CHAPTER 6

ARIA

“It’s not yours anymore.”

Shit.

“But…” Maren’s mouth opened and closed, her face turning redder by the second.

All this… over a room? Seriously?

“Lucian, you promised—”

Lucian didn’t even glance her way. “Aaron.”

Aaron straightened instantly. “Yes, Alpha?”

“Take your hands off her.”

Aaron’s hands practically flew off me. “Of course. I’ll… uh… get back to work.” He grabbed Maren’s arm instead. “Let’s go.”

“No, I still need to—” Her protest died on her tongue. Aaron didn’t give her the chance, already pulling her down the hall, until they disappeared—leaving only awkwardness between me and Lucian.

Except Lucian wasn’t watching them leave.

He was still looking at me.

Not my face. My wrist.

The exact spot where Aaron’s hands had been.

“You did that on purpose,” I said softly— just loud enough for him to hear. I couldn’t stand his gaze. It burned straight through me, scratching over every inch, every nerve, every vein Aaron had touched.

Why? Why act so damn weird?

“I did.” Lucian’s lips curled into a smile. Not friendly. Not even that fake “good job for speaking up” bullshit.

This smile had teeth. More like sharp canines flashing just enough to make my stomach recoil with unease. Was he angry with me? I bet he already decided I was prey.

I swallowed hard. “Why?” I asked again. “Now she hates me.” When I raised my head up, Lucian took a step closer. Startled, I stepped back—and smacked right into the wall.

“Because,” he said, dragging the word slow enough to make me understand I was in no position to ask questions. “I have to watch you. Personally. Can’t have a rogue wandering around my pack house… might harm someone.”

What the… I opened my mouth, ready to argue, but nothing came out. Rogue. Right. That’s what I was to him—a stray. A threat. A nobody.

So why was his hand suddenly wrapping around my wrist — the exact place Aaron touched?

My eyes widened.

What the fuck was he doing?! I almost jumped from his touch as my pulse kicked against the warmth of his large palms like a trapped animal.

And if he noticed, he didn’t say a word.

“No one touches you,” Lucian said. His voice dropped several octaves. “No one. Except me.”

“What?” The word slipped out before I could stop it.

“Did I fucking stutter?” His thumb dragged slow circles over my wrist bone and each time they moved, heat raced down my spine, all the way between my legs.

I shuddered. This was….

“This body of yours…” His smile deepened. “From your throat to those cute little ankles answers to me.”

My ears burned so hot, I swear they could’ve melted off. This was insane. Absolutely fucking insane. I should’ve told him to back off. Should’ve said something smart, something that proved I wasn’t some brainless idiot… but all I did was stand there with a heartbeat banging so loud that he could hear it.

Suddenly, Lucian leaned in, close enough for his breath to touch my neck.

I gasped.

“You smell nervous,” He said in a voice way too pleased. “Good. A rogue should never feel at ease.”

I blinked. Before I could process that ridiculous statement, his fingers started moving again, this time, stroking my wrist, up and down like he was petting something he owned.

It was too much.

My eyes rolled back and my knees wobbled hard. What was he doing to me?

“So responsive…” He murmured but I failed to understand what that meant.

And then he let go.

Just like that.

“Make yourself at home,” He said casually like we’d just discussed my orientation into the Blood fang pack. And then he walked off.

What… did Lucian just sniff me like a damn bloodhound and leave like it was nothing?

Feel at home. Rogues didn’t have homes. Rogues got shoved into dirty rooms, left to rot, or dragged back to the border where Alphas decided what to do with them.

Everyone knew that. But Lucian wasn't doing what everyone knew. He just kept walking— leaving me there with my brain still three seconds away from overheating.

I stumbled inside the room… my room?... and kicked the door shut with my heel. When my back hit the wood, and my knees finally gave out.

I slid down to the floor, shaking so bad, my teeth clicked together.

What the hell just happened?

I was a rogue. A problem to be dealt with. So why the hell did the Alpha look at me like something he wanted to keep? And worse—why did I almost orgasm from where he touched me?

Why the hell didn’t I hate it?

LUCIAN

Her door clicked shut.

I didn’t move.

Didn’t fucking blink.

My hand still tingled from touching her. Just her wrist, nothing special… except it was. Her skin was too soft for a rogue. Too warm. Too damn addictive.

Shit.

This wasn’t the plan. She wasn’t supposed to matter. I was supposed to scare her, torture her, make her a spy for my gain like every other stray that crossed my borders.

But no.

Aria stood there with her big, startled blue eyes and her trembling mouth, and now my head was fucked, my dick was hard, and my patience?

Gone.

I could still feel Aaron’s filthy fingers on her skin. I should’ve broken his hand. Hell, I still might. The only hands she needed were mine.

I rolled my neck until it popped, trying to shake off the frustration crawling down my spine. It didn’t work. She had no idea how much power she already had and the little rogue thought I was worried about the pack’s safety.

Cute.

No, sweetheart.

I’m watching you because the thought of anyone else looking at you makes me fucking sick. I ran my tongue over my teeth, smiling at the thought of her pressed against the wall, wide-eyed and too scared to move.

And she was already so damn sensitive.