maybe just maybe

I was up at night replaying my conversation with Archer. Again and again.

He said he missed me and that he missed me everyday. I would be lying if that didn't set of butterflies in stomach like a fourteen year old getting confessed to, but I didn't even have the guts to answer him.

He stared at me, waiting for me to say something, that maybe I missed him back, but I didn't reply. And even if I did, would it have changed anything?

Instead, he changed the topic and reminded me that everyone was waiting for me at the pack house and we walked back together, although we didn't really talk much.

The silence between us was heavy and I know that both of us wanted to ask many things from each other, but the pandora box remained unopened.

Days passed after that and although I didn't get many chances to talk to him personally after, I was relieved to find that I saw him in my field of vision a bit more.

He sometimes joined us during the pack lunches or dinners and once he sat beside me so I wasn't able to eat as much as I would have wanted. I also saw him around the pack more now so it kind of confirmed my suspicions that he was probably avoiding me when I first arrived here.

Nonetheless, I helped out in the pack to fill my boring days although everyone was telling me not to. The pack was too kind to let me do any work, but I insisted. After all, it would've been my duty had I not left.

Today, I was helping out at the elderly care. Since it was afternoon, I was spending my time with Ms. Jacklyn who was knit stitching a scarf for her son who worked as a pack guard. She was teaching me on how to do it and since I was a quick learner, I got too engrossed in stitching up the yarns.

I would get frustrated when I had to restart a line because I messed up the sequence of the stitching to which the older lady simply laughed and continued on. I don't understand how she already had half a scarf made while I mine won't even pass as a handkerchief.

Taking up the challenge, I focused on it once more until Ms. Jacklyn spoke.

"So how long more will you be staying, Hazel?" she asked me, looking up from her artwork to smile at me. The question was harmless, but it still hit me. Nonetheless, I chose to smile back and answer.

"Well... I don't know how long this situation will last. The Alpha said that he is trying to find a solution and once he does, I will be able to go back home."

"Is that so?" she presses and I nod my head. I didn't like her tone, it was as if she knew something that I didn't. But maybe I was thinking too much.

For pleasantries, I chuckled and poke fun at her.

"Well, Ms. Jackie, if you have a solution, I'm sure the Alpha would be open to hear that." I say and continue knitting.

I was expecting her to say no, but she set her knitting equipment down and smiled at me.

"Oh, but he does. A solution has already been proposed to him, but he refuses it. Our Alpha is quite stubborn and I'm sure you know that."

My eyebrows immediately furrowed. What... is she saying? There is already a solution? Then why hasn't Archer taken that up yet? Why is he letting the pack suffer like this?

"I... I don't understand. If there's already a solution, why won't he take it? Why hasn't the pack convinced him to take it? The pack is suffering." I tell her, but it seemed more like I was ranting.

She looked at me for a while, her mouth open as she observed me.

"Well, it seems that you have not spoken about it, I'm sorry for bringing it up." she apologizes truly.

"No, no, please tell me. What is the solution? I don't know why the pack has not tried to push for it, but maybe I can talk to him about it."

There it was again, that look. The questioning look of whether she should tell me or not, but I was glad that she decided to tell me.

"Alright, but I'm not sure that you will like hearing it."

"Please tell me, I will convince him to take it whatever it is. It's for the good of the pack." I explain to her.

"Well, a situation like this is almost unheard of and an Alpha losing his Luna through rejection would undoubtedly hurt the pack. Though the consequences in our pack is severe, the moon goddess must've disliked it very much, but there is still a way to preserve the pack. That is if Alpha Archer takes in another Luna."

I thought I was ready for whatever the solution was, but I certainly wasn't ready for that. It felt like a bucket of cold water was poured on top of me, dousing me completely and freezing me up.

So if Archer takes in another Luna, the pack will be restored?

So simple, yet so... cruel.

"A-and he refuses to take that solution?" I clarify with her.

"Yes, a list of candidates has been repeatedly sent to him, but I heard that the Alpha burns it as soon as he sees it. His father is very angry at him for doing so and threatened to remove him from his position, but our Alpha does not seem to care." she explained and I fall into a deeper state of realization.

Oh goodness, Archer.

When I didn't speak anymore, Ms. Jacklyn must've gotten concerned.

"Our Alpha refuses that solution because he remains loyal to his mate and the reason why the pack hasn't been pressing him to taken another Luna is because we are also loyal to his true Luna."

My eyes widen as I look at her. It was surprising to say the least. Although they knew what happened, how I rejected their Alpha although I am not from this pack, they still remain loyal... to me?

Although my heart was breaking from learning the possible solution, it was also wholesome to hear that from her.

Finally, I put my knitting tools aside and sat close beside her. She took my hands and looked in my eyes.

"Will you still convince him to take this solution?"

"I don't know, Ms. Jacklyn... I can't let him go on like this, he's hurting the pack and himself. But convincing him to take in someone else is also..." my words trailed off, I could not even finish it.

A lump formed in my throat and I was getting nauseous at the thought of someone else ruling beside Archer. Of someone else living with Archer, someone else making him smile.

Ms. Jacklyn was telling me something else, but I wasn't listening anymore, I couldn't. My mind was starting to think of the unthinkable and I started feeling this fear that I never had before.

"Hazel, are you okay?" I suddenly heard a voice say, worried and concerned. The voice belonged to someone I hadn't been expecting was here.

I looked up to find Archer who was walking towards me in big strides, Allan right behind him.

Seeing that I was shaken up, he sat beside me at the long wooden bench and put the back of his hand on my forehead to check if I was sick or not.

His touch set up familiar sparks that erupted, sparks that I had not felt in such a long time, sparks that I had longed to feel once more for a year. He must've been equally surprised by how strong the sparks set off, but he kept his hand on.

But what followed after the spark was an electrocuting pain, though it was feint, it was there. It was the effects of rejection. Usually, sparks would bring two mates closer together, but the opposite thing happened in a rejection.

Once mates have rejected each other, they will still feel sparks, but an electrocuting pain will follow.

"What happened here?" he asked my companion when I wasn't able to answer, his voice deep and serious.

"Well, we were simply discussing--"

"I was asking Ms. Jacklyn about solutions to help the pack." I cut off. When I said that, Archer and Allan were taken aback.

It confirmed that what Ms. Jacklyn was telling me was true.

Allan had an 'O' expression and when I met his eyes, he looked away and walked towards Ms. Jacklyn.

"Ms. Jacklyn, I heard Teddy was looking for you! He said that he's been waiting for you so you both can go for a stroll."

"My, my, would you look at that. Time passes by so fast, I've been enjoying my time with our Luna here." Ms. Jacklyn says and she stands up.

Allan stood beside the old lady to guide her and they both bid their farewells as they left.

And naturally, that left Archer and I alone here.

Beside me, Archer clasped the tips of his fingers together and fidgeted, waiting for me to say something.

When I didn't, he decided to break the ice.

"What did she tell you?" he asked.

Slowly, I turn to him. I looked into his hazel eyes and I let myself drown in his gaze.

"That there is a solution for all of this."

Archer shook his head.

"That isn't a solution, so just forget it."

"What do you mean it isn't! It's a way, Archer. If you just... if you just take--"

"Is that what you want? You want me to take in another Luna? You want me to be with someone else?" he asks one after another and they're questions I have no answers to. Though looking in his eyes, I was surprised to see his eyes watering.

I could see the hurt and pain showing on his face as he asked the questions. The mere fact of asking must have hurt his pride, it must have hurt his heart. He probably felt that I was again, pushing him away, giving him to someone else.

Seeing the visible pain hurt me too. The thought of him with someone was becoming more and more unbearable.

"You're too cruel, Hazel..." he says, looking away, his voice deepening and trailing off.

"Archer, that's not what I meant... It's just that the pack is suffering and it hurts me to see the pack like this."

I was also simply holding back the dam of emotions that were swirling inside me right now. I didn't want to break down in front of him again.

We both fell into silence, collecting our thoughts, trying to keep our hearts and silently wiping our tears.

After a long while, Archer lifted his head and looked me in the eye. The sadness and hurt were still there and he didn't bother masking it.

I avoided his gaze by looking down, but he closed the space between us and sat right in front of me. He pushed the strands of my hair behind my ear and with his fingers, he slowly lifted my head up to level our gazes.

"You are my Luna, Hazel. My one and only Luna and I won't let anyone replace that. If it's not you, it can't be anyone else."

My eyes widened as he said those words. It sounded like a confession and it set my heart into a craze that would not die down anytime soon.

And my mind started thinking...

Maybe.... just maybe we can work it out?

Is it still possible for us?

We kept our gaze at each other and when I caught a glimpse of his lips, I thought how perfect it would be if he kissed me right now. The tension was obviously in the air, but before it got stronger, Archer let go of me and cleared his throat. He was probably doing it out of politeness, out of concern.

I wanted to hid my disappointment and almost did, but realizing that if I did, I would be letting the past repeat itself.

"Archer, do you still love me?"

His head turned back to me quickly, surprised by my question. He looked for a sign in my face if I was kidding or joking with him, but finding none, he relaxed.

Archer leaned back to the wooden bench and sat back.

"I never stopped loving you, Hazel."

My heart stopped momentarily from hearing those words and then it set off, beating crazily once more.

Those were all the words I needed to hear. The confirmation I needed. The reciprocity I had to assure myself of.

It was my turn to turn to him and close the gap between us, but as if reading my mind, Archer turned his body toward me and caught me and kissed me.

And I thought maybe... just maybe this time we could make it work.

Maybe this time we would love each other better. Being more honest and being more understanding.