Chapter 6: Money Is Not Everything

Watching Arthur Sterling instantly transform from an elite pack lawyer into a obedient schoolboy caught in mischief before Hazel, Clara could not suppress a faint, amused smile. Stepping in to diffuse the mounting friction, she intervened softly, "Let it go, Hazel. Do not make things too difficult for Counselor Sterling."

"Hmph, fine then."

Hazel shot one final, sharp glare at Arthur before relenting. "Consider yourself fortunate that Clara is willing to plead your case. I will let you off the hook this once."

However, the moment an outsider breached the perimeter, Leo strictly withdrew his aura, refusing to utter a single word.

Arthur retrieved a small plush bear he had gathered along the transit route, gently waving it before the silent pup.

"Hello there, little one. My name is Zongzong, would you care to be my friend?"

Leo fixed his deep midnight-dark eyes upon Arthur for a quiet, measuring moment. Then, defying all expectations, he extended a tiny hand and accepted the plush toy.

"Th... ank you."

Hazel was utterly stunned. "By the ancestors, Leo actually granted you a response!"

In truth, Leo did not entirely close his mind-link to strangers.

However, it was only on rare, unpredictable occasions that his wolf's instincts deemed someone safe enough for a direct interaction.

Sensing the shock in Hazel's tone, a wave of instinctual male pride surged through Arthur's chest. "You see, my lady? Never underestimate my standing. Young pups are naturally drawn to my presence!"

Nevertheless, the small assembly waited well past the ninth hour of the evening before Dr. Alyssa Cole finally breached the facility lines, arriving thoroughly delayed.

"My apologies. An unexpected crisis locked me within the upper research ward, and I could not break away."

Alyssa possessed a sharp, neatly cropped hairstyle and meticulously refined features, carrying a striking, commanding beauty.

Clothed in a tailored, cream-toned trench coat over a silk white shirt and tailored skirt, her aura radiated an undeniable, sophisticated prominence.

"It is no trouble at all. Thank you for making the journey, Dr. Cole," Clara said, rising to her feet with a polite, measured smile as she extended her hand in greeting.

Remarkably, by visual appearance alone, Alyssa carried a sharper, more clinical edge than Arthur did as a practitioner of law.

"The pleasure is mine. Thank you for your patience," Alyssa replied with a smooth smile, her professional demeanor perfectly pleasant.

Standing to the side, Hazel’s gaze remained somewhat guarded, offering only a clipped, formal nod of acknowledgment.

"Dr. Cole appears to maintain a crushing schedule throughout the cycles."

Alyssa dismissed the faint friction with an effortless laugh, stepping directly toward Leo's bedside.

"Hello, sweet pup. I am the medic assigned to guide your mind-healing. Tell me, how many seasons have you seen?"

Yet, the exact pup who had just been interacting flawlessly with Arthur instantly locked down his defenses.

Pressing his small lips into a tight line, he shrank backward, retreating completely behind Clara's shadow, refusing to grant her any access.

Clara felt a wave of social awkwardness wash over the space, smoothing it over quickly. "Forgive him, Dr. Cole; he carries a profound resistance to unfamiliar scents. Perhaps we should step into the corridor to review his diagnostic history in detail?"

Alyssa offered a clinical nod, her voice adopting a flat, careless tone as she noted, "It is quite alright. Pups suffering from developmental malfunctions are a common fixture in my research units."

A sharp, warning bell rang deep inside Clara's instincts.

In her own care, she strictly forbade anyone from articulating such absolute, cold descriptors within earshot of Leo.

Though his vocal cords remained locked, the pup's mind-link meant his cognitive processing captured every nuance of the world around him.

Suppressing the sudden spike of irritation in her chest, Clara swiftly escorted Alyssa into the private consulting corridor.

Cutting straight to the heart of the matter, Clara began, "Dr. Cole, my son’s mental barriers are reaching a critical threshold. If there are any specific boundaries or conditions you require, I prefer we map them out transparently."

Alyssa’s fingers tightened slightly beneath her tailored sleeve, her professional smile remaining perfectly intact, though her response carried a chill. "Madam Thorne, you were introduced through my partner’s elite circle, so I shall bypass diplomatic pleasantries. At this juncture in my career, my vital life force and focus are entirely dedicated to advanced academic publications."

Panic flared within Clara’s dark green eyes, her voice growing urgent. "Dr. Cole, he has only survived three winters. I refuse to abandon his consciousness to a lifetime of absolute isolation. I am fully prepared to guarantee your compensation at fifty percent above the standard premium market rates."

Alyssa’s expression transformed instantly into cold fury. She snapped to her feet, leveling an icy, insulted gaze down at Clara.

"Material wealth holds no sway over my standing. I did not ascend the ranks of child psychology to hunt for mere coins or cheap prestige."

"Madam Thorne, I demand that you accord the proper reverence to my specialized calling."

"Dr. Cole, you mistake my intention entirely; that was never my meaning."

Left completely off-balance by the rapid shift in tension, Clara scrambled to clarify her stance. "I am deeply conscious of the heavy demands on your time, and I am humbled by your willingness to intervene. The premium compensation was proposed strictly as a sincere token of my immense gratitude!"