chapter 5

Bella spun around, and Ryan's Alpha presence hit the room like a shockwave. The stone table rattled violently while the bone goblets split apart and crashed onto the floor in jagged pieces.

“What registration?” He gripped her wrist so tightly that his knuckles turned white. “Who are you talking to?”

Bella quickly shut off the comms device. “It's nothing. Just a friend from the border. She wants to join the border organization, and she needed me to sign an acknowledgment form.”

Her voice was calm, almost too calm. Ryan studied her eyes for a long time, searching for even the slightest crack in her composure. He found none.

He forgot that humans were practiced in hiding emotions behind steady faces, unlike werewolves whose every thought shown in their movements.

“Border organization?” He frowned, suspicion heavy in his eyes, but after a moment, he released her wrist. Then, without warning, he pulled her into a crushing embrace, holding her so tightly it felt like he wanted to fuse her into his own body. “You scared me half to death. I thought you were signing a breaking-off contract.”

Bella struggled to breathe in his grip. She forced a small smile. “Why would I ever sign something like that? You're reading too much into this.”

“You don't understand.” Ryan's voice shook with fear. “If you leave me, it would feel like someone tore out a piece of my heart. And you know the curse of the pack. I can't leave the territory. If you go, I'll never find you again.”

The thought of losing her forever was worse than death itself.

Pressed against his chest, Bella gave only a faint smile. “I understand.”

Maybe he sensed something was off, because in the days that followed, Ryan never let Bella out of his sight.

Even when his friend opened Nightshade Club and invited everyone to celebrate, he brought her along.

With him glued to her side day and night, Bella had no chance to slip away.

She followed him quietly.

The second they stepped into the private suite, his friends swarmed them with eager smiles.

“Relax and enjoy the night. We know you like quiet, so we switched the music to piano. Cleared out the whole place too.”

“That's right, and we even got desserts for you. Alpha's treat, all your favorites.”

“Come sit here. The fruits are already served on a platter.”

...

Ryan raised his brows at their exaggerated hospitality. “Since when did you guys get so good at sucking up?”

“Come on, everyone knows the Luna is your weak spot. If we don't spoil her, how else are we supposed to stay on your good side?”

“Exactly. Everyone knows once you got the Luna, we're nothing but an afterthought. We're just trying to keep up, man. Gotta spoil her with you.”

Laughter rolled across the room, warm and easy. Just as the mood reached its peak, the door opened and a slim figure slipped in.

Liliana.

A waiter hurried to block her path. “Sorry, miss. Tonight's booked out for private guests. No other entries allowed.”

Liliana shoved past him without hesitation and walked straight inside. “Bella, Alpha. So it's you who booked the place. What a coincidence. You don't mind if I join, right?”

She didn't wait for an answer. She slid into the seat beside Bella and, under the dim light, dragged Ryan's hand beneath her dress.

Bella's body trembled. She glanced at Ryan. His face had darkened the moment Liliana appeared, as if he wanted to throw her out. But when his hand vanished under her dress, his eyes shut tight, and his long fingers twitched against her skin.

Bella's breath caught in her throat.

She forced herself to stay calm, pretending she hadn't seen it.

Later, she excused herself and walked to the restroom.

She splashed cold water across her face again and again, trying to jolt herself awake, when a taunting voice broke the silence.

“Bella, you're Luna now, but you still dress so plainly. That's disappointing.”

Bella lifted her head and met Liliana's disdainful eyes in the mirror.

“Check this out.”

Liliana yanked open her coat, revealing a fox-red lingerie set.

“They say men are visual creatures and slaves to what's below the belt. Want to place a bet? If I tell him I'm wearing this, do you think the Alpha will stay with you, or sneak off with me the first chance he gets?”

Bella's hands shook, but she said nothing. She flung the water off her fingers and walked back toward the suite.

Moments later, Liliana followed.

As she passed Ryan, she tapped his phone.

He glanced at it, and the single line of text made his throat tighten and his gaze darken.

He shoved the phone into his pocket, stood abruptly, and forced his voice steady.

“Bella, I need to make a call. Stay here. I'll be right back.”

He didn't wait for her response before rushing out.

Liliana soon slipped out as well.

Bella fought to control her breathing the moment she saw them disappear together, but pain cut through her chest like sharp blades, over and over until she felt hollow.

Her grief hardened into bitterness. If he would betray her, then she would drag him into hell with her and make him hurt even worse.

But as the night deepened, Ryan, who had promised to come right back, never returned.

His friends traded uneasy looks. Finally, one of them stood.

“Bella, let us take you home. Maybe Ryan got caught up with something.”

The excuse felt laughable.

Caught up with something? Maybe his something got caught in a hole.

But Bella said nothing. She walked out in silence.

His friend scrambled to escort her to the car, fawning the whole way.

Yet the moment she stepped inside, Bella realized her purse was still in the suite.

She turned to go back for it, but through the door she heard a long, weary sigh.

“Finally got the Luna out of here. Any longer and I would've ruined the act. I don't even know how the Alpha managed to fool her for this long.”