MIA’S POV
The next morning, I woke up determined to stick to my plan. If I was
going to outmaneuver them, I needed to play the part perfectly. The
brothers had already shown they wouldn’t give up easily, so I would have
to be smarter.
When I saw them at breakfast, their eyes immediately landed on me.
Rolex gave me a half-smile, Xavier watched me cautiously, and Nathan
and Sean just stared as if trying to figure me out.
I took a deep breath, plastering on the most apologetic expression I
could muster. “I wanted to say I’m sorry for how I acted yesterday,” I
began, clasping my hands in front of me. “I didn’t mean to get upset. I’ve
just been… struggling a bit with my mental health.”
Xavier leaned forward slightly, concern flickering across his face.
“Struggling how?”
I hesitated, lowering my gaze as if I were embarrassed. “It’s hard to
explain,” I murmured. “But sometimes, I overreact. I’m trying to work
through it, though.”
Nathan narrowed his eyes, but his voice softened. “We didn’t mean to
upset you.”
I offered a small smile, hoping it looked genuine. “I know. That’s why I
wanted to apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”
Rolex leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. “We
understand,” he said slowly, though I could tell he was still suspicious.
Throughout breakfast, I kept up the act, answering their questions
politely and even making small talk. It was exhausting, pretending to be
kind to people who had caused me so much pain, but it was necessary.
As the meal was wrapping up, my uncle entered the room, his face
lighting up when he saw me. “Mia, I wanted to tell you something
important,” he said, taking a seat at the head of the table.
“What is it?” I asked, tilting my head curiously.
“The Atwood brothers will be staying with us for a while,” he
announced, gesturing toward them. “Their pack is working on a
cooperation with the Blood Moon pack. It’s an exciting opportunity for
both sides.”
My smile froze, and I had to fight the urge to glare at him.
“Cooperation?” I repeated, my tone carefully neutral.
“Yes,” Damon chimed in, leaning back in his chair. “They’ll be helping
with some of our businesses and training the warriors to prove their
loyalty. We’ve agreed to give them a chance.”
My stomach churned, but I forced myself to nod. “That sounds… great,”
I said, my voice tight.
Rolex smirked slightly, as if he could sense my discomfort. “We’re
looking forward to working with you, Princess,” he remarked, his tone
laced with amusement.
Later that day, I learned the full extent of their involvement. Not only
were they staying at the estate, but they would also be working directly
under me as their supervisor. When Damon informed me, I nearly
laughed at the irony.
“This won’t be easy,” Ima warned, her voice sharp in my mind. “They’re
too close for comfort.”
“I know,” I thought back, clenching my fists. “But this could work in my
favor. If they’re under my supervision, I can control how this plays out.”
By the time I arrived at the training grounds to oversee the warriors, I
had steeled my nerves. The brothers were already there, dressed in
training gear and talking amongst themselves.
Xavier noticed me first and waved. “Princess,” he greeted with a small
nod. “Here to keep an eye on us?”
“That’s my job,” I replied coolly, crossing my arms. “I’ll be evaluating
your performance, so try not to disappoint.”
Sean chuckled, adjusting his stance. “No pressure, huh?”
“None at all,” I shot back, a faint smirk playing on my lips.
As the training session began, I kept a close eye on them, taking mental
notes of their strengths and weaknesses. Despite my personal feelings, I
couldn’t deny that they were skilled fighters. They moved with precision
and strength, commanding respect from the warriors they trained with.
But I refused to let their skills distract me. I needed to stay focused, to
remind myself of why I was doing this.
“They’re trying to prove themselves,” Ima observed. “Don’t let them
fool you.”
“They won’t,” I promised silently.
By the time the session ended, the warriors were exhausted, and the
brothers were breathing heavily but still standing tall. Rolex approached
me, wiping sweat from his brow.
“So, how did we do?” he asked, his tone light but with a hint of
challenge.
I raised an eyebrow, pretending to think it over. “Adequate,” I said
finally. “But there’s room for improvement.”
Xavier chuckled, shaking his head. “Tough critic.”
“I have high standards,” I replied, turning on my heel. “Let’s see if you
can meet them.”
As I walked away, I could feel their eyes on me, and a small, satisfied
smile tugged at my lips. Let them try to impress me. Let them think they
had a chance.
Because when the time came, I would be the one in control. And they
wouldn’t know what hit them.
After the exhausting training session and a long day of pretending
everything was fine, I finally returned to my room to relax. I was still
replaying the moments with the brothers in my head, trying to analyze
every word and every look they’d given me.
Before I could overthink further, a knock on my door broke through my
thoughts. “Come in,” I called, sitting up.
Daisy burst in, her face glowing with excitement. She practically bounced
toward me, her happiness so infectious that I couldn’t help but smile.
“Mia!” she exclaimed, sitting beside me. “I found him!”
I blink in confusion. “Found who?”
“My mate!” she squealed, grabbing my hands. “I can’t believe it. I finally
found him!”
My eyes widened, and a genuine smile spread across my face. “Daisy,
that’s amazing! Who is he? What’s he like?”
She blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “He’s… perfect,”
she gushed. “Strong, kind, and so handsome. You’ll love him, Mia. I’m
sure of it.”
Her excitement was contagious, and I couldn’t help but share in her joy.
“I can’t wait to meet him,” I said sincerely.
Daisy’s eyes lit up. “I was hoping you’d say that! I’ve arranged for him to
meet us at the restaurant tonight. You’ll finally get to see him.”
Later that evening, Daisy and I arrived at a cozy restaurant on the edge of
the pack’s territory. The warm lighting and soft music set a relaxing
tone, and I could tell Daisy was buzzing with anticipation.
As we sat down at our table, she couldn’t stop glancing at the door. “He
should be here any minute,” she said, practically bouncing in her seat.
I smiled, watching her excitement. “I’m happy for you, Daisy. You
deserve this.”
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed, and she frowned as she
checked the screen. “Oh no,” she murmured, her face falling.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, concern creeping into my voice.
“It’s an emergency,” she said, standing up abruptly. “I have to go back
to the packhouse. I’m so sorry, Mia, but can you wait here for him? I
don’t want him to think I stood him up.”
I nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. “Go take care of what you need
to. I’ll let him know what happened.”
Daisy squeezed my hand gratefully before rushing out of the restaurant,
leaving me alone at the table.
I waited patiently, sipping my drink and trying to guess what Daisy’s
mate would be like. She’d described him as strong and kind-qualities I
admired. Maybe he was a warrior or someone important in the pack.
The sound of the restaurant door opening caught my attention, and I
turned to look. My breath hitched as I saw who walked in.
Tristan.
He froze when our eyes met, his expression shifting from surprise to
disbelief. “Mia?” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I stood up, my heart racing. “Tristan?”
Before I could say anything else, he crossed the room in a few long
strides and wrapped me in a tight hug. “It’s really you,” he murmured,
his voice filled with relief. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
I stiffened for a moment, overwhelmed by his sudden closeness, but then
I relaxed, letting myself melt into the embrace. His familiar scent
surrounded me, a mix of cedarwood and something uniquely him.
“It’s me,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’m here.”