Chapter 4

-Her brother is there,- Timber warns. -This complicates things.-

'I need to speak with her alone,' Magnus thinks, slowing his pace. 'If Ethan finds out what happened...'

The thought remains unfinished, but both Magnus and his wolf understand the implications. Ethan's loyalty to his sister runs bone-deep. If he learns how Magnus hurt Dorothy, their friendship might not survive, and the harmony between future Alpha and potential future Beta could shatter before it's fully formed.

Inside the office, Dorothy fidgets under her brother's scrutiny. "I need to start planning my submission," she says, eager to escape. "The theme is 'Vulnerability'."

"Fitting," Ethan mutters, not missing how his sister flinches slightly at the word.

"I'll help you brainstorm," Lila offers quickly, linking her arm through Dorothy's. "We can head to your studio."

Dorothy nods gratefully, allowing her friend to guide her toward the door. "Thanks, Dad," she says over her shoulder, the competition letter a bittersweet victory on this painful day.

As they step into the hallway, Magnus freezes at the far end, his amber eyes locking with Dorothy's. For a moment, time seems suspended between them, her pain and his regret hanging in the charged air. Behind her, Ethan emerges from the office, his protective instincts immediately flaring at the sight of Magnus and his sister's sudden tension.

"Magnus?" Ethan calls, confusion evident in his voice. "Thought you were training with the Alpha this afternoon."

Magnus tears his gaze from Dorothy, who has gone pale beside Lila. "I... needed some air," he manages, his voice strained.

Dorothy seizes the moment of distraction to pull Lila toward the side exit. "Let's go, good to see you, Alpha Heir. If you’ll excuse us, I have something that needs to be taken care of, brother. I’ll be back in time for the pack dinner at seven.”

The words leave Dorothy's lips in a rush as she tugs Lila away, unable to bear the weight of Magnus's gaze or risk her brother discovering the truth. Her heart pounds against her ribs, the competition letter suddenly insignificant compared to the emotional storm brewing in the hallway.

Magnus watches her retreat, the carefully rehearsed apology dying on his tongue. His shoulders slump slightly as she disappears around the corner, the opportunity for reconciliation slipping through his fingers.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ethan asks, stepping closer to his friend. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Fine," Magnus lies, forcing his features into a neutral expression. "Just thinking about the ceremony."

“Yeah, worried you’ll find your mate then too?”

Back in the studio, Lila finds a wet, badly torn piece of paper. Dorothy had been telling her the truth, just not the whole truth, but when Lila saw it, she gasped, “Shit, sorry, I thought it was about something else, and you were right, this piece would have been amasing.”

“Yeah, it would have been. Got a good scratch on my leg from the fall as well, it happens, ok, so just let it go, please, that competition has at least seven months before I have to submit, so I have time to work on another. And yes, I’ve already cleaned it before covering it.”

Lila's gaze moves from the torn piece to her friend's face, noticing the way Dorothy's fingers tremble slightly as she shuffles through her sketchbooks. There's more to this story, Lila is certain of it, but she recognises the stubborn set of Dorothy's jaw, the silent plea in her eyes to let the matter drop.

"Your new competition piece will be even better," Lila says finally, deciding to respect Dorothy's boundaries for now. "Vulnerability is practically perfect for you, considering how you pour your soul into your art."

In the hallway, Magnus shifts uncomfortably under Ethan's scrutiny. The question about finding a mate during his coming-of-age ceremony hits closer to home than Ethan could possibly know, especially with the torn Valentine burning against Magnus's chest.

"I hadn't thought much about it," Magnus lies, avoiding his friend's eyes. The truth is, he's thought of little else since seeing Dorothy's card. The possibility that she might be his mate has been circling in his mind like a persistent wolf, refusing to be silenced.

Ethan claps him on the shoulder, oblivious to the turmoil beneath Magnus's carefully composed expression. "Well, you should. Three weeks will fly by, and then you'll be stuck with whoever the Moon Goddess chooses for you." He grins, the teasing light in his eyes a stark contrast to the serious weight settling in Magnus's stomach.

"Yeah," Magnus manages. "Stuck."

Across the packhouse, Dorothy's father remains in his office, staring thoughtfully at the door through which his children departed. Ethan Sr. Dares is not blind to the currents moving through his pack. He's noticed the way Magnus looks at his daughter when he thinks no one is watching, the careful distance Dorothy maintains despite her obvious interest. As Beta, he understands the delicate political balance of pack dynamics, and as a father, he worries about the storm brewing on the horizon.

"The Moon Goddess rarely makes things simple," he murmurs to himself, turning back to his work with a heavy sigh.

In Dorothy's studio, sunlight streams through the high windows, illuminating dust motes that dance in the air as she pulls out a fresh sheet of paper. Despite her emotional turmoil, her artist's mind cannot help but begin processing the competition theme. Vulnerability. The word itself feels raw against her consciousness.

"What if," she says slowly, her pencil hovering above the blank page, "I create something about rejection?"

Lila looks up sharply. "Dot..."

"Not obvious rejection," Dorothy clarifies, her pencil beginning to move in loose, exploratory strokes. "Something metaphorical. Something about offering your heart and having it..." She stops, swallowing hard against the memory of Magnus's hands tearing through her card.

"Having it torn apart?" Lila finishes quietly.