Thora had just stepped out of the cafeteria and was heading back when she bumped into Shirley, Luke, and Tristan, who had just finished class. The moment Shirley saw her, she rushed over as if she'd finally found home. "Thora! What have you been up to these last few days? I can never catch you anywhere!" Luke followed with a smile. "Boss, have you been doing some kind of secret training lately?" Seeing their familiar faces, Thora relaxed a little. Without anyone noticing, she slipped the photo away. Tristan frowned. Thora's mood had felt strange just now, so he asked straight out, "Boss, they called you in to see Mr. Ewing earlier. What happened?" At that, Luke and Shirley leaned closer, clearly curious. "It's nothing," Thora said casually. "Just handled a small issue."Since she clearly didn't want to explain, Tristan let it go, but his eyes stayed on her, concern lingering. Not far away, Ryan was standing next to Darius. After hearing that Darius was at the military academy, Ryan went to find him. Luckily, this Darius matched the one he remembered—not the icy, dangerous version from the assessment. "I just realized you're even more soft-hearted than your dad. Tristan's feelings are obvious. Don't tell me you haven't noticed," Ryan teased. A flash of coldness crossed Darius's eyes, though his smile stayed faint. "So what if it's obvious? All he can do is look." After a brief pause, he added with clear pride, "That's because Thora stands out. People are bound to fall for her." He then went on praising his partner, and Ryan felt a headache coming on. "You're really not bothered at all?" Ryan couldn't believe a top-tier Alpha would tolerate others coveting his partner. Darius raised an eyebrow and glanced toward the group in the distance. "Do you know what makes Thora both lovable and infuriating?" Ryan fell silent. She wasn't his partner. How would he know? Darius smiled and answered himself, "She's too direct." Seeing Ryan's confusion, he continued, "Once she chooses someone, that's it. She won't break her own rules. We're legally bonded, so she won't even think about anyone else. As for the ones who like her? They can only keep it to themselves." He paused, his presence suddenly sharp. "On the battlefield, Thora is the wolf king. She shows her claws, guards her land, and lives freely. My role is to expand that land and protect her from behind." His voice was calm, but the pressure behind it made Ryan's heart jump. "So you're really not jealous?" Ryan asked carefully. Darius's smile disappeared in an instant, his expression darkening. "Who said I'm not?" Before Ryan could react, Darius was already walking toward Thora. Ryan shrugged. As expected, possessiveness ran deep in the Blackwoods' bones. When Shirley saw Darius coming, she immediately hid behind Thora. Luke was surprised, but he still stepped back instinctively. Tristan frowned deeply and stayed where he was. Darius stopped right in front of him. The two were about the same height, staring each other down in silence. Darius's gaze looked gentle on the surface, but beneath it lurked a chilling, oppressive force that stirred fear from the depths of the soul. Thora glanced between them, puzzled. Why were they standing like that and blocking the way? She simply stepped aside, leaving the two of them behind. With Thora gone, the confrontation lost its point. Darius withdrew his gaze, shot Tristan a cold warning look, and followed Thora. Seeing Tristan still frozen, Luke called softly, "Tristan." Only then did Tristan snap back to reality. The crushing pressure was gone, leaving a heavy feeling in his chest. Just as Darius was about to speak to Thora, a clear female voice called out, "Thora!" Mona, wearing a standard blue uniform, ran over excitedly. Noticing how many people were around Thora, her expression dimmed a little. Still, she quickly stepped forward and pushed a small basket into Thora's hands, looking shy but proud. "The cafeteria has fresh ingredients today, so I made something. Just for you. Don't share it!"She smiled at Thora and hurried away. Thora looked down at the basket. The smell of food drifted up, and she couldn't help praising, "Mona's cooking is really great." Luke raised an eyebrow, unease gripping his chest. Darius smiled faintly, but there was no warmth in it. His tone turned noticeably cold. "Thora, what's happening?"