Lauren''s POV


    "Victor..." I broke the ice and called his name.


    I wanted to say that we should go back because we had enough surprises for one date. But the next second Victor pressed a button and the ss ceiling slowly opened. Then the amazing starry sky came into view. The moon was beautiful, casting mellow moonlight Victor held my hand, our fingers inteced. We felt the white moonlight on our hands.


    on the roses.


    "Lauren, when Kent is back, may I have the honour to run with you in the forest, under the moonlight?


    His voice was so soft that my heart skipped a beat.


    "I look forward to that day, Victor." I looked straight into his dazzling golden eyes and said firmly, "And hamsure that day won''t be long." Victor smiled gently at me, his eyes full of tenderness. He then got me to lie down with him and I felt


    were surrounded by a sea of stars.


    I didn''t know if I was surprised or moved. Perhaps both surprised and moved. No wonder it took Victor so much time to arrange all this and I suddenly realized why he chose to take me on a date atte night. Although I had seen myself as a cold fish, I couldn''t help but gasp, "This is the most special date I''ve ever been on."


    "Good," Victor held me in his arms and said quietly. But I could tell from his tone that he was in a great mood.


    I adjusted my position in his arms. His chest was warm and I could feel his body heat and peppermint scent surrounding me, making me feelfortable and at ease. I eximed, "I''ve never thought I would cuddle with someone and see the stars like this." It was something I never thought I would do, to show my true self to a man and let down my guard in f him. But I didn''t feel vited at all. Instead, he made me feel warm and safe and melted my heart.


    "And I''ve never thought that I would be so worried about a date," Victor murmured and it sounded like he had never done this before, "I even asked that unreliable dude''s advice."


    It was kind of funny to picture him agonizing over a date and I was a bit moved, "You''re making it difficult for me toe up with a n for our next date."


    "You don''t need to spend much time on it," Victor chuckled, "you''ve already prepared the best surprise for me."


    I thought of the promise I had just made him and cast him a re. But as we stared into each other''s M was right.


    When you were with the person you loved, everything became fun to do.


    didn''t feel mad or shy and our gazes were filled with affection.


    Even though what M said was actually "the noises of broken sses will sound like a choir when you''re in love". Victor and I were just lying there, looking at the glorious starry sky, and this was the best date I had ever had.


    ...


    Victor''s surgery was set for two weekster.


    During this time, I had been studying relevant materials and giving him massages more often, hoping that his legs would fully recover after the surgery.


    As I was going through the materials, I got interrupted by a call from Manuel.


    After some time of hesitation, I picked up the phone. After all, I had leverage now so it wasn''t likely that he called to scorn me no matter what Susan said to him. "What''s up?" I cut to the chase after answering his call.


    Manuel held his breath for a second and then sighed, "Lauren, let''s have a talk sometime. Even if you wanna leave the family, we should have a good talk about the inheritance."


    "You wanna me to go to your ce?" I said with contempt, "alpha Manuel, you had your warriorse after mest time at the banquet. I don''t think I can believe you anymore. Who knows if you''re gonna set me up and have your warriors corner me again?" The distrust in my tone irritated him and he sounded like he was trying to hold back his anger, "Lauren, you got carried awayst time. What would I have done to you even if I had taken you to the nco Estate? You''re my daughter. I''m not really gonna hurt you. You really made me upset that day. But gosh, I didn''t mean to harm you."


    To this day, Manuel still had shown nopassion or sorry for me.


    I no longer cared about our so-called father-and-daughter bond so I wouldn''t dwell on why Manuel never showed me any love. Since I stopped caring, it wouldn''t hurt so much anymore. So I just felt like he was wasting my time when he tried to defend himself like that.


    "Anyway, I don''t trust you," I interrupted him impatiently. I knew he must be wearing a long face on the other side of the phone.


    "Forget it. I know you must be holding grudges against me now," Manuel let out a sigh, "you''re my eldest daughter and you''ve had everything ever since the day you were born. But Janice....She has been deprived of a lot of things since she was a child so she''s been much more obedient and careful growing up. I admit I''ve been favoring her over the years but you''re also my daughter. You''re my firstborn."


    I took a sip of my ck tea idly while going through the materials on my desk. I didn''t have time to listen to his "touching" speech and just let him put on quite a show.


    Manuel continued, "Besides, no matter how I pamper Janice, I''ve never said anything about your inheritance. I''ve never wanted Janice to rece you as the heir even though your wolf is not as strong as hers."


    "That''s because you don''t know what we''re capable of. Not as strong as hers? That''s ridiculous. I''m the queen of healers," Be mumbled in my head.


    "Lauren, please believe me that I still love you," Manuel finally ended his speech.


    "Yeah, your love is so well-hidden and subtle that no one can tell," Be said sarcastically.


    "Oh, and he even asionally has to disguise his love with disgust and fear."


    I was amused by what Be said in my head and it was hard for me not tough out loud. I finally spoke up and interrupted him, "Alpha Manuel, I can tell how you''ve treated me all these years. So cut the crap. I will talk to you but I won''t agree to see you unless we''ll meet at a safe ce for me." "Because I don''t trust you," I said indifferently.


    Manuel didn''t expect that I would react like that after everything he had said to me. Maybe it was because he figured there was no use acting in front of me anymore, he paused for a while and said, "Then let''s meet at the Moondance Ball five dayster. That''s safe enough for you, right?"


    The Moondance Ball was an important event where all tribes bonded and maintained their rtionships and was held only once a year. Many werewolves looked for their mates at this ball or did business there. Except for the time I turned 18, I had never gone there again because I didn''t wanna find a mate myself. So Manuel just brought L and Janice with him.


    But indeed, neither L nor Manuel dared toe at me or do something sneaky to me at that ball.


    I hadn''t attended such a grand ball for a long time and it was a good chance to know some people from the other tribes as it might be good for my mother''spany in the future so I didn''t hesitate for too long before I said yes, "Okay."


    "Good. Then I''ll send your invitation to your old apartment."


    "Fine. I''ll tell someone to get it for me."


    "....You don''t have to be so defensive around me, Lauren," Manuel said in a low voice, "no matter how much you hate Janice and L, we''re still your family."


    My family.


    I sneered and hung up the phone right away, saying in a cold and distant voice, "Then I''ll see you at the ball, alpha Manuel."


    Who was he to call themselves my family?


    I reached out my hand to the teacup, only to find out it was empty. As I got up and went to the kitchen to make some tea, I happened to see Victor and Richard in the living room, looking serious.


    I turned to look at them but got distracted by the golden invitation on the table which read...


    "The Moondance Ball...?"


    What a coincidence. I had just decided to attend that ball and then I found out Victor also got an invitation. But with his status, it wasn''t a surprise that he would get invited. But I could tell from the look on Richard''s face that he was kind of torn. I suddenly realized why they reacted like that and looked at Victor''s legs. Everyone must be quite curious about the current situation of this powerful alpha and they would definitely talk about him whether he went or not.


    Hearing my voice, Victor looked at me and said, "You''re going too?"


    I didn''t intend to hide this from him and nodded, "Yeah. Manuel wants to meet me there."


    Victor''s eyes shimmered and he turned to Richard, saying, "Go get ready." Huh?


    Was Victor also going to the ball?