62 Fireworks
Selma Payne’s POV:
As usual, a grand fireworks show would be held on the night of the Moonlight Festival.
The girls went to look for their family, while Aldrich and I found a quiet and uninhabited hillside to wait for the fireworks.
“Are you happy tonight?” He draped his coat over my shoulders.” If there’s anything bad about the Moonlight Festival, it’s everyone’s wearing too little in the snow. Every year, the number of patients having hypothermia in the hospital increases on the second day of the Moonlight Festival.”
I stroked the soft fine fur of the wool coat and smiled. “Is this the reason why you chose the Shepherd? This thick and warm coat?”
We laughed out loud.
When I was with Aldrich, I always seemed to smile unconsciously. It was silly, yes. But somehow, I had willingly fallen into this sweetness.
We cuddled.
Suddenly, a dazzling bullet of light shot into the sky. A few seconds later, it exploded with a loud bang and bloomed into a massive firework of broken gold.
“It’s starting!” I sat up in excitement.
The Shadow Pack’s customs differed slightly from the Lycan Pack’s. This was the first time I’d seen such a grand fireworks show, and I almost drowned in the dazzling colors that covered the sky.
“It’s so beautiful, Aldrich!” I tugged at my boyfriend’s sleeve excitedly.
“Yeah… It’s too beautiful,” he said in a low voice.
It was only then that I realized that he wasn’t paying attention to the fireworks. Instead, he had been looking at me.
“Is there something on my face? Or do I look funny with makeup?” I lowered my head in embarrassment and wanted to take out a mirror from my bag.
Aldrich took my hand and gave it a light kiss.
“No, there’s nothing.
“It’s just that the moonlight is too gentle. I’m immersed in it and can’t control my emotions.”
The atmosphere was too flirtatious, and the distance between us gradually shortened.
Finally, we kissed gently.
Unlike the passionate and wordless kisses from before, our lips were like two light feathers that gently met in the breeze. They separated after a touch, but they were also at a distance.
The intertwined breaths blended like milk and water. We were like two wolves snuggling up to each other for warmth on a winter night. We closed our eyes and enjoyed this quiet moment.
“Selma.” Aldrich sighed. “I love you.”
“I love you too, my shepherd and my knight.”
We embraced each other under the fireworks.
The happy day ended, and it was late at night. Aldrich had to go back to the camp. The camp still strictly enforced the curfew on this grand festival. He sent me back to the palace, and we parted ways.
The palace also held a banquet for the servants and attendants on duty. Kara invited me to drink a few non-alcoholic fizzy wheat drinks before returning to my room to rest.
It was three minutes to twelve.
“What are you doing?” I texted Aldrich.
“I’m thinking of you,” he replied.
My face turned red again.
“Be serious!”
“Don’t be angry. I’m preparing a gift for you.”
“A gift? What gift?”
“On the day after the Moonlight Festival, a man must prepare a gift for his sweetheart. This is a small custom among the young people.”
I couldn’t wait to see what the gift was, but I still asked reservedly, “If you tell me now, I won’t be surprised anymore. Hmph.”
“Please calm your anger, Your Highness the goddess. I’ve missed you so much that I can’t keep any secrets from you.”
“Alright! Please don’t do this. I’m dying of laughter!”
We agreed to meet at the training ground tomorrow afternoon, and I fell asleep with full anticipation.
The following day, I woke up almost at the break of dawn. I didn’t look dispirited at all after staying up all night. The unknown gift made me so excited that my mother noticed my excitement.
“My little princess, why are you so happy today?” She asked, “Could it be that you had a fortuitous encounter at the party yesterday?”
“What?” I drank the milk absentmindedly. “No, Mother. Yesterday was a wonderful day. I’m still reminiscing about it.”
“Still reminiscing.” My mother smiled teasingly. “Who left such a deep impression on you?”
“Oh, unknowingly, my baby has reached the age to meet her mate,” my father said.
Only then did I understand what they meant. I blushed and quickly retorted, “It’s not that, Father, Mother. I’m happy because of the Moonlight Festival.”
In fact, the real ‘culprit’ was Aldrich, but I couldn’t say it out loud, which made me a little disappointed.
My mother looked regretful. “Okay, but it doesn’t matter. You’re still young. You have plenty of time to find your mate.”
In fact, my mate had long appeared and disappeared. It was none other than Benson Walton, the werewolf who now rarely appeared in my mind.
I felt as if it had been a lifetime ago though it had only been a short year, wasn’t it? The memories of the past were as distant as my past life.
