I watched Anastasia stalk away, her small frame moving with an unyielding determination that made my chest tighten in frustration. Her presence was subtle, almost fragile to an untrained eye but to me, her wolf-sharp instincts, the iron will beneath that delicate exterior, radiated strength. No matter how much my Alpha nature demanded I assert control, I felt… helpless.
A maid's soft footsteps snapped me back. "Young Master Elliot, Old Madam Presgrave is waiting for you in the dining area," she announced.
I gave a curt nod, my senses still keyed on Anastasia's scent fading in the garden. I followed the maid without a word, yet my wolf never relaxed, every hair on my nape alert.
