Chapter 2
“Maeve?”
The voice came from above. Calm, gentle. It carried the weight of an Alpha’s presence, but without aggression.
I snapped back to reality. “Hello... may I ask your name?”
“Alpha Yves.”
There was a faint smile in his voice, but it landed clearly and firmly.
—Alpha Yves. From the Silverclaw Pack. The legendary Alpha King of the southern territories. The strongest warrior and leader of his generation.
“I’m very sorry. The accident was my fault. I’ll take full responsibility.”
“All right. Let’s exchange contact info.”
I took out my communicator. We added each other.
“Maeve, are you feeling unwell?”
He frowned slightly. His tone was calm but left no room for refusal.
“A little.”
I hesitated, then added, “I was about to go to Blackthorn’s hospital.”
He paused, then said, “You shouldn’t be driving like this. If you’re okay with it, I can take you to Silverclaw’s medical center. We have our own healers.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“It’s an honor to serve a Luna.”
He deliberately emphasized the word “Luna.” A quiet reminder—I wasn’t without worth.
Did you hear that?
Mila’s voice rang through my mind, clear and familiar.
He called you ‘Luna’.
“It’s not real,” I whispered in my thoughts.
But your heartbeat sped up, Maeve. You're reacting to him.
I handed my car keys to his Beta. They’d take care of the repairs.
Alpha Yves drove me himself, heading for Silverclaw’s medical center.
Diagnosis: migraine and mild anemia. The healer arranged an IV.
I sat by the window, staring at the floor.
“Do you need a blanket?”
He appeared without a sound, holding a cup of warm apple juice.
“The doctor said you’re anemic. Drink this.”
As I reached for the cup, he leaned down to adjust the IV line.
His fingers brushed over my wrist. “You’ve got a small bump here.”
“Thank you,” I said quietly, my voice trembling.
Mila broke the silence.
You’re not over him. You’re just tired. And afraid of being alone.
This isn’t love. It’s habit.
I clenched my jaw. My fingers were cold.
Five years of bond with Alpha Samuel. I was finally ready to end what had never truly existed.
A few days passed after that.
The car was fixed. I had nothing planned today, so I invited Alpha Yves out for coffee—to thank him.
He was already seated when I arrived.
He was sipping tea. When he heard me, he looked up and smiled. “You’re here.”
“I invited you, but I’m the one who’s late.” I felt a little embarrassed.
He stood and pulled out a chair for me. “No trouble. I was early.”
This café served mostly flat whites. It was warm and quiet. Sunlight hit his shoulder through the window.
“They use Yirgacheffe beans here. You should try it,” I said, nodding toward his cup.
“Sure.”
He took a sip and smiled. “Clean taste. Good balance of acidity and sweetness.”
He tapped the rim of the cup, then looked up at me. “But more than coffee, I want to know—how did you find this place?”
His gaze was too focused. It made me forget to breathe.
My fingers shook. I looked down and stirred my latte. “I used to pass by sometimes.”
I didn’t tell him the truth.
Alpha Samuel and I used to come here. He always said it was too noisy. Now it was where I went to disappear.
You’re lying.
Mila was blunt.
You feel guilty about it.
He suddenly reached out across the table.
I flinched—but he only brushed my hair back. “You had milk foam in your hair.”
His touch was light, but warm. It pierced straight through me.
I froze. Even saying “thank you” came out shaky.
He didn’t seem to notice. He placed his finger in his mouth, smiling. “It really is sweet.”
The air between us changed instantly.
I rushed to cut my cake, but the fork clinked loudly against the plate.
He reached out, steadying my trembling hand. His voice dropped to a whisper.
“Maeve. You’re shaking.”
He leaned closer.
“At the hospital that day… when you stared at the ceiling—what were you thinking?”
My heartbeat went wild.
Outside, pigeons flew by. His silver wolf pin caught the light.
That same pin had pressed against my hand that day during the IV.
“I was thinking…”
I stirred my coffee. The spoon hit the cup with a soft chime.
“Do all Silverclaw Alphas like to meddle in other people’s business?”
He laughed.
We talked more casually after that. I learned he’d just returned from training in the south last year.
“You grew up there?”
He shook his head. “Only as a child. I came back during school breaks to visit my grandfather. Now I’m the heir.”
He listens when you speak,
Mila said, her voice gentler now.
More than Alpha Samuel ever did.
