A Werewolf's Human Mate

52

The Price of Love

Edwin’s expression was filled with urgency as he spoke, his tone reflecting both frustration and love.

“That’s exactly it! Because I can't live without her, Lily!" His voice cracked slightly, betraying the depth of his feelings.

"I waited for years for my mate, for Aurora, and now that I've finally found her, how can I just leave her like this? How can I leave her?"

Lily, who had been listening intently, was still in the dark about werewolves and their mates.

She furrowed her brow in confusion and asked, “Huh... Mate?”

Edwin paused for a moment.

He took a deep breath and chose his words carefully, trying to explain in a way she would comprehend.

“I mean... soulmate,” he said, his voice softer but filled with certainty. “Aurora is my soulmate. You know, the one person I’m meant to be with. How could I leave her now that I’ve finally found her?”

Lily, still processing, Lunch was over by then, and while they were eating, Lily said, “Hmm,"

"  Then why don’t you just stay here with her? Why should she be the one to move out with you? You could also sacrifice and stay here with her.”

“Do you really think I wouldn’t dare to do that?” he asked, his voice rising a little.

“For her, I’d give up everything. I could leave the whole world behind, and yet staying here, that’s somehow a problem! But...”

Lily’s curiosity piqued, she pressed on. “But... what? "

" Why can’t you just leave your business for her? I mean, why not leave? You have your office here, don’t you? So, what’s stopping you?”

Edwin sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging as he began to explain, his voice softening, though still firm in his resolve.

“Look, Lily, first of all, as the head of this company, I have responsibilities."

"  I can’t just pack up and leave. I need to stay in the city to manage everything, to oversee the growth of the business. It's not just about me; it’s about the future of everything my family has worked for. My grandfather, my great-grandfather—they built this with their own hands. They worked day and night for it. "

" How could I just abandon it like that?”

Edwin shooking his head continued.

“Even if I hired executives, I can’t trust everyone. There’s always a risk, Lily. If I’m not around to oversee everything, who’s to say someone wouldn’t take advantage of the situation? If there’s even a hint of corruption, a single mistake, it could destroy everything we’ve built."

"  It could hurt everyone involved, all my employees... and their families. I can't take that chance.”

He leaned forward, his eyes filled with determination. “This is our family’s legacy. I can’t just walk away from that, no matter how badly I want to be with Aurora. "

" It’s just... disgrace as a man... ”

Lily, sensing his situation but not ready to let him off the hook, leaned in closer and spoke with a touch of understanding, yet sharpness.

“But then what? "

" What about Aurora? You can’t leave her, but she’s not ready to leave Moonbridge, is she? So, you’re stuck.”

Edwin fell silent.

His gaze dropping to the table as he absorbed her words. He knew she was right, but it didn’t make the situation any easier.

Lily continued, her voice softer now, almost concerned. “But Edwin, you had to find a better solution than this... this jealousy tactic?"

" What were you thinking? You’ve got to consider what you’re doing. "

" Just imagine—if Aurora had done something like this, how would you have felt? How much pain would that have caused you? Think about it... She was crying all day, Edwin. Do you know how much it hurt her?”

Edwin looked at Lily, his voice filled with frustration and possessiveness. "Exactly!! "

" I  can’t live without her, Lily! And honestly, I’m also kind of possessive. If I stay far from her, I’ll just drive myself crazy thinking about what she’s doing. I’ll be wondering, ‘Is someone approaching her? What if someone tries to take advantage of her?’ It’ll make me lose my mate!" 

His hands clenched into fists as he spoke, a deep fear creeping into his words.

Lily, still not fully understanding the gravity of what he meant, raised an eyebrow. “Huh? You mean like soulmate, right?"

" Yeah, yeah. " Edwin continued, his words becoming more intense.

“ Aurora is my soulmate. How could I possibly leave her? What if she starts feeling the emptiness of me not being there and gets closer to someone else? I can’t bear the thought of that happening.”

His voice became softer but tinged with pain. “Just thinking about it makes me feel like I’m dying inside. "

" So, that’s why I made this plan, thinking that maybe I could secure things between us. But... I thought she would get angry with me. Instead, she just... started crying by herself. And..."

Lily, now understanding the situation better, glanced at him with a knowing expression. "And the plan failed," she said, matter-of-factly.

Edwin went silent, his mind still racing, as if fighting with himself over what he had done. He couldn't deny the consequences of his actions.

He had tried, but he hadn't realized how deeply it would affect Aurora.

Lily pressed on, concerned. "So, what are you thinking now? What's the next step?"

Edwin sighed deeply, a sense of finality in his tone. “There’s no other option now."

"  I have to stay here.” He leaned back in his chair, as if the weight of his decision had finally settled on his shoulders.

Lily’s surprise was evident in her voice. “Huh?"

"  So, you’re telling me you’re going to leave your business and everything else behind to stay here with her?”

Edwin nodded, his gaze distant as he thought back over everything. “Yes. "

" I’ve thought about it a lot these days. And... I’ve reached the point where I truly can’t imagine living without her. I can’t go on without her by my side.”

Lily, still trying to understand, asked, "But what about your family business? Its reputation? Everything you've worked for?"

Edwin smiled sadly, a trace of sorrow and resignation in his expression.

“Maybe in their eyes, I’ll become a sinner, someone who has betrayed his responsibilities. But... what can I do now? I can’t think about anything other than Aurora. She’s the only one in my mind, and I can't imagine a future without her in it."

Lily, processing his words, asked, “So, this is your final decision? You’re really going to leave it all behind and stay with her?”

Edwin nodded, determination in his eyes. “Yes. "

" For her, I’m ready to leave everything behind. If being with her means being a sinner, or even if I have to take the tag of being a disgraceful man,  I’ll accept it. "

" I’m willing to sacrifice everything for her love.”