(Matthew’s POV)

    “Your base is full of talented people. You really don’t need me. I won’t help anymore, never again.”

    Seeing that her usations got no reaction from me, Olivia angrily turned away, lying face–down on the seat,

    not wanting to see my indifferent expression.

    “I’m too busy with my own affairs. Why should I care about yours?”

    “Where are you taking me? I want to go back to the estate to sleep! I have to work tomorrow!”

    Shey there, showing half her face, her skin looking even more delicate against the ck seat cover. My gaze wavered.

    I was still thinking about how to apologize, how to coax her, when shey there so defensively, in my arms,

    beneath me.

    I caught Olivia’s sweet scent, my breathing bing somewhat unsteady as I reached out to pull her up and hold her in myp.

    Olivia couldn’t struggle against my strength, so she gave up and leaned against my shoulder, muttering,

    “From now on, even if you beg me, I won’t help anymore.”

    “… wasn’t your pack member to begin with!”

    “Why should I help?”

    She was still very angry. I gently patted Olivia’s back with myrge hand, then took the phone the driver handed me.

    Olivia was about to continue muttering when she heard me speaking to someone on the phone, so she stopped.

    “The press conference will be in an hour. We can only say it was magical interference to the outside.”

    “Is the situation under control?”

    “Register them all and expel them permanently. They’re banned from entry forever.”

    I spent half an hour on the phone with Tristan, handling important matters that needed to be reported to relevant pack leaders. Tristan and the others were all following in the car behind.

    “Also…” I noticed Olivia had softened, lying motionless on my shoulder, already asleep.

    I lowered my voice to Tristan on the phone. “When we pass a flower shop, buy a bouquet of tulips.”

    “Red and purple ones.”

    When the car reached the entry point, I gently ced Olivia in the back seat and put the tulips beside her. I left two enforcers by the car to watch over her.

    I gazed deeply at her once, then walked into the entry point and held a press conference broadcast across all territories.

    I wanted everyone to know this wasn’t a ce where they could do whatever they pleased.

    The base’sputer department, with all its top white hat hackers, continued tracking the hackers who had been exposed trying to enter this territory, warning them. This wasn’t a ce where they could run wild.

    Everywhere I looked was filled with life, while the inte was shrouded in smoke and conflict.

    Dawn broke. I walked out of the entry point looking weary, but my steps paused at a 24–hour convenience store near an exit.

    The shop owner was nervous. “Alpha King, what do you need? Let me help you find it.”

    Being asked this way, I actually backed out. I stopped at the doorway.

    I made everyone around disperse. Then I walked back in, circled around, and picked up some contraceptives.

    I didn’t understand them, so I studied the instructions. After studying for a while, I bought a box.

    Tristan’s gaze was conflicted as he stared at what was in my hands. His expression was concerned for my wellbeing.

    I returned to the parking lot. The car door opened, and morning light streamed in.

    Olivia, who had been curled upzily, lifted her eyelids slightly and saw me standing by the car, looking at her.

    She lowered her eyelids and saw the tulips beside her. She sat up.

    The seat beside her sank down. I picked up the tulips and smelled them.

    “They smell a bit bad. Let’s throw them away.” I moved to toss them out the window.

    Her cool hand immediately grabbed mine. I frowned, only then realizing she had been curled up because she was cold.

    Looking back at her, she snatched the tulips and held them to her chest, smelling them. “They don’t smell

    bad at all, okay?”

    I pulled Olivia into my arms, reaching out. “nket?”

    An enforcer immediately retrieved a nket from the trunk and handed it to me. I spread it out and wrapped

    Olivia’s body, holding her in my arms.

    Seeing she seemed less angry, I spoke. “Are you hungry?”

    Olivia didn’t speak or look at me.

    “You’re not my pack member. You’re my mate.”

    “You don’t need to do things for me, but if you want to, I’m happy about it.”

    I wanted to apologize, but I wouldn’t tell her that my earlier rudeness was because of Theodore. Theodore–a person not worth mentioning, who shouldn’t appear in our lives in any form.

    I reached out to lift Olivia’s still somewhat unhappy little face. “Thank you, my Queen.”

    “Most of those hackers were found by you.”

    “As I expected–impressive.”

    I looked at Olivia, my expression gradually softening, and her emotions seemed to dissipate.

    “I know you’re concerned about my safety, but I can protect myself. I also discoveredst night’s hackers.”

    “Mm.” My lips pressed against Olivia’s ear, my voice so low it seemed unspoken.

    My warm breath brushed her eardrum and stirred her heart. I, Matthew Kane, had never bowed my head to anyone.

    Only to her.

    “I was wrong, my Queen.”

    “My Queen, don’t be angry anymore.”

    Her anger faded as she leaned against me. After thinking, she got a little angry again.

    “Why did you bring me herest night and make me sleep in the car?”

    “And…” She recalledst night’s scene, her little face flushing red as she tugged at my shirt cor, muttering unhappily, “You hit me… hit me…”

    “Don’t do that in front of them. It’s too embarrassing.”

    Olivia lowered her eyelids, her eyshes falling like fans, each one clear and curled, her little face tinged with pink–a pleasing sight.

    “It won’t happen again.” I whispered in her ear.

    I wouldn’t tell her that I was worried that after handling official business, I might not even be able to get through the door. Then she would be angry all night, maybe even all day.

    Morning light cast a glow over us, creating different patterns of light and shadow. We sat in the car, breathing in each other’s scent.

    Around us was the constant mor of human activity.

    She was in my arms, leaning against the lowered window, smelling the red and purple tulips, her gaze on the increasingly dense crowd in the distance.

    She turned back, her beautiful eyes reflecting light and shadow, shimmering as she asked me, “Who bought them?”

    My hand was at her waist as I answered, “Tristan.”

    “Oh. She figured it couldn’t have been me personally.

    I pulled her closer, whispering behind her ear, “What?”

    The car window slowly rose as the vehicle gradually entered traffic. She sat in myp, her back against my chest, unable to see my smiling expression.

    “Tristan has some romantic sense. His mate must be happy every day.”

    Red and purple tulips–flowernguage: passionate and unique love.

    Olivia’s little face was cupped by myrge hands as I passionately kissed her lips.

    (Tasha’s POV)

    The rear window slowly rolled up, and I watched their intimate moment from outside the car feat pain in my heart.

    I was responsible for handling the follow–up matters. Watching the convoy leave, I made a phone call.

    “I can give you the partnership termination agreement.”

    But a cold voice came from the other end of the line: “Tell me, who is Cipher?”