Sweat kept breaking out across the butler’s forehead. “Of course not; how could I possibly catch…” “Then stop trying to control me. I’m the granddaughter of the Imperial Pack, not some death row prisoner.” It wasn’t the first time I’d found this butler irritating; this time, I finally snapped. “Miss, please, don’t make things harder for me. I’m just the Goldberg family’s butler—I only want to keep my job and feed my family. The way you’re acting, I honestly don’t know what to do anymore.” I hadn’t expected it—a werewolf in his fifties, crying out in the middle of the street in front of everyone. His voice wasn’t loud, but the sight of it made me want to crawl into a hole from embarrassment. “Alright, alright, I won’t leave. Just stop crying. Come on—you’re a grown man. Don’t cry in front of everyone.” Only then did the butler finally relax. “That’s good, miss. I’ll take you home.” Home? I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “So what Mr. Greg means is—as long as I don’t leave the Capital City, I can go wherever I want, right?” The butler didn’t quite process it, but after hearing me, he just nodded dumbly. “So that means, however long I stay out, Mr. Greg can’t really control me, can he?” He seemed caught up in my logic, still nodding instinctively. I stood, ripped the plane ticket in my hand, and said, “There. I’ve torn up the ticket. I’m not going anywhere. You don’t need to follow me.” The butler looked doubtful. “Miss, you’re not lying to me, are you?” “Of course not.” Keeping him calm was the priority. I couldn’t clash with him head-on; picking a fight in the street with Imperial Pack bodyguards wasn’t exactly my plan. “Good then. Miss, if that’s the case, I’ll head home.” Finally, the butler cracked a relieved smile. Once I’d soothed him, I hailed a cab back to the hospital.Wesley was sitting up in bed watching a game. I stood in the doorway and asked coldly, “Wesley, was it you who tattled?” He practically jumped off the bed. “What tattling? What are you even talking about?” “If you didn’t snitch, why are you so nervous?” I narrowed my eyes. Wesley was speechless. “Raelyn, you just show up out of nowhere—what’s with you?” “Fine. If you want me to forgive you, then lend me a helicopter.” Wesley froze. “A helicopter? What do you need that for? You’re planning to go to Varken to find Aiden, aren’t you? But you got stopped halfway by Grandpa’s men?” I smiled as I walked into the room. “Not bad—you’re pretty sharp.” “Raelyn, you’ve got guts. You know how closely Grandpa’s watching you, and yet you’re still trying to sneak back to Varken at a time like this?” Wesley shook his head again and again. “That’s way too risky; it could even set him off.” “I’ve already made up my mind. No one can change that.” Wesley let out a long sigh. “I don’t even know who you take after—so stubborn; once you decide something, no one can stop you.” I faltered inside. Dad had always been mild, never strong-willed. This streak in me must have come from Mom. “But if you use my private plane, won’t that—” I curled my lips into a smile. “I’ve thought it through. Mr. Greg may not allow me back to Varken, but he doesn’t have me under constant surveillance. Just say Trent borrowed your plane for a trip. If Mr. Greg asks about me, you can say I’ve been staying here with you the whole time.” Wesley opened his mouth, looking worried. “But what if Grandpa comes in person? How would you explain it?” “If it comes to that, just say I went out to have fun—hard to pin down—but I always come back at night. I’ll do my best to return early, so I don’t cause you trouble.” Wesley stared at me for more than ten seconds before finally nodding. His private plane was already with Trent, so I headed straight to Trent’s place. As soon as I arrived, Trent said, “Wesley already called. You’re planning to take the plane and sneak back to Varken?”“Exactly. I haven’t been back in so long; I really miss it.” I smiled. Trent couldn’t hold back his own smile. “No need to explain—I get it. This is about Aiden.” Since he’d seen through me, there was no point hiding. I teased him with a grin. “Yeah, I miss him.” Trent let out a strange sigh, then finally led me to the hangar. I didn’t pay attention to his mood. Sliding into the cockpit, I got ready to say goodbye. “Raelyn.” Trent suddenly called out before stepping down. “What is it?” His blank expression gave me an uneasy feeling. He opened his mouth, then only said, “If you need me, I’ll be here. Safe travels.” “Got it! I’m off!” I gave him an OK sign, started up the helicopter, and lifted off the ground. Alpha, you’ve really got some nerve. Trent’s clearly into you. Freya suddenly piped up. Another one falling for me; what can I say. Focused on flying, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her words. So Trent’s hesitation earlier, was he about to confess? But honestly, I didn’t feel anything for him. Luckily, he hadn’t said anything. Otherwise, it would’ve been painfully awkward. Staying friends with Trent was better; that felt right.