"Elon, darling,"
A tall girl with beautiful legs exclaimed the moment Derek set Elon down. She threw her arms around Elon in a tight hug. Nearby, a house stood not far from the edge of a rocky cliff, offering an almost unreal view of the forest below.
Elon could barely breathe in the strength of that hug. "Martha? When did you get here? No one told me you were around."
She gently patted Martha's back as the girl finally let go. "Ohhh, I wanted it to be a surprise," Martha said in her usual loud tone. "So much has happened in the last two years. Oops—why are you still outside? Come in already!"
Martha talked quickly without blinking, a wide smile stretching nearly to her ears. Her face lit up with excitement at seeing Elon again.
"I was just about to head out…" Elon said, gesturing toward the opposite path, away from the house. "To see my father. I planned to visit after finishing my job at Prince Derek's reception. Now that I have nothing left to do, there's no point in delaying."
But as she thought about it, she found herself already inside Thomas 's house. It was a two-story building, old-fashioned, with pinewood floors. The scent of musk filled the air.
'He still uses scented candles,' Elon thought, sitting on the couch, watching Martha ramble on about her life and all she'd done in the past two years.
"Darling, are you even listening?"
Martha handed her a cup of warm coffee. Elon gave a small nod. "You were saying you dated six men, stole all their possessions, fooled a bunch of noble families, and ran off before any weddings could be completed… like always."
Elon rolled her eyes and set the cup down.
"No, no, you weren't listening. That all happened three years ago. Now, we're…"
She looked toward Derek, who was setting the dinner table, wearing an apron. He looked like a respectable husband.
"We're dating now… or whatever you call it. I think I'm his fated mate or something. I don't really understand werewolf stuff, but I love him."
Martha whispered, her voice dreamy. Elon's eyes widened in disbelief. Of all people… Thomas and Martha?
She glanced between the two as they exchanged glances, smiles, and little winks. The chemistry between them was sweet.
' I'm so glad he finally moved on, I was praying for him to find the one, because I'm never his never will be,'
Elon thought staring at Thomas, with a warm smile.
"Dinner's ready," Thomas said softly, placing a hand on Martha's back. "Martha wouldn't stop screaming when I told her I was coming to see you. She insisted on joining."
"Oh, stop exaggerating," Martha laughed, waving him off. "Don't believe a word he says. He was the one eager to break the news that we're getting married soon. Oops—did I spoil the surprise?"
She bit her tongue and led Elon to the elegantly set dinner table.
"Martha…" Thomas groaned, placing a fork in front of her. "Weren't we supposed to tell her after dinner?"
Martha waved her hand in the air to shush him. She looked at Elon with care.
"Is Plan B still on?" she asked softly. "I know your father's condition and everything you've lost has weighed on you. But I want you to know—we're with you. We're not just a gang under your wing. We're your family. We'll stand by you to make everything you dreamed of happen."
She pressed Elon's hand gently. She'd noticed how distant Elon had been. Something was off. Their reunion felt strange.
"Heh, you're still the same," Elon said, brushing her hair back as she took her first bite of roasted duck. "Mmm, it's delicious. I love the spicy sauce."
She kept eating, and Martha looked over at Derek, smiling as if to say,'this is our Elon', before turning back to her.
"Yeah, I remember. I was running away from another fake wedding, still in my gown. I walked into that tavern you were working at. It was late—you were about to close."
Martha grinned at the memory.
"I wasn't working," Elon replied quickly. "I was gathering intel. I was preparing to meet a client. Then you just appeared out of nowhere."
She stared into Martha's eyes, and for a moment, both could almost see the scene playing out before them.
"That's not what matters," Martha continued. "When I pulled my gun and threatened to kill you unless you hid me somewhere, your reaction stuck with me. You laughed, sat down, crossed your legs like nothing was wrong."
Martha placed a hand over her heart.
"You said, 'I don't mind dying in your hands. But the ones chasing you? They'll find you soon. I have a proposal—come with me, join my gang. You won't have to run like this anymore. You deserve better.'"
She shook her head, standing up.
"And in that moment—Derek, did you know? The groom's men barged in. I was terrified. I'd never even fired a gun. I still don't know what Elon did, but the moment they saw her, they ran like they'd seen a ghost."
Martha scratched her head, and Elon smiled.
'They *did* see a ghost. Nicholas was in the room the whole time. He's always with me.'
"Wait… did they know you were a princess?" Martha asked. "No… we were far from your kingdom. I've always wondered why they ran. That moment—it mesmerized me. I felt like you'd protect me. That's why I said yes. You were my savior."
Martha's voice grew tender. Those men had been armed to the teeth. She'd stared death in the face that day.
"Oh, you were the one who caught my attention," Elon said with a soft smile. "You were different. I wasn't alone back then, Martha. Nicholas was with me. He's in the Dark Continent now. I wanted to introduce him during the meeting I'm organizing soon."
Martha glanced at the wall clock. She and Derek had agreed she'd only stay for five minutes. But time had flown—an entire hour had passed, and she still wasn't tired of Martha's company.
'I wish I had more time with you two… but there's so much chaos in my life to sort through,'
Elon thought, releasing a quiet sigh. Those were unforgettable days. Martha's reaction to finding out Elon was a princess was still adorable.