Lahat ng Kabanata ng Too Late, Alpha — She’s a Queen Now: Kabanata 71 - Kabanata 80

Not long after I returned, everyone organized a birthday celebration for my grandmother. Her actual birthday had already passed, but it had been continuously postponed so that I could attend.The banquet was held at a large resort hotel. When I reached for the check, I discovered it had already been paid. Darius had taken care of it before I even knew. After Joe presented his gift to Grandmother Grace, I carefully handed over the ones I had prepared, one by one.The first was embroidered painting.“Darius helped me prepare this,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady.Grandmother Grace took it gently, her wrinkled hands trembling slightly as she unfolded it. Her fingertips traced the fine texture, as if following invisible threads of memory. Finally, she nodded, a long-absent smile softening her face.“He was thoughtful,” she said. She paused, then added, “It’s beautiful. Thank him for me.”She didn’t ask if he would be coming today. She didn’t even want to speak his name. I understo

At that moment, Steve and Rocco arrived.The effect was instantaneous. Almost every guest moved toward them at once, smiles tight and obsequious. In the werewolf world, their status was extraordinary: one a Moon Council consultant, the other a tactical chief of staff for the frontline war zones.Emma’s cousin, Lily, blushed deeply, clearly captivated by Steve’s steady presence and quietly commanding aura. She didn’t even try to hide it.Her mother, Yvonne, chuckled, teasing lightly. “It’s good for young people to socialize more.”First, it was Emma and Darius. Now, Lily and Steve. If both pairs truly came together, they could become the center of power in this moonlit capital, untouchable and unopposed. Emma, however, frowned slightly. She clearly bristled at her family’s fawning. She was used to being treated as an equal, but her maternal relatives?! They knelt before power too quickly, too eagerly.An elder broke the tension, asking, “Where is Darius? Hasn’t he arrived yet?”Emma’s s

Knowing Darius had gone to my grandmother’s table should have eased the knot in my chest. After all, Serina—his grandmother—and my grandmother shared a bond of many decades. And yet, unease lingered, a quiet tremor beneath the surface.The Pack members around me sensed it too. Subtle glances, murmured whispers; they were all watching, waiting. In werewolf society, rumors didn’t need reason; they only needed blood, and right now, theirs was tuned to me.I straightened slightly and forced a cool tone, projecting confidence. “Serina and my grandmother are old friends. Darius went to sit out of respect for her, nothing more.”The doubt in the air softened, if only slightly. But I knew better. Blood moves faster than logic. And tonight, the flow of attention was mine, sharp and relentless.My grandmother’s voice echoed across the hall, steady as she addressed the guests.And Darius—he was there, seated at her main table, leaning toward Professor Williams, words and mental energy intertwinin

Back at my apartment, just as I slid the key into the lock, the sound of approaching footsteps made me spin around. Steve stood there, holding a meticulously wrapped gift box.“It’s late… do you need something?” I asked cautiously, eyeing him.He shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “It’s for Grace. I hope she likes it.”I hesitated for a moment, then accepted the gift politely. “I’ll be sure to get it to her. And… thank you for making a special trip so late.”He didn’t smile, but his eyes were steady, sincere. “Your uncle’s project,” he said finally, “I can help with that.”I froze. For a moment, I thought I’d misheard him.He didn’t elaborate, just added softly, “Think about it. When you’re ready, call me.”I said nothing. My fingers trembled slightly, betraying the storm inside me. I could smell it—the lingering trace of Darius on him. The familiar Alpha aura. And beneath it, another scent, sharp and sweet… Emma’s.He had come straight from her banquet. A chill ran thr

That night, Professor Williams must have noticed how exhausted Joe and I were. He let us leave before nine. I took a long, scalding shower, letting the water wash away the fatigue, and collapsed into bed. Sleep came, but only for a few shallow minutes before the weight of the day dragged me under again.The next afternoon, a message arrived from the company: we were needed at the SynData Experimental Center to investigate a system anomaly. Joe and I rushed over together, diving straight into the data. Less than ten minutes into our analysis, the conference room door swung open.Steve and Robert stepped in, followed by the SynData technical supervisor. Their surprise at seeing me was almost comical.Robert’s eyebrow lifted, a faint sneer tugging at his lips. “She’s here too? What a coincidence.”Steve, by contrast, gave me a brief glance, his expression unreadable. The technical supervisor chuckled lightly. “Are you talking about Rae? She’s not part of SynData—she’s a consultant sent by