Chapter 5: His Bed, His Rules

​"Elara!"

​Twelve-year-old Leo dropped his worn canvas backpack onto the polished marble floor and sprinted across the penthouse lounge. I barely had time to smooth down my skirt before he crashed into my arms.

​I held him tightly, burying my face in his damp hair as a wave of pure relief washed over me. For the first time in two years, the crushing weight of our father’s gambling debts wasn't suffocating my chest. Leo was safe.

​"Whoa, look at this place," Leo breathed, pulling back to stare wide-eyed at the towering glass windows overlooking the Silver City skyline. Then, his gaze landed on Kael standing beside the mahogany desk. Leo’s eyes widened slightly. "Are you Elara's boss? Mr. Vance said you gave her a huge promotion."

​Kael’s harsh, predatory features softened just a fraction. He stepped forward, sliding one hand into the pocket of his tailored black trousers.

​"Something like that, Leo," Kael said smoothly, his deep baritone filling the quiet room. "Your sister is doing very important work for me. While she’s under contract, you two will be living here. Vance will show you to your suite down the hall—it has a gaming console and a kitchen stocked with whatever you want."

​Leo’s jaw dropped. "Seriously?! Thank you, Sir!"

​After I hugged Leo goodnight and promised to check on him in the morning, Vance escorted him down the private hallway.

​The moment the heavy double doors clicked shut, the warm, brotherly atmosphere in the penthouse vanished. The air grew thick and charged, humming with the same dangerous electricity that had nearly consumed me on that desk five minutes ago.

​I turned around slowly. Kael was already watching me, his silver-gray eyes dark and hooded as he began unbuttoning his black dress shirt.

​My breath caught in my throat as he shrugged the silk fabric off his broad shoulders, tossing it carelessly onto a leather armchair. My eyes traced the sculpted lines of his chest, the hard ridges of his abs, and the intricate black tribal tattoos swirling across his left pec and down his muscular arm, marking him as the Alpha of the Shadow Pack.

​A jagged scar ran diagonally across his ribs—a brutal reminder of the violent world he ruled.

​"Where is my room?" I asked quickly, tearing my gaze away as heat crept up my neck.

​Kael walked toward me with the slow, silent grace of a stalking wolf. He didn't stop until the tips of his polished shoes brushed my worn sneakers.

​"Right through that door," Kael murmured, nodding toward the master suite at the top of the floating glass staircase. "Our room."

​My head snapped up, my eyes widening. "Our room? No. Wait a second—the contract never said anything about sharing a bed!"

​"Use your head, little mouse," Kael rasped, lifting a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear, his warm fingers lingering intentionally against the sensitive skin of my neck. "My pack staff and the Council’s spies clean these floors every morning. If they find you sleeping in a guest room on our first night, how long do you think our little secret will last?"

​"Then you can sleep on the couch!" I shot back, though my voice lacked any real fire as his thumb traced my jawline.

​Kael let out a low, dark chuckle that vibrated right against my chest. Suddenly, he bent down, sliding one arm beneath my knees and the other around my back, sweeping me effortlessly off the floor and into his bare chest.

​I gasped, instinctively wrapping my arms around his thick neck as he carried me up the glass stairs. His skin was scorching hot against my palms, smelling of dark pine and raw masculinity.

​Inside the master bedroom, the lights were dim, dominated by a massive king-sized bed draped in black silk sheets. Kael walked straight to the edge of the mattress and set me down slowly, letting my body slide down the hard length of his torso until my feet touched the plush rug.

​Before I could step back, he braced both hands on my hips, trapping me against the edge of the bed.

​"Go take a hot shower and get out of those wet clothes," Kael whispered darkly, his mouth brushing the curve of my jaw, making my knees tremble. "There’s a silk nightgown waiting for you in the bathroom. And don't take too long, Wife... my wolf doesn't like sleeping alone."