05. Gaze Of A Predator

Sablecrest Pack House

Elmarie and June walk through the main entrance, where the passing guards bow their heads to the Delta. She begins to walk up to the third floor as June quietly follows. She pushes open the door to the less than zero temperature and allows June to enter first.

As the door shuts, June plops onto her bed. Elmarie shivers as frost comes from her mouth.

"So, this is the part where you start reprimanding me."

"I think you already know what I'm going to say," Elmarie responds while crossing her arms for warmth.

June sighs and lays on her back, looking up at the ceiling. The woman's eyes glazed over her body for injuries and then snapped back to her face.

"Just so you know, I'm not sorry."

She chuckles, sitting down on the chair by the bed. "I don't expect anything less from you."

June's eyes narrow at the amused Delta. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"

She flips over to her stomach and holds her body up with her arms. She looked down at her hands as they tapped on the bed.

"You're barely around anymore," the girl whispers, but Elmarie could hear just fine.

"There's a lot of commotion with the increase of spies, so I need to train the wolves and place them around the building. In case of an attack, I need to be there to protect the House."

June scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Adella can handle it all by herself. And that Oskar guy or whatever is just piling more work on you for no reason. You don't need to do all of that."

"It's my job as a Delta to train the Hunters and Scouts. I also have to send reports regarding their training and their skills, so then Liam can group them and-"

June waves her hand in the air with a groan. "You can talk about that stuff with someone else. I haven't seen you in so long and now you want to get back to work."

Elmarie crosses her leg over the other. "Fine then. Let's go back to your behavior and your fight with Paige."

"She started it. She insults me out of nowhere and starts saying crap about my magic."

"Are you exaggerating it?" Elmarie raises an eyebrow.

"No!" June sits up and crosses her legs. "She literally insulted me out of nowhere. She said, and I quote, 'I can't believe Sablecrest is housing a rowdy girl like you'. How am I not supposed to get angry? What kind of arrogant bitch is she? Walking around like she owns the place."

Elmarie nods as she listens to June rant without any censor to her words. She was already used to this after all.

"The next time I see her, no one is going to stop me from sticking an icicle up her-"

Elmarie raises a hand to stop her. "Don't finish that sentence. It's inappropriate for your age."

June glares at her. "Are you treating me like a kid right now? I'm nineteen, idiot. Old enough to go out and do what I want."

"You can if you stop making trouble for the Pack. I'm sure Alpha would be nice enough to-"

"She wouldn't," June snarls. "She only cares about herself."

The woman purses her lips. She sighs and shakes her head.

"Then I wouldn't be here."

Elmarie Faugne used to be the Delta of another Pack in America. And she still would be if not for the betrayal of her Pack.

It was only a few years ago that Elmarie was left for dead by her comrades, but she remembered it vividly. As if it were a movie that kept replaying in her mind.

Adella appeared to her at her lowest, almost like a knight in shining armor. She was saved from the brink of death and offered a place in Sablecrest, which had only 10 members at that time. Elmarie was hesitant because it wasn't a powerful Pack, but she couldn't refuse since she had nowhere else to go. She took the Alpha's hand and was introduced to the rest of the Pack, which includes Beta Madden, Liam, Dr. Cohen, Menena, and a few others who also had a similar story.

Now, she was proud to say that she belonged to the greatest Pack in the world and probably in history.

June was silent at that and bites her bottom lip. And I wouldn't have been here either.

"Alpha Adella told me the scientists on B2 figured out a way to get rid of the excess magic contained inside your body." Elmarie was quick to change the subject. Something she normally does when she sees June's sour mood. "They use some kind of vacuum that doesn't use magic to power itself. It takes most of the magic in your body and places it somewhere else. The full process wasn't disclosed to me. But I heard that after, you'll be able to use your magic without fearing unexpected surges. However, the vacuum needs to get into your body first."

"So, they want to cut open my body and suck out all the magic with a tube?"

"It's the most scientifically accurate way with no known drawbacks."

"I thought science was supposed to be advanced, but I guess we're still living in the Stone Age."

Elmarie chuckles, and the sound of her voice made June smile. It's been a while since she's seen such a peaceful look on the woman's face.

Elmarie catches her stare and responds to her smile with one of her own.

"Have you eaten yet?" The Delta quickly changed the subject yet again.

"I should be asking you that. I know you only eat twice a day."

"It's enough for me."

"Two meals throughout the day isn't enough nutrients for a Shifter," June protests. "And you burn all those calories by training. You even look more sluggish."

Elmarie chuckles. "Nothing can get past you, huh?"

"You need to eat, Marie," June crosses her arms, attempting to look tough.

"Or what?" The woman teases, crossing her arms.

"Or..." June thinks of a threat that would scare her. "Or else I won't talk to you anymore."

Elmarie narrows her eyes. "You can't do that."

"Can too." June snickers as she sees it affected Elmarie.

That's when Elmarie stands up and walks over to the edge of the bed, placing her hands on either side of June and leans down to her eye level. June's eyes flicker away from her gaze to glimpse at the slight cleavage her shirt revealed. She feels her breath stop as she looks back up into the woman's darkened eyes.

"Take that back."

June subconsciously bites her bottom lip, which causes Elmarie's eyes to drop down and stare at it. A smirk appears on her lips when she sees June's frozen state.

But June was stubborn. She would never back down from a challenge.

"No."

Elmarie stares into June's eyes, which were just as fierce as hers. She searches her eyes as if she would find hesitance in them. They hold their stares until Elmarie finally gives up, knowing that June wouldn't do it first.

"Fine," she sighs, backing away from the girl.

June is finally able to breathe as Elmarie stands up. She glances at the girl's relief and smiles slyly.

"I'll only eat if you eat with me."

June's heart quickened as the blood rushed up to her face. She lowers her head so she wouldn't give herself away.

Clearing her throat, she mutters out, "Y-yeah, yeah sure, whatever."

Elmarie gives one last smile before turning the doorknob.

"Don't stay up too late." And with that, the woman swiftly left the room.

When the door shut, June scooted up to her pillow and pressed her face against it. Her legs lifted up and repeatedly hit the bed in unbridled excitement. A smile starts to grow on her features, but she bit her bottom lip to stop it from blooming.

Later,

Damineh scanned her deck of cards with a smirk. She glances up to see Himari pointing at Soo-Yun's cards, instructing her on what to put down. Soo-Yun nods as Himari signs her best hand.

Yuliana stands to the side, waiting for everyone to finish. As the dealer, she starts the game by putting down the cards and keeping track of the bets to make sure no one was cheating.

When everyone is ready to call their hand, Yuliana tells them to put their cards down facing up. Himari signs to Soo-Yun, who nods in understanding.

"Straight flush!" Damineh shouts with a wide grin, putting down her cards. Yuliana checks her cards and nods.

"What about you, Himari?"

Himari looks at Soo-Yun and nods. The woman puts down her cards facing up and Yuliana glances at them with a nod. Damineh leans over to peer at the cards and her mouth drops open in silent shock.

A royal flush; and on the woman's first game.

"Emily wins," Yuliana announces, causing the other maids to clap.

Himari signs to Soo-Yun, leaning over to kiss her on the temple. She claps for Soo-Yun, who grins at her victory and hugs Himari.

Damineh stands up and slams her hands on the table. "No way! She cheated!"

"Damineh, I observed the whole game. There is no possible way she could have cheated," Yuliana says, crossing her arms.

"Well, Himari was helping her. That's why she won!"

"Yes, Himari has to help her. It's her first game and she's deaf." Yuliana gives her a smug smirk. "Don't tell me you're a sore loser."

Damineh glares at her and pinches her ear, eliciting a whine from the woman. "Don't get so cocky now, you brat. I still beated you three times in a row at Pai Gow and ten times at blackjack."

"Blackjack is a game of luck," Yuliana retorts, trying to push Damineh away from her.

"It's a game of luck." Damineh gasps mockingly. "Don't tell me you're a sore loser."

"Fuck you!"

Damineh grabs Yuliana's lips between her fingers and glares at her. "Not in front of the child." She points behind her where Haylee and Kieryn sat, playing a hand clapping game.

"Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man," Haylee sings.

Kieryn did not understand the concept or purpose of the game, but he tolerated it because Christine said so.

Christine sits on the couch, encouraging him to continue playing with her sister. He narrows his eyes and turns his head away from her.

'I'm only doing this because of the cake you brought me.'

Kieryn couldn't finish the whole cake by himself, so Christine brought it down to the maids. Haylee was allowed first pick or she would complain that she didn't get her favorite flavor for the rest of the day.

There was only one slice of cake left and that was for Soo-Yun. She decided to save it for when she won the game as a victory treat. Himari teases her by dipping a finger in the icing and smearing it on her nose, which causes a glare from Soo-Yun.

Menena couldn't eat her slice of cake, so it was given to the sweet-tooth Haylee. She devoured it in front of a disappointed Kieryn, who liked that certain flavor.

The room was peaceful like it always was, save for Damineh trying to pinch Yuliana as she was protected by Vanessa. That's when the sound of heels clicking on the tiled floor announced to them that someone was here.

The maids stopped what they were doing as wavy black hair came into view. Haylee looks up and stops the game to run to the woman. She smiles in glee as her arms wrap around her.

"Adella!"

At the sound of her name, Kieryn's heart sped up at an impossible rate. He bit his bottom lip, thinking of what to say to the woman only a few feet behind him.

'Should I thank her for the cake? Will that not be enough? Maybe I should give her something in return.'

"What's new with you, Haylee?" The woman's velvety voice induced a shiver from Kieryn.

His fingers subconsciously tapped on his knee. He was eager to talk to her, and even see her, but his body would not move for fear that he would embarrass himself on the spot.

"Menena gave me one of her dolls. I named her Nena," Haylee laughs, bouncing on the soles of her feet.

"Did you force her into it," the woman questions, raising an eyebrow.

Haylee shakes her head. Adella pats her head and leads her to the couch to sit her down. Her legs swing in uncontained excitement. Usually, Adella would give her a piece of candy around this time.

Kieryn freezes as Adella is only a single foot away from him. She was so close that her red bottom stilettos were in view, and he couldn't help but run his eyes from the tip of her red painted toenails up to her curved, sensuous thighs. She wore a tight black skirt that ended just below her ass, accentuating her wide hips.

His head tilts up as his gaze trails up to see more of her body, but that's when he stares into amused green eyes. The Alpha's red lips were turned up into an equally amused smirk.

He turned his head as quick as he could and stared at the ground.

Adella then looks back at Haylee as if nothing had happened. "Sorry Haylee, but your sister told me that I can't give you a lot of sugar everyday."

"Aw, come on," Haylee whines and puffs out her cheeks for a slight pout. "It's only one candy."

Adella lifts her head with both hands on her cheeks, smiling warmly to calm her down. "Sugar everyday is bad for you. Don't be sad though. I'll make flower crowns with you."

Haylee's previous sadness was replaced by joy and she nods at the deal. Adella pats her head once more.

She turns to Kieryn, whose gaze was grounded to the interesting tile floor. A subtle smirk crosses over her lips as she walks over to him, standing in front of him. It was a smirk to hide the nervousness she truly felt. She didn't want him to feel uncomfortable around her.

Kieryn's breath hitches when he sees her red bottom stilettos come into view. He didn't move and neither did she. His ears were only focused on her euphonic voice as it filled the silent area.

"Did you enjoy the cake?" She asks, making the man bring his eyes onto hers.

He wanted to look away. Hell, the way her gaze burned into his made his body shudder uncontrollably. But he held her eyes as if they were the only thing to look at.

He knew that she could see the nervousness in his eyes, and that made him even more nervous. He didn't want to appear weak, but in front of this woman, everything he tried to be disappeared. He was rendered a weak, helpless prey and she was the predator.

Her feline-like eyes flickered down his body in a parsec, taking in the modest display of his collarbone under his shirt. Unmarked.

Kieryn wanted to drown in her green eyes, but then realized she asked a question. His head nods vigorously in response and her eyebrows raised, pleased.

"I'll tell them to make another one. Not right now, of course. It's getting late."

Kieryn nods his head again, his mind drifting off into another world.

The maids watch their interaction with subtle smirks on their faces. Adella catches their eyes and narrows hers, causing them to shuffle away to leave the two alone. Christine takes Haylee's hand and leads away with the others.

Kieryn felt his anxiety spike as he was now left alone with the Alpha. His hands subtly clench the bottom of his shirt and his head bends down once more.

Adella sighs inwardly. Her attempt at making him feel comfortable didn't work, so she would have to go to Plan C.

"I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." Kieryn doesn't raise his head. "I try to make everyone within my Pack feel safe as long as they are here. They are my responsibility, and so are you. I wouldn't want you to feel as if you're a prisoner in the House. I can see you don't like my presence, so I'll do what I can from afar."

This made Kieryn blink as the words replay in his mind. He wanted to make sure he heard that right. Before he could process those words, Adella's heels click as she walks away.

Kieryn clutched the bottom of his shirt so tight that his knuckles were beginning to turn whiter than he is. 'That's not...'

Adella was already making her way out the doorway. She heard Kieryn shuffling off the ground, which she turned her head to.

He stands there with his fingers fiddling with each other behind his back. His eyes glance around the room frantically before being grounded to the floor again. His lips parted only slightly but they closed again.

Adella raises an eyebrow as she turns to fully face the man.

"You can't speak, so I'll try to interpret what you want to say," She says, striding closer to him.

Her heels clicked rapidly, not giving Kieryn enough time to react before she was right in front of him. The smell of lavender with a hint of cinnamon overpowered his senses, which his eyes closed halfway as he reveled in the delightful scent.

Adella brings back his attention when she speaks again.

"You want me around you."

An sly smirk plays on her lips as a blush crawls up the back of Kieryn's neck. Adella's hand comes up to lift his head with a single finger, her nail brushing over his chin. Kieryn's hooded eyes meet with her amused ones.

His eyes flicker down to stare at her red lips, and a thought crossed in his mind. A dirty thought.

"Am I wrong, Kieryn?" Her voice becomes a tad lower, flowing into the man's red ears.

The way she said his name with a teasing, but sultry tone elicited a shiver from him. This was salient to Adella, who was enjoying the effect she had on him by just saying one word.

Noticing that Kieryn's mind was somewhere else, the woman digs her nail into his chin. Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to know that it's there. He is brought back to reality by it and his adam's apple bobs as he gulps his nervousness down. Adella watches the motion and is tempted to run her nail down his throat just to see it again.

Kieryn shakes his head to her question, which makes her smirk widen. She holds his chin with her fingers, bringing her lips so close to his ear that he could feel her warm breath tickling his skin.

"Do I make you nervous?"

Kieryn once again gulps as her breath causes his blush to deepen. He looks down to see her chest almost touching his, and he wants to pull her flush against him. However, he holds his hands by his side.

Adella's grip tightened. "Answer me with a nod or a shake of your head."

Kieryn nods to her almost immediately, but a part of him wishes to see what she would do if he didn't answer.

Her grip loosens as her hand slides down his chin, a finger being trailed down his chest. Kieryn's breath stops as he follows her finger before looking back up into Adella's eyes. Her finger stops right above where he wanted it the most.

"Don't be," Adella says softly but with a command to her tone. "I want to have a good relationship with you."

Kieryn nods, also implying that he too wanted a relationship with her. Adella chuckles at this and pulls away, leaving Kieryn floored as he expected something else. She strides away with a sway in her hips, pulling Kieryn's gaze to her round bottom. She turns her head to give him a wolfish grin at the blush that coated his cheeks.

"Goodnight, Kieryn." Her voice was no longer teasing but more soothing. "Dream about me," she jokes, but at this rate Kieryn might have a dream about her.

Without another glance, Adella disappears down the hall. Kieryn's wobbly legs almost give out, but he pulls himself to sit on the couch. A loud breath released from his lips and he covered his red face with his hands.

His heart never went down, much to his concern. 'I must be sick.'

The last few minutes replayed through his mind like a movie on repeat, and all he could see was the plump red lips of Adella. As it moved, all he could think about was them pressed against his skin. The way her ass moved in that tight skirt, her black locks sat on her shoulders, and her perfectly shaped breasts bounced slightly with each step.

A groan of frustration leaves his lips.

'What and why is this happening to me?'

At night,

A knock at the door made Adella turn around. She hooks the hanger back onto the closet bar and ties her silky, red robe before walking to the door. She turns the knob and pulls it open, revealing Haylee on the other side in her fluffy pink pajamas.

"Haylee? It's so late, what are you doing out of bed?" Adella crosses her arms and leans against the door.

"My night light turned off," Haylee whispers, looking down at the ground. "It's too dark. I can't sleep without it."

Adella pulls the door wider and steps to the side. "It's alright, come in. I'll install a new one for you tomorrow."

Haylee bare feet slap against the polished concrete floor and into the dimly lit room. She immediately walks over to the bed and jumps onto it, smiling at the plush covers that radiated warmth onto her skin. She turns around to see Adella also walking over and sitting next to her.

"You could have just gone to Christine's room next door."

"Your bed is much more comfy," Haylee says with a grin stretched onto her face.

Adella shakes her head with a smile, patting her hair. She remembers something and her smile drops, replaced by a serious face.

"I heard you haven't been going to your sessions."

Haylee's grin is replaced with a pout as she turns to her side. "I don't like that lady."

Adella sighs, rubbing her back soothingly. "You know you have to, Haylee. Clinical therapy is good for you and it helps a lot."

"But the lady always acts like I'm a... a," Haylee stutters as she struggles to find the word.

"A burden?"

"Yeah!" Haylee kicks her feet up in the air. "She's grouchy and doesn't give me candy."

"So it's really all about getting candy," Adella says, raising an eyebrow.

Haylee was silent at that.

"Listen, if you don't like your therapist I'll hire a new one. But avoiding therapy is not an option," she says sternly, leaving no room for argument.

Haylee whines and kicks her foot up in the air. "Aww, but Adella-!"

"No," she says, lifting the covers for Haylee to climb into. "Get some rest. I have to hand over these papers to Oskar."

Haylee grabs her robe. "Y-you're leaving?"

Adella sighs with a smile and leans over to kiss her temple. "I'll be back right away, alright. I'm only going to be on the second floor."

Haylee tightly wraps her fingers against the material, before releasing it and allowing her to slip away. Once Adella leaves the room, Haylee pulls the covers over her and wraps herself in it. Her eyes were wide open, unable to sleep now that her only source of comfort was gone. A tear wells up at the bottom of her eye.

'Adella, come back. Please, I'm scared.'

The woman walks down the staircase onto the second floor. She makes her way to her office, where she knew Beta Madden would be sticking his nose into paperwork. When she opens the door, there sat the Beta shuffling through a fat stack of papers, discarding some and signing the others. He rubbed his chin as he was deep in thought, not noticing Adella was in front of him.

"You really don't do anything other than work, huh?"

He only snaps up only a brief second to acknowledge the woman before he goes back to signing papers. Adella walks up next to him and puts her finished paperwork on the desk. He looks at them with a nod and clicks his pen closed.

"What about Sandra?"

At the sound of the woman's name, Beta Madden shivers. His face scrunched up as he leaned back in his chair.

"She told me that she'll be finished soon and will be on vacation for a week."

"Only a week? Isn't she traveling along the lower parts of Pakistan for medical research?"

"Yes, and it would take a while for results to come in after. She deserves at least three weeks off," he murmurs, clicking his pen back on.

"Honestly, she should have been an engineer or something. Medical school is difficult to get into and being an engineer is a much easier path. She got her degree for it."

"Well, Sandra loves helping people. She has been doing that since she became an agent in the ACF," Beta Madden says, and Adella could have sworn she saw a small smile crossover that cold face of his.

Adella hums while nodding her head, watching as he reads the next paper in the stack. His face contorts into a frown and a deep sigh leaves his mouth.

"What's that?"

"It's... a letter from the Summit," Beta Madden draws out, looking up at Adella. "Do you want to..."

"Trash it."

And without a second thought, Adella swiftly walks out the door. Her face turned sour, as if she tasted something disgusting. 'They're always on my dick. God, I can't stand them.'

Just as Adella was about to turn around, a blur in the shape of a person turned the corner. She blinked before her eyebrows scrunched together. She glances around before speed walking after the figure, hoping that her assumption wasn't correct.

She considered all the possibilities of a spy breaking in, but her guards worked from early morning to late night. They were always armed and ready for an intruder, so there was no way that could happen. But, in case there happened to be a spy that was stealthy enough to get a wave of guards and a twenty-feet tall wall, Adella wanted to make sure for herself.

A wicked smirk appears on her lips as her green eyes flicker gold. She wanted to see the intruder that was brave enough to enter the Sablecrest Pack House for herself. They'll be taken by the guards and thrown into a prison, their punishment depending on their intentions and the damage they made.

But now they're facing the Sablecrest Alpha.

'Whoever it is, they've just resigned their life privileges.'

Adella follows the intruder's footsteps as quietly as she could, her feet gliding against the floor like a ghost. Her heart beat with anticipation, waiting for the intruder to show themselves so she could rip him to shreds. The mere thought made her lips quirk up.

The intruder is about to walk into the light which shone from the moonlight above. She stared intently, waiting to see who it was. By the shape of a figure, she expected a tall man who was armed with a weapon, but;

"Kieryn?"

The sound startled the intruder, or rather, Kieryn. He whips his head around to see Adella in a silky red robe paired with fuzzy red slippers. Her messy black hair was kept in a high bun, a few locks framing over her makeup-less face.

Kieryn's heart almost skipped a beat when he saw Adella's naturally pink lips and mesmerizing green eyes that seemingly pierced right through him. He stared a little too long until he realized that he must have seemed weird.

The woman's eyes widened as she realized, 'Could Kieryn be an actual spy?'

She didn't want to believe it and she raised her guard, crossing her arms and observing Kieryn. He didn't have the body strength to be a spy, but they say that it's always the innocent ones. He might be a witch and could have altered his appearance. However, it couldn't be possible because he was also a Shifter and the proof was the mate bond. And half-witches can't use magic.

"What are you doing so late at night?" The woman cursed herself for the disappointed tone that slipped out.

Kieryn looked around frantically, searching for something to convey his answer.

"You can just mouth it to me. I'm a very good lip-reader."

Kieryn nods before parting his lips and mouthing to her, 'Water.'

Adella's face fell and then rose again. She sighed inwardly in slight relief that Kieryn wasn't a spy, but then she remembered that he could just be using that as a means to save himself. Her eyes narrow for only a second before she puts on a smile.

"Do you still not know your way to the kitchen? I'll take you there." Adella beckons him to follow her as she walks away. "If you need anything, you can come and ask me."

She brings him to the staircase and down to the first floor, walking into the kitchen with long strides. Kieryn was breathing heavily as he tried to keep up with her pace. Adella took a glass and opened the fridge, took out a pitcher of water and filled the glass halfway with water.

Kieryn grabs it with slight trembling hands, holding it tightly in fear that it would slip out of his hand and shatter to the floor. He brings the cup to his lips, gazing into Adella's darkened eyes as he takes a large gulp.

Her eyes only flickered down for a moment, looking at the way his throat bobbed. Her tongue slips out of her mouth to wet the bottom of her lips, eyelids closing halfway as her eyes turn a shade deeper.

He removed the glass from his lips and his eyes shifted to the floor. The pressure of her gaze made him clutch the glass tighter as if it would protect him.

That is when Adella spoke with a smooth, velvety voice.

"Kieryn," she says, bringing the man's eyes to hers. "Are you a spy?"

Kieryn's eyes widened in shock, but then he shakes his head vigorously. He picked up the slight threat within her tone. Adella's eyes narrow as she glares at him like a snake. She steps closer to him, and Kieryn only blinks his eyes before he sees her standing right in front of her.

Suddenly, her hand wrapped around his neck in a tight grip. It wasn't hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to know that it's there. And at any time, Adella could end it all with a flick of her wrist.

He swallowed at the pressure, which Adella could feel against her hand. Her green eyes seemed to darken another notch as she pulled Kieryn down to her eye level. His hand shake, causing the contents of the glass to ripple as well.

"I hate liars," she hisses, softly digging her oval shaped nails into his neck. "Tell me the truth, Kieryn. Are you a spy?"

Kieryn's heartbeat quickened which showed in the vein Adella's nail was pressed against. His eyes darted all over the kitchen before looking into Adella's fierce eyes. The more he stared, the more he was hypnotized by the seemingly endless forest that held many secrets within them.

Kieryn wanted to venture further into that endless forest and discover those secrets that it held. His eyes then lowered to Adella's tempting lips, which begged him to take. His gaze gravitated lower until he was looking at the prominent collarbone that her robe revealed. It seemed... bare, as if it was missing something. Like a mark.

Adella squeezed his neck tighter, bringing his attention back to her. Her eyebrow was quirked up in a slightly amused manner. She stands on her toes to brush her lips against his ear, and Kieryn knows she could see that they've turned a deep red.

"Focus on me, Kieryn." His breath hitches as she whispered huskily into his ear. His body froze up and he was sure that the glass in his hand was on the verge of cracking.

"What are you thinking about?" She asks in a breathy voice, loosening her tight grip on his throat.

His mouth opened but the only thing to come out was a hoarse breath. She pulls away to look at his reaction, and seeing the effect she had on him, she smirks.

Adella pulled him closer to her until their lips were so close, he could feel her breath against them. She had forgotten all about him being a spy and only focused on the way his chest pressed against hers. She wanted to get closer, if that was even possible.

Kieryn's lips parted as heavy breaths left them. His brown eyes looked black as he scanned the woman's face. 'He wants it too.'

Adella slowly pulls him closer to her, staring deeply into his eyes for permission. There wasn't a look of fear or hesitance in his eyes anymore, only pure uncontained lust for her. It made her chest burst with unfamiliar feelings.

Until, "Adella?"

She pulled away so fast, she looked like a blur. Kieryn blinked, processing that he almost kissed her. When he finally came to, his face burst redder than before and he turned away to cover his face.

"Haylee? What are you doing here?" She tried to sound as natural as possible, as if nothing happened between them.

"You said you would be back, but you took so long." Haylee pouts and crosses her arms. "Did you lie to me?"

Adella sighs and walks up to her, patting her head. "Sorry, I was just helping Kieryn get to the kitchen. Let's go back."

Haylee peeks behind her and sees the white haired man. A grin widens on her face as she calls to him. "Hey, Kieryn! Can you not sleep too?"

Kieryn turns at the sound of his name, avoiding eye contact with Adella.

"You can come to Adella's room and sleep next to us!"

Kieryn opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish with widened eyes. Adella turns her head to snicker to herself. She wouldn't mind if Kieryn took on that offer, though.

He shakes his head rapidly, causing Haylee to pout again. Adella pulls her away, ignoring her whines and complains.

"Let's go to bed." She looks back at Kieryn, whose face didn't get any less redder. She gave a smile, which had a bit of a smirk in it. "Good night, Kieryn."

As Adella and Haylee disappear from sight, Kieryn absentmindedly raises his hand to wave goodbye to her. She was already long gone, so he puts his hand down and sighs.

He slowly presses his hand against his chest, breathing deeply to calm it down. He felt the sudden urge to bang his head on the wall.

'I'm definitely sick.'

The next morning,

"What?!"

June slams her hands on the desk, shifting her glare from Adella to Zachary. Adella sighs, rubbing her temple as a headache approaches.

"June, it's way too early for this," Adella groans.

"I have to be taught by this guy?" She hissed, pointing at the amused man. "Fuck that!"

"It's best to learn how to control and use your magic so it won't go out of control."

"All I'm hearing is that you're trying to find a way to get rid of me," she scoffs, placing her hands on her hips.

"You're going to be taught on the Pack House grounds."

"Still don't wanna." June stomps to the door, swinging it open and leaving it wide open as she leaves.

'That brat didn't even close my door.' Adella felt her headache get stronger as she groaned in frustration. The man next to her raises an eyebrow with a smile playing on his lips.

"You shouldn't let that girl talk down on you like that," Zachary said.

"It's fine, I know how to keep her in check," Adella says, brushing him off with a wave of her hand.

"By the way she shouted at you and walked out without you stopping her, I'd say that's not going well."

Adella's eyes turned into slits as they snapped onto the man's playful glint. He didn't shiver at the menacing look she gave, only amusing him more, not knowing that he was poking fun at a beast who was wide awake.

Her hand raises to lay on the cushion behind her as she turns her torso and face. Her green eyes turned darker as her jaw clenched.

"Are you telling me that the way I rule my Pack and the people in my House is 'not going well'?" Her gravelly voice cut through him like a knife and butter, but he didn't stop his fun there.

"That's not it, Alpha-"

"I won't take disrespect from a stranger who's asking me for help. Watch your mouth and try again."

Her head cocks to the side and Zachary's eyes flicker to her nails slowly elongating into claws.

"Don't give me a reason to end our contract and send you home," she says sternly.

The man raised his hands in mock defeat, chuckling at the hostility. Adella stands up from her seat and goes to the open door, shutting it as she leaves. Her tight thigh-high heels clicked onto the floor as she walked down to the first floor, alerting the maids who were cleaning the dining room that she arrived. They stop what they are doing to line up as Adella enters.

Adella looks behind them, seeing that the windows, tables, and silverware glowed in the sunlight. She nods in approval, making them smile at the silent praise.

"Oskar's been overworking you all, hasn't he?"

Yuliana sighs, being the first to speak. "My legs are about to give out, Alpha. That man definitely hates us."

A hearty laugh leaves the woman's mouth as she shakes her head. "He's a tough one, but he doesn't hate you. If he really did, then he would show it."

"How is making us work until our arms fall off not showing us he hates us?" Damineh scowls, imagining Beta Madden's face as she drives her knee into his stomach.

"I know it's hard taking on Menena's workload, and it's getting hotter because summer is coming, so I'll get ice cream for you all."

Cheers lit up the room as the maids called out their favorite flavors, making Adella laugh once more.

"Chocolate!"

"Strawberry!"

"Cookies and cream!"

"Rocky road!"

"Beer!"

All the women's heads turned to see Dr. Cohen standing by the doorway with a childish grin on his face.

"Of course it's you," Damineh murmurs under her breath as she gives the man a scrutinizing gaze.

"Oh yeah, get me some actual beer while you're at it." The man laughs at Adella's disgusted gaze.

"I wonder how you don't have alcohol poisoning with all the beer you drink," she says, before turning her head to look back at the maids. "Anyway, I'll get it for you after I finish my work. I can't let Oskar die from high blood pressure when Sandra is coming so soon."

"Sandra is coming?" Haylee asks as her smile grows wider. She skips up to Adella and holds her arm, looking up to the woman with a hopeful gaze in her eyes. "When?"

"Well..."

Christine comes up behind Haylee and pulls her back by her shirt. "I keep telling you that you can't do that," she whispers to Haylee, who pouts because she was taken away from Adella. Christine then turned her gaze to Adella and gave a frown. "I didn't get to say sorry before, Alpha. It was wrong of her to just enter your room in the middle of the night-"

Adella cuts her off with a raised hand, giving a small smile. "It's alright, Christine. I don't mind."

Christine's frown deepens. "Still..."

Dr. Cohen steps closer to Adella, who narrows her eyes. "Also, I just so happened to see a blond witch pass by and go to the training grounds. Maybe she's fornicating with the Delta," he whispers in Adella's ear.

Adella scowls, pushing the man's face away. She turns back to the maids and nods before walking in the direction of the back entrance. Dr. Cohen snickers under his breath, which Adella hears, and she cannot help but question if there was something wrong with his brain.

She approaches the gates where two security guards stood on either side of the doors. They stood stiffly as their Alpha walked closer with the stride of a runway model. When she passed them without a second look, they turned their heads to look at her.

"Would you like us to accompany you, Alpha?" One of the men asked.

"No, thank you," she says without looking back, continuing to walk away.

The man eyed her disappearing form, looking her up and down. "Damn, the Alpha is attractive."

The other man hit him in the stomach with his elbow, giving him a stern glare. "She has a mate, man," he hissed.

The first man freezes as his eyes widen. "Oh, shit. Really?"

The second man nods his head as his glare burns into the other.

The corner of Adella's lips quirk up as she thinks of the white-haired man. 'Yeah... and he's perfect...'

Her smile drops almost immediately and she shakes her head to remove the thought. She approaches the three buildings behind the Pack House. Named the Pack Quarters, these buildings were a place for hunters and scouts to sleep in before after their duties. Since the Pack House was far away from the city, the other Pack Members would have to live somewhere.

Yuliana was in charge of providing their basic necessities, which also included a means of relief after a long day. She had to go to and from the Pack Quarters to report to Adella the men and women's requests. It was almost half a mile walk there, so she wondered how Yuliana got tired so easily.

The training grounds consisted of four large platforms where the hunters and scouts would train each day. Early in the mornings, they would wake up and start their daily exercises which ended at noon. Sometimes they would go up into the mountains and sometimes they would be by the river that runs past the Pack House.

Adella walked to the entrance of the first building to look for Elmarie. She would know where June is. But before she entered, she heard voices. Changing her path, she goes over to the side of the building and finds June sitting on a bench as Elmarie spoke to her. June argues back and a scowl appears on the Delta's face.

"June, you know you need this. Just listen to the Alpha for once," Elmarie says.

June huffs and turns her head, causing Elmarie to sigh heavily at her stubbornness. That's when Adella clears her throat and alerts Elmarie of her presence.

"Alpha," she greets with a slight bow of her head.

"I see she's still not convinced," Adella says, gazing at June, who doesn't acknowledge her.

"No. I'm trying, but," Elmarie stops when Adella raises her hand.

"I'll take it from here. Go get some rest, Elmarie."

"It's still morning," she draws out, raising an eyebrow.

Adella crosses her arms and gives Elmarie a stern look. "Are you going against my orders?" Adella arches an eyebrow, challenging the woman to not listen to her.

Elmarie's eyes widened and she immediately shook her head. "No, Alpha. I'll leave now." And just like that, she went inside the building.

Adella turns back to June, whose gaze was on the ground the entire time. She sighs and drops her arms to her side.

"Listen-"

"No." The immediate answer made Adella's eyes narrow.

"What I have to say is-"

"Don't want to hear it."

"June-"

"You'll spout some shit about how it's good for me," June raises her head to roll her eyes at the woman. "No thank you. There's nothing in it for me."

"You'll gain knowledge about magic. It's good for you because not only will you be able to control your powers, you can even gain more."

"You've told me that before," June says, rolling her eyes again. "Same something more convincing. Well, it's not like anything you say will-"

"Don't you want to make Elmarie proud?"

At that, June visibly freezes, causing a smile to stretch onto the Alpha's face. June's brown eyes snap onto the woman's smug face, giving her a smoldering gaze that told her she would throw a fat shard of ice at her.

June's eyes then glanced back at the ground. She thought over her words for a moment, knowing that Elmarie would definitely be proud– not that she cared.

"Fine," the girl finally says with a groan. "But if this shit doesn't help me at all, I'm going to actually freeze that bitch Paige."

Adella's smile widened, feeling jubilant that she finally convinced June to learn from Zachary. 'Two things down. All I need now is...'

"Get along with Paige, alright. I don't need any more fights between you two."

June deadpanned. "Fuck her. She can take her arrogant ass back to where she came from."

Adella shakes her head. Getting June to learn how to control her magic was enough for now. She could worry later about her and Paige's relationship. Now she had to go back to Beta Madden and finish her paperwork.

Afterwards,

Damineh looks at her deck of cards with a smirk, glancing up at her opponent. 'I'm definitely going to win this.'

Her opponent spent his time looking at his deck, his face hardened in concentration. He brushed his white hair away from his eyes as his tongue darted out to lick his bottom lip. He switched his gaze between his first and his last card, wondering which one would guarantee him a win.

It was Kieryn's first time playing any type of card game. The only "games" he ever played in his entire life, except for patty cake with Haylee, was throwing dice and doing an action on a corresponding card. It was a long time ago, so long ago that he forgot most of the game.

As Kieryn was concentrating, on the sidelines were Himari and Soo-Yun. The latter balled her fists and raised it in the air, giving Kieryn a you-can-do-it look. Himari gave the same luck, whispering words of encouragement to the man.

Kieryn's gaze flickers up to look at Damineh, whose face was smug. His determination disappeared and his face fell into a small frown. 'I'm going to lose. There is just no way I can beat an experienced woman in this game.'

He lost all his hope for victory and looked down at his lap. Himari's and Soo-Yun's cheers didn't reach him as he was slowly falling into a pit of despair.

That's when an arm suddenly reaches from behind him and points at one of his cards. It made him jump and almost drop them, but he kept a tight grip when he saw the familiar slim finger and red nail. He could no longer hear anything other than the sound of his heart palpitating wildly. The person behind him was so close, he could feel warm breaths on his ear.

"Choose this one," said the familiar velvety voice, whose breath tickled the shell of his ear. Kieryn's skin grew warmer as a blush raised from his neck to his cheek, and he was sure that it was visible.

Kieryn's hand trembles as he picks up the card she pointed at from the deck, placing it down onto the stack in the middle of the table. Damineh glances at the card he put down and her eyes widens in confusion and shock. She looks up at the man and then to the woman who stood behind him.

'When the hell did he have that card?' Damineh bites her bottom lip as she puts down two cards. 'Whatever, I need to get rid of these fast so I can win.'

Kieryn frowns at her cards, seeing that she is close to winning. A warm hand lay itself on his shoulder which made him jump again. The finger points to another card, which Kieryn puts onto the table.

Damineh clicks her tongue as she puts a card down. Kieryn takes a card from the second stack and sighs when he sees it's just another useless card.

The hand on his shoulder squeezed when it felt his disappointment. It comforted Kieryn as the other hand helped him to put down the best cards.

It was now the end of the game and Damineh and Kieryn had the same amount of cards left. Damineh gives him a fierce look as she puts down two cards. She was close to winning now. It would only take one more move for her to achieve victory.

A warm breath brushed against his ear again as the woman whispered. "Put them all down."

Kieryn's body shook at the sound of her husky voice. He followed as instructed and laid all his cards down face-up on the table. Damineh's face fell in a satisfying way, but she stands up with a glare.

"You helped him, Alpha! That's cheating," the woman complained, looking at the woman being Kieryn.

"Yes, I did help him. And that's because it's his first time, Damineh," she says with a smile in her tone.

"You sound just like Yuliana," she gumbles and crosses her arms. "Next time, you can't help him. I won't go easy on him."

The woman nodded as she chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'll just watch from the sidelines next time."

Himari and Soo-Yun clapped for Kieryn's victory as Damineh trudges back into the kitchen. Kieryn's heart did not calm down, not that the source of his nervousness was right behind him.

Adella leaned down so her mouth was right next to Kieryn's ear. She knew the reaction he would make and she did it on purpose just to see it again. Her hand slid from his shoulder down his arm, feeling his slim arm muscles through his shirt. She heard his breath hitch, making a smirk play across her full pink lips.

"You did well, Kieryn," she whispers, making sure to tune her voice down. "I'll get you something to celebrate your victory."

His heart swelled with pride at the praise. Her words were like an electric shock that traveled down his body and straight to his lower part.

Adella's hand slides up his arm to give his shoulder one last squeeze before pulling away. Kieryn slightly frowned at the loss of the warmth in her fingers. He turned his head and watched Adella as she walked over to Himari.

"How's Menena?"

"She's fine for the time being," the woman sighs, wrapping her fingers around Soo-Yun's hand. "I've gone to see the nurse in the infirmary, and they've said she might have arthritis. It's only my speculation, but I think she's had this condition for her whole life."

Adella nods, frowning in thought. She sighs before giving Himari a smile to calm her nerves. "I'll go see her today and ask the nurses for more information. If it's truly as they say, then I'll get treatment to make it easier on her."

Himari nods as the woman starts to walk away. She turns her head to catch Kieryn's dazed gaze, who snaps out of his thoughts and looks away. Adella laughs under her breath before disappearing down the hallway.

Kieryn slowly turns up his head and watches Adella stride down the hall, quickly disappearing from his sight. He turns to Himari, who signs to Soo-Yun, and the two walk away together. Now, he was alone in the room.

He leans back in his chair, closing his eyes. Amidst the darkness, he saw Adella's face appear suddenly. He jumps up and snaps his eyes open. A deep sigh leaves his lips.

For some reason, he just couldn't stop thinking about her.