I sat at the kitchen table and put the big envelope down in front of me. Then I tore it open and pulled everything out.

On top was a beautiful letter printed on thick, bright white paper.

Congratulations on your acceptance to our Fashion Design program!

I was so excited after reading that first line that my eyes blurred with tears, and I couldn’t even really skim any of the text underneath it.

There was a course catalog in the package as well, and a page with instructions for setting up an online account for the student portal and how to enroll in classes online.

Tina put her hands on my shoulders.

“Oh Yena, I’m so proud of you,” she said.

I choked out a “thank you” but I was so overcome with emotion that I could hardly talk.

And as I looked over all the documents in my acceptance package, one thing really stood out…

The course catalog.

It was the exact same as the one that I got from Adan’s professor friend the day we all met at the bakery.

Lily had been so adamant that day… so scared sounding, and so sure that I was being fooled into a trap…

She said that Adan and the redheaded professor were deceiving me somehow…

Thinking about it afterward, I never could figure out what purpose that would’ve even served. And now I knew the course catalog that the redhaired lady gave me was legit.

It put my mind at ease about that whole thing. Maybe Lily had overreacted to something.

“I think I’m gonna go upstairs and accept the offer right now,” I told Tina.

I couldn’t wait another moment.

She was beaming with pride. “Absolutely. Congratulations, sweetheart.”

And then she swept me up into a big bear hug.

I had tears in my eyes, thinking about how I’d gotten used to these hugs again and was going to miss them.

I got to my room and opened my laptop. My hands were shaking as I typed in the website and waited for it to load.

I put my info in and clicked the button to accept my offer and formally enroll.

It felt surreal.

Lily wasn’t happy, though.

“Why?” she asked.

“Why are you taking us away? We belond in this world… We belong with Nolan, our fated mate…”

I closed my laptop and set it aside.

“I’m going because I’m following my dream,” I told Lily.

I think I actually said it aloud.

“But you can do that here,” she said, “with people who love you…”

I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on making Lily be quiet.

I didn’t want to think about what she had to say right now.

This was supposed to be a happy moment. Moving forward with my big adventure.

But my stomach hurt, and all of a sudden I was so scared, I thought I might throw up.

I got myself together, though. Got up and started boxing up the clothes I was gonna take to the nursing home. And forced Lily’s worries out of my mind.

NOLAN

The phone rang several times before anyone picked up.

Nolan waited for the answer, remembering what it was like over there at the werewolf orphanage. Always busy. Always chaos.

Finally: “Hello, how can I help you?”

Nolan recognized the voice. It was Cindy, the director at the orphanage. She worked every single day and practically lived there.

“Hello,” Nolan said. “Is this Cindy?”

“Yes, it is…” Her voice trailed off.

Seemed like she recognized Nolan’s voice, as well.

“It’s Nolan,” he said, just confirming what she already suspected. “Though I guess this is the first time I’m talking to you since you knew that was my real name.”

“Yes, I… um, well, I hardly know how to address you now, Your Highness…”

“It’s okay, Cindy.” Nolan frowned. “Can I ask you to just call me Nolan?”

“Oh, that feels much too informal!” Cindy sounded scandalized.

“Please, Cindy. You were… my boss.” Nolan laughed.

She laughed, warily, too, and tried to do what Nolan asked.

“Okay… Nolan…”

But she couldn’t do it.

“Nope!” she shouted. “Ugh, this was hard enough with Miss Yena, when she was here. She would not let me bow to her, which was against my instincts!”

The mention of Yena’s name caught Nolan by surprise a little.

He decided not to respond to the Yena comment.

“Alright, Cindy. You can call me whatever you’re most comfortable with.”

“Thank you,” she said. “…Sir.”

He could hear that Cindy was smiling.

“Anyway, I apologize for cutting right to the chase, but I am calling you today to ask for a kind of favor.”

“Oh!” Cindy sounded excited. “Absolutely. What can I do for you?”

“I’d really like to come by and see you and the kids again.”

“Oh, we would love that… Nolan.”

“There you go!” Nolan laughed. “Now, was that so hard?”

Cindy giggled. “Yes, it really was.”

Now that she’d said that, though, the conversation felt more comfortable, more like old times between the two of them.

“Let’s have a celebration!” Cindy continued. “Oh, maybe a fundraiser?”

Nolan breathed. He wasn’t sure that was a good idea…

“Perhaps,” he said. “But maybe before that, I could drop by for something less formal. To be honest with you, I’d really prefer to do that right now…”

“Oh yes, of course, I’m so sorry. I’m asking too much of you. That would be a big commitment, and you’re so busy, and everything…”

Cindy was rambling.

She did that sometimes. Nolan suspected it was at least partly because she drank coffee nonstop, all day every day.

“It’s okay, Cindy,” he continued. “Let’s talk more about a fundraiser soon, though, okay? Just not right now.”

“Whatever you want to do. Your Highness.” Cindy stifled a laugh and wound up snorting.

Nolan was very amused with what she was doing. Trying out the different ways of addressing him. Being super awkward about all of them.

“Thank you,” Nolan replied. “And of course, I’m sure you remember my old friend Alaster, who I know visited you recently.”

“Yes, of course! He was here with us, doing that interview with me and your wonderful, lovely wife!”

“Mm-hmm. Anyway, he would like to come visit you all, as well. He told me when I saw him last, that it was a wonderful experience, being there with you and the children.”

“Aw. Of course, Nolan! You’re both welcome here, any time.”

“Alright. Well, I’ll talk to Alaster and let you know when we can come by.”

“Sounds wonderful. And how about Miss Yena, will she be joining as well?”

Nolan cleared his throat.

“Actually, Yena is spending some time visiting her family right now, so I’m afraid she won’t be able to come along.”

“Aw, that’s too bad.” Cindy sounded very disappointed.

Nolan could relate.

“I’ll tell her that you said hello, though,” he added.

“That’d be wonderful. And I so look forward to seeing you here, Nolan. The children will be so excited, too.”

“I’m looking forward to it as well. I’ll be in touch.”

They said goodbye and hung up. Then Nolan dropped his face into his hands and rubbed his eyes.

He’d been sleeping terribly lately… well, hardly sleeping at all. His eyelids felt heavy, like they were made of metal.

It’d been awful, trying to sleep in their bed without Yena.

Sometimes he felt like he couldn’t imagine ever he could ever used to her absence.

It was an awful, hopeless aching that he felt all throughout his body.

And it seemed like it was going to go on forever. As long as they were apart.