LOGINSebastian POVThe only sound in the bedroom was Elliot's breathing. I smoothed the sheet one time to make sure the blanket was tucked around his shoulders. My scent was over the fabric, sealing the room from the outside world. Elliot was asleep, his body relaxed after the exhaustion of the foyer and our intense bond.I got out of bed. Walked down the long, dim corridor of the penthouse to my private office. I didn't put on a shirt.The steel door locked behind me with a motorized hiss. I sat down in the leather chair. The terminal arrays came to life. Three curved monitors turned on in the room, casting a cold blue glow over my chest.I tapped my wrist terminal. Transferred the high-priority alert to the main desktop screens."Aris," I said into the microphone."I'm tracking the sedan now, boss," Aris responded. "The tactical team put a beacon on the bumper before they opened the gates. We're three blocks behind him in a van.""Tell me about the satellite feed," I said.On the center
Elliot POVThe heavy steel doors at the end of the hall closed with a click. The smell of lilies was still in the air, but the elevator took us away from it. By the time we got to the floor, the only sound was the storm hitting the windows.I walked into the bedroom. My body was tight, muscles stiff from what happened. Still feeling the effects of the argument. My fingers are shaking. My heart is racing. My sweat; sharp, a sour smell from anxiety. My instincts are still on alert, telling me to protect myself and the people I care about.Sebastian came into the room behind me. He threw his tablet on the nightstand without looking at it. Looking at me, his eyes fixed on my shoulders, seeing how tense I was."Elliot." His voice was low, calm, filling the room.I did not say anything. I sat down on the bed. Looked at my hands. My knuckles were red and sore. I kept thinking about what Daniel did. He tried to touch my stomach. It made me feel sick. He looked perfect, belonging in the billio
Sebastian’s POVDaniel's fingers were reaching for the cotton shirt. His hand was less than an inch from Elliot's stomach.Before I could lung forward, Elliot moved first. My mate's hockey-honed reflexes went live, his hand clamping around Daniel's wrist like a steel vice. I saw the pure shock flash in the intruder's eyes as Elliot twisted his arm out, pinning him in place with a low, lethal warning.A red haze took over my vision anyway. I could not control the protective rage roaring inside my chest.I stepped into the gap. My massive hand came down, wrapping right over Elliot's fingers to secure Daniel's trapped wrist in an even tighter, icy grip. I squeezed until the bones beneath the white wool coat shifted.Daniel made a sharp, gasping noise. His entire arm went stiff under our combined hold. He tried to pull away, his heels slipping on the wet marble floor, but I would not let him move an inch."Step back, baby," I said to my mate. My voice was not normal. It was a bottomed-out
Elliot POVThe air hit my face as the lift doors opened. The green emergency lights were flashing over the black marble floor, making everything look really clean and cold. Then I smelled something. Under the smell of my alpha, which is like cedar wood, there was this sweet smell that I did not like. It smelled like flowers and some kind of spice that is made in a lab. It was a perfume that rich people wear.This smell made my stomach feel bad.I got out of the elevator. My body got ready to react like when I play hockey. I looked across the room and saw Sebastian. He was wearing a shirt with his sleeves rolled up. There was a man pressed up against him wearing a white wool coat. This man had his arms around Sebastian's neck, and his blond hair was on Sebastian's shoulder.Sebastian had his hands on the man's wrists, holding him in place.I stood up straight and got ready to defend myself. I felt like I was about to play a game. The strong feelings inside me were burning. This is my
Sebastian POVThe security panel's monitor screen glowed in the foyer. Outside the iron gates, a black armored car sat like a hearse. Its headlights were dead. Rainwater ran down its reinforced glass panels."Do we turn the vehicle around, sir?" Aris asked. His finger hovered over the gate release button. His tactical vest made a noise against his uniform shirt.I looked down at my lap. Elliot was still asleep in the bedroom down the hall. His breathing was deep and even under the doctor's medicine. My mate needed every second of rest. His blood pressure was a line. If a scene erupted in the courtyard, media vans would arrive within minutes. News people would broadcast the chaos to the league offices."No," I said. My voice was low. "Open the gate. Bring him into the lower reception foyer."Aris paused. "Sir?""We isolate the threat," I said. I stood up from the leather chair. "With armed guards. He does not step foot into the elevator. He does not come near my family."Aris nodded. H
Elliot POVThe backup power kicked in. The kitchen was filled with this weird humming noise. The emergency lights made everything look green and spooky. Our penthouse was really quiet except for the sound of the wind, which was blocked by the strong storm windows.I was standing by the kitchen counter, my bare feet on the stone floor. I had my arms crossed. My fingers were gripping my gray shirt tightly. The air smelled like something was burnt, mixed with Sebastian's scent, like cedar wood."Do not try to change the subject," I said, my voice rough.My husband was standing near the door that led to the terrace. He looked at the drone on the patio, then turned back to me. His face was like a stone, and the green light made his jawline look really sharp."I am not trying to change the subject," he said, taking a step toward me."You did not tell me about Daniel," I said, gripping the counter. "He knows all your secret codes, and he knows the layout of the vault. He even knew how to get
Elliot POV The words hung in the air like smoke from an explosion.I sat frozen on the leather couch, the cool material doing nothing to soothe the wildfire spreading beneath my skin. My mind raced through every exit strategy I had ever planned during my six years in the league—fake passports, pri
Elliot POVThe tyres of the SUV screeched against the concrete ramp as Sebastian tore into the penthouse garage.The ride back from the restaurant had been a blur of flashing city lights and roaring engine noise. I sat squeezed into the passenger seat, my body curled into a tight knot as the interna
Sebastian POV The cold night air hit my face the moment we pushed through the heavy glass doors of Bistro Lumière.Elliot leaned into my side, his shoulder brushing my arm as we moved across the concrete pavement toward the private lane where my SUV sat idling. His skin burned through the black si
Elliot POVThe flash of a camera lens caught the edge of my vision through the restaurant window.I didn't flinch. I kept my chin up, my jaw set in a relaxed, easy smile that felt like cardboard against my teeth. The atmosphere inside Bistro Lumière was a dense mix of expensive perfume, roasting ga







