Chapter 4: The Alpha Who Never Smiled

The underground Pack Hall fell silent.

Dozens of wolves stared at the hand Kai still held.

Lila's.

No one breathed.

The infamous Kai Hunter...

...was touching someone.

His Beta, Mason, rubbed his eyes.

"I must be hallucinating."

One warrior whispered, "The captain has rejected every girl who's confessed to him."

"Didn't the head cheerleader ask him out last month?"

"He told her, 'I'm busy.'"

"That's it?"

"Those were the longest two words he's ever spoken to a girl."

Lila blinked.

She looked at Kai.

"So..."

He looked back.

"So?"

"You're rude to everyone?"

"...Mostly."

She rolled her eyes.

"I noticed."

A tiny smile tugged at Mason's lips.

His mate isn't scared of him.

Kai released Lila's hand immediately, almost as if he had forgotten he was holding it.

His ears warmed.

His wolf growled.

*Why did you let go?*

*Because she's already annoyed with us.*

*Hold her again.*

*No.*

The heavy doors creaked open.

A young woman with long blonde hair hurried inside.

She wore the Ravens hockey jacket and stopped the moment she saw Kai standing beside Lila.

"Kai!"

Without thinking, she rushed toward him.

"I've been looking everywhere—"

She reached for his arm.

Kai stepped aside before she could touch him.

His expression remained as cold as ever.

"What do you need, Ava?"

A flicker of disappointment crossed her face.

"The coaches are asking for you."

"I'll deal with it later."

Only then did Ava notice Lila.

Her eyes narrowed.

"...Who's she?"

"No one you need to worry about."

The words sounded harsh.

Lila frowned.

No one?

Kai didn't notice the hurt that flashed across her face.

He simply wasn't good with words.

Ava smiled sweetly, though her eyes remained fixed on Lila.

"I've never seen Kai bring a girl down here."

Mason coughed into his fist.

Because there has never been one.

Lila adjusted her glasses.

"I didn't ask to come."

Kai nodded once.

"I know."

She frowned.

"Then why am I here?"

"Because you're safer here."

"You keep saying that without explaining anything."

"I'm explaining enough."

"You really aren't."

Mason pinched the bridge of his nose.

They're arguing already.

Kai turned toward the warriors.

"Double the guards."

"Seal every entrance."

"No one enters without my permission."

Every wolf immediately obeyed.

Lila noticed the change.

Above ground, he was a hockey captain.

Down here...

He was a king.

Minutes later...

Kai led her through another stone corridor.

Neither of them spoke.

The silence became unbearable.

Finally, Lila sighed.

"Do you always look like you're about to arrest someone?"

"...Yes."

"You know, smiling doesn't kill people."

"I've never tested that theory."

She laughed.

A genuine laugh.

Kai looked at her.

"What?"

"I was expecting another one-word answer."

"I gave you six."

"You counted?"

"I count everything."

She shook her head.

"You're unbelievable."

For reasons he couldn't explain...

Hearing her laugh made something tight inside his chest loosen.

His wolf practically purred.

*Mate is laughing.*

Kai ignored it.

They reached a small library hidden beneath the arena.

Dusty books lined every wall.

Lila's eyes widened.

"There are books down here?"

Kai nodded.

"You like books."

She froze.

"How did you know that?"

"You carry three different novels in your backpack."

"You noticed?"

"You smell like old paper and vanilla."

Lila's cheeks turned pink.

"You can... smell books?"

"I'm a wolf."

"...That's unfair."

For the first time in years...

The corners of Kai's mouth lifted.

Not a full smile.

Just enough to soften the hard lines of his face.

Lila stared.

"There it is."

"What?"

"A smile."

"I didn't smile."

"You absolutely did."

"I exhaled."

She burst into laughter again.

From the doorway, Mason nearly dropped the tray of coffee he was carrying.

"The Alpha..."

Another warrior leaned over.

"What?"

"He smiled."

"No."

"I saw it."

"You must've imagined it."

"I swear on the Moon Goddess!"

The entire hallway erupted into whispers.

Lila covered her mouth, still giggling.

Kai sighed.

"This is your fault."

"My fault?"

"You keep making strange faces."

"I'm making strange faces?"

"Yes."

"I smiled!"

"You snorted."

"I do not snort!"

"You definitely snort."

She lightly smacked his arm with a book.

Kai looked at the spot she'd hit.

No one...

No one had ever dared hit him.

His wolf, however, sounded pleased.

*She touched us.*

Suddenly...

The emergency alarm blared through the underground headquarters.

Red lights flashed.

A warrior burst into the library, breathing hard.

"Alpha!"

Kai's relaxed expression vanished instantly.

"What happened?"

"The western barrier has fallen."

Mason's face paled.

"Already?"

The warrior nodded.

"They're inside the university."

Kai stepped in front of Lila without thinking.

Shielding her.

Always shielding her.

Another warrior stumbled in, blood covering his uniform.

"They're not alone."

Kai's voice became deadly calm.

"Who crossed our border?"

The warrior swallowed.

"The Crimson Fang Alpha..."

"...and he brought someone who claims to know the Moon-Blood Princess."

Lila's heartbeat quickened.

"Know me?"

The warrior nodded.

"He said..."

His voice shook.

"...'Tell Princess Lila that her fiancé has come to take her home.'"

The room went deathly silent.

Kai's eyes flashed gold.

His wolf exploded with fury.

*Fiancé?*

*OURS.*

*NO ONE TAKES OUR MATE.*

And Lila... Lila had no idea what that meant.