My Alpha Gave Our Home to Another Woman, So I Walked Away

By daybreak, the messenger had already left the city. I had the maid accompany Noah to breakfast and went back to the main house alone to retrieve the travel notes I had left in the study. Marcus said he would sleep there for the time being. But the bench was still piled with unopened letters, the fireplace was cold, and there wasn't even a blanket. My hand, which was reaching for the notebook, stopped. Celia's voice came through the half-open side door. "Will I have to move out again when Elena comes back from the beach?" That door led to our bedroom. I took two steps closer and saw her sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a large shirt with sleeves that almost covered her hands. It was Marcus's. "Why do you keep thinking about these things?" Marcus stood in front of her and bent down to gather her disheveled long hair. “She’s the Luna here. What am I?” Celia grabbed his hand. “Marcus, I don’t want our daughter to get used to a home and then be kicked out.” He was silent for a moment. Then, he leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers. "No one will kick you out." My breathing stopped. Yesterday, he told me that he was just taking care of them for a while. Now he stood before our bed, assuring another woman that she could stay. "But what about Elena..." “I’ll talk to her.” Celia tilted her head back and kissed him. Marcus did not avoid it. He cradled the back of her head, wrapped his other arm around her, and let the kiss linger for a long time. I hadn't been kissed like that by him in a long time. Every time I finished my clan affairs and returned to my room, he was either already asleep or frowning and saying he was too tired, and he didn't even have the patience to listen to me for a few words. I had always been understanding. Defending territory is hard work, resolving disputes among clansmen is hard work, and being an Alpha is even harder. It turned out there were times when he wasn't tired. My fingernails dug into my palms, and I realized I was still standing outside the door. I didn't go in. I simply returned to the table and took my notebook. As I passed through the corridor, two servants were carrying a new wardrobe toward the east wing. The carpenter followed behind, asking in a low voice whether they wanted the old wardrobe moved out. The manager nodded. "Arrange it the way Miss Celia likes. The Alpha has already given the instructions." I stepped aside to let them pass. No one asked me whether I wanted to stay there. ... In the two days I waited for a reply, I took stock of my savings and packed the warm clothes Noah would need for the journey. On the morning of the third day, Mara's letter finally arrived. "The invitation remains valid." "The warehouse needs someone familiar with the grain routes and able to deal with leaders from various regions. I've always wanted to give you this position." “The seaside cottage is ready, and you and your son are welcome to come anytime. I have also spoken with the local community, so you don’t need to worry about finding a place to stay.” I read those lines twice. Over the years, the people who had written to me had always asked when the food would arrive, when the dispute would be resolved, and when Marcus would give them a reply. Only she remembered that I once wanted a life of my own. I folded the letter and put it inside my bag. Just as I tightened the cloth strap, a burst of children's laughter came from the yard. Noah stood by the window, having been watching for a long time. "Mother." He turned around, his eyes lighting up. "Dad turned into a wolf." I walked over. In the center of the courtyard, a tall black wolf lowered its body, letting a little girl climb onto its back. That was Celia's daughter, Iris Voss. She was about the same age as Noah, and she gripped the black wolf's neck tightly with both hands. She laughed as soon as she sat down. Marcus did not hurry her. He waited until she had a firm grip before slowly standing up, each step he took steady. Celia stood to the side, holding her daughter's cloak, and smiled as she reminded her not to pull the fur too hard. The little hand beside me slowly grasped the windowsill. Noah had also wanted his father to carry him for a short distance like this. Once, he clung to Marcus's sleeve and asked him for a long time, only to receive one sentence in return: "You're not a baby anymore, stop always wanting to be held." That night, he leaned on my shoulder and whispered to himself, wondering if he was growing up too fast. If he were a little smaller, would his father be willing to hold him? Now, looking at the black wolf in the yard, he slowly released his grip on the windowsill. "Mom, can I go take a look?" I put his coat on him and led him outside. Noah neither ran nor shouted. He walked down the stone steps before tentatively calling out. "Dad." The black wolf stopped and turned around. Noah immediately smiled and took a step forward. Celia reached out and stopped him. "Wait a minute, okay? It's rare to see Iris so happy." Noah stopped in his tracks. He looked at his father. Marcus saw him, and he also saw the hand that had been extended and then withdrawn. But soon, the black wolf turned around and continued carrying the girl on its back. Noah lowered his head and twirled the hem of his clothes. "I'll wait for her to come down." I gripped his hand tightly. "Noah, we can go back now." But he gently pulled me back. "Wait a little longer." “Dad has already seen me.” My chest tightened, and I didn't urge him any further. A moment later, Iris finally slid off the wolf's back. Celia immediately went to her and wrapped her cloak around her. Noah let go of my hand and took two steps toward his father. "Dad, can I now—" Celia said her daughter's hands were cold. The black wolf lowered its head, gently nudged the girl's shoulder, and accompanied them towards the east wing. Noah hadn't finished his sentence. He stood there, watching the door close in front of him. Then, he slowly hid his hands back in his sleeves. "Mother." His voice was very soft. "Am I too heavy?" I crouched down and picked him up. He immediately wrapped his arms around my neck and buried his face in my shoulder. "You're not heavy." I held his legs firmly and tried to keep my voice steady. "You're not heavy at all." He didn't cry until we got back to the inn. There was no arguing, no fussing, and he even tried his best to hold back his tears. He was afraid that he wasn't mature enough. He was afraid that if his father found out, he would think that he was fighting for something that should have been given up. I stroked his back, my heart feeling as though it was being slowly squeezed. I could accept that Marcus no longer loved me. But what did Noah do wrong? He didn't even ask his father to put the girl down from his back. He just stood there, waiting for his father to turn around and look at him. ... After dinner, Marcus finally arrived at the guesthouse. Noah had just fallen asleep, tears still clinging to his eyelashes. Marcus glanced into the inner room and then sat down next to me. "He went to bed so early?" "He's exhausted from crying today." He frowned slightly. "What's wrong?" I looked at him. "Noah was waiting for you in the yard this afternoon." "I know." He answered casually, reaching for the water glass on the table. My hands, which were resting on my knees, suddenly tightened. I wondered if he would say he hadn't seen it. Or perhaps that he hadn't heard it clearly. But he knew everything. "He called you twice." Marcus took a sip of water. “Iris is shy and it took a lot of effort for her to get close to me. I can’t just suddenly abandon her.” "She's already down." My voice was very low. "Noah was right behind you when she walked back." Marcus put down his cup. "What exactly are you trying to say?" "He also wants you to stay with him for a while. Even just patting his head and telling him that you saw him." "Just for this?" He looked puzzled. “Celia’s daughter just lost her father, while Noah has everything. Why do you have to compare him to her?” I stared at that familiar face, my throat tightening. "You think he has everything?" "Isn't that so?" Marcus reached out and took my hand, his tone softening. "Don't get caught up in the child's worries. I'll spend time with him once things are settled here." Another round of waiting. Wait until he finished dealing with matters concerning the clan. When he's not busy anymore. When another woman and her child no longer need him. Noah believed it earnestly every time, and then stayed where he was. I slowly withdrew my hand. "He asked me today if he was too heavy, and if that was why you didn't want to carry him." The slight gentleness on Marcus's face finally faded. "You should tell him that boys shouldn't be so delicate." I stared at him without saying a word. He seemed to have finally found the problem, and his brows furrowed even more deeply. "Noah didn't cry this much before. Elena, did you say something to him?" The room fell silent. From the inner room, my son let out a soft sob in his sleep. Marcus heard it. He glanced into the inner room but still did not get up. "Since you know he can't live without you, then try to persuade him." “I won’t pay any less attention to Iris just because he cried.”

After he finished speaking, he reached out and touched my face again. In the past, whenever Marcus got this close, I would unconsciously soften my voice. No matter how wronged I felt, I always wanted to lean into his arms first. But now, all I could remember was him cradling Celia's head and kissing her. I turned my head away. His hand missed its target. "So now you won't even let me touch you?" "Noah never took anything from Iris." I looked at him and spoke very softly. “Noah gave up his room, and I gave up mine too. He stood in the yard for so long, but he didn’t even dare to touch you.” "How much more sensible do you expect him to be?" Marcus's smile vanished. “As I have already said, their situations are different.” "What's different?" "Celia can only rely on me!" His voice suddenly rose in pitch. A muffled murmur came from the inner room. I turned around immediately. Noah rolled over, buried his face in the pillow, and still clutched the corner of the blanket with his fingers. "Keep your voice down." Marcus followed my gaze and pursed his lips. After a moment, he sat down again, his voice lower. "You know that's not what I meant." I didn't respond. He was silent for a moment, then reached out and grasped my wrist. "Tomorrow night, I'll host a banquet for the leaders who delivered the supplies. I'll have Noah sit next to me and have a good meal with him." "Whether he wants to ride on my back or listen to me talk about forest patrols, I'll agree to it." I lowered my eyes and looked at his hands. That same hand had never reached out to the child who was waiting for him that afternoon. “Tell him yourself.” Marcus seemed relieved. "Okay, I'll go tell him tomorrow morning." He rubbed the back of my hand, and his familiar gentleness returned. "Don't be angry anymore. Go stay by the sea for a while, and when you come back, we'll be back to how we were before." I pulled my hand out and closed the door for Noah. There was no response. ... The next day, I went to the hall with the list of the last batch of grain. The clan elders, guards, and several caravan leaders sat around the long table. The fire in the stove burned brightly, and records from various granaries were spread out on the table. This was the last check before winter. In previous years, Marcus sat at one end of the long table, and I sat next to him. Today, Celia was sitting in that chair. She was wearing a brand new dark green dress, with warm honey water in front of her. Upon seeing me, she seemed to only then notice that her seat was inappropriate, and she stood up while holding onto the edge of the table. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you would come." Marcus pressed her hand back down. "Sit down. Elena is just here to say a few words." I stood at the table, holding the list. A gray-haired caravan leader immediately moved his chair aside. "Luna, please sit here." He still remembered who had accompanied them through the cold rain all night when the mountain road collapsed a few days ago. I nodded to him and put the list down. As soon as I finished explaining the destination of the last two wagonloads of grain, Celia spoke up. "Since Elena is going to rest, I'll take care of tonight's banquet." She turned to look at Marcus. "These are all guests from neighboring tribes, so we can't keep her running around doing all the chores." An elderly man frowned. "Many of the caravan leaders tonight only agreed to make this trip before winter because of the Luna. It would be more appropriate for her to express her gratitude." Celia slowly withdrew her hand from the rim of the glass. "I just wanted to share her burden." "Leave it to Celia." Marcus interrupted the elder. He looked at me, his tone even bordering on considerate. "You've been working so hard, you don't need to worry about entertaining guests tonight." Before I could even speak, he pointed to the list I had placed on the table. "Go over the amount of grain for each family and the promised payments to the caravan leaders with her first. She's new here and not familiar with these things." I looked at him and suddenly found it funny. The busy work was still mine. The person sitting next to him, receiving thanks from the tribe, could be someone else. Celia smiled again. "With your help, I feel relieved." She held out her hand to the record in front of me. "And please help me choose the wine tonight and the gifts for the guests. It's best to write down who they are for so I don't make a mistake." She said it very naturally. It was as if I had come here today just to teach her how to take over my position. The area around the table gradually quieted down. Marcus's gaze lingered on my face, as if he were waiting for me to get angry. In the past, if anyone tried to bypass the inventory and secretly move a bag of grain, I would confront them and demand an explanation. He knew better than anyone that I wasn't a person without a temper. This time, I simply pushed the list I had already prepared across the table. "Okay." Celia was stunned. I took out the keys and placed them on the table. The storeroom, wine cellar, and cabinets for storing gifts. The brass keys landed on the wooden table with a few crisp clinks. "The arrangements for tonight are already written down. There are still two wagonloads of salt that haven't arrived yet. The caravan leader is only willing to take the ferry crossing on the east side, and the people who will meet them have already been arranged." I looked at Marcus. "If there are any changes, the subsequent decisions are up to you." The tension between his brows finally eased. "Keep an eye on these little things—" "You just told me to rest." I interrupted him. Marcus paused. I turned the last page to him. "I've arranged everything that I've already promised. If there are any changes needed in the future, you can discuss them yourselves." After saying that, I took back my empty cloth bag and turned to walk out. No one spoke behind me. Marcus only caught up with me and grabbed my hand after I left the hall. "Are you misunderstanding something again?" I stopped in my tracks. He glanced behind him and pulled me to the pillar. “Celia didn’t mean anything by it. You should be happy that she’s willing to help you.” "What did she do for me?" My gaze fell on his face. "I brought back the grain, I invited the guests, and I also have to prepare the payments and gifts for her banquet." "She just needs to sit next to you." Marcus's expression changed. "Do you have to put it so harshly?" "What part of that was wrong?" He opened his mouth, but didn't answer for a long time. The wind blew in from the end of the corridor. I saw a small section of green ribbon peeking out from inside his collar. It was the same color as the dress Celia was wearing that day. Marcus noticed my gaze and instinctively raised his hand to straighten his collar. Then, he opened his arms and hugged me. "You are still my Luna." He lowered his head, his voice close to my ear. "Letting her host a banquet won't change anything. You don't have to deny her even that much respect." I didn't struggle, nor did I hug back. His embrace was still warm. But I already knew that this warmth could be taken away at any time if Celia spoke up. “When you come back, I’ll have the west wing renovated,” Marcus continued. “It’s quieter there, and the windows are bigger. You and Noah will be more comfortable there than in the east wing.” I slowly raised my head. “You and Noah.” He said it so smoothly. He hadn't included himself. And in that bedroom where I had lived for many years, he didn't even mention that Celia would have to move out. I suddenly realized that what he meant by "returning to the way things were" was for me to accept the new arrangements and take care of everyone as before. "Marcus." "Um?" “I remember every single thing you’ve asked me to understand over the years.” His expression relaxed, and he even smiled. "I knew you'd understand." He placed a kiss on my forehead and then let go. In the lobby, Celia was calling him, saying she had a gift but didn't know which team leader to give it to. Marcus immediately turned around. "Coming!" He didn't look at me again. I stood under the eaves until his figure disappeared behind the door before slowly smoothing out the wrinkles on my sleeves. My palms felt empty. That bunch of keys that had tied me to this place for so many years was finally gone. ... When I returned to the guesthouse, Noah was sitting on the edge of the bed putting on his boots. Upon seeing me, he immediately looked up. "Mom, Dad came to see me this morning." His eyes were a little brighter than yesterday. "He said he wanted me to sit next to him tonight and that he would listen to my stories." I knelt down and straightened his trouser legs, which were rolled up inside his boots. "He told you that himself?" Noah nodded vigorously. "I asked twice." "Dad said he's not busy tonight." My hand stopped at the edge of his boot. It turned out that all it took to make a child trust him again was just one sentence. Noah carefully touched his collar. "Can I wear that new outfit? The one you sewed for me last time?" "Of course." I took the clothes out and placed them next to him. "Mom will go with you." He finally smiled. I patted his head and got up to ask a servant for some warm water. As soon as I stepped outside the hall, I saw two people carrying Noah's usual chair toward the storage room. There was still a small soft cushion that I had sewn for him tied to the back of the chair. "Why did you move it?" The servant stopped in his tracks, a look of hesitation on his face. "Luna, this is the Alpha's order." I looked at the long table that was being set up. Marcus's seat was still there. The spot that originally belonged to Noah and me had now been set up with cups and plates for Celia and her daughter. The servant lowered his head. "Alpha said that only three seats will be reserved at the main table." "You and Noah, please sit in the guest seats."

I reached out and stopped the chair. "Take the cushions off and return them to the guesthouse." The servant immediately did as instructed. "As for the seats, let Marcus tell Noah himself." "Let him explain why he broke the promise he made this morning." A soft laugh came from behind. Celia stood by the door, holding the silver cup she had just chosen. "It's just a meal. Why make things difficult for them?" I turned around. She glanced at the removed cushions, her tone becoming even gentler. “Iris is new here and doesn’t know anyone. She’ll feel less scared if she sits next to Marcus. Noah isn’t a guest, so it doesn’t matter where he sits.” "Since it's the same wherever you sit, why don't you sit down there?" Celia's smile froze for a moment. Then, she lowered her eyes and stroked the rim of the glass. "This was Marcus's arrangement." She placed the silver cup next to his seat. "If you're unhappy, you can go ask him." I looked at her. She knew how Marcus would answer. That certainty didn't even need to be hidden. I would ask. I took the cushion offered by the servant and turned to leave. Before leaving the hall, I heard Celia instruct the servants to warm up Marcus's favorite wine. She had begun to arrange everything here as if she were the mistress of the house. ... I found Marcus in the inner courtyard. He was talking to some guests when he saw me. He simply raised his hand, indicating that I should wait a moment. I didn't wait. "Noah's seat has been removed." The smile on his face faded slightly. "I know." "You promised him this morning." "It was just a change of seats. I didn't say I wouldn't spend time with him." Marcus lowered his voice. "Help him sit down first. I'll go over after I've finished entertaining my guests. Do we really have to make everyone unhappy over something like this?" Someone else called him. He responded and then patted the back of my hand. "Listen to me, don't let Noah start overthinking things like you." I watched as he turned back towards the visitor. This time, I didn't stay to wait for him to finish. Back at the inn, I checked my luggage again and asked someone to invite the familiar caravan leader. "Please reserve a carriage for us tonight." The caravan leader looked at the neatly folded clothes by the bed and hesitated for a moment. "Luna, aren't we going to wait until tomorrow morning?" "We're leaving tonight." I gave him the travel expenses. He didn't ask any more questions, took the money bag, and nodded. After he left, I squatted down in front of Noah. “Dad moved our seats to the guest section. He said he’d come over after he finished entertaining the guests.” Noah was buttoning up his new clothes one button at a time. Upon hearing this, his hand stopped. "Didn't he say he wanted me to sit next to him tonight?" "Yes, he said that." I stopped trying to find excuses for Marcus. “We don’t have to go. Your luggage is packed, and Mom will take you to the beach.” Noah looked down at his clothes. After a while, he gently grabbed my sleeve. "I want to ask my dad myself." "He clearly promised me this morning." I took his hand. "Okay, Mom will go with you to ask." ... As night fell, the fire in the fireplace in the hall burned brightly. The long table was laden with roast meat, bread, and warm wine. The gifts, which I had personally checked, were being delivered to the guests by the servants. Celia sat to Marcus's right, smiling as she called out everyone's names. Not long ago, she needed me to write those names down for her. Upon seeing us, the gray-haired team leader immediately stood up. "Luna, you've arrived." He moved the chair next to him to make room for us. I nodded to him, but did not sit down. Noah gripped my hand, his gaze fixed on the main table. Marcus was cutting up the meat on Iris's plate. The girl couldn't hold the knife properly, so he pushed his plate over and gave her the meat cut into small pieces. Noah walked slower and slower. Just then, a guest who was visiting Greyfell for the first time raised his glass. "To the Alpha and the beautiful Luna! May your family get through this winter safely." His gaze fell on Celia and Iris. The old team leader next to me frowned, about to speak, when Marcus had already raised his glass. "Thank you. I hope all of you who have come from afar enjoy yourselves tonight." The rims of the glasses clinked together, producing a crisp sound. He did not correct it. Celia looked up at me, her smile deepening. Noah's hands suddenly clenched. "Mother." He looked up at me, his eyes full of confusion. "Did that person mistake someone else for you?" "Yes." "Why didn't Dad tell him?" I opened my mouth, but couldn't make a sound immediately. Over the years, I've answered far too many questions for Marcus. Why doesn't Dad come home for dinner? Why is Dad always busy? Does my dad not like me? At that moment, I finally had no words left to say on his behalf. Noah let go of my hand and walked to the main table. I followed him. "Dad." Marcus was listening to Celia speak, and only lowered his head after a moment. "Why don't you go sit down?" Noah glanced at the seat next to him. "You said you'd have dinner with me tonight." "I know. You go with Mom first and wait a little while." Noah did not move. His fingertips touched his father's sleeve. "When are you coming?" Marcus frowned slightly. Several people around stopped talking and looked over. He pulled his sleeve out of his son's hand. "Noah, don't bother me at a time like this." The child's hand was hanging in mid-air. I reached out and caught it. "You told him to come." Marcus looked at me, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes. “I didn’t ask him to come over now.” "He's been waiting for you since morning." "So what?" he asked in a low voice. "Do you want me to leave the guests here and only keep him company?" Noah's face gradually paled. "I don't..." His voice was so soft that it was almost drowned out by the clatter of cups and plates. Celia sighed softly beside Marcus. "Never mind, Marcus. How about I take Iris with me, so they won't be upset?" As soon as she stood up, Marcus took her hand. "Sit down." Then he turned his head and looked at me. "Take Noah back first." "This is the first time Celia and her daughter are eating with the pack. Don't make them feel uncomfortable just because you're here." I looked at the hand that was gripping Celia's wrist. He wasn't unaware that someone was embarrassed. However, he never intended to protect us. Beside me, Noah suddenly tugged at my hand gently. "Mom, I won't ask anymore." I lowered my head. His eyes were already red, but he was still trying hard to hold back his tears. "Let's go." I knelt down and smoothed out the wrinkles in his sleeves. "Okay." Marcus seemed relieved. "That's right. Let him rest early, I'll come over later." I did not answer. As I turned to leave, holding Noah's hand, the old caravan leader called my name again. "Luna, the child hasn't eaten yet." He picked up a clean cloth, wrapped several slices of bread in it, and quickly brought it over. As I took it, he glanced at the main table, his lips moved, but in the end he only whispered: "Be careful on the road." "Thanks." I clutched the still-warm bread and led my son out of the hall. Laughter rang out again behind me. Marcus was trying to coax Iris into having a taste of the sweet soup. Noah did not turn around. ... Back at the guesthouse, he sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his already packed luggage. I poured him some warm water and broke the bread into small pieces. "Eat something first. It'll be cold in the carriage; you can't go hungry." He took it and slowly took a bite. As he swallowed, tears streamed down his face. "Mom, I didn't take her seat today." "I know." “I didn’t ask my dad to kick her out either.” "I know." He finally burst into tears. "I just want him to have a meal with me once." I pulled him into my arms, my palms pressed against his trembling back. After a long while, he managed to suppress the sob in his throat. "It's not that you want too much." “Dad promised, but he didn’t keep his promise.” Noah gripped my clothes tightly. "If we go to the beach, will we come back?" I stroked his hair, instead of trying to calm him down with a lighthearted remark like Marcus did. "Mom plans to stay there and work with Mara." “We will have our own house.” He remained silent in my arms for a while. "Will you always stay with me?" "I will." "Then I want to go." He wiped his face, climbed out of bed, and put the wooden wolf with the missing ear into his bag. That was carved by Marcus himself for him. I neither told him to keep it nor to throw it away. He could be reluctant to part with his father. But he didn't need to stay in the same place, waiting for his father to turn back. ... I finished writing my last letter as the carriage stopped outside the inn. There were no accusations, nor were the events of the past few days listed out one by one. Marcus knew those choices better than anyone else. Marcus: "I am no longer Greyfell's Luna, nor will I live as your partner." "The affairs of the tribe have been handed over. I will settle Noah down by the sea, and my belongings will be inventoried later." "This departure has no return date." Elena Ward I sealed the letter and placed it in the center of the desk in my study. The fireplace in the study where he said he would stay temporarily was still cold. I didn't go back to the bedroom to look again. Back at the carriage, Noah was already seated with his luggage. The caravan leader lowered the thick curtains for us and tucked the hot water bottles into the blankets. The guards at the city gate had already received instructions from Marcus and knew that I was taking my son to the seaside to rest. Upon seeing the carriage, one of them raised his torch, signaling to his companions to open the gate. No one stopped us. No one even needed to consult the Alpha anymore. The path that Marcus had arranged for us unfolded before us without any obstruction. The wheels rolled over the stone slabs beneath the gateway. Noah suddenly reached out and gripped my fingers tightly. "Mother." "Um?" "Did you bring my blanket too?" I unfolded the small blanket that was folded beside me and covered his legs. He touched the familiar corner of the cloth before slowly leaning into my arms. The lights in the castle grew farther and farther away. I hugged my son tightly and didn't lift the carriage curtain. ... The next morning, when Marcus walked into the hall, several caravan leaders had been waiting for a long time. One of them needed to renegotiate the transportation arrangements at the eastern ferry crossing. After listening for a few minutes, Marcus habitually looked at the empty seat next to him. "Where is Elena?" No one answered immediately. He frowned. “Go and invite her over. She knows this route best, and she should take care of things before setting off.” The manager stood by the door, looking somewhat hesitant. "Alpha, Luna took Noah away last night." Marcus paused for a moment, then shook his head dismissively. "So urgent?" "Forget it. Send a messenger after her and have her write back a letter explaining the matter." The manager did not move. A moment later, he placed a letter in front of Marcus. "She has already left you a letter." The wax seal was intact. On the outside of the letter was only one name. Elena Ward.