Adrian stood alone in the empty chamber after Alpha Diana vanished. For a long moment, he didn't move. Her answers were incomplete and full of mystery, but still, a strange sense of relief settled in his heart. At least now he had a direction… a thread he could follow to uncover the truth.
He let out a slow breath, straightened his coat, and stepped out of the chamber. Taking out his phone, he called David.
"Get the car ready. We are leaving," he ordered in a calm but firm voice.
"Yes, Alpha," David replied.
Before leaving, Adrian stopped one of the staff members in the hallway. "Where is my wife?" he asked.
"Alpha, Lady Isabella is in the outdoor park with Alpha Diana," the staff member replied with a bow.
Adrian's brows lifted slightly. With Diana? Still? He walked toward the park with long, confident strides, but his heartbeat picked up for reasons he could not understand.
When he reached the park, he saw Isabella and Diana sitting together on a stone bench under a tree. The air around them felt peaceful. Isabella was listening to Diana closely. Sometimes she nodded, sometimes a soft smile appeared on her lips. Adrian had seen Isabella smile before, but this one… it was gentle. Calm. Almost rare.
His eyes narrowed slightly. What are they talking about so comfortably? He stepped closer, and as if feeling his presence, Isabella turned. Adrian placed his hand on her shoulder protectively, as though afraid someone might take her away from him.
"What were you both talking about?" he asked casually, but there was a hint of concern in his voice.
"Nothing important," Isabella said softly. "We were just talking."
She stood up and faced Diana. Her voice became respectful yet warm.
"Alpha Diana," she said, "thank you for your hospitality today. And I don't mind who you are or what your identity is. What I value is your sincerity. And as I promised… I will visit you again."
Diana also stood up. A rare gentle smile curved on her lips. She reached out and touched Isabella's face, her eyes full of affection and something deeper—something like silent longing.
"May your life always be filled with happiness and strength," Diana blessed her softly.
Isabella bowed slightly and stepped back. Adrian placed a secure arm around her and nodded politely to Diana.
"Goodbye, Alpha Diana," Isabella said.
"Until we meet again," Diana replied.
With that, Adrian led Isabella away, their figures slowly disappearing from the garden while Diana watched them with unreadable eyes. Something had begun between them—something bound by fate, secrets, and blood.
Inside the car, Adrian held Isabella close to him, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist as if he feared she might disappear from his life at any moment. Isabella glanced up at him, worry reflecting in her eyes. His silence was heavy. Even David, who was driving, kept his ears sharp, pretending not to listen but clearly curious.
"Are you alright, Adrian?" Isabella asked softly. "Was your meeting with Alpha Diana successful?"
Adrian looked at her and gave a light nod. "Yes, I'm fine. And the meeting… it went well enough."
But his voice lacked emotion. Something was bothering him.
After a long silence, he spoke again, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
"What were you and Diana talking about in the garden?"
Isabella blinked, then gave a small smile. "Ah, nothing important. I just asked her where she got all those decorations. Everything looked like something out of a fairy tale."
She chuckled softly, a little wonder still shining in her eyes. "And to my surprise, she said they were all created by magic."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a necklace. "Look at this! She gave it to me as a wedding gift."
The necklace shimmered beautifully, each gem glowing faintly under the moonlight that streamed through the window. Adrian's expression darkened for a moment. He didn't know why Diana had given her such a gift, and magic often came with a price. His first instinct was to throw the necklace out of the window, far away from Isabella. But when he saw the delight in her eyes, he forced his emotions under control.
"It… looks beautiful," he said quietly.
Isabella smiled with genuine happiness. "It's not just beautiful," she said. "She created it right in front of me. I chose the gems one by one, and she formed them with her magic. Then she turned them into this necklace."
She looked at it with admiration. "Now I finally understand what you meant earlier—before we entered Moonviel Mansion—when you said this place is different from our world. And believe me, Adrian… I'm not afraid of her. Alpha Diana is not a bad person. I can feel it."
She paused, then added in a softer tone, "I don't know why… but I feel connected to her somehow. Maybe it's a bond from a previous life, who knows?"
Adrian didn't respond. His heart was heavy with thoughts he couldn't voice—not now. Instead, he pulled her closer and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He didn't know whom to trust. He didn't know if Alpha Diana was a threat or a hidden guardian. But one thing was certain—he would never allow anyone to harm Isabella.
"Rest for a while," he said quietly, offering his shoulder.
Isabella leaned against him, closing her eyes peacefully while Adrian stared ahead with a calm expression that hid the storm inside him. His mind was sharp, calculating every event of the day. There were too many secrets… and he was determined to uncover them all.