Cecelia was stunned, not expecting Jacques to ask this question. She gave the answer with a little thought.

"Nearly 18 years. Seventeen years and seven months, to be exact."

Damon is the reason why Cecelia remembers so well.

After being rejected by Nathan, she had the idea of escaping from Silver Moon Pack for a while. The revelation that she was pregnant with Nathan's child was the trigger for her to act.

When she left Silver Moon Pack, she was two months pregnant with Damon. After that, she moved around alone. A month later, she arrived in Burgundy Pack, where she was taken in by the kind Jacques and Daisy.

Cecelia immediately realized what Jacques meant by "strange."

She arrived in Burgundy Pack seventeen years and seven months ago, while Mike arrived seventeen years, six months and five days ago. They came to Burgundy Pack less than a month apart!

And Mike is the "spy" sent by Silver Moon Pack...

Cecelia's brow furrowed and her palms began to sweat.

Jacques saw Cecelia's behavior and knew she was aware of the problem. "So, Cecelia, what do you think? Who do you think Mike was working for? What is he doing sneaking into Burgundy Pack and spying on you and your son?"

Cecelia had no idea.

Is that Nathan?

No, it can't be. How could this heartless man, who had no idea she was carrying his child, send out spies to follow him? Even if it was him, after all these years, Damon's almost grown up, and he doesn't care. He doesn't let Mike talk her and Damon back, which means he doesn't care about them anymore.

Is that her brother Sam?

Her brother, Sam Stone, was close to her. So before Cecelia left Silver Moon Pack, she left him only a letter about being rejected and pregnant by her mate.

Of course, Cecelia did not tell her brother who had rejected her. At the end of the letter, Cecelia mentioned that she had a premonition that she is carrying a boy, so she wished to use the name her brother had before he became Nathan's Beta and was given the name Sam Stone.

Damon Stone.

That's why Damon got his name.

No way. Mike couldn't have been sent by his brother. Cecelia shook her head.

If Mike had been sent by his brother, it would have been impossible not to try to persuade him and his mother to return to Silver Moon Pack for 17 years.

So who's the guy behind Mike?

"Cecelia, do you remember what Mike said just now?" Jacques looked through her mindand reminded her. “He said 'my master', not 'my Alpha'. Also, on his tongue, there a curse-mark of a witch's spell. Do you know what that means?"

Cecelia gasped.

"So, if I guess correctly, Mike is a wolf slave who has abandoned his Alpha and is willing to be manipulated by the witch. Whoever sent him to our pack to spy on you and your son, it wasn't a werewolf. It was an evil witch!"

"How come..."

Cecelia slumped down on the stool, her mind blank.

Witches. They've been at war with werewolves since time immemorial.

The witches' ancestors, in order to use magic, made a contract with the devil, sold their humble souls. They do evil things for the devil, in exchange for power they don't have. Although after the human witch-hunting movement, the number of witches has been greatly reduced. They're stuck in dark corners, barely able to stand up to werewolves. But they are too good at scheming, always secretly causing trouble for the werewolf tribe. So, all werewolves still fear witches.

Cecelia couldn't figure out how she, a week, helpless single mother, could goad an evil witch. It was worth sending a wolf slave to stay with her for 17 years.

What is her aim? Could it be...

Cecelia thought of a possibility. But this may be too terrible, she did not want to face, hurriedly shook his head, this possibility out of the mind.

"Cecelia, before this incident happened, I was neither for nor against you coming back to Silver Moon Pack for the wedding," Jacques said. “Well, now I might have to change. I suggest you go back and face it."

"Alpha, I..." Cecelia looked embarrassed.

Jacques raised his hand and interrupted Cecelia, explaining, "Cecelia, I know you have a lot of painful memories there. I suggest this for the long term. If there was a witch after you and Damon, do you think you and Damon would be able to go on living peacefully together?"

Cecelia opened her mouth, feeling unable to refute.

"Do not go gentle into that good night, Cecelia. If someone is trying to rob you and Damon of your bright life, you, as a mother, should step up and stop running away." Jacques tapped on the small piece of paper on the table with Sam Stone's phone number on it. Standing up, he took Cecelia's hands.

"Cecelia, that’s all I have to say. It's up to you!"

Jacques left the cafe, dragging Daisy with him.

Cecelia collected Mike's stump and put it in a box, ready to burn it sometime. Then she took out the mop and began cleaning up the blood in the cafe.

During the packing, Cecelia kept repeating Jacques' words in her head.

"As a mother, I should stand up and stop hiding!"

Isn't it?

She was running. She has been running for 17 years. Damon looks like he's all grown up. Does she have to continue to escape?

No. Absolutely no!

For Damon, she’s not afraid!

Cecelia walked quickly to the phone, grabbed the receiver and dialed Sam Stone's number.

"Duduo......"

Every time the phone rang, Cecelia's heart gave a violent jolt.

"How do you do?” Tears filled Cecelia's eyes as she heard her brother's voice on the other end of the line. "Brother, I'm Cecelia," she said. "I got your message. Don't worry. I'll take Damon back to Silver Moon Pack for your wedding."

"What? Cecelia? Is it true? That's great! I've been looking forward to this day for years!"

Sam Stone was ecstatic. He hasn't seen her for 17 years, but he still loves her so much.

Cecelia couldn't help smiling. It's not often in her 17 years that she smiles like that. What Mike said came to her mind.

"Dear Alpha, I am truly happy in Burgundy Pack. But who doesn't miss his hometown?"

Do I miss Silver Moon Pack in my deep mind like what Mike says？

Think of this, Nathan's blood-colored pupils suddenly came into her mind.

No, I don't care about that damn place!

Cecelia shook her head angrily.

I'm going back there for Damon, to find out what the witch behind Mike is doing to us!

Cecelia and her brother set a date and schedule for their return and hung up the phone. The most urgent task now is to convince Damon to back to Silver Moon Pack for his brother's wedding with her.

Cecelia let out a huge sigh of relief as she released the phone, then unconsciously glanced at the clock on the wall.

Damon's been out there for over an hour. But since he said it was a date, he probably won't be home so soon.

Just in time, Cecelia decided to find Jacques and Daisy and let them know she has made a decision. And there are a lot needed their help on the way back.

Cleaning up the blood in the cafe, Cecelia, who was sweating, walked up to the second floor to take a shower.

Scalding hot water poured over Cecelia's body, even causing her to feel a tingle. Surprisingly, the tingle, a moment later, was pleasurable to Cecelia. It even made a long forgotten face appear as a slideshow in Cecelia's mind!