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"My brother can be hot-tempered. I’m sorry I couldn’t help. Did he hurt you?" Alessia asked as she made herself comfortable in front of the dining table. She was already salivating due to the aroma of the dishes in front of her.

Valerie’s meals were always irresistible, and it didn’t look like she cooked for herself alone. This looked like a feast, and Alessia felt she needed to bring in more groceries later.

Valerie contemplated telling Alessia what her brother did but shook her head in the end. It was too embarrassing to let out, and how would she explain how she felt about it? Alessia might just be upset with her brother, and Valerie didn’t want that.

"No. He didn’t hurt me. He only came to warn me not to disrespect him again."

Alessia scoffed, still unable to get over the incident at training. For as long as she could remember, her brother went overboard, which wasn’t the best. "He deserves it for what he put you through. Does he think it’s easy to live without one’s wolf?"

If Alpha Denzel wasn’t her brother and Alpha, she would have done something bad to him, but right now, she couldn’t consider any of those options. Valerie was still plating the remaining dishes, sighing,

"It’s alright, Aless, I cooked all these for you, and you look hungry, you should eat."

No matter how upset Alessia was for what her brother did, she could still not bring herself to eat, knowing he hadn’t had anything.

"I will take it to the pack house. I don’t think I’ll be able to cook supper tonight."

Valerie wasn’t surprised, but she wanted to enjoy a meal with Alessia. Now that she was trying to resolve pack matters, she never spent long at the cottage, which was understandable.

"Then eat, and I’ll still pack enough for you to take along. There’s so much food, and it will be a waste if no one eats it," Valerie smiled as she began to package the food.

Since Alessia was going to take some along, she no longer held back from eating. As she began dishing the food onto her plate, she couldn’t help asking, "But what made you cook so much?"

Valerie’s expression dulled a little as she responded, "Maybe to get my mind off everything." Alessia could not help feeling bad for everything. "I’m so sorry."

Alessia didn’t think there was anything to be sorry about. "It’s alright." She suddenly thought about something and, though not used to asking, she forced herself to do so this time. "Can I ask for a favor?"

Alessia, who already had food in her mouth, quickly swallowed it and responded, "Anything, Val." She was glad Valerie was asking for something from her, as she never did so before. It only meant that their relationship was progressing.

"I need some paints. I feel bored after gardening, and there isn’t much to do after that."

Alessia was amazed but also wondered, "You paint?"

"Yes, but your brother tore my earlier paintings. I will be careful this time," she said reassuringly, hinting for Alessia not to tell Alpha Denzel.

Alessia understood how difficult it must have been for Valerie to ask this favor from her. She was a Luna with everything, including all the cash she’ll ever need or more. Only if she knew that Alpha Denzel would even give the pack to her if she asked for it.

The time was just not right. "No need to be careful. I’ll get you the paints, and he dare not do as he pleases, or he’ll have to deal with me," Alessia said seriously, annoyed that her brother tore Valerie’s paintings.

Valerie felt uncomfortable and guilty. She didn’t want to create any problem between the siblings. "Please don’t make things difficult for him. I won’t be able to take it if he bans you from seeing me again."

Alessia sighed in resignation. Valerie had a point. Alpha Denzel had done it before and could do it again. After all, he was the Alpha.

"You win. I will take the food and bring the paints before it’s late. Just give me an hour."

Alessia arrived at the packhouse, determined to sneak the food into Alpha Denzel’s room, but upon getting there, the man was just getting out of the shower.

Aside from the fact that he was a clean freak, the shower calmed his demons. Alessia froze at the door. Though Alpha Denzel was her brother, she never had the luxury of seeing him like this before.

Her first trip to the Evergreen pack was a short one, so seeing Alpha Denzel with just a towel around his waist felt awkward.

"Alpha, I didn’t know you had returned." She turned her face to the other side. Alpha Denzel was equally not comfortable with the intrusion and walked to the closet to get dressed as he spoke,

"Really? This is my room, and I don’t need your permission to be here."

Alessia began to arrange the food on the side table as she spoke, "I mean, I wanted to leave you food as I won’t be able to prepare dinner. I’m tired already."

Alpha Denzel was hungry, and knowing it was from Valerie, he was even more eager to take a bite but found himself saying, "Take it away. I’m not hungry."

Alessia scoffed. How hypocritical of him when she already knew how he enjoyed Valerie’s meals?

Enough with the pretense. She cooks as well as you. I’m off to get her some paints, and you dare not destroy her paintings," Alessia said in an unrelenting tone, Alpha Denzel’s gaze suddenly darkened.

He wore a pair of black shorts and a black shirt since he was going to change again later. Walking towards Alessia, he spoke in a cold warning tone.

"She’s not allowed to paint."

"Why?" Alessia asked, feeling upset. "What is so special about painting? She gets bored after gardening."

Alpha Denzel was not ready to compromise. "She trains too. She can’t be bored."

Frustration began to set in as Alessia had already given Valerie her word. "Denzel, you won’t allow her to train with us, then at least you should give her a reason to stay."

She mentioned his name without his title to appeal to him on a familiar basis but realized how his mood changed by her words, feeling that something was off.

"You have something against paints. Let it out." She rubbed his back gently, knowing he was holding something in. Still not able to get anything, she was worried. "If you can’t trust me, then you know you are already a dead man. No one can love you like I do," she said honestly.

Her soft words broke the iron man before her. Alpha Denzel’s eyes were teary, and he pulled her into a tight hug. "It was a long time ago."