3. Alpha prince interest about villainess

AT THE SAME TIME 

XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW:

I leaned against the wooden wall of the pack house, staring out the window, my mind swirling with thoughts of her Isabella. I had kicked her out, believing that she would crumble under the weight of this world. But as the hours passed, that familiar sense of irritation gnawed at me. Did she die out there? Did she even stand a chance? Just then, one of my pack members burst into the room, an urgent look on his face. 

"Xavier, you need to see this."He said.

"What is it?" I asked, crossing my arms, already feeling my patience wear thin.

"The girl Isabella. I saw her in the woods. She's gathering supplies."He said, and I felt my stomach twist.

"Gathering supplies?" My brow furrowed in disbelief." What do you mean?"

"She's not just sitting around. I saw her collecting firewood, some herbs, and even berries. Looked like she was doing pretty well for someone who was kicked out."He continued, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice. "Maybe she's tougher than you thought."

Tougher? I scoffed inwardly, fighting against the surge of conflicting emotions. 

"Tougher? She's a nuisance a villainess who doesn't belong in this world." I shot back, but the words felt hollow.

"Maybe, but she's out there doing what it takes to survive." He replied, shrugging. "You should see her. She's got a fire in her that I didn't think she had."

The image of her alone in the wilderness, gathering firewood and herbs, ignited something in me. I had expected her to break, to collapse under the pressure, yet here she was, proving me wrong.

"Why do you care?" I snapped, trying to mask my surprise with irritation. "She's not worth your attention."

But even as I said it, I felt a twinge of concern. Had I underestimated her? 

"Where exactly did you see her?"I asked.

The man pointed deeper into the woods. 

"Not far from the stream. She looked like she was in her element."He said.

I pushed off the wall, restlessness coursing through me.

"I need to see for myself." I muttered, turning on my heel.

As I stepped outside, the chill of the air hit me, but it did little to quell the heat rising in my chest. I had dismissed Isabella so easily, but the idea that she was out there, fighting to survive, intrigued me more than I cared to admit. What is she doing out here? I thought, a mix of irritation and reluctant curiosity churning inside me. She looked so… determined, completely absorbed in her task, her hair catching the sunlight and framing her face. Isabella stood up, brushing her hands against her worn dress, and I noticed the small pouch at her waist, already half filled with herbs. This wasn't how it was supposed to go she was supposed to be lost and desperate, not thriving in the wilderness.

I shifted slightly, careful to remain hidden. The way she concentrated, biting her lip in concentration, made something twist in my gut. I hated that I found her resourcefulness impressive. Watching her, I felt an unsettling mix of frustration and intrigue. Here she was, a villainess in a world that should have chewed her up and spit her out, yet she was out here, surviving against the odds. I went back to the main part of the pack near the clearing. I leaned against a tree in the clearing, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep as the morning sun broke through the leaves. The usual sounds of the pack preparing for the day filled the air, but the whispers among the younger wolves caught my attention.

"Did you hear? Someone's been watching that girl, Isabella." One of them said, glancing around as if the trees had ears.

"Yeah, some creep." Another added, snickering. "He's been lurking around while she's gathering herbs. What a loser."

I rolled my eyes, trying to focus on my training. Isabella was a villainess, after all, and whatever trouble she found herself in was none of my concern.

"So what?" I interjected, crossing my arms. "She can handle herself."

"But Xavier, what if it's dangerous? Shouldn't someone check it out?"One of them asked.

"Let her figure it out. She's tough enough. Besides, if she's too blind to notice, that's on her."I said.

The group laughed, clearly enjoying the gossip. 

"Just keep your distance from her." I said, pushing off the tree. "She's not worth the trouble."

As I walked away, the whispers faded behind me, but the thought of some unknown guy lurking around still lingered. It irritated me more than I wanted to admit. Just as I was about to dismiss it all, a flicker of movement caught my eye a shadow lurking near the edge of the clearing. I paused, instincts kicking in as I narrowed my gaze. There it was again, a dark silhouette partially obscured by the trees. It shifted slightly, and my heart quickened. What the hell? Then I saw him clearly, a male, tall and lean, standing just out of the sunlight. He had an air of confidence, but there was something unsettling about the way he was watching Isabella, who was completely oblivious to the eyes upon her. Why was this guy stalking her? I didn't care about Isabella, but the thought of some creep lurking around her set me on edge. I was tempted to step out into the open and confront him, but I hesitated. The guy looked too relaxed, too amused, as if he found her antics entertaining.

"Who the hell does he think he is?" I muttered.

When I find out he will pay coming to my pack. I turned around and left quickly. I need make sure that he won't show up again without letting her notice me.

The last thing I needed was more complications in my life, especially with everything going on with Isabella. I headed toward the pack house, my mind racing with thoughts of that shadowy figure and what he might want with her. As I approached the entrance, the guard stationed at the door stood up straighter, his expression shifting from relaxed to alert. 

"Alpha Xavier." He greeted, raising an eyebrow. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"More like a shadow." I muttered, pushing through the door and into the main hall.

The familiar scent of wood and the faint aroma of food filled the air, but my stomach twisted at the thought of the stranger. 

"Have you seen anyone unusual hanging around the perimeter? A guy who doesn't belong?"I asked.

"What did he look like?"Guard asked.

"Tall, lean, dark hair. He was watching Isabella while she was gathering herbs."I said.

"You're sure he wasn't just a traveler? We get some from time to time."Guard asked.

"I don't care if he's a traveler." I snapped, trying to keep my voice steady. "If he's lurking around her, it's a problem. He had this creepy vibe like he was sizing her up."I said. "You think it's a coincidence that I spot this guy watching her the same day everyone's whispering about it? No one knows who he is. We can't let this slide"

"Alright, alright." Guard said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'll keep an eye out. But you know how things are around her, people come and go. Just make sure you're not jumping to conclusions."

"Jumping to conclusions? I saw him! He was right there!"I said angrily.

"Then we'll keep watch. Just focus on what you can control, Xavier."He said.

With that, I stormed out of the pack house, frustration boiling over. I knew that I kicked her out, but I not letting any creeps walk near my pack. I am alpha and I must protect my people.