One Step Closer, Two Steps Back

Once they reached the palace, Kai looked deeply into her eyes.

"I enjoyed our lunch and hope we’ll start spending more time together," he said.

She nodded in response. Butterflies danced in her stomach, but she was also mad at herself. She was usually brave and smart, but when it came to romance—something she wasn’t used to—she acted like a teenager, blushing and barely saying a word.

They parted ways—Kai rushed to interrogate a captured rogue, while Darina headed to the clinic to assist with the injured.

Camilla met Darina in the clinic. "Four wolves brought in—nothing serious. Mostly surface wounds and one with a fractured rib.”

Darina slightly nodded “Let me see them.”

Moments later — Darina moved from patient to patient, layed her hands gently. Wounds began to close with a soft glow. The room growed quiet.

Camilla watched closely, astonished. “I’ll never get used to that. You don’t stitch, you don’t clean—you just touch, and it’s done. You’ve just saved me hours of work.”

Darina grinning shyly. “I am always happy to help.”

“You know, we should hang out sometime outside the clinic. Maybe a girls’ night? No patients, no pressure. Just wine and laughter.”

“I’d like that.”

“Perfect. I’ll text you a date. I have to run back to work now. See you soon. "

As Darina stepped out of the clinic, she bumped into grining Reed.

"Hello, Luna. You keep impressing me more and more. First, by kicking ass of our prince on training grounds, after by winning hearts of pack members and now doing your healing magic"

Darina smiled timidly and asked, "Carol is nagging me for a run, but I’m still unfamiliar with the borders. Care to join me?"

"My pleasure, Luna."

Darina undressed behind a tree, folding her clothes neatly in a pile, then shifted. Reed was already waiting in his large, dark brown wolf form. When Coral emerged from the treeline, he bolted—and she followed. They raced through the forest, playfully nipping and pushing one another.

Carol enjoyed her freedom, high-spirited after her first date with her chosen mate.

After the run, Darina shifted back behind the same tree and dressed. Just as she was fastening her jumsuit, she heard two familiar voices drifting from the nearby garden.

"So, Kai must really like his arranged bride if he invited her on a date," said Larissa.

"Don’t believe everything you see," Jackie replied smugly. "He’s head over heels in love with me. His father’s just pushing him to spend time with his plain Jane bride, but it means nothing. In the end, he’ll always come back to me. Mark my words, I will be the Luna Queen."

The words stung. Darina's heartbeat increased. Was he really just pretending? Just being polite because he had to?

She dressed and walked out to Reed.

"Do you know where Kai is? I want to talk to him. "

"We finished the interrogation. He went to his room to shower and rest."

"In that case, I’ll talk to him tomorrow. I need a shower too—long day," she said with a weak smile.

In her room, she immediately went to the shower. Warm water flowed down her body, but it didn’t ease her tension. Jackie’s words kept echoing in her mind, each one tightening the knot in her chest. She dried herself quickly, slipped into a long ivory sundress, and decided she couldn’t wait. She needed to know the truth now.

Just as she stepped into the hallway, she spotted Jackie. The woman was dressed provocatively—deep cleavage - displying her full breasts, skin-tight black dress, sky-high heels, and full makeup. Darina watched in silent disbelief as Jackie entered Kai’s room without knocking.

She froze.

So Jackie's words were true. Kai had just been pretending. He was still seeing Jackie, and now they would probably both have a good laugh about how stupid and naive Darina was for believing that Kai truly started to care about her.

The hurt hit fast and hard. But at least she’d seen it now—before getting too attached. Without another word, she turned around and returned to her room, determined to focus on what she came for to improve the werewolf community. How stupid she was to let useless romantic feelings occupy her.

Meanwhile, Kai stepped out of the shower, only to stop cold. Jackie was sprawled across his bed in a dress that left very little to the imagination. "What are you doing here?" he asked in disbelief.

"I missed you. You didn’t come, so I came to you," she purred. "I’ve been thinking about your touch all day."

She stood, exposing more of herself, and began walking toward him with a sway in her hips and licking her lips, “I want to taste every inch of you.”

He stepped back. "Jackie, I’m not in the mood."

She took his hand, guiding him to touch her body. "I’m going to make you lose your mind tonight. Feel how wet I am for your already”. His eyes flashed gold as Blake took control.

"Leave. Now," Blake growled.

Jackie stopped, stunned. "What? How dare you are to speak to me like that? You’re just throwing me away after four years?"

"LEAVE," Roared Blake.

"I am royal beta's daughter, not some cheap toy to play and toss to the garbage. You are going to pay for this," she hissed before storming out, slamming the door behind her.

"I tolerated her, but never truly liked her," Blake growled. "But now she’s crossed a line."

"It’s over. I hope she finally got the message," Kai muttered.

"I doubt it. Jealous women bring nothing but trouble. Watch her."

However, Kai's thoughts were already elsewhere. Jackie wasn't longer mattered. He couldn't stop thinking about Darina, her curiosity, her laugh, and the way her eyes glowed when she spoke of healing and pups.

She is not what he anticipated. She is so much more.

He was genuinely looking forward to something for the first time in a long time, even though he wasn't sure what it was yet.

Unaware that everything had already begun to fall apart just down the hall.