Chapter 37

TRISTAN’S POV

I sat in my study swirling my scotch in the glass and staring out the window. I couldn’t help but smile wryly, thinking about Isabelle's pursuit of love—or what she thought love was.

She had always been dating and when she set her sights on something, she wasn't going to let go until she had exactly what she wanted.

I guess General Kael’s rejection hadn’t stopped her at all; instead, she’d simply redirected her attention to Officer Ryker.

“Stubborn as ever,” I muttered under my breath, shaking his head, with a dry chuckle.

But my amusement was suddenly clouded by concern. Ryker was no ordinary man. He had a famous reputation for hard discipline and his rigid reverence to rules, he was a very difficult figure to impress or charm.

Isabelle’s usual tricks would never work on him. And I was worried about how much she might push herself to get his attention.

Later that evening, I sent out a private message to Ryker, asking him to meet me at the palace. When he arrived, his expression was as composed and serious as always.

“AlphaTristan,” Ryker greeted as he walked in, cocking his head. “You summoned me?”

I dropped my glass on the table and raised my hand to gesture for him to sit in front of me. “Yes. I wanted to discuss Princess Isabelle.”

He raised an eyebrow but still remained quiet, his composed expression cracking.

“She’s very headstrong,” I continued. “And once she sets her mind on something, there’s no stopping her. I know she asked to learn from you, but I also know how strict you are. I’m asking you—don’t make it too hard for her.”

Ryker leaned back slightly, his arms crossed. “You think she won’t be able to handle it?”

I chuckled, taking a long swing of the scotch. “Oh, I know she can handle it. But you need to know that my sister doesn’t know the meaning of giving up. But that’s exactly why I’m concerned. She’ll push herself beyond her limits if it means proving herself to you—or anyone, for that matter.”

For a moment, Ryker remained silent, not responding. Then, he responded with a faint nod.

“I’ll make sure not to go too hard on her. But she needs to also understand that learning the law isn’t a game. It requires dedication.”

I sighed, nodding and accepting the compromise. “That’s all I ask. Ryker.”

ISABELLE’S POV

When the car pulled up to the villa, I pulled open my eyes. The guilt still lingered in my mind and my thoughts as I stepped out, but I pushed it all to the back of my mind.

The door was held open by the butler as I stepped inside, the doors shut with a loud thud behind me and I advanced down in the doorway.

I froze in shock, my breath hitched in my chest as my eyes met Rykers waiting for me in the sitting room.

I approached him slowly, filled with disbelief. He was seated in his usual upright posture, his back ramrod straight holding a piece of paper in his hands.

“Good evening, Lady Isabelle,” he greeted, rising up, tone formal as always.

“Officer Ryker?” I asked, blinking at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

He closed the distance between us and handed me the paper in his hands. I narrowed my eyes, looking down at the sheet. It was some sort of rigid schedule plan.

I looked back up at him with more confusion, “What is this?” I questioned, building out the schedule.

“This is your training plan. Your lessons start at six in the morning and will then end at nine in the evening. There will be a few minimal breaks for lunch.”

My expression tightened as I scanned the schedule again, my jaw nearly dropping as I saw the packed timetable. “Six in the morning?” I echoed, my eyes wide with horror. “That’s inhumane!”

Ryker’s expression didn’t waver, in fact, he looked even more serious as he continued. “You need to work very hard if you are interested in mastering the pack laws. If you are serious about learning, you would have to follow this schedule.”

‘This isn’t love; this is torture!’ I muttered under my breath, barely audible so he wouldn't hear me. But when Ryker’s stern gaze met mine again, I quickly realized there was no room for negotiation.

“Fine,” I finally said grudgingly. “But don’t expect me to enjoy it.”

Ryker simply nodded, ignoring my comment. “I’ll see you in the study tomorrow morning at six am sharp.”

The next morning, I shot up from my bed, with a loud yawn, my body resisting my efforts to leave the bed.

“Rise and shine, my lady!” my maid chirped ignoring my loud groans of protest.

I complained the whole time I was getting ready, my eyes threatening to snap shut from lack of sleep.

I managed to get to Ryker's lesson on time but the next day I wasn't so lucky.

I was still asleep when two pairs of hands grabbed me and pulled me out of bed

I blinked for a moment and before I could figure out what was happening, my night dress was snatched off my body and a new dress was thrust down.

“I haven’t even washed up,” I complained but they both ignored me, dragging me out of the room and ushering me into the study.

Ryker was already there, standing by a stack of books and scrolls. He glanced at me with a scowl and raised an eyebrow. “You’re late.”

“It’s just five minutes after six!” I shot back, holding back a yawn.

“You need to learn punctuality,” Ryker replied calmly. “Now, take a seat.”

I slumped into the chair, glaring at the huge stack of documents he piled in front of her. As Ryker began a long boring lecture on pack law and judicial processes, my eyes glazed over and I could barely hold myself up.

It wasn’t long before I found myself nodding off, nearly facepalming with the mahogany table.

My wolf growled in my mind. “You’ve found yourself a boring bookworm this time.” she mused

‘Quiet!’ I snapped back mentally.

But as Ryker’s voice droned on, even my wolf's snarky comments weren't enough to keep me awake.