Maru stepped to the side as her mother, after cleaning off her shoes on the porch mat, entered the premises. “Did you bring me another piece of your fantastic pottery?” Maru beamed. It’d been awhile since she’d gotten a new one.

“Of course! I only bring you my best,” her mother turned to wink at her before leading them into the kitchen. She delicately set down the dish on the kitchen counter. “Did you just come back from school?”

“Yes, Ms. Hong. Would you like me to make you coffee? Tea?” Maru gestured her head towards the cabinets.

Ms. Hong frowned. “You sound so formal, has it really been that long since I’ve visited? A cup of tea would be nice; it’s not good to drink coffee so late in the day.” She paused, watching Maru heat up some water in the kettle. “You haven’t been drinking coffee late have you? It’ll keep you up all night.”

Maru huffed. “Already chastisizing me? It’s only been minutes since you’ve walked in!”

“Knowing you, you’ve probably done that often. Probably still eating all that junk food for meals!” Her mother tsked.

Maru joined Ms. Hong at the table, sliding to the opposite seat. “How’s the shop coming along?”

Her mother’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, my dear, you have no idea! My, I didn’t expect many customers in the early stages since it’s just a small store, but recently business is booming! Maybe someone suggested to all their friends about my products, though I truly hope to continue selling this well.”

Maru nodded, reaching for the plate. “The details on this one is spectacular.” She held the ceramic closer, only a mere centimeter between her face and the plate. “How long did this one take?”

Ms. Hong looked up towards the ceiling, tapping her fingers on the wooden table. “Hmm… just short of a week? I was a bit more invested in finishing this one. Had I not been, it could’ve taken a month.”

The kettle on the stove squealed, signaling Maru to prepare the tea.

“You know…” Ms. Hong trailed off as Maru carefully placed two cups of tea on the table, heading back towards the counter to also bring the teapot. “After you graduate, you could come and work at the shop with me, even stay with me if you’d like.”

Maru sighed, lifting her cup. “Mom, you know I want to go start somewhere new and far from here.” She took a sip. “I wouldn’t mind working with you, it’s just that where you stay is too close to here and to the packs.”

“If that’s what you want to do,” her mother conceded. “I just miss you so much. I already worry about you as it is.”

Maru kept her eyes trained on the table. “I would come and visit.” She could see her surrogate mother smile forlornly.

After drinking some tea together, Maru decided to crack on some homework her teachers overloaded her with. Heading upstairs, she could hear a faint sound of the refrigerator opening and held her breath.

“Young lady! Why is there barely any food in here! I gave you money for groceries! Nutritious groceries!”

Maru cringed and hurried into her room. Almost instantly, she was reminded of what happened earlier before Ms. Hong arrived, and felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

She gasped. She could still smell traces of Luhan on her body.

After dousing herself in body spray, she snatched her backpack and headed back downstairs, hearing distant voices from the television.

She spent a couple hours sitting comfortably on the sofa with her aunt, conversing every now and then during the drama’s commercial breaks. It was mostly just Maru rambling about school and Ms. Hong gossiping about her neighboring shops.

Maru felt on the edge the entire time. Her surrogate mother may not smell the other wolf on her due to old age deteriorating her senses. Maru was aware of every action Ms. Hong did in the corner of her eye. Once, her mother just sniffed once in the air, and Maru all but had an internal heart attack. However, Ms. Hong kept a nonchalant demeanor. Maru’s heart pounded in anticipation for the question, for the interrogation of whose scent is laced on her body.

But the usually blunt and aging lady never said a word on it.

Bidding her mom goodbye, Maru shut the door, making sure to twist the lock and slide the chain across, jiggling the doorknob for good measure. She plopped back down on the cozy couch in the living room, ready to sleep. The whole day was just draining.

Lina pestered her multiple times during school for her phone number, wanting to text over the weekend. Maru isn’t quite sure how, but she managed to evade the question so she doesn’t have to explain that she didn’t even have a phone to begin with.

Ms. Hong, her surrogate mother who raised her like her own, came to visit without notice.

Which was pleasant, because she was basically one of the extremely limited number of companions (more or less) that Maru had. It’ve been nice to have time to tidy up a bit, though.

And Luhan, the pack’s beta, was her mate.

Maru groaned. That idea was too much for her, even if his mysterious exterior combined with his looks that compared to Adonis was undoubtedly attractive.

The sensation returned; the desire to be with Luhan in every possible way managed to flutter the pits of her stomach even though he wasn’t even there. Fantastic.

She thought about the ways he had kissed her, on many occasions, today. She could still feel his soft, pale hair curled in her fingers. His fingers ghosting across her back, her neck, and her face.

Those situations can appear incredibly too sudden for any average person, but the wave of need that coursed through the body was so strong, there’s no way for her to resist gravitating towards her newfound mate. She was vaguely aware of how it feels to be with a mate, but what her adoptive mother had told her did not prep her for it at all.

Perhaps it was the fact that with the growing enforcement of others reminding her of her lowly status, that she didn’t feel like there could be anyone who was meant for her. Anyone who could romantically love her.

And she definitely couldn’t have imagined it to be Luhan, of all wolves.

She was absolutely relieved he understood her plea for secrecy at lunchtime.

If any of the others knew… her life, and probably his, would even more.

Hi! Dubulge has kindly let me take over this story, since I liked the concept a lot.

Unfortunately, updates wouldn't be often, but I'll try to write when I can!

Hope you enjoy~