He was there.
The man she met in the library was there… in the duke's library.
Following the scent, her eyes landed on the beautiful man seated lazily on an armchair by the fireplace. He seemed absorbed in the book he was reading. She doubted he had even noticed her presence.
It was a calming sight… his eyes fixed on the pages, long lashes fluttering every time he blinked, his slender fingers gently turning each page.
Katherine found herself drawn to him.
Was this what it felt like to find one's mate?
Before she realized it, her legs had already carried her closer to him.
That was when he finally noticed her.
"I'm sorry, did I disturb you?" she asked.
"You're the lady from the library," he said, recognizing her.
"I didn't expect to meet you in a place like this." Katherine walked past him toward the shelves, running her fingers lightly along the spines as she browsed.
"Neither did I." He set his book aside, giving her his full attention now.
"I'm Lady Katherine Mooncrest."
He paused but said nothing.
"Nice to meet you, Lady Katherine."
He didn't offer his name.
And Katherine didn't ask.
"Now that I've had a proper sniff of him… something about his scent feels familiar, but I can't put my claw on it. I've smelled this bloodline before…" Ker muttered.
If they still had their full senses, this wouldn't have been a problem. They could have traced his entire bloodline if they wanted.
"You're an odd one, aren't you?"
Katherine startled slightly, turning to find him standing right behind her, looking at the books she had picked out.
They were all about the Magic Tower.
"Huh?"
"I mean, most ladies prefer romance novels. But here you are reading about the Magic Tower. Last time, it was a history book."
"Well… the original Katherine liked romance," she thought.
Aloud, she said, "I just think romance is a waste of time. Magic is far more interesting."
He handed her a book. "You might like this one."
It was about the history of the Magic Tower.
He picked one for himself, and the two of them sat down, quietly reading.
The Tower was an ancient structure, said to have been built by a powerful and mysterious mage long ago. It served as a center for magical study, a sanctuary for mages, and a vault for rare artifacts.
Generations of mages had lived there, researching spells, collecting knowledge, and pushing the limits of magic. It became known across kingdoms as the heart of magical innovation.
But it wasn't without danger. Dark forces had tried to infiltrate it over the years, forcing the mages to create powerful wards to protect it.
Even now, it stood as a place of knowledge and power, attracting mages from all over the world.
"Do you think they might have a spell to help us get a stronger body?" Ker asked.
"I don't know… but I hope so…"
"So… did you come for the tea party?" Katherine asked after closing her book halfway through. There was no way she could finish it in one sitting, she planned to borrow it. "I don't remember seeing you there."
"No, I came to use the duke's library."
That surprised her.
Who was this man… to casually use the duke's private library?
"So, what book brought you all the way here?" she asked.
"Something about mages."
Before he could elaborate, a young man with black hair entered the room.
The moment the man from the library saw him, he stood.
"Well then, Lady Katherine, it was nice meeting you again. And I'm sure this won't be the last time."
And just like that, he left.
Shortly after, Aurora walked in.
"I'm sorry for making you wait," she said, then noticed Katherine already seated with a book. "Well… it seems you didn't wait at all."
"Nope. This place is heaven for books. It has everything I need." Katherine lifted the book slightly. "Can I borrow this?"
Aurora glanced at the title. "The History of the Magic Tower? Of course. I love that one, you'll enjoy it."
She picked a book of her own and sat beside Katherine.
"It's rare to find a lady interested in things like this," Aurora said after a while.
Katherine looked up. "Is it?"
Aurora sighed. "Very. Most ladies only read romance or overly dramatic poetry. That's all they seem to care about."
Katherine almost smiled.
Good thing you never met the original Katherine…
They sat there reading and chatting, and during that time, Katherine realized just how knowledgeable her new friend was.
"I think we just made ourselves a useful friend," Ker said, already thinking of how they could benefit from this connection.
Top priority, getting strong enough to shift.
After being away from her own tea party for so long, it was only natural that people would start looking for Aurora.
A maid came in to call her.
The two ladies sighed but stood up nonetheless.
"Well, I guess our time together has come to an end," Aurora said, disappointment evident in her voice.
"Wait," she added suddenly, clasping her hands together, "since we're friends now, I can just invite you over. Oh, and since you're borrowing a book, you have the perfect excuse to come even without an invitation."
Katherine smiled.
Aurora reminded her of Nathan.
Suddenly, a wave of sadness hit her.
She had been so focused on adapting to this new world that she hadn't allowed herself to think about what happened… what led her here in the first place.
Was he okay?
Did the packs accept him?
"Lady Katherine, are you okay?" Aurora asked, her voice filled with concern.
Katherine hadn't even realized tears were rolling down her cheeks.
…Huh?