**Sorry, guys, I was a bit late with the update. I just had a lot on my plate. Hope you guys understand.**
"What the hell?" Isaldora let out a quiet, frustrated sigh as she found herself facing a massive set of ornate double doors.
"How did I even get here?" She'd somehow ended up in this quiet hallway.
A polished brass sign on the wall read "LIBRARY." The air had that faint, dusty smell of old books, but she had no intention of going in. She'd been heading to the palace gardens to blow off some steam and brainstorm her next move against Kaelith to take him down by a notch.
Honestly, the idea of getting under his skin was seriously addictive and kinda thrilling. No hard feelings though—well, maybe. He was the one who started this whole push-and-pull game, after all.
But lost in her own head by the delicious idea, she'd taken a wrong turn and ended up somewhere that looked like it hadn't seen visitors in years.
She sighed. Ugh, seriously? When did I begin to act so dumb? She made a mental note to either get a map of this labyrinth or find someone to give her a proper tour.
Frustrated, she turned away from the doors to find her way.
Outside, the sun was finally peeking through, throwing soft light across the floor. After what felt like forever, she finally stepped into a hallway she recognized. Relief washed over her as she saw the familiar art on the walls—yup, she was definitely back on the right path.
Thank goodness. Normally, she wouldn't sweat about directions or getting lost. Her teleportation skill usually had her covered—she only had to picture a place and poof, she'd be there. But the palace was packed. Nope. There was no way she could pull that off without causing a scene.
Then she stopped mid-step and cursed under her breath, remembering something. Damn it. With all the recent drama, she'd completely forgotten to remind Kaelith about securing a prime piece of land for her new branch. All personal problems aside, a deal was a deal.
Now I'm even forgetting important things? Yeah, I really need to get my head back in the game and out of this mess.
Annoyed, she pulled out her phone and hit the speed dial. Her assistant didn't pick up. The phone rang and rang until it eventually went to voicemail. Isaldora's eyebrow twitched in irritation. She tried again, tapping her foot loudly against the marble.
This time, after a few rings, the girl answered, sounding completely out of breath—as if she'd been running a marathon.
"Where the hell were you? Did you have to climb a mountain to take this long picking up your damn phone?" Isaldora didn't wait and began lashing out at her. Her voice was cold, leaving no room for excuses.
She could hear the fumbling noise on the other end. "I—I was in the bathroom, ma'am. Sorry," her assistant stammered.
Isaldora rolled her eyes with a snap of irritation. Yeah, right. Since when does someone sound like they're about to pass out from using the bathroom? "Don't even dare to lie to me. Just—whatever." She rubbed her temple.
"Drop whatever you're doing and draft a contract. Send it over to Bane Technologies. And make it flawless. I don't wanna see a single mistake."
She ended the call without waiting for a reply.
Tucking her phone away, she rounded the corner—and nearly bumped right into Xavier and Renna.
"Luna," Xavier said, offering a slight, respectful bow.
Isaldora just gave a tight nod in return, her gaze flicking to Renna. Hey—now that she saw her, she realized she hadn't seen the girl for days, not since she'd handled her epic meltdown. And wow, what a stark difference it was to that day; today, she looked… fresh. Happy, even. Actually, she was totally glowing.
"You two look… good," Isaldora said, lifting one eyebrow teasingly. Xavier seemed more relaxed, while Renna was fumbling nervously, but she wasn't freeking out.
"I take it everything's working out between you two now?"
"Yeah, we are," Xavier said, gently squeezing Renna's hand. He looked at her with so much intensity that she blushed deeply, turning crimson almost.
He turned his grateful gaze back to Isaldora. "It's all thanks to you, Luna."
Isaldora was amused. "Me? For what?"
"Renna told me how you talked her into giving me a chance—how you helped her see things clearly." He smiled sincerely. "I am grateful to you for that."
The corner of Isaldora's mouth lifted; she'd given Renna a dose of blunt reality, not relationship counseling.
"Did I now?" Isaldora mused, her tone smooth and detached.
"I suppose everyone hears what they need to. I'm glad it worked out for you both."
Xavier gave a respectful nod. "Regardless, we're thankful."
"There's no need. My involvement was minimal."
She looked directly at Renna. "Speaking of useful tasks, I need you to pull together the contract details and send them to Ria."
"Of course, Ms.Aether. Right away." Renna straightened up, her professional instincts snapping into place.
"Good. I was about to head towards the garden to find a clear spot to work out. You should join me. For the workout." Isaldora smirked, putting deliberate emphasis on work out. Renna looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
"The main training grounds are open," Xavier cut in smoothly, though he looked quietly amused. "I was heading there for the pack members' session. There's plenty of space—you could have a whole section to yourself, Luna."
Isaldora gave a slight nod. The training grounds were actually a better option than wandering the gardens. "Fine then. Lead the way."
The training grounds were massive and buzzing with energy. Pack members were everywhere—some in wolf form, others sparring hand-to-hand. The air was thick with the sound of grunts, growls, and the thud of bodies hitting the ground.
Isaldora's eyes scanned the area, taking it all in, until her gaze landed on him.
Kaelith.
He was standing off to the side, assessing the trainees with a critical eye. And he was shirtless, wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung training shorts. Isaldora's breath caught. The sight of him—all lean muscle and sun-kissed skin—was almost enough to make her forget what she was planning against him. Almost.
She was still staring when his head turned suddenly, his eyes locking directly onto hers. A slow, knowing smirk spread across his face.
Her heart did a stupid little flip-flop before she mentally slapped herself. Damn it. He'd totally caught her staring. Shit.
Kill me now, she quickly looked away—only to notice a group of she-wolves nearby who were very obviously ogling him. Like, really shamefully. Isaldora stared at them blankly for a second, then averted her gaze with a faint smirk.
A moment later, a series of startled yelps and shrill squeaks echoed from their direction as their shoelaces mysteriously tied themselves together, causing them to face-plant into the dirt.
Isaldora didn't even look over. What? She was here to have fun.
"Luna, that's my cue. You can comfortably take any spot you want," Xavier said, already moving toward Kaelith.
"Yeah, sure," she mumbled, already refocusing.
Okay. Time to get started.
She began her warm-up, stretching out her limbs with practiced ease. She was wearing a loose hoodie over a sports bra that showed a sliver of her toned stomach, and a pair of those ridiculously short shorts. What? They're easy to move in.
Once she felt loose, she unzipped the hoodie and tossed it aside onto the grass. She could feel a specific, intense set of eyes on her and smirked, knowing exactly who it was.
She closed her eyes and began.
Her routine wasn't your average workout. It was a series of fluid, almost impossible-looking movements—deep backbends, legs folding neatly over her head, one-armed pushups held with perfect balance. It was a mix of yoga, martial arts, and pure, focused power. Hyden had drilled into her that these exercises weren't just about strength; they were about centering her mind and channeling her energy.
She fell into the rhythm of it, her eyes closed. The world narrowed to the feel of her muscles stretching and contracting, to the rhythm of her own breath. The noisy chaos of the training grounds began to fade into a distant hum.
She didn't even notice when the sounds of training around her slowly died out. She didn't see the pack members who had stopped to watch, their mouths slightly agape.
Isaldora's focus shattered when a deep, guttural growl ripped through the air. Her eyes snapped open, alert for any threat.
She looked around, but there wasn't any danger. The last thing she remembered was the muffled sounds of training. Now, the place was dead silent. And every single person—every warrior, every wolf—was frozen in place, their heads bowed and necks bared in a universal display of submission.
Her gaze followed the tension straight to its source: Kaelith.
He stood a short distance away, his powerful frame coiled and radiating pure, unadulterated fury. The air around him practically vibrated with his Alpha aura, so thick it was hard to breathe. He was seething, his eyes glowing with a dangerous, molten gold as he glared at a group of cowering pack members in front of him.
What the actual hell happened? Isaldora thought, completely lost. Did I space out during a mutiny or something?
Then his blazing eyes—scarier than she'd ever seen them—snapped from the trembling wolves and locked directly onto her.
Oh, shit.
She instinctively backed away a step. The rage rolling off him was next-level terrifying. He wasn't just pissed; he was apeshit furious. And for a heart-stopping moment, she felt the full, crushing weight of his power aimed right at her.
But… why? What could she have possibly done from over here besides some push-ups?
You know what, never mind. Not my circus, not my rabid Alpha. Well, practically yes, my Alpha, but never mind.
I'm done with my workout anyway.
She bent down, snatched her hoodie off the ground, and shrugged it on.
With one last glance in his direction, she shot him a look that clearly said, What the hell is your problem? before turning on her heel and getting the heck out of there. She knew this isn't over yet.