Zara

Asbela entered the room and smiled brightly at me, and invited me in.

"Would you like to go sit in the garden? The weather is quite pleasant." The sunlight streaming through the glass was inviting, and I accepted her invitation and went to sit in my Alpha’s beautiful garden.

The same one I’d slept with.

Reality was finally starting to sink in, and to my surprise, I felt no shame.

Beta Hunter met us at the main entrance of the house. He nodded respectfully, but the slight smile that touched his lips upon seeing Asbela didn’t go unnoticed.

Asbela’s cheeks flushed like the last rays of sun on the horizon as she stopped and spoke to him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Beta’s expression took on a shyness I’d never seen on this burly wolf.

Now I knew this big guy was capable of smiling and carrying on a conversation. It felt almost too personal, so I slowly walked away.

The lush green grass invigorated my senses. Raising my head, I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the much-needed freshness. The air was thick with the scent of a multitude of flowers, from roses to hydrangeas and bluebells.

I extended my hand and touched the leaves and petals of the bushes. My feet encountered a winding path of sparkling cobalt stones, like a ribbon of molten sapphire.

Smooth, polished stones led me to the heart of the garden. Its edges were framed by clumps of blue flowers, their velvety petals opening in the bright sun. Tiny bluebells swayed their heads, as if engaging in a private conversation with a gust of wind.

The path slowly led me to a fountain, styled like a waterfall. Its cascading water, touching the white stones below, flowed like liquid silver. The sound was like a soothing melody, and I immersed myself in the beauty of the fountain.

Nearby stood two plush garden chairs with soft turquoise fabric and soft cushions with a wavy pattern, and between them sat a small wrought-iron table.

I settled comfortably into the chair, enjoying the warm rays of the sun. Resting my hands on my knees, I closed my eyes and simply listened to the sounds of the garden.

The song of a bird in a tree, probably a canary. The murmur of water and the gentle rustling of leaves. I relaxed, the tension from the past events receded, and I focused only on the many sounds.

"Should I bring some tea?" Asbela’s gentle voice made me open my eyes, and I saw that she was completely radiant.

The radiance that comes when you talk to someone you admire, someone you’re in love with, or, most importantly, someone you love. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

I’d been there, so I knew. My chest tightened at the memory, and then it dawned on me.

No, that’s exactly what I felt now.

The sensation was all too familiar, and no matter how hard I tried to push the thought away, it clung to me like a sea urchin.

And then I remembered Asbela was waiting for my answer.

"Yes, please. Any relaxing tea would be welcome." She smiled sweetly and returned to the palace, and I leaned back and closed my eyes again.

It was terrible; deep down, I knew I was done for.

I closed my eyes and saw him; I opened my eyes, and everything reminded me of him.

What should I do?

But could I ignore the sexual tension between us? Now that I’d gotten a taste of him and his manhood, my hunger for him grew. For some reason, I wanted more and more of his attention, more care, and more physical affection.

He had a way of instilling a sense of security in me, making me feel special, but I was afraid of his coldness.

He could turn around and transform into a completely different person, someone I didn’t even recognize.

"Here!" Asbela set down the tray, and my eyes widened.

Had I been thinking too long?

Pouring me a cup from a black ceramic teapot with a silver pattern, she placed the elegant cup and saucer in front of me.

The scent of cardamom enveloped my senses, calming and relaxing.

"Try these too." She pointed to the strawberry and custard tarts. She brought out a whole platter of these creamy delicacies, and for the first time, my mouth didn’t water at the sight of them. Instead, a knot formed in my stomach.

"Can I help you?" she asked, seeing me sitting there and not reaching for them. Perhaps she thought I was holding them back.

"No, no, I just had breakfast, so I’m not hungry. I’ll just have some tea."

She nodded with a gentle smile and settled into another chair, filling her cup. Her radiance and the smile playing on her lips made me ask.

"So, Beta talks to you?"

She froze and, looking up at me, answered timidly.

"Yes, we both joined the same month, about five... years ago, so we became closer." Five years ago didn’t match up. She couldn’t have been my age, since she was already working as a nurse when she arrived, so I couldn’t help but ask.

"How old are you?"

"Just turned thirty-one." She took the cup and leaned back.

"Oh! I thought you were my age."

"No! I’m older. Beta and I are almost the same age," she replied, taking a small sip of tea.

I reached over and carefully picked up the cup. "So is he just a friend or a special friend?"

My innocent question made Asbela almost choke and blush like a ruby. She quickly set the cup down on the table, trying to hide her embarrassment, and looked away from me.

"Uh! Just a friend, Zara. What makes you think that?"

’Did we misunderstand?’ Nova rolled her eyes.

’No! She was shy, or maybe they both were.’ I explained to Nova.

Before I could answer, I heard the sound of a car approaching and turned my head in that direction.

Kaysir opened the door, and Alpha Kane emerged, slender and devilishly handsome.

My heart skipped a beat, then another, and I forgot to breathe.