Chapter 0019

My mind races. The OWNER? Who has that kind of influence? It narrows things down—someone with status, a relative, or someone who called in a favor. That last option opens up possibilities again. There's no way I could guess who might have leverage over the owner.

I finish my meal and lift the lid off the smaller plate. The rich aroma of chocolate hits me instantly. Not just any chocolate—these are Celestia's famous brownies, my absolute weakness. Either this person got lucky or they know me disturbingly well.

Every bite is heaven, but I eat until I'm uncomfortably full. The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. Gathering my things, I hesitate over the leftovers. I've arranged them neatly, but where do they go?

Theodora appears, starting to clear the table.

I smile at her. "Thank you. The food was incredible. I heard you're the owner?"

She turns with a warm smile. "That's correct, Ms. Sinclair. My mate and I own Celestia."

My pulse jumps. "Then you know who ordered this for me?"

Her smile turns knowing. "I do. And before you ask—no, I won't tell you."

My smile falters, but I press on. "What if I ask something else? Like—is it a family member?"

"Not someone I'm related to."

"Did they owe you a favor?"

"No. I did this because I appreciate romance."

"Can you at least tell me which pack they're from?"

She shakes her head. "Sorry. I was instructed not to reveal anything—no pack, rank, or status that might give them away."

I sigh. "Well, thank you for what you did share. And again, the food was amazing. Please compliment the chef."

"I'll tell Leopold you loved his cooking." She chuckles as she finishes clearing the table.

Stepping out of the cafeteria, I collide with something solid—Adrian's chest.

I stumble back, meeting those distracting eyes.

"CELESTIA, huh? What's the occasion?"

Ugh. Not in the mood for my future Alpha today. "Not that it concerns you, but someone sent me lunch."

"Flowers yesterday, Celestia today. Someone's making a very public claim on one of my pack members."

"Your FUTURE pack," I correct, pushing past him. He keeps pace effortlessly.

"So who's the lucky guy?"

"No idea."

"Come on, you must have some clue."

"None."

"And you're okay with that? Some stranger publicly claiming you?"

I shrug. "I'll figure it out. It's not like he'll stay secret forever. And I plan to uncover his identity long before he reveals it."

"Maybe it's Alpha Sebastian. I saw you two at the club."

"Nope. Not him."

"How do you know?"

"First, he wouldn't call himself a secret admirer. Second, he texted me last night asking about the flowers. So no, not him."

Adrian smirks. "Looks like we've got ourselves a high school mystery."

I reach my classroom and turn to him. "I WILL find out who he is."

As the door closes behind me, I swear I hear him mutter, "Good luck with that."