Chapter 70
Lisa’s POV
The morning sun slipped in through the windows, painting golden streaks across the soft sheets. I blinked
slowly. My body was still tangled in warmth and comfort. Rylan’s arms were wrapped around me, holding
me close. His chest rose and fell steadily and I could hear the rhythm of his heartbeat under my ear.
He stirred slightly and murmured, “Good morning, beautiful.”
A smile tugged at my lips. I looked up into his sleepy eyes. “Morning.”
He leaned in and kissed my forehead, then brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “I like waking up
with you. It makes everything feel… right.”
I blushed and placed my palm on his chest. “Me too.”
His fingers gently stroked my arm. “I wish I could stay like this with you all day… but duty calls.”
I sighed and nodded. “Alpha things?”
He gave me an apologetic smile. “Unfortunately, yes. There’s a meeting with the eastern patrol, and I need
to check in with the supply teams.”
“Go,” I said softly. “I’ll see you later.”
He kissed me again, longer this time. “Don’t miss me too much.”
“I’ll try.”
He got up and dressed quickly. As he opened the door to leave, he looked back. “Have breakfast. Don’t
skip it, alright?”
“Yes, sir.”
He grinned and disappeared down the hall.
I lay in bed for a few more minutes before dragging myself up. My stomach rumbled, and I decided breakfast sounded like a good idea. I brushed my hair quickly and threw on a simple lavender dress, then padded down the grand stairs toward the dining hall.
I was expecting to eat alone.
But to my surprise, Alexandra was already at the table. She looked up as I entered and smiled warmly. “Good morning, Lisa.”
I hesitated. Her voice was light and friendly.
“Good morning,” I replied.
She gestured to the chair beside her. “Come, let’s have breakfast together.”
I walked over slowly and sat down. The table was already set, and there was a pot of steaming tea in the
center, along with fresh croissants and fruit.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said.
“I woke up early today. I couldn’t sleep much,” she said casually while pouring herself some tea. “You slept
well?
I nodded. “Yes.”
She picked up the teapot again and smiled. “Would you like some tea?”
I shook my head. “No thanks. I’ll just have a croissant.”
“Oh, come on,” she said sweetly. “It’s not good to eat dry food without drinking something. At least have a
little. It’s herbal. Good for your health.”
I hesitated. “Okay. Just a little. No sugar. Two spoons of milk, please.”
“Got it.”
She began stirring the tea gently. Her movements were graceful. She looked peaceful today.
As she reached for the milk, the spoon in her hand slipped and clattered to the floor. It landed near my
feet.
“Oh! I’m so clumsy,” she said with a laugh. “Could you pick that up for me, Lisa? I’m sorry.”
“Sure.”
I bent down and picked up the spoon. When I looked up, she had already taken another spoon from the
cutlery box and was stirring again.
She placed the fallen spoon to the side and handed me the teacup.
“Here you go.”
I took a small sip. It was warm, lightly floral, and actually really nice.
“This is good,” I said. “Thank you.”
Her eyes lit up. “I’m glad you like it.”
She looked so calm this morning. She was so happy. Maybe I was wrong about everything. Maybe she was
just in love. Maybe the man she was meeting was harmless.
“Any plans today?” I asked casually.
“Yes,” she said with a little smile. “It’s my friend Jessica’s birthday. I’m going to her party. She lives quite far, so I’ll be gone for most of the day.”
“Sounds fun,” I said. “Have a good time.”
“Thanks. I’ll try.”
She glanced at her watch. “Actually, I should be heading out now. Don’t want to be late.”
She stood and pushed her chair back. Her movements were elegant, as always.
“See you later, Lisa,” she said and grabbed her purse. She walked toward the door.
“Bye, Alexandra.”
The door clicked shut behind her.
I looked down at my cup. It was half empty.
Clare
I took another bite of my croissant. Everything tasted so good. I felt full after drinking the remaining tea.
I decided to go upstairs and watch TV. There was a huge screen in Rylan’s room, and I wanted to catch up
on some old shows.
As I climbed the stairs, a strange sensation settled over me.
Everything started spinning.
The hallway stretched and blurred. My legs felt like jelly. My heart began to race.
“Sierra… something’s wrong,” I whispered in my mind.
I feel it too. Lisa, your energy… it’s fading.
I reached for the railing and gripped it tightly.
One more step. Just one more.
I stumbled onto the upper floor, gasping for breath. My lungs burned.
“Rylan…” I tried to call out, but my voice didn’t come.
I fell to my knees.
My vision went dark around the edges. My heartbeat thundered in my ears. My hands trembled as I
reached out to the wall.
Then everything turned black.
And I fell.
