Adrein.

I watched her retreating figure for a moment longer, her steps echoing faintly down the hallway until even that sound disappeared, leaving behind an unsettling silence.

There was something about her, something sharp, calculated, that didn’t sit right with me. It wasn’t just the way she spoke, or the confidence laced in her tone, but the look in her eyes. That look alone was enough to tell me she wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

"And who are you?" I had asked earlier, my voice steady, though my mind was already on alert as she stepped closer, uninvited, unbothered.

"Someone who has the same interest as you," she had replied, her lips curving into a faint, knowing smile. It was the kind of smile that didn’t reach the eyes, cold, unreadable, dangerous. "Are you in?" she added, as though whatever she was proposing was obvious... inevitable.

But it wasn’t.

"No, I am not," I had answered immediately, rolling my eyes in clear dismissal.

The response came naturally, without hesitation, because something about her presence alone made rejection the only sensible option.

Even now, standing there with my brothers, I could still feel that faint unease lingering in the air, like a shadow that refused to leave.

For some reason, I didn’t like her aura. It was suffocating in a way I couldn’t quite explain, as though she carried chaos with her wherever she went. Her behavior, her confidence, it all screamed trouble. And I wasn’t about to get entangled in whatever twisted plan she had brewing.

"How about the rest of you?" she had asked, her gaze shifting from me to Aidan, then to Davian, and finally Damien, as though she expected at least one of us to cave.

"Back off, woman," I had snapped, irritation slipping into my tone as I stepped slightly forward, placing myself between her and my brothers. "We share the same opinion," I added firmly, making it clear that there was no division among us.

"Yes, we aren’t interested," my brothers echoed in unison, their voices aligned with mine, unwavering.

And in that moment, I felt something unexpected...pride.

Despite everything... despite the chaos between us, the mistakes, the regrets, the tension...we were still standing together on this. United. Firm. Unshaken.

We might be desperate. Desperate to bring Maria back, desperate to fix what we had broken, but not like this. Not through some unknown woman with hidden motives and a dangerous smile.

"Whatever," she had muttered, her tone laced with indifference, though there was something deeper beneath it, something that hinted she wasn’t done yet.

She turned and walked away without another word, her footsteps fading slowly down the hallway, leaving behind a strange, heavy silence.

I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair as I tried to shake off the lingering tension she left behind.

"I have a bad feeling about that lady," Damien said suddenly, his voice low, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

"Same here," Aidan responded almost immediately, his brows furrowed as he stared in the direction she had gone. "She better not dare to do anything to Maria," he added, his tone darkening with a quiet warning.

None of us spoke after that but the thought lingered because deep down... we all knew the same thing.

That woman wasn’t done.

And whatever she was planning, whether we wanted to be part of it or not, there was a high chance it would find its way back to us.

To Maria.

And that alone was enough to set something restless burning in my chest.

We all turned away from that tense exchange and headed toward the rooms that had been assigned to us. Our footsteps were steady, but the silence between us felt heavy, filled with everything left unsaid.

Ever since we arrived at the pack, I hadn’t caught even a glimpse of Noah. It was strange... almost unsettling. Yet the people here welcomed us warmly, treating us like heroes...like saviours. Their respect was obvious in the way they greeted us, in the way they stepped aside to let us pass, their heads slightly bowed.

But none of that mattered to me, not when my mind was elsewhere....not when it was filled with Maria.

The moment I stepped into my room, I shut the door behind me and began pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. My thoughts refused to settle, circling endlessly around her, her face, her voice, the way she looked when she said she was getting married.

To Noah.

My jaw tightened as I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. The thought alone was enough to stir something dark within me. For a fleeting, selfish moment, I imagined it, walking up to him and ending it all. Killing Noah with my bare hands, ripping away the obstacle standing between me and what was mine.

But just as quickly as that thought came, another followed.

Responsibility.

He wasn’t just a man. He was an Alpha. A leader. He had a pack that depended on him, people who trusted him, who saw him as their strength. Ending his life wouldn’t just affect him, it would destroy everything tied to him.

"Damn it!" I snapped, the frustration spilling over as I slammed my fist against the wall. The dull thud echoed through the room, the sting in my knuckles doing little to ease the turmoil inside me.

I stood there for a moment, breathing heavily, trying to regain control. Slowly, the tension in my chest eased, though the weight remained.

I needed air.

Without thinking further, I stepped out of the room, letting my feet carry me aimlessly. Maybe a walk would help. Maybe it would quiet the chaos in my head... even if only for a moment.

And maybe...just maybe...I would see her.

Even if it was from a distance.

That alone would be enough.

I had barely taken a few steps down the path when my gaze caught on a familiar figure in the distance. My brows furrowed slightly as I focused.

Daniel.

What the hell was he doing here?

A surge of irritation rose instantly within me. After everything that had happened at the forbidden area... after all the chaos he had caused... he still had the audacity to show up here?

Unbelievable.

I took a step forward, my expression darkening as I moved with intent. I needed answers, and if he thought he could just walk around freely after everything, then he was mistaken.

But before I could get any closer, a light tap landed on my shoulder.

I froze for a split second before turning sharply.

It was her.

The same lady from earlier.

My frown deepened instantly, annoyance flickering across my face. I turned my head back quickly, trying to locate Daniel again, but he was gone.

Just like that.

My irritation doubled as I faced her fully, my patience already wearing thin.

"What do you want?" I asked, my tone clipped, barely hiding the frustration.

"Relax and follow me," she replied calmly, as though my reaction didn’t concern her in the slightest.

And without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking away, her steps confident, unhurried.

I stood there for a second, staring at her retreating figure, my jaw tightening.

This woman again.

And somehow... I had the unsettling feeling that whatever she wanted, it wasn’t something I could simply ignore.