The Miracle Luna He Wasted

Dahlia’s POV

My heart stuttered in my chest the moment I saw him—Theodore. It was like the room had turned cold, the noise of the party muffled by the rush of blood in my ears.

I didn’t know how long I had stood there, frozen, but I felt my legs lock, the urge to escape surging through me. I turned away as quickly as I could.

I scanned the crowd, searching for Karen, my assistant. Where was she? I could use her sharp tongue and steady presence to ground me right now. I took a deep breath, willing the panic to subside as I moved towards the entrance to the ballroom.

Just as I rounded the corner, I walked straight into someone.

“Oh! I—" I began, startled.

"Oh my gosh. Lia Bloom?" a bright voice exclaimed, startling me. “You’re her, right? Professor Bloom?”

I blinked, looking up to see a young man with wide, gleaming eyes and an infectious smile. He was holding a bouquet of red roses, his enthusiasm radiating from him like sunshine. "I’ve been looking everywhere for you! You have no idea how much I admire your work. Especially that piece you did on crystal formations in Geo Sciences! It blew my mind!”

“Oh, how rude of me,” he said, extending his hand. “Charles Arnolds. Second year at RedTech Science University. I’m a big fan so um, if you don’t mind, please take these flowers.”

For a second, the tension in my body eased. I shook his hand and accepted the bouquet. “Thank you. That’s really kind of you, Charles.” His energy was so genuine, so purely enthusiastic, that I couldn’t help but smile.

Charles beamed, a bit flushed as he handed me a folded copy of the article I’d written. “Would you... um, mind signing this?” he asked, almost tripping over his words.

I chuckled at his demeanor. “Sure, let me.”

He handed me a pen and I signed the article. Just then, I noticed a figure out of the corner of my eye–Ashley.

She was standing a few feet away, her sharp eyes flickering between Charles and me, her lips curling into a tight, thin smile.

I shrugged it off and smiled at Charles. “Here.”

“Thank you so much, Professor Bloom.” Suddenly, his phone buzzed and gave me an apologetic smile, “I’m sorry, I have to take this call.”

“Sure,” I responded.

As he excused himself with some hesitation to leave, I turned to head back inside, eager to find Karen and get some distance, but before I could take a step, Ashley appeared at my side.

"Careful, Bloom," she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "You wouldn’t want to trip."

The next second, I felt a shove against my back. My heart dropped as the world tilted. The cold, shocking sensation of water swallowed me whole, and the last thing I heard before plunging into the pool was the sound of gasps and splashing water.

. . .

Theodore’s POV

I’d recognized her the moment I saw her—Dahlia. But this version of her was different. Gone was the naive, small-town girl I once knew. The woman in front of me was poised, elegant, far more beautiful than I remembered. I hadn’t expected to feel... anything, really. But as I watched her brush off that young guy’s fawning compliments, there was something that stirred inside me.

I frowned, shifting my weight slightly, keeping my expression neutral. I wasn’t one to dwell on the past. What was done was done. Still, I couldn’t deny the nagging feeling that seeing her again brought to the surface. Or was it really her?

As I scanned the crowd, I noticed her discomfort. In the blink of an eye, she was shoved into the pool by the woman who walked past her.

Gasps erupted from the onlookers, but no one moved to help her. I watched, intrigued, as the tension in the air thickened, thick enough to slice through.

Beside me, Roxie elbowed me sharply. “What do you think you’re doing, Alpha?”

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes or snap back at her. She had been particularly annoying lately, and it grated on my nerves.

“I’m not doing anything,” I replied coolly, though my gaze remained fixed on the chaos unfolding by the pool.

Roxie showed displeasure but I didn’t care. I kept my eyes on the chaos before me.

And then, the unexpected happened.

A figure moved swiftly through the crowd, and all eyes turned to him. Tall, broad-shouldered, with an air of authority that made everyone stop and stare. The whispers started almost immediately.

He didn’t hesitate. With barely a second thought, that man jumped into the pool, cutting through the water with ease, and pulled Dahlia up from the depths. The crowd was whispering, their curiosity palpable.

“Is that… Caleb Westwood?”

“The Caleb Westwood? What’s he doing with her?”

“Who is that woman? Is she his wife or what?”

“Isn’t he the owner of Royal Moon Corporation?”

“Gosh, it’s really Caleb Westwood! Let’s take a look closer, maybe he’ll spot us!”

I myself couldn’t help but raise my eyebrows. Caleb Westood. I had heard that last name before. As far as my sources were right, the Westwoods were also werewolves – and they ruled the biggest territory in California.

Was that man really a Westwood, though? It could be someone who looked like him.

The murmurs swirled around me as I watched the alleged Caleb Westwood hoist Dahlia out of the pool, holding her close like she was made of glass. He carried her away in bridal style and walked as if he didn’t care who was watching.

My eyes narrowed, tension tightening in my jaw. Just then, Rain, my beta, appeared at my side. He leaned in close, his voice low and urgent. “Alpha… I just got confirmation. The woman who received the Crystal Research Grant... It’s her.”

My heart skipped a beat. “The woman who received the Crystal Research Grant, you say…?”

My gaze flicked back to Dahlia as Caleb Westwood carried her away, her drenched figure limp in his arms. Dahlia. Is it really you?

“What do you want to do now, Alpha?” Rain asked cautiously.

A slow, mysterious smile crept across my lips. “That depends on who that woman truly is,” I answered.

I turned to Rain, my expression turning serious. “Find everything about her.”