Chapter 30

If I didn't know any better, I think I would have said to Devon that Darren and Valerie deserved what they got from what they both did to me five years ago. I think I would have celebrated whatever their misfortune was even if it's petty. But I didn't, and that was mainly because Devon and his parents were still part of that pack that had suffered greatly with all the bad things that had happened to Darren.

I didn't know how it happened because Devon didn't know either, but the Spirit Walker pack had fallen to the lowest of the lows. After I left all the businesses where the pack members worked either closed down or had massive layoffs that affected most of the people in my pack. And Darren's farm that had supported the pack also went almost bankrupt because of Madam Dolores' impulsive loan applications. It turns out that she applied for bank loans to upgrade their farm and she did it confidently since they were going to become business partners with Valerie's pack which was a wealthy pack. But the recession had hit the west, and then Marcus and Valerie broke up causing their partnership to fall apart.

Now, Darren had to find ways to pay his mother's debts. He had searched for wealthy packs where he could ask for support in whatever business endeavors he was planning on to help the pack get back on its feet. My only question was how did he find out about Marcus' businesses? Did he come here randomly not knowing that I was here? Or did he somehow find out that I was Marcus' Luna?

"Mother told me that Darren was searching for you. He kept pestering my parents for information about you since he knew that I was the last person with you before you left our pack. This was after his split with Valerie. He even wanted to see me at work just to ask me personally about your whereabouts but of course I didn't respond to any of his calls or texts. Who did he think he was? Looking for you just after he parted ways with that nasty woman? And did he really think that I would tell him where you are if I had a clue where you actually went?”

“Thank you, Devon.”

“Just promise me one thing, Milena. For God's sake, if you happen to cross paths with that man again please don't go back to him anymore. He doesn't deserve you."

"Of course. There is no way that I'll entertain him in any way. I have Marcus and Zenith now. They're my world."

Devon smiled at me after I said that. "Good for you. I guess I worried for nothing but let's admit it, Darren is still your mate. There's still a chance that the mating bond between the two of you could make you feel like you're drawn into him again."

"That's why I have to avoid him at all cost," I told Devon seriously. "Until I find a way to cut the mating bond between us, I must not see him."

"Well, he might get discouraged if he sees that you have a husband and a son now."

"I hope so. To be honest, I find it weird that he's looking for me when he easily chose someone over me. He had to make up his mind. He can't just switch sides like that."

"You nailed that one, Milena! If you happen to come face to face with him again, but let's hope that it won't happen, say that straight to his face. And call me if you need backup." We both laughed at what he said, but in hindsight I think I really need someone to be with me if I met Darren again so that someone would slap me in the face if my wolf acted strangely. But I never saw him at the Atrium again, even on the way out of the mall and back home. I worried for nothing which made me feel stupid. And the worrying also made me restless, so I spent my pent-up energy on trying concocting new potions that I myself invented. I hoped one of those potions could help me break my mating bond with Darren because I didn't want to worry about meeting him anymore.

I wanted to be free.

***

Days passed and not even Darren's shadow appeared at the Atrium nor at Gloverstone. Marcus had assured me that Darren wouln't be able to get near me since he added extra security for us. But if I was being honest with myself I would have told Marcus that it felt strange that Darren was nowhere to be seen. Did he find out that I already had a family? That would be the greatest news, but there was no way for me to confirm it.

It was already three weeks since we'd seen each other when Dionne called Marcus in the middle of the night, telling him to meet a werewolf mercenary named Exodus. According to Dionne, this mercenary knew the group of rogue bosses who ran the black market in the south, and that Exodus could be hired if we wanted to steal something from those rogue bosses. Exodus was said to have slaughtered thirteen rogue bosses in the south who had upset him for some reason. And since then he was regarded as the rogues' archnemesis. Dionne claimed that when Exodus raided the rogue bosses' turf, he saw a lot of valuable items including a set of werewolf eyes suspended inside an aquarium-like glass case.

"We have to meet this Exodus," Marcus told me. "Well, I have to. You don’t have to go with me, Milena."

I frowned at him. "Marcus, you know that you need me. I'm the Purple-Eyed Werewolf."

"I know. But I'm not sure that this will be a safe trip this time. This Exodus person sounds very dangerous."

"Then all the more that I have to be with you. You're strong, but you're going to be emotional again since this is Diana's eyes we're talking about. You need me there, Marcus." He couldn't argue with what I told him since I was right, so the next day we traveled to the south together to meet Exodus.

Our rendezvous was in a public park in the middle of a big city called St. Pio. Dionne had given us Exodus' contact details beforehand, enabling us to contact him and arrange a meeting with him here at the park. Our goal was to hire him to join us in stealing Diana's eyes from the thirty hectare private property where it is being kept.

"Why do I feel nervous?" I told Marcus as we waited for Exodus. We sat on the bench near a pond. "Should I use a shield spell just in case this Exodus person decides to hunt us instead? I have a bad feeling about this."

"No, Milena. He'll see you casting your spell and then he might actually attack us thinking that we're the ones trying to trap him."

"I guess you're right," I replied, and I wasn't able to continue what I was telling him because I suddenly saw Darren walking towards us. He smiled when he saw me.

"Hi. I'm Exodus," he said with a bow as soon as he reached us.