Alpha Nathan Pov.

To be completely honest, I had completely lost track of time while being with Isabella. I had no idea if we were waiting for dinner or lunch at this point.

Time seemed to stop whenever she was in my arms like this. I wasn't thinking about Ethan or Lily or any of the pack politics that usually consumed my thoughts.

For these precious moments, nothing else in the world existed except Isabella and the way she made me feel.

We played around for a while, touching and kissing but not fully giving in to our desires--we were both too exhausted from the emotional confrontation that had just happened.

Eventually, we fixed our clothes and hair, then walked back to our table as casually as possible, though I'm sure everyone in the restaurant had some idea of what we'd been doing.

We sat down and ate our meal as quickly as we could, aware that we needed to get to that pack gathering soon.

I poured myself a glass of rich red wine, then instead of drinking it myself, I held it out toward Isabella with a playful smile. "Here, take a sip. It's excellent." I watched her reaction carefully, enjoying the way her eyes widened slightly.

She blinked in surprise, looking from the glass to my face. "Huh? You want me to drink from your glass?" The idea seemed to both surprise and intrigue her.

I couldn't help but smile at her innocent reaction. "What's wrong? Are you afraid a little alcohol might get you all hot and bothered?"

I winked teasingly, loving the way her cheeks immediately flushed pink. "Because I certainly wouldn't mind taking care of that problem for you later tonight."

Her blush deepened to a beautiful crimson as she snatched the glass from my hand. Instead of taking a delicate sip as I expected, she tipped her head back and gulped down the entire contents in one go.

"No, not at all," she insisted as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand in an adorably unladylike manner. "I just wanted to remind you about that important party. We really should get going soon if we don't want to be late."

She was clearly trying to change the subject, which only made me want to tease her more.

I nodded and signaled for the check, then paid it normally when it arrived. Unlike some other Alphas who expected special treatment wherever they went, I always insisted on being treated like anyone else.

I firmly believed that my position as Alpha meant I should be giving to others, not taking advantage of my status for personal gain. That was something my father had taught me from a young age--true leadership was about service, not privilege.

We made our way to the car, laughing and joking the whole way about the expression on Lily's face when she stormed out of the bathroom.

Just as I started the engine, my cell phone buzzed loudly in my pocket. I was too busy adjusting the mirrors to grab it myself. "Hey, could you take that for me? Just read me the message, please." I asked Isabella casually.

She hesitantly took the phone from my pocket, but as soon as she looked at the screen, her entire demeanor changed. "It's... um..." she stammered nervously, her fingers tightening around the device.

I immediately slowed the car down and turned to look at her. "What is it? What's wrong?" The sudden change in her mood concerned me. Was it bad news? Another threat?

Isabella sighed uncomfortably and looked down at her lap. "I think maybe I shouldn't go to the castle tonight after all. I'm really scared, Nathan." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and I could see genuine fear in her eyes.

"Go where? What are you talking about?" I was completely confused by her reaction. What could possibly be in that message to frighten her so much?

Instead of explaining, she simply handed me the phone. As soon as I saw the message, I immediately understood her fear.

It was from my old friend Alpha Kwan Bernard--the very man Isabella was terrified of. She had heard rumors that he was a ruthless killer who led the rogue wolves on the territory borders.

The message read: [Where the hell are you, buddy? I'm already at your castle waiting. Get your ass over here now.]

To me, it was just a typical message from an old friend who had always been direct and sometimes crude in his communication style. But I understood why Isabella would be frightened, given the stories she'd heard about him.

I didn't want to get into a long explanation about Kwan's actual personality right then. I knew she would feel much better after meeting him in person and seeing that most of those rumors were greatly exaggerated.

Instead, I decided to change the subject entirely. "Hey, guess what we're going to do right now? We're going shopping for a beautiful new dress for you and a sharp suit for me! We should both look absolutely amazing tonight, don't you think?"

As soon as we reached the nearest high-end shopping mall, I practically dragged her out of the car and rushed straight to the most exclusive formalwear boutique in the city.

I immediately spotted a stunning white dress that I knew would look perfect on Isabella. "Try this one on," I insisted, handing it to her with excitement. "I think you're going to love how it looks."

While she went to the fitting room, I picked out a matching white suit for myself. I didn't even bother trying it on--I just quickly changed into it right there in the store.

Then I waited impatiently for Isabella to emerge from the fitting room, pacing back and forth until finally, the curtain parted.

The moment she stepped out, time seemed to stand completely still. She looked absolutely breathtaking--like something straight out of a fairy tale.

The white dress hugged her curves perfectly before flowing out into a gorgeous skirt that seemed to float around her.

Her beauty was so overwhelming that I literally couldn't speak for several seconds. I just stood there with my jaw hanging open, completely mesmerized by the vision standing before me.

When I finally found my voice again, only one word came to mind--the perfect description of the woman I loved. "CINDERELLA," I whispered in awe, knowing in that moment that I would do absolutely anything to keep her safe and make her happy for the rest of our lives together.