There was silence on the other end of the line.
For several long seconds, all Adriana could hear was faint breathing.
When Nathanie finally spoke again, his voice carried an edge of discomfort. “Adriana… I’m sorry. Something urgent came up at the manor, so I left earlier. Stay where you are. I’ll come back and get you.”
As he spoke, she could hear movement in the background—plates clinking, chairs scraping lightly against the floor.
Then Olivia’s bright, lively voice drifted clearly through the stone.
“Nathanie! Dinner’s almost done. Where are you heading?”
Adriana closed her eyes briefly and pressed her fingers against her temple. A thin, bitter smile curved her lips.
“It’s fine,” she said evenly. “Don’t bother coming. I’ll handle it myself.”
This time, his pause lasted barely a heartbeat.
“…Alright,” he agreed. “Don’t rush. I made something special tonight. It’ll still be warm when you get back.”
The call ended.
Adriana remained standing in the dim corridor, the silence afterward heavier than the conversation itself. Her chest felt hollow, yet the ache inside only deepened.
Her fingers brushed against the folded transfer contract tucked safely inside her coat pocket.
How was she going to make him agree to her leaving the territory?
Leaning her shoulder against the stone wall for support, she forced herself forward. Each step sent a sharp pulse of pain through her ankle. By the time she reached the main road outside the infirmary grounds, sweat had dampened her clothes despite the cool evening air.
After what felt like forever, she managed to flag down a passing cab.
The moment she sank into the seat, she realized just how drained she was. Her hands were clammy, her skin pale.
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Miss, you look unwell. Shouldn’t you call your boyfriend to pick you up?”
Adriana let her head rest against the window, exhaling softly. A faint, humorless laugh slipped out. “I don’t have a boyfriend. Just a fiancé.”
“Then call him,” the driver insisted gently. “You look like you might faint. No fiancé would want something happening to his mate.”
She gave a quiet scoff, eyes fixed on the passing lights outside. “That would be nice. Unfortunately, he’s occupied… with someone else.”
The driver frowned slightly before muttering, “That doesn’t sound very dependable.”
She let out a soft chuckle.
“Dependable?” she repeated. “I’d call it indifference.”
Every detail of their upcoming mating ceremony—the invitations sent to allied packs, the arrangement of their shared quarters, the decorations for the hall—had been handled by her alone.
When she once asked Nathanie for his thoughts, he had replied flatly, “You’re better at these things. Why ask me about every small decision? Handle it.”
Yet when everything was arranged, he had found fault in nearly all of it.
In the end, it was Olivia who adjusted the décor until he finally approved.
Thinking about it now left Adriana feeling tired beyond measure.
The cab pulled to a stop outside the Alpha manor.
The distance from the gates to the main entrance was short—no more than a few hundred meters—but it took her nearly half an hour to cross it. Every step felt like walking through fire.
When she finally reached the door, she reached instinctively for her keys.
Her hand came up empty.
She froze.
Then she knocked.
It took a while before the door opened.
Nathanie stood there, his expression already edged with irritation.
“Where are your keys?” he asked sharply. “Why do you keep knocking instead of letting yourself in?”
Adriana didn’t answer immediately. She stepped inside slowly, the pain in her ankle forcing her to move with care.
Only when she reached the living room did she set down her bag and retrieve her keyring.
“My spare key?” she said calmly. “You removed it last week to give to Olivia. Don’t you remember?”
His brows knit together as the memory surfaced. The annoyance faded slightly, replaced by a trace of awkwardness.
“I’ve been overwhelmed lately,” he replied. “You could’ve just made another copy. You have time for that sort of thing.”
Adriana offered a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
She had long ago stopped expecting fairness.
To Nathanie, anything concerning Olivia required immediate attention.
Her needs could always wait.
She moved toward the dining room, steadying herself against the wall.
Olivia was already seated at the table.
The moment she saw Adriana, she jumped up with exaggerated enthusiasm.
“Adriana, you’re finally home!” Olivia chirped brightly, hurrying over and looping her arm through Adriana’s as if they were the closest of friends. She even stuck out her tongue playfully, her smile wide and innocent.
