Lahat ng Kabanata ng Hooking Up With Her Ex's Alpha Dad: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

Claire's POVTheo's grip on Nicole's wrist didn't loosen as they stared at each other, the air between them crackling with Alpha energy. The entire restaurant had fallen silent, human patrons shifting uncomfortably in their seats while the werewolves present lowered their eyes instinctively.Nicole recovered quickly, her expression morphing from shock to a sickly-sweet smile. "Alpha Theo," she purred, voice dripping with fake charm. "What a pleasant surprise."Theo's face remained impassive, cold as winter stone. "Ms. Montgomery," he replied, his voice deceptively calm. "Would you care to explain what's happening here?"Nicole extracted her wrist from his grip with a delicate twist, smoothing her designer dress as if nothing had happened. "Just a little misunderstanding between girls," she offered with a tinkling laugh. "Claire here was saying some rather unkind things about Adrian and me, and I'm afraid things got a bit heated."Theo's gaze swept over my wine-soaked form, taking in m

Claire's POVI noticed the change in Theo immediately after he ended his phone call. As he returned to the driver's seat, his brows were deeply furrowed, fingers tapping anxiously against the steering wheel. The earlier heat between us had cooled, replaced by a distracted tension."Is something wrong?" I asked tentatively, studying his profile."Family matters," he replied, the vagueness of his answer creating a wall between us.His distant response left me feeling disappointed. After the way he'd defended me against Nicole, after the electricity that had sparked between us moments earlier, this sudden withdrawal stung more than it should have.At the hotel, Theo maintained a careful professional distance, showing me to the suite's bathroom with assurances that fresh clothes would arrive soon. The door clicked shut behind me, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a luxury bathroom larger than my entire apartment.The hot water felt like heaven as it washed away the sticky wine residue

Theo's POVThe door closed behind Claire with a soft click that somehow felt more final than a slam. I remained frozen in place, her words reverberating through me like physical blows.*"It's not fair to give me hope and then snatch it away..."*Her red-rimmed eyes and trembling figure had nearly broken my resolve. I'd had to grip the edge of my desk to stop myself from crossing the room and pulling her into my arms—an action that would have only confirmed everything she accused me of. Because she was right. I was sending mixed signals, unable to fully commit to either path: maintaining strict professional boundaries or acknowledging the undeniable pull between us.I released a heavy sigh, sinking back into my chair. The office suddenly felt too quiet, too empty without her presence just beyond my door.Scenes from the previous night flashed through my mind with merciless clarity: Claire on the hotel bathroom floor, water droplets tracing paths down her skin; the way her wet hair had

Claire's POVThe cold night air hit my face like a slap, momentarily clearing some of the fog from my mind. I was vaguely aware of voices arguing—the female voice I thought was Jennifer's, and Dave's deeper tone responding with practiced charm."She agreed to come with me," he was insisting, his grip tightening around me as I slumped in his arms. "We're just going somewhere quieter to talk. Right, Claire?"I wanted to contradict him, to tell the woman that I hadn't agreed to anything, but my tongue felt too heavy in my mouth. The tequila had hit me harder than I'd ever experienced before—making me wonder if Dave had slipped something extra into my drinks. The thought sent a chill through me before darkness began creeping in at the edges of my vision.Everything went black.When I came to, I was being half-carried, half-dragged through an unfamiliar lobby. The fluorescent lights overhead were harsh against my sensitive eyes, making me squint as I tried to orient myself. My head pounded

Claire's POVChaos erupted the moment Theo appeared in the doorway. One second, Dave was pressing me into the mattress, his weight suffocating, his intentions horrifyingly clear. The next, he was being hurled across the room with such force that the drywall cracked where his body connected with it.Theo pulled me away from the bed, his movements surprisingly gentle despite the murderous rage radiating from him. The moment I caught his scent, my wildly racing heart began to settle, recognizing safety even as my mind struggled to process what was happening.His expression was terrifying—I'd never seen him like this before. Gone was the composed CEO, the man of careful control and measured responses. In his place stood a predator, eyes black with rage, features transformed by a wrath so intense it seemed to distort the air around him.Dave recovered quickly, his Alpha pride unable to tolerate the challenge to his dominance. He lunged at Theo with a feral snarl, but it was like watching a