Chapter Nine

As Anna turned to see who had called out to her, she was surprised to see Ethan, the patrol officer of the pack, watching her with a curious expression.

"I...I was taking a walk to clear my head," Anna replied, trying to keep her voice steady despite the nervous flutter in her stomach.

Ethan's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he spoke again. "Is everything alright, Anna? You seem troubled. If there's anything you need to talk about, I'm here to listen."

Anna hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal to Ethan. She knew he was loyal to Xavier and the pack, and she didn't want to risk him reporting her actions to the alpha. But there was something in Ethan's eyes gave her a flicker of hope, a sense of understanding that she hadn't felt from anyone else in the pack.

"I...I appreciate your concern, Ethan. It's just...things are complicated right now," Anna admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan stepped closer to her, his expression one of genuine care. "I may be a patrol o