The mont Bernard ended the call, he leaned back in his seat, exhaling sharply. His gaze drifted across the vast hall where he sat, an enormous space, yet eerily empty.
Dust clung to the ancient walls, the once-glorious designs now faded, re shadows of their forr grandeur.
It was a place that had once echoed with power and prestige, but now, it stood as nothing more than a forgotten relic of the past.
Bernard’s fingers curled into fists as his thoughts grew darker.
"I will not be a weak Alpha. I won’t sit idly while others act on my behalf. I will make my own moves... And I promise, this place will return to its forr glory... its na feared and respected once again."
With a newfound resolve, he rose from his seat, his sharp gaze sweeping across the hall. He took slow, deliberate steps, letting his fingers brush against the cold, decaying walls.
Five minutes passed before he decided to leave. Just as he reached the entrance, his phone rang, freezing him in place.
He glanced at the screen. Mother.
Bringing the device to his ear, he answered in a composed tone; "Hello, Mother... Good afternoon."
"I need to see you imdiately," Victoria’s voice ca through, firm yet laced with urgency. "Return ho at once."
"Understood. I’ll be there soon."
He ended the call and stepped out of the hall without a second glance...
***
At the College, Maria remained seated beside Jas, listening as he spoke with a sincerity that was both captivating and dangerous.
"I’ve admired you for so long, Maria," Jas admitted. "I wanted to tell you before, but I didn’t know how you’d react."
Maria’s eyes narrowed slightly. She had heard similar words before, but coming from Jas... it felt different.
"Jas, you know I am Bernard’s chosen mate," she said carefully, locking eyes with him. "You don’t want to make your pack a rival of the Blue Moon pack because of this."
Jas t her gaze without hesitation.
"I don’t care about the consequences, Maria. If having you in my life ans going to war, then so be it." His voice was unwavering. "I’d rather fight than live without you."
Maria’s heart pounded at his words. He was confident, determined... traits she found dangerously appealing. But she knew better.
"Jas, you’re the future Alpha of your pack," she reminded him, her voice carrying a firm edge. "Are you telling you don’t already have a chosen mate?"
"I do." He exhaled slowly.
Maria raised a brow, expecting that to be the end of the conversation.
"But in my pack," Jas continued, "we don’t force things upon ourselves. The girl chosen for and I, we feel nothing for each other. We made it clear to our people. No one is forcing us to accept a bond we don’t want."
Maria hesitated. He was making it difficult for her to ignore the emotions stirring within her.
"Just give a chance," Jas pleaded. "Be my woman, and I promise, you will never regret it."
Her chest tightened at his words. If things had been different... if she were free to make her own choices... But she wasn’t.
She forced herself to take a deep breath.
"Jas, the way we do things in my pack is different," she said, lowering her gaze briefly. "Bernard and I... it’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand."
Jas studied her expression carefully.
"The best I can offer you," she continued, "is friendship. That’s all."
A flicker of disappointnt crossed his face, but after a mont, he nodded.
"Then I’ll take it," he said softly.
A small, almost sad smile ford on Maria’s lips as they exchanged a handshake.
Jas walked her back to where Cassandra and Laura were waiting. As they walked, she found herself lost in thought.
’Jas is understanding... kind... and undeniably handso.’
A wistful sigh escaped her lips.
"If only I could turn back ti and be free to choose for myself... But I won’t stop fighting for my freedom."
As they reached her friends, Jas gave them a casual wave before departing.
Cassandra imdiately leaned in. "So? What happened?"
Before Maria could answer, a voice interrupted them.
"The driver is waiting for you outside."
Maria turned in surprise, spotting a young pack mber out of breath from running. She quickly glanced back at her friends.
"We’ll talk tomorrow! Love you both!" she called, dashing off.
Cassandra and Laura exchanged knowing looks before bursting into laughter.
---
Back at the Packhouse, Bernard arrived ho, stepping into the grand sitting room where his mother sat poised on a couch.
The mont he approached, she studied him with sharp eyes.
"Mother," Bernard greeted, his expression calm. "You sounded worried over the phone. What’s wrong?"
She took a deep breath, her fingers tracing the armrest of the couch.
"Yes, I am worried," she admitted. "There’s sothing important I need to discuss with you."
"Oh," Bernard arched a brow. "Go on."
"Why are you so hard on Maria?"
The unexpected question caught Bernard off guard. He stiffened.
"...What?" His voice was laced with confusion.
"I’m not asking you to trust her," his mother clarified. "But sothing about her movents lately has been... suspicious. I feel she’s planning sothing."
"Mother, that’s absurd." Bernard scoffed lightly, shaking his head.
"She might be up to sothing," Victoria insisted. "You need to get close to her. Play along. Gain her trust. That way, you’ll know what she’s truly planning."
"Common mother," Bernard frowned. "There’s no need for that. Maria has no choice but to accept my decisions."
But Victoria’s eyes glead with wisdom.
"Alpha Bernard," she said firmly, "you must be wise. If you don’t act fast, she will be a million miles away before you even realize it."
Bernard fell silent, lost in thought.
"Could Maria be planning sothing against ? Against my family?"
No.
The Maria he knew wasn’t one to sche in the shadows. If she had an issue with him, she would confront him directly.
And yet... a sliver of doubt began to creep into his mind.
Was his mother right? Was Maria planning an escape? Or worse, was she planning to betray him?
Bernard was still lost in his thoughts when Luna Victoria tapped him firmly on the shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Son, don’t be a weak Alpha," she said, her tone sharp with irritation. "Work on what I’ve told you and stop acting like a child who didn’t co from and your father!"
Her words struck a nerve. Bernard clenched his jaw, his gaze darkening as he looked straight into his mother’s eyes.
"I am not weak!" He declared, his voice filled with conviction. "And I will prove that to you and everyone in this pack. I will do whatever it takes, beyond my own understanding."
The fire in his eyes was undeniable.
---
Maria had been ho for hours, yet she stayed locked inside her room, unwilling to interact with anyone.
Her mind kept replaying her conversation with Jas, the warmth in his voice, the sincerity in his words.
He spoke like a true gentleman... like an ideal man. Not just handso, but kind and respectful.
A small smile played on her lips as she thought about him.
Bernard used to be like that back when they were close friends. But now, he was nothing like the boy she once admired.
In her mind, Jas was already standing above him. She was still lost in thought when a knock on the door pulled her back to the present.
"Co in," she called out absentmindedly.
The door creaked open, revealing one of the household maids.
"Good evening, Miss Maria," the maid greeted politely. "I’ve been asked to inform you that dinner is ready."
"I won’t be coming out for dinner tonight," Maria replied flatly and didn’t even glance up.
The maid hesitated for a mont, then quietly left the room. Ten minutes later, another knock ca. This ti, Maria felt her patience snap.
"What now?" she muttered under her breath, ready to scold whoever it was.
Before she could say a word, Bernard stepped inside, closing the door behind him.
Her annoyance faded into sothing else—sothing unspoken. She imdiately averted her gaze, unwilling to et his eyes.
Bernard walked toward her, his movents deliberate. He sat beside her on the mattress, letting out a quiet chuckle.
"The maid told you weren’t coming out for dinner," he said, his voice unexpectedly calm. "May I know why, please?"
Maria tensed a bit. His sudden gentleness caught her off guard. And then, he did sothing even more surprising, he added, "Please."
A part of her wanted to tell him the truth, to see how he would react. But another part of her refused to make things easy for him.
She simply shook her head, signaling that there was no reason. But Bernard exhaled, watching her closely.
"I know a lot of things might be bothering you. And I know you might not like it here." His voice was steady, but his gaze never left hers. "But I believe, in ti, you’ll adjust. You’ll see things differently."
Maria expected him to say more, to press her, to demand an explanation. But he didn’t. He simply stood there, waiting.
Disappointed, she thought of Jas. ’He would have insisted. He would have cared enough to push further.’
Yet, she stood up anyway. If she wanted to get closer to Bernard, to gain his trust and execute her plan... this was a step she had to take.
As they walked to the dining table, she noticed the delight on Victoria’s and Beta Gilbert faces. They both welcod her warmly, their smiles unusually bright.
Maria sat down, expecting soone to bring up her earlier refusal to eat. But to her surprise, no one ntioned it.
The silence unsettled her.
’This is strange... Is this kindness real? Or just another move in their ga?’
She quietly began eating, but her mind remained restless.
★★★
anwhile, in a dimly lit room, Laura sat on the edge of her bed, gripping her phone tightly.
"What is the progress on the assignnt I gave you?" The voice on the other end was deep and commanding.
Laura straightened her back, speaking with unwavering respect; "I’ve made so inquiries, sir. But for now, everything appears normal."
A pause. Then, the voice responded firmly, "Follow the instructions I gave you. Be thorough. Be certain."
"Yes, sir," Laura assured him. "I won’t fail."
As the call ended, she let out a slow breath, her mind racing.
’No one can know what I’m up to. I must stay under the radar... I can’t afford any mistakes.’
Her expression hardened with determination. This mission was too important. She had to execute it flawlessly.
Grabbing her bag, she stepped out of the room, her eyes filled with quiet resolve...
---
The next morning, Maria arrived at the college earlier than usual. She was the first among her friends to get there, sitting alone in the empty classroom.
She barely had ti to settle when a familiar voice called out from behind her.
"Good morning, most beautiful one."
A slow smile ford on her lips before she even turned around.
"Good morning, Jas," she greeted, her voice softer than she intended.
Jas grinned, leaning slightly toward her. "I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this early before. Do you always co this early?"
’He’s been noticing ?’ Maria tilted her head slightly.
"That’s not true," she replied, keeping her tone casual. "I always arrive early enough for my classes."
Jas chuckled, shaking his head.
"I have to tell you... I thought I could forget about you, but it’s impossible." His voice dropped slightly, turning serious. "I keep thinking about all the beautiful things we could have together."
Maria’s breath caught in her throat.
"And I believe," he added, his gaze locked onto hers, "that a part of you feels the sa way."
Her fingers tightened slightly on the edge of her desk. ’Is it that obvious? Have I been showing it?’
She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.
For the first ti, she wasn’t sure if she could hide the truth any longer...
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