Five Alphas Kneel for Me (Isabella) novel Chapter 489

Chapter 489

I shot a surprised glance at Miles. My wolf tilted her head in my mind, ears pricked. They knew each other–not just by name, but by the suble alignment of their scents.

Before I could dwell on the surprise, Chloe suggested, “Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t we all have dinner together?

I already had a good impression of Chloe; her pheromones were honest and steady. So, hearing her suggestion, I was more than happy to agree ! looked at Miles, wondering what he thought.

Miles gave a small, courtly nod.

So, we found a private dining room together within the neutral territory’s tavern. Chloe kept talking to me about pack–related work–discussing project details and the logistics of the Bio–bot distribution.

Suddenly, Jaxon placed a cup of rose tea in front of me, his voice smooth as he added, “It’s lunchtime. Let’s leave the pack business out of it.”

His hand rested on Chloe’s chair back, an intimate, possessive gesture that made my wolf low–growl in the back of my throat. It was the move of an Alpha marking territory.

Miles kept that gentle smile fixed on his face, though his eyes lingered on Chloe and Jaxon for a moment longer than necessary. Then, he shifted kis attention, meticulously rinsing the cup and spoon with boiling water–a habit of the old–world wolves–before carefully placing them in front of me

Just then, the door to our private room opened, and our dishes were brought in.

He reached out, his movements so natural, and spun the rotating serving stone, bringing the steaming Matsutake chicken soup right in front of Chice “You have a sensitive stomach, and you just had a celebratory drink,” he said, his voice soft, vibrating with a low frequency that felt like a purr. This soup will help settle it.”

Suddenly, every eye in the room seemed to pivot, landing squarely on Miles. My wolf went still, sensing a shift in the pack dynamics.

Jaxon raised an eyebrow, a predatory glint dawning in his eyes. “So this is your family’s adopted son, then.”

That single sentence hit me like a lightning bolt, exploding in my chest. My gaze snapped to Miles, pure shock flashing in my eyes. He was the adopted son of the Riley clan? The words echoed in my mind, disbelief swirling within me.

If he wanted Chloe’s project, why didn’t he just go straight to her? Why go through such an elaborate, roundabout way to get to me?

Miles nodded frankly. “Yes.”

Jaxon leaned closer to Chloe, his scent of musk and aggression spiking. “I heard you left the territory six years ago. When did you get back?”

The fact that Miles had been forced to leave the pack lands wasn’t a secret in the elite circles of the High Peak territories. After all–the Riley clan had taken him in as a stray, yet he’d dared to lust after their eldest daughter, a violation of the pack’s internal hierarchy!

The scandal had been incredibly unpleasant at the time, a stain on their lineage, so the Riley Alphas had immediately exiled him.

“Within the last month.”

Even though Jaxon had just hit a raw nerve, Miles’s answer was unnervingly calm, as if he were discussing a rogue wolf’s movements completely disconnected from his own life.

A slow, drawn–out “oh” escaped Jaxon’s lips, his eyes glinting with an even deeper, more unsettling amusement.

“Why haven’t you paid a visit to the Rileys since you’ve been back?” he drawled. “I’m sure Uncle and Aunt Riley miss their little wolf dearly.”

The air around us seemed to freeze solid in that instant. Miles’s hand, still holding his teacup, paused, suspended in mid–air. His gaze flickered to Jaxon

The look was fleeting, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to drain all the previous lightness from the room, replacing it with an abrupt, suffocating tension. My wolf bared her teeth; the pheromones in the room were turning toxic.

Miles lowered the teacup to the table, the soft thud echoing in the sudden silence.

His voice remained deceptively mild. “I’ve been independent from the Riley clan for a while now,” he said. “Just started my own small venture, so things have been… busy. I haven’t had a chance to visit my adoptive parents yet.”

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Jaxon’s “ah” stretched out again, his voice laced with a maddeningly provocative edge that practically begged for a duel.

Mer

My fingers tapped restlessly against the cup, my gaze dropping. All I wanted was to let my claws slide out and slam my fist into Jaxon’s smug face.

Just then, Chloe, who had been completely silent until now, visibly stiffened, her expression turning utterly frigid. I watched as Chloe abruptly stood, her chair scraping against the floor with a harsh screech.

“I need to use the restroom.”

She said, then turned and walked away, not sparing a single glance for anyone at the table. The bowl of matsutake chicken soup Miles had set in front her was still steaming gently, yet she hadn’t touched a single drop.

Chloe had been gone for a while. Then Miles slowly rose to his feet.

I’m going to step out for some herbal smoke.”

His excuse felt just as flimsy, and he followed her out.

In the spacious private room, only Jaxon and I remained. The suffocating tension that had filled the air dissipated, replaced by an even more awkward. silence. Jaxon seemed quite interested in me, taking the initiative to break the silence.

“Aren’t you even a little bit curious?”

I lifted my gaze, meeting his eyes with a cool indifference that only a Silvermoon Alpha could muster. I have no interest in prying into other wolves‘ private lives.”

Jaxon chuckled lightly. “How boring.”

“Mr. Reed, that’s incredibly rude,” I snapped, my gaze icy, my disgust for him utterly unconcealed.

I stood up too, my chin tilted defiantly as I looked at Jaxon. “You’re not good enough for Chloe. Your Blood–Bond alliance isn’t happening.”

I’d only said it because I could tell Chloe’s wolf didn’t like him.

Jaxon lifted a finger to his mouth, wiping away a tea stain. “Tsk,” he scoffed. “The obscure Miller lineage from the Silvermoon territories thinks they ca interfere with a Blood–Bond alliance between the Reed and Riley packs?”

He raised a challenging eyebrow. “Or are you interfering as an adopted daughter of the Smith Pack? Now, they have some clout in the Council.”

He finished, letting out a low chuckle.

“They’re the foster son and the eldest daughter; you’re the foster daughter and the family head. You’re not projecting, are you? Because I have a feeling Alpha Grayson won’t be bonding with you.”

“‘You don’t need to concern yourself with my business.”

With that, I walked out of the private room. He was utterly sickening. I already regretted sharing a table with such a mangy

wolf.

I headed towards the restroom. The tavern’s corridor was quiet, its thick carpet swallowing most of my footsteps. As I passed the staircase, I faintly heard hushed voices–the low, vibrating tones of a male and female.

My first instinct was to keep walking. But the next second, I heard a gasp.

My steps froze. I recognized Chloe’s voice. A wave of concern washed over me–perhaps she was in heat or being coerced–and I couldn’t help but walk

:loser.

With just one glance, I saw them–two figures intertwined at the stair landing. Miles had Chloe trapped in his arms, their bodies pressed together in a way that screamed of forbidden intimacy. My wolf let out a sharp, internal yip of surprise.

My pupils constricted. I instinctively darted back, pressing myself against the wall just around the corner. It felt like I’d stumbled upon something nonumental, a secret that could break a pack. I figured Chloe must have stumbled, and he’d just reacted, grabbing her to keep her from falling.

Still holding Chloe, his eyes, sharp and alert, swept straight towards the wall where I was hidden, as if he’d sensed my scent.

I hated the thought of eavesdropping, but I was stuck. If I moved even an inch, I’d be discovered, and trying to explain myself would be impossible. So I froze, holding my breath until my lungs ached.

‘Why don’t you come home?”

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< Chapter 489

Miles’s excuse was the same tired line he’d fed us at dinner.

The company’s just starting up. I’m busy.”

Chloe scoffed, a clear sign she didn’t buy it for a second, and violently pulled herself out of his arms. “If you hadn’t found our I was entering a Blood–Bond, would you have ever come back?”

Mana

Miles fell silent, and the pause stretched taut between them like a bowstring. He slowly raised a hand, as if to ruffle her hair like he always used to when hey were pups.

No.”

But Chloe sharply jerked her head away, evading his touch, a clear refusal to let him treat her like a pup anymore. His hand, frozen in the air, dropped slowly, heavy with unspoken awkwardness.

And yet, he still patiently soothed her. “Chloe,” he murmured, “don’t be mad. I just don’t think it’s the right time for me to return to the pack lands right

10w.”

Chloe’s eyes were red, her pupils blown wide as she fixed them on him. “What do you mean, ‘not appropriate?”

Miles let out a helpless sigh, his voice thick with a profound weariness. “Don’t you know that? We’re adults now. We need to be discreet. Otherwise, it won’t be good for your reputation as the Riley Luna–to–be.”