Maria.

I was completely stunned at Noah’s words.

Engaged?

The word echoed in my head like a loud, unrelenting drum. For a second, I couldn’t even react. My mind went blank, my body frozen as the weight of what he had just said settled over me.

But then I remembered where I was.

I was still standing under the cold gaze of Aidan as he kept waiting and watching me like a prey.

And suddenly, it made sense.

Noah wasn’t just speaking—he was protecting me.

So I swallowed everything rising in my chest and forced myself to play along.

I stepped closer to him, my fingers curling lightly around his arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Yes," I said softly, though my heart was racing. "We are."

The tension in the air shifted immediately.

Without waiting for any more reactions, Noah tightened his hold on me and led me away. I didn’t resist. If anything, I followed willingly, needing to get out of there just as much as he did.

The moment we got to his room, the door shut behind us with a soft click.

Silence.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then I turned to him.

"Thank you," I said sincerely, my voice softer now.

Noah looked at me, his expression unreadable.

"But..." I hesitated, biting my lower lip slightly. "You didn’t have to say we were engaged. That was a bit..." I trailed off, searching for the right word. "Too much."

His brows furrowed immediately.

"Too much?" he repeated, taking a step closer. "What does that mean, Maria?"

I blinked, slightly taken aback by the intensity in his tone.

"Or..." he continued, his voice dropping just a little, "don’t you want to be engaged to me?"

I quickly shook my head, a small smirk forming on my lips despite everything, the tension easing just slightly at the corners of my expression.

"No, no, no," I said, lifting my hands a little in a light, almost playful gesture, trying to soften the moment. "I don’t mean it like that."

"Then what do you mean?" he pressed, his gaze still fixed on me, searching, like he wasn’t going to let it go until I explained.

I sighed lightly, the sound quiet but genuine, as I ran a hand through my hair, pushing it back in a small, restless motion.

"I just mean..." I paused briefly, choosing my words carefully, "you didn’t have to go that far. We could have said anything else."

Noah stared at me for a moment, his expression unreadable, like he was weighing my words, considering them from every angle before responding. Then he let out a small breath, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction.

"Maria," he said, his tone softer now, calmer, "it’s just a cover."

I looked at him, really looked at him, trying to understand the certainty in his voice.

"A cover," he repeated, more firmly this time. "Nothing more."

The words hung between us for a second, simple but carrying weight.

There was a brief pause before he added, more quietly, "But... can we keep it that way?"

My brows lifted slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing my face.

"Keep it that way?"

"Yes," he nodded, his gaze steady, unwavering. "Let them think we’re engaged. It’ll make things easier... until we leave this pack."

Leave.

The word settled deeply in my chest, heavier than the rest. It lingered there, echoing softly, stirring something quiet but undeniable inside me.

I stared at him for a moment, letting that thought sink in, letting the reality of it wrap around me.

Then, slowly, I nodded.

"Yes," I said quietly, my voice softer now, more certain. "Let’s keep it that way."

A small smile appeared on his lips, subtle but real, and I caught the brief flash of relief in his eyes, like he hadn’t been entirely sure what my answer would be.

Without thinking, I stepped forward, closing the small distance between us, and wrapped my arms around him.

"Thank you, Noah," I whispered softly, my voice barely above a breath. "For everything."

He hesitated for just a split second, like the gesture caught him off guard, before his arms came around me, firm and steady, returning the embrace.

"It’s nothing," he murmured quietly.

But it wasn’t nothing.

Not to me.

Not even close.

After a moment, I pulled away, stepping back just enough to create space again, though the warmth of the moment still lingered.

"I need to go to my room," I said, my tone returning to something lighter, more composed. "I left something there. I’ll be back."

He nodded, his expression calm again, but still attentive.

"Be careful."

I gave him a small smile in response, something soft and reassuring, before turning away.

And without another word, I walked out of the room.

The hallway felt quieter than usual as I walked toward my room.

Not just empty, but still.

The kind of stillness that made every step sound louder than it should, echoing faintly against the walls as if the space itself was listening.

My mind was still replaying everything.

Over and over.

Noah’s words.

The weight behind them.

The fake engagement.

The plan to leave.

Each thought circled endlessly, overlapping, tangling together until I couldn’t separate one from the other. It should have felt simple, just a plan, just a decision but it didn’t.

Because beneath all of it...Something else lingered, something I couldn’t quite name.

It sat at the edge of my thoughts, just out of reach, like a feeling I wasn’t ready to face. Unsettling. Persistent. Refusing to go away no matter how much I tried to focus on everything else.

I had barely taken a few steps when a voice stopped me.

"Maria."

I froze.

Instantly.

My body went still before I could even think, the sound of my name cutting cleanly through everything in my head.

Vincent.

I turned slightly, my eyes landing on him a few feet away. He was leaning against the wall, one shoulder pressed casually against it, but there was nothing casual about the way he was looking at me.

His gaze was fixed, focused, watching me too closely.

"Vincent," I said, trying to sound normal, steady, like nothing was off, even though something already felt wrong.

He pushed himself off the wall slowly, his movement unhurried as he straightened and began walking toward me.

"I heard something," he said.

My brows furrowed slightly, confusion flickering across my face.

"What?"

He stopped in front of me, close enough that I could clearly see the sharpness in his eyes, the tension in his expression.

"I heard Alpha Aidan talking to his brothers," he said. "Apparently... his voice carried further than he intended."

My heart skipped slightly, just a small, sudden beat that didn’t quite fit.

"And?" I asked carefully, my voice quieter now, cautious.

He didn’t look away nor do he even blink.

"You’re engaged to Noah."

I paused.

For a brief second, everything stilled again.

Then I gave a small nod.

"Yes," I said simply.

The word came out calm, controlled like it didn’t carry any weight. He let out a short, dry laugh, the sound sharp in the quiet hallway.

"Wow," he muttered. "That was fast."

I shrugged lightly, keeping my expression neutral, unaffected.

"Things happen."

"Maria."

The way he said my name this time was different, sharper and more demanding

"Look at me."

I frowned slightly but lifted my gaze to meet his fully, holding it despite the tension building between us.

"Tell me the truth," he said, his voice lowering, firm and unwavering. "It’s a lie, isn’t it?"

My expression hardened slightly, confusion mixing with irritation.

"What?"

"You’re pretending," he continued, his tone tightening, his eyes searching mine like he was trying to pull the answer out of me. "You’re not actually engaged to him."

I stared at him, thrown off by the sudden intensity, the way his words came faster now, heavier.

"Vincent, I don’t get why you’re—"

"Tell me the truth!" he snapped suddenly.

The sharpness of his voice cut through the space, loud and unexpected.

I blinked, taken aback.

Why was he yelling?

"I don’t understand why you’re raising your voice," I said, my tone turning defensive now, a slight edge slipping in. "But yes, it’s true. We’re engaged."

Silence.

For a moment, he just stared at me, then his jaw clenched. His hands curled into fists at his sides.

Something in his expression shifted...anger, frustration...something deeper.

"Fine," he muttered.

Before I could say anything else, he turned sharply.

"Vincent—"

"Forget it," he cut me off, his voice tight and then he walked away, fast.

Almost like he was trying to outrun something.

I stood there, completely still, watching his retreating figure until he disappeared around the corner.

The hallway felt empty again. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Slowly, I exhaled.

"What is wrong with everyone?" I murmured under my breath.

I shook my head slightly, trying to push the thoughts away.

But the question lingered.

Why was Vincent acting like that?

Why did it feel like everyone around me was... changing?

I wrapped my arms lightly around myself and continued walking toward my room.

But this time...My steps were slower and heavier, as my mind refused to stay quiet.