Rylee
In the parlor.
I have Ruth bring in a nice afternoon tea. When she leaves, I close the parlor door.
"About the ankle. I'm sorry, Rylee, I..." Kristen says, fidgeting as she sits on the couch. "I can lie to other people. But through Alpha's link, I can't. No wolf in the Dark Moon pack can lie to Blade. He'd notice. So..." She sounds guilty.
"Hey, it's not your fault at all." I sit next to her and bump her shoulder. "I was the one who lied to you first, remember? And I got you beat up."
I’ve explained everything to her.
"That's nothing. You must have had your own reasons to do so. Besides, I wasn't really hurt." Kristen's bright eyes are sincere. "And you offer me a day off and wonderful tea. It’s fair."
Oh man. I'm so in love with her.
We look at each other and smile. We grab our teacups and clink them.
&nbs
RyleeAlvar paces over. "What were you guys talking about just now?"My breath hitches, and I try to compose myself. "Nothing." Did he hear the conversation?Cecilia snaps to her feet. She rushes to Alvar and quickly grabs his arm. "Alvar, you're here." she says with surprise, her beautiful earrings swaying with her movements.Wow, this scene looks like a newlywed wife running to her husband.Alvar frowns, his hand lifting but not immediately shaking hers off. He looks at me searchingly—is he waiting for my reaction? What reaction could I have?I bow my head. It seems like he didn't hear our conversation, or he would have snapped. He's been very sensitive to words like "run," "escape," and "leave" lately.Alvar shrugs off Cecilia's hand and sits in the chair. He links someone, and immediately, a staff member starts serving the food.He doesn’t say anything about Cecilia eating dinner with us. It seems like a common situation. They are close. I’m sure."I didn't know you guys knew each
RyleeCecilia can’t keep her sweet voice any longer. She screams, "What wedding? Why didn’t you tell me?!""Enough," Alvar says, annoyed. He stands and holds out his hand towards me. "Let's go. We still need to discuss some wedding details."I take a last sip of my pumpkin soup and stand up. "Okay." I wipe my mouth haphazardly with my napkin.“Wait!” Cecilia rushes over and stops him."Why?" Cecilia points her sharp nails at me. "You're marrying such a vulgar and ugly woman? Why, Alvar? On what grounds? Because she's the healer's daughter?""Cecilia, stop it. My patience is limited." Alvar pulls me towards him and puts his arm around my shoulders. "Come on."Cecilia lunges and grabs Alvar's other arm. She pleads, "Why can't it be me, Alvar? She's the healer's daughter, but I'm Gamma's daughter. Why can't it be me? Didn’t you promise my father you’d take care of me? Don’t you forget what I've done for you?"Wow, this is like a tearjerker episode of a TV show!I quietly peek around Alva
AlvarI've never felt this way. No one ever gives me such a headache. In the old days, things were simple. When I had a craving, I found someone to fuck. I never slept with a woman twice because I didn't want any trouble. My energies needed to be focused on more important things—the frontier, keeping my pack safe and flourish.But now Blade and I have a double headache together.‘What the hell is this!’ Blade lies down in my mind, howling at the screen for the hundredth time.I grimace, "Shut up, it's Rylee's favorite TV show. I'm trying to figure out what the hell she's thinking."‘So fucking boring. Might as well go kill some people for fun.’ Blade grinds his claws in boredom.I also find this TV show, "Alpha's Runaway Bride," incredibly boring. It's about a man who can't win his mate's heart, and she runs away from him. "Wimp." That's what I say about the male lead. "And a man like that deserves to be called an Alpha?" I scoff.What does Rylee even like it about? She's so hard to r
RyleeThe curtains in the parlor are all pulled up. The carpet and sofa covers have been replaced, and the bright light pouring through the windows highlights the intricate patterns on the decorations, making the room look especially gorgeous.Meg drops me off and leaves. Now, I'm alone. I sit anxiously on the couch, my mind racing with all sorts of thoughts. My legs shake involuntarily, and I fight the urge to pinch my nails. Meg said no pinching."Hera Dewey," I whisper, pronouncing my grandmother's name for the first time. Yesterday, Alvar showed me a picture of her—a stately lady in a bowler hat shaking hands with a royalty member. She looked serious, every wrinkle on her face exuding authority. Alvar said she's the head of the Dewey family now, very demanding and prickly. Would she recognize me as her granddaughter? Would she like me?Would Hera hate me if she knew my history?I've never wanted someone's approval so badly, not even Alvar's. But now, facing this relative I've neve
Rylee"Healer's powers are drastically diminished while pregnant. I know it. I’ve looked it up online." Tears spring to my eyes. I lower my head, wishing I could bury it in the ground. I've never hated myself more. "It's my fault. It's because of me that she stayed in Greenvale and got killed."In this moment, I loathe myself. If it hadn't been for me, Sheila could have left Steve without a second thought—or at least they wouldn't have had the chance to hurt her.Hera pats my hand. "Sweetheart, trust me, it's not your fault. Greedy people with rotten hearts would always find ways to hurt others, no matter what. And…" Her voice softens, her eyes glistening with tears. "...I'm sure she loved you. Just like I love her."My heart swells with a bittersweet emotion. Is this what they call love? Family love. It makes everything I've suffered feel like it has meaning.Drying my tears, I say, "I don’t think of Steve as a dad anymore. Before I knew about you, I thought I had no family. Now I fi
RyleeThis is my first time in the Mansion’s party restaurant on the first floor. The place is lavishly decorated, with a long table set for twenty, and pre-dinner snacks already laid out. The lights are dim, and the flickering candles cast dancing shadows on the walls, adding to the room's elegance.The guests all seem to know each other well. Even Meg, who’s beside me, is whispering to someone. I sit in the first seat on the left side of the table, trying to endure the occasional curious glances thrown my way. Don’t move. Stay calm, I tell myself. No one’s coming over to talk to me anyway.The restaurant slowly fills up. Most of the faces are unfamiliar, though I spot Carl, and even Cecilia has been invited. She’s seated far down the table, away from me. The two main seats—the ones at the head and across from it—are still empty. Those belong to Alvar and Hera, who both stepped out to talk.Suddenly, the living room door swings open, and Alvar strides into the dining room. He’s dress
RyleeWhen Alvar makes the announcement, the room falls into a stunned silence, except for Carl and Meg, who already know. I can feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me, and the first to catch my attention is Cecilia's resentful glare. Her hostility cuts through the air like a knife, and I resist the urge to bite my lip. Instead, I force a smile, though my nerves scream for me to run out the door. But Hera is here, and I can’t afford to lose face.Alvar notices my reaction, and his eyebrow arches slightly as the fire in his eyes fades a little. He takes my hand, his grip firm yet reassuring, and I allow our fingers to interlock.Alvar’s voice is still charged with determination as he declares, “The wedding is set for next week. No one can change my decision.” He stresses the word “anyone,” and for a brief moment, his gaze flicks toward Hera, who remains expressionless, her face a mask of calm.Dinner is served shortly after, and the meal is nothing short of exquisite. I try to focus
RyleeAlvar doesn’t hesitate. “Don’t say shit. There’s no way you’re helping with the wedding. I don’t agree. You better not make a mess.” His voice is cold and hard, leaving no room for debate.Cecilia clearly didn’t expect such a harsh rejection. She bites her lip, turning her hopeful gaze to me. “Rylee, what do you say?” There’s a strange glint in her eyes. “I said I could help you, remember?”My heart skips a beat. She’s talking about our secret plan, the one where she’d help me escape. If I don’t play along, she’ll rat me out to Alvar. I’m screwed, especially since Hera just had a talk with Alvar. He’s on edge about everything right now.I tug on Alvar’s sleeve, forcing myself to sound casual. “It’s okay. Cecilia has good taste. I don’t have many friends in the pack, so I’m glad she’s willing to help.”Alvar’s frown deepens as he studies me. “What are you two playing at? I don’t remember you being so close.” His suspicion is clear, and I struggle to keep my face neutral.After a
RyleeThe strangest thing in the world is seeing your aunt, who isn’t much older than you, kissing your ex-boyfriend’s best friend in front of your whole family.It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it’s kind of comforting to have someone else embarrassed with me under the porch.As soon as Nina and Carl meet, they shout “Mate” and kiss, making it obvious they’ve found each other.Everyone heads back into the living room. They sit scattered around, except for me and Hera on the biggest couch. Carl and Nina sit across from us, holding hands.Ohh, from the look on Carl’s face, he’s really embarrassed. In all the time I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him look so shy. I can feel Hera and Jason almost scrutinizing him with their eyes.“You guys are so cold here; it’s really much colder than Malibu!” After introducing his family and income, Carl rubs his head and makes a silly comment.“That’s what we have here.” Nina smiles sweetly, her eyes still glued to Carl. “You’ll get used to it lat
CarlSince Alvar goes to Europe, he gets weirder by the day. This guy actually quits drinking! He was an alcoholic for a month, downing drinks like water, so it blows my mind when he says he won’t touch alcohol anymore. I tell Kristen about it, and she says seriously, “It’s called lovesickness, Carl. What do you know about love when you’re as straight as a rail?”What a joke! Who wants to know that much about love? What’s so great about love anyway? Look at Alvar—he’s an Alpha who turns into a fool for love! And Cecilia? She gets beaten with twenty lashes for love, thrown out of the mansion, and her father punished. If you ask me, this kind of thing should be as far away from me as possible.Meg tells me that Alvar actually asks for the ring back! The next day, he says, “Carl, get the private jet ready to pick up Rylee.” I am shocked. “Huh? You just got her back?”Alvar’s face is expressionless, but I can feel his excitement. Instead of answering me directly, he continues, “No, she wi
RyleeI grimace. “A date? Alpha Alvar, you think too highly of me. I'm just an Alpha from a nameless pack. It's already a great honor to have dinner with you; how can this be a date?”Alvar sighs, as if he anticipated my reaction. “Rylee, Greenvale pack is not some nameless pack. You don’t have to tease me. I know what I did before wasn't right. I’m just trying to have a calm conversation with you.”I study his expression and realize I’m a little overwhelmed by the softness in his gaze. This Alvar is different from the usual demanding Alpha I remember. Instead of snarling in anger, he looks like a wounded coyote, desperately seeking understanding.As I think this over, a nameless flame ignites in my heart. Nina said this was called “gaslighting,” and his gentleness makes me feel a flicker of shame.“I... I’m just speaking the truth.” I unconsciously raise my voice, trying to mask my inner turmoil, but unease seeps into my tone.“I know,” Alvar replies seriously, his gaze deep. “But th
RyleeAlvar really does have a good eye. The ambiance of this restaurant is breathtaking.The gorgeous crystal chandelier softly sheds its light, gilding the entire dining room with a dreamy glow. Classical French paintings adorn the walls, and the table is covered with a snow-white tablecloth. Silver cutlery glistens in the candlelight. A faint aroma of vanilla and lemon fills the air, mingling with the melodious piano music drifting from afar. As I step through the restaurant door, I feel as if I've entered another world.A flicker of regret washes over me. Am I dressed too casually? This is my first time eating at such a fancy place, and my simple outfit of bland jeans and a knit shirt seems out of place here.Luckily, the restaurant is empty, and no one makes fun of me for being a hick redneck. The only other guest is… Alvar.He wears a well-tailored black suit, with a tie hanging loosely across his chest, revealing a hint of casual elegance. That suit makes him look even taller a
RyleeThe cell phone in my hand feels like it’s burning, so I shake it away in a hurry. I touch my flushed face, unsure why I react this way.Even though we’ve been apart longer than we were together, seeing his message signed Your Mate floods my mind with his face and that familiar knitted smile."His wolf is just as shameless as him," Flash says disdainfully. "How disgusting. Tell him if he sends it again we’ll blackmail him."I change Alvar’s note. I just can't face the words Your Mate directly.I type: [Flash says to tell Blade to stop sending hairs. Otherwise I will block you.]In no time, he replies: [Okay. I’ll send you something else.] He follows it up with an aggrieved wolf head emoji.I can’t believe he uses such a cute emoji. Before I can throw my phone away, another text pops up: [I’ll give you a gift.]I almost type a firm no, but another message comes through: [I have the Greenvale guys here. I can give them back to you, but I have a condition.]Okay, I take back calling
RyleeJason shushes me along the way. He says he can always drag Oliver and Zen down to teach Alvar a lesson if I get upset. Zen doesn’t agree with him. He insists that he won’t go. He believes that even combined, he and Jason are no match for Alvar, and Oliver is also a piece of cake.I shake my head weakly. I say there’s no need fighting him. Carl should have relayed my words to him by now. And Zen's men are still captured by him. I think soon he and I will meet. We need to talk.We return to the airport in Riverside, then back to Europe. Once home, I collapse into bed and sleep for the rest of the day and night. Flash wakes me with her voice the next day, saying she smells a hint of MATE and urges me to come downstairs to see what’s happening.Thinking it’s Alvar, I nervously gather myself and head downstairs, only to find a package delivered. Inside is the same cell phone he gave me earlier (the one he gave me in Dark Moon pack) and... a handful of black hairs that Flash claims sm
AlvarTaking down the Greenvale pack doesn’t take long. The pack’s population is mostly old, sick, with few armed men. Syd's group puts up a fight, but they’re outnumbered and quickly defeated. I don't waste time on this man—he's not worthy of being my enemy. Once I have him under control, I find Anto on the east side, standing with the Luna of the pack and the Alpha's son beside him. They are preparing to escape.I ask Joanne where Steve is. She’s scared out of her wits, clutching her son and insisting she doesn’t know.Anto challenges me to a duel. As Greenvale’s Gamma, he has decent strength, but he weakens midway. He says the Alpha is dead, the leadership of Greenvale has changed, and he’s no longer the Alpha's Gamma.I glance over at the kid shielded in Joanne’s arms. Is he the new Alpha? I'm ready to rip out his throat, but Joanne drops to her knees and begs me. She says the boy's name is Sion and that he’s hers and Anto's son, not Steve’s. She pleads for his life.Hah, I can’t
RyleeSteve growls, “No way! It’s never possible! How can an omega be an Alpha?”He clings to his ridiculous theory, but he looks like a clown now, oblivious to how pathetic he appears.The challenge takes effect, forcing Steve to shift. He’s much larger than Flash, with sharper teeth. But despite his size, he's neglected his workouts—fat and weak. Anto and Syd are both stronger than him. They probably never challenged him because the Alpha of Greenvale can only be from the Green family. Relying on this, Steve thought he was secure in his Alpha position, never expecting his own daughter to challenge him.Oliver and Zen retreat, one to the window and the other to the bedroom door. Flash bends her body, ready to attack.Steve’s tail tucks between his legs as he tries to escape, but he’s trapped—both the window and door are guarded.I've been training under Jason this past month. As a Royal Knight, he taught me a lot of fighting techniques. I share all my memories with Flash. She moves s
RyleeSteve's face pales instantly, his pupils dilating in fear. He denies what I said right away. "What? What are you babbling about? Of course your mom died giving birth to you."Oliver's voice is laced with anger. "Rylee, let's kidnap him. Jason has ways of making him spill the truth."I shake my head. As much as I want to, as much as I hate him, Steve is still the Alpha of Greenvale. The people here still need him. I can't drag innocent people down with me—they deserve to live.Steve shudders at the mention of Jason, the man who’s usually all smiles with me but clearly terrifies Steve. "You... you found the Deweys," he says incredulously.I offer a false smile. "More than that. I'm living with them." I gesture for Zen to snatch his backpack away. Steve fights for a moment but loses."Okay... fine." He cringes. "I'll tell you."I hold my breath, watching as his eyes dart around. "Your mom found out about Joanne and me and got mad. She fell down the stairs by accident, so she had a