Hearing the heated exchange from Bella’s office, Luke could only imagine how the enemy packs in the waiting area were interpreting it. If they were smart—and they were—they’d see an opportunity. The rivalry between him and those packs wasn’t a secret, and now they were circling like vultures, using Bella and the triplets as leverage. Their strategy was clear: win her over to strike a blow against him.
Luke’s concern ran deeper. What if they found out she was his mate? The thought made his chest tighten. He hoped Macky hadn’t inadvertently let it slip. If the enemy packs discovered that connection, they’d double down on their efforts, making her position even more precarious.
Macky, ever the tactician, had advised Benzy and himself to leave the premises after their meeting with Bella. The last thing they needed was another confrontation with her as she left her office, especially with rival packs close by. Still, Luke had ensured that his men didn’t go far. They stayed within range, ready to act if necessary. And he’d tightened security on the triplets and Bella’s apartment building. The stakes were far too high to take chances.
But something about Macky and Benzy’s demeanor during their video call had been off. Luke could tell they were holding something back. His Beta, Jackson, had looked downright guilty, unable to meet his Alpha’s gaze. That alone sent a ripple of dread through him.
“What happened?” Luke asked, his voice sharp.
Macky sighed, clearly resigned. “I’ll tell him, shall I?” he muttered before launching into an explanation. He described Bella’s flirtation with Benzy and Apollo, Benzy’s wolf—and Apollo’s unmistakable reaction. Maddis, Luke’s wolf, bristled immediately, growling in displeasure, but Luke’s reaction was entirely different.
He laughed.
The unexpected sound startled both Macky and Jackson, but Luke couldn’t help it. The idea of Bella playing such a bold tactic amused him more than it angered him.
“Of course she did,” Luke chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s classic Bella.”
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If Bella suspected Benzy harbored feelings for her, of course she’d use it to throw him off guard. She was a she-wolf through and through, mischief practically woven into her DNA. And Bella had always been a playful, cheeky little minx.
He recalled their casual relationship with fond amusement. Whenever he’d stalk her playfully, looking to pull her into his bed, she’d often run and hide behind Benzy. She’d cling to him dramatically, begging him to save her from the “big, bad Alpha” who was trying to “steal her virtue.” The memory made him smirk. Bella’s virtue had been long gone by then, thanks to him.
Sometimes, Benzy would play along, tossing her onto his back and running off with her, leaving Luke to chase them down. He always caught them, of course, tossing her over his shoulder and growling in mock triumph, “You’re mine now, little she-wolf,” before carrying her off to his room. The playful banter had been part of what made their relationship so vibrant, so alive.
His laughter had caught Macky off guard, but Luke simply waved it off. “It’s no different than what she used to do when we were together,” he explained. “Running to Benzy for help, appealing to his nature to save her. It’s just who she is.”
And Luke wasn’t worried—not even a little. Benzy might have feelings for Bella, but Luke trusted him. The Beta wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the pack, enrage Maddis, or risk his own life. Benzy was loyal to his core.
“She’s not his destined mate,” Luke said confidently. “If she were, he would’ve claimed her long before she set her sights on me. No, he knows his boundaries, and he won’t cross them.”
He leaned back in his chair, Maddis grumbling in his mind but settling slightly. For now, Luke felt reassured. Bella might be playing her games, but ultimately, she was his—his mate, his Luna, and his responsibility. Whatever came next, he would face it head-on, with or without her consent.
It had crossed Luke’s mind more than once whether Benzy had ever hoped Bella might be his fated mate. She’d been one of their closest friends, after all, and her absence of a bond with any of them had surprised them all. For years, they had trained together, fought together, and grown together, yet none of them had turned out to be her destined partner.
Luke could still picture the day she’d been formally presented on her 18th birthday. Bella’s beauty had left a lasting impression. Normally, she was dressed in jeans, T-shirts, or training gear, her body often smeared with mud from sparring sessions. They’d all seen her shift countless times and had seen her naked—nothing unusual among pack members who fought side by side against rogue attacks. But that day, she’d been transformed, her natural beauty enhanced by the midnight blue silk dress she wore and the touch of makeup on her face.
Benzy, he remembered, had cleaned up for the occasion, too. Dark blue slacks and a pale blue short-sleeved dress shirt—an unusual sight for someone who typically leaned against walls looking casually bored. Even on that day, Benzy had stuck to his persona, standing near his parents’ table and playing it cool. Luke had wondered then if Benzy had dressed up with the hope that Bella would be his mate.
But Bella had been different. While other pack members her age anxiously searched the crowd during their presentation, praying to the goddess that their fated mate was among the onlookers, Bella had done none of that. She’d stood beside Alpha Tomas, her gaze fixed straight ahead on the forest, as if daring the goddess to defy her expectations. Stubborn to the end. Defiant, even against fate. That was his Bella.
She had a fated mate now—him. She just didn’t know it yet. But she would, and soon. The challenge was convincing her to willingly return to the pack. He was bound by the human-imposed restrictions placed on him in her current territory and had been abiding by them to show her he respected her autonomy. It was the only reason he hadn’t gone to her directly. He wanted her to come to him on her own terms.
He’d hoped mediation would bridge the gap, but Bella had outright refused. Her stubbornness was as maddening as it was endearing.
