Chapter 240

Grace

The door creaked open, revealing Eason. Unlike his usual suit, he was in casual clothes—jeans, a T-shirt, and a leather jacket. The change made me nervous. He hadn't even come to work. Something poked at me from the back of my mind. There was a reason for him being dressed like this, but seeing him like this sent a pang of guilt through me, quickly followed by a wave of understanding.

I'd sent him and Amira away last time, and I basically told him he had no place here. Again.

"You're still here," I said, glaring at Edgar.

He sneered and stormed past. "Wait until I report you."

He slammed the door behind him. Eason shook his head and said nothing, coming around the chair to take the seat. Eason met my gaze, his expression unreadable. There was a glint in his eyes. I slid the folder containing the paperwork for his citizenship across the desk.

"This is for you," I said, my voice steady. "The official paperwork for your reinstated citizenship."

Silence stretched between us, thick and heavy. Eason sat perfectly still, his gaze fixed on the folder in front of him. He hadn't spoken a word since entering the room, and the tension in the air was suffocating.

My nerves thrummed like a live wire. I wanted to break the silence, to fill the void with anything, but the words seemed to catch in my throat. I didn't know what to expect from him. I knew this was barely a step in making things right, but would he even accept it? Maybe he didn't even want to be a citizen of Mooncrest any longer...

Maybe he didn't want me as his alpha ever again. Could I blame him?

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Eason reached out and slowly flipped open the folder. He ran his eyes over the documents, his expression unreadable. A flicker of relief washed over me – at least he was reading them.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to break the ice. "Eason," I began, my voice barely above a whisper, "I know things have been… difficult lately. I just wanted to apologize for everything that's happened, for the way I treated you."

Eason lifted his head and met my gaze. His eyes were calm, almost serene, still that unnerving bright color. They were brighter than before, almost glowing in his face, like starlight. He held my stare for a long moment, then slowly closed the folder.

A wave of unease washed over me. It wasn't a negative reaction, per se, but something about his calmness, his complete lack of reaction, sent a shiver down my spine. It was as if he had already anticipated this moment and felt nothing. My stomach clenched. Maybe he wouldn't accept it. Maybe he'd already solved the problem of returning to Northfall and everything else.

"Won't you say something?"

"I'm sorry." I blinked. "I'm sorry about what happened last night."

I frowned and shook my head. "I don't..."

"I don't need you to remember because I do.... and as much as I want to, I can't take it back."

Then, he stood. Panic clawed at my throat.

"Eason, wait!" I exclaimed, rising from my chair. "Don't you even have anything else to say?"

He turned towards me. "Not really."

I bit my lip. "But... "

Shouldn't this have been more of a moment between us. It felt lack luster? Had that always just been my fantasy of reconciliation. That everything could just be swept under the rug?

He took a step towards the door, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer. I wanted more. Frustration and regret burned my eyes. This wasn't what our parents would have wanted for us. This isn't what I'd ever expected for us when we were younger and planning to take over the world.

Dr. and Dr. Wolfe.

"About the citizenship…" he began, his voice trailing off.

I blinked, meeting his gaze, and then I looked away.

"I understand if you don't want it," I said, forcing a smile. "It was just… a gesture. It seemed like something I should do... considering..."

A hint of amusement flickered across Eason's face. "I appreciate the gesture, Grace," he replied, his voice softer now. "But I've already made… alternative arrangements."

I nodded. I wasn't even surprised. Eason had never been someone to be stopped.

"Though, I am proud of you for trying to set things right."

Did that mean things would never be right between us?

"Are you leaving back to Northfall soon, then?" I asked, the question tumbling out before I could stop it. "Selene?"

A strange sense of calm settled over me as I contemplated his departure. There was no anger, no desperate pleas for him to stay. Just a quiet acceptance of the inevitable. He'd said it before: he had his own life.

"Do you need help with the travel arrangements?" I offered the words, surprising even me. "For schooling?"

The guilt I felt for my past actions hadn't vanished entirely, but the anger that had weighed down so much of my time recently was gone. It was as if a storm had raged within me, leaving behind a desolate landscape of calm.

"I-I know Mooncrest isn't in the best shape, but we could... I'm sure we could. Maybe after the trial or something?"

I didn't even know how much it cost to go to Northfall. We'd both had separate trust funds. I always wondered if he'd gotten more because he'd gotten in or now, but I had no way of knowing.

Eason studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, a slow smile spread across his face.

"No," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "I wouldn't put you in more debt, and it'll be covered."

I blinked. "Your... trust fund?"

"Is intact and well invested. Accessible too."

I nodded, letting that worry slip from my shoulders. "S-So... how much... I mean, when..."

The jumbled thoughts in my head refused to form a coherent sentence. Eason's impending departure was expected. I always knew that he would leave. I knew from the moment I found out he was running his business that it was just a step on his journey. I hadn't expected him to be ready to leave so soon, though...

Was it because of Ethan's arrival?

"I'll be around for a little while longer, Grace," he assured me, his voice softer now. I looked up. "So stop spiraling, yeah?"

I nodded.

"It's not... much longer. Probably until the next trimester at Northfall starts, which… I believe it falls right after Cecil's birthday."

A few weeks, then. It's not the worst, but it's not the best.

"So you're really leaving then?" I asked, the question heavy in the air. For good.

Eason smiled a little. "Like I said before... I didn't come all the way back here just to have to come back here...I won't leave until I'm sure you'll be alright," he said, his voice laced with a sincerity that surprised me. "Consider this a… heads-up. Prepare yourself."

There was a finality in his words that I couldn't ignore. A part of me wanted to argue, to plead with him to stay. But the newfound calm within me held me back. He had his own life. I had pushed his path out of Mooncrest, so I couldn't be upset that he'd found a home somewhere else.

"Alright," I whispered, a strange sense of acceptance settling over me. "I understand."

Taking a deep breath, I decided to shift the focus. "So, about the debrief you mentioned before…"

Eason shook his head. "Later... Prying ears and all." He nodded toward the door.

I huffed. I couldn't believe Edgar was listening in.

"Don't worry, he's hearing a bunch of garbage right now. He opened the door. Edgar stumbled away from it, scowling up at Eason as he turned back to me.

"You should know..." Eason said. "I meant what I said... I am proud of you."

I smiled. "Tell me that after I finish my dissertation."

He snickered. "I demand to be in the dedication for all the typing I know I'll end up doing for you."

I laughed. He walked out the door. And then he was gone, leaving me alone in the office, the silence echoing deafeningly in his wake.

Eason was leaving. Soon. I sank into my seat, processing it all. It was a good start in the right direction, but there was something missing.

What exactly had he apologized to me for?