Early Saturday morning at exactly 6:00 a.m., the table clock rang loudly.
Loisa stretched lazily, still drowsy. She groaned, turned off the alarm, and drifted right back to sleep.
~ 5 Hours Later ~
Mariciel walked into Loisa's room and pulled the curtains open.
"Loisa, wake up! It's past 11 o'clock!"
"Mom, can I just sleep for a little while?" Loisa mumbled groggily.
"No, get up now, or else...."
"Fine, Mom. I'll get up, just give me a few more minutes," she pleaded.
"Don't make me say it again. You need to prepare for school. You're leaving tomorrow, remember? I don't want you forgetting anything."
With a grumble, Loisa dragged herself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. She washed her face, brushed her teeth, took a shower, and got dressed.
Downstairs, she greeted her father and sat at the table for breakfast. While they ate, her father, Adriel, announced:
"We're all going to a party today. It's Andy's birthday, and he invited us last night."
Loisa's mom raised a brow. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"I only got the invitation late last night," Adriel replied.
"Then we're definitely going!" Loisa beamed with excitement.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"9:00 p.m.," Adriel answered.
Meanwhile…
Kim sat quietly in his office, staring blankly at the papers on his desk. Frank entered, a frown on his face.
"Good morning, Alpha," he greeted.
"Morning, Frank," Kim replied, his voice hoarse.
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Alpha, don't tell me you didn't sleep last night."
Kim looked up, expression unreadable. "What do you think?"
Frank sighed, shaking his head. "From the look of you, I'd say no. Kim, I've told you time and again—stop overworking yourself. Why do you keep doing this?"
Kim chuckled dryly. "Frank, you worry too much over small things. I'm a wolf. Stress shouldn't be a big deal for me."
Frank wasn't convinced. "Your eyes are dull, your lips are pale—that doesn't seem like a 'small thing,' Alpha," he said, putting extra weight on the word.
"You need rest. Go home, sleep, and leave the rest to me," Frank insisted.
Kim finally gave in. He returned home, took a long bath, and collapsed into bed. After hours of deep sleep, he woke up in the evening, feeling slightly better. He made himself a meal—steak with roasted Brussels sprouts and a glass of red wine—before settling in to relax.
Later That Evening…
Loisa's phone buzzed on the table. She picked it up, glanced at the screen, and answered.
"Hello?"
"Loisa!" came Alexa's cheerful voice through the speaker.
Loisa gasped. "Oh my God! Alexa?!"
"Yes! It's me!" Alexa laughed. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good! What about you? How's Mom and Dad?"
"They're all fine," Alexa replied warmly. "Guess what—I just landed in Massachusetts!"
"Wow, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you," Loisa said, her voice filled with genuine excitement. "I wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you, sweetie," Alexa said. "I'll keep in touch."
They ended the call with a soft goodbye.
Loisa went downstairs and found her parents watching TV. She joined them, curled up on the couch.
"Mom," she said after a few minutes, "Alexa just landed in Massachusetts."
"Oh really? That's good to hear. I actually remember her mom telling me a few days ago," her mom said with a thoughtful smile. "I'm happy for her."