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Draco’s PoV I stepped into her loft, bouquet in hand, my presence filling the room. “Loriah,” I said, voice firm, steady, yet threaded with warmth, “I brought these for you.” I extended the flowers, letting the scent of roses drift between us. She froze, arms crossed, eyes narrowing. “Draco… I don’t want them,” she said, voice clipped. I took a step closer, holding the bouquet closer to her chest. “I know you’re angry,” I murmured, softening, “and I understand why. But I can’t stop trying to make it right. You mean too much to me.” Her jaw tightened, but I could see her fighting it. She wanted to melt, I could feel it in the tremble of her hands. “Draco, stop. I don’t need your flowers, and I don’t need your apologies.” I smiled slightly, confident, leaning closer. My fingers grazed hers, a whisper of contact. “Baby girl… I don’t want to argue. I just want you. To see you safe, to hold you. You’ve been mine in my heart all these years, and I can’t—won’t—pretend otherwise.”
Draco’s PoV I left with Marla, my patience stretched thin. She was a tempest, a storm fueled by anger, entitlement, and years of being backed unquestioningly by Alpha Magnus and my own father, Alpha Roman. When she raged, logic left her entirely—recklessness taking its place. Every second with her now was calculated; I had to make sure there was no proof of Loriah spending the night with me. Soon, I would flaunt her, walk her arm in arm for the world to see, but first, the divorce. A reasonable distance in time would ensure my intentions weren’t mistaken for scandal. Right now, though, Loriah was ghosting me, refusing to hear my side. And the gnawing thought haunted me—she could be my mate. Maybe even a second chance fate had handed me. I couldn’t ignore it. I called Sister Nora as the car rolled through the city streets. “I’m coming for the bracelet,” I said, my voice taut with urgency. At the convent, she waited in her office. I passed my fingers over the tiny bracelet she
Loriah’s PoV “Homewrecker!” Marla’s shriek was a blade, cutting through what little peace I had left. I barely had time to clutch the sheet tighter before she stormed into the room, her manicured hand already holding up her phone. “I knew it!” she hissed, angling the camera at me. “I’ll ruin you, Loriah Dee. No one will hire you again once they see you spread out like a whore in another woman’s bed.” Before I could even breathe, Draco shot up from the mattress, all muscle and fury, and in a blur, the phone was no longer in Marla’s hand. He smashed it against the wooden floor, shards scattering across the rug. “You’ve gone too far, Marla!” His voice was guttural, shaking the walls. “You have no right barging in here, no right to my and Loriah’s cabin!” Marla screamed something back, but I didn’t hear it. Shame burned through me hotter than fire. My legs shook as I scrambled for the nearest escape, bolting into the bathroom. Thank the Goddess I’d slipped on Draco’s shirt l
Draco’s PoV I carried her in my arms to the jeep, refusing to let her walk on her shaky legs. She clung to me, her face hidden in my chest, trembling from what had just happened. My man drove us to a larger cabin—away from the chaos, away from the danger. When we arrived, she finally lifted her head. “Wait, Draco? Where did you bring me? Brea is still back at the cabins.” “She’ll be fine, baby girl. Leon’s with her, and you know how persistent he is.” Even through her fear, she chuckled softly, leaning her head back on me. That small sound was enough to ease the storm raging in my chest. “Why were you shirtless in the forest?” she asked, eyes narrowed despite the softness in her voice. “Looking for you,” I answered truthfully. “Why did you wander so far away from the cabins?” She stiffened, her gaze sliding away. “I wanted some fresh air and I… got lost.” My gut twisted, but I didn’t press her now. Not when she was still shaking. I helped her down from the jeep, my han
Loriah’s PoV had spent most of the day locked inside my cabin, avoiding Draco like the plague. His wife was here, and whatever pull there was between us, it wasn’t right. When a knock startled me, I brushed my hair back into a messy bun. When I opened the door, Greg stood there, drenched—his shirt plastered to his chest and his shoes mud-caked. “What happened?” I asked, surprised. “The worst of the rain is over,” he said, pushing wet hair from his forehead, “but air patrol grounded the helicopters. Too much fog, strong winds. We’re stuck for the night.” I nodded. He didn’t come in—too wet, too muddy—but he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against my cheek. “Get some rest. I’ll be in my cabin if you need anything.” Then he jogged through the drizzle, leaving me with a pang of guilt I couldn’t name. Brea had already retired for the night, shaken by whatever had happened with Leon earlier. Alone, I changed into cotton pajamas, pulled on a hoodie, and that’s when another
Draco’s PoV I’d been tightening like a coiled wire all morning, every polite smile I’d given Marla at the gates a knife in my gut. The forest should have been mine this morning — my sanctuary, the one place I could breathe when the world closed in — and instead it felt like a chessboard where she moved all the pieces. “You don’t have to be here, Marla,” I said, low enough that only she could hear. The equipment hummed around us. The crew shuffled props, oblivious. “You’re making this shoot impossible.” She turned with that rehearsed smile, which had charmed half the city and hardened the rest. “Oh, Draco, don’t be dramatic. I’m helping. Dad wanted everything perfect. You know how important this commercial is. It is for the new cell phone that promises services even in the most remote of places.” Perfect. As if her version of “perfect” didn’t include maneuvering every little thing to her advantage. I watched the fabric of her dress ripple as she walked, and I noticed the imper