Chapter 8
On the night before my departure, the night was pitch – black.
I was busy packing my luggage. Just as I was folding the last piece of clothing into the suitcase, the sound of the door lock turning rang out.
Alpha Franklin pushed the door open. His suit jacket was casually draped over his arm, his tie slightly loosened, and there was a faint smell of alcohol on him.
He stood at the door, his eyes falling on my open suitcase. He casually asked, “What are you packing for?”
Just as I was about to say “I’m leaving“, Alpha Franklin interrupted me, his tone
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gentle. “I, teach me how to cook chicken porridge.”
I was startled and looked at him in surprise as he walked towards the kitchen.
Over the years, I had always waited on him. He had never cooked before.
I was silent for a moment but still followed
him.
In the kitchen, Alpha Franklin stood at the cooking counter, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well–defined forearms. He clumsily cut Mushroom slices, his knife skills clumsy, clearly having never done such a thing before.
I stood aside, quietly giving instructions.
“Don’t make the fire too big.”
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“Put the seasonings in at the end.”
“Turn it to a low heat after the water boils.”
Alpha Franklin was unusually patient and actually did as I said.
After the porridge was cooked, he took a sip. His brows relaxed. “Not bad.”
But he didn’t show any intention of giving me
any.
Alpha Franklin didn’t notice my gaze. He looked at his watch and suddenly said, “I, I have something to do these days. I’ll accompany you later.”
After saying that, he picked up the thermos, poured the remaining porridge into it, and then turned and left with it.
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I stood there, listening to the sound of the door closing. I silently took out my phone and opened Claire’s Facebook.
Sure enough, I had just seen an update from her.
[Suddenly really want to drink chicken porridge. Is there anyone willing to learn it for me?]
I turned off my phone and gave a soft laugh.
This porridge was something I had specifically learned for him back then.
He had a weak stomach. I heard that chicken porridge was good for the stomach, so I visited all the old–fashioned restaurants, begged the chefs to teach my, and it took countless attempts before I learned how to
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make it.
And now, he, who had never stepped into the kitchen, was actually cooking for Claire.
Love and not – love really was a cycle.
On the morning of my departure, I packed all my luggage by myself.
There were still a few hours until my flight. I put on a hat and went out alone, visiting several places.
Six hours before takeoff, I found myself back at the Werewolf Royal University. The place where Alpha Franklin and I met. Where we used to cut class just to sneak off into the forest and shift under the stars.
Since it’s winter break, the university campus is virtually empty.
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I found our old lecture hall, third floor, west wing. The smell of chalk and old leather still lingered in the air, faint but familiar.
I walked over to the seat by the window–my seat. Same scuffed legs, same bite marks in the wood from one of my bad transformation days.
My fingers brushed over the words I’d once scratched into the desk, half–clawed and half–carved:
“Sirena Miles loves Alpha Franklin Hurlbutt forever.”
I pulled out my key and started scratching it out. The sound echoed in the empty room, raw and jagged. The wood shavings fell rustlingly, like my broken–up youth.
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Five hours before takeoff, I made my way to Lovers‘ Bridge.
It’s a classic werewolf spot, famous for the enchanted iron railings that were said to “lock your soulmates together.” Or at least, that’s what the old stories said. Plenty of us bought into the fairy tale. Especially me.
There it was–our old lock. Still clinging to the chain–link fence like it had something to prove. Alpha Franklin had let me drag him here back then, grumbling the whole time.
“I heard it keeps mates together forever,” I’d said, blushing so hard.
He’d just hummed and let me click it shut.
Looking at it now, I wondered if he even remembered. Probably not.
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I tugged hard.
The chain snapped and the lock tumbled into the river below. Not even a splash. Just silence. Like the whole world couldn’t care less.
Four hours before takeoff, I went to the witches‘ coven.
Over the years, tensions between werewolves and witch covens have eased significantly. Many young werewolf couples now visit the covens‘ famous wishing tree to make their wishes.
I wasn’t there for wish. I just wanted to retrieve my old wish ribbon from the sacred tree.
But the second I stepped past the rune wards, I froze.
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There they were.
Alpha Franklin and Claire.
Standing under the wishing tree. Claire was clinging to his arm, eyes wide with fake innocence as she chirped, “I wish for a pup to come into my belly soon~”
Alpha Franklin chuckled and said, “I wish the person by my side gets everything her heart. desires.”
The old witch handed them a red silk ribbon. “May your wishes come true.”
But the tree was packed full. Years‘ worth of ribbons, each one handwritten, blessed, and tied with a tiny knot of hope.
Alpha Franklin frowned. “I’ll donate five
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million. Take them all down.”
A young witch scrambled to obey, plucking down the silks like they were dead leaves.
“What should we do with these?” she asked.
Alpha Franklin didn’t even blink. “Throw them away.”
Just like that.
I waited until they left, then walked over and picked up the pile of discarded ribbons. I recognized my handwriting immediately.
“May Franklin’s legs recover.”
“May Franklin be safe.”
“May Sirena grow old with Franklin.”
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So many prayers. So many heartbeats. All shredded and tossed in a dusty corner.
I held them for a moment, then smiled.
At least now I didn’t have to come back to destroy them myself.
One hour before takeoff, I ran to the airport, dragging my suitcase behind me.
After boarding, the flight attendant smiled at me. “Please turn off your phone, ma’am.”
I nodded. “Alright, right away.”
I opened the photo album and found the video I had recorded that day. The scene of Alpha Franklin and Claire being intimate.
I selected the video and pressed send.
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Then, I typed word by word –
“Franklin, I know you took my kidney for Claire.
I know that you secretly aborted our child when Claire cried and made a scene.
I also know that you’re going to have a child with Claire.
Franklin, you got what you wanted. I don’t want you anymore. I’m completely giving you back to Claire.”
I clicked send, blocked, deleted, and turned off the phone.
When the plane soared into the clouds, I looked at the rolling clouds outside the window and gently closed my eyes.
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This time, I would never look back.
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