chapter 6

Louis asked, "Is it because I gave blood to Avra? Or because I took care of her?

"Catherine! Can you stop being so sensitive? There's nothing between Avra and me. We've known each other for a while, so of course I couldn't just leave her to die!"

Louis rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Come on, stop making a fuss. Take back everything I gave you."

Perhaps fueled by all her pent-up emotions, this time, Catherine didn't restrain herself—she gave a cold, bitter smile. "Just friends? Louis, do you really need me to spell out how much you care about Avra?"

Louis rarely saw Catherine so confrontational.

He narrowed his eyes, and a hint of offended displeasure crossed his face, his Alpha presence pressing down on her all at once.

"Catherine, I've been doing my best to give you the best! You're just a Rogue with nowhere to go, and it's the Stormwind Pack that took you in! All these years, I gave you everything you wanted, spoiled you endlessly. What more could you possibly want?

"Try to be reasonable, alright?"

Louis's entitled attitude silenced Catherine, leaving all her words stuck in her throat.

She deflated instantly, letting out a self-mocking smile. "Fine."

Louis, I'll be sensible. I'll leave you willingly and never stand in your way with Avra again.

With that, Catherine returned to her room.

Louis watched her retreating back, a twinge of unease stirring in his chest. His wolf, Auri, pawed the ground restlessly, growling low and gnashing its teeth as a warning.

The next moment, as if coming to his senses, Louis irritably ordered his Beta guards to remove all of Catherine's items from the trade market.

Forget it. I'm probably overthinking. Catherine is just sulking—there's no way she'd really leave me.

He comforted himself with that thought.

The next day, he knocked on Catherine's door apologetically and, in a pitiful, almost courtship-like gesture, pulled her into a gentle embrace.

"Catherine, please don't be angry, okay? It's my fault. From now on, I'll go with you to the Moon Goddess Shrine to pray, and for the next bonding ceremony, I'll follow your arrangements completely, alright?

"I swear, this time I won't let you down. I'll make our bonding ceremony the most perfect one ever!"

By now, Catherine had lost any expectation of the so-called bonding ceremony. She nodded perfunctorily at Louis and let him lead her to the bridal atelier.

"Catherine, you're truly beautiful!"

Louis patiently waited while Catherine spent hours on her styling. When he finally saw her in the elegant white wedding dress, dignified and beautiful, he couldn't help but let out a genuine sigh of admiration.

The love in his eyes looked completely sincere.

Just then, the TV suddenly broadcast a pack news report.

"Trending—James, the defeated former Alpha of Bloodmoon Pack, invited to return to the pack!"

When Catherine saw it, Louis's smile froze, and the calm mask on his face cracked.

James Bishop was the Alpha Avra had once deeply loved, her previous mate.

In the past, Avra had repeatedly rejected Louis, all for him.

Even though he now returned as a humiliated, defeated Alpha, he still made Louis feel like he was facing a formidable enemy.

"Catherine… I'm sorry! I have some business to handle. I can't stay to help you try on the wedding dress!"

With that, Louis hurriedly left, not even giving Catherine another glance.

"Ms. Erickson… would you like to continue trying it on?"

The store clerk asked cautiously, glancing at Catherine with a hint of sympathy.

Catherine gave a self-mocking smile. "I'm not trying anything. Just put everything away. I won't be coming back."

With that, she went home alone.

Louis's obsession with Avra ran deep in his bones—no matter how much Catherine gave, it could never compare.

Catherine's eyes darkened as she thought.

A few hours later, as night fell and Louis still hadn't returned, Catherine's communicator pinged with a notification of a new follower.

She opened it—it was from Avra.

Before saying anything, Avra sent a single picture that left Catherine frozen, stunned as if struck by lightning.

It was the mate contract, documenting that Avra and Louis had become mates.

"Catherine, I'm really sorry. After James returned, Louis was afraid of losing me again, so he… couldn't wait and went ahead with the bonding ceremony with me.

"Did I just steal the ceremony you'd been looking forward to? Louis really dragged his feet—why didn't he hold it with you sooner…"

She even added a sigh emoji at the end of the message.