He Wants His Ex-Lover Back

Cestia's POV

“JACK? WHERE ARE YOU?”

The hallway was dark and I am already upstairs, away from the loud noise of the banquet. Jacques suddenly disappeared in the midst of the party.

I was about to go back to the party when I saw a door that was a litle opened. When I went near to the door, I heard my mate's voice.

“I don't love her, Fayre. You are the one that I love,” he said with passion.

I felt like I was stabbed when I heard those words. When I peek to them, I saw Fayre kissing my mate. They are passionately kissing each other.

That moment, I wiped my tears and decided. It was a mistake staying here. It was a mistake agreeing in making a pact to him. I sighed and said to myself important words before I left.

“This is over now.”

•••

A month ago...

“WHAT? YOU ARE LETTING ME GO?”

I'm so done! It's interesting how life can kick you when you're feeling down. The last straw for me was losing my job at the coffee shop.

My boss had avoided looking at me when he remarked, "We're cutting back staff." My ticket to extra income vanished in an instant.

I couldn't bring myself to approach Lucas, my adopted father, for further assistance since I was already walking a wire financially while attending college. He has taken care of Melanie and me sufficiently.

“You need a break,” Melanie had said, tossing her auburn hair over her shoulder. “We’ll go to Mt. Calestina for the weekend. It’s supposed to be amazing this time of year.”

I didn't believe it. Melanie often defined "amazing" as flaunting her most recent attire and telling everyone how much better she looked in it.

But I was swayed by the prospect of a change of scenery and fresh air. Perhaps, just perhaps, I might feel a little less lost.

“Sure,” I replied.

She clapped her hands. “Perfect!”

As described in the advertisements, Mt. Calestina was indeed magnificent. The highest mountain in the area, it towered magnificently, a curtain of mist concealing its top. The cries that reverberated across the woodland during full moons were a whisper among the locals. The mountain was known for its folklore of werewolves, creatures who alternated between human and animal forms. I dismissed the stories, saying, "Nonsense."

Werewolves and humans couldn't possible live together.

Could they?

The hike started off uneventfully. The forest was alive with the sounds of birds and rustling leaves, the air crisp and cool.

The tour guide shouted while we are walking, “Don't go to the off limits zone. Remember, this mountain is full of wolves and other dangerous species.”

Melanie led the way, her pace brisk, as if she had something to prove. I trailed behind, lost in thought, until I felt the empty space around my neck.

My necklace was gone.

“N-No... It can't be.”

Panic surged through me. It wasn’t just any necklace—it was a silver pendant Lucas had given me when I was a child. “A reminder of how much you’re loved,” he’d said. It was my tether to the family I sometimes felt I didn’t quite belong to.

“I’ll catch up,” I called to Melanie, who didn’t bother to stop.

I went back and looked for the slight shimmer of silver on the forest floor. Here, the light looked dimmer and the trees denser. The sounds of nature dwindled as I continued on, giving way to an uncomfortable quiet.

Then came the first howl.

It was distant but haunting, reverberating through the trees. My pulse quickened as I realized just how alone I was. “Hello?” I called, my voice trembling. “Is anyone there?”

Another howl answered, closer this time.

Fear began to creep in and around me like the forest's shadows. With the weight of the stories I had previously discounted bearing down on me, I quickened my pace.

The growl was barely audible at first, but it got louder with each stride. As two black wolves with strangely bright eyes sprang out of the darkness, my breath caught in my throat.

Their fur blended in with the darkness, and they were big. Their growls chilled me to the bone. My head whirling, I froze.

“Stay back,” I whispered, knowing they wouldn’t understand.

One of them lunged. I stumbled back, tripping over a root and landing hard on the ground. My chest heaved as they closed in, their teeth bared.

Suddenly, a thunderous growl echoed through the forest.

The strong figure of a golden-brown wolf was a whirl of action as it sprang into the conflict. It slammed into the black wolves and drove them furiously away. With its deliberate and accurate movements, the golden wolf's presence was overwhelming.

“W-What's happening?”

The black wolves snarled, but they were hesitant to confront it more. Their brilliant eyes vanished into the darkness as they withdrew into the shadows with a last roar.

The golden wolf turned to face me, and I sat still, my heart racing. With such intensity that I forgot to breathe, its crimson-glowed eyes locked upon mine.

And then, impossibly, the wolf began to change.

Its fur receded, muscles rippling as its form shifted. In moments, a man stood where the wolf had been.

Werewolves...

They are true! I can't believe that they are real and I am seeing one right in front of me. I could believe it. This is crazy!

He was tall, with a powerful build and tousled dark hair. His tan skin gleamed in the faint light, and his eyes—still tinged with that eerie red—bore into mine.

“You…” he said, his voice deep and gravelly, as though unused to speech.

I couldn’t move. My instincts screamed at me to run, but something about him held me in place.

“You’re human,” he murmured, as though confirming a suspicion. Then his expression softened, though his crimson eyes never left mine.

“Who… who are you?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

His lips curved into a faint smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You don't know me...” he said, his voice steady now. “But I can smell you...”

“W-What do you want?”

His gaze softened further, his tone almost reverent as he spoke the next words. The next words came out to his mouth made my whole body frozen.

“You are my mate.”