Anaya stirred slowly from her slumber, her eyes fluttering open to the harsh morning light that seeped through the curtains. As she sat up, her hands instinctively reached for her temple, the remnants of a pounding headache reminding her of the previous night. She couldn't help but berate herself for being so careless. How could she have gotten drunk? She was supposed to escape, but here she was.

The bedroom door creaked open, and Icarus walked in, carefully balancing a tray in his hands. Seeing her awake, he offered a warm smile and handed her a glass of water with aspirin.

"Thank you," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. She avoided meeting his gaze, her cheeks burning bright red with embarrassment. Despite Icarus warning her to stay in her seat, she had climbed onto his lap, acting too forward, too wanton. It had nearly caused a disaster as the car veered towards a tree. Thankfully, Icarus managed to avert the collision just in time.

"What are your plans for today?" he asked.

She was relieved that he wasn't teasing her. "I'm not sure. I suppose I'll rest."

In truth, her intentions were far from resting. Once he left, she planned to reach out to Lisa and go shopping. It would be a casual outing that didn't require notifying Icarus. She would go somewhere far away so that they would never cross paths again.

And that's how their story would reach its final chapter.

"Let's watch a movie then," Icarus suggested.

She blinked up at him. "Uh, I-I want to sleep. I have a headache. You needn't keep me company. Focus on your work, okay?"

Icarus raised an eyebrow and bent down to look into her eyes, causing her heart to flutter. "You were saying something else last night when I was trying to focus on the road."

Anaya stared back at him, the memory of her audacious, whiny words echoing in her mind. Why don't you pay attention to me?

She bit her lip and fidgeted with the empty glass in her grasp. "What did I say? I can't remember anything."

"Oh?" He inched closer and brushed his lips against hers. "You wanted me to kiss you a hundred times."

Her eyebrows furrowed, a mixture of confusion and disbelief crossing her features. "No. That's not—"

He interrupted her protest with a triumphant laugh. "Hah! So you do remember!"

She handed the glass back to him and got out of bed. "I'm going to freshen up."

"I'll make you breakfast."

She paused on her way to the closet and slowly turned around, her gaze narrowing on him. "Where's Lisa?"

"I gave her the day off."

She frowned. Could he have read her mind?  "Why? Is she okay?"

"I wanted to spend time with you."

Her frown deepened, uncertainty filling her thoughts. Time was running out, and the weight of her mother's cruel demand hung heavily over her. Any moment now, she would show up, and that's what terrified Anaya. But the earnest look he gave her melted her resolve, leaving no room to reject him. "I'll be quick."

He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before leaving the room.

Letting out a deep sigh, she prepared herself for the day and made her way upstairs to the cinema room. Icarus was already settled on the couch, scrolling through a list of movies displayed on the screen. The sight of his relaxed posture made her watch him a little longer. If only they could live inside the bubble forever, shielded from the trials of the outside world.

"What genre do you prefer?"

"Anything will do, except horror." She sat down beside him and reached for the bowl of noodles on the table, enticed by its aroma.

"What about animated?"

"Boss Baby." She pointed towards another bowl on the table. "It'll get soggy."

He picked up the bowl just as the movie started.

"Icarus?" she called out in a quiet voice, unable to contain the question any longer.

"Hmm?"

She turned to face him. "Why didn't you transform yesterday?"

He paused the movie and met her gaze. "Before I attend events at night, Nicholas gives me a glass of juice. It is actually something made by my grandma to suppress the curse for a few hours."

"Can you drink it every day?"

A small smile tugged at his lips. The sadness it held spoke before him. "I wish. But Grandma refused to give it to me. Regular consumption can kill me."

Anaya was perplexed. "Does she have any other solution?"

"No."

A heavy silence settled between them, extinguishing the flicker of hope that had briefly emerged. She tried to immerse herself in the movie playing on the screen, but the weight of his gaze bore upon her. Eventually, surrendering to the growing unease, she turned to him. "What's up?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

She let it go. But she could tell something was on his mind because his eyes seemed unfocused.

"Come on, tell me."

"Huh?" he responded, momentarily jolted from his reverie.

"What are you thinking?" she pressed further.

With a resigned tone, he admitted, "I'll transform into the beast again tonight. I don't know how many lives I'll take."

"Icarus—" she began, but he interrupted her.

"Wouldn't it be better if I didn't exist?"

Anaya's heart sank, tears welling up in her eyes. "Let's finish the movie," she said, hoping to divert his mind.

"I won't have to feel guilty every day," he continued.

She couldn't bear to hear him speak so despondently. "Stop it!"

"If you promise to complete your task tonight."

She could only manage to shake her head, finding it impossible to imagine a life without him.

"Please, Anaya," he whispered, desperation evident in his tone, "promise me."

"I have told you before. I'd rather die than harm you," she whispered back, her voice choking with tears.

"The pack won't have to live in terror."

"What about me, Icarus? How will I live?"

"You'll find someone as amazing as you," he said softly.

"Nothing you say can convince me." She rose from the couch and rushed out of the room. He didn't follow her, consumed by his own internal struggle.

"Casey! Help me, please," she cried out, struggling to breathe as her chest constricted.

"No one is coming to help you," a cold voice responded.

She froze, already wanting to hide. Slowly, she looked up and found her mother standing in front of her, face as ethereal as ever, but Anaya could feel anger radiating off her.

She hastily wiped her cheeks and straightened her posture. "Where is Casey?"

"She has been punished for following me."

"It's not her fault—"

"You'll also face the consequences for disobeying me."

"What will you do if I refuse to comply?"

"Well, then." Her grip around the scepter tightened, causing her knuckles to turn as white as bone. "It's time for me to take matters into my own hands."

The thunder in her mother's voice sent a chill down her spine. She lowered her gaze, her heart heavy with resignation. "Give me another chance. I will obtain the beast's blood."

Rasharaya let out a weary sigh. "Love has not only blinded you, but it has also weakened you."

"I'll do it. But once it's done, you must leave Icarus and me alone." She cared deeply about the werewolves, just as much as he did. But she couldn't bear the thought of protecting them at the cost of his life. There had to be another way. They just needed time to figure it out, to explore all possibilities. As long as her kingdom didn't interfere in their life, they'd be able to think and find a solution.

"You have to understand that Icarus is not your mate when he turns into Lupinnaeus. The beast doesn't recognize you. It can kill you. It would be better if you end its life."

"Promise me."

She stared at Anaya, her eyes as hard as steel. "This is your last chance. Once you have fulfilled your task, call your brothers to take it."

With those final words, her mother vanished, leaving her alone with her worries. She couldn't help but wonder why fate had to be so cruel. If the Moon Goddess was listening to her prayers, she wanted to ask for a chance to go back in time to erase the moment their lives collided.

If he could continue living, she was willing to relinquish the bond they shared.

Last chapter will be published tomorrow.