Mira’s POV
At dinner that night, Cale said, “I’m going back to Silvercrest Pack tomorrow. Should be back in two or three days. While I’m gone, lock the doors and windows. Stay safe.”
Listening to him give me instructions like that, I couldn’t help feeling like we sounded almost like a real couple.
The thought made me cringe at myself.
Had I really just escaped one disaster with Elias, only to walk straight into another?
I kept my expression neutral and focused on food.
“Got it. Ryan mentioned before that you left to escape debt collectors. You’re not worried they’ll come after you again when you go back?”
Cale’s eyes darkened for a moment.
Softening at the concern in my voice, he said, “I’ve paid off the debts.
I’m going back this time because my parents aren’t well.
Just visiting.”
”Oh, I see.” I glanced up at him.
“Do you have money for their treatment?”
I sighed with genuine regret.
“My father froze all my bank accounts and credit cards. Otherwise, I would have helped you with the money.”
He smiled.
“If I took your money, I’d really become the freeloader your father accused me of being.”
The next morning, I woke up early and made an especially lavish breakfast.
Fried eggs, toast, fruit salad.
Cale frowned.
“What’s all this?
Don’t tell me you’re planning to leave the moment I’m gone.”
I paused, then said seriously, “I promised I’d take care of you until your wound healed.
I intend to keep that promise.
I just wanted to make sure you had a good meal before you hit the road.”
I smiled and pulled a small cloth pouch from my pocket.
A Moon-blessed charm, about the size of my palm.
I’d gotten it at a moonlight blessing ceremony ages ago.
I wasn’t superstitious, but sometimes you had to put your faith in the Moon Goddess.
I’d always kept it with me.
Cale took it and examined it.
“What is this?”
”Moon Goddess Blessing Charm,” I said.
“I got it at the Moon Temple a long time ago. I’m not really the believing type, but sometimes you have to trust the Moon Goddess. You’re going home, take it with you.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve been carrying it all this time?”
I nodded.
He couldn’t help himself.
“You’ve carried this thing around all this time, and somehow you still failed this many exams?? Got pushed around by your father and stepsister? Have a deadbeat ex-boyfriend? You’re sure this thing brings blessing?”
I was worried about him, and here he was, every single word jabbing straight into my heart.
I shot to my feet and reached to snatch it back.
“Fine, then don’t take it!”
But the moment my hand extended, he caught my wrist and pulled me into his chest.
I collided with him hard, my nose hitting the second button of his shirt.
“Let go of me!” I struggled, embarrassed and furious.
“Give me back my things.”
He let out a low laugh and tucked the charm into the inner pocket of his suit jacket with his other hand, right against his heart.
“You gave it to me, so it’s mine now. Even if it’s nothing but bad luck, I’m still keeping it.”
I went still all at once.
His palm rested against my lower back, the heat of it seeping through the thin fabric.
When he said “Even if it’s nothing but bad luck, I’m still keeping it.” his breath brushed my ear, light and warm.
I froze in his arms, not daring to move a muscle.
Why did he have to say things like that?
These ambiguous, maddening things that made my mind wander.
The irritation he’d provoked moments ago dissolved completely.
His hand lifted and settled gently on top of my head, fingers threading through my hair.
“Be good. Wait for me to come back.”
His tone, the look in his eyes, it was unmistakably the way a man looked at a lover.
Something in my chest tightened painfully, and I wrenched myself out of his arms, grabbed my bag, and bolted for the door.
“I’m off to school. Safe travels.”
The door shut behind me.
I leaned against the hallway wall, hands pressed to my face.
The skin beneath my palms was burning.
I didn’t bother cooking breakfast during the two days Cale was away.
I’d grab breakfast at the Pack Academy cafeteria and head straight to the classroom to study.
Vivienne was the only other person who showed up as early as I did.
Seraphina had always required her to arrive an hour early to study.
Under Seraphina’s strict upbringing, Vivienne had always been an excellent student.
Vivienne was the one who made my father proud.
I, on the other hand, had been “indulged” by Seraphina from a young age.
When Vivienne got her knuckles rapped for piano mistakes, Seraphina bought me limited-edition dolls.
So my grades had always trailed behind Vivienne’s.
Worse, because Seraphina raised me to love spending money and having expensive tastes while teaching her own daughter to be frugal, Marcus eventually couldn’t stand the sight of me—he saw me as a useless spendthrift.
But the fact that I’d gotten into the same Pack Academy as Vivienne proved my intelligence wasn’t inferior to hers.
After all, she’d spent at least ten times as many hours studying as I had growing up.
Over those two days, Vivienne clearly noticed I was arriving even earlier than she was.
It baffled her.
Before this, I had poured all my energy into chasing after love.
I was lucky if I even showed up to class, let alone studied this hard.
Once the classroom started filling up, Vivienne walked over to my desk and announced loudly, “Sister, you’ve been coming in so early every day to study. Seeing you work this hard, I’m genuinely happy for you.”
Chloe jumped in immediately, her voice sharp enough for the whole classroom to hear.
“Oh my god, even Mira is voluntarily hitting the books. Don’t tell me you found out you had to retake your exams and you’re about to get expelled, so you’re squeezing in every last second of campus life?”
Vivienne put on her most sanctimonious face.
“Chloe, don’t say that. Last semester’s courses were so easy, and the makeup exams were even easier. I’m sure my sister passed.”
With that, the mockery from our classmates only got louder.
“Vivienne, those courses are easy for you.
Mira fails every year.
Does it even matter if something is easy or hard for her?”
Chloe fawned, “Vivienne, we all know you’re kind-hearted.
But a sister like Mira isn’t worth defending.
Don’t forget, she cursed your chances in the jewelry competition the other day.
She’s a waste of space herself, and on top of that she actually hoped you’d lose.
She’s insane.”
Others chimed in.
“Exactly! Vivienne, you’re the top student. Even the professors say your design work is already at a professional level. Being modest at this point is just showing off.”
Vivienne basked in the praise, casting me a smile that wasn’t quite a smile.
“Whether my sister wants me to win or not, I still hope she can at least make it past the preliminary round.”
The implication was clear: at my level, I’d be eliminated in the first round.
Chloe glanced dismissively at Mira, who was reading quietly and ignoring them.
“Vivienne, you’re being far too generous. This is a league-wide competition spanning all the Packs. With this many entrants, only one percent make it past the preliminaries. Our entire major might only send a handful through. You think Mira has a shot?”
While everyone was chattering, the jewelry design instructor walked in.
“Quiet down, everyone. I have an announcement. The competition organizers just notified us—the preliminary round results are out, and notifications have been sent to your Pack internal emails. Check your inboxes now. I need to tally how many of you made it to the next round.”
Everyone scrambled to pull out their phones and log in, each one praying they’d gotten through.
The tension was palpable, except for Vivienne, who looked completely unbothered.
Getting past the preliminaries was beneath her.
She was aiming for the championship and had never doubted she’d advance.