As the food was served, both Ysabel and Landon began placing dishes onto Tessa’s plate. Ysabel couldn’t believe her eyes – her uncle had never done such a thing for anyone, not even her.
After lunch, Landon personally drove both girls back to school. Later that evening, he even came to pick them up after their night classes.
Ysabel was overwhelmed with gratitude, thinking Landon was going out of his way to comfort her after the incident.
After dropping Ysabel off at the Thorne family estate, she turned to her uncle. “Uncle, you better make sure Tessa gets home safely. Don’t you dare bully her! If you do, I’ll… I’ll…” She faltered, realizing she couldn’t bring herself to threaten him. “Never mind. You wouldn’t bully her anyway.”
Once Ysabel was inside, Landon turned the car around. Without Ysabel present, Tessa dropped her pretense.
“Mr. Thorne, what exactly do you want from me?” she asked directly.
The idea that the Nightshade Pack’s alpha and the CEO of Thorne Corp was spending an entire day circling around her without ulterior motives? Impossible.
“Do you remember when you saved me in Falindale?” Landon’s tone was calm but serious. “The people behind the attack know it was you who helped me. Now you’re in danger.”
“Danger?” Tessa responded nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow. “And?”
“Until the threat is eliminated, I’ll protect you.”
“Oh…”
For now, she was just a regular student with an unawakened wolf. She should react like one.
“Pack your things. You’ll move to Wisteria Apartment. It’s my territory, and it’s safe.”
The people after Landon were likely connected to that mysterious organization she’d tangled with before – dangerous, no doubt. But Tessa wasn’t about to waste her time on them. She had bigger plans in Navoris.
Since Landon was insistent on taking responsibility, she decided to give him the opportunity.
After packing her belongings at the hotel, she followed Landon to Wisteria Apartment, the most luxurious residential complex in Navoris. As a highly coveted school district property, the price tag was astronomical.
“You don’t live here, do you?” Tessa asked as they arrived.
“Occasionally,” Landon replied, guiding her to set up her fingerprint access. “Stay here as long as necessary. I won’t be living here during this time.”
“Thanks.”
Landon opened the door to a sleek, minimalist apartment that matched his composed and professional demeanor.
Later, the two went down to the supermarket. Tessa quickly picked out her necessities, finishing in under fifteen minutes. Exhausted from the day, she turned back to find that Landon was nowhere in sight.
Too tired to look for him, she waited at the checkout.
But instead of Landon, she saw Queenie – who clearly hadn’t expected to run into her here.
“Well, look who it is! The Sinclair family’s disgrace, Tessa! Last time, you were fooling around with Rogues. Who’s your target now?” Queenie’s voice was loud enough for everyone around them to hear.
“Queenie, who is she?” The man standing beside Queenie, her boyfriend York Gallant, couldn’t take his eyes off Tessa.
Queenie, though pretty herself, paled in comparison to Tessa. Standing at about 5’7″, Tessa’s long legs, flawless complexion, and unforgettable face – with those striking blue eyes – drew everyone’s attention.
Seeing York’s gaze linger on Tessa, Queenie’s irritation grew. She’s the same as always – shameless and constantly seducing men.
“York Gallant! What’s your problem? What does she have to do with you?” Queenie’s voice brimmed with jealousy.
York couldn’t tear his eyes away from Tessa.
Afraid that York might fall for Tessa’s charms, Queenie quickly pulled him away. “Yorkie, I’m ready,” she whispered suggestively.
Queenie had planned everything for tonight. She wanted to give herself to York to prove her purity and make Tessa’s “filth” even more apparent.
York wrapped an arm around Queenie’s waist. “Queenie, I love you,” he said smoothly. If she was offering herself, he wasn’t about to refuse.
But even as they walked out, York glanced back at Tessa one last time. Cold, proud, and breathtakingly beautiful – her slender waist and endless legs sparked wild imaginings.
Landon emerged from another aisle just in time to catch York’s lingering stare. His expression darkened. If that gaze was directed at Tessa, Landon wouldn’t hesitate to have those lustful eyes removed.
“Do you know him?” Landon asked, his voice cool.
“A classmate,” Tessa replied, knowing exactly who he meant.
Landon tossed his items into the cart and went to check out. When Tessa pulled out her wallet, he paid before she could.
By the time they returned to the apartment, it was past midnight.
“Take a shower and get some rest,” Landon said.
“Mm.”
At the door, Tessa moved to see him out. As Landon reached the exit, he paused.
“That classmate from earlier – stay away from them,” he said. “They’re no good.”
Tessa nodded absentmindedly. They’re not worth my time anyway.
“Give me your phone.”
Tessa handed it over, watching as he quickly input a number and saved it to her contacts.
“If anything happens, call me. And lock the door behind me.”
“Mr. Thorne, you don’t have to do all this,” Tessa said, looking at him thoughtfully. He knew she wasn’t weak – she’d fought off over a dozen werewolf mercenaries, after all. She wasn’t as helpless as he seemed to think.
Still, she didn’t find his efforts irritating. If anything, they felt unexpectedly… warm.
Landon, who had already turned to leave, stopped in his tracks at her words. Instinctively, he turned back around.
Not expecting him to stop so abruptly, Tessa accidentally collided with him.
“Are you okay?” Landon immediately steadied her, his hands firm yet gentle.
Tessa looked up at him, their eyes meeting. For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
In that instant, her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably once more…
That feeling again.
Just like the first time their eyes met, Tessa found herself captivated by Landon’s deep, penetrating gaze. It was as if the rest of the world had disappeared, leaving only him.
Her usually steady heartbeat raced uncontrollably.
They were so close that she could catch the faint, comforting scent of pinewood from him. It was intoxicating. A strange, unfamiliar desire to step even closer stirred within her.
For all her capabilities, Tessa was a complete novice when it came to matters of the heart. Realizing how out of sorts she felt, she quickly averted her eyes and took a step back to create some distance.
Landon noticed her sudden retreat and immediately spoke to diffuse her discomfort. “You don’t have to overthink it. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
Though it wasn’t entirely true. Landon did feel something for her, but Tessa was young, and he had no intention of scaring her.
“I didn’t overthink anything,” Tessa replied tersely, trying to push down the unfamiliar emotions bubbling up inside her. She turned abruptly and went inside, closing the door firmly behind her.
The moment the door shut, Flex’s voice echoed in Landon’s mind through their Mind Link.
“You upset her! She’s definitely mad because you made her uncomfortable!”
“No,” Landon responded calmly. “She’s just shy.”
Recalling her flustered, almost annoyed expression, Landon couldn’t help but smile.
Since meeting Tessa, her demeanor had been mostly indifferent, cool, and detached. But tonight, he’d seen a glimpse of something new – something youthful and endearing, and it stirred something in him.
Tessa, meanwhile, took a shower and lay down. She had planned to play games for a while but fell asleep almost immediately, the events of the day having drained her energy.
The next morning, York dropped Queenie off at school.
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