Chapter 185: Tracking Ragnar

The days that followed André’s memorial passed uneventfully. Everything returned to normal, but the underlying tension remained present.

Nina had confirmed that Alyssa was healthy, though the air between them had been stiff and uncomfortable. The healer knew what Alyssa was now, and beneath her professional demeanor, she was terrified.

Meanwhile, Conri lay low, plotting silently in the shadows, while Elvira kept strictly to herself, now aware that more eyes were watching her every move.

One morning, Dorian dropped Alyssa off at the university gates as usual. Before she could reach for the door handle, he pulled her back against him, his arm locking securely around her waist.

"Are you sure you don’t want to take a break?" he murmured for the umpteenth time, his expression tight with reluctance. "I only have to make a call to Keno, and your admission will be deferred for a year."

"Dorian, we’ve been over this," Alyssa chuckled softly, resting a hand against his chest. "I don’t need a deferral. I’m fine, and I can handle classes. You have to stop worrying."

"How can I not?" Dorian countered, his thumb tracing her hip. "I miss my sweet, bubbly Alyssa. Instead, I get this serious, no-nonsense Luna who happens to look too breathtaking in that pink dress."

Alyssa burst out laughing, warmth rushing to her cheeks at the compliment. She instinctively smoothed the fabric of her short gown. "You’re just trying to distract me. But people grow up, Dorian. I grew up." She leaned in, pressing a light kiss to his lips. "But I’m still your bubbly Alyssa, I promise."

His lips curved into a soft smile. He closed the space between them, capturing her mouth in a deeper, more demanding kiss that left her slightly breathless before he finally pulled back.

The gloominess in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a fierce desire.

"That’s more like it," he beamed. "I have some business to attend to in the Eastern territory, so I’ll be back by dusk. Zed will pick you up when you’re finished. Until then, stay close to Alec. Do not leave his side."

"You know Alec doesn’t need to follow me everyday," Alyssa sighed. "Pilate is gone now. Who else is going to try anything on campus?"

"I’m not taking chances," Dorian said, his voice dropping into that unyielding Alpha tone. "We still don’t know who Pilate was working with, or who slipped that potion into the food. Until I find them, your safety is my only priority."

He tilted her chin up, holding her gaze. "Promise me you’ll stay with Alec. If anything feels off, let him know immediately, and call me."

"I promise," she conceded softly.

After the Sleeper’s Death incident, his paranoia had escalated. She was just grateful he hadn’t deployed a full battalion of guards to follow her every move.

Because of the poisoning, he had even instituted strict new protocols; guards now tasted every dish prepared by the cooks before anyone else touched it. That was the level of caution he was operating on.

He pressed one final kiss to her forehead and released her. The warmth vanished from his features as he turned his attention to the passenger seat.

"Alec?"

"Yes, Alpha?" the Gamma acknowledged without turning around.

"Keep your eyes on my Luna," Dorian ordered coldly. "Wait outside her classes until she’s done. Report anything unusual to me the second it happens."

"Understood, Alpha."

Dorian’s expression softened once more as he looked back at Alyssa. "See you later, baby. Love you."

"Love you too," she blew him a kiss, grabbed her handbag, and stepped out onto the paved walkway.

Dorian waited until she blended into the crowd of students entering the faculty building, Alec’s towering frame trailing a respectful distance behind her. Only when they disappeared from view did he give the order.

"Let’s go, Jake. I want to get this handled and get back before dark."

Jake, who had been sitting quietly behind the wheel, shifted into drive and cast Dorian a skeptical glance through the rearview mirror. "What are we actually looking for in the Eastern territory?"

"We’re tracking Ragnar."

Jake’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, his frown deepening. "The Rogue King?"

"Yes. A few scouts sent word he was spotted near the border last night. If there’s a chance he’s still lingering around, I’m going to take it."

"Alpha, remember what happened the last time you hunted Ragnar," Jake warned. "You pushed yourself and your beast to the brink. We can’t afford to repeat that."

"It won’t happen again," Dorian muttered, staring out the windshield. "I’m not hunting Ragnar today. I just need to search the area. I have a gut feeling he’s planning something, and I want to be prepared."

Jake hesitated. "Have you thought about what I mentioned last night? About Conri?"

Dorian didn’t answer immediately. He let out a slow breath. "As much as I despise Conri, he’s the patriarch of the Hellborne and Lowell bloodline, alongside Aunt Kalista. Throwing around accusations without proof isn’t how we operate."

"I know we don’t have proof yet," Jake pressed. "But keep your guard up. I don’t trust him. His behavior after the kidnapping and the drugging was suspicious."

"I don’t trust him either," Dorian said flatly. "Bringing Joffrey and his sister back into the hierarchy wasn’t a careless move on my part. I have my eyes on him. Leave it."

Without another word, Jake pressed down on the accelerator, steering the Rolls Royce out of the parking lot and speeding toward the highway.

...

Alyssa’s classes had gone surprisingly well. She had braced herself for cold shoulders and whispers from the other students who assumed she was wolfless, but the campus atmosphere was strangely accommodating.

Several students had even offered to help her write her notes, which she politely declined. Whether it was genuine kindness or because of her Luna status, she appreciated it.

The ride home passed in comfortable silence, with Zed driving, Alec up front, and Alyssa stretched out in the back seat, dozing against the leather headrest.

When they pulled up to the driveway of the mansion, silence greeted her.

"Where is everyone?" she asked Alec as he followed her into the living room.

"Anthony and Jake went with the Alpha," Alec reported, falling into step behind her. "Pandora and Henna are meeting with the welfare leaders for the upcoming charity event. As for Elvira, I think she stepped out earlier."

Alyssa didn’t care where Elvira was. She headed straight upstairs to the bedroom.

After a long, hot shower, she changed into a pair of soft jeans and one of Dorian’s oversized t-shirts, letting the lingering scent of his chocolatey cologne wrap around her.

Grabbing her bag, she decided to spend the afternoon reading in the quiet sanctuary of the library.

On her way there, she crossed paths with Cara who was carrying an armload of bedsheets and blankets towards the laundry room.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Cara dipped her head respectfully.

"Hello, Cara."

"Would you like to have lunch now? I can have a tray brought to the library if you’d like."

"That’s alright, I’m not very hungry," Alyssa smiled gently. "But I need some uninterrupted study time, hence I don’t want to be disturbed. Let Pandora and Henna know whenever they return and I’m not out yet."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

Alyssa pushed open the door of the library, stepped into the cool interior, and pulled it shut behind her. She tucked her art textbook under her arm, curled into the corner of the velvet sofa, and opened the pages.

She was so absorbed in her reading that she didn’t hear the soft click of the library door unlatching. Nor did she hear the quiet footsteps that slipped inside, or the soundless scrape of a key turning twice in the lock.