"Go shower. I’ll change the bedsheet," I said.He nodded, climbing off me. The moment he left, the warmth of his body vanished, and I immediately missed it. I flopped back against the mattress, dragging a hand through my hair and groaning as the sound of rushing water hit my ears.I laid there for a minute, breathing him in—his scent still lingering on the sheets, on my skin, everywhere. Then I forced myself up, stripped the bed, and changed the sheets quickly.By the time I was done, he was stepping out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, skin flushed and clean. I couldn't help but stare hard at him before forcing my eyes away as I headed in next, and if his scent had hit me hard before, it was unbearable now. Almost enough to get me hard again.No. Not again.I finished showering fast, wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped back into the room. He was already lying on the bed, hair damp and messy.“I left some clothes for you,” he said with a soft smile.I chuckled,
The room was quiet except for our breathing, heavy and steady. He was so close that I could feel every beat of his heart against mine. As Jayden's hands roamed over me, every inch of my body responded, shivering, burning, wanting more. But something inside me pulled back. What is this? The heat? Or is it something more?I looked into his eyes, seeing the same raw, unspoken desire reflected in them. He’s not just lost in the heat, I realized. There’s something deeper here. He wants this, and maybe, so do I.The moment his lips met mine again, the hesitation was gone. There was no more second-guessing, no more internal debate. All the walls I’d built around myself started to crumble, and I could feel the pull of him like a magnet—impossible to resist. I can't fight this anymore. I want him, all of him. If I don't take this moment, I might regret it.He melted into me, lips parting with a soft sigh as I deepened the kiss. My fingertips grazed his hot skin, and he shivered at the contact.
“Call them again,” I said to Lucien as I entered my office, barely calming myself. ‘Jayden,’ I groaned in my head.Lucien redialed and handed me the phone.The Apex Circle is the ultimate and highest governing body within the werewolf world, the highest hierarchy of Alpha leadership. Composed of the twelve most influential and powerful Alphas from across the globe. The Apex circle is not just a council; it is a brotherhood bound by blood oaths and sacred traditions. Founded over a thousand years ago by the earliest and most revered Alpha leaders, its original mission was to prevent chaos and bloodshed between the various werewolf territories, a mission that remains unchanged to this day.The Circle elects a Prime Alpha every fifty years, to oversee the gatherings and make final decisions concerning werewolves all around the world. The Prime Alpha’s authority is absolute during their tenure, and their role is to maintain unity within the Circle, ensuring no single member overpowers the
After showering, I stepped back into the room and headed straight to the wardrobe still undressed. The wardrobe was filled with neatly arranged clothes that Zane had bought: suits, shirts, joggers, cargo pants, and more hoodies than I could count. I had no idea what to pick. Honestly, I wasn’t used to wearing anything besides my hoodies.Eventually, I settled on cream-colored cargo pants, a loose T-shirt, and, of course, a black hoodie. Not like I was heading anywhere fancy.As I dressed, I realized something strange. I didn't have the nightmares nor the heat symptoms, which was a good thing but I wasn't sure how to interpret that. Does that mean Zane's affecting me too? The same way everyone kept saying I was affecting him?My phone rang, dragging me out of my thoughts.Lucien.“Ehm…” I cleared my throat before answering. “Hello?”“We're waiting for you, you do know that, right?”Shit. I thought they'd start without me. I mean it's their house after all.“Sorry,” I mumbled, sliding i
I woke up to the strong smell of something warm and expensive clouding my nose—woodsy, smoky and a little sweet. It reminded me of oud wood. I scrunched my nose and shifted a little, trying to figure out where it was coming from. That’s when I realized I couldn’t move.I cracked my eyes open and blinked into the curve of someone’s neck. Zane’s neck. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, holding me against him like he wasn’t planning on letting go anytime soon.My heart started hammering as I realized just how close we were. When did this happen? How did I not wake up before now?Carefully, I tilted my head up to get a better look at him. Even asleep, he looked like something straight out of a painting, strong jaw, messy hair, and that annoyingly perfect mouth. I don’t even know how long I stared before my hand started moving on its own, reaching up to brush a strand of hair off his forehead.“Which part of my face do you like the most?” he asked, his voice low and rough with sleep.
“Zane. Zane.”The voice echoed faintly, like it was calling through water.“Wake him up! Undo whatever the hell you did to him—now!”Who’s yelling?“I didn’t do anything!”My brain felt like sludge. Someone was shaking me.“Zane, wake up. Mr. Alpha. Alpha Zane? Fuck! Why aren’t you waking up?!”A sharp sting landed on my shoulder, snapping the darkness like glass.My eyes flew open just as Jayden raised his hand again.“You’re awake,” he breathed, stepping back in relief.Before I could respond, Lucien shoved past him and crouched beside me.“Zane—are you okay? What the hell happened?”I pushed myself upright. My limbs were heavy. Everything felt... slow.“What happened?” I asked, scanning the room. It was dim—the sun already gone.“You slept. The entire day,” he said, eyes filled with concern.“I did what?” I shot wide awake, heart thudding. My mind raced to recall the last thing. Jayden—he was having a panic attack. I told him to come to my room. He laid down on the bed. And then… n
By morning, we were back at the mansion. I could barely keep my eyes open.“Luke, tell the cook to prepare food…” Zane started.“Skip me,” I muttered, dragging myself up the stairs. My body felt like a log of wood. Every step was a full-body negotiation. I reached my room, collapsed onto the bed, and everything went dark the moment my head hit the pillows.For maybe an hour, there was peace.Then the nightmare came.It was the same one. But this time it was sharper, like someone had adjusted the focus just to torture me. The woods were darker, the air thicker. I was running again—barefoot, heart pounding, chest tight. The men were right behind me. Their footsteps thundered in sync with my pulse. I turned once and saw them. Clear as day.Buzz Cut was there. He wasn’t the biggest, but he was fast. Faster than before.My legs burned, lungs screamed. I kept running—until I tripped. That had never happened before. My body hit the ground hard. My knees scraped the dirt and suddenly they wer
I didn’t see Zane for the rest of the day. Not a whisper. Not a shadow. Not even a passing scent of that cedar-frost Alpha aura. He just stayed in his room all day. Instead, Lucien showed up early in the afternoon with a tray of food. “Eat,” he said, setting the tray on the desk in my room with a dramatic flourish. “And while you’re eating, let’s cover basic survival etiquette for living at Silverspire.” He didn’t wait for me to argue. “One,” Lucien held up a finger. “Don’t go into Zane’s room. Ever. That includes standing too close to the door and thinking about going in. The house can tell.” I raised an eyebrow. “It can… tell?” “This place is wired with ancient magic and it responds to the Alpha. Two—don’t touch anything glowing, floating, or whispering. Unless you want to get launched into the astral plane, or worse—another dimension where taxes still exist.” I opened my mouth. “Yes, that actually happened to someone,” he added before I could ask. He paused dramati
I had seen mansions before—on magazines, on screens, from a safe distance behind velvet ropes—but nothing could’ve prepared me for this.The car slowed, tires crunching over a sleek stone drive lined with glowing lights embedded in the pavement. Palm trees flanked the road like sentries—too symmetrical, too perfect. Ahead, the estate rose like a vision out of someone else’s dream. Silverspire.It wasn't just a house. It was a statement. A sprawling fortress of glass, steel, and obsidian. All sharp angles and elegant menace. At first glance, it looked like a modern resort carved straight out of a sci-fi film. But the longer I stared, the more it watched back.Perched on a vast cliffside plateau, Silverspire rose like a god’s sanctuary above Nocturne City’s flickering skyline. Towering steel-and-glass spires pierced the heavens, their silhouette sharp and elegant like gothic fangs. The dark-stone façade absorbed the sunlight, while blackened glass gleamed with a quiet menace, reflecti