After lunch, Alpha Alex left the dining hall in silence, his long strides taking him swiftly toward his chambers.
But before he could reach the door, his Beta, Damon, was already waiting for him, arms crossed and looking like he carried bad news.
"My Lord," Damon said carefully, "you'll need to take the five Lunas for a stroll around the castle grounds. It's important. If you avoid them now, it'll be obvious you aren't interested, and it might cause problems."
Alex's blood boiled instantly. He had already spent far too much time with them at lunch, forcing himself to sit through their constant, desperate stares. He clenched his jaw, clearly irritated.
Damon saw the fire burning in his Alpha's eyes and quickly added, "I know how you feel, but please… just endure it a little longer. You have to play along."
Alex exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his dark hair. "Fine," he muttered. "I'll take them after my wine."
He turned to his watchman and barked, "Get me wine!" before storming into his chambers, slamming the door behind him.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open and a woman walked in.
She was no ordinary maid — her dress was scandalously short, her body practically spilling out of it. She approached him boldly, her hips swaying.
Without waiting for permission, she placed the tray of wine down, then ran her hands over Alpha Alex's bare chest.
She kissed his skin hungrily, her hands exploring him shamelessly.
Before he could react, she slipped her hand lower and began working his manhood skillfully.
Alex almost relaxed into the feeling, his body growing heavy with tiredness — but then he snapped his eyes open, remembering the responsibility waiting for him outside.
He growled lowly, pushing her away with little effort.
"Leave," he ordered coldly.
The woman quickly gathered herself and fled the room, leaving Alex even more irritated than before.
Still shirtless, he leaned back in his chair and barked toward the door, "Bring Mira. I need another wine."
Within minutes, Mira entered, holding a fresh glass of wine with both hands. She walked carefully, her eyes glued to the floor.
Alex watched her, his sharp eyes catching the way she hesitated when she caught sight of his bare chest.
Mira couldn't help it — the man before her looked carved from stone, every muscle defined, his body exuding raw strength and power.
"You like what you see?" Alex asked, a smug smirk curving his lips.
Mira's cheeks turned crimson. She immediately lowered her gaze and stammered, "I'm sorry, Master. I didn't mean to."
Alex chuckled lowly, pleased by her reaction. He accepted the wine she poured him without another word.
After serving him, Mira bowed and quickly left the room, eager to escape the tension hanging in the air.
But as soon as she stepped out, she stopped in her tracks.
Standing outside were the five Lunas, gathered right in front of Alpha Alex's chambers.
Their sharp, calculating eyes fell on Mira like knives.
They looked at her with pure disgust, their eyes full of unspoken accusations.
Mira lowered her head respectfully and bowed before quietly moving past them, pretending not to notice their glares.
As she walked away, she could hear one of the Lunas whisper under her breath, "A filthy maid, daring to serve him wine."
Mira said nothing. She knew her place — or at least, she tried to remind herself of it.
While the Lunas were still exchanging whispers and throwing disgusted glances in the direction Mira had gone, the door behind them creaked open.
They turned sharply just in time to see Alpha Alex step out into the hallway.
For a moment, none of them could speak. Their mouths fell open in awe as they drank in the sight of him.
He wore a black sleeveless tunic now, but it did little to hide the powerful muscles of his arms and chest. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his sharp, commanding eyes only made him even more breathtaking.
They had seen handsome men before, but Alpha Alex was something else entirely — wild, dangerous, and absolutely magnetic.
Alex frowned slightly, noticing all five of them clustered right outside his door. His sharp voice cut through the silence.
"What are you all doing here?"
Laura, the most forward among them, quickly stepped forward with a sweet, innocent smile.
"We wanted to wait for you here," she said, her voice light and airy. Without thinking, she reached out as if to touch his arm.
Before her fingers could graze him, Alex stepped back, his movements swift and deliberate.
His cold glare froze her in place.
"I'm not as easy-going as you think," he said, his voice low and laced with warning.
Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and began walking down the long corridor.
The Lunas exchanged awkward glances, their cheeks burning from the rejection, but none of them dared to stay behind. They quickly hurried after him, their dresses swishing as they tried to catch up.
As they walked behind him, they couldn't help but admire how effortlessly powerful he looked. His mere presence seemed to claim every inch of the castle as his own.
When they stepped out into the castle grounds, the fresh afternoon breeze hit them. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and the sun cast a soft golden glow over the gardens and stone pathways.
Alpha Alex led them through the wide courtyard, past the training grounds where warriors sparred and young wolves practiced their shifts. The Lunas did their best to keep up, but he didn't slow down for them.
"So this is the famous Dark Moon Pack castle," Cindy whispered to Nina as they walked, pretending to admire the place but keeping her eyes glued to Alex.
"He's ignoring us," Laura muttered under her breath, pouting slightly.
But not all of them were desperate for his attention.
Zendaya, the one who had said little since their arrival, simply walked with her arms folded, her face bored and unimpressed.
She didn't seem to care about the gardens, the castle, or even the Alpha leading them.
In fact, she was the only one who didn't try to flirt, smile, or even glance at him.
At one point, Alex slowed down slightly, allowing them to catch up.
His eyes flickered over each of them — lingering on Zendaya just a little longer.
She didn't look desperate like the others .
"You should keep up if you don't want to get lost," Alex said coldly, addressing no one in particular.
The other girls giggled, thinking he was teasing them.
Zendaya only scoffed under her breath, barely loud enough for anyone to hear.
Alex caught it, though.
He smirked to himself as he led them toward the stables. The wolves inside stirred restlessly as he approached, sensing his dominant aura.
"This way," he commanded simply.
As they walked through the stables, the Lunas fanned themselves, pretending to be overwhelmed by the smell and heat.
Zendaya, however, walked confidently, her head high and her face indifferent. She wasn't trying to impress anyone — least of all him.
Alpha Alex noticed her again, his interest sharpening despite himself.
Out of all the Lunas, she was more reasonable — he said to himself.
But if Zendaya noticed his attention, she gave no sign.
And she had no intention of making herself easy prey.