Nene leaned back against the couch, arms crossed. "So let me get this straight. Once I turn eighteen, I'm going to go through some kind of Alpha puberty?"
Li Xiu gave her a pointed look. "I wouldn't call it puberty."
Nene huffed. "What would you call it?"
"A biological shift."
Nene rolled her eyes. "Same thing."
Her mother ignored her attitude and continued. "Your hormones will increase, your scent will change, and your instincts will sharpen. You'll be stronger, more aggressive, and—"
She hesitated, then sighed. "More territorial."
Nene tensed. "Yeah, you mentioned that. I still don't like it."
Li Xiu smirked. "You won't have a choice."
Nene gritted her teeth. "What else?"
Her mother set her cup down, her expression shifting slightly.
"When it comes to mating," she said smoothly, "normal Alpha pairings are based on compatibility. Like your grandparents—"
She gestured toward the grand hall, where her Alpha grandmother and Alpha grandfather were still mingling.
"They chose each other based on strength and alliance," Li Xiu explained. "But because your grandmother was more dominant, they kept their packs separate instead of merging."
Nene raised an eyebrow. "And that worked?"
Li Xiu nodded. "It worked because they built their relationship with purpose. That's how most Alphas choose their mates—through careful selection, not emotion."
Nene exhaled slowly. "Right. So it's all just… politics and power plays."
"Not always," Li Xiu said. "But often."
Nene frowned. "And fated mates?"
Her mother's gaze darkened slightly.
"Fated mates are different," she said carefully. "They don't get a choice."
Nene's stomach twisted.
"Once a fated mate bond is confirmed," Li Xiu continued, "it is recognized by law. It becomes a permanent legal contract—unbreakable, unavoidable."
Nene stiffened. "And how do you confirm it?"
Her mother studied her for a long moment.
Then, very casually, she said, "The first sign is usually sleep disturbances."
Nene's breath caught.
No.
Nope. Not thinking about that.
She forced herself to look normal. "And if it's not sleep?"
Li Xiu sipped her tea. "Then it's something else."
"Like?"
Her mother paused, then shrugged.
"If you pass a male and can't stop thinking about him, he may be your fated mate."
Nene froze.
Her pulse jumped.
Because—
No.
Nope.
That wasn't happening to her. That wasn't a thing.
Just because she had been thinking about Alexander more than she wanted to didn't mean—
She shoved the thought away.
Fated mates were rare.
Her mother was just covering the basics.
That's all.
She forced a casual smirk. "Sounds like a terrible system."
Li Xiu chuckled. "It can be."
Nene exhaled sharply, rubbing her temple. "Okay. So let me get this straight—"
"You don't have to repeat everything," her mother said smoothly. "I know you understood it the first time."
Nene scowled. "Then why does it feel like you're preparing me for some kind of transformation?"
Li Xiu smirked. "Because I am."
Nene groaned.
Her mother set her cup down. "Which is why I have a suggestion."
Nene narrowed her eyes. "I don't like the sound of that."
Li Xiu ignored her and continued, "There's a camp for young Betas—specifically for those raised outside of pack structures. It's designed to help them transition into werewolf society."
Nene blinked. "…A Beta camp?"
Li Xiu nodded. "It's a safe space to learn the basics—pack dynamics, hierarchy, laws, traditions. Things you were never taught growing up."
Nene stared.
"And you think I should go?" she asked flatly.
"You were raised human," her mother pointed out. "This would be an easy way to catch up."
Nene huffed. "It's for Betas."
Li Xiu raised an eyebrow. "And? You don't even know how to act like an Alpha yet."
Nene's eye twitched. "Wow. Thanks, Mom."
Her mother gave her a pointed look. "I'm not insulting you, Nene. I'm stating a fact. You don't know pack etiquette. You don't understand werewolf law. And if you don't learn, someone will use that ignorance against you."
Nene paused.
Because as much as she hated to admit it—
Her mother was right.
She was walking blind into a world she had never been trained for.
She had already almost walked into legal complications without knowing.
And if she wasn't careful, it would happen again.
She gritted her teeth. "And what, you expect me to just sign up for werewolf summer camp?"
Li Xiu smirked. "It's a suggestion."
Nene scoffed. "More like a setup."
Her mother took another sip of tea, completely unbothered. "Do what you want. But if you refuse to learn, don't complain when the consequences catch up to you."
Nene was still grumbling about her mother's so-called "suggestion" when the door opened smoothly—
And Alexander walked in.
She immediately stiffened.
Because—of course.
Of course he would show up now, right when she was considering an actual escape plan.
His golden eyes flicked between her and her mother, clearly assessing the conversation.
Then, as calm as ever, he said, "You're frowning."
Nene crossed her arms. "You're observant."
Alexander's lips tilted slightly. "What happened?"
Before Nene could answer, Li Xiu smoothly responded, "I suggested she take proper lessons on pack structure."
Alexander nodded immediately. "Good idea."
Nene scowled. "Okay, can everyone stop agreeing on what I need to do?!"
Alexander ignored her completely. Instead, he pulled out his phone, typed something, and then—**just like that—**looked back at her.
"It's handled," he said smoothly.
Nene froze. "Wait. What?"
Alexander slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Your assistant will arrange private lessons for you at the estate. You'll have structured classes on pack laws, hierarchy, traditions—"
Nene's eye twitched.
"Oh, hell no," she said immediately. "You are not turning my life into a private werewolf school."
Alexander tilted his head slightly. "Why not?"
"Because I'm not a child! And I'm not sitting around this house learning 'pack etiquette' from my assistant while you treat me like some clueless Beta—"
Her mother cleared her throat.
Nene paused.
Then slowly turned.
Li Xiu raised a single eyebrow.
"You do realize I just suggested you go to a Beta camp for this exact reason, right?"
Nene froze.
Damn it.
Her mother trapped her.
Alexander, clearly enjoying her dilemma, smirked. "So which one is it, wife? Lessons here? Or camp?"
Nene gritted her teeth.
Because the last thing she wanted was to be stuck in the estate, trapped under Alexander's gaze while he monitored her progress like some kind of Alpha tutor.
So, without thinking too hard about it, she blurted out—
"I'm going to camp."
Alexander paused.
His smirk faded slightly.
For the first time in this entire conversation, he actually looked mildly displeased.
Nene noticed immediately.
And, because she was still mad at him, she crossed her arms and smirked.
"What?" she taunted. "Didn't expect that, did you?"
Alexander's golden eyes flickered.
A slow, measured pause.
Then—
"No," he murmured. "But now I have to decide whether I'm letting you go."
Nene's smirk vanished.
"Excuse me?" she snapped.
But Alexander just turned to her mother, completely ignoring her protest.
"Where is this camp held?" he asked smoothly.
Nene bristled.
Because what the hell did he mean, 'letting' her go?!