?Chapter 976:


    My mind churned restlessly, returning to the n—the three princes’ scheme. Infiltrate Cody’s study. Steal the confidential documents. Expose his treason.


    It sounded simple in words, but every step was riddled with peril. One miscalction, one slip, and the consequences would be irreversible.


    Makenna’s POV:


    I made my way back to the Pierce family estate, and no sooner had I crossed into the courtyard than the butler glided toward me.


    “Mrs. Burton, wee back. Mrs. Pierce sent me to fetch you. She’d like to share an afternoon drink with you.” The butler dipped into a subtle bow, his ever-courteous air as steady as a well-tuned clock.


    Maia’s invitation caught me off guard—she wasn’t one for sudden whims. Still, I gave a quick nod and trailed the butler toward the garden, curiosity bubbling beneath my calm exterior.


    The garden greeted me like a living painting, bursting with vivid colors and a soft fragrance that floated on the breeze. From afar, I spotted Maia in the gazebo, her silhouette framed against the greenery. As I drew near, she shed a radiant smile and beckoned me with a wave. “Ailyn! Hurry over!”


    I picked up my pace, and Maia rose to her feet, sping my hand with a warmth that felt like sunshine after a storm. She ushered me to a seat and poured a steaming cup of coffee, its rich scent curling through the air like a tender hug on a crisp day.


    “Give it a taste,” she urged softly.


    I lifted the cup, letting the bold, velvety vor dance across my tongue. “Mrs. Pierce, this is divine!” I couldn’t help but gush. “You’ve got a real gift—this coffee’s perfection itself.”


    Maia’s smile deepened, her eyes drifting to the blossoms swaying gently around us. “When I steal a moment to myself, I love sitting here,” she mused, her voice as soothing as a luby. “Sipping coffee, soaking in these rare pockets of peace—it’s my little escape.”


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    “Absolutely,” I chimed in, grinning. “It’s like the world’s troubles just melt away, carried off on the wind.”


    I inhaled deeply, savoring the floral air as a yful breeze tousled my hair. A lightness settled over me, loosening the knots in my chest.


    ncing at Maia, I spoke from the heart. “Mrs. Pierce, you’ve got this… magic about you. Something that pulls people in. Every time I’m near you, I feel this calm wash over me, like everything’s right in the world.”


    Maia turned to me, her eyes twinkling with affection and a hint of amusement. “I feel the same about you, Ailyn. From the moment we met, there was this spark, this pull—like I just wanted to keep you close.”


    As she topped off my coffee, a stray thought flickered through my mind.


    Could this be that fabled connection whispered about in tales of white wolves? Before I could chase the idea further, Maia’s voice—gentle yet edged with curiosity—brought me back.


    “Ailyn, have you known the three Lycan princes long?”


    Her question jolted me, my body tensing as if I’d been caught off guard. I hesitated, then met her gaze.


    Maia’s warm, smiling eyes, which I had grown so fond of, now shimmered with something sharper—scrutiny. A ripple of unease coursed through me.


    This clever woman was starting to piece things together.


    As a white wolf descendant, Maia carried the weight of a tragic past—her family ughtered by Leonardo, a wound that had scarred her soul. My ties to the princes, however loose, must’ve set rm bells ringing in her mind. For a fleeting second, I found myself at a loss, grappling for the right words to untangle the web of my connection to the princes.


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