DINNER REQUEST

Adrian's POV

I was waiting outside Ava's bedroom door at dawn.

When she finally emerged, still in her pajamas with her hair messy from sleep, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, looking around nervously.

"Waiting for you." I held up a tray with her favorite breakfast, blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, and the fancy vanilla latte she loved. "I wanted to make you breakfast."

She stared at the tray, then at me. "Adrian,"

"I know you said you needed space. But I also said I was going to prove that you're my choice. This is me proving it." I offered her the tray. "Please. Just breakfast. That's all I'm asking."

She hesitated, then took the tray with a sigh. "Fine. Breakfast. But then you leave me alone for the rest of the day."

"Deal."

We sat in the small sitting area outside her bedroom. Well, our bedroom. I watched as she took a bite of the pancakes, relief flooding through me when she hummed in appreciation.

"These are good," she admitted reluctantly.

"I remembered you like extra blueberries and just a hint of cinnamon." I'd spent two hours this morning making sure everything was perfect.

She took another bite, not looking at me. The silence stretched between us, heavy with everything unsaid.

"I talked to Sophia last night," I finally said. "Told her to move to the guest house."

Ava's fork paused halfway to her mouth. "Why?"

"Because she's not you. Because having her in our space was disrespectful to what we built together." I leaned forward. "I was so caught up in the mate bond that I forgot what really matters. You matter, Ava. What we have, what we had matters more than any bond the moon goddess could create."

"Had," she repeated softly. "Past tense."

"It doesn't have to be." I reached for her hand but she pulled away. "I know I messed up. I know I hurt you. But we can fix this. We've overcome so much together. Remember when the pack challenged our relationship because you weren't high-ranking? Or when my father tried to arrange a marriage with Alpha Reeves' daughter? We fought through all of it."

"Those were external challenges. This is different." She set down her fork. "You didn't fight for us this time, Adrian. The moment Sophia showed up, you forgot about me."

The accusation cut deep because it was true. "I got lost in the bond. It was overwhelming, this pull toward her that I couldn't control. But once the initial intensity faded, all I could think about was you. How I'd treated you. How I'd let you down."

"It's been a week and you're just now realizing this?" She laughed bitterly. "What changed? Let me guess, you saw me with Prince Dante and suddenly I became valuable again."

"That's not true." I stopped because she was partially right. Seeing another man touch her, claim her as his mate, had unleashed something in me. "Okay, maybe seeing you with him made me realize what I was about to lose. But my feelings haven't changed. I've loved you since the moment I met you."

"Love isn't enough anymore." She stood, taking the tray with her. "Thank you for breakfast, but I have things to do today."

"Ava, wait,"

"You said just breakfast. I'm holding you to that." She went back into the bedroom and closed the door firmly.

I sat there for a long moment, frustration and desperation warring inside me. This was going to be harder than I thought.

My phone rang. A text from my Beta, Jacob: We have a problem. Sophia is refusing to move to the guest house. She's demanding to speak with you.

I groaned. Of course, she was.

I found Sophia in the main sitting room, surrounded by her still-packed luggage. She looked up when I entered, her eyes red-rimmed.

"You can't do this," she said. "We're fated mates. The moon goddess chose us!"

"I know. But I chose Ava first, and that has to mean something."

"It means you're being foolish! The mate bond will only get stronger. Eventually, you won't be able to resist it. You'll reject her anyway, so why prolong the inevitable?"

I sat down across from her. "Sophia, can I ask you something honestly?"

She nodded warily.

"Do you actually want to be with me? Or do you just want to be a Luna?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her silence was telling.

"I thought so." I sighed. "You're a good person, Sophia. You'll make some Alpha very happy someday. But we're not right for each other, mate bond or not."

"You're making a mistake."

"Maybe. But it's my mistake to make." I stood. "Marcus will help you get settled in the guest house. You're welcome to stay there until you decide what you want to do. I won't force you to leave the pack."

"How generous," she said sarcastically.

"I'm trying to do the right thing here."

"The right thing would be accepting the bond the moon goddess blessed us with!" She was crying now, genuine tears this time. "I waited for you for so long. Dreamed about meeting my mate. And now you're rejecting me for someone who isn't even yours by fate?"

Guilt twisted in my chest. I was hurting her, just like I'd hurt Ava. But continuing to lead her on would only make things worse.

"I'm sorry. Truly." I headed for the door, then paused. "For what it's worth, I think you'll find your real happiness with someone who can give you their whole heart. I can't do that. Mine belongs to someone else."

I left before she could respond and went to my office. I had pack business to attend to, but I couldn't focus. All I could think about was Ava and how I was running out of time.

My phone rang. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Alpha Sawyer." The voice was smooth, cultured, and unmistakably Prince Dante's. "We need to talk about Ava."

My wolf bristled at hearing him say her name. "What about her?"

"I'm giving you fair warning. I'll be arriving at your pack tomorrow to formally court my mate. I expect you to behave appropriately."

"You're coming here?"

"Ava deserves to be courted properly. She deserves to know the man fate chose for her. Unless you have a problem with that?"

Every instinct screamed at me to tell him to stay away. But I couldn't. He had every right to pursue his fated mate.

"Fine," I ground out. "But don't expect me to make it easy for you."

"I wouldn't dream of it. May the best man win, Alpha Sawyer." He hung up.

I stared at the phone, my mind racing. Prince Dante was coming here. Tomorrow. To court Ava right under my nose.

I had to act fast.

I spent the rest of the day making arrangements. Flowers delivered to Ava's room every hour. Her favorite books ordered from the rare bookstore she loved. Reservations at the restaurant where we had our first date.

By evening, I was exhausted but determined. I knocked on her door again.

"What now?" She opened it, surrounded by vases of flowers.

"Dinner. Tonight. Just you and me." I held up my hands before she could protest. "I know you said to leave you alone. But Prince Dante is coming tomorrow, and I need you to know how I feel before he gets here. One dinner. If after that you still want me to back off, I will."

She looked at me for a long moment. "One dinner."

"I'll pick you up at seven."

I left before she could change her mind, hope blooming in my chest for the first time in days.

Maybe I hadn't lost her completely yet.

But as I walked down the hallway, I passed a window that overlooked the front drive. A sleek black car was pulling up, and even from this distance, I could feel the powerful aura emanating from it.

Prince Dante had arrived early.

And from the way Ava's scent suddenly spiked with awareness, she knew he was here too.