Chapter 27

The day started normally.

Too normally.

And Eli had learned by now that normal never lasted long anymore.

He walked beside Charlotte through the quiet street near her place.

Her hand brushed his lightly every few seconds, like she needed reassurance that he was still there.

But today—

She felt different.

Quieter.

More thoughtful.

Eli noticed.

“…You’re not talking much,” he said.

Charlotte smiled faintly.

“I’m thinking.”

Eli sighed lightly.

“…About what?”

She hesitated.

Then answered honestly.

“…About you.”

That made him pause.

“…That sounds dangerous.”

Charlotte gave a small laugh.

But it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I mean it seriously.”

Eli looked at her properly now.

“…Okay. What about me?”

Charlotte slowed her steps.

Then stopped.

Eli stopped too.

The air between them felt heavier than usual.

“…Do you trust him?” she asked softly.

Eli already knew who she meant.

Kieran.

He exhaled slowly.

“…That question again.”

Charlotte didn’t back down.

“I need to know.”

Eli frowned slightly.

“…Why?”

Charlotte hesitated.

Then said quietly:

“…Because I think he trusts you more than you realize.”

That made Eli blink.

“…That doesn’t make sense.”

Charlotte shook her head.

“It does if you watch him carefully.”

Eli rubbed his neck slightly.

“…Charlotte, you’re overthinking it.”

But even as he said it—

He wasn’t fully convinced anymore.

Because deep down, something about Kieran had always felt… centered on him.

Too centered.

Charlotte stepped closer.

“…Eli… I don’t think this is normal anymore.”

Eli frowned.

“…What is ‘this’?”

Charlotte hesitated again.

Then lowered her voice.

“…The way he looks at you.”

Silence.

Eli looked away.

“…He’s just weird.”

Charlotte shook her head.

“No. It’s not weird.”

A pause.

Then softer:

“…It’s focused.”

That word lingered.

Focused.

Eli didn’t answer immediately.

Because part of him knew she wasn’t wrong.

ELSEWHERE — KIERAN

Kieran stood inside the pack estate.

Reports were laid out before him.

But he wasn’t reading them.

Not really.

His attention was elsewhere.

Always elsewhere.

One of his commanders spoke carefully.

“…Alpha, the outer perimeter has been reinforced.”

Kieran nodded slightly.

“Yes.”

Another stepped forward.

“…The target is still under observation.”

Kieran’s gaze sharpened slightly.

“…No unnecessary interference.”

Silence followed.

Everyone understood.

But no one asked why.

They never did.

Because when it came to Eli—

Kieran didn’t explain.

He simply acted.

BACK WITH ELI

Charlotte suddenly grabbed Eli’s sleeve lightly.

“…Come with me.”

Eli blinked.

“…Where?”

“Somewhere quiet.”

He hesitated.

But followed.

They ended up near a small rooftop café.

Less crowded.

More open.

Charlotte sat first.

Eli followed.

Silence stretched between them for a moment.

Then Charlotte spoke.

“…I saw something yesterday.”

Eli frowned.

“…What?”

Charlotte looked at him carefully.

“…The way he stopped that trainee from touching you.”

Eli sighed.

“…That’s just him being overprotective.”

Charlotte shook her head slowly.

“…It wasn’t just protection.”

Eli paused.

“…Then what was it?”

Charlotte hesitated.

Then said quietly:

“…Possession.”

Eli immediately stiffened.

“…No.”

Charlotte didn’t argue.

But she didn’t agree either.

Instead she leaned forward slightly.

“…Eli… I think he thinks you belong to him.”

Eli frowned deeply.

“…That’s ridiculous.”

Charlotte’s voice softened.

“…Is it?”

Silence.

Eli didn’t answer immediately.

Because somewhere deep inside—

He didn’t fully reject the idea anymore.

And that scared him.

KIERAN AGAIN

Kieran stood near the edge of the training grounds.

But his focus wasn’t on training.

It was elsewhere.

Far away.

Where Eli was.

And someone else.

Charlotte.

His expression didn’t change.

But the air around him shifted slightly.

One of the elders approached carefully.

“…Alpha?”

Kieran spoke without turning.

“…Report.”

The elder hesitated.

“…The female human remains close to him.”

Silence.

Then Kieran said quietly:

“…I know.”

The elder swallowed.

“…Should we separate them?”

A pause.

Longer than usual.

Then—

Kieran answered.

“…No.”

That surprised even the elder.

Kieran finally turned slightly.

His voice remained calm.

But deeper now.

“…Let him choose.”

A pause.

Then softer—

“…Even if he chooses wrong for now.”

NIGHT — ELI & CHARLOTTE

Later that night.

Eli walked Charlotte home.

But neither of them spoke much.

Until Charlotte suddenly stopped.

Eli stopped too.

“…Eli,” she said softly.

He looked at her.

“…Yeah?”

Charlotte hesitated.

Then stepped closer.

And kissed him.

Soft.

Familiar.

Safe.

When she pulled back, she smiled faintly.

“…Just needed to be sure.”

Eli blinked.

“…Sure of what?”

Charlotte looked at him for a long moment.

Then said quietly:

“…That you’re still here with me.”

Eli didn’t answer immediately.

But nodded slightly.

“…I am.”

Charlotte smiled again.

But this time—

It wasn’t fully relaxed.

SOMEWHERE NEARBY

Kieran stood in the distance.

Watching.

Silent.

Still.

But something in his expression shifted.

Not anger.

Not jealousy.

Something deeper.

Controlled.

But strained.

His hand tightened slightly.

“…So that is how it is,” he murmured.

A pause.

Then softer:

“…For now.”