Chapter 68: Resolution.

HELENA. I leaned back, contemplating his words. "Did she say anything specific before she stopped talking?" He sighed again, frustration building in his voice. "She just asked if I was sure that was the only reason. I said yes, of course. Why else would she stay here?" I bit my lip, sensing the deeper issue but unsure how to address it. "Maybe she felt like there was more to her staying here than just safety. Did you ask her why she's been silent?" Aaron had hit a nerve. A nerve he probably didn't even think about. Aaron's eyes flashed with anger and confusion. "I tried, Helena. She won't talk to me. She won't talk to anyone. It's like she's a ghost in the house now." 'Calm down." I muttered. Part of me was scared he was going to transfer that aggression on me. I stood up, determined to get to the bottom of the situation. "I'll try talking to her. Maybe she'll open up to me." She definitely will. Aaron nodded, though his shoulders sagged with worry. "Thanks, Helena. I just… I don't know what I did wrong." Men. They never do. I left Aaron and made my way to Luna's room. I took in a deep breath, and knocked softly on the door. "Luna? It's Helena. Can we talk?" There was a long pause before the door creaked open slightly. Luna's eyes were red-rimmed, providing a colorful contrast to her blue eyes, and she looked exhausted. "Luna, are you okay? what's going on?" I asked gently, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me. Luna turned away, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to talk about it." I reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Please, Luna. We're all worried about you. Aaron is losing his mind trying to figure out what went wrong." Luna let out a shaky breath, her resolve crumbling. "He thinks I'm only here because it's safe. Because I'm 'using you". If I didn't care in the least, I'd have demanded what I wanted from the very first day I came." The hurt in her voice was suffocating, and I felt her pain. I frowned, trying to understand. "And that's not true?" Luna glared daggers at me, and I suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. She sighed, calming down. 'Of course it's not. I care about all of you. I had seen the way you two interacted, and I had this resolve to keep you both together. Aaron is a good wolf, he's just annoyingly stubborn." I could see her claws retract and extend occasionally. She was really trying to hold it in. 'I'm sorry on his behalf. But you need to talk to him. He's truly sorry for his actions." I said, patting her shoulder. I never thought I'd be able to even get this close to her without being afraid. She glanced at me, emotions flickering in her eyes. 'Fine. But on one condition." 'What's that?" I was already feeling amused. 'He has to bathe Tyrus for a week." She said triumphantly. I left the living room that morning, feeling accomplished and content after helping Luna and Aaron reconcile. Aaron finally got up to make breakfast once he was sure enough that Luna wasn't mad at him anymore. He didn't like the idea of bathing Tyrus, but he really didn't have a choice. 'You know, you're supposed to be the one making breakfast today." He teased, flipping pancakes with unusual energy. 'Hey! I just saved you weeks worth of psychological help. This is my reward." I beamed, skipping out of the kitchen. Aaron chuckled, a deep velvety tone that sent shivers down my spine. Luna joined us for breakfast, and the atmosphere returned to its warm and lighthearted manner. 'You're really glowing Luna. Your aura is nothing but pure energy. What's going on?" Luna said, glancing over her shoulder and smiling. "I guess I am. It feels good to see you and Aaron back together," I replied, grabbing a mug of coffee. Aaron, grabbed his seat at the table, and looked up with a grateful smile. "Yeah, thanks for knocking some sense into us. We were both being stubborn." Luna glared at him for a fraction of a second, and I chuckled. "Sometimes it takes a bit of outside perspective. I'm just glad you both sorted things out." Breakfast was enjoyable, filled with the occasional banter and solidarity. I prepared for work quickly, cheerful about the day. I really didn't know why I was so happy. At the bank, my cheerful demeanor seemed contagious. My colleagues greeted me warmly as I walked in. "Morning, Helena!" Susan called out from her desk. "Morning, everyone," I replied, waving at them. Georgina showed up a few minutes later, carrying a steaming mug of hot chocolate. It was expected. 'Good morning dearie." She smiled. I accepted the mug, and spent a few minutes chatting and catching up with my team before getting down to business. I was still trying to fit into the new position as the manager. Such a daunting task. I began the day by reviewing the day's objectives and delegating tasks to the rest of the team. I decided to call for a quick morning meeting. "Alright, team, let's go over today's goals. Susan, you'll be handling the new loan applications. Mike, customer service is your domain today. Emily, I need you to oversee the online banking platform. Any questions or concerns?" Susan nodded, jotting down notes. "Got it, Helena. We received a higher volume of loan applications than usual. Do you want me to prioritize any specific ones?" I considered for a moment. "Focus on the small business loans first. We're trying to support as many local businesses as possible." Henley needed development in that manner at least. Mike looked up from his notes. "Customer service might be hectic today. We've had a few complaints about the new mobile app interface." I smiled reassuringly. "Just handle them with your usual charm, Mike. If you need backup, let me know." Mike smiled in response, nodding slightly. Emily raised her hand slightly. "I've been working on improving the online platform. There might be a few glitches as we implement the updates." "Keep me posted, Emily. If anything major comes up, I'll be here to help," I didn't even know anything about tech. Regardless, I loved helping out. I dismissed the team, as everyone got to work. They were efficient and enthusiastic, and I felt proud of the positive environment I had fostered.