A week later, Celine had fully recovered.

Thea returned to the pack’s den to wrap up her leave paperwork. The halls were bustling with pack members, their auras mingling as they went about their duties. She kept her head high, her posture every bit the former Luna, though the weight of her separation from Xavier still lingered in her steps.

That evening, as she was leaving the den, she bumped into Xavier in the elevator. The tension between them was palpable, and the other pack members, sensing the Alpha’s mood, quickly excused themselves, leaving the two alone.

The elevator descended. Thea watched the numbers on the panel decrease to the first floor, her jaw tight. Xavier stood beside her, his towering frame dominating the small space. His hands were in his pockets, his Alpha aura pressing down even in silence. He finally spoke, his voice low and commanding. “Was the wolf I saw with you at the healing den your mate?”

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding.

Thea slung her bag over her shoulder, her movements deliberate. She stepped out without looking at him. “That’s none of your business, Alpha Ford.”

Xavier followed her, his boots clicking against the polished floor. “But your choices affect my pup. I don’t want her calling someone else ‘Father.’”

Thea stopped abruptly, her back stiffening. She turned to face him, her eyes blazing with defiance. “Did you think about our pup when you broke our mate bond? When you pushed me to reject you because of Addilyn, did you think I wouldn’t find someone else?”

Xavier’s jaw tightened, his Alpha aura flaring momentarily, but he had no response. The air around them crackled with unresolved tension.

Pack members passing by glanced curiously, their whispers carrying through the hall. Thea ignored them, her focus entirely on Xavier.

Just then, Kian appeared, almost as if it were planned. His presence was calm, his Healer aura soothing in contrast to the storm brewing between Thea and Xavier. He walked up to Thea, his steps measured, and casually draped an arm around her shoulders. His voice was light, teasing. “I’ve been waiting ages—I’m starving.”

He tapped his wristwatch and addressed Xavier, his tone respectful but firm. “The workday’s over, Alpha. Are we free to go?”

Xavier’s eyes narrowed, his fists clenching at his sides. He said nothing, but the frustration in his gaze was unmistakable.

With a smirk, Kian tightened his hold on Thea, and together, they confidently walked away, leaving Xavier standing alone in the middle of the hall. The pack members averted their eyes, their whispers growing louder as the former Luna and the Healer disappeared into the night.

Kian Reynolds had come specifically to deliver Dulce Lopez’s healing report. It was purely by chance that he stumbled upon Alpha Xavier Ford and Thea Gonzales in the middle of a heated argument. Offering his help was just a spontaneous gesture of goodwill, though he cheekily insisted that Thea owed him dinner in return.

As they got stuck in traffic, the hum of the engine filling the silence, Kian casually asked her, “So, what’s your plan for the future? Going to live by yourself in the den?”

Thea, her posture stiff but her tone light, shrugged. “No real plan. Just going with the flow.”

“And what about you?” she countered, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. “You’re not exactly getting any younger, Healer Reynolds. No serious mate prospects?”

With a teasing grin, Kian nodded toward Thea. “Aren’t we on a date right now?”

Thea rolled her eyes dramatically, though a small smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah, right. I can’t handle someone as high-maintenance as you, Kian. But there are some nice young she-wolves in the pack. Maybe I’ll set you up with one of them sometime.”

He gave a slight smile, his amber eyes glinting with amusement. “Sounds good.”

The traffic began to move again, and Kian shifted in his seat, his muscular frame adjusting easily in the confined space. Thea couldn’t help but notice the way his presence filled the car, a stark contrast to the tension she’d just left behind with Xavier. Kian, though younger, carried himself with an ease that felt refreshing compared to the Alpha’s imposing aura.

As they drove on, the city lights casting long shadows across the road, Thea couldn’t shake the lingering thoughts of her past life as Luna. She glanced at Kian, who was now humming softly to himself, seemingly unfazed by the weight of the evening’s events.

“You’re not going to lecture me about the Alpha, are you?” she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

Kian chuckled, the sound low and warm. “Not unless you want me to. I’m here as your friend, Thea, not your Healer or your advisor. You’ve got enough of those.”

Thea let out a small laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. “Good. Because I think I’ve had enough lectures for one day.”

Kian’s expression softened, and he gave her a knowing look. “You’re stronger than you think, you know. You don’t need anyone to tell you how to live your life.”

Thea’s smile faded slightly, her gaze drifting to the passing scenery outside. “Sometimes it doesn’t feel that way,” she admitted quietly.

“Well,” Kian said, his tone light but firm, “it’s true. And if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, they’re just wrong.”

Thea glanced back at him, gratitude flickering in her eyes. “Thanks, Kian. I mean it.”

He shrugged, his grin returning. “Don’t mention it. Just remember, you owe me dinner.”

She laughed, the sound genuine this time, and for a moment, the weight of her past felt a little lighter.

The streets of the pack’s territory bustled with activity as the evening deepened. Every restaurant Thea Gonzales passed seemed packed, the scent of food mingling with the crisp night air. She could hear the chatter of pack members and the occasional laughter of pups playing nearby, a reminder of the life she was trying to rebuild.

Just as her turn at the diner was about to come, her phone buzzed. It was Amanda Harrison, the pack’s Beta, her tone crisp and authoritative. “Luna Thea, there’s an issue with the resource report you submitted this afternoon. It’s required for the Alpha’s meeting first thing tomorrow. You’ll need to come back to the den and revise it tonight.”

Thea’s jaw tightened, but she kept her voice calm. “Understood, Beta Amanda. I’ll be there shortly.”

When she arrived at the pack’s den, the usual hum of activity was absent. The main hall was dimly lit, the shadows stretching long across the polished wood floors. Only the glow from Alpha Xavier’s office spilled into the corridor, a beacon in the otherwise silent space.

Amanda approached her, her expression unreadable. “Luna Thea, take your laptop to Alpha Xavier’s office and make the corrections there. Once you’re done, present it to him directly.”

Thea nodded, her heels clicking softly against the floor as she made her way to the Alpha’s office. The scent of cedar and musk, so familiar yet now distant, filled her senses as she stepped inside. Xavier sat at his desk, his broad frame silhouetted by the light behind him, his presence as commanding as ever.

He looked up, his dark eyes meeting hers. “You’re here,” he said, his voice low and smooth, the Alpha tone subtly lacing his words.

“Yes, Alpha,” Thea replied, keeping her tone neutral. “Beta Amanda informed me of the issue with the report.”

He gestured to the chair across from him. “Work here. I’ll review it when you’re done.”

She settled into the seat, opening her laptop and focusing on the screen. The silence between them was heavy, the tension palpable, but neither spoke. The only sounds were the soft tapping of her keys and the occasional rustle of papers from Xavier’s desk.

As she worked, Thea couldn’t help but feel the weight of his gaze on her, the memory of their shared past pressing in on her. But she pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand. Tonight, she was here as the former Luna, fulfilling her duty to the pack. Nothing more, nothing less.