10:00 AM
When Aster woke up, the other side of the bed was cold.
Carl was gone.
She blinked at the silk sheets tangled around her bare skin, her face burning as memories of the night came crashing down. Lips. Hands. Skin against skin. Her breath caught. Did that really happen?
A knock interrupted her rising panic.
"Madam, may I come in?" a soft voice asked from outside.
Aster scrambled under the covers. "Y-Yes."
The door creaked open and one of the mansion maids stepped inside, carrying a tray of breakfast, a soft towel, and fresh satin pajamas.
"Young Master left early this morning. He asked us to take care of you and make sure you eat properly, Madam."
"He... already left?" Aster asked, trying to keep her voice neutral, but her heart pinched in her chest.
"Yes, ma'am. He boarded the private jet at dawn. The flight to S Country was urgent."
"I see... thank you."
The maid gave a polite bow and left quietly.
Alone again, Aster sank back into the pillows, confused and relieved all at once. After last night, she had no idea how to face him. Maybe this was better. Maybe space would help her sort out the chaos inside her heart.
She got up, cleaned herself, ate quietly, then wandered to the garden. The sun felt warm on her skin. The scent of roses and morning dew was a rare kind of peace. For the first time in ten years, there was no pager, no operating table, no emergency calls from the hospital.
She was free.
She picked wildflowers and arranged them in vases. Her fingers worked on autopilot, her mind distant, until her phone buzzed.
ALERT: FULL MOON TONIGHT.
Her breath hitched.
Of course. It was Gathering Night.
The full moon—the night Lycans shifted.
Every full moon, they gathered at the old castle in S Country. It was tradition. But more than that, it was a safeguard. Shifting under the full moon was dangerous, especially without control. Even a trained Lycan could become a beast of instinct during the change.
So that's why Carl left without a word.
She sighed and curled up on the couch in the entertainment room, flipping through movies without really watching. The silence was peaceful... but not quite.
In the shadows of the room, a pair of watchful eyes studied her.
The butler.
He stood silently at the corner, unnoticed.
Once certain Aster was distracted, he quietly slipped out of the room. Down the hallway, into a hidden corridor behind the wine cellar, he took out a secure phone and made a call.
"My lady," he whispered. "It's confirmed. The young master and madam... they consummated the marriage last night. They were arguing at first, but later, I found their clothes scattered in the hallway. I believe they slept in the study room."
On the other line, Merca exhaled a breath she'd been holding.
"Good. Keep watching them. If you notice even the smallest crack in their marriage, report it to me immediately."
"Yes, Lady Merca."
After ending the call, the butler stared through the window toward the garden where Aster now laughed while picking roses.
"She has no idea what's coming," he murmured. "But when the Vellaria blood awakens... she'll need him more than ever."
---
The Next Few Days
Aster lived the life she'd always dreamed of.
She visited the beach. She shopped guiltlessly. She volunteered at an orphanage, helping feed and care for the children. Her schedule had always been ruled by emergencies—but now, she was rediscovering joy in the mundane.
At night, she returned home tired but fulfilled.
It was on one such night, as she sank into bed with a yawn, that the door creaked open.
A familiar scent hit her senses. Her eyes fluttered open.
"Carl...?"
"Hm."
He walked in without a word, gaze burning, like she was the only light in a world of darkness. He climbed into bed beside her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her neck.
She shivered.
"Why didn't you wake me?" she whispered.
"You looked peaceful," he said before claiming her lips again.
Their clothes disappeared. Their bodies tangled.
And once more, she surrendered—completely.
---
Every night after that, Carl came home. He would hold her like she was fragile, kiss her like he needed her to breathe. Then at dawn, he'd vanish—back to S Country.
The butler explained in passing, "Young Master has responsibilities... The council is in chaos, but he's making sure to return to you every night."
It felt like a dream.
Until one night, as the moon hung heavy in the sky, Carl broke their post-midnight silence.
"Aster," he said softly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Can we talk?"
She sat up, heart thudding. "Of course."
"I won't be able to come home for a few weeks... A rogue werewolf is on the loose. We've tried to contain him, but my men are struggling. I have to lead the hunt myself."
Aster swallowed hard, her throat tight.
She didn't want to be the kind of woman who begged him to stay.
But her heart screamed otherwise.
"Just promise me you'll be careful," she said, cupping his cheek. "I'll wait. No matter how long it takes."
Carl kissed her again—deeper, slower, more desperate—and they made love like it was their last night on Earth.
---
Three Weeks Later
Carl was gone.
Aster's mornings began with asking the butler for updates, but it was always the same answer: "No news yet."
To stay sane, she started painting again. Portrait after portrait—all of Carl. Sometimes smiling. Sometimes brooding. Sometimes bleeding in the moonlight.
The butler often watched her from the doorway, a faint smile on his lips.
Love... It changes people, he thought.
One morning, Aster took her breakfast to the garden. The air was crisp, and birdsong filled the space.
She spotted a lone dandelion in the grass. Odd, in a manicured garden. She walked toward it.
And then—
The world tilted.
Her knees buckled.
She reached for something—anything—but her vision went black.
She collapsed onto the grass.
From the second-floor window, the butler saw her fall.
His face paled. "Young madam—!"
He bolted from the hallway, shouting orders.
"Get the maids! Bring blankets! Call the healer!"
As Aster lay unconscious under the rising sun, the butler knelt beside her and felt her wrist.
Her pulse was weak.
Too weak.
He stared at her face, pale and glowing unnaturally.
Then his eyes widened.