The princess spoke in a trembling voice:
"Alpha...?"
Lin Xuan echoed behind her, her eyes wide in disbelief:
"No way..."
In the corner of the room, in front of the open window, Alpha sat calmly on a wooden chair. His back was straight, his arms resting gently on the armrests, as if he belonged there like he had always been a part of that place.
He didn't say a word. Didn't even turn to look at them. He simply waited.
The princess froze in place, her eyes filled with shock, worry, and something else she couldn't quite name.
Lin Xuan gently placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered,
"Your Highness... let's go back. You need rest..."
The princess hesitated, then murmured,
"I'll go to another room... can you help me?"
Lin Xuan nodded softly,
"Of course."
Without a sound, Lin Xuan gently took the princess's hand and closed the door quietly behind them... but both their hearts remained behind, with that still figure seated in the shadows, as if he had never left.
