Charlotte!”

Alpha Klein’s voice thundered through the room, yanking Ria out of her spiraling thoughts.

She flinched violently.

As the blurry image in her mind vanished before she could grasp it fully…

Ria slowly pushed herself off the bed, her legs weak beneath her.

Klein stood near the doorway watching her in silence.

His sharp eyes lingered on her face as though he were trying to peel apart every thought hiding behind her expression.

Ria swallowed hard and forced herself forward cautiously as Klein gently moved toward her.

He circled her once before stopping directly in front of her.

“Alpha Moon requested your presence tonight.”

The words came out clipped.

His jaw tightened immediately afterward as a dangerous shadow crossed his face as he leaned closer.

“For some reason,” he whispered slowly, “I still don’t understand what he suddenly sees in you after the last hunt.”

His eyes narrowed on her slightly.

“Tell me, Charlotte.”his voice dropped lower.

“What happened behind the cliff that night? When I sent you with Alpha Moon to retrieve the treaty documents?”

The air around her seemed to disappear as Ria froze immediately..Her stomach twisted violently.

as a cold ache crawled slowly down her spine.

Behind the cliff?

The words struck deep inside of her.

As a tiny flashed quickly came through her mind..

**Dark skies,hand reaching for hers and a tiny dim voice screaming her name**

Ria staggered slightly.

“B-behind the cliff?” she whispered.

Klein’s expression changed instantly and in one violent movement, he slammed her against the wall,Ria gasped sharply as his hand closed tightly around her throat,her body trembled.

“K-Klein…” she choked out desperately.

“I can’t breathe…”

Her fingers clawed weakly at his wrist.

“I don’t remember anything… I don’t even know who you are…”

Tears gathered in her eyes.

“I don’t belong here…”

“I think you should let her go.”

A calm voice cut cleanly through the room.

As klein released her instantly.

Ria collapsed onto the bed, coughing violently as she struggled to pull air back into her body.

Michael stood near the doorway,Dangerously unreadable as Klein’s face darkened for only a second before a strained smile appeared.

“Alpha Moon,” he said tightly. “I was merely teaching my servant some manners.”

Michael’s gaze drifted past him and went Straight to Ria.His eyes paused briefly on the red marks around her throat,Something cold flickered across his expression and Then vanished.

“I want her tonight.”

The words landed heavily in the room.

Klein stiffened.And Michael stepped inside slowly.

“You said she’s your servant,” he continued calmly. “Then lend her to me for the evening. I need additional hands at the Royal Castle.”

His tone remained smooth,but his eyes never left Ria.

“I’ll return her tomorrow.”

Silence stretched between them.Ria could feel the tension thickening in the air.

Klein stared at Michael for a long moment before glancing back at her.

“You want… her?”

The disbelief in his voice was impossible to miss.

Micheal finally shifted his gaze toward Klein.

“Is there a problem?”

Klein opened his mouth slightly, then closed it again.His fists tightened at his sides.

For a brief moment, his eyes flickered toward Ria’s stomach before slowly lifting back to her face.

The look there was a bit strange.

“Charlotte …” he said slowly.

“Do you want to—”

“Yes.”

The answer escaped her instantly.

Klein’s eyes snapped sharply toward her.

Ria forced herself to stand despite the trembling in her knees.

“I want to go with him.”The room fell silent instantly.

As Michael’s gaze remained fixed on her.Klein remained by the doorway, his eyes moving slowly between Ria and Michael.For as long as he had known Ria, she had never looked him in the eye when speaking. And has never raised her voice neither has she ever resisted him.But yet tonight,she had spoken back to him and chosen another man in his presence and agreed to leave with Alpha Moon without hesitation.

Klein’s jaw tightened as His thoughts twisted restlessly.

What changed?His gaze drifted back toward her.

Ria walked past Michael without another word and stepped out onto the empty balcony.

The wind lifted strands of her hair softly as she stopped near the railing, staring into the darkness beyond the courtyard.There was something different in the way she stood now.Michael watched her silently.

As his body remained perfectly still, yet the look in his eyes sharpened dangerously.Like a man silently piecing together a puzzle he hadn’t expected to solve tonight.

Klein noticed the look immediately and something unpleasant tightened inside his chest.

He knew exactly who Alpha Moon was,not just an Alpha or just the ruler of the Royal Pack.

Michael was dangerous in ways most people couldn’t understand,his Sharp instincts and his unmatched intelligence, The kind of man who could quietly build kingdoms… or destroy them without lifting a finger.

There were stories about him even among the Alphas.Stories people whispered but never dared repeat loudly.

And now,that same man was looking at Charlotte with interest.

Klein clenched his fists subtly.The alliance with the Royal Pack mattered too much to risk.

He needed Michael and also his influence,He needed access to whatever hidden power the Royal Pack possessed.But this…this sudden attention toward Charlotte felt dangerous to him.

Michael finally shifted slightly, preparing to leave.

He paused near the doorway, silently waiting for Ria to follow.

Klein still hadn’t spoken as The tension in the room thickened further.

“I think I’ve changed my mind.”

The words came slowly from Klein’s mouth, as

Michael stopped immediately…..he Slowly turned back to him,