THE ALPHA’S QUIET TEMPTATION

LIORA'S POVDarren moved before I could blink, stepping over Julian's unconscious form without a second glance. My hands were still shaking as he reached for me."Can you stand?" His voice was low, but underneath it I heard the familiar warmth that had been my anchor since childhood.I nodded, taking his offered hand. His fingers were strong around mine as he pulled me to my feet. I looked down at Julian, sprawled against the stone wall, his head lolled to one side."Is he dead?”"He'll live," Darren said curtly. "Unfortunately. Come on, we need to move.""But won't he tell someone? Won't you get in trouble?" The words tumbled out in a rush. Darren might be the alpha's son, but striking a council member's child would have consequences.He turned to look at me, and even in the dim torchlight I could see the hard set of his jaw. "Let him try to explain what he was doing down here with you. Now come, before the guards change shifts."He kept hold of my hand as we slipped out of the dark

LIORA'S POV"Be more careful," he said instead, and his voice was gruff. "The crowds can be dangerous."I could only nod, as his eyes raked over me one last time, slower now as if committing me to memory. Then he turned his horse and drove away, disappearing into the throng of celebrating pack members.I stood there, rooted to the spot, my whole body thrumming with an energy I didn't understand. My skin felt too hot and between my legs, an ache had settled that made me want to press my thighs together and never let go."Liora!" One of the other maids appeared at my elbow, her eyes wide. "Was that… did the alpha just…""I need to get back to work," I managed to say, my voice shaky.She stared at me like I had grown a second head, but I was already moving, forcing my trembling legs to carry me back toward the kitchens. I retrieved another tray and started serving the crowd, but I wasn't really there. My mind was miles away, replaying every second of that encounter.The rest of the d

LIORA’S POV The dungeon was everything I had imagined hell would be.It had cold stone walls wet with moisture, the air thick with the stench of unwashed bodies and human waste and somewhere in the darkness, water dripped with maddening consistency. I wrapped my arms around myself, huddled in the corner of the cell I shared with five other prisoners. My cellmates had been watching me since the guards threw me in, their eyes filled with curiosity and malice. “Fresh meat,” one of them chucked, she had gray hair and missing teeth. “How long do you think this one’ll last, Greta?”Greta, a massive woman with arms like tree trunks, snorted. “Three days, maybe. She’s too soft. Look at her, trembling like a newborn pup.” “I lasted two weeks before I tried to hang myself with my clothes,” another prisoner chimed in cheerfully, “Didn’t work, obviously. The fabric tore.” “Amateur,” the gray-haired woman said. “I’ve been here for eight months. You learn to appreciate the small things. For e

LIORA’S POVI stared at Darren, certain I had misheard him. “What?”“You heard me.” His hand tightened around mine when I tried to pull away. “This benefits both of us, Liora. You will escape execution, and I will fulfill my duty to provide an heir. It’s perfect.”“Perfect?” I managed to yank my hand free, stepping back. “Darren, this is insane. I can’t…. we can’t… it would be so strange. You’re my friend, and I’d be carrying your child, and…”“It’s a solution,” he interrupted, his voice calm, as if we were discussing something as simple as the letters of the alphabet. “Nothing more, nothing less. You need protection from execution. I need a surrogate. Win win.”“But Elora….”“Will accept it because she has to. This isn’t about feelings, Liora. It’s about survival. Yours and the pack’s future.” He moved closer, his green eyes searching my eyes. “You said you needed to know why Anna framed you. If you are dead, you’ll never get those answers. But alive, and under my protection, you can

LIORA’S POVI walked back through the hidden door, my wet dress clinging to my skin and my mind still replaying the look on Alpha Lucas’s face before he walked away.It was cold and dismissive, I still don’t know what I was expecting from him. It was like I did not matter to him‘Because you don’t, I reminded myself harshly. You’re about to become Darren’s surrogate so The Alpha’s acknowledgement was never yours to want.But the ache in my chest refused to listen to reason.I had barely made it three steps down the corridor when voices erupted around me.“There she is!”“Where have you been?”Maids appeared from seemingly nowhere, their faces twisted with panic and anger. They surrounded me like a flock of agitated birds, all talking at once.“We’ve been searching everywhere…”“Madame Thorne is furious…”“You were specifically told not to leave…”“I’m sorry,” I stammered, backing against the wall. “I just needed some air. I wasn’t gone long, I promise…”“Silence!”The maids parted ins