Chapter 16: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain

Alaina

I had searched everywhere for Isaac, the Beta, and Lucious, the Gamma, but neither of them was available. Isaac was reportedly tied up dealing with a dispute among the patrol warriors, and Lucious had locked himself in the strategy hall, knee-deep in planning for the upcoming Pack Games. It didn’t seem like meeting me was on anyone’s priority list today.

So here I was, alone, standing in front of Adrian Martinez’s private quarters, with nothing but the pounding in my chest for company.

"Something’s not right," Edith whispered in the quiet corners of my mind, her voice sharp with unease.

“I know,” I murmured, inhaling deeply as I clenched and unclenched my fists. “This whole place feels like a relic from another world. But we’ll survive. We always do.”

I knocked.

The heavy silence broke with a voice so commanding, it could split stone. “Come in.”

The door creaked as I pushed it open. I stepped inside and instantly froze.

There, in the center of the room, stood a blonde woman. Her fingers lazily played with her hair, and the top buttons of her shirt were undone like she hadn’t bothered to pretend modesty. Behind her stood Adrian, shirtless. His chest glistened faintly, lips flushed, and his expression unreadable.

I turned away instinctively, shame burning my cheeks. “I... I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian’s words sliced through the tension. “You’re staying.”

The woman bolted, practically fleeing the room. Her hasty footsteps echoed in the silence she left behind.

I turned to face him, heart hammering, only to meet the intensity of his gaze. He hadn’t even moved to cover himself. The heat of his presence wrapped around me like a vice. I willed myself to focus on his eyes, not his sculpted frame or the faint smugness curling at his lips.

The door clicked shut behind me, and it felt like we’d just sealed ourselves in a cage of unresolved tension.

“You really think this is acceptable?” I asked, the disbelief sharpening my voice. “Bringing someone into your lair like it’s a tavern room? This is supposed to be the most sacred and secure part of the Blackwood Pack. What exactly are you doing?”

He chuckled softly, settling into the throne-like chair at the far end of the room. “You weren’t supposed to see that,” he said, voice calm but laced with arrogance. “I wasn’t trying to make you jealous, if that’s what you’re thinking. Though, judging by the look on your face, it’s working better than I thought.”

“You’re infuriating,” I snapped, shaking my head. “I’m not here to play your games, Adrian. I told you, I’m not interested in whatever twisted offer you keep hinting at.”

“You say that,” he said, rising slowly to his feet. “But you’re still here, aren’t you?”

He took a step toward me.

Then another.

Until the air between us was charged with something I didn’t want to name.

He stood at 6’5”, his shadow towering over my 5’7” frame, and yet, it wasn’t the height that made me feel small, it was the weight of his attention. The way he looked at me, like he was searching for something only he could name.

“I’m only here to help fix this pack,” I said, swallowing hard. “Not to fall into whatever trap you’re laying.”

“And what makes you think I want to trap you?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Maybe I’m just curious. Maybe I’m testing how much you’re willing to take before you break.”

He reached out suddenly, one arm circling my waist and pulling me close. My breath caught. His skin was warm, his grip firm but not unkind. Our faces were close now, too close and I could see the flicker of something dark in his eyes.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, my voice brittle.

“Seeing who you really are, Alaina,” he replied, his words slow and deliberate. “You come in here, full of fire, but I wonder what you’re hiding behind those steady eyes of yours.”

I pushed against him gently, enough to make him step back.

“Let me make something clear to you, Alpha Adrian Martinez,” I said, meeting his eyes with my own steel. “I am not like the women you toss away after a night. I didn’t come here for your approval. I came here because your pack is fractured and on the verge of collapse. I will not lose myself just to be seen by you.”

He watched me for a moment in silence. Then, slowly, he pulled his shirt over his head, smoothing it down with unhurried grace.

“You have secrets,” he murmured, stepping closer again, this time without touching me. “Your eyes, they don’t lie, but they do hide.”

His breath grazed my ear, sending a chill down my spine.

“I suppose now you’re going to lecture me about trust,” I said quietly.

He tilted his head, considering.

“No,” he replied. “Not yet. But don’t expect me to offer you mine either.”

Then, unexpectedly, his fingers brushed the side of my face, gentle, fleeting, but enough to make my breath hitch.

“I understand why you came,” he continued. “But understanding your motives doesn’t mean I trust them.”

A long silence fell between us. My pulse thundered. His touch still lingered like phantom heat on my cheek.

“You may go,” he said finally, his voice quieter now. “We’ll continue this tomorrow.”

I nodded stiffly and turned toward the door. But as I walked away, I knew something had shifted.