The Alpha's eyes flashed with anger, and he raised his hand to strike her. But before he could land the blow, the door burst open, and Liam walked in."What is going on here?" he demanded, his voice firm.The Alpha let go of Chloe and stepped back, his expression turning neutral. "Just teaching our prisoner a lesson," he said casually.Liam's eyes narrowed, and he looked from Chloe to the Alpha. "I will not tolerate this kind of behavior," he said firmly. "Chloe is not just a prisoner, she is a guest in our home. And I expect her to be treated with respect and dignity."The Alpha nodded, but Chloe could tell he was seething inside. She knew this wasn't over yet, and that she would have to be on her guard at all times. But for now, she was grateful for Liam's intervention, and she vowed to herself that she would never let the Alpha break her spirit.The Alpha let out a growl before turning his back on her and leaving the room. Chloe let out a shaky breath as she was left alone with Lia

Chloe couldn't believe how lucky she was to have found Aiden. As they spent more time together, she felt her heart grow fonder and fonder of him.One day, as they were walking through the gardens, Chloe turned to Aiden and said, "You know, I never thought I would find someone like you. You're kind, strong, and always there for me."Aiden smiled at her and replied, "I feel the same way about you, Chloe. You're smart, beautiful, and I can't imagine my life without you."Chloe blushed and looked down at her feet, feeling a warmth spreading through her body. "I don't think I've ever felt this way about anyone before," she admitted.Aiden reached out and took her hand, pulling her close to him. "Neither have I," he said, his voice low and husky.They stood there for a moment, lost in their own thoughts and feelings, before Aiden leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Chloe's heart raced as she kissed him back, feeling like she was on top of the world.As they pulled away from each other

Chloe felt a flutter in her chest as she met his gaze. There was something about Liam that drew her to him, something that made her heart beat faster whenever she was near him. "I'd like that," she said softly. "I'm excited to get to know this new Liam."He laughed, the sound rich and full of mirth. "I'm not new, Chloe. Just refined."Chloe giggled, feeling a lightness in her chest that she hadn't felt in a while. "Well, refined or not, I'm happy to have you in my life again."They fell into an easy conversation then, talking about everything and nothing, just enjoying each other's company. Chloe found herself feeling more and more comfortable with Liam, as though they had never been apart. They laughed and teased each other, and as the sun began to set, Chloe knew that she didn't want the evening to end.But eventually, they had to part ways. Liam walked her to her car, and as she got in, Chloe turned to him with a small smile. "Thank you, Liam. For everything."Liam leaned down and

As Liam sat in his dimly lit apartment, thoughts of Chloe consumed him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a mistake by letting her go. Sure, he had made progress in proving to her that he was no longer the monster he used to be, but at what cost? Had he lost her for good?He couldn't help but imagine her in the arms of Aiden, the man he had always seen as his competition. What if Aiden took advantage of Liam's absence and won Chloe over? Liam clenched his fists at the thought. He had worked too hard to change his ways, too hard to prove to Chloe that he was worthy of her love. And yet, she had chosen Aiden.But what if he had made the wrong choice? What if he should have fought for her honestly, without any tricks or manipulation? Would she have chosen him then? Liam sighed, running his hands through his messy hair. He knew deep down that he had done the right thing by giving Chloe up, but it didn't make it any easier.He couldn't stop thinking about her. The way her eyes

Janet smiled warmly at Jason as she entered his office, and he couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. "Hey, love," she said as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek."Hey, yourself," Jason replied, feeling a surge of affection for the woman he loved. "How's your day going?""It's going well," Janet said, taking a seat across from him. "Just busy as usual. How about you?""I'm hanging in there," Jason replied with a smile. "Just trying to keep up with all the paperwork around here."As they chatted, Aiden walked in, looking serious. "Hey, guys. Can I talk to you for a minute?"Janet immediately got up, thinking that Aiden might want to talk to Jason alone. But Aiden held up a hand. "Actually, Janet, I was hoping you could stay. I think your perspective would be helpful."Janet nodded and took a seat again, and Aiden got straight to the point. "I've decided that I want to make things official with Chloe. I want to ask her to be my girlfriend."Jason chuckled at this, unable to r