All Chapters of BOUND TO MY ALPHA ENEMY : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Lucian's POV I stepped into the shower box, the glass door creaking slightly as I shut it behind me. The tiles beneath my feet were cool, slick, grounding, but not enough to clear my mind.I twisted the knob, deliberately setting the water to cold.A hiss escaped my teeth the moment the icy stream struck my skin. It ran down my back like needles, spiking every nerve, making my breath hitch. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes, letting the sharp chill work its way through the heat burning under my skin, the kind she had stirred without even trying.Alina.Her face flashed like a lightning bolt behind my lids, those defiant eyes, flushed cheeks, lips parted when I caught her drying her hair…in my towel, my shirt, and my space.Dammit.I turned and let the water hit my chest, trailing down my abs, hoping it would wash her off. But instead, the water only made her clearer. I pictured her in this same shower, steam curling around her bare shoulders, her hands sliding down her wet skin

Alina’s POV I woke up to a sound that wasn’t mine.A low, muffled groan, distorted, almost buried beneath layers of sleep, yet loud enough to pierce the silence.My eyelids fluttered open slowly. The room was still cast in soft candlelight, the shadows stretching like weary sentinels across the walls. I blinked into the semi-darkness, wondering if the noise came from outside. Maybe a wolf howling, a servant dragging something, or, hell, I didn’t know. But then I heard it again, this time sharper, broken, pained.I turned my head.It was behind me.I turned again, this time slowly, cautiously.There he was. Lucian.Not the poised, smug, cocky Alpha that everyone feared. No. This version of him was tangled in the sheets, breathing unevenly, his face flushed. He was thrashing slightly, like something was tormenting him from within. His hands clenched tightly at the edge of the blanket like he was trying to grip onto reality. And his mouth… tight, muttering something I couldn't hear at

Alina's POV What could I say?His eyes burned into mine with a certainty that tied my tongue. A certainty that said he knew, not suspected, knew. That kind of gaze could scrape secrets off your soul without touching skin. But I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I turned away, trying to seal my expression with indifference, to chain my embarrassment into a tight box."So what's this tactic?" he asked, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips like he was enjoying a private joke at my expense.God, couldn’t he just let things slide for once? I had hoped we could pull through this absurd charade like adults. But no, Lucian had to make a spectacle out of every awkward moment."I definitely can't ignore you being pantless on my lap, you know," he added, voice dipping lower, teasing, almost reverent, if reverence had a dark, twisted edge.My head whipped back to him. His expression was amused, lazy, and insufferably smug. I scoffed, biting back the heat that climbed my cheeks. "We

Lucian’s POVWe stepped into the dining room, the rich scent of roasted herbs and morning spice already soaking into the air. I guided her in with my hand resting lightly on her lower back, just enough to irritate her, not enough to seem intentional.Without a word, I pulled a chair out for her.She blinked at me like I’d grown horns. I smirked.“What? Even devils have manners,” I whispered, lowering her gently into the seat.She narrowed her eyes at me, lips pursed, but said nothing as I rounded the table but didn't take the chair at the head and rather went to sit directly beside her. It was deliberate, close enough to see the twitch of her nose every time I spoke. The table was already set, steaming plates of buttered yam slices, fried eggs laced with green pepper, and baked plantains decorating our silence.The maids stood off to the side, waiting. One of them glanced at me for approval.I met her gaze and gave the slightest nod, the kind that said, Leave before I change my mind.

Alina's POV As if he wanted to give me a moment of respite, Lucian changed the topic.His voice rolled across the table like thunder pretending to be a whisper. Smooth, clipped, dominant."The Alpha of the South border is hesitant to push for the mineral mine rights. He thinks the east might intervene. But he knows better than to challenge our territory."He spoke with the same ease someone would use to spread butter on toast, but every syllable was layered in calculated threat. It was typical of him, he talked about territory like one would talk about chess pieces, and he moved people just the same.I could barely focus. Not with his palm still resting on my thigh, his thumb moving in lazy, slow strokes that sent confusing ripples across my entire body. I shifted slightly, hoping he'd take the hint, but that only made him press firmer."You know I could help speak to Alpha Darrien," Cade said, tone offering but firm. "He listens to me."Lucian didn’t even glance at him. “I don’t nee