Alina laughed softly, patting Sable’s little horned head. "Why aren’t you sitting inside, hmm? It’s made for you," she coaxed gently.
Lucien only shook his head, the corners of his mouth twitching with a rare, shy smile. Beside him, Sable whispered shyly, "It’s too big... we want to wait with teacher."
Alina’s heart softened instantly. She didn’t argue, simply nodding and letting them stay by her side.
Her attention shifted when she noticed a tall figure approaching with Luna at his side. She blinked twice. This ti it wasn’t one of the usual quiet caretakers. It was a strikingly handso man. His sharp jawline, broad shoulders, and forest-green eyes made him look as though he had stepped straight out of a glossy magazine. Oh my god, Alina thought, is he... Luna’s father?
But even he couldn’t outshine the little wolf pup beside him. Luna’s hair had been carefully braided, a tiny flower pinned delicately above her ear, and she wore a stylish pink top with loose pants that swayed as she walked. She should have looked like the prettiest little doll, yet her face was twisted into a fierce scowl.
The man beside her was clearly struggling not to laugh, his lips twitching every ti he glanced down at her. He even carried her little bag himself, which only made the contrast funnier.
"Luna," Alina greeted warmly, kneeling slightly. "You look so pretty today!"
The girl huffed. "My dad picked this. I told him I don’t want pink, teacher! But he still made wear it. I can’t even say no!" Her pout was so fierce it nearly made her braids bounce.
Alina smiled politely and glanced at the man. "Oh—you must be Luna’s father?" she asked gently.
The warrior blinked, startled, then quickly shook his head. "No, ma’am. I’m just one of the pack warriors. The Alpha asked to escort her today."
"Oh!" Alina’s cheeks ward in embarrassnt. "I see. Well, thank you for bringing her safely."
He gave a respectful nod and handed over Luna’s bag. "It’s no trouble." His smile lingered, polite but just a touch too wide.
Alina turned toward the vehicle, stepping inside. The warrior followed and helped her place Luna’s bag on the seat. She thanked him quietly, and when the two of them stepped back out, she felt it—an odd, heavy tension in the air. The sensation made the hairs on her arms rise.
She looked up and froze. Dante was standing a short distance away, his crimson eyes fixed sharply on them. His face was perfectly composed, yet the coldness in his gaze made the warrior stiffen. Almost instinctively, the man bowed his head, muttered a quick goodbye, and retreated from the garden without another word.
Alina blinked, confused at the sudden shift in atmosphere. Luna tugged at her hand, muttering about how much she hated pink clothes.
But Alina’s stomach twisted. Sothing wasn’t right. Dante’s gaze was still locked on her, and it wasn’t the usual unreadable expression he wore in etings or when addressing the staff. This was different. It was heavy, intense, as though he were staring straight through her, searching for sothing hidden beneath her skin.
Her heart thumped faster. She forced a smile, trying to mask her uneasiness. "Good morning, sir," she said softly, her tone almost too polite.
Dante gave only the slightest nod. His jaw clenched, his eyes still burning with sothing she couldn’t na. It wasn’t anger exactly, nor disapproval, but it wasn’t gentle either.
Alina hesitated, unsettled. She had no idea why his stare made her feel so restless, as if she had done sothing wrong. Was he upset about her talking with the warrior earlier? Or maybe she was just imagining things.
Her attention quickly shifted when Rocky arrived with his caretaker.
The little boy looked as though he had been dressed with extra care, wearing a neat white T-shirt tucked under a stylish gray jacket with delicate silver patterns on the sleeves, and gray pants that made him look almost princely. His hair was combed neatly, and his round cheeks were slightly pink from the morning air.
"G-good morning..." Rocky stamred softly. The mont he realized everyone–teacher, classmates and especially the towering principal was staring at him, he almost froze on the spot, his body stiffening as if he might actually turn into a rock.
Alina imdiately stepped forward with a gentle smile, taking the bag from his caretaker. "Good morning, sweetheart. You look so handso today," she said warmly. Rocky’s cheeks turned even pinker, and his lips tugged upward into the tiniest, shyest smile. She carried his bag inside the vehicle herself and returned just in ti to see Luna up to mischief.
The little wolf pup had her hands on her hips, leaning close to Rocky with her tiny fangs showing. She let out a growl, her golden-brown eyes glinting as she tried to scare him. Rocky’s shoulders trembled, and his hands almost slipped into stone form, but before he could fully freeze, Sable shuffled close and held his hand tightly. His shadows curled protectively around the two of them as if telling Luna to back off.
"Luna!" Alina called sharply, stepping closer. "What are you doing?" Her brows knit, though her voice was calm.
Luna’s ears lowered in embarrassnt, her cheeks puffing as if she wanted to argue. But before she could, Alina knelt to Rocky’s height and smoothed his hair. "Don’t worry, sweetheart. Teacher won’t let Luna scare you."
Rocky nodded timidly, squeezing Sable’s hand tighter. Alina glanced up just in ti to notice sothing else.
Across the garden, Dante was crouched gracefully at Lucien’s level, his large fra folding down so easily it looked natural. His cold, commanding aura seed to soften as he listened to Lucien’s quiet words, one hand resting lightly on his son’s shoulder. The sight startled Alina. Such tenderness in a man who usually carried himself like steel. Her eyes rested on him for a mont before she quickly returned her focus to Luna.
She stood up quickly, her gaze snapping to the little wolf pup. Alina planted her feet firmly on the ground, her hands settling on her hips as her teacher-voice rang out.
"Luna! Why are you scaring Rocky?" she demanded, her brows lifting in that sharp way that always made the children pause.
Reviews
All reviews (0)