Izzy stands through the entryway of her room. Her mind is still fixed on that scene with Alpha Landon. Miles accompanied her to her room and is looking down at her, observing her reactions. “Thank you, Miles,” she murmurs.She is grateful for his intervention with Alpha Landon earlier. She can’t even imagine how things would have turned out if he hadn’t stepped in — or what she could have allowed him to do — and that makes things even scarier. “And sorry about earlier.”“Why are you apologizing?”“Well, about that thing with the alpha. Thank you for stopping him.”Miles furrows his brows. “You mean when he was about to touch you? You could have stopped him yourself, though.”Her shoulders slump at his words. “I don’t think I can,” she admits, glancing down at her hands. “This mate bond is trying to cloud my senses, making it hard

Izzy groans audibly and then she takes another deep breath to calm herself before speaking again. “Look, I’m sorry. But can you please quiet down for a bit? I really need to focus on my work.” Carter’s face softens as he nods, understanding her need for space and quiet. “Of course, my love,” he says. The little endearment tugs at her heart all the more. Carter quiets down and stays on her couch, working on some documents, same as her. She sighs and rubs her temples. She is turning into someone she doesn’t like. But then, why of all people should she have three mates?! She was content living on her own, working hard to achieve success in her career! But now, everything seems so complicated and overwhelming! With a shake of her head, Izzy tries to push her thoughts aside and focus on finishing her report. However, it’s proving to be difficult with Carter constantly popping up in her mind. She can’t deny the sexual desire she feels for him. But she also can’t ignore the fact that thei

Izzy gulps nervously as the limousine comes to a stop. She can feel the tension rising as she and Carter alight from the luxurious vehicle. “Where are we?” she asks, craning her neck to look at their surroundings. Carter takes a hold of her hand and pulls her along with him. “It’s a surprise,” he says with a grin. They walk along the path, their footsteps soft against the ground. She feels the butterflies in her stomach, fluttering nervously as they stop in front of a building — a hotel that looks like a mansion. Once inside the building, Izzy is taken aback by its opulence. The floors glisten under the soft lighting, and the walls are adorned with expensive art pieces. “Whoa,” she mutters under her breath, feeling like she doesn’t belong in such a grand place. Carter chuckles beside her. “Impressed?” “I don’t know,” she says, looking around. There are no ushers, and after the employees greet them, they go about their own way. “The service doesn’t seem to be good. No one is guid

“Let them watch,” Carter murmurs, his gaze never leaving hers. Beneath the water, his hand shifts to rest on her waist, pulling her ever so slightly closer. “Carter,” she warns, yet it is not much more than a whisper. A part of her wants to pull away, to preserve the fragile neutrality of their relationship — but another part, the one connected to the mate bond, urges her to lean in. “You worry too much,” he tells her, tracing his thumb gently along the curve of her cheek. “They are used to this. You’ll see, once we start, they are going to leave this place.” Izzy swallows hard. She’s aware that she’s treading dangerous waters. Yet, being with Carter is exhilarating. His touch is a different type of fire. “I haven’t selected yet,” she says, struggling to keep her voice steady as he gazes at her face. “No problem at all. You just need to reject the mate bond with the others. That will solve all your problems with having three mates.” Suddenly, his lips go to her neck and despite h

“So, what should we do today?” Carter asks, moving closer to Izzy until they are only inches apart. “Work,” she answers. “How about we take a walk in the forest? I know this beautiful spot by the lake.” “Work,” she repeats as she gets up from bed and starts preparing. “It has a villa as well. It’s even more luxurious than Alpha Landon’s house.” She raises her eyebrows at him. “Stop inviting me to your house, Carter.” “Nothing to lose if I try,” he says, grinning. “So? Where to?” “I have work, Carter.” Carter sits on the couch as she prepares for the day. “Can I join you in the bath instead?” She rolls her eyes at him. “Or maybe you can leave me alone today? Maybe return by next week? Or better yet, reject the mate bond?” “Hmmm,” he mumbles. “You’re like a dried prune already. We have a mate bond, so you should feel desire for me. In fact, even without the mate bond, women feel desire for me.” “What the heck does dried prune mean? Is that your attempt to make a joke?” “No,”