MasukAlexandra’s POVWe shared a ride with Samantha and Julian, but even in front of them Sebastian could not keep his hands to himself, pulling me closer, brushing his fingers over my shoulders and thighs, watching me with eyes full of lust as if I were his prey.My breathing was uneven as I felt hot and aching for him, yet at the same time my cheeks burned with blush because my sister and her mate were sitting right next to us.“Do you know the gender of the baby already?” I asked Samantha, desperate to shift the mood.“Yes,” she said happily, “it is a boy and it is a girl.”Confusion crossed my face, and Samantha just giggled.“So… a boy or a girl?” I muttered, puzzled.“A boy and a girl. We’re expecting twins, dear aunt,” Samantha announced, and Julian squeezed her hand, beaming with pride and joy.“Wow, that must be exciting. Congratulations,” Sebastian replied cheerfully. “Double trouble.”“Are you planning to have pups soon?” Julian asked Sebastian.I froze, my attention snapping fu
Sebastian's POVI was waiting for Alexandra in the lounge, but waiting felt like torture. I’d just held her in my arms an hour ago, and it still wasn’t enough. Every second without her pressed against me, every heartbeat thudding in my chest like a warning twisted the ache in my body tighter. I wanted her so badly it hurt, that low, possessive fire curling deep inside me, making my fists clench and my jaw tight. I wanted to pull her back, bury my face in her hair, mark her, make her mine in every way that mattered. But I couldn’t—her family had missed her too, and tonight, finally, we all got a fleeting, fragile relief when Alex returned home.Relief didn’t touch me. Not really. The memory of Marco—the way he’d dared to kidnap her, the way he’d tried to claim her using my look and scent—still crawled under my skin, setting fire to my nerves and leaving goosebumps crawling down my spine. Rage throbbed in my veins. Nobody would touch her. Nobody would. Not while I lived.And yet, just
Alexandra’s POV I locked the heavy oak doors, shutting the world out until there was only him and me. My heart thudded too loudly in my chest, like it might give me away. Sebastian stood by his desk, cut in shadow and amber light. He didn’t speak. He just watched me—and through the bond I felt everything: anger, love, lust, sadness, all tangled together. It made my chest ache. We had been circling this moment, pretending we were fine when neither of us was. I untied my robe. Silk slid to the floor. Cold air kissed my overheated skin and I shivered. His eyes darkened instantly, but there was pain there too, something he wasn’t saying. He came closer, slow and dangerous. His thumb traced my collarbone, and I leaned into it without thinking, needing that small contact more than I needed air. Only then did I notice the rope on his table. He stepped behind me, his scent wrapping around me, steadying my breath, quieting the storm in my head. “Don’t move,” he said against my ear.
Alexandra’s POV“Let Alpha cool down,” said Samantha, taking my hand and leading me away to my studio. “He is a big boy, he will be fine.”I silently followed her, a hurricane of emotions and thoughts swirling in my head. My chest felt tight, like I had been holding my breath for days and only now remembered how to breathe.The moment the door closed behind us in my studio and we sank onto the sofa, Samantha bounced up.“Spill everything. Who kidnapped you? Where have you been? Why is Alpha so mad?” She started to shower me with questions. Typical Samantha.“Sis, slow down,” I pleaded, rubbing my temples. My head still felt foggy from everything I had been through, and talking about it made my stomach twist.“Oh, totally forgot,” she said, grabbing a bottle of wine and some glasses from the table nearby, opening it and pouring me some, and pomegranate juice for herself. “Just a little encouragement,” she laughed and raised her glass. “Welcome back, sister.”The wine smelled divine. I
Alexandra’s POVI appeared in Sebastian’s study, where he was sitting with a coffee, staring at his laptop. He looked tired and weary—messy hair, dark circles under his eyes—but still undeniably handsome.Seeing him like this, worn down yet unbroken, made something ache painfully sweet inside my chest, like I had been holding my breath for days without realising it.My chest swelled with joy, and I teased him, “Busy as always, Your Highness?”He lifted his gaze, and in the next second the mug slipped from his hand and shattered into shards on the floor. A flicker of emotions like a kaleidoscope flashed through his eyes at the speed of the wind—confusion, shock, relief, happiness.That single heartbeat felt endless, heavy with everything we had lost and everything we still could.In a flash, he was standing next to me, pulling me into his arms, touching me like he was trying to ensure I was real and not an illusion. His grip trembled, just slightly, as if he was afraid I might vanish i
Alexandra’s POV“I did not have a choice. My family is cursed,” mumbled Marco.His poor explanation just fueled my fury. My hands curled into fists before I even realized it, nails biting into my palms as anger burned hot and fast in my chest.“Cursed to steal mates and force yourself on them?” I snarled. My voice echoed louder than I intended, sharp and broken, carrying all the betrayal I tried to swallow.“Alex, I didn’t… never ever… I would not force myself on you. You…” he stuttered, his voice shaking, eyes darting like a trapped animal.“You were using my mate’s identity to try to mate and mark me. Isn’t that an attempted rape?” I yelled, jumping to my feet. My heart slammed violently against my ribs, rage and disbelief tangling until I could barely breathe. The image of his hands, his lies, made my skin crawl.He stood up too, ready to run if I did, but there was no point for me to run. Eilyul was not fully awake, and the realization hit me hard—I was vulnerable. Trapped. My po







