Chapter 8

Aila Coraline

I expected Alpha Samuel to throw me out of the pack, but a week has passed, and it never happened. Somehow, I am thankful. I know how hard it would be if I went rogue. My mother would be devastated.

"Aren't you supposed to head back to the packhouse? You're supposed to join Zayn at the homestead, right?" Anastasia asked.

She has a small farm, and I often help her with the chores. Her mate is the highest-ranking general in charge of the male warriors, and she's been eager to lead the training for the female werewolves, but Alpha Samuel disapproves. If Anastasia were the one to train the she-wolves instead of Zayn, I’d gladly and wholeheartedly participate.

"I'm not planning on going back there," I replied.

As the beta's daughter, I know the duties they expect me to uphold. They assume I’ll follow in my father's footsteps, but the truth is, I don’t want that life.

Before Anastasia could respond, a familiar voice interrupted us.

"Well, this is where you've been hiding."

I shot Zayn a sharp look as he approached. Hands tucked into his pockets, his tone casual, but I wasn’t in the mood for it.

"I'm not hiding," I replied, irritation creeping into my voice. "In case you didn’t know, I’m right here helping Anastasia. I haven’t been hiding from anyone."

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. "Fair enough. But your break is over. You’ve had your week off, and now it’s time to come back. Alpha Samuel expects you at the packhouse by sundown."

His words felt like a slap. I glanced at Anastasia, who gave me a knowing, sympathetic look.

Zayn stepped closer. "I understand it's not easy, but running away from your role won’t make it any less yours."

I bit my lip, the weight of everything pulling at me. As much as I wanted to escape, I couldn’t ignore the reality of what was waiting for me back at the packhouse.

"You have until sundown," Zayn repeated before turning and walking away. His presence was always commanding, but this time, his voice carried concern.

As he disappeared down the path, I felt a knot tightening in my chest. What should I do?

In the end, I obeyed. I didn’t have a strong enough reason not to. Besides, I couldn’t afford to defy Alpha Samuel. If I did, he really would throw me out of the pack.

My relationship with my father, already strained, became even more awkward after what happened weeks ago. We rarely spoke before, and now, even less. He feels like a stranger to me. Sometimes, I notice him trying to reach out, but I always avoid him. I know it’s wrong, but I’d rather not talk to him... for now.

"I thought you weren't going to show up," Zayn said as soon as he saw me.

I rolled my eyes and dropped into one of the chairs. The training had ended by the time I arrived, and the omegas were already cleaning the grounds.

"I didn’t have a choice. It’s the Alpha’s order. Who am I to defy that?" I muttered.

"Well, you're Aila Coraline, who can defy anyone," Zayn said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

My brow instantly furrowed, and I glared at him. "What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t defy anyone. I just know how to stand up for myself."

"Right, because standing up for yourself always looks like running away from your duties," he shot back, folding his arms with a smug look.

I rolled my eyes again. "Oh, please. Like you’ve never questioned anything in your life. Not everything has to be about blind obedience."

"Funny. Coming from the person who just said she couldn't afford to disobey the Alpha." His smirk widened as if he thought he’d won some kind of verbal sparring match.

I clenched my fists, the annoyance bubbling up. "I'm not afraid of him, Zayn. I just—"

"Just don’t want to deal with the consequences, right?" he cut me off, raising an eyebrow. "It’s not fear, it’s... what? Convenience?"

I stood up from my chair, the irritation flashing through me. "It’s called knowing when to pick your battles, unlike some people who just follow orders without thinking."

Zayn chuckled, clearly enjoying how riled up I was getting. "Oh, so now you're the wise strategist, huh? Could’ve fooled me."

"Ugh! You are impossible!" I threw my hands up, genuinely frustrated now. "I didn’t come back here to have some pointless argument with you, Zayn."

"Could’ve fooled me," he repeated with a grin, and that was the last straw.

I let out a sharp breath, glaring at him before storming off. "I can’t even with you right now!"

As I walked away, I could hear his low chuckle behind me, only adding to my irritation.

How dare he act like everything’s fine between us, like we’re suddenly close. Did he forget what happened weeks ago? I told him to back off, but now he’s gotten even more playful. And for what? Just to annoy me? What happened to the cold, indifferent Zayn?

The night passed by in a blur. I barely got any sleep, my mind racing with thoughts about the training. It wasn’t the drills or the physical strain that bothered me. It was the fact that I’d have to see her again—Cynthia.

Morning came too quickly. I braced myself for whatever was coming today and got ready. The weight of the upcoming confrontation sat heavily on my shoulders as I made my way to the training grounds.

When I arrived, a few she-wolves were already there, stretching and warming up. Their quiet chatter filled the air as they prepared for the session. Off to the side, Zayn, Seven, and Seleira stood watching, talking amongst themselves. Zayn caught my eye for a brief second, but I quickly looked away, determined not to let him get under my skin again today.

Seven, the ever-observant second-in-command, nodded in my direction as I approached. Seleira stood beside him, her arms crossed, eyes scanning the group with her usual sharp focus.

I took a deep breath and started stretching, doing my best to avoid eye contact with Zayn. The last thing I needed was another pointless exchange with him.

"Oh, the princess is back."

I caught whispers from my side. They were trying to keep it low, but did they forget we had supersonic hearing? Or were they just stupid?

"I hope I am also like her. Full of privilege that she forgot what role she needs to fulfill."

It wasn’t Cynthia this time; it was a couple of newly sprouted she-wolves, acting like they were something special. For all I knew, they were omegas. I didn’t have a problem with omegas generally, but the way these two were behaving made me question their worth. They acted as if they were above their rank, and I couldn't help but feel disdain.

"If I were you, I’d think twice about hoping to be like her. Spoiled and ill-mannered."

I turned to see Seleira watching the exchange with a smirk, clearly enjoying the moment. The two she-wolves froze, their eyes wide with shock as they realized they’d been overheard. They quickly exchanged glances, suddenly looking much smaller in the face of our presence.

"Yeah, maybe you should focus on your training instead of dreaming about being a princess," I added, stepping forward.

They looked ready to retort, but the sight of Zayn approaching silenced them. His expression was unreadable as he caught the tail end of our conversation.

"What's going on here?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice as he glanced from me to the she-wolves.

I crossed my arms, standing my ground. “Just reminding them of their place,” I replied coolly.

Zayn's brow arched slightly. There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but he didn’t say a word and dismissed it.

"Five minutes until training starts now," he announced, earning the attention of everyone around.

I stood there, unsure of what I had missed. It had been a week since I last trained with the pack, and I had no idea what drills or techniques they’d covered in my absence. The butterflies in my stomach swirled with both anticipation and anxiety.

As I scanned the group, I was surprised to see Zayn stepping away from the others, his gaze locked onto me. I expected him to call out to the entire group, but instead, he motioned for me to come over.

“Coraline, come here,” he said.

I frowned, momentarily confused. I thought I would be practicing with the rest of the group. “What?”