Jane

Jane's POV 

Alpha Liam’s office was nothing like Theo’s. 

Theo’s space is usually neat, minimalistic, modern, and cold in a way that reflects his personality. But everything had its place. The books are lined in perfect rows, the surfaces are usually spotless, and the whole room smelled faintly of his favourite diffuser and his not so strong control.

But Alpha Liam’s office was absolutely different. It was chaos dressed in his shadows. Old books spilled from every shelf, some stacked so dangerously they looked like they were waiting for the slightest touch to help them collapse. 

Papers littered the floor. His desk, if you could still call it that, was a battlefield of scrolls, open books, scattered pens, and maps curled at the corners. There wasn’t even enough space to rest a single cup of coffee.

His face was the last thing I looked at and there was him. He wasn’t what I expected. He wasn’t commanding or rigid like he usually was. His shirt was half unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of his chest, revealing some of his tattoos.

And his hair was a mess like he had run his hands through it a hundred times. Even his eyes had dark shadows under them, his expression was weary, more like haunted.

I could tell that aside from the pain, something else tightened in his chest. The initial fear I had began to melt into something softer. Something like worry and concern.

"Come over here, Jane," he said, his voice bored but heavy.

I stepped forward, carefully balancing the tray in my hands. My fingers trembled slightly but I managed to stay still. “Is everything alright, Alpha Liam?” I asked, barely above a whisper.

He looked at me like I had overstepped, like I had no right to question anything about him. Maybe I should have stayed silent. Why am I even concerned about him when he had never been gentle with me. But still… I couldn’t help it.

“Will you hold on to the coffee until the end of the day?” he asked, his tone sharp as he stared at the tray in my hands.

“Oh—” I blinked, flustered. “The coffee,” I stammered, shifting awkwardly. I looked at his desk, realizing there was no way to put the tray down on that same desk. “There’s no space on your table, Alpha Liam.”

“Then create it, Jane,” he said, eyes narrowing slightly. “And create more for yourself too.”

More for myself? I didn’t even know what that meant, but I obeyed.

I spotted a cupboard tucked near the wall. I gently set the tray down, and returned to his desk. I began to clear it, moving books and scattered documents aside, my back turned to him.

Then, without warning, his strong hands wrapped around my waist. I gasped as he pulled me backward, and I landed on his lap with a quiet thud. My body stiffened instantly, heat rushing to my cheeks. I felt him, hard beneath me. I didn’t dare move.

His arms stayed firm around me, holding me in place. It was not rough, but not tender either. Just in a claiming way.

“Have you always been an attention seeker?” he whispered against my ear, his voice low and dangerously smooth.

The sound of it made my skin tingle and made my thoughts stutter.

“I… I don’t understand you,” I whispered.

“Why did you fall into Caleb’s hands?” he asked next, his tone turning darker.

So that man from earlier, his name is Caleb. Now that I know his name, I should know more about him. 

Instead of answering, I foolishly followed my own curiosity. 

“Who is Caleb to you?” I asked.

It was as if alpha Liam stopped breathing. He stilled, like everything went still. The air, the room, even the beat of time.

A growl rumbled softly from his chest. Low but threatening. “What did I say about asking me questions?” he said through clenched teeth.

“I just wanted to know who he is,” I said, trying not to sound afraid, though my voice trembled.

“You find pleasure in disobeying me, Jane,” he said, tightening his grip once more before releasing me. 

“I'm sorry,” I whispered quickly.

“Save it for next time,” he replied, and gently pushed me off his lap.

He rose to his feet without looking at me and walked to a tall cabinet in the far corner of the room. I turned curiously, brushing invisible dust from my skirt as I watched him. 

The way he moved was slow, deliberate and it made my pulse quicken. He opened the cabinet and reached inside. When he turned back to me, my breath caught in my throat.

I blinked in shock as I saw the last thing I expected to see. 

 A whip.

A long black wipe with many tails. The head was coiled in his hand like a serpent waiting to strike.

My body tensed as I stared at him and the instrument of punishment in his hand. 

Was this it? Was this how it would end? Would I really get punished for asking him questions?

A smirk played on his lips. Not a cruel smirk. Not like Theo’s used to be. This one was something else. Dangerous, yes. But it was laced with something deeper. Something wickedly playful.

“Relax,” he said, walking back toward me, the whip swaying gently at his side. “It’s not for what you think.”

I swallowed hard, my back involuntarily pressing against the edge of the cluttered desk.

He lifted the whip slowly and traced the end of it along my bare arm.

A soft gasp escaped my lips as the leather kissed my skin softly. It was tickling, just enough to raise goosebumps all over my skin. He dragged it up to my shoulder, across my collarbone, then down again, slow and intentional.

“You fear it,” he said softly, “but you don't fear me enough.”

My cheeks burned. I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t even sure I could speak.

He moved closer, his breath brushing my temple. “I don’t hurt those I want to keep, Jane. But I do like to know where their limits are.”

Is this man kidding me? Who in their normal sense brings out a whip of many heads to check something? 

The whip slid down my side, coiling around his hand again. “I just wanted to see something,” he murmured, stepping back. “And now I have.”

“Make sure to keep your curiosity in check and don't forget to keep Caleb's name out of your mouth.” 

With that, he turned away, as if nothing had happened.