I fled back to my room, unable to face the celebration downstairs.

Rocky might have already claimed Gemma as his mate by now. I didn’t understand. He seemed to care for me. He always stood by my side, teased me about my messy hair, and helped me with my training. But then, he’d pull away, his tone light and dismissive. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Lennox,” he’d say, whenever I tried to get closer.

Even the protective mark we made together—he’d given it to someone else.

My fingers ached where I’d pricked them sewing, and the pain mirrored the tightness in my throat. I buried my face in my pillow, muffling my sobs.

The lock clicked, and the door creaked open. I turned, startled, but a shadowy figure was already striding toward me.

It was Ryan.

His eyes were bloodshot, his usual commanding aura replaced by something raw and vulnerable. He dropped to his knees beside my bed, his hands wrapping around my legs. There was no threat in his touch—only a desperate need for comfort.

“Alpha?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

He shook his head. “Call me Ryan,” he said, his voice rough but softer than I’d ever heard it. He rested his chin on my knees, looking up at me with a smile that revealed a faint dimple.

I didn’t know Ryan could look like this—like a wounded wolf seeking solace.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” I stammered. “I didn’t mean to provoke you. Please, Alpha, don’t hold it against me—”

He cut me off with a quiet laugh. “Call me Ryan,” he repeated. Then, in a tone that was almost playful, he added, “Luna, are you tired? Let’s rest.”

I froze at the word *Luna*, my heart pounding. But before I could respond, he leaned his head against my knees, his eyes closing as if he’d already decided this was where he belonged.

Outside, the sounds of the celebration continued, muffled by the walls of my room. A knock came at the door, and Gemma’s voice called out, “Lennox, have you seen the Alpha?”

I didn’t answer. Ryan’s breathing had evened out, his grip on me loosening as he drifted into a light sleep. I sat there, unsure of what to do, my mind racing.

He’d called me *Luna*.

And for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to run.

Ryan opened his eyes, grinning as he pressed a finger to his lips.

“Shh, we’re playing hide-and-seek. No distractions.”

The sharp edge of his claws pressed lightly against my side, a silent reminder of his unpredictability.

I called out to the warrior outside the door, forcing a laugh. “Haha, haven’t seen him. What’s going on?”

“The Blue Pack just sent an urgent message. Alpha Ryan has an allergy to wolfsbane—he accidentally ingested some earlier.

“If you see him, be careful!

“When he’s under the influence, he loses his memory and becomes uncontrollably aggressive.”

As the footsteps faded down the hall, I turned back to Ryan. His ears were flushed red, and he’d already stripped off his shirt, crawling on all fours toward the bed.

“Alpha, let’s get you back to your room, okay? This isn’t your bed.”

He frowned, his eyes and nose tinged with a faint redness. Tears suddenly welled up, spilling over like a dam had broken.

“You don’t want to sleep with me?”

I kept my voice soft, coaxing. “What do I need to do to get you back, huh? Our good boy? Hmm?”

His lips twitched into a pleased smile. “One kiss for every step.”

By the time I got him back to his room, my lips were sore from all the pecks. Ryan swayed unsteadily, glancing back at me every few steps.

“Like you. Kiss.”

As he stumbled into the room, I raised my hand, aiming to knock him out before he could cause more trouble. But Ryan caught my wrist in a flash, pinning me against the wall. His eyes darkened, his chest pressed close, and his gaze bore into me.

“What are you doing?”

He’s already awake?!

My knees buckled, and I scrambled for an excuse. But Ryan’s expression softened almost immediately. He dropped to his knees on the floor, his head resting against my stomach as he nuzzled mindlessly.

“Sorry, I got scared.

“You have to hug me before I’ll get up.”

I coaxed and prodded, finally getting him onto the bed and convincing him to lie down. As a precaution, I tied his hands with a length of rope. He stayed obedient, stretching out his arms and legs, even asking if I was tired.

I chuckled, brushing my hand over his face and letting my scent calm him into a deep sleep.

The next morning, I worked on the medicinal patches with dark circles under my eyes.

Rocky walked in and headed straight for me.

“Lennox, where were you last night?”

I immediately raised my hands in surrender. “I went back to my room and slept till morning! I definitely didn’t do anything wrong!”

He scoffed. “Why so defensive? It’s like you’ve got a guilty conscience. Last night… did you get my message?”

Thinking of the protective scent Gemma had received, I swallowed the bitterness and forced a bright smile. “I did. Congratulations to you both—”

Before I could finish, Nelson burst in, his face pale with panic.

“Oh, Moon Goddess above! Last night! Last night someone attacked Alpha Ryan! We’re all in danger now!

“He’s coming for us.”

It turned out that Ryan had woken up early this morning to find himself in his undershirt.

His hands were bound, his body aching all over.

His knees were especially sore.

When he looked in the mirror, his face was smeared with lipstick and rouge, his lips swollen.

Without a word, he’d destroyed the room he’d been in.

Now, Ryan was on the hunt for the culprit.

Rocky frowned in confusion. “We’ve been minding our own business here, waking up every day just to make medicine. Who would dare do something like this?”

He glanced at me with a teasing grin.

“Though, you sleep like a log. Even if the world was ending, you wouldn’t wake up.”

But my world *had* ended.

I suddenly remembered that the rope I’d used to tie him up last night was my own belt.

But it had Rocky’s scent all over it.

“Who’s Rocky?”

Ryan’s voice was cold as he vaulted over the wall, landing firmly in the courtyard.

His face was red and irritated from scrubbing, his eyes bloodshot.

I pointed at Rocky. “Him!”

Rocky: “What?”