로그인I remembered sitting in the VIP section of the club, suffocating under the pressure of the pack council and their arranged marriage demands.Then I caught the sudden, intoxicating scent of warm vanilla and rain drifting through the crowded dance floor.I followed the sweet aroma out into the back alleyway, wearing a dark mask to hide my face from the rival gangs.I found him standing in the shadows, and my control vanished the second I touched his soft skin.I was the man who pinned him against the rough brick wall.I was the one who took his innocence and left him sleeping in that cheap motel room because the sudden bond terrified me.The second I realized he was my fated mate, I panicked and ran away to protect him from the dangerous pack politics.I knew Nathaniel and Rosalie would hunt him down and kill him if they found out I claimed a fragile human as my partner.I caused all this chaos in his life, and my ongoing silence was only making his anxiety worse.I watched him struggle
I turned my head and looked out over the glittering city skyline, but I did not really see the bright lights shining in the distance.My focus remained locked entirely on the young man standing just a few feet away from me.Even with the cold wind rushing across the open balcony, my heightened ears picked up the frantic, erratic rhythm of Jett's heart.It hammered against his ribs in a fast, terrified tempo that echoed loudly in my mind and made my own chest ache.The sharp, bitter scent of genuine panic rolled off his skin in heavy waves, drowning out the sweet vanilla smell I loved so much.He just looked me right in the eye and lied about having a stomach ulcer.He wrapped his arms tight around his waist to build a physical barrier between us, and the quiet rejection felt like a heavy block of concrete pressing down on my lungs.I knew he was carrying a massive secret because human bodies did not react to simple corporate stress like this.My Lycan senses could detect the subtle, c
He shifted his weight immediately, giving me his full, undivided attention."What is it?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly as he noticed the raw panic bleeding back into my voice."Did Marcus say something else to you when I wasn't looking?""No, it isn't about him or the gala," I stammered, my fingers gripping the stone railing so tight my knuckles ached."It's about me, and it is about why I have been so sick lately."Ren took a slow step closer, his pale eyes searching my face with intense, desperate worry."Tell me what is wrong, Jett, and let me help you fix it."I opened my mouth, the heavy truth resting right on the very tip of my tongue.I formed the first syllable, ready to spill the terrifying reality and beg him to help me figure out what to do.But reality crashed down on my shoulders with the crushing weight of a collapsing building before I could push the words out.I was a man, and I was somehow carrying a baby.It defied every rule of science, logic, and basic hum
My breath caught in my throat at the dark, heavy promise vibrating in his voice.I could only manage a weak, shaky nod in response as the terrifying memory of the alleyway slowly started to fade.Ren searched my face, his pale eyes tracking the nervous sweat gathering along my hairline."You need some fresh air right now," he declared softly, making the decision for me.He didn't wait for me to argue or agree, keeping his large hand pressed firmly against the small of my back to guide me away from the dance floor.We bypassed the busy bar and wove through a group of laughing socialites, moving steadily toward the far edge of the room.A set of heavy French doors stood cracked open to the outside, guarded by thick velvet curtains to keep the chill out of the party.Ren pushed the heavy glass open with his shoulder and gently ushered me over the threshold.The loud, chaotic noise of the gala vanished the second the heavy doors clicked shut behind us.We stepped out onto a wide, private
The heat of a deep, sudden blush rushed straight up my neck and settled firmly in my cheeks.I lowered my head quickly, desperate to hide the dark red flush from his intense gaze."Thank you, Ren," I mumbled, my voice barely louder than a nervous whisper.I brought the cold crystal glass to my lips and took a long sip of the sparkling water just to give myself something to do.The freezing liquid helped soothe the dry knot in my throat, but it did nothing to calm the frantic hammering of my heart.He was standing so close that the expensive wool of his tuxedo jacket brushed against my arm every time he took a breath.His body radiated a heavy, comforting warmth that cut right through the chilly air conditioning of the massive ballroom."Stay close to me," he instructed softly.He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and guided me away from the flower-wrapped pillar.We started walking slowly through the dense sea of wealthy executives and glittering socialites.I expected him to lead m
His messy brown hair was slightly damp from the cold rain outside, falling across his forehead in a way that made my hands ache to brush it back.He looked breathtaking, and my iron-clad control over my animal instincts suffered a massive, dangerous slip.He looked like a beautiful, fragile angel standing in the middle of a room filled with ruthless, disguised monsters.The purebloods surrounding him had absolutely no idea that a human was carrying the scent of their rival Alpha.I watched him shift his weight nervously, his wide blue eyes scanning the massive crowd until they finally found mine.The moment our eyes met, the chaotic noise of the string quartet and the shouting politicians faded into a distant, muffled hum.The raw terror masking his face melted away into a soft, genuine relief that made my chest ache.He actually looked happy to see me, and that simple realization shattered the last of my restraint.My inner wolf roared in my mind, demanding that I cross the room and







