<h4>Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Unexpected Invitation?</h4>


    Cecilia’s pov?


    Five dayster, the wound on my leg had almost healedpletely.?


    These past few days had been suspiciously quiet. Too quiet.?


    Xavier hadn’t bothered me at all. ?


    With the Instagram drama exploding, he probably had his hands full dealing with a devastated Cici and the furious Shadow Pack.?


    Still, the quiet gnawed at me. Because if they couldn’t reach me here, they’d look somewhere else.?


    That thought had first hit me a few days ago, right after a tense call with Harper.?


    I’d already mapped out every worst-case scenario in my head, but this one stuck.?


    If they couldn’t touch me in this secure building, the next logical move was to target someone close to me.?


    Someone I loved.?


    So I acted before they could.?


    That night, I called my father.?


    I told him maybe it was a good time to visit Grandma.?


    Get out of town for a few days.?


    I tried to keep my tone light, but I could hear the tension riding under every word.?


    He didn’t ask why. Harper must’ve already told them everything. Still, the silence between us lingered longer than usual.?


    I held the phone a little tighter, forcing myself to sound steady.?


    Finally, he spoke. "Take care of yourself."


    Just five words.But theynded heavy, like a weight in my chest.?


    I stared at the screen long after the call ended.?


    Then I started the long wait.?


    Every morning, I expected something. A knock at the door. A shadow in the hallway. A call. A message.?


    But nothing came.?


    No one showed up at theplex.?


    No one tracked down my parents’ house.?


    Not even one anonymous threat.?


    And yet, the storm online hadn’t died down.?


    If anything, it was growing.?


    Which only made the silence feel more ominous.?


    Were they nning something bigger??


    Or... were they still unwilling to cross Alpha Sebastian??


    Could a single move at the g—one public show of protection—really be enough to hold them back??


    Speaking of him... I hadn’t seen Alpha Sebastian since I moved in.?


    Even Liam had quietly shifted to the staff quarters, only showing up at mealtimes.?


    Clearly trying to avoid any hint of impropriety.?


    For a man who carried power like armor, his restraint was unexpected.?


    Sometimes, his gentlemanly consideration caught me off guard.?


    That evening, I found Liam in the kitchen preparing dinner. I stepped in to help him, using the opportunity to chat.?


    "Liam, where has Alpha Sebastian been staying these past few days?" I asked casually while chopping vegetables.?


    "Don’t worry, Alpha Sebastian isn’t homeless," Liam chuckled. "This apartment is just a temporary ce, convenient for work. Since he offered it to you, he’s gone back to the Silver Peak Pack house. His parents have been missing him, anyway."?


    I nodded in understanding.?


    Then Liam leaned in slightly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Actually, there’s another reason his parents wanted him home."?


    I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What reason?"?


    He grinned. "They’ve started the Luna selection process."?


    Alpha Sebastian was being... Luna-matched??


    "As the future Alpha, his marriage is a big deal for the whole pack," Liam exined. "His parents brought it up during the holiday gatheringst year. They pushed him to meet a few eligible she-wolves from powerful families. He agreed, just to keep the peace. But nothing happened. He was too focused on work and left right after the holidays. His mom couldn’t do much once he was gone. But now that he’s back in Denver, it’s harder for him to avoid it."?


    "So even he can’t escape the ssic pressure from parents to get married," I said, finding it surprisingly rtable.?


    Alpha Sebastian always seemed so distant, so untouchable. It didn’t really fit the image of a guy being told to settle down.?


    Liam let out a dramatic sigh. "Yeah, Alpha Sebastian has always been... emotionally reserved. Especially when ites to love."?


    Is that so??


    What about Amara, then? Their rtionship seemed anything but distant, given her emotional intensity at the charity g.?


    Despite Alpha Sebastian iming he wasn’t interested in women (and possibly hinting at preferring men), I couldn’t believe there hadn’t been something significant between them. Amara’s behavior suggested a deep history.?


    The most likely scenario was that they had been lovers, but Alpha Sebastian ended things for some unspeakable reason, while Amara remained deeply in love. Perhaps Alpha Sebastian still cared deep down but enjoyed seeing her suffer—watching her emotional turmoil giving him some perverse satisfaction...?


    I kept these spections to myself, offering a safe response instead: "Don’t worry about it. Fate has a way of bringing the right people together. Maybe the next high-born she-wolf he meets will capture his heart immediately."?


    "I’ll take that as a good omen," a cool, deep voice responded from behind me.?


    I nearly jumped out of my skin. Turning around, I saw Alpha Sebastian standing in the kitchen doorway.?


    Oh god, how long had he been there??


    When did he arrive??


    How much had he heard??


    Liam seemed equally mortified, unable to meet his eyes.?


    Both of us stood there awkwardly, like children caught whispering secrets.?


    Alpha Sebastian’s gaze swept over us, cool and unimpressed.?


    "Don’t bother with dinner. Why don’t you two pull up a chair in the lobby and keep the gossip going? I’m sure the rest of the peanut gallery would love to hear your take."?


    I felt my face flush hot with embarrassment. And Liam cleared his throat ufortably.


    The sarcasm was not lost on either of us.?


    Alpha Sebastian turned and left the kitchen. After a moment’s hesitation, I followed him, trailing behind until we reached his study.?


    He went inside briefly and emerged with some documents. He headed straight for the front door, clearly with no intention of staying.?


    As he was about to leave, I blurted out, "Um... dinner’s almost ready. Will you be eating with us?" I had meant to apologize, but my nerves got the better of me.?


    Alpha Sebastian turned, his beautiful almond eyes curved in a smile that didn’t quite reach them. "I’ll pass. I’m busy with matchmaking appointments tonight. Who knows, I might just find that destined mate you mentioned."?


    I stood there speechless.


    Without another nce, he walked out.?


    I deted immediately. Was it necessary to be so petty? I mentally reviewed everything I’d said—it had all been perfectly reasonable, even supportive!?


    Liam emerged from the kitchen. "Don’t worry about it. Alpha Sebastian isn’t one to hold a grudge. He’ll forget all about it soon enough. Come, let’s eat."?


    I wasn’t nearly as optimistic as Liam, but what could I do? I was beginning to realize that offending Alpha Sebastian was as easy as breathing—one wrong word, and I’d stepped on his toes again.?


    My appetite was poor during dinner. Halfway through the meal, my phone rang. To my surprise, it was Alpha ude—Xavier’s father.?


    Luna Dora called and I could not answer without hesitation.?


    Xavier’s number? There is no hesitation to block it directly.?


    But Alpha ude...?


    The situation is different.?


    He has always been quite polite to me, like an elder should have. And strictly speaking, he was my boss during the Blood Moon Tribe.?


    For these reasons, I still retained a little respect for him.?


    I hesitated for a moment, put down my chopsticks, and answered the phone.?


    "Hello, Alpha ude."?


    I always called him that - polite, decent, but not intimate.?


    "Cecilia," his voice came through, gentle but with unmistakable authority, "you and Xavier need to sit down and talk things through calmly. Avoiding him isn’t going to solve your problems. Come home tomorrow evening."?


    ?