Chapter 82

Lorelei My phone vibrated with a notification, the screen illuminating with Alpha Keith's name. I hadn't expected him to text me tonight. "Not coming home tonight?" The message was direct, typical Alpha Keith. I hesitated before replying with a simple, "No." "Stay safe," came his immediate response. "Okay," I typed back. The conversation ended there. Alpha Keith didn't push further, didn't demand explanations. I stared at the screen longer than necessary, struck by the strange sensation that despite its brevity, the exchange felt oddly... intimate. Like he genuinely cared about my whereabouts. Like the Silvervein mansion had somehow become HOME. I put my phone away, determined not to read too much into it. Whatever was happening between Alpha Keith and me was purely transactional. [I healed him.He protected me from the Frostfang Pack. Nothing more.] "Did you hear Zayden lost his resources?" Susan asked, breaking into my thoughts as she refilled her teacup. The gossip seemed to loosen h