Ember's POV

I decided to return to work a week later, simply because as much as the familiar walls of my home weren't pressuring me to get my life back In order, I knew that I had to begin receiving sunlight at some point. I could not simply sink, not after I vowed that I would be stronger.


But to be honest, work wasn't having me. I had called in sick, so there were a bunch of get well soon cards and cupcakes that warmed my heart, but to be honest, I struggled with my functionality and productivity. It was not that I wasn't doing anything, it was just that I felt like I wasn't doing as much as I usually would.

By midday, the president of the company called me, and I thought that I was in trouble, but one look at his face told me I was mistaken. If anything, I saw compassion in his expression and that made my knees buckle,

"Welcome back, Ember. Why do you look that way, are you surprised I was aware of your absence?"


I smiled a little and shrugged, "I know I wrote for sick leave, but I didn't think you took notice of these things. Thank you."

"Speaking of taking notice, I've noticed that even now, you're struggling with falling back into your rhythm, but even then I can see how much you are pushing yourself." he gestured toward some of the paperwork I had submitted earlier. They contained half of the work I had missed out on, during my week away, but were rather incomplete.


I pressed both my lips together and opened my mouth to speak, but he shook his head, "You're pale Ember. You look like the littlest push would knock you to the ground. I'm not saying you're weak, I'm saying you should take the time you need to recover and stop pushing yourself so hard. It's only going to make you a bit more sick, and I don't want that for you."

"I simply didn't know how to tell him that it wasn't my body that was ill, but rather It was my heart. It was my heart that was broken. It was my heart that needed time to heal. And I didn't know if I could do that with my constant matted hair, and swollen eyes.

"I understand where you're coming from, sir. But I had just believed that coming into work, and having a routine would help."

"it could, if you weren't hell-bent on killing yourself with work on the first day."

I winced and he smiled paternally, "Take another week off."

"but-"

"no, buts. Take the week off. And the next time you come back to work, I hope you'll be better. I expect you'll be better. Perhaps then, you can hurt yourself with work however you wish."

I bit my lower lip and nodded, "Okay. Thank you so much."

I waited till the normal closing hours before I left, so as not to have tongues wagging, and both my wolf and heart sighed when I saw Jean leaning against my car,

"What are you doing here?" I asked softly, and he rose,

"I thought you might need a companion on our first day back to work." he said, and met me halfway, "instincts," he said, pointing to his temple and I smiled some more,

"Did you bring your car?" I asked as he took the cards and gifts,

"I did. But my beta drove off with it. So you're stuck with me."

I thought for a moment as we walked to my car,

"Will he pick you up when we get to my place?"

"That's the plan. Do you have something else in mind?"

"a thing or two. I wanted to visit your pack land." I said smiling up at him there was a moment of confusion written in his expression,

"my pack land?" he asked, and I smiled, nodding,

"am I the first to ask for such a thing?"

He thought for a moment, before slowly nodding, "Oui. I believe that you really are. But, I believe that could work. I'll drive us there to spare you from asking for directions." I chuckled,

"you mean, to spare you from having to deal with my constant questions." this time he laughed and winked,

"you catch on so quickly."

It turns out, that his pack land was not of mine and not too far away, and I was in awe of our beautiful and serene the entire place was.

"I didn't know we were neighbors," I said still looking over at the moors and fens. Most of the houses looked the same and had a mix of old England, and farm life. I liked it,

"I did. But then, I didn't know you were the neighbor."

"Hmmm," I said and turned to look at him. He had the most handsome face. Plus, there was something sexy about how he stayed focused on the road, navigating the narrow turns so meticulously.

When he parked in front of his own house and let out a hum,

"Of course." I said, staring at the majestic building, that screamed royalty, "were you a king or something back in France?"

He winked again when I looked at him, "or something." he replied and got out of the car.

"or something." I repeated when he opened the door, and I stepped out, "I'd like you to tell me about it though."

"mmm, some other time, maybe not today. But I will. It's a pretty long story, not altogether happy, and I don't want to saddle you with a bunch of unhappy tales." he said taking my hand, to lead me, but I stayed put,

"Are some of them happy though?"

He slowly nodded, "most of them are happy."

"Okay." I said, "let' go in."

I loved it. The entire space screamed Jean. The colors used were warm and inviting, while still being aloof. As though it said, 'You're welcome here, but there is only so much you can know.'

So for everything you needed to know, you had to ask. It made me want to turn to Jean and ask all of his deep and dark secrets.

"you seem smitten," Jean said, watching me when I turned to face him,

"I think I am. Your house looks like you."

"I believe that's a compliment?"

"it is."

"Then let me show you a spot I think you might like. It's my favorite place to go to when I don’t want my beta to find me." I giggled as he took my hand again,

"Do you do that often? Hide from your beta?"

"as often as I need to. Yes. There's always something he needs me for, and sometimes, those are things he can handle himself."

"Perhaps he's just really fond of you."

"He has a mate. He best be fond of her instead." I smiled, in spite of the sadness I felt. I was supposed to be his mate, so technically, by his words, he was supposed to be fond of me too. I really hoped that wasn't his line of thought as well.

"wow," I exclaimed when he opened the doors of a room filled with books on one section and objects for star gazing and then I turned to look at him in awe,

"Sometimes I want to be lost in the pages of a book, but there are times, I seek the stars and planets for company. Both places are home to me."

"you're majestic," I said quietly and he smiled,

"come see," he said and led me to a kaleidoscope,

"tell me what you see," he said when I put my eyes on the lens,

"stars," I said and giggled and he chuckled,

"constellations." he said and my breath hitched when I felt him closer, "tell me the one you see," he said, quietly, and his breath against my skin had my heart racing. My wolf, of course, did the most and purred

"I really wouldn't know. You tell me." I withdrew from the lens and my eyes met his. They were beautiful and resembled the stars I just saw.

"they are brown." he said quietly, "they are brown, and twinkle when they are happy." he said and ran his thumb over my cheek, "I know they aren't so happy right now, but for some reason, they are twinkling now."

"Perhaps, it's because my heart is racing," I said softly and blinked.

He smiled and rubbed his nose against mine, before looking into the lens, and I didn't know if to be relieved or disappointed.

"It's Orion." he declared, "if you let yourself, you can connect the dots and see how they form an hourglass," he said and stood straight,

"you try. And I'll go answer my phone."

I blinked. I didn't know his phone was even ringing. But when he brought it out of his pocket, it was vibrating and I nodded,

"go right ahead. Let me figure out Orion."

"I think I see it," I said when I heard his footsteps coming closer, and I was ecstatic when I withdrew my gaze from the lens. But my excitement stopped in place when I turned to look at him.

His eyes had relatively darkened,

"Is something wrong?"

He nodded once, "Pack members got into trouble with your friend's pack."

"Who? William?" I asked, terribly confused. He let out a breath and then nodded

"affirmative."