Chapter 0015

The entire Sunday was dedicated to strategizing. Donovan is fully committed and even managed to gather some intel for me. I'm feeling confident about the upcoming week. Everything will come together on my birthday, and I can only pray it's enough time to get closer to Evelyn.

Monday arrives with an early start. I've never witnessed Evelyn's training sessions, and now that I've connected the face to the name, my curiosity is piqued. Risking looking like a stalker, I position myself in a second-floor guest room of the pack house that offers a clear view of the training grounds where my father drills the warriors.

The room remains dark as I silently crack open the window. Warriors begin trickling out, stretching and warming up. She hasn't arrived yet. Just as I settle in to wait, movement catches my eye near the tree line.

A magnificent russet wolf emerges from the forest, a duffel bag clamped between her jaws. Selene. Evelyn must run here from her home every morning. No wonder she's always so prepared - a five-mile warmup would put anyone in peak condition.

I watch as she disappears behind a tree and reemerges in leggings, an oversized hoodie, and sneakers. Her curly hair is pulled into a messy ponytail, the short strands spiraling in every direction. My breath hitches. She's breathtaking.

Her scent reaches me as she joins the other warriors, and an immediate calm washes over me.

"Morning, Firecracker," Sebastian greets her with a fist bump.

"Call me that again and you'll be eating dirt before warmups are over," she counters without missing a beat.

The warriors chuckle, continuing their stretches. If I hadn't realized it Friday when several of my men were ready to defend her honor, it's crystal clear now - they respect her immensely. She's one of them. And I'm dying to see her skills firsthand.

For the next two hours, I'm treated to a masterclass. Evelyn dismantles every opponent with terrifying efficiency, like a hurricane tearing through a field of wheat.

I can't wipe the grin off my face. She's phenomenal - lightning fast, impossibly agile, and a tactical genius. Sebastian proves to be her toughest match. He's an excellent fighter, relying on strategy rather than brute strength, constantly probing for weaknesses.

Yet against Evelyn, he comes up empty-handed.

Their banter is constant. This must be their dynamic - equal parts competition and camaraderie. Sebastian's always been a trash-talker, but Evelyn seems to reserve her verbal sparring mainly for him.

When training concludes, I linger, hoping to catch another glimpse of Selene. What I don't expect is to see my father walking Evelyn to the forest's edge, his arm draped over her shoulders like she's his own daughter.

The sight is jarring. The only person I've ever seen him show affection to is my mother. They exchange words before he kisses the top of her head - a gesture so uncharacteristic it leaves me stunned.

As Selene emerges from the trees, she lets out a playful bark. My father turns, waves, and heads inside while she takes off toward home in that effortless loping gait.

Suddenly aware of the time, I rush through a shower and grab my things. I'm nearly late, barreling down the stairs and into the kitchen when I collide with Donovan at the landing.

"Whoa there, Adrian! Brought you breakfast," he says, holding out a paper bag. "Figured you'd need it after your...observations this morning."

"You're a lifesaver," I say, grabbing the food. "Everything set for today?"

"Locked and loaded," he confirms as we head out.

The game is afoot.