Chapter 107

My throat tightened as I imagined pouring my heart and soul into something like this—carefully measuring, mixing, and frosting—only to have it go unappreciated. I thought of the countless hours she must have spent scouring recipes, shopping for perfect ingredients, preparing, baking, and decorating it, only to have it mostly ignored by those she'd made it for. I couldn't bear it any longer.

I lifted my fork with renewed determination, spearing a bite containing all three layers and a few berries. I shoved it into my mouth, barely chewing before swallowing. The richness was almost overwhelming, the bittersweet notes of dark chocolate lingering heavily on my sugar-deprived tongue. Goddess, I used to love chocolate—but it had been so long since I'd had proper sweets that even a small amount of sugar felt intoxicating.

But I speared another bite as soon as I'd swallowed the first, letting out an audible sound of enjoyment loud enough for the entire room. “Oh my. This cake is so good,” I declared loudly, shooting Georgia an encouraging smile. “Seriously—great job. You did an amazing job with this.”

Georgia's head jerked up, surprise and excitement registering on her face. I continued eating with exaggeration, cramming bite after bite into my mouth before pausing to praise her baking skills with a full mouth. “The frosting is just perfect,” I said around the cake, “and those berries… what a nice touch. You must have bought them this morning.”

Slowly, people began sampling their slices. More murmurs and noises of enjoyment filled the room, punctuated by laughter and chatter, until Georgia was beaming again. She crossed the circle to sit beside me, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. I offered her a smile. “Happy birthday—”

“Thank you. For doing that,” she whispered before I could finish, her lower lip trembling. “Thank you, Luna Hannah.”

I paused, taken aback by her sincerity. All I'd done was eat some cake and encourage others to do the same. “It’s… delicious cake,” I muttered. “It would be a shame to see it go to waste.”

But Georgia smiled knowingly, shaking her head. “I know what you were doing: setting an example. You didn’t have to, but you did. And I’m glad that our very own Luna is part of this group. It means a lot more to all of us than you realize.”

I paused, unsure what to say. Maybe she was right—maybe my presence helped. I just hoped these women would continue to feel bolstered by my time here, even after I divorced Noah and returned to my pack in two months. But more than that, it felt worthwhile to lift others' spirits, to make them feel accepted and understood. That's what this group was all about.

Chapter 107 (continued)

When the meeting concluded, I felt lighter than I had in a long time as I walked to the parking lot, the chocolatey sweetness of Georgia’s cake still lingering on my tongue. I was still smiling as I entered the mansion, calling for my servant to draw me a bath while I slipped off my jacket and shoes. But the sound of low voices gave me pause, and I froze as I rounded the corner into the living room.

There, on the sofa, sat Noah and two unfamiliar strangers—a man and a woman in matching uniforms. Large bags with the name of what looked like a spa were at their feet. They seemed to be waiting.

Noah glanced up sharply as I appeared, a cold, thin smile playing on his lips. “Good,” he said, checking his watch. “You’re finally home.”