Ares POV

　　3 weeks ago

　　It had been weeks since the unsettling events unfolded. After receiving that mysterious letter, there had been no further developments, leaving a lingering sense of unease in its wake. Similarly, it had been three weeks since I stumbled upon Dana in the Sun Flower Pack, but I chose to brush it off- perhaps she had become Bathel's maid, a thought that stirred frustration within me.

　　The mere idea that Bathel might be aware of Dana's past with me and had welcomed her into his pack irked me to no end. I couldn't shake the suspicion that he was plotting something.

　　Yet, in the grand scheme of things, her whereabouts and well-being were what truly mattered. At least now, I had some semblance of peace knowing she was alive and accounted for.

　　Zyril had returned to my pack, but I decided to restrict his movements for fear that Bathel might be monitoring his actions after his previous antics in the Sun Flower Pack.

　　Today, I resolved to spend more time with Blaire. Our relationship had felt distant lately, and I believed getting to know her better could help me distract myself from other concerns weighing on my mind.

　　I decided to check on Blaire in her chamber, but to my dismay, she was nowhere to be found.

　　"Blaire?" I called out, hoping for a response, but silence greeted me.

　　"You know she's not there," Blaze's voice chimed in, his words cutting through my frustration. Taking a deep breath, I attempted to compose myself.

　　Resigned, I turned away and made my way through the pack's house lobby, but Blaire was conspicuously absent. I continued walking until I reached the exit of the pack's territory.

　　"Where are you?" I sent a mind-link to Blaire, my worry growing with each passing moment.

　　"Alpha, what are you looking for?" Ander approached me, his tone curious. "Are you interested in checking some invitations- ?"

　　"No," I cut him off, my frustration evident in my tone. "I haven't had any time to spend with my own Luna lately, so why would I waste my time attending their invitations?" I questioned him sharply, noting the sigh that escaped him.

　　"Well, I suppose that's a valid point," Ander conceded, "but just so you know, I saw the Luna leaving earlier after spending some time in the dungeon level."

　　My heart sank at the mention of the dungeon. "I doubt she'd be in the mood for socializing after being harassed," I murmured, my concern deepening.

　　Ander chuckled softly. "Ah, it seems you know more about your ex-girlfriend than you do about your Luna," he remarked casually, leaving me puzzled by his words.

　　"What do you mean by that?" I asked, a hint of confusion coloring my voice.

　　"Blaire Van Everhart fears nothing. She doesn't fear danger. The danger fears her. You have to imagine how it feels to face the female version of you- "

　　"Blaire is not a female version of mine," I snapped, my frustration bubbling to the surface as I cut him off. I could see the shift in his demeanor at my sharp response.

　　He smirked knowingly. "You know that your Luna is the female version of you," he remarked, his words carrying a hint of amusement.

　　"She's her person," I whispered, my voice tinged with frustration. "She operates independently, just as I do. I make decisions based on what I believe is right, not to please everyone," I explained, my hand instinctively reaching for my pocket.

　　Ander sighed, his expression softening. "I apologize," he murmured, realizing the impact of his words.

　　"Are you seriously looking for me?" Blaire's voice finally broke through the mind-link, pulling me back to reality.

　　I swallowed hard before responding, my gaze fixed on a girl whose hair obscured her face. A sense of recognition washed over me as I realized her hair bore a striking resemblance to Dana's.

　　I barely registered Blaire's reply as my mind raced with conflicting thoughts.

　　"I am in the forest. I just repeated," Blaire chuckled, her words barely registering as I brushed her message aside. Closing my eyes, I attempted to push aside thoughts of Dana and focus on the news that promised to bolster my power.

　　No, I needed to forget about Dana, shove her out of my mind, and concentrate solely on the path to greater strength and influence.

　　"I am coming for you," I declared through the mind-link, my determination resolute.

　　Turning to Ander, I nodded. "It seems like I finally know where she is," I confirmed, a sense of purpose propelling me forward.

　　As I approached the woods where Blaire stood, I noticed she was facing someone, with another figure lying breathing hard on the ground nearby. Curiosity tugged at me, but as I drew closer, I realized something profound- I felt no flutter of excitement at the sight of her. 

　　My heart remained still, unmoved by her presence. It dawned on me that I hadn't learned to love her; instead, I had merely learned to question my decisions.

　　Yet, despite my uncertainty, I remained convinced that marrying Blaire had been the right choice. She was the epitome of grace and desirability, a prize coveted by many but attained by few.

　　"Blaire," I called out, the tension palpable between us as she turned to face me. At that moment, my attention shifted to the distressed omega on the ground. Though I didn't understand what was happening, I trusted Blaire to handle the situation with her characteristic strength and poise.

　　"What happened?" I inquired, my confusion evident as I surveyed the scene before me.

　　Blaire's smile was enigmatic as she turned to face me. "I'm trying to train this little girl," she explained, her tone light, but I found myself struggling to muster any genuine interest in her endeavors.

　　"Is this part of the training?" I pressed, my skepticism evident as I watched her actions.

　　Blaire's hand instinctively moved to her chest as she met my gaze with unwavering intensity. "At the age of 16, I became a mentor to younglings. Can you believe it?" she remarked, her words tinged with a hint of irony. "This is what they subjected me to when I was just five years old- a relentless grooming to become more heartless. And my wolf, Regine, is simply a reflection of myself," she murmured, her voice carrying a weight of bitterness and resignation as she approached me.

　　She touched the side of my cheeks. "Do you know how lucky you are? You've just turned the heartless woman into someone who's a lover girl, but that only works on you." I didn't even move, I just stared at her eyes, and let her brush her lips on mine without responding to it.

　　Her lips grazed my neck, sending a shiver down my spine, but I instinctively reached out to touch her hand, signaling for her to stop.

　　"Is the girl okay?" I asked, concern etched in my voice.