As we stepped through the front door, I became anxious. Luke, who had been so affectionate and attentive during our outing, suddenly became distant and indifferent. It was as if a switch had been flipped, and I struggled to make sense of this sudden change in his demeanor.
I glanced at him, searching for any sign of warmth or connection, but his eyes seemed distant, and his expression was blank. It was disheartening to witness this transformation, especially after the wonderful time we had just spent together.
Therefore, confusion and concern filled my mind as I tried to understand what could have caused this sudden shift. Had I done something wrong? Was there something on his mind that he wasn't sharing with me? Questions swirled in my head, but I hesitated to voice them because I was terrified of his possible reaction.

Throughout the ride back home, he was silent, and he refused to speak even a single word. I wished I could deal with it, but I couldn’t! Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to break the silence.
"Luke, is everything alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine," he replied, but his tone was flat and unconvincing.
But I knew better. Something was clearly bothering him, and I couldn't simply ignore it. I wanted to help, to understand, but his walls seemed impenetrable at that moment. As we moved through the house, the silence between us grew heavier. It felt as if an invisible barrier had been erected, separating us emotionally.
“Luke!” I shouted his name out of frustration.
“What!?” he yelled back and I was surprised.

“Wait. Did you just shout at me? Luke?”
“I did! Satisfied?”
“What’s wrong with you? We have been fine earlier,” I said. “Will you please talk to me?”
"It's nothing, really. Just a rough day," he finally admitted.

“A rough day? With me?” I asked in disbelief because I was offended. To be honest, my heart sank at his response. With a heavy sigh, I nodded my head as if understanding his mood at the moment. "Alright, Luke. Just remember that I'm here for you whenever you're ready to talk.”
“What about you, Isabella? When will you be ready to talk to me? When are you going to tell me everything?”
“A-about what?” I pretended to be unaware about what he wanted to know from me.
“Goodnight,” he said before walking away from me.
His sudden change left me confused, and I was struggling to understand why his behavior had shifted so drastically. Just an hour ago, he was kind and caring, even taking me out for a steak dinner. But now, he had become distant and aloof.
I took a deep breath and climbed the stairs to his bedroom, which was conveniently located next to mine. Standing in front of the door, I hesitated, unsure if I should knock or not. But I knew I needed to talk to him, so I mustered up the courage to express my concerns, even if he had already dismissed me like he didn’t care about my feelings.
"Luke?" I called out, but there was no response.
I wondered if he had heard me or if he was purposely ignoring me. His behavior left me feeling disappointed, and I hated myself for feeling that way. I knew I should focus on my goal, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed and hurt.
It was heart-wrenching and frustrating to be ignored after such a romantic outing with him. Well, if he could ignore me, then I could do the same. In a fit of anger, I walked away from his room and headed towards mine.
I took a quick shower and changed into more comfortable clothes. I noticed Luke had bought me a variety of clothes, and I was surprised at how well they fit. To pass the time, I picked up a business management book from the bedside table just to make myself sleepy.
As I was midway through reading, sleepiness overcame me, so I put the book down and closed my eyes. But then, I heard a knock on my door. I knew it was Luke, so in retaliation, I decided to ignore him as well. But he didn't leave me alone. He continued knocking until I finally opened the door. He entered with a look of rage on his face.
"Were you trying to ignore me?" he asked angrily.
I simply shrugged my shoulders and stared at him. I didn't want to provoke him any further. His anger was already at its peak, and I didn't want to add to it.
"You ignored me first, so what's your problem?" I replied.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, but it came out in an unexpected way, leaving me astonished before I could respond.
"And it took you so long to come here and apologize for your behavior?”
"Why? Do you already miss me?" he sarcastically remarked.
"You're insane!" I screamed, unable to comprehend how he could assume such a thing. But before I could react, he grabbed me and forcefully kissed me.
"Admit it, Isabella You miss me too," he said after the kiss, and I struggled to break free, but he was much stronger.
I widened my eyes in surprise as he pushed me onto the bed, unbuckling his belt and tearing my clothes without hesitation. I frowned at his actions they were unacceptable.
"What's wrong with you? Can't you admit your true feelings for me? Remember, we're mates. I can sense it," he declared.
"Have you forgotten that we had agreed? We are not lovers but only friends with benefits,” I reminded him.
"So you don't love me anymore?"
“I still do. I know I am still in love with you, but my feelings are irrelevant in this discussion. As I have said, I made a decision to marry the billionaire that Dad arranged for me to marry. I don’t have a plan to be Luna of Lancaster or to any pack, Luke, and my decision is final!”
“Why not? What are you afraid of? I can protect you better if you are my Luna!”
“My husband would be the one to protect me, Luka. Not you or anybody else. Besides, I can protect myself,” I reiterated to make him remember that he trained me to fight against an enemy.
“Just because you learned some fighting skills, you are so confident you can win against anyone. Have you forgotten what happened at the bar, Isabella? You were terrified about something. I should have asked you about it a long time ago, but I waited for you to talk about it first. But until now, you didn’t take the initiative and kept me in the dark!”