MasukEthan’s POVNoah’s fingers trailed slowly down his body to his cock as he held the toy, his body arching off the bed. His right hand covered his mouth as his body jolted and trembled.“…Ethan…”“Alpha Ethan!”I snapped out of my daze and quickly turned off my phone. My head turned toward the voice, and I saw all the members at the table looking at me.“What were you saying again?” I asked, slipping my phone into my pocket.Their gazes lingered on me for a moment before they returned to the discussion.I leaned forward, trying hard to focus on what was being said. However, the image of Noah touching himself and moaning made it nearly impossible.My eyes narrowed slightly as I fell into thought. Before he came to my house, I had ordered my men to install cameras in his bedroom—just to see the kind of person he was, or whether he had ulterior motives to harm me because of what had happened to Tommy.I didn’t expect this.A sigh left my lips as I stared at the manager pointing at a chart
Noah's POV“Oh? You came.” A forced smile stretched across his lips, not reaching his eyes as he turned fully toward me.I didn't speak. I walked to one of the chairs in the room and sat down comfortably. I could feel his gaze on me.“Hm.” He began, and I lifted my head to meet his eyes. His fingers brushed the stubble along his jawline before he continued. “Do you read books?”What sort of question was that?“I do,” I replied calmly.His lips pressed tightly together as he nodded.“Our conversation will be much easier then.” He walked toward one of the shelves and stood in front of it, his hand trailing across the spines of the books. “I've always been the type of reader who loves the antagonist… because of how relatable he is to real life.”He pulled a book halfway out before pausing.“How about you? What kind of characters do you like when reading?”An uneasy feeling settled in my chest. Every instinct in me said I should leave this room.“I don't really think about characters like
I woke up to sunlight streaming through the windows and the immediate memory of last night crashing over me. I had told an entire pack gathering that I was a paid replacement, that nothing about this arrangement was real, that I was basically a ghost someone hired.I groaned and pulled a pillow over my face as everything replayed in my mind. My phone buzzed instantly, and when I glanced at it, I realized it's a message from Sarah."Still alive? Or did the pack eat you for embarrassing their Alpha?""Alive. Barely. Send help.""You knew what you were getting into.""That does not make it easier."I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower, letting hot water wash away some of the shame. When I finally emerged, there was a note slipped under my door."Join me for breakfast when you are ready. No rush. Ethan."Part of me wanted to hide in my room forever, especially when I remembered the look on his face last night after spilling the truths.But that was not an option. I got dresse
Marcus’s POVThe pack house lights still burned behind me as I stepped out into the night, the door closing with a soft thud that felt louder in my head than it should have.Laughter and conversation echoed through the walls—happy sounds from people who had no idea how close the knife was to their throats.I walked slowly toward the tree line, shoving my hands deep into my pockets, letting the cool night air burn my lungs. My wolf prowled beneath my skin, restless and eager, his hackles lifting as a familiar face flashed through my mind.Noah Carter.The little stand-in had lasted longer than I expected tonight. Chin up, voice steady when he answered me, even managed to throw that line about his dying father like it was a shield. It's cute and pathetic. The kind of quiet defiance that makes breaking someone so much sweeter.I stopped at the edge of the clearing where the forest swallowed the moonlight and leaned one shoulder against a thick pine, my mouth curving into a slow smile.N
Noah’s POVThe next day, I spent most of the day dreading the evening. Martin brought breakfast to my room, which I barely touched. My stomach was tied in knots thinking about Ethan and meeting the pack. These were people who had known Tommy, who had loved him, who would look at me and see a poor replacement.Around noon, there was a knock on my door. I expected Martin, but unfortunately it was Ethan instead.“I thought you might want to see the grounds before tonight,” he said. “It might help you feel more comfortable.”I wasn’t sure anything would make me comfortable, but I nodded anyway. Better than sitting in my room spiraling.We walked through the estate gardens first. Everything was perfectly maintained, flowers blooming in organized chaos. Ethan pointed out different areas, his voice steady and informative. The rose garden his mother had planted, the meditation space near the pond, the path that led deeper into pack territory.“How big is the pack?” I asked.“About two hundr
Noah’s POV My mind spun when Ethan finished speaking. Why had he asked that? Was it just curiosity? Or was it something else? My stomach twisted as Sarah’s voice echoed in my head . "If Ethan has intimacy with you three times, you’ll end up dead after a couple of months, just like the rest." I opened my mouth to say something, but Ethan cut me off before the words could form. “I asked a question,” he blurted out with reddened eyes, pupils blown wide in the dim bathroom light. I flinched and responded hastily. “Never. No one. Just… Just me.” Ethan didn't say a word anymore. Instead, he turned away, stepped fully under the rainfall showerhead, and let the water crash over him again. He dipped his head under the stream, then came up slowly, dragging both hands backward through his dark, wet hair. Water sluiced down his neck, over the broad planes of his shoulders, tracing the ridges of muscle along his spine. I stood frozen, naked and dripping, wrapping my arms around myself







