Chapter 60: They’re the same as you

Liliana shook her head. "Please... don’t."

Tears fell, soaking her pale face.

Vincent froze instantly. Seeing Liliana cry like that, all the words he had been about to say seemed to vanish.

He did not know what to do.

"Alright... stop crying now," he said, trying to soothe her. "I won’t do it."

"Liliana!!!" Cassian called again.

Outside, Cassian was still not far from where Vincent and Liliana now were.

"Young Master Alpha, it seems Miss Liliana has already left this place. Should we wait for her here or go somewhere else?" asked one of the pack members beside Cassian.

Cassian touched his chest. He could still feel the vibration of the blood-bond contract.

That meant Liliana was still alive and safe.

Cassian gazed at the sky for a moment, then nodded.

"We leave now. She’s surely looking for us as well," he said.

A short while later, the place finally grew quiet. There were no more voices from them.

Liliana glanced at Vincent for a moment, then looked away to the side.

Vincent cleared his throat softly. "I’m going to continue," he said in a hoarse voice.

He himself did not understand what was happening to his body. His wolf had already calmed, yet his physical desire for Liliana had not faded. He truly could not bring himself to stop at a moment like this.

Liliana looked up at Vincent in horror.

They had already done it all night long, and now he still wanted to do it? Again?

Vincent gazed at Liliana. He knew exactly what her look meant without needing to ask. But he chose to pretend not to know and resumed the activity that had been interrupted.

This time, Vincent did it far more carefully than before, afraid of making Liliana cry again as she had earlier.

No one knew that Liliana’s silver wolf power had fully activated because of what the two of them were doing.

Every time they grew tired, Liliana’s wolf power quickly helped restore both of their vitality. So there was no such thing as exhaustion for Vincent.

Vincent continued until midday.

He collapsed beside Liliana, who was watching him with weary eyes.

It was not physical exhaustion, but psychological. She had never had intimate relations before.

Vincent embraced Liliana’s body, which was covered in sweat—both hers and his. He slowly kissed her forehead. There was no disgust there, only complete satisfaction.

"Sleep now," Vincent said.

Liliana nodded. She closed her eyes quickly after Vincent finished speaking.

After making sure Liliana was truly asleep, Vincent rose from his position. He took a cloth from his bag and carefully helped wipe the sweat from her body.

When he finished, he reached for Liliana’s academy uniform and helped her put it on.

He frowned at the cloak beneath Liliana’s body, which was already soaked through.

"Damn, it seems I really went too far," he muttered.

He reached into his bag, took out another cloak of his, and let Liliana lie on top of it.

He gently kissed Liliana’s lips, then put on his own clothes before hurrying out of the den where they currently were.

Half an hour passed. Vincent returned carrying a wild chicken about half the size of his wolf form.

He had already cleaned it outside and came straight back afterward.

He looked at Liliana, who was still lying there with no sign of waking.

Quickly, he built a fire and began roasting the chicken in his hands.

Liliana only opened her eyes when the aroma of the roasted chicken reached her nose.

"You’re awake?" Vincent asked.

Liliana blinked, then nodded. Her body did not feel sore at all, as if everything she had experienced earlier with Vincent had been nothing more than a dream.

Vincent climbed into the den and placed the fully cooked roasted chicken beside Liliana.

He divided it into two portions and handed one to her.

"Eat. You’ve worked hard today."

Seeing that Liliana did not immediately accept it, Vincent knew she was thinking of Cassian.

He snorted. "Don’t leave this den yet. Night will fall soon. It will be dangerous for us if we go out now."

"I’ll help you look for Cassian tomorrow morning. Don’t worry. He’s the future Alpha of the Draven pack. He’ll live longer than you think."

Liliana placed a hand on her chest.

"Yes." She could feel that Cassian was safe now.

She took the roasted chicken from Vincent’s hand and began eating calmly.

"Thank you," she said.

Vincent did not reply, then ate his own portion in silence.

"Vincent, there’s something I want to tell you," Liliana said.

"Hm?"

"You weren’t my first mate. I’ve already had mates before."

Vincent nodded. "I know. That’s why I want you to break the mate marks with them."

Liliana shook her head.

"They’re the same as you. They’re the mates given to me by the Moon Goddess. We’ve already tried to break them before, but failed. Cassian is looking for a way to help me free myself from these mate marks. So..."

Vincent stared at Liliana in disbelief. He moved closer to her side and looked at her for a moment.

"You mean... you and them?"

"Um," Liliana answered, cutting him off.

"You can break this mate mark. I know you’re disgusted by me."

"Hah!"

A free laugh escaped Vincent’s mouth. He had never expected a story this terrible.

"Vincent?" Liliana asked again.

"Do you know that the Ardent family is different from other packs? Our family never seeks any mate other than the one chosen by the Moon Goddess. And for our entire lives, our bodies and inner wolves will only ever be faithful to the one mate we have marked. That’s why I refused to mark you earlier—because you were already marked by another wolf."

Liliana covered her mouth in disbelief.

"Vincent... I’m sorry. I really didn’t know about this. I thought..."

Vincent waved his hand. His appetite had completely vanished.

"I’m going to sleep. You sleep too after you finish your food. I’ll think about it after I wake up tomorrow morning."

Liliana looked up at Vincent, who looked so wounded. She felt a little uncomfortable.

Did that mean Vincent would remain single for the rest of his life after this? And it was because of her?

Liliana finally finished the roasted chicken in her hands with a guilty feeling. She truly had not known that the Ardent family had such a rule.

When night fell, the two of them slept side by side in their wolf forms, letting the night pass peacefully.

Anyone who saw them would surely think they were truly meant for each other.

When morning came, Liliana woke and found that Vincent was no longer beside her.

She clenched her fingers tightly. It seemed she had truly ruined Vincent’s future.

Liliana packed her things before quickly heading out.

But just as she stepped outside, Vincent walked over from another direction, carrying many fruits in his hands.

"You’re already awake? I thought you’d wake up later than this. Eat. I’ll help you look for Cassian after this."

"Are you...?"

"I’ll discuss this with my Alpha father. In our family, every mate is required to be faithful, and I don’t know whether my father will accept my decision to take you as my Luna or not."