MasukShe didn't stay in the room. Of course she didn't. She tried. For a full five minutes, she stood by the door, staring at the handle, replaying Kaelen’s voice in her head. Stay here. The problem was—he had said it like a request. And she was very tired of being protected from the truth. Few minutes after Rex's footsteps faded, she crossed to the window and pushed it open just enough to hear. The night shifted —no longer quiet but alert. Voices carried on the wind. Orders. The low scrape of boots on stone. Greyfall. Her fingers curled around the windowsill. She grabbed her cloak and slipped out into the corridor, keeping to the shadows. The guards near her room were gone. Drawn to the eastern perimeter like Rex had said. The compound felt hollowed out, stretched thin. She moved fast. Too fast to think about how reckless this action of hers was. By the time she reached the outer wall, she could see them. Three figures standing just beyond the boundary torches. They wore Greyfa
The corridor felt colder after she left him.She walked slowly, deliberately as if any sudden movement might shatter whatever fragile control still held the night together. Her pulse hadn't settled. Her lips still tingled. Every step echoed with the memory of his hands- where they had been, where they hadn't gone and where they could have. She turned a corner and nearly collided with Ash. "Whoooa, " the Beta said, catching catching her elbow automatically. His brows knit together the second he looked at her face. "You alright?"She nodded too quickly. "Fine." Ash didn't buy it. He never did. His gaze flicked past her, down the hall she'd come from , then back to her again. "Rex?" "Yes." That was all it took. Rex exhaled through his teeth . "Figures." She pulled her arm free gently. "Don't ." "I didn't say anything." "You were about to." He studied her for a long second, then stepped aside to let her pass. "Just ... be careful," he said quietly. "Whatever is ha
REX POV The door clicked shut. And just like that, the room felt empty. Wrong and cold. I stayed rooted where I was, chest tight , fingers twisting against my sides. And my wolf reprimanding me for the " mistake " I just made. I didn't want to cross any boundary and make her hate me more than she already did. At least not yet. Her scent lingered, teasing me, pulling me forward, yet she had the audacity to walk away. Walk away like I wasn't here. Like the pull between us was meaningless. I exhaled, low and frustrated, running a hand through my hair. She was reckless, Insane and infuriating. And we wanted her more than we wanted to breathe. My wolf Phoenix and I . The worst part? I didn't even try to stop her, and that's what annoyed Phoneix the most. He was fighting for dominance to stop her from leaving since I had no plans to do so but I pushed him aside, not wanting to scare her. She left willingly, and it drove me mad. My jaw tightened. My heart thundered, and e
Later, after the council meeting, Rex didn't take her back to the council halls. He took her deeper into the stronghold- past guards who looked away in respect, down a narrow corridor carved straight into stone. The air cooled as they passed, firelight fading until he stopped in front of a heavy oak door bound with iron He opened it and stepped inside. The door closed behind them with a dull, final sound. And somehow, that was worse. She barely had time to turn before Rex was close to her. One hand braced against the wall beside her head, the other landing on her hip like he needed the contact to stay upright. The room felt smaller instantly, like the air itself had tightened around them. "What was that about?" he asked quietly. Her heart kicked hard. " I don't know what you're talking about. " He leaned in, close enough that his breath touched her ear, warm and controlled but absolutely not calm. "You let him touch you. " Her chin lifted. " I let him take my hand."
AT THE COUNCIL The council chamber buzzed with low voices and polished lies. She sat right-backes beside her father, hands folded in her lap, face carefully neutral while her pulse refused to cooperate. Every Alpha present was watching her - some openly, some with the kind of measured interest that made her skin crawl.She felt Rex before she saw him. He stood behind her chair, just slightly to the left. Not touching. But close enough that his presence pressed against her awareness like heat against bare skin. He hadn't said a word since they entered, yet she could sense his attention fixed on the room. Calculating threats and weighing intent.Then Ronan of Grey Pack smiled at her. It was easy. Charming . Practiced. "My lady," Ronan said smoothly, inclining his head. " I don't believe we've had the pleasure of a proper conversation. "Her father opened his mouth- but she beat him to it."I don't believe we have," she replied calmly. Ronan's eyes brightened. He stepped closer,wel
She woke up before she meant to. Not because of a sound but because of a presence. Her eyes fluttered open, the room still wrapped in early dawn, pale light slipping through the tall windows in thin silver lines. For one hazy second, she forgot where she was. Then she remembered. The scent hit her first...cedar, smoke and rain. Him. Her body stiffened under the covers Rex was still on the sofa across the room, wide awake. Watching her. It seemed like he hadn't moved. Not even an inch. He sat exactly as he had the night before, forearms resting on his knees, shoulders relaxed in a way that said he had been alert for hours. His gaze lifted the moment her breathing changed, sharp and focused like he had been waiting for that exact sign. " Morning. " he said quietly. Her pulse quickened ." How long have you been awake?" His mouth tilted slightly. " Long enough," She pushed herself up on her elbows, suddenly too aware of the thin fabric of her nightgown, the way th







