4

Ashen’s POV

The presence of this woman honestly made me uncomfortable. Not because of jealousy, but my gut was screaming that I was about to be dragged into a drama I knew nothing about.

“You… are you a new member?” the woman asked me.

“You don’t need to talk to him. I’ll meet you in the back garden shortly,” Grayson interrupted, pulling my arm.

We left the woman behind, who was now grinning widely and yelling, “Yes, My Alpha!”

I heard a long howl from behind us—the woman had shifted into her wolf form and left.

“Don’t mind her. You’ll still be my Eclipse.”

Grayson looked at me intently, as if trying to convince me of his words.

“I don’t understand what’s going on between you two, Alpha Grayson, but that woman clearly needs your help…”

“Yes, and I’ll gladly help her resolve whatever she’s going through,” Grayson said, winking slyly.

“Alpha Grayson!”

Three guards bowed as they welcomed us at the mansion’s front door.

“And Eclipsar Ashen!” Grayson declared firmly.

The three guards immediately bowed in my direction, repeating the title Grayson had just used.

This was my first time being treated with such respect. It felt strange—like I didn’t deserve it. These people were clearly far more capable and powerful than I was.

“Let’s go inside, My Eclipse!”

Grayson took my hand, and we walked into the refreshingly cool mansion.

I was stunned by the paintings and the elegant, classic beauty of the interior.

Even though Alpha Lior was a noble, he had no appreciation for art—his mansion had always felt empty and lifeless.

“Impressed?” Grayson asked.

“Yes, Alpha Grayson. Your mansion is magnificent and beautiful.”

“You can ask your personal assistant later how I made every member of this pack work tirelessly just to present the perfect place for my Eclipse…”

Grayson touched my cheek again, his gaze intense.

“Oh, I can’t wait to enjoy your fragile and beautiful body. I’ll take you to a place where you’ll experience unimaginable pleasure…”

I quickly looked away—his words were far too disturbing.

“Alpha Grayson, I think it’s best if you just show me my room. Then, you can go talk to the woman who wanted to speak with you earlier.”

“Yeah, sure. I need to speak with Elle—her name is Elle,” he said. “Delta Lucien!”

Grayson’s voice echoed, sending a chill down my spine as if something terrifying was hiding within the sound.

Just as I looked up, a man with soft brown eyes and ash-brown hair appeared.

He smiled and bowed his head slightly to us.

“Delta Lucien, I want you to meet someone I’ve waited for a long time to meet—Eclipsar Ashen. I want you to escort him to his room, as I have some matters to attend to. You understand your duties, right?” Grayson asked.

“Of course, Alpha Grayson. I will do my best to serve Eclipsar Ashen.”

Without warning, Grayson kissed my cheek and winked again before walking away.

“This way, Eclipsar Ashen. Your room is on the third floor,” Delta Lucien said.

I followed him up the staircase, still captivated by the grandeur of the mansion.

No wonder this western pack was so highly respected. The aura was undeniable—Grayson clearly enforced a powerful distinction between himself and his pack.

Very different from Alpha Lior, who often lost his alpha presence due to the influence of his sycophantic followers.

I didn’t know Alpha Grayson’s full history, but there were rumors that the fearsome Alpha of the West hadn’t been born a true alpha—some say he used to be a rogue.

If that’s true, then he’s truly lucky. Born a rogue but able to change his fate.

Not like me. My path was still a mystery. Maybe the Moon Goddess simply forgot to write my destiny.

“Please enter, Eclipsar Ashen. This is your private room.”

The tall doors opened, and a fresh scent of herbal plants filled the tidy and enchanting room.

A large bed, a wide wardrobe, and rows of neatly arranged books on shelves left me in awe.

“Alpha Grayson asked me to gather a collection of fascinating books from various realms, filled with both knowledge and fiction, just for you, Eclipsar Ashen,” said Delta Lucien with a smile.

I asked, confused, “Since when did he plan all of this?”

“Since—”

Delta Lucien’s sentence was cut off by a long, sorrowful wolf howl.

I instinctively ran to the window that faced the backyard.

What I saw made my heart drop—there she was, the same woman from earlier, lying on the ground soaked in blood. It was Elle.

Immediately, I turned and ran out of the room, intending to confront Alpha Grayson. But Delta Lucien blocked me.

“Where are you going, Eclipsar Ashen?”

“Surely you saw what just happened! That woman approached us earlier, and Alpha Grayson killed her! That’s wrong—I don’t want my presence here to harm people who seek accountability from him!”

I tried to move past him, but Delta Lucien gently held my shoulder and shook his head.

“Your intentions are noble, Eclipsar Ashen. But it’s best to let it stop there. What Alpha Grayson did was the best choice—there is no need for you to concern yourself with her fate.”

“What?! She did nothing wrong! She only came to say she was carrying Alpha Grayson’s child! She didn’t deserve to die!”

Delta Lucien gave a faint smile. “Then what would you do if you confronted Alpha Grayson?”

“I… Of course, I would… um, I would tell him he was wrong to act that way!”

Honestly, I didn’t even know what I could do—I had no power. But I was furious at Grayson’s cruelty.

“You should know something, Eclipsar Ashen. I am a loyal Delta. I have followed Alpha Grayson long before this pack even existed. Normally, I would report any disobedience from his mates. But this time… I’ll let it go. I know Alpha Grayson has chosen you.”

I swallowed hard, staring at Delta Lucien, my tongue tied.

“Let’s return to your room. I’ll prepare everything you need for dinner. One word of advice: never interfere in Alpha Grayson’s affairs. Don’t let him lose the desire to keep you, Eclipsar Ashen,” said Delta Lucien as he turned his back on me.