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.

It was already past ten in the evening.

Thea Gonzales sat on the couch in Alpha Xavier Ford’s office, her laptop perched on her knees as she organized the financial statements for the pack. The expansive floor-to-ceiling windows behind her reflected the city lights, casting shimmering glimmers across the glass facades of the skyscrapers—like countless eyes silently observing the bustling world below. The faint hum of the city outside was a stark contrast to the heavy silence between them.

Alpha Xavier sat quietly at his desk, his broad shoulders tense beneath his tailored suit. His piercing eyes occasionally darted over to Thea, the weight of his Alpha aura pressing subtly against her. Eventually, unable to hold back, he spoke, his voice low and commanding. "Kian isn’t the right fit for you."

Thea paused her typing, her fingers hovering over the keys. "Why do you think that, Alpha?" she asked, her tone deliberately neutral.

"He’s too young," Xavier replied, his gaze unwavering. The authority in his voice was unmistakable, the Alpha tone leaving no room for argument.

"Addilyn is younger," Thea countered, her voice steady despite the tension thickening the air.

"Men and women aren’t the same," Xavier shot back, his jaw tightening.

Thea smirked, though there was no humor in it. "Isn’t it all just about compatibility? Younger wolves have more energy, and sometimes even more experience—who wouldn’t appreciate that?"

Xavier’s grip on the stack of papers in his hand tightened, the edges creasing under the pressure. His eyes grew sharper, more intense, the Alpha aura flaring around him like a storm. "Have you been with him?"

Thea closed her laptop with a decisive click. "I’ve sent the report to your email, Alpha. Take a look at your convenience. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading out."

She stood, smoothing her skirt, and walked toward the door, her posture straight and unyielding. As she stepped into the hallway, Thea caught sight of a figure in a pink coat disappearing around the corner.

It was Addilyn Freeman.

Thea recognized that pink coat from photos on Addilyn’s social media, which meant...

Their entire conversation had been overheard from the doorway.

Thea’s stomach twisted, but she kept her expression neutral. She knew better than to let her emotions show, especially in the heart of the pack’s den where prying eyes and sharp ears were everywhere. Her wolf stirred within her, a low growl of frustration echoing in her mind, but she pushed it down, focusing on the steady rhythm of her steps as she made her way to the elevator.

The city’s night air greeted her as she stepped outside, the coolness a welcome relief from the suffocating tension of the Alpha’s office. She took a deep breath, the faint scent of rosemary—her unique mate scent—lingering in the air, a cruel reminder of what once was. But she didn’t linger on it. Thea Gonzales had long since learned to walk forward, even when the past threatened to pull her back.