Chapter 5

Ava

They took me to a restaurant towering above the city skyline.

The moment I stepped through the door, a powerful Alpha aura swept over me.

The man sitting by the window slowly raised his head.

Adrian Thorne.

Rumor said he was cold-blooded, ruthless, and extremely dangerous. He took control of the Blood Moon Pack at twenty-five, and only three months later, he suppressed an internal rebellion. From that day on, no one on the West Coast dared to question his rule.

At this moment, he was wearing a perfectly tailored dark suit that clung to his broad shoulders and powerful body. His ice-blue gaze slowly swept over me, like a male wolf examining prey that had stepped into his territory.

Handsome. Powerful. Impossible to look away from.

For one humiliating second, I actually forgot how to breathe.

I walked over and sat down across from him.

He put down the knife in his hand, his gaze falling on me as if he had already seen through my nervousness.

“Miss Crawford.”

His deep voice slid down my spine like an electric current.

“Mr. Thorne.” I forced myself to stay calm, even though my fingers were tightly clutching the hem of my dress under the table.

“Just call me Adrian,” he said casually, while drawing his knife through the steak, as if I were the piece of meat on his plate waiting to be enjoyed.

“Of course, Adrian.” I picked up the glass of ice water and took a sip, trying to calm the strange heat in my chest. “I think we should talk about the real reason I came here.”

“You look a little nervous, Ava.” He raised his head and stared at me with those ice-blue eyes, a trace of teasing in his low voice. “Before you start worrying that I’m going to eat you, you’d better drink some ice water.”

My heart gave a violent jump, but I forced myself not to show it.

I put down the glass and met his gaze. “I only came here to thank you. If you have nothing else to say, I’ll leave.”

That contract had come too suddenly.

If he was nothing more than a handsome, arrogant bastard, I did not want to leave Damon just to invite another trouble into my life.

“Strong. Sharp.” Adrian nodded, a trace of satisfaction in his low voice. “Exactly the Luna I want. It seems my instinct was right.”

He leaned back in his chair, one arm resting casually on the chair beside him. There was a table between us, but I felt as if he had already pulled me into his territory.

I looked straight at him. “So you plan to fulfill the contract.”

Adrian slightly lowered his sharp, unbelievably sexy jaw. “Keeping promises is one of the reasons the Blood Moon Pack remains powerful. You need my protection to secure your inheritance rights, and I need a Luna to maintain the stability of my pack. I don’t see any reason to refuse.”

Of course.

How could I forget?

For men at the top of the food chain, marriage was never about love.

It was only a transaction.

Damon was like that.

Adrian was the same.

Maybe this was better.

No feelings meant no betrayal.

No expectations meant no more heartbreak.

I said mockingly, “Then I suppose I’ll be your Luna.”

Adrian put down his cutlery and leaned closer to me, his warm breath brushing over my cheek.

“You don’t sound very enthusiastic.” His gaze landed on my lips, his voice low, carrying a trace of dangerous temptation. “But your actions seem much more honest than you are, Ava. You know you came here because you don’t have many cards.”

A wave of heat surged through my whole body like a tide. But he was not wrong. I had not expected that my stepmother would actually want to kill me.

Damn it.

I ignored those feelings and said calmly, “I came here because I want to know whether my partner is worth the risk of cooperating with.”

“So what else do you want to know? My reputation? My title? I bet you’re as familiar with them as you are with your body’s reactions. Of course, if you mean the thickness of my muscles, I suggest you touch them yourself.”

My gaze slid over his chest uncontrollably.

The suit clung tightly to his powerful body, and I could almost imagine how those firm muscles would feel beneath my palm.

My cheeks instantly burned.

Adrian noticed.

Of course he noticed.

He said in a low voice, “Trust me, Ava. My size will not disappoint you.”

He paused, a flash of amusement passing through his eyes.

“I mean, my body is strong enough to protect my Luna.”

“I don’t need anyone’s protection. I came here to discuss cooperation.” I looked straight into his eyes. “You only need me to marry you and then give you an heir?”

“That is what a contract marriage is.” Adrian’s gaze was like that of a male lion. No one could last even one second before him. “You give what you can give, and I make sure you smoothly inherit the Crawford Pack.”

“Sounds fair.” I sneered. “But you came here without many cards either. The pressure from your pack must be making you feel pressure too, right?”

“So don’t pretend you’re doing me a favor. In reality, we’re helping each other.” I said coldly.

Adrian clapped, then stood up and leaned close to me.

“You really are special, Ava.”

His towering body almost surrounded me. He carried a clean, cold, yet intensely masculine scent, and my heartbeat lost control again.

“I thought Damon had destroyed you.” His voice brushed past my ear. “But you are more like a flower growing out from the cracks between stones. The harsher the environment, the more beautifully you bloom.”

His gaze slowly swept over my face, and his voice lowered as well.

“I’m glad you’re not the kind of princess who sits in ruins waiting to be rescued. What I need is a rational, strong Luna who is willing to show me her edge.”

“I’m glad to hear such a certain evaluation from you.” I met his gaze and tried hard to ignore the heat surging between my legs. “At least now I know you are powerful without being a bastard. That is exactly the kind of partner I need.”

“One last thing. Don’t fall in love with me. That would make the cooperation complicated, Ava. You know I’m not the kind of man who loses his mind for love. That is the most important experience in managing a pack,” Adrian suddenly said.

A corner of my heart felt disappointed, but I quickly sobered up.

That was right. Love only made people stupid, unless I was willing to become an idiot for the second time.

“Thank you for the reminder. And I think it’s necessary to correct your impression of divorced women. Alpha Adrian, they don’t fall. They deeply understand that relying on men only ends with becoming a beggar. So don’t be too confident. If necessary, I think we should write it into the contract.”

“Something like, ‘Don’t fall in love with me, Alpha Adrian.’ What do you think?”

The corner of Adrian’s mouth lifted slightly.

“It seems we’ve reached an agreement.”

I ignored the anger radiating from him and forced myself to remain calm.

“Of course. Now we both fully understand what kind of person we are facing. This seems like a good start.”

“To our agreement.” Adrian raised his glass, his gaze never leaving me. “And to you—thank you for not letting Damon break you.”

I let out a cold laugh. “Leaving a bastard is not enough to break me.”

Adrian studied me, and the teasing in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by honest appreciation.

“Perfect.” Adrian leaned back. “Then tell me when you want me to announce our engagement. I bet this news will definitely give your ex-husband Damon a big surprise.”