**Tiana’s POV**
"What?" I stammered, lowering my eyes immediately. Theo was the Alpha and he was also too handsome for me to maintain eye contact with.
"You are beautiful."
I stared at Theo, feeling a mix of confusion and surprise. “What do you mean, like, beautiful?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Theo smiled warmly. “Yes. Especially your eyes, you know."
“Oh, um, thank you,” I stammered, my cheeks growing warm under his intense gaze.
“I’d actually like to get to know you better,” Theo continued. “Being busy with my alpha duties has kept me occupied, but I’ll find time someday.”
“Oh, okay,” I replied, feeling a bit flustered by his attention.
He looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. “There’s so much I don’t know about you, Tiana.”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah, there’s a lot.”
“Speaking of which,” Theo said, shifting the conversation, “you need to start training soon. It’s important that you know how to protect yourself, especially since you can’t wolf out yet.”
“Um, okay, sure,” I agreed, though the idea of training made me nervous.
“Peter is going to handle that,” he explained. “But I’ll be coming to your training sessions too. I want to see how you’re faring and all of that.”
“Thanks, Alpha Theo. That means a lot.”
Theo smiled again, his eyes twinkling in the firelight. “You should try the meat they’re roasting by the fire. It’s one of our specialities.”
I hesitated but then nodded. “Alright, I’ll give it a try.”
He stood up and offered me his hand. “Come on, I’ll join you.”
I took his hand, feeling a strange comfort in his presence. As we walked toward the fire, the smell of roasting meat filled the air, mingling with the laughter and chatter of the members of the royal family. Theo guided me to a spot where a large piece of meat was being turned over the flames, its surface sizzling and crisp.
Everyone stopped to bow their heads slightly when he passed by to show their respect. They all seemed to admire him.
“Here, try this,” he said, handing me a small piece.
I took a bite, the flavours exploding in my mouth. It was delicious, seasoned perfectly with a hint of smokiness. “Wow, this is really good,” I said, smiling.
“I’m glad you like it,” Theo replied, looking pleased. “We have many traditions here in my family, and sharing food around the fire is one of them. It’s a time for bonding and enjoying each other’s company.”
I nodded, savouring another bite. "Um, not to seem rude or anything but do you all like... Not eat raw meat?"
"Oh, we do but that defeats the purpose of the bonfire, doesn't it?* He grinned.
"Yeah, I suppose it does."
As Theo and I walked away from the fire, enjoying the quiet comfort of each other’s presence, Layla appeared with a teasing smile on her face.
“I can see you two are getting to know each other,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.
“We’re in the process, Layla,” Theo replied with a smirk. “If only you’d stop interrupting us.”
“Get over yourself, Layla,” Theo said, rolling his eyes but smiling nonetheless.
Before I could react, Peter and Amara joined us. Amara’s eyes lit up as she looked at me. “Tiana, you look lovely tonight,” she complimented.
“Oh, um, thank you,” I replied, feeling a bit self-conscious under all the attention.
Peter grinned. “Theo, you seem to be keeping Tiana busy.”
“Something like that,” Theo said with a chuckle. “I was just telling her about some of our traditions.”
Amara looped her arm through mine, pulling me gently. “Come on, let’s join the others. There’s still plenty of food and fun to be had.”
We walked back to the main gathering, the warmth of the fire and the lively chatter enveloping us.
Layla, still teasing, whispered to me, “Theo’s a good guy. You’ll see.”
I nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "Um, okay?"
"Don't mind Layla," Amara teased. "She's a hopeless romantic who has refused to work on her own romantic life."
I was shocked and surprised. How on earth were these strangers shipping me with their alpha?
A nobody like me who had not even wolfed out.
What did they see in me that they just liked me automatically?
As the evening drew to a close, Theo walked me back to the pack house. “Remember, training starts tomorrow,” he reminded me gently. “I’ll be there to support you if something doesn't take me away."
“Thank you, Alpha Theo,” I said, feeling a surge of gratitude. “I appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”
"Just Theo." He smiled, his eyes softening. “It’s my pleasure, Tiana. Get some rest, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I watched him walk away, feeling a mix of emotions.
Just Theo...
Why did he want to be on a first-name basis with me?
He was the literal alpha for God's sake!
Sighing, I made my way upstairs, quite exhausted.
**Derek’s POV**
Days turned into weeks, and there was still no sign of Tiana. The pack was growing restless, and I was running out of options. Ryder was in a constant state of agitation, and I knew it was only a matter of time before my father and Beta Ealy returned.
One evening, while pacing my office, Viktor barged in, his eyes wild with frustration. “We can’t find her, Derek. It’s like she vanished into thin air.”
I slammed my fist on the desk. “Keep looking, Viktor. We can’t give up.”
"Keep looking?" Viktor scoffed. "You are such a dickhead Derek. This is all your fault!"
"Fine! Maybe it is my fault because I rejected her but like I've told you before, she was your sister but you mistreated her. You treated strangers better than you treated her, all because of what?"
"My anger was justified because she was responsible for what happened to my mother," he spat. "How do you want to justify the fact that you rejected her as your mate?"
"Because she was weak and did not have a goddamn wolf!" I yelled in anger.