Esme tended to the flowers with great care.

She did not own them, but they felt like they were her beautiful blooming children, nonetheless.

Did she not help bring them to life?

Would they grow and thrive so were she not there?

She knew nothing of the workings of wealthy households, let alone those belonging to werewolves, but she did know how to care for a garden better than anyone she’d ever known, and that was all that was required to fill this position. She was privy only to the information she needed to complete the tasks assigned her, and rarely needed entrance to the sprawling manor itself.

She occupied a small carriage house tucked in the trees behind the main residence and that suited her perfectly fine. She could grow her own flowers there as she pleased and was free to be alone with her thoughts. She was also paid very handsomely, which was her primary reason for leaving the village to find work. Luckily, she was a healthy woman, and felt obliged to earn money to send back to her loved ones with the sickness.  If she had stayed in the village, she may have very well contracted it herself. Even if the only opportunity for steady employment meant working for werewolves, she would take it.

She felt lucky to be out of danger.

Suho cleared his throat uncomfortably as a stream of people in crisp uniforms endlessly breezed past him.

“There are so many people running about today.”

The woman walking with her arm wrapped in his laughed riotously.

"This is a very special occasion after all, the servants will naturally be very busy until the wedding.”

“All of these people are your house servants?”

She looked at him incredulously.

“Of course they are, darling. Do you not have many servants in your home?”

Following closely behind them, Sehun laughed heartily. Suho shot him a serious look in an attempt to quiet him, but he just began laughing harder, dramatically bending over and clutching his stomach. Suho cleared his throat again. 

“As a matter of fact, we don't have a single one. We're perfectly capable of taking care of the cottage ourselves.”