's not that you want too much."

“Dad promised, but he didn’t keep his promise.”

Noah gripped my clothes tightly.

"If we go to the beach, will we come back?"

I stroked his hair, instead of trying to calm him down with a lighthearted remark like Marcus did.

"Mom plans to stay there and work with Mara."

“We will have our own house.”

He remained silent in my arms for a while.

"Will you always stay with me?"

"I will."

"Then I want to go."

He wiped his face, climbed out of bed, and put the wooden wolf with the missing ear into his bag.

That was carved by Marcus himself for him.

I neither told him to keep it nor to throw it away.

He could be reluctant to part with his father.

But he didn't need to stay in the same place, waiting for his father to turn back.

...

I finished writing my last letter as the carriage stopped outside the inn.

There were no accusations, nor were the events of the past few days listed out one by one.

Marcus knew those choices better than anyone else.

Marcus:

"I am no longer Greyfell's Luna, nor will I live as your partner."

"The affairs of the tribe have been handed over. I will settle Noah down by the sea, and my belongings will be inventoried later."

"This departure has no return date."

Elena Ward

I sealed the letter and placed it in the center of the desk in my study.

The fireplace in the study where he said he would stay temporarily was still cold.

I didn't go back to the bedroom to look again.

Back at the carriage, Noah was already seated with his luggage. The caravan leader lowered the thick curtains for us and tucked the hot water bottles into the blankets.

The guards at the city gate had already received instructions from Marcus and knew that I was taking my son to the seaside to rest.

Upon seeing the carriage, one of them raised his torch, signaling to his companions to open the gate.

No one stopped us.

No one even needed to consult the Alpha anymore.

The path that Marcus had arranged for us unfolded before us without any obstruction.

The wheels rolled over the stone slabs beneath the gateway.

Noah suddenly reached out and gripped my fingers tightly.

"Mother."

"Um?"

"Did you bring my blanket too?"

I unfolded the small blanket that was folded beside me and covered his legs.

He touched the familiar corner of the cloth before slowly leaning into my arms.

The lights in the castle grew farther and farther away.

I hugged my son tightly and didn't lift the carriage curtain.

...

The next morning, when Marcus walked into the hall, several caravan leaders had been waiting for a long time.

One of them needed to renegotiate the transportation arrangements at the eastern ferry crossing.

After listening for a few minutes, Marcus habitually looked at the empty seat next to him.

"Where is Elena?"

No one answered immediately.

He frowned.

“Go and invite her over. She knows this route best, and she should take care of things before setting off.”

The manager stood by the door, looking somewhat hesitant.

"Alpha, Luna took Noah away last night."

Marcus paused for a moment, then shook his head dismissively.

"So urgent?"

"Forget it. Send a messenger after her and have her write back a letter explaining the matter."

The manager did not move.

A moment later, he placed a letter in front of Marcus.

"She has already left you a letter."

The wax seal was intact.

On the outside of the letter was only one name.

Elena Ward.