Arabella's POV

Where is everyone?

I scratched my head, glancing around the empty dormitory. The room was so eerily quiet it made me feel like I was the last person on Earth...or at least in the dorm.

Still groggy from another restless night, I could barely shake off the fog clouding my mind.

Ahh! Now that I remembered I had fainted at the border.

Was it Ash who brought me back? Was I not taken to the healer? How did I come back to the pack house? When did I come back?

Rubbing my eyes, I tried to clear away the haze as I grabbed a towel and my brush, making my way to the washroom.

Turning the corner, lost in my own thoughts, I bumped into someone. The impact jolted me, snapping me out of my trance. "Oops! Sorry!" I mumbled, stepping back, my voice still heavy with sleep.

"Good morning, Arabella! Are you just waking up?" Lizzy's bright eyes sparkled with an energy I sorely lacked. I forced a weak smile, embarrassed.

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep last night," I admitted, frustration lacing my tone.It was not a lie. I did not sleep, I had a total blackout!

Or maybe is was the pain. Whatever.

"Where is everyone, by the way?" I finally asked. Lizzy's eyebrows shot up in mild surprise. "Huh? You don't know? Today is a Pack holiday! We are celebrating the old Luna's birthday. Everyone's busy with the arrangements," she chirped, her voice brimming with excitement.

"Damn!" I muttered under my breath as it dawned on me. How could I forget? Ash's mother's birthday was a huge deal for the pack.

I rushed to freshen up, scrubbing away the remnants of my restless night. Ash hadn't officially assigned me a role in the pack, but I could still find a way to be useful while I was there.

I wandered to the mini hall, then headed toward the grand hall near Ash's mother's estate.

"Hi, Josh! How's it going? Need any help?" I asked, spotting Veronica's brother. He used to have a huge crush on me back in the days.

"Hi,Bella!Yeah, sure. Can you put these lights around the main door?" he asked, handing me a tangled bundle. "Just make sure they are well-spaced and don't overlap, alright?And please don't eletrocute yourself!" He winked, after adding. "See you around. You look more beautiful than when you left! "

"Got it," I said, giving him a thumbs-up and a silly wink as I walked off with the lights.

I was halfway through stringing them when I accidentally stepped on someone's foot. I stumbled back a few steps, bracing myself to protect the fragile lights in my hand.

Looking up, I saw her.

Moana.

The Goddess seemed to have poured every ounce of beauty into that woman. She was lean but curved in all the right places, her blonde hair and porcelain skin making her look almost too over weight. Volumptious would not be the right word. She was a dirty bitch!

Really? Moan, of all people?Ahhh! My bad luck!

"Watch where you are going!" She snapped, her tone dripping with irritation.

"Maybe you should take your own advice," I shot back, steadying myself and attempting to walk past her. The last thing I wanted was to engage with that venomous woman.

Her eyes narrowed as her lips curled into a slow, smug smile.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to grace us with her presence," she drawled, her voice dripping with mockery. "Arabella, isn't it?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Memories surged forward, unbidden and cruel.

I could still hear Ash's voice as if it were yesterday. "You are not what I need, Arabella. I need a mate who can stand by my side, not someone with a schoolgirl crush. I need a woman with lineage, not an orphan."

I closed my eyes, willing the painful memories away.

The memory of his icy disdain stung as deeply now as it had then.

"Arabella!" Moana's voice yanked me back to the present. She was snapping her fingers in front of my face. "Hello? Did you hear me?"

I blinked, shaking off the haunting memory. "What do you want?" I asked, my tone was sharper than intended.

She smirked, her hostility barely veiled. "You're really back, huh? Causing a stir already. Did you know rogues attacked the moment you set foot in our territory? Bad omen, if you ask me."

Her words prickled my nerves, but I forced myself to stay calm. "I am here to support the pack," I replied coolly. "Unlike you, I have spent my years bettering myself.I am a doctor now. The pack more than needs me. "

Her smirk deepened. "Support or stir up trouble? You always had a knack for drama."

"I don't have time for this," I said, shoving past her.

She leaned closer, her voice a venomous whisper. "This is not over. Stay out of my way, Arabella, or you will regret it."

My heart pounded, but I refused to back down. "Do your worst,woman. I am not afraid of you."

Arabella's POV

"Challenge accepted!"

Moana's perfectly arched brows shot up, her painted lips curling into a smug smirk. Before I could even process her words, she lunged at me, her freshly manicured nails extended like claws.

The speed of her attack caught me off guard, and I barely managed to dodge.

I felt the sharp sting as her nails grazed my neck. "Did you just try to scratch me?" I yelped, my fingers instinctively touching the spot. I could feel the faint sting where she'd left her mark. "What are you, a sly little kitten?"

"You wish!" She snapped, her annoyance flashing in her eyes. Then, with a sickly sweet grin, she added, "But since you brought it up..." She made an exaggerated purring sound that sent a chill of irritation down my spine before lunging at me again, this time aiming for my hair.

"Ouch! What the hell?!" I screeched as her nails caught a fistful of my hair. I clawed at her hand, trying to free myself. "Let go of my hair! You fight like a middle schooler!"

"And you look like one!" she shot back triumphantly, clearly proud of her childish insult. My face burned with anger. I was not about to let her get away with this.

With a quick move, I shoved her hard, causing her to stumble and lose her grip on my hair. "How is that for middle school?" I spat before delivering a solid slap that echoed down the hallway.

The shock on her face quickly turned to fury. "You are going to regret that," she hissed, her eyes narrowing. She grabbed at me again, catching the strap of my dress and my shoulder this time.

"That's it," I muttered, losing my patience. With a swift knee to her stomach, I forced her to let go. She doubled over but was back on her feet in seconds, snarling like some rabid animal.

"Oh, you little..." she began, but before she could finish, I shoved her again.

Moana reeled backward, her heels skidding on the polished floor, until she crashed into a table. The vase on it wobbled as if it was jelly, before toppling over and shattering into a million pieces.

The sound of breaking glass was enough to draw attention. A crowd began to form, their curious faces turned toward us. "Oops," I said mockingly, feigning innocence as I looked at the mess she'd caused. "Guess your aim needs some work, huh?"

The drama queen that the bitch was , she suddenly dropped to the floor, clutching her stomach like she had been mortally wounded. I stared at her in disbelief.

"Oh, come on! Are you serious right now?" I threw up my hands. "You are really pulling the 'damsel in distress' card?"

She tried to seize the opportunity, wailing loudly for the crowd. "Help! Someone, please! Arabella's gone crazy!" she cried, her voice high-pitched and grating.

She pointed at me with a shaking finger, playing the victim so convincingly that I almost wanted to applaud.

"She is fucking lying!" I yelled, but my voice was shaking with anger. "She started it!"

"What the hell is going on here?" A familiar, commanding voice cut through the chaos.

The crowd parted, revealing Alpha Asher, his expression a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. His presence sent a hush over the gathering as he surveyed the mess.

Moana was quick to act, her tone turning sugary sweet. "Asher...I mean, Alpha...I was just minding my own business when Arabella attacked me out of nowhere!" She even tried to grab his arm for emphasis, but Ash's glare froze her in place.

"Seriously?" I said, my voice dripping with exasperation as I pointed at her. "Are you actually buying this crap?"

Ash's sharp gaze flicked back to me, softening just a fraction as he noticed the scratch on my cheek. "Shut it, Moana," he barked, his voice firm. He stepped closer to me, his eyes burning with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. "Are you okay?"

I nodded quickly, though my heart was racing for entirely different reasons now. His attention lingered on my neck, his expression darkening as he noticed the faint marks.

"Everyone, clear out," he ordered, his tone brooking no argument. The crowd dispersed reluctantly, and soon it was just the three of us.

He turned to her, his voice ice-cold. "Get out. Now."

Moana's face twisted in rage, her composure cracking. "Alpha, I..." she started, but his sharp snarl silenced her. She stomped away, her heels clicking angrily against the floor.

As she disappeared, Ash stepped closer to me. His expression was unreadable, a mix of concern and something deeper. "Did she hurt you?" His voice was softer now, yet it held an edge that made me shiver.

"I am fine," I replied, though my voice faltered slightly. I couldn't ignore the electric tension flowing between the two of us.

"Come with me," he said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. He took my hand and led me towards his office. His touch was firm, but gentle enough to make my heart flutter.

Once inside, he switched on the lights and turned to face me. "Let me see," he murmured, tilting my chin up to examine the scratch on my cheek. His fingers brushed my skin lightly, and I felt heat flood my cheeks.

"You should not have to deal with this," he said, his voice low and steady. "Let me help."

Ash grabbed some wipes and an ointment, tending to the scratches with a gentleness that caught me off guard. His touch lingered longer than necessary, his fingers grazing my neck as he worked.

"Ash, what are you doing?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

His gaze met mine, raw and unguarded this time. "I could not sleep last night," he confessed, his voice thick with emotion. "I have missed you so damn much, Arabella."

Before I could respond, his lips were on mine. The world seemed to stop as I melted into his kiss.