CHAPTER 416: ALPHA NEEDS TO BE PUNISHED

Evaline:

Stars above, I regretted getting out of bed.

The moment my bare foot touched the first stair, a sharp ache pulsed between my thighs and shot up my spine. I groaned softly, gripping the railing as I tried to make my descent without looking like a wounded wolf.

Immediately, a pair of hands reached toward me, but before those guilty fingers could touch me, I turned my glare toward Draven.

He froze. His hand dropped back to his side as if burned.

"Eva..." His voice carried a guilty softness that almost... almost... made me forgive him. "I didn’t mean to hurt you."

I arched a brow, my voice tight with both soreness and sarcasm. "Really? Because I recall telling you several times to stop last night, but you barely seemed to hear me."

He winced, running a hand through his tousled dark hair. "I know, I know." His emerald eyes darted away for a second before returning to mine. "But you were enjoying it... I just wanted to give you a great time."

"A great time?" I repeated incredulously, placing a hand on my hip. "Yes, Draven, I’m having a wonderful time right now." I gestured at my unsteady legs and the faint limp I was sporting. "Truly memorable."

His lips twitched like he was fighting a smile but wisely didn’t let it win. "You are mad."

"You think?"

Before he could respond, two familiar voices came from behind us.

"Looks like we walked in at the perfect moment," Oscar drawled as he and Kieran appeared at the top of the stairs. Both looked freshly dressed for breakfast, casual yet regal in their own way.

Oscar’s eyes swept over me, immediately narrowing as he took in my slow movements. Then his gaze darted toward Draven, who visibly stiffened.

"What did you do, little brother?" His voice turned mockingly stern. "Did you make our Luna upset?"

Draven groaned softly. "Don’t start, Oscar."

"Oh, I’m definitely starting." Oscar placed a hand over his heart and looked at me dramatically. "Eva, would you like me to punish him? I can make him regret whatever he did. I have been waiting for a good reason to kick his butt anyway."

Despite my irritation, a small laugh escaped me. "I appreciate the offer, Oscar. He might actually need a reminder to listen next time."

"Perfect. Consider it done." Oscar smirked at Draven, who shot him a murderous look.

Before Draven could argue, Kieran stepped closer. "Enough of this," he said in that deep, steady tone that always managed to still the air around us. His eyes softened as they met mine. "Come here, Evaline."

Before I could protest, he scooped me up in his arms like I weighed nothing at all.

"Kieran!" I gasped, clinging instinctively to his shoulders as he descended the stairs effortlessly. "I can walk!"

"Clearly, you can’t," he replied, his voice calm but teasing. "You’ll only hurt yourself more. Let me."

Draven muttered something behind us that sounded like a cross between a groan and a growl, but Kieran ignored him completely.

The scent of breakfast wafted through the air - warm bread, roasted meat, herbs - as Kieran carried me into the dining hall and gently set me down on a chair.

"I’ll give you a good massage after breakfast," he promised quietly, his hand brushing against mine for a moment. "It’ll ease the soreness."

The brief contact sent a strange flutter through my chest... unexpected and yet... comforting.

"Thank you," I murmured, my cheeks warming.

Draven sat on my other side, clearly sulking. "I can give you a massage too, you know."

Oscar chuckled from across the table. "You have done enough massaging for one night, brother."

The chuckles that followed eased the tension. I couldn’t stay truly mad at Draven, even if I wanted to. Especially not when he kept sneaking guilty glances at me, his fingers fidgeting with the ring on his hand... a habit he had whenever he felt bad.

Breakfast passed peacefully after that. We spoke of nothing important - just light, easy chatter. Lioren’s happy babbles filled the air when I nursed him afterward, his small hands clutching my finger while his eyes blinked up at me.

Afterward, Draven and Oscar joined me on the couch to play with our son. Watching Draven’s strong hands hold Lioren so delicately made my heart melt despite everything. Oscar kept making silly faces that had our baby laughing uncontrollably, and soon, even I was laughing with them.

By then, my irritation toward Draven had faded into faint amusement. He caught my gaze once and mouthed, I’m sorry.

I sighed but smiled. "You are forgiven," I whispered back.

Before he could respond, River walked in - dressed in his usual CEO attire, his calm presence grounding the entire room. He leaned down to kiss my forehead, then pressed a gentle kiss to Lioren’s tiny one.

"I have to attend to pack matters," he said softly. "I’ll be back by lunch."

"Your presence will be missed," I murmured.

His lips curved in that faint smile before he left through the front doors.

The morning passed quietly after that. Lioren fell asleep in my arms about two hours later, his breaths soft and even. Vanessa appeared soon after, bowing respectfully before taking him to the nursery.

I watched her disappear up the stairs, my heart full yet strangely heavy. Motherhood still felt new to me... beautiful and overwhelming in equal measure.

As I turned back toward the hall, I found Oscar stretching his arms lazily. "Well then," he said cheerfully, "time to make good on my promise."

Draven groaned. "You can’t be serious."

"Oh, I’m very serious," Oscar said, his eyes glinting mischievously. "The new recruits are waiting in the training field. You’ll be my demonstration partner for today’s session."

"You mean your punching bag," Draven muttered.

Oscar grinned. "Exactly."

I laughed as Draven cast me a desperate look, but I merely raised a brow. "Go on. Think of it as part of your apology."

He sighed in defeat and followed his brother out, muttering something about unfair mates and cruel older siblings.

When the room finally quieted, I let out a long breath and leaned back against the couch. The morning sunlight filtered through the windows, warm and golden, brushing against my skin like silk.

Then, I remembered Kieran’s promise.

My stomach fluttered unexpectedly.

He had said it so casually - I’ll give you a massage after breakfast - yet those simple words had lingered in my mind ever since. Kieran was gentle by nature, but there was something about his quiet intensity that always made me nervous in the best way.

So far, the only truly intimate thing between us had been a few kisses - soft, hesitant, and impossibly tender. But the thought of him touching me, even in something as innocent as a massage, made my heart race.

By the time I made my way toward his room, I had convinced myself I was overthinking it. This was just Kieran helping me recover. That was all.

And yet, when I entered his bedroom, my breath caught.

The room was bathed in soft light. The curtains were half-drawn, allowing golden beams to spill across the large bed covered with fresh linens. The faint scent of sandalwood and something faintly floral lingered in the air.

He stood near the window, setting aside a small bowl of oil on the bedside table. When he turned to look at me, his lips curved in that familiar, quiet smile that always made my chest feel too tight.

"You came," he said simply, his voice deep and smooth.

I swallowed, nodding. "You... really meant it."

"Of course." His eyes softened, but there was something unreadable beneath the calm... something that made my pulse quicken. "You are in pain, Evaline. I just want to help."

I tried to smile, ignoring the way my fingers fidgeted with the edge of my sleeve. "Then I’ll accept the help."

His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, then he gestured gently toward the bed. "Good. Why don’t you get comfortable while I prepare?"

And just like that, my heart started to race again.