Valeria watched silently as James rose from his seat. Her eyes followed him as he turned and began walking away from the garden.
She did not say another word. She simply watched until his figure disappeared beyond the trees and the sound of his footsteps faded into the distance.
Only when he was certain to be far enough away did the smile disappear from her lips and her expression became cold again.
She slowly raised one hand and flicked her fingers.
Almost immediately, her assistant emerged from the shadows, a presence James had never noticed throughout his entire stay in the garden.
"Your Majesty," Grace called softly as she approached and lowered her head.
"There is something fishy about Alpha Norton," Valeria said quietly. She exhaled slowly before leaning back against her chair.
"What do we do?" Grace asked.
"He wants me to help him reclaim his place as the alpha of his pack." Valeria's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
