Unbelievably Perverse

Alpha placed a hand on his chest, trying to steady the strange feeling rising within him. His gaze lingered in the direction the guards had taken Dali. Why was he feeling like this? Should he go after her? Ask her who she really was? But where would he even start?

With a frustrated groan, he ruffled his hair.

“Maids!” he called sharply.

A group of maids rushed in, forming a line in front of him.

“Clean this up,” he said, pointing to the shattered glass on the floor.

They bowed quickly and began tidying the mess. Without another word, he turned and left the room, heading back through the halls, still disturbed by the unexpected spark he had just felt.

Outside the Palace, Dali hit the ground hard as the guards tossed her out.

“Please! Let me in! I have an interview!” she shouted, scrambling to her feet.

“Sorry, miss. Orders are orders. Disobeying the Alpha is basically suicide,” one guard said flatly.

“Just let me take the interview! I swear I won’t cause trouble again,” she begged, her voice rising in desperation.

“You’re causing a scene. Please leave,” another guard said, motioning her away.

Dali clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. “Please, please!”

“Step back. We need to lock the gate,” the guard warned.

She sighed in defeat, heart sinking. Her dream of working in the pack house was shattered—and worse, she might never get to see that breathtaking Alpha again. She placed a hand on her chest and exhaled, still dazed from everything.

Then it hit her.

“My file!” she gasped. “Oh no!”

She spun toward the guards. “Sir! I left my file inside. It’s really important.”

The guard rolled his eyes. “Look, there’s no trick that’ll work. Orders are orders. Please leave.”

“I swear I’m not lying. The file is pink and sitting on an empty chair in the interview room!”

“There are dozens of people in there,” he snapped. “How would I even spot an empty seat?”

“Please, sir. I remember exactly where it is. Just let me run in and grab it,” she pleaded.

The guard groaned. “Fine. Two minutes. In and out. That’s all you get.”

“Thank you!” she beamed, slipping through the gate.

Dali rushed inside, weaving through the hallways until she found the interview room again. There it was—her pink file, still on the chair. She picked it up and slid into the seat, smiling in victory.

But the moment was short-lived.

The guard stormed into the room, eyes scanning furiously—until they landed on her.

She gasped and ducked her head, hoping he wouldn’t notice. But no such luck.

“You think you’re smart, huh?” he growled, grabbing her arm and hauling her up.

“No! Wait!” she cried as he dragged her out and tossed her through the gate again, file and all.

“Now go—and don’t come back!”

Dali straightened her clothes with a huff. “Yeah, I’m going—but I will come back. Know why? Because I am smart!”

She turned and strutted away while the guard shook his head and slammed the gate shut.

Later that day, Dali trudged back to Celyn’s place, the image of Alpha Chase haunting her thoughts. His face, that jawline, his deep voice—it all replayed in her head like a romantic movie she couldn’t stop watching.

Even in casual clothes, he looked like a literal god. She could still picture the way his biceps flexed as he pointed at the broken glass. Her cheeks warmed. She clutched her chest and sighed.

“Why does he have to be that handsome? I need to see him again… I need to,” she whispered, reaching for Celyn’s doorknob.

She paused. Right—this wasn’t her house. She knocked.

“Come in!” Celyn called from inside.

Dali pushed the door open and slipped in. Celyn immediately stood from the couch and marched over.

“Whoa! You look like someone who just got caught in a thunderstorm. What happened? Did you see him?”

Dali didn’t answer. She made a beeline for the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and chugged it. Then she collapsed onto the couch with a dramatic groan.

Celyn followed. “Girl. Talk to me. Did you see the Alpha?”

Dali’s lips curled into a dreamy smile. “I saw him.”

Celyn blinked. “You did?! Then what’s with the mopey face?”

“He had me thrown out of the palace,” Dali said with a pout.

“What?! Why?” Celyn gasped.

Dali chuckled sheepishly. “I kind of… snuck into his room. And accidentally broke a glass.”

“You what?!” Celyn shrieked.

“I didn’t mean to! I got bored waiting for my name to be called. So I… went looking for him.”

Celyn smacked Dali lightly on the forehead. “You’re unbelievable! You’re lucky he didn’t have you executed! Thank the moon goddess he spared you!”

Dali just sighed dreamily. “He’s so cute, Celyn. Like, dangerously cute.”

Celyn gave her a side-eye. “Okay, yeah, he’s fine. But girl—don’t ever try that again. You might not get off so easy next time.”

“You should’ve seen his eyes—those blue crescent eyes. I swear, he's a walking perfection.”

Celyn groaned. “Seriously? What about the maid job?”

“I couldn’t do the interview. They threw me out before it even started,” Dali admitted. “But… I want to see him again.”

“I told you not to go,” Celyn snapped. “I told you it was a bad idea. But no—you never listen!”

“Duhhh,” Dali said, rolling her eyes.

The following day, Alpha Chase sat in his secret place, hidden deep in the woods just beyond the palace walls. This was his refuge—where he always came to think, to breathe, to escape the madness of being Alpha. Especially when Roetta haunted his memories, or when he’d driven another she-wolf away just for trying to get too close.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree trunk. But instead of Roetta, a new face filled his thoughts. That odd, stubborn girl from yesterday. Dali.

Why had he felt that spark again? That flicker of something he thought was long gone? He hadn’t felt that since.

His eyes snapped open.

Could she be—?

The sound of rustling leaves broke his thoughts. He turned sharply toward the noise—and there she was.

“You again?”