LOGINShare
Chapter Four — The Enemy’s Table
Last Updated:
2025-08-11 18:01:00Chapter Four – Behind Closed Doors
The applause and music in the ballroom faded the moment Adrian guided me through a side corridor, away from the stares and the whispers. His hand was still at the small of my back, firm but not possessive—though the heat of it seemed to burn through the silk of my gown. We passed two guards who instantly straightened at his approach, their eyes flicking to me with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. No one questioned where he was taking me. No one dared. Adrian stopped in front of a tall set of oak doors and pushed them open, revealing a private lounge lit by the warm glow of a roaring fireplace. The air smelled faintly of aged whiskey and cedar—a scent I was quickly starting to associate with him. He didn’t speak at first. He simply walked to a sideboard, poured himself a drink, and then glanced at me over his shoulder. “Wine?” “No,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. His lips curved faintly. “You want to keep your head clear. Smart.” I moved further inside, my heels silent against the thick carpet. “Why am I here, Adrian?” He set his glass down and turned fully to face me. “Because you made a declaration in front of half the kingdom last night. And I don’t think you understand what that means.” “I know exactly what I said.” He stepped closer, the firelight catching the sharp lines of his jaw, the silver strands in his dark hair. “You threatened to use me to hurt my son.” I held his gaze. “And you didn’t seem offended.” His hand came up—not touching, just hovering near my jaw, as if testing whether I’d flinch. I didn’t. “Offended?” His voice was low, deliberate. “No. I was… intrigued. But intrigue is not enough for me, Emma. If you want to play this game, I need to know you’re willing to see it through.” I swallowed. “How do you plan to find out?” His fingers brushed my chin lightly, tilting my head up just enough to make my pulse quicken. “By seeing how far you’ll let me go.” The words were a dare, and my breath caught before I could stop it. “Tell me, Emma,” he murmured, “are you here because you want revenge… or because you want me?” The question hung between us like a live wire. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, could feel the tension coil tighter with every passing second. “Does it matter?” I said, forcing the words out. Adrian’s slow smile was the kind that could unravel a woman if she wasn’t careful. “It matters to me. Because if you choose me for revenge, I’ll make sure Lucas watches every moment. If you choose me for yourself…” He paused, his thumb brushing just beneath my lower lip. “…then I won’t let you go. Ever.” My mouth was dry, my pulse erratic, but I managed to whisper, “And if it’s both?” His eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a dangerous murmur. “Then you’ll be mine in ways you can’t yet imagine.” Before I could answer, the heavy knock of a guard’s fist hit the door. “Lord Adrian,” a voice called from outside, “the Alpha King requests your presence. Urgently.” Adrian didn’t look away from me as he replied, “Tell him he’ll have to wait.” The guard hesitated. “It’s about Lucas, sir.” Adrian’s jaw tightened, but his hand lingered against my face for one final second. “Don’t go anywhere,” he said softly. “We’re not finished.” And then he was gone, leaving me alone in the firelit room, my heart still racing—wondering what, exactly, had happened to Lucas that could pull Adrian away… and how it might change everything.
Latest chapter
Tempting the Alpha’s Father Chapter 100 – The Turning Point
Morning crept slowly over the valley, pale light seeping through the mist that clung to the mountains. Smoke still curled from dying fires, and the scent of iron and wet earth filled the air. The storm had passed, but its scars were everywhere—broken trees, shattered weapons, and the silence that always followed survival.Adrian stood on the ridge above the river, arms crossed, eyes scanning the damage below. The southern clans were moving again—clearing wreckage, tending the wounded, rebuilding barricades with grim efficiency. Every survivor worked without being told. No one wanted to face another night unprepared.Emma approached quietly, a mug of hot broth in her hands. “You haven’t slept,” she said.“Neither have you.”He took the cup, fingers brushing hers. The warmth of the drink was a small mercy against the chill that had settled over everything. “We held the valley,” he continued. “But Corrin will use the failure to justify somethi
Tempting the Alpha’s Father Chapter 99 – The Second War of the Valley
Grey clouds rolled across the sky, heavy with the promise of more rain. The valley had barely recovered from the last storm, yet the sound of marching feet was already returning.From the watchtower, Emma saw the distant shimmer of armor along the northern ridge. “They’re coming,” she said, voice tight.Adrian joined her at the window slit, eyes narrowing. “Corrin moves faster than I expected. He means to finish what he started.”Below them, the southern clans were already in motion—blacksmiths working at broken anvils, archers stringing new bows, healers laying out bandages in quiet determination. Every clang of metal was a heartbeat counting down to war.Lyra arrived with a bundle of damp papers clutched to her chest. “A messenger bird from the north,” she said. “Lucas sent this before Corrin realized the lines were compromised.”Adrian unfolded the note. The writing was hurried but clear:Corrin marches with three divi
Tempting the Alpha’s Father Chapter 98 – The Council’s Shadow
The valley smelled of smoke, mud, and wet earth as dawn broke. Broken branches and scattered debris littered the fields, but the southern clans were already moving, repairing defenses and tending the wounded. The storm had passed, but the aftershocks of both nature and battle lingered.Adrian and Emma walked along the ridge, surveying the valley below. Fires still smoldered, smoke curling lazily into the gray morning. Every surviving wolf in the southern alliance worked tirelessly, a mix of exhaustion and determination driving them.“They held their ground better than I expected,” Adrian said, voice low. “The storm worked in our favor, but we can’t rely on luck again. Corrin will adapt.”Emma’s hand brushed his as she walked beside him. “And the traitor?”Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Under control for now. But someone willing to betray us once could try it again. We need eyes everywhere.”Lyra joined them, dripping from the remnants of the ni
Tempting the Alpha’s Father Chapter 97 – Fires in the Flood
The rain had not stopped for hours. It fell in sheets so heavy that even the loudest shouts barely carried more than a whisper through the storm. The southern valley, once quiet and serene, was now a battlefield cloaked in darkness, rain, and mud.Adrian stood atop the ridge, water running down his face, cloak plastered to his chest. Beside him, Emma gripped his arm tightly. “They’re close,” she said, her voice almost lost to the roar of the river and the wind.Adrian’s eyes scanned the flooding river below, noting every branch, every rock, every tree that could either aid them or endanger them. “Corrin is reckless,” he said. “He believes the storm will overwhelm us. But he underestimates the terrain—and underestimates me.”By nightfall, Corrin’s army had begun to push into the valley. Soldiers trudged through mud and water, banners dripping and torn. Lucas watched them silently from the high ground, teeth clenched, uneasy in his own position.“He
Tempting the Alpha’s Father Chapter 96 – The Storm Breaks
The valley was alive with wind before the sun even rose. Rain pounded the trees, drenching the villages and turning the river into a violent, churning ribbon of water. Every leaf whipped through the air as if the forest itself had been set in motion.Adrian stood on the ridge overlooking the southern camp, cloak plastered to his chest. Beside him, Emma clutched the edge of her hood, rain soaking through her hair. The storm was no longer just weather—it was a weapon, a shield, and a warning all at once.“This is worse than I thought,” Emma shouted, voice nearly lost to the roar of the wind.Adrian’s eyes never left the horizon. “Perfect cover,” he said grimly. “Corrin will use the storm to move unseen—but so will we. Timing is everything.”Emma’s gaze sharpened. “So we strike during it?”Adrian gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. “The eye of the storm is the only place we can take the initiative. He thinks nature is against us—but we’l
Tempting the Alpha’s Father Chapter 95 – The March of Shadows
Three days of restless quiet passed before the storm finally moved. Scouts came running through the southern valley at dawn, breath steaming in the cold air, mud splattering up their legs.“They’re marching,” one gasped. “Two columns—east and north. Corrin’s banners in the front.”The news spread faster than wind through dry grass. Within the hour, the clans were packing supplies, sharpening blades, and posting lookouts on the ridges. Every hammer strike, every shouted order echoed like a drumbeat of approaching war.Adrian stood at the center of the camp, maps pinned beneath stones on a makeshift table. Lyra hovered nearby, her cloak still wet from travel. Emma stayed beside her, listening to the rhythm of their planning, forcing herself to breathe through the rising panic.“They’ll reach the river in three days,” Lyra said, tracing the map with one gloved finger. “If they bridge it, the valley falls within a week.”Adrian nodded
You may also like
The Alpha's Unwanted Luna Series
Miss L1.1M viewsKing Alejandro: The Return Of Her Cold-Hearted Alpha
Moonlight Muse627.7K viewsMystic Wolf
serimom2019574.2K viewsA Gift from the Goddess
Dawn Rosewood1.7M viewsThe Debt of the Unmarked
Faith Amos236 viewsRISE OF THE SCORNED LUNA
Golden Butterfly119 viewsIn love with my StepSon
Emel Emerald47 viewsBetween the Alpha and the Rogue, Fated to Choose Only One
Marblewrites318 views
