Hiking… really was exhausting and hot. But no one could disobey the Alpha's command. The brothers and I changed into hiking gear and followed Robin to North Peak, Varken's most famous trail. As soon as we arrived, I spotted Taylor standing at the base in a soft flowy dress, smiling sweetly. Regina saw her and lit up with a grin so wide it nearly split her face. "Taylor, I can't believe you actually came! I thought you'd back out." "You said you wanted me here. How could I not come?" Taylor replied sweetly, holding Regina's hand. Adrian immediately curled his lip. "Who the hell wears a dress to go hiking? What's she gonna hike in that?" I had to stifle a laugh. Adrian's bluntness was brutal, but honestly kind of amusing. Taylor's face turned pale, her eyes welled up with tears as she bit her lip. "I'm sorry… I don't usually go hiking, I didn't know…" Looking at her standing there all delicate and on the verge of tears gave me a sudden headache. God knows what drama this woman was planning to pull. If I'd known she'd be here, I might've skipped this whole thing. "Alright, quit commenting on her outfit," Regina scolded, rolling her eyes at Adrian before grabbing Taylor's hand. "Come on, let's go ahead." Taylor instantly perked up with a smile. "Okay." They walked in front, and I followed behind with the five brothers. Robin, as Alpha, stayed at the rear. The whole way up, Aiden stayed completely silent. I glanced at him and raised a brow. "Aiden, you're seriously the most boring guy ever." He didn't respond, just kept looking at the scenery in the distance. Then, out of nowhere, I stepped on a loose rock and slipped down the side of the trail. My foot jammed into a crevice and twisted painfully. Even with my Alpha strength, the pain made me cry out. "Damn it!" Aiden spun around and jumped down immediately, catching me in his arms. I winced, trying to breathe through the pain as he carefully pulled my foot out and cradled me against his chest. With a strong push, he leapt from the slope back onto the flat path above. Last time, I was half-unconscious from period cramps, so I hadn't felt much when he carried me. This time, I was fully aware, and I could feel the strong, steady rhythm of his heart and the cool mint scent lingering on his clothes. "You can put me down. I can walk," I muttered, embarrassed. "Your ankle's already swollen. Quit acting tough," he said, expressionless, ignoring me completely. "There's a medical station up the mountain. Andrix can take care of the swelling." Hearing that, I thought to myself—was this cold-faced CEO secretly a softie? Well, maybe I'd let him have his moment. Besides, my ankle really did hurt like hell. So I let myself stay in his arms and enjoy the rare bit of pampering. Alex watched the whole thing unfold and let out a teasing laugh. "Wow, Aiden. Who knew you had a soft spot? The frozen tree finally bloomed, huh?" "Cut the crap," Aiden said darkly. Adrian rolled his eyes. "Drama queen." Andrix was busy handling some hospital stuff, and Adam was deep in a call with his agent—neither of them saw me fall. Taylor did, though. She caught the whole thing and when she saw Aiden carrying me, her expression completely changed. I couldn't be bothered with whatever mood she was in. Even though I'd recover fast from this kind of injury, the pain was very real. Once we reached the top, I was taken to the temporary clinic for treatment. With the others elsewhere, Regina suddenly walked into my room. "Raelyn, there's something I need to say to you." Ever since we patched things up, I hadn't really interacted with her. Seeing her walk in now, I figured she wouldn't show up without a reason. Must've ruffled her feathers somehow. I gave her a polite smile. "What is it, Madam Salvatore?" "You've been spending a lot of time with Aiden lately," she said calmly, eyes fixed on me. I immediately understood what she was getting at and replied, "Not really. Aiden and I don't talk much." She turned serious. "I've told you before–I want Taylor to be Aiden's future wife. I don't care what you think of Aiden, or what kind of relationship you two have. Just know this–I will never approve of you and Aiden. Don't even think about it." So this was a warning. I kept smiling. "You don't need to worry, Luna. I'm not interested in Aiden.""Good," she said, finally looking pleased. "Actually, my other four sons are excellent as well. You could always pick one of them. Raelyn, you may be an Omega from the countryside, but I know you're clever enough to understand how things work." Satisfied after delivering her message, Regina left. I wasn't fazed. I just sat in bed and texted Jackson, asking him to send me a few bottles of my special medicinal wine. Just as I hit send, Alex pushed open the door. "Ms. Beck, feeling any better?" he asked as he casually took a seat beside me.