I felt like there was a lump stuck in my throat as I watched HIM approaching alongside his assistant.
What the heck was Beta Negan doing here?
My face flushed as he finally got to the bench, his face lit up with a smile.
"B– Beta Negan." I stuttered, hurriedly standing up and bowing slightly.
However, the Beta quickly held my shoulder, forcing me to raise my gaze to him.
"No, no, no. Stop that!" He seemed shocked but at the same time, amused. "You're Luna now. There's no need for the exaggerated show of etiquette."
My blush only increased as I nodded my head, proceeding to sit down.
Shit, what was wrong with me? Was I shy?
As much as my wolf protested against my confusing feelings, I couldn't help myself. I'd had a liking for Beta Negan for a while now.
Anyway, the Beta gestured toward the free space of the bench beside me before asking with the most polite tone ever. "May I join you?"
I gulped but ended up nodding profusely, giving him a little too much space to sit comfortably.
He mouthed a 'thank you' before sitting beside me, his assistant standing quietly behind him stoically like a statue.
Good grief, the Beta was so nice. And he seemed to have a kind heart too.
Alpha Kaene should take notes.
"I'm curious..." Beta Negan's voice interrupted my thoughts, forcing me to turn my attention to him. "What are you doing in such a secluded part of the estate by this time? Do you come here frequently?"
My lips parted as I subconsciously glanced at his assistant standing behind him.
The stoic assistant, a man who looked to be in his thirties, had a stoic expression, but his gaze on me was one filled with disdain but also an obscene hint of curiosity.
How rude!
"Pardon me, Beta Negan, but wasn't your assistant taught basic politeness wherever he's from?" I asked, fixing my gaze on the assistant now.
His stoic expression suddenly fell like a mask as he gawked at me in disbelief.
Hmph... He ain't seen nothing yet.
Meanwhile, Beta Negan chuckled, glancing briefly at his assistant before waving dismissively. "Relax, honey. Rowland is just intrigued by the legendary Moon's Chosen, especially after all the drama that followed you tonight."
Pfft... 'intrigue' my ass.
That conniving assistant was definitely looking down on me the same way Elsa and those other Noble girls had been looking down on me.
But I'll show them. Now that I was no longer a common member of the pack, I'll show them all that they were wrong about me.
Anyway, I gave the assistant, Rowland, one final glare before turning my gaze to Beta Negan. But then my mind processed what he'd called me just then and I quickly looked away shyly.
Honey?! Did he seriously call me 'honey' again?
Dear Lord, what was he trying to do, seduce me?
"Uh, Luna Phoebe?" The Beta's voice once again pulled me back to the present, his gaze as kind and curious as ever. "Can you answer my earlier question now?"
I nodded absentmindedly but was quick to point out. "I'm technically not Luna yet."
He smiled, shaking his head. "Of course you are. You just have to give Kaene some time. Don't worry, he might be stubborn at first but he'll come around."
I fiddled with my fingers, keeping silent since I didn't have anything to say. When nothing came to mind, I decided to answer his previous question.
"And... No. I don't usually visit here frequently." I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "But recently, I've been coming here to escape the noise of the Alpha's mansion so I can focus my energy on myself."
That was just a cheesy way of saying I was in heat. How could I fucking tell the Beta that I was in heat anyway?
He didn't need to know that!
Suddenly, I noticed Beta Negan's lips curl up into a grin as he placed an arm on the back of the bench. "Wow. I didn't expect us to have some similarities."
My brows creased into a frown. Similarities? What did he–
"I also frequent the gardens of the estate, most especially this one." He revealed, his gaze scanning the beauty of the garden. "It's like an escape from all the perilous work I go through as a businessman and Beta of this pack."
I saw the peaceful glint in his hazel eyes from this angle, finding myself becoming more subconsciously intrigued.
The man was a sack of mysteries. But he was also ultimately... Relatable.
Something I never expected from a noble of the pack.
Just then, Beta Negan turned his gaze to me, shaking his head. "Ah, sorry. I'm boring you with my burdens. Sometimes I can't help but wonder how Kaene copes as the Alpha. I can never imagine myself in that position."
He ended up bursting into a hearty laughter, and I found myself doing the same, staring at the side of his face, my gaze going from his black hair to his accentuated jawline.
He was perfect! Maybe, a little too perfect...
"Uh, Beta Negan?" I called him when we'd stopped laughing, hesitating at first.
He glanced at me, his eyes narrowed with disapproval. "Can we just drop the titles here? You can call me Negan. There's nobody here with us..." He paused, glancing back at his assistant. "Well, nobody other than Rowland, of course."
My face heated up as I nodded. "Alright then, Negan. I was about to ask if you and the Alpha are like... Close friends?"
He tilted his head, a fond smile appearing on his face. "Ah, yes. The Alpha and I go way back." He signaled Rowland, who knew exactly what to do, handing him a bottle of whiskey and some glasses.
Where had those come from?
"Would you need anything else, sir?" Rowland asked calmly.
However, Negan shook his head, waving his hand dismissively. "I've stressed you enough today. You can go rest, Rowland."
And with that, his assistant left with a bow, leaving us completely alone.
Negan glanced at me, his expression becoming warmer again. "I thought he'd never leave."
We both chuckled as Negan poured himself a glass of the whiskey. He downed the glass in one gulp, sighing satisfactorily soon after.
"Would you like some?" He asked politely, placing an empty glass in front of me.
But I shook my head, rejecting his offer. "No thanks. I'm... Not a fan of drinking."
He nodded, shrugging to himself before pouring himself another drink.
However, as I watched him doing this, my throat itched as my body was wracked with the effects of my heat again.
My pheromones reached an all-time high as I struggled to stay focused. But how could I stay focused when all I could think about was that stupid Alpha Kaene?
Gosh, my wolf was such a traitor!
'Stop fighting it.' My wolf growled inside me, trying to urge me to go find Kaene.
But I'd be damned before I do that.
"You know what?" I suddenly blurted, drawing Negan's attention back to me. "I think one glass wouldn't hurt."