Sylvia’s POV

The moment I turned away from Noah, my carefully constructed mask slipped. I stormed into Frostline Enterprises with ice in my veins and fire in my chest. The lobby staff scattered like prey before a predator, avoiding eye contact as I passed. Even the receptionist who normally greeted me with a cheerful "Good afternoon, Miss Frost!" suddenly became fascinated with her computer screen.

Charna paced restlessly beneath my skin. Seeing Caesar with Helena had awakened something primal in me—something I hadn’t anticipated when we’d agreed to our arrangement.

I slammed my office door hard enough that the sleek glass walls trembled precariously. The resounding crash echoed through the otherwise silent executive floor, a physical manifestation of the storm brewing inside me.

Twenty minutes later, a hesitant, almost timid knock interrupted my brooding.

"Come in," I growled, not bothering to soften my tone. The rough edge in my voice was a warning.

Henry peeked in cautiously, like a rabbit testing whether the fox was still in its den. "Miss Frost, I have the files from LC Company that you requested."

"Just leave them there," I replied, barely glancing up.

Henry placed the documents on the corner of my polished desk, but he didn’t retreat as expected. Instead, he lingered, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to another. I could smell his anxiety—a sharp, almost acrid tang that only irritated my already frayed nerves.

"Is there something else?" I asked, arching an eyebrow.

"No—I mean, yes—I just..." He cleared his throat. "Is everything okay?"

"Why wouldn’t it be?" My voice dropped to a dangerous octave.

"No reason." He backpedaled quickly. "You just seem a bit... tense today."

Charna snarled at being so transparent. "I’m fine. Don’t you have work to do?"

"Yes, of course I do," he replied hastily.

"Then why are you still standing there?"

Henry inhaled deeply, gathering his courage. "Miss Frost, if something’s bothering you, maybe talking about it would help? Sometimes an outside perspective can be useful."

His genuine concern caught me off guard. Most employees would have scurried away by now, tails between their legs, but Henry stood his ground. It reminded me why I’d hired him—he had backbone, rare in the subordinate ranks of wolf hierarchies.

"What makes you think something’s bothering me?" I deflected, leaning back in my chair.

"Well, for one thing, you’re gripping that pen so hard I think it might snap," he pointed out. "And when you walked in earlier, three interns nearly dove under their desks."

I looked down at my white-knuckled grip and consciously relaxed my fingers. The mate bond was affecting me more than I wanted to admit.

"I’m perfectly fine," I insisted, my voice rising slightly as I sat straighter. "Who told you otherwise?"

Henry’s lips twitched, suppressing a smile. "With all due respect, Miss Frost, you don’t need to be a werewolf to read the room right now."

His gentle teasing unexpectedly defused some of my tension. My shoulders relaxed slightly as I exhaled.

"What if," he ventured carefully, "instead of talking about you, we discuss a hypothetical friend’s situation? Would that be easier?"

The transparent ploy was so obvious it was almost endearing. My lips curved into a reluctant smile.

"Alright," I conceded. "Let’s say I have this friend..."

I explained the situation, keeping details vague—how my "friend" had seen her mate having lunch with another woman who had made her intentions clear multiple times. How this woman had history with him, and how he’d promised there was nothing between them anymore.

"So your friend thinks her husband is sneaking around with this so-called ’sister figure’ behind her back?" Henry summarized, making air quotes around "sister figure."

I narrowed my eyes at his directness, and he quickly adjusted: "I mean, your friend thinks her husband is being dishonest about this relationship?"

"Honestly?" Henry continued. "If they’ve committed to each other—especially with a mate bond—then they shouldn’t be hiding things. That’s not how pack partnerships work." He paused, gauging my reaction. "Your friend needs to confront this head-on. In wolf terms, she needs to mark her territory."

"Are you saying my friend is being too passive?" The idea stung my pride. I’d never considered myself passive about anything.

"Not passive," he backtracked carefully. "Just... bottling things up. Mates should be honest with each other. If something’s bothering her, she should say so. The bond between true mates is supposed to be built on trust, right?"

Charna rumbled in agreement. Caesar had promised honesty between us. Why was he meeting Helena secretly? What were they discussing that I couldn’t be privy to?

"Maybe you’re right," I admitted reluctantly.

Henry nodded. "Communication is key in any relationship, wolf or human. The moon goddess pairs mates who complement each other, but she doesn’t guarantee they’ll figure everything out without talking."

His words made sense. I couldn’t judge Caesar without hearing his explanation. Perhaps there was a legitimate reason for the meeting I’d witnessed.

"Thank you, Henry. You can go now."

"Anytime, Miss Frost." He headed for the door, then turned with a mischievous grin. "And please give my best to your friend."

As the door closed behind him, I leaned back in my chair, tapping my pen rhythmically against the desk—a habit from my childhood when I was processing complex thoughts.

Yes, I decided. I would confront Caesar tonight. No accusations, just a direct question about his lunch with Helena. A mate deserved honesty, especially when our bond was still so new and fragile.

Decision made, I felt Charna settle slightly. We would handle this like the Alpha I truly was—directly and without fear. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

That evening, as I was gathering my things to leave, my phone chimed with a text message from Caesar:

*Heading out of town for a few days on urgent business, Sivi. I’ll call you tonight.*

I stared at the screen, my earlier resolve crumbling. The timing was suspiciously convenient—immediately after his lunch with Helena, he suddenly needed to leave town?

Charna clawed at my insides, demanding action, demanding answers. But what could I do? Accuse him over text? Call and potentially interrupt whatever "business" he was handling?

I set my phone down, frustration coiling through me like a physical ache. The mate bond tugged painfully in my chest, sensing my distress and the distance that would soon separate us.

Fine, I thought, swallowing my disappointment. At least now I’d have some space to think clearly, without his intoxicating scent clouding my judgment. Two days to sort through these confusing emotions and decide how to approach the situation when he returned.