All Chapters of PRETENDER: Alpha's Forbidden Omega : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

Azpen broke the silence first, forcing a laugh that sounded a little too sharp. He rose from the table, dusting his palms together. "Ghosts," he said with a crooked grin, though his eyes flicked toward the yawning doorway. "The old stacks are full of them. That's why I never read."Baron's chair scraped back, slow, deliberate. He didn't look amused. His gaze lingered on Elowyn, longer than was necessary, before he finally stood. "Don't stay here," he said flatly. "If it was a ghost, you're in its way. If it wasn't..." His eyes hardened. "...then you're in someone else's."The two of them left without another word, their boots echoing down the marble hall until the silence closed back in.Elowyn's heart wouldn't settle. The open doorway seemed to watch her, a dark mouth that might yet swallow her whole.She slid the Draven Clan book into her satchel, her fingers trembling despite herself. Then she rose, gathered her cloak around her shoulders, and hurried out.The corridors were empty.

"Elyan," he muttered, his voice low, almost cautious. "Get in. Quickly."She obeyed, stepping into the darkened chamber like something would have grabbed her if she had not been fast enough.The heavy door shut behind her.What they did not know was that at the far end of the hall, hidden in the shadows, someone had been watching. Someone had seen Baron Ortega invite Elyan Froste into his room at night.Baron's chamber was dim, lit only by the faint glow of a single candle on his desk.Shadows stretched across the stone walls, swallowing most of the room in darkness.He folded his arms, gaze narrowing on her trembling figure."Well?" he asked, voice sharp, though not unkind. "What did you want at this hour?"Elowyn's throat felt dry. She gripped the strap of her satchel tighter, words stumbling out before she could shape them properly."I-I don't know, my lord... something frightened me. I thought-" Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard. "I thought I heard someone... crying."Baro

"No one will know but us," he said, voice roughened now, edged with something fierce.Her lips parted, a thousand protests tangled in her chest, but only one word found its way out-soft, trembling, powerless."Yes."The air tightened, snapping like a thread stretched too far.Then his lips found hers.Not a stolen brush this time, but a slow, lingering press, tender yet unyielding.He kissed her like it was dangerous, like it could unravel everything, and still he deepened it-his hand sliding to cradle her jaw, holding her in place as though he didn't trust her not to disappear.Her breath hitched against him, her fingers clenching around the balm jar until she let it fall forgotten to the sheets.Instinct betrayed her-she leaned into him, her lips answering softly, trembling but eager.The kiss broke only when the air ran too thin, his forehead resting against hers, his breathing low and ragged."No one will know," he said again, firmer this time, as if sealing a pact in the dark.He

Baron froze in surprise, the words catching like a blade between his ribs.Her lashes fluttered, unfocused at first.Then her eyes sharpened.She jolted upright, staring straight at him-Baron, towering by the bed, his expression caught between iron restraint and something he couldn't quite bury.Her lips parted. "You are-""Keep your voice down," he snapped in a hushed growl, glancing toward the door as if the very walls might carry her words away.The room went still, the air thick with the danger of what morning had brought.Elowyn's breath hitched, her chest tight as the weight of where she was crashed down on her. His room. His bed. Him standing too close.Baron exhaled, slow and steady, as though taming the storm inside him. His gaze locked onto hers, low and unyielding."Don't panic," he said at last, voice rough but quiet, each word pressed with command.Her pulse thundered louder. She didn't move, clutching at the sheets like they could shield her."Do you....?" Baron began to

Men circled her-rough, armored, their boots crunching in the leaves. They looked down at her with cold, measuring eyes, awaiting some unspoken order.The wizard's staff tapped once against the ground, and the circle tightened.★★★★★★Mia woke to a cold ache in her bones. Her lashes stuck as she blinked against the glow surrounding her.The ground beneath her wasn't earth anymore-it shimmered with pale blue markings, a circle drawn with runes that pulsed as if alive.Every time she tried to move, the lines flared brighter, pinning her in place.Her breath hitched. She wasn't tied, yet she couldn't step out.Figures emerged from the edges of the trees.Six of them-hoods draped, faces hidden behind smooth silver masks etched with faint scars that twisted when the firelight hit.They didn't speak at first, only stood like statues, their presence weighing heavier than chains.Finally, one broke the silence. A voice that was neither old nor young, neither male nor female. It echoed like it