Semua Bab A wife for the cursed alpha : Bab 61 - Bab 70

Lana’s POV“Then I guess I shouldn’t keep you waiting.”The words slid out of him in that low tone that always seemed to pull the air tighter between us. My pulse ticked up, matching the faint hum of the air conditioner above our windows. He didn’t rush. Max never did. Each step toward the bed felt like he was closing more than just space, it felt like he was closing in on every thought I’d been trying to keep separate from him.His scent was especially very alluring tonight. My muscles loosened without permission. He stopped at the edge of the bed, his gaze fixed on mine.“You should be under the covers,” he murmured.“Maybe I like it this way,” I said, voice softer than I meant it to be.A small huff of amusement escaped him, though it didn’t reach his eyes. His hand came down to the duvet near my hip, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight. The warmth of him bled through the space between us.“Lana…” he started, his tone shifting but threaded with that careful authority he

Lana’s POVI felt Max’s hand slide away from my waist, the warmth of his palm lingering against my skin. The bed dipped as he rose, and the quiet rustle of the sheets. I watched his silhouette cross toward the door, his shoulders still tense from whatever had been on his mind earlier.The door clicked softly behind him.I let out a long, quiet sigh, staring up at the ceiling. The stillness pressed in on me. How had I ended up under house arrest in my own life? It wasn’t like he had locked me in, but his voice from earlier still rang in my ears, firm and non-negotiable: Stay home. Don’t go out. Not until I say so.I rolled onto my side, trying to will myself to relax. A minute passed then another. The clock on the wall ticked steadily, each second felt louder than the last. He still hadn’t come back.The restless energy under my skin began to itch. I sat up, pushed my hair out of my face, and decided a hot shower might at least drown out the noise in my head.In the bathroom, the faint

Lana’s POVThe elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and I stepped inside, I tried to take deep breaths to calm down a little. My pulse was still loud in my ears, quick from the message and from the decision I hadn’t fully thought through but couldn’t back out of now.As the doors closed, I smoothened my hair, just so I’d do something to calm my shaky hand. The ride down felt longer than usual, each floor clicking past with an exaggerated pause, as though the building itself wanted to stall me.When the elevator finally opened to the ground floor, the bodyguards were stationed by the front entrance, suits looking crisp with earpieces in place. They straightened up more when they saw me.“I’m heading out,” I said, forcing my voice to sound casual. “Just for a bit.”Their expressions didn’t change. The taller one shook his head immediately. “I’m sorry, ma’am. Alpha Max left strict orders, you’re not to leave the premises without his clearance.”“Yes, I’m aware of his strict orders

Max’s POVLight seeped in before I opened my eyes. The curtain hadn’t been pulled all the way shut, and the thin slice of sun found its way into the room.She was still on her side, facing me. The blanket had slipped just low enough to bare the slope of her neck, and the curve of one shoulder blade. My arm was still around her, palm loose against the space just below her ribs. I didn’t remember falling asleep that way, but I hadn’t let go. Her breathing was slow and even.I watched the rise and fall, the tiny catch at the top of each inhale. I should’ve moved but I didn’t want to.The room smelled faintly of her hair, of skin warmed under covers. My eyes followed the messy strands fanned over her pillow. A few had drifted against my arm in the night, they looked mesmerizingly messy.The unwanted memory of our argument came into my mind. Her voice from last night still had that tense edge in it. I remembered the echo of my own, the weight of the words I’d pushed between us. I looked a

Max’s POV The second hit was harder. My SUV slammed into his side with a crack of shattering glass and twisting steel. Jared’s sedan fishtailed violently, skidding before grinding to a stop against a concrete barrier. Smoke hissed from under his hood, the acrid scent of oil and scorched rubber tainting the air.I killed the engine and shoved the door open, my feet hitting the ground with a thud that echoed through the empty street. My pulse was steady, but the beast in me was wide awake now, every muscle rigid, and my senses even more sharper.The driver’s side door of the sedan creaked open. Jared stumbled out, coughing, one hand braced against the mangled frame. His eyes lifted and froze when they found me. Even in the dim glow of the warehouse lights, I saw the flicker of recognition and fear.“Alpha Max,” he rasped, straightening slowly, trying to play at composure. “Didn’t expect you’d come yourself.”I took a step closer, the gravel crunching under my shoes. My shadow stretched