Chapter 07

Matthew Dawolf  

(A new toy?)

Blood was still dripping down my arms as I walked through the palace corridors. The scent of iron mixed with adrenaline still pulsed through my veins. Another battle won. Another enemy taken down.  

And, as always, no one dared to look me in the eye.  

Fear was a scent deeply ingrained in this palace. They knelt, averted their gazes, whispered about me as if I were a ghost. Maybe I was. Most of those who had challenged me were long buried.  

I let out a breath, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. I needed a bath.  

I strolled through the halls without urgency, each step echoing in the silence of the night. The servants kept their distance, as if my very presence could swallow them whole.  

I shut the door to my room and removed my armor piece by piece. The metal clattered against the floor, exposing the cuts and bruises still decorating my skin. Nothing that wouldn’t heal quickly.  

Running a hand through my long hair, I loosened the tie, letting it fall over my shoulders as I made my way to the shower, stripping off the rest of my clothes. The hot water poured down, filling the room with steam.  

A shower. Just that. A moment of peace before the next battle.  

But then, I sensed it.  

A scent.  

Something… different.  

My spine tensed. I knew every scent that lingered in this palace, every wolf that walked these halls. But this… this was new. Wild.  

I turned slightly, on alert. Whoever it was, they were getting closer.  

An intruder? Impossible.  

A spy?  

I had no time for more theories.  

The bathroom door swung open abruptly.  

And there she was.  

A girl stood frozen in the doorway, wide-eyed, as if she had just seen a demon.  

My gaze traveled over her tense body, assessing her. She wasn’t just another maid. Her scent… there was something about her. Something different. The kind of different that made me want to find out more.  

Alluring. Tempting.  

But what truly made me smile was the way her face turned crimson the moment she saw me.  

She was naturally beautiful, but that expression—the way she looked at me—only made me want to push further, just to see how she’d react next.  

She swallowed hard, lips slightly parted, unable to tear her gaze away from my naked body.  

I could be merciful. I could grab a towel, cover myself, maybe even pretend this was nothing.  

But where would be the fun in that?  

So, I provoked her. Dropping the last remaining piece that covered me.  

I tilted my head, smirking.  

"Hm… I don’t recall inviting anyone to watch me."  

Her voice failed her. Her eyes darted to the wall, the floor—anywhere but my body.  

Delicious.  

She tried to speak, but no words came out.  

I took a step forward, savoring every second of her discomfort.  

She backed away, her cheeks burning.  

"Are you just going to stand there staring at me… " I moved slowly, enjoying every expression she made. "Or are you going to tell me who the hell you are?"  

Another step.  

"What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?" 

Her scent was strong. Wild. But not dirty. She didn’t belong to this palace.  

The housekeeper had mentioned hiring new servants.  

Could she be one of them?  

A divine gift? A toy?  

Something to entertain me.  

"You look nervous," I teased, unable to hold back a grin. It had been so long since I'd felt this way—I needed to enjoy it, to indulge.  

"I… I went into the wrong room," she blurted out. I stepped closer, close enough to hear her heartbeat. And that sound... it was driving me insane. It felt like a hunt, and the woman in front of me was nothing more than a helpless, delicious little rabbit, preparing to flee.  

"Oh? You made a mistake, did you?" I murmured, eyes fixed on her timid, innocent expression. I ran my tongue over my lips, curious about how she might taste. "Interesting… because it doesn’t look like you want to leave."  

"I shouldn’t be here," she stammered, clearly nervous.  

"No, you shouldn’t," I agreed, studying every detail of her face. "And yet, here you are."  

For a moment, I thought I saw something flicker in her eyes, something calling to me. And before I even realized it, my hand reached up toward her face.  

She looked like she was about to say something—but never did. Instead, she just turned and ran.  

A low chuckle escaped my lips as I listened to her hurried footsteps fading down the hall. So skittish... so shy... and so damn easy to tease.  

I glanced down at myself, still covered in streaks of blood and steaming water, and smirked at my body's obvious reaction. My cock was just as eager as I was.  

"Hm… interesting," I muttered to myself, still amused by the memory of her flushed face. "Is that why she ran?" I mused, running a hand through my damp hair as I leaned against the cold bathroom wall.  

I might be the Supreme Alpha, the Sovereign, but I was no saint. Never had been.  

Unfortunately, I had my limitations.  

I had to wait.  

The prophecy was clear. My body had to remain pure until my Luna appeared. Only then would the child I sired become the ultimate Supreme Alpha—the strongest of them all. That was my duty, my purpose as an Alpha. And I had never faltered.  

So why did this girl…  

Her image flashed in my mind before I could stop it—wide eyes, parted lips, flushed cheeks as if she were burning from the inside out. She was different. There was something about her that didn’t belong in this place. I had felt it the moment our eyes met.  

Why did my body react to her like that?  

I let the scalding water run down my chest, closing my eyes.  

Whoever she was… figuring it out was going to be fun.