Chapter 49
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Chapter 49
FAYE
I had just stepped out of the bathroom, hair still dripping down my shoulders, my robe loosely tied at the waist. My skin was still warm from the steam, and for a rare second, I felt completely at ease.
I nearly screamed when I saw Alpha Alexander standing there in my room. My heart jumped into my throat, and I clutched the robe tighter around me instinctively. I hadn’t even heard him
come in.
“What the hell?” I snapped, my voice sharp, fueled more by shock than courage. “Do you have a problem with knocking…or waiting for someone to answer before barging into their room?”
He didn’t respond. Of course he didn’t. Alexander stood there like he always did…shoulders squared, face blank, eyes cold. But then those same eyes swept over me, slowly, deliberately…from my wet face, trailing down to my bare feet, and then back up again.
Heat rose in my cheeks. Was he… checking me out?
I folded my arms defensively, suddenly aware of how exposed I was even with the robe on. What are you doing here?” I demanded, trying to regain some control.
He tilted his head slightly, and…for a moment…I thought he was about to apologize for invading my privacy like a normal person, but of course I was wrong.
His expression suddenly became filled with that typical superiority of his. “If you don’t want people walking in unannounced, Luna, you should learn to lock your door. Consider this a lesson, not an opportunity to throw a tantrum.”
”
My jaw dropped. A tantrum? Really? I wanted to scream at him, but instead I folded my arms tighter across my chest like a child. Why did he always have this effect on me? Why did his presence make me feel so defensive, so exposed, and a little upset?
I narrowed my eyes. “Fine. What do you want?”
For the first time since he entered, his gaze softened. It wasn’t obvious…just a hint, a subtle lowering of the steel in his eyes. “I returned earlier this afternoon,” he said evenly. “I hadn’t seen you around, so I came to check on you.”
I blinked at him. Check on me? Those weren’t words I expected from Alpha Alexander…the man who seemed incapable of warmth, who carried walls so high it was exhausting trying to peer over them. He…noticed my absence? It almost felt weird.
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My lips parted, but nothing came out. I didn’t know how to respond.
He took my silence as reluctance. His voice shifted back to its usual controlled tone. “If now is not a good time, I can come back when you’re dressed. We can talk then.” He made to
leave.
Talk? My head snapped up at that. Alexander wanted to talk…he initiated it. That never happened.
I found myself blurting out, “Wait. Don’t leave.”
He paused at the door, turning slightly.
“I’ll just… change quickly in the closet,” I added hurriedly, pointing toward it. “You can wait here.”
His eyes lingered on me for a beat longer than necessary, as if weighing whether to agree. Finally, he gave a small nod and crossed the room to sit on the couch opposite the bed.
I exhaled shakily and darted into the closet. My hands trembled as I pulled a simple dress over my head, brushing out my wet hair in quick strokes. My reflection in the mirror stared back at me with wide, nervous eyes.
Why was my heart racing like this? It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen me before–he was supposed to be my mate, after all. But there was something about the way he looked at me earlier, the weight in his gaze, that left my skin tingling.
I pressed a hand to my chest, willing my heartbeat to slow, before stepping out again.
Alexander was waiting exactly where I left him. His eyes flicked toward me as I entered, and though his expression didn’t change, I swore I caught the faintest glimmer of approval.
“Better?” he asked.
“Much,” I replied quickly, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed facing him. I crossed my legs and folded my hands in my lap, trying to appear collected, though inside, I was anything but. “So… talk. You said you wanted to talk.”
“Yes.” He sat forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. “I wanted to ask how you’re feeling. I heard what happened between you and Bella…”
Of course, I should have known. Someone already went to him with gossip, maybe Bella herself. I can only imagine the version she must have told him…and the funny thing was that the entire pack members around would likely back her up, even if she told a lie.
“Uhh… before you judge me, let me explain,” I said immediately.
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Chapter 49
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“You don’t need to. I know the pack isn’t always easy on newcomers…especially not on one who’s been imposed on them as their Luna.”
I stared at him, stunned. He knows that too? My first instinct was to scoff, to put up my defenses, but the sincerity in his tone stopped me. He was serious.
“I’m fine,” I said, maybe a little too quickly… because I wasn’t used to this side of him.
One brow arched. “Fine?” he asked.
I looked away, biting my lip. The truth was, I wasn’t fine. The whispers, the judgmental stares, the constant trouble from Bella–it was suffocating. And yet, admitting that to him felt like
weakness.
He studied me quietly, and I felt his gaze like heat against my skin. “You don’t have to pretend with me, Faye,” he said softly.
That caught me off guard. I turned back to him, eyes narrowing slightly. “Pretend? You think I
can’t handle them?”
“That’s not what I said.” His tone was neutral. “I know you can handle yourself. You wouldn’t be here otherwise. But handling and enduring are not the same thing.”
His words sank into me like stones. I hated how easily he could cut through my defenses, how he saw things I worked so hard to hide.
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, my voice low, almost suspicious. “Why do you care?”
For the first time, he looked almost… caught. His jaw tightened, his eyes flicked away briefly before returning to mine. “Because you’re my Luna. Your struggles are mine. If the pack undermines you, they undermine me. That is something I cannot allow.”
My chest tightened at his words. He said it like it was all about responsibility, about unity, but something in his voice hinted at more.
“Or maybe you’re just imagining things,” my wolf, Nova, said
I leaned back slightly, my heart hammering. “I can’t really blame them, it’s expected. But I’m sure they’ll come around…” I said. “I mean, they’re stuck with me already, what choice do they have?” I added, smirking.
His lips curved slightly into a smile. “Right!”
I took a deep breath. “So what now? ” I asked, breaking the tension. “You came, you checked, you lectured me about locking doors. Anything else?”
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