Skye’s POV
1 froge beneath Nadia’s pinning grip, my mind scrambling for a response. How had she known? should I deny it? The truth seemed simultanenty harmless and dangerously revealing.
You smell like Adrian’s shower gel and shampoo, Nadia continued, her voice low fast sharp. I bought them for him. I know that scent better than anyone?
The casual way she referred to Adrian by name rather than his title Alpha Adrian–struck me immediately. It was a subtle but unmistakable assertion of intimacy, of a connection deeper than mere pack hierarchy. The fact that Nadia purchased Adrian’s personal care products spoke volumes about the nature of their relationship.
“Alpha Adrian was concerned Kane might send someone after me,‘ I explained, trying to keep my voice steady despite being pinned to the ground. “Ha thought it would be safer if I stayed at his place. I’ll be moving back to the hotel tonight.”
Nadia’s hands pressed more firmly against my shoulders, her eyes searching mine with laser–like intensity. I’m not objecting to you staying at Adrian’s house,‘ she said carefully. ‘But why lie to me this morning? Unless…” Her gaze narrowed suspiciously. ‘Unless you and Adrian…
“Nothing happened between us,” I interrupted, heat rising to my cheeks despite the truth of my statement. “Even if you don’t believe me, surely you trust Adrian?”
The mention of Adrian’s integrity seemed to strike a chord. Nadia remained silent for several heartbeats, her expression unreadable. Finally, she released her grip and extended a hand to pull me up from the ground.
Standing with her arms crossed tightly over her chest, she pursed her lips. “I’m not trying to interfere with Adrian’s relationships,” she stated, though her defensive posture suggested otherwise. “I just want to remind you that you’re not his mate. Don’t develop feelings you shouldn’t have. In the end, you’ll only hurt yourself.
Her warning seemed directed as much at herself as at me. I recognized the echo of pain in her voice–the same pain I’d felt after Leon’s rejection. Nadia had clearly harbored feelings for Adrian for years, watching him from a position of closeness that somehow made the distance between them even more unbearable.
I couldn’t help but smile sympathetically. “Don’t worry, I won’t steal your love from you.”
Nadia’s hand shot out, clamping over my mouth as her face flushed crimson. She glanced frantically around the training grounds, as if terrified someone might have overheard. “What nonsense are you talking about?” she hissed, clearly mortified. “I’m just warning you, that’s all. Neither of us is Adrian’s mate. Someday he’ll find his true mate, and we’ll have a Luna.”
I gently removed her hand from my mouth. “I understand,” I assured her. “Now, can we continue with training?”
Relief washed over her features as she nodded briskly, immediately launching into a demonstration of a more complex takedown maneuver.
The next two hours were physically demanding but oddly satisfying. My newly awakened wolf relished the exercise, even as my human body protested each time I hit the ground. By the end of the session, my muscles ached pleasantly, and I felt more connected to my wolf than ever before.
As I made my way toward the orphanage where Venus was expecting me, I reflected on Nadia’s warning. An undeniable sense of disappointment settled in my chest. I had indeed experienced inappropriate desire for Adrian last night–feelings I shouldn’t nurture. Adrian was my Alpha now, not a potential romantic partner. I needed to maintain appropriate boundaries and stop indulging in fantasies that could never be realized.
More importantly, I couldn’t betray Nadia’s trust, not when she’d finally begun to accept me.
The orphanage was a bright, airy building at the eastern edge of the oasis. Inside, I found six werewolf children of varying ages engaged in different activities. A boy of about ten was reading intently in a corner. Twin girls who couldn’t have been more than six were constructing an elaborate block tower. An older teenager supervised a toddler’s finger–painting session, while a solemn–faced young girl simply stared out the window.
Venus greeted me with a warm smile, her single arm expertly balancing a tray of snacks. “Perfect timing,” she called. “Could you help distribute these? Then I’ll show you the basic routine.”
For the next several hours, I immersed myself in the chaotic but rewarding work of caring for displaced wolf cubs. Each child had their own heartbreaking story–parents lost to hunters, to rogue attacks, or to inter–pack conflicts. Some had been abandoned due to perceived weaknesses or simply because their packs couldn’t support additional mouths to feed.
1/2
Chapter 33
The solemn girl by the window, I learned, was mute–not from physical causes but from the trauma of watching hunters execute her parents. The twins had been rejected by their original pack after exhibiting unusually slow development. The teenage boy assisting with the toddler was himself an ephan who had stumbled upon Dasisborn Pack after months alone in the desert.
“We take them all, Venus explained proudly. “No matter their circumstances, their backgrounds, their abilities. Every cub deserves a pack.
By the time we finished the evening routine–dinnet, baths, bedtime stories, and tucking in—darkness had fallen completely. Venus thanked me for my help as I gathered my things to return to the hotel.
‘You have a natural way with them,” she observed. ‘Especially with Mira. She nodded toward the mute girl’s room. She actually made eye contact with yous. That’s more than she’s done with any of us in weeks.”
Her words warmed me as I stepped outside, simultaneously exhausted and fulfilled by the day’s activities. I had only taken a few steps when a familiar scent -pine forest and ocean spray–reached me, moments before Adrian appeared from around the corner.
“Skye, he greeted, his expression softening as he approached. “How was your first day with the pack?”
“Everyone’s been wonderful,” I replied honestly. “It’s been… fulfilling.*
“I’m glad to hear it. His smile seemed genuine, if slightly reserved. “Lucy has prepared dinner. I thought I’d come escort you back.”
Something in his expression–an eagerness barely concealed beneath his Alpha composure–made alarm bells ring in my head. Nadia’s warning echoed in my mind, along with my own promise to maintain appropriate boundaries.
“Thank you, but I should really head back to the hotel tonight,” I said carefully. “You’re busy enough without having to worry about hosting me. I doubt Kane will attempt anything so soon.”
Adrian fell silent, his brow furrowing slightly as he processed my refusal. “Then at least let me walk you back to the hotel,” he offered. “It’s gotten quite
dark.”
“That’s not necessary,” I insisted, perhaps too quickly. “I know the way. I won’t get lost.”
A flash of something–hurt? disappointment?-crossed his features before he masked it with his usual composed expression. He took a step closer, close enough that I had to tilt my head slightly to maintain eye contact.
“Are you deliberately avoiding me, Skye?” he asked quietly, his normally confident voice tinged with uncertainty.
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