Episode 10.

"I checked her room; she's not there. I searched thoroughly and asked around, but no one has seen her since noon. She isn't in this pack," Minerva explained, causing Dean and Max to exchange concerned glances.

"I could sense her presence; she's definitely around," Dean said as he quickly stood up, just as Elena stepped into the dining room.

"You sent for me?" Her voice echoed as she entered the dining room, prompting Max and Dean to shift their gaze to Minerva, who had just mentioned searching for her throughout the territory without setting an eye on her, only for her to be here already.

As they stared at her, Dean hesitated to speak, turning his attention back to Elena.

"Is everything okay?" Elena asked, noticing the tension in their expressions.

"Where did you go?" Dean inquired, his tone slightly harsh.

"I left because I needed to retrieve some important belongings from my family's house. We couldn't make it far down the road, and it was getting late, so we had to return promptly, and most especially, we didn't inform you about it" she explained as she approached the dining table, ready to take a seat and let out a deep breath.

"I was told you sent for me upon entering the pack, so I hurried here," she added, while Dean glanced at Minerva before returning his focus to Elena.

"I was informed that you had left the pack since noon, and no one had seen you," Dean stated, causing Elena to halt her attempt to sit down, looking surprised.

"No, that's not true! I only left the pack a few minutes ago!" Elena asserted boldly.

Dean turned his stern gaze towards Minerva, who looked apprehensive, sensing trouble even though she had not lied.

Minerva had genuinely searched for Elena and found no trace of her. Even the person she asked confirmed not seeing Elena since noon.

"Minerva, you mentioned you searched for her and couldn't find her?" Dean inquired, causing Minerva to recoil in fear, swallowing nervously.

"Yes, Alpha, I checked her room, but she wasn't there. Jared also confirmed he hadn't seen her since noon," Minerva reiterated, facing Elena.

It was evident that Minerva was telling the truth, as she stood her ground confidently.

Having heard Minerva's account, Dean turned to Elena, who didn't wait for him to speak before offering an explanation.

"Yes, there may be some truth to what she's saying. When she came looking for me, I had already left the house. As for Jared, the cook, he didn't see me because I was in my room. Elisa can confirm this," Elena explained.

"Elisa has been with me all day," Elena added, making her point clear and dispelling any doubts that she was trying to escape, which Dean seemed to suspect.

The situation was partly influenced by Minerva's actions, which prompted Dean's inquiries.

Dean swallowed nervously and turned to Elena, saying, "I apologize, my queen, if I startled you. I didn't mean to, I was simply curious. By the way, I had dinner prepared for you. Please, take a seat; I'm sure you must be hungry by now," he pointed to a chair, and Elena sat down gracefully.

"It's okay, I understand you were only looking out for me," Elena reassured Dean before giving Minerva a quick glance which was only understood and noticed by the both of them hinting at an underlying issue regarding Elena's brief disappearance.

As Elena began to eat from the selection of dishes on the table, Max continued eating as well, choosing not to interfere and maintaining his boundaries.

"Minerva, you may leave now," Dean instructed, realizing she had been present the whole time and recalling he had intended to have a private conversation with Elena, preferring only his beta to be present.

Minerva lowered her head in acknowledgment, prepared to depart, but Dean halted her once more.

"Excuse me, hold on a moment. I mentioned you should only eat once a day, during the night meal. It's time for your food; just take a plate from the table," Dean instructed while Elena continued eating quietly without intervening.

Upon hearing Dean's instructions, Minerva felt a sense of relief as her body trembled. The only meal she had eaten that day was the one provided by Elena earlier in the afternoon.

"Thank you, Alpha," Minerva expressed joyfully as she approached the table and selected a plate.

Just as she was about to leave the dining room to eat, Elena stopped her in her tracks.

"Wait a minute!" Elena called out, causing Minerva to pause and turn back.

"What do you think you're doing? He said one meal a day, and you already ate this afternoon. Where are you taking that food?" Elena inquired, her expression stern, masking the anger simmering within her towards Minerva.

As Elena confronted Minerva, Dean watched silently, unable to interfere.

Minerva, feeling devastated, was overwhelmed with emotion, almost on the verge of tears as she returned the food to the table, her heart heavy.

"Now, leave! Get out of here immediately! Remember, my room still needs cleaning. Make sure it's spotless by the time I return! It should be as neat as heaven," Elena commanded, prompting Minerva to bow slightly before swiftly exiting the room.

Alpha Dean, particularly Max, was taken aback by Elena's abrupt reaction. Max knew Elena wasn't usually so harsh, sensing that something must have triggered this unusual behavior, though he chose to feign ignorance.

"You two seem to have some unresolved matters from before?" Dean inquired, observing Elena's interaction with Minerva.

Elena paused from eating to address Dean, "No, what she attempted was unfair. You clearly instructed her to eat once a day, but she tried to be cunning," Elena explained as she resumed eating with her fork.

"Moreover, as she's my stepsister, we always seem to have unfinished business" Elena said as she took the cup of water and sip a little bit from it.

"Speaking of which, you haven't explained why you brought her here. I woke up one day and couldn't believe my eyes," Elena remarked, causing Dean to smile faintly in response.

"I can see she's starting to feel comfortable here based on how she talks now," Max's voice echoed in Dean's mind through their telepathic connection.

"That's why I was smiling. It's time to acquaint her with my quarters and introduce her to the pack's essentials," Dean replied to Max through their mental link.

"Exactly," Max confirmed, while Elena awaited Dean's response to her query, under the impression he was smiling at her, although his expression was more nuanced.






The Next Morning.

Athena, as usual, had obtained permission from the Alpha to meet her friends this morning, sparking suspicion from Dean, although he granted her leave.

As she got into her car and drove off, unaware that Alpha Dean and Max were observing her from the second floor of the house.

"This was what I wanted to discuss with you yesterday, but you were preoccupied," Max remarked, receiving a nod from Alpha Dean.

Dean acknowledged Max's foresight in bringing this matter to his attention rather than dismissing it as insignificant.

"Could it be that she visited Alpha Mula yesterday because they mates, or...?" Dean inquired, to which Max promptly dismissed the notion.

"No, if she visited him because they are mates, she would be concealing it from us. There must be a reason she's keeping her visits a secret, perhaps hiding something from us," Max asserted, prompting Alpha Dean to take a deep breath, already contemplating his next steps as he approached Max and placed his hands on Max's shoulders.

"I can tell you'll be running late at the casino company today," Alpha Dean remarked, causing Max to widen his eyes in surprise.

"Why?" Max inquired.

"Because you will tail her today, and if you find out she visited him again, she becomes your prime focus! Consider her a suspect from now on, monitor her every move closely, and report back to me," Dean instructed firmly.
Bought By Alpha Dean
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