Chapter 481 Everything in this pack looks polluted

Earlier that day, Corvine and Athaliah had spent hours tucked away in the gym. Their conversation had zeroed in on business, flowing so easily and naturally that neither of them even noticed how much time had slipped away.

Athaliah wasn’t just tossing out wild, impossible ideas either. Every single request she made was seriously ambitious, yet she backed it all up with rock-solid plans and details that showed she’d done her homework. That level of preparation hit Corvine harder than he ever expected it would.

Very few people could actually keep pace with him when things got serious in the business world. Most folks either puffed up their own abilities way too much or completely failed to see the full picture. But Athaliah?

She was on another level. She pushed back against his opinions with real confidence, threw out smart alternatives that made him think twice, and even caught little details he’d completely overlooked.

She was exactly the kind of sharp, driven business partner he’d always respected deep down.

Still, Corvine held himself back from reaching out to Zane right then. Not because he doubted Athaliah’s readiness but because Zane’s presence would immediately send signals that he was on Seraphine’s side and if Daisy sees him, she might start plotting eviler.

Their discussion kept rolling deep into the night, full of energy and ideas that left them both buzzing. Even as other Alphas waited for the princess to leave for them to speak with Corvine about partnership, she didn’t.

By the time Corvine finally looked around, the once-packed gym had cleared out almost completely.

A knock at the door broke the silence as Kael stepped inside. “Excuse me, Corvine,” he said, his eyes flicking between the two of them before settling back on Corvine. “Alpha didn’t take the car. I’m pretty sure he shifted into his wolf form and ran because of all this heavy snow.”

Corvine walked over to the big window and stared out into the darkness. Snowflakes kept drifting down steadily over the pack grounds, turning everything into a soft white blanket.

Down near the driveway, Damon stood with a shovel in his hands at the same time barking orders at a bunch of omegas who were shoveling massive piles of snow.

A group of warriors had jumped in to help, making the work fly by faster.

When Corvine turned back around, a loud, soft rumble suddenly echoed through the quiet room. Athaliah’s cheeks flushed a bright pink—her stomach had totally betrayed her.

She let out an awkward little laugh and rubbed the back of her neck, clearly embarrassed but trying to play it cool.

“Beta Corvine… you know any good restaurants around here?” she asked.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “First off, just call me Corvine. I’m not a beta anymore.”

She nodded right away without missing a beat. “Then you’ve gotta stop with the ’princess Athaliah’ stuff too. It’s just Athaliah from now on.” A playful grin spread across her face as she added, “And yeah… I’m freaking starving over here.”

Corvine raised an eyebrow, amused. “Why didn’t you eat earlier? You paid for all that food.”

Athaliah wrinkled her nose, her face twisting with pure disgust. “Everything in this pack looks polluted. I couldn’t force myself to touch it.”

Corvine couldn’t hold back a deep chuckle. “Fair enough.”

He grabbed his coat with a decisive motion. “Come on, then. We’ll head somewhere outside the pack and grab something actually decent to eat.”

Her whole face lit up instantly, eyes sparkling with relief and excitement. “Now you’re speaking my language!”

After a solid dinner that left them both satisfied, they started the drive back toward the hotel. The roads were way quieter now, with just a few scattered cars crawling along the snowy streets.

Corvine casually glanced at his rearview mirror. A black sedan stayed several cars back, matching their pace. It had been tailing them for a while now. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

His instincts kicked into high gear, a prickling sense of unease tightening in his gut.

Without pulling his focus from the road, he spoke in a calm but serious tone. “Did your father hire someone to keep an eye on you?”

Athaliah turned to look behind them before slowly shaking her head. “My father’s still pretty pissed at me.” A small, tired sigh slipped out. “He wouldn’t even let me use his driver this time.”

She forced a weak smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “But don’t worry about it. Once the festival wraps up, I’m heading straight back to France anyway.”

Something heavy sank deep inside Corvine’s chest at those words. He hadn’t expected them to hit him like that, stirring up a weird mix of disappointment and reluctance he couldn’t quite shake. “So… what about New York?” His voice came out quieter than he meant it to. “You were talking about expanding your brand there.”

Her smile turned real and warm again. “I’m still going for it, don’t worry. But I’ve got a few things I need to wrap up in France first.”

Her eyes sparkled with that familiar energy. “And when I finally make it to New York, you better keep your promise.”

Corvine glanced over at her, a little confused. “What promise?”

She grinned wide. “You’re gonna be my host, remember?”

Corvine laughed softly under his breath, the sound warm and genuine. “Oh yeah, I remember now.” His expression softened noticeably. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

That answer seemed to light her up even more, and the comfortable silence that settled between them afterward helped ease the strange, heavy feeling still lingering in his chest.

Soon enough, Corvine pulled into the hotel’s parking area. As he parked, his eyes drifted back to the mirror one more time. The same black sedan rolled in and stopped several spaces away. His face hardened immediately. Whoever was inside wasn’t even trying to hide or leave.

Corvine stepped out of the car with purpose, turning to Athaliah, as he spoke in a firm and protective voice. “Please stay here.”

Without waiting for a reply, he strode straight toward the suspicious vehicle. The second the driver spotted him coming, the engine roared to life. Tires spun wildly, spraying snow everywhere as the sedan peeled out and sped away before Corvine could get close enough to see the driver’s face.

His eyes stayed locked on those vanishing taillights, a storm of suspicion and frustration building inside him. Something about this whole thing felt seriously off.

Back in the car, Athaliah had watched the entire scene unfold through the windshield. An uneasy knot twisted deep in her chest, her heart beating faster with worry.

Corvine returned a moment later, his jaw tight. “I couldn’t catch them,” he said, frustration clear in his tone. He opened her door and carefully escorted her inside the hotel.

With the whole building being booked by Voren, it was easy for Corvine to allocate whichever one he wanted for Athaliah.

They walked in together until they reached their rooms, which were right next to each other. Corvine unlocked Athaliah’s door and gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Get some rest. Good night.”

But Athaliah didn’t move. She stood there quietly, twisting her fingers together nervously. Corvine picked up on the anxious look in her eyes right away. “What’s going on?”

Athaliah hesitated for a second before finally meeting his gaze. For someone who could glare Alphas in the eyes, it was strange that she felt shy around Corvine.

“Corvine…” Her voice came out much softer and more vulnerable than usual. “I had a human friend who died all alone in a hotel room after having a heart attack.”

The painful memory clouded her face, making her look more fragile. “Ever since then, I’ve been absolutely terrified of staying by myself in hotels like this.”

She swallowed hard, gathering every bit of courage she had left. “Would you… mind if I slept on your couch tonight?”