Chapter 36 Misunderstood Hearts
Aelira’s POV
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“Are you sure this isn’t too much?” I ask Oriana, my thumb running over the
sleek silver lighter nestled in its velvet–lined box. The price tag makes me
wince–nearly half a month’s pay from Verdant Moon Herbalists, gone in a
single gesture.
“For the Alpha King of the Nightshade Pack?” Oriana scoffs, rolling her
eyes. “He probably spends more on cufflinks. After what he’s done for you,
this is the least you can do.”
She’s right. Daelor has shifted the course of my life. He’s the reason I finally feel hope–hope for a real escape from Alarion, hope for a future that isn’t just survival. Against that, a luxury lighter seems almost laughably small.
“Alright,” I sigh, heading for the register with the box clutched in my hands.
“I’ll take it.”
We emerge from the specialty shop into the afternoon sunlight, the package elegantly wrapped and heavier than I’d expected. As we weave through the busy shopping district, Oriana nudges my shoulder.
“You should give it to him now,” she urges. “Why wait?”
I hesitate, nerves fluttering. “He’s probably busy. I don’t want to intrude.”
“Call him,” she insists, her tone both exasperated and gentle. “Worst case,
he says no.”
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I swallow my anxiety, thumb hovering over Daelor’s contact before I press
call. The phone rings, each second stretching until his deep voice rumbles
through.
“Aelira,” he answers, warmth in the syllables that settles something
anxious inside me. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine,” I say quickly. “I just… I have something for you. A
thank–you gift. It’s not important—”
He cuts in, decisive. “I’m at security headquarters overseeing enforcer
training. You’re welcome to stop by if you’d like.”
His easy acceptance takes me off guard. “Are you sure? I don’t want to be
a bother-”
“Not at all,” he says, voice firm. “I’ll text you the address.”
I end the call, pulse skittering. Oriana is watching me, grinning wide.
“What?” I demand, though I already know.
“Oh, nothing,” she singsongs, arching a brow. “Just that he said yes
instantly. Dropped everything for you.”
I roll my eyes, tamping down the hopeful flutter in my chest. “He’s working.
He didn’t drop anything.”
“Uh–huh,” she drawls, following me to my car. “And he just happens to
invite you to the most secure facility in the territory? Face it, Aelira. The
man likes you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I try to sound annoyed, but even my wolf stirs at the
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Oriana just laughs, the sound bright and knowing. “Whatever helps you
sleep at night.”
My nerves only heighten as I pull into the sprawling Nightshade Pack
compound. The place is a fortress–training fields, high–tech barriers,
security checkpoints everywhere. The air smells of discipline and power.
A uniformed wolf approaches my car the moment I park. “Ms. Sunmere?
The Alpha King is expecting you.”
He escorts me through layered security, each checkpoint more advanced
than the last. Past thick glass, I glimpse werewolves cycling effortlessly
from human to wolf, bodies moving through brutal combat drills and
elaborate reconnaissance routines.
Then, I see him–Daelor, standing framed in a doorway, dressed in tactical gear that clings to his broad form. His silver–gray eyes light up when he sees me, and something tightens in my chest.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” I say, suddenly keenly aware of my plain
clothes and the small gift in my hand.
“Not at all,” he says, waving me forward. “I was just finishing up.”
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We walk together through the heart of the facility. I can’t help but stare at
the scale of it all–the innovation, the sheer force of will behind every wall.
It’s worlds beyond anything I ever saw in the Thunder Pack.
“This is incredible,” I murmur, watching as a team of enforcers shifts mid-
run, human to wolf and back again, barely breaking stride.
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“Would you like a tour?” Daelor offers, his voice softer now. “I understand if
you’re worried about seeing classified information.”
I pause, uncertain. “I’m still technically Luna of the Thunder Pack. Isn’t this
a risk?”
Something gentle flickers in his eyes. “You’re not an outsider to me, Aelira.”
The words send warmth flooding through me, my wolf shivering with
something like longing. To steady myself, I thrust the wrapped box toward
him.
“This is for you,” I say, a little breathless. “Just a small thank you. For…
everything.”
He takes the gift, fingers brushing mine, a spark passing between us that
leaves me shaky. He unwraps the lighter slowly, reverently, his eyes
widening as he turns the silver piece over in his hands.
“This is…” He trails off, tracing the intricate pattern worked into the metal.
“Do you like it?” I ask, nerves edging my voice. “Oriana said all Alphas
smoke sometimes, but if you don’t-”
He cuts me off, a smile breaking across his face–rare, genuine, dazzling. “It’s perfect. I do enjoy a cigar after a good negotiation. Thank you, Aelira.
Truly.”
Relief and pride bloom in me. “It’s just a small gesture. Compared to what
you’ve done for me, it’s nothing.”
He tucks the lighter carefully into his pocket, his expression soft. Then he gestures down a hallway. “Want to see where we train the enforcers?”
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I nod, and he leads me through reinforced doors into a massive indoor arena. At least twenty wolves–some in human form, others in wolf–are locked in combat drills, leaping through obstacle courses, sparring with
precision and ferocity.
“Alpha King!” An enforcer jogs over, eyes flicking from Daelor to me with open curiosity. “Is this her? The she–wolf from Myrthale Lodge?”
Before I can answer, another joins him, grinning. “It is! Alpha King’s Luna-
to–be!”
Heat rushes up my neck. “I’m not—‘
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But already the word is spreading. “Alpha King brought his intended mate!” someone yells, and suddenly the entire floor is watching us, grins and
shouts echoing.
“Congratulations, Alpha King!”
“When’s the marking ceremony?”
“Moon grant you many pups!”
“This isn’t–we’re not-” I stammer, cheeks burning. My denials are swept
away by their laughter and teasing.
Daelor only smirks, placing a gentle, steadying hand at the small of my back as he guides me away. “Settle down and get back to work,” he calls, voice full of wry amusement. “You’re embarrassing my guest.”
Outside the arena, I finally find my words. “You didn’t correct them.”
His eyes are bright, shadows of mischief dancing there. “Would it have
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mattered? They’re happy for me. It’s been a long time since they’ve seen
me with a she–wolf.”
I have no idea what to say to that.
“Come,” he says, changing the subject. “I’ll show you the communications
center. That’s where we manage security for the northern‘ packs.”
As we walk, he explains the layers of coordination–how technology and
trust keep the peace between packs that might otherwise tear each other
apart.
“Isn’t it risky, letting me see all this?” I ask, glancing at him. “I’m still-”
“Luna of the Thunder Pack,” he finishes quietly. “But with everything that’s
happened, I don’t see you as a threat, Aelira.”
Just then, his phone vibrates. He checks the screen and his entire manner
shifts in a heartbeat.
“Nyven? What is it?” His posture locks into something coiled and
dangerous. “How serious?… Understood. We’ll be right there.”
Gone is the warmth of a moment ago. What stands before me now is the
Alpha King–cold, commanding, all shadows and steel.
He turns to me, his aura pressing against my skin, fierce and protective.
“We need to go. Now.” He’s already reaching for his keys.
My wolf is instantly alert, bristling with the urgency in his voice. “What’s happened?”
“I’ll explain in the car,” he says, already guiding me toward the exit, every
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<Chapter 36 Misunderstood Hearts
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