Semua Bab The Wolf behind the desk : Bab 1 - Bab 10

Rian’s hand shot forward.It moved fast.His fingers slammed into the solid marble statue beside me.The entire structure exploded into white dust.I am dead.This is the end.I froze.The sound rang in my bones.Shards scattered across the polished floor.Rian’s breath came harsh.His amber eyes were feral.Instinct took over.Nine years of survival pushed me.I dropped low.I spun away.My knees shook.Survival.Just survive.My feet carried me toward the door.“Stop.”His voice was a low, fractured snarl.I did not stop.I yanked the door open.I stumbled into the silent reception area.Get out.Get safe.He is a killer.“Miss Kim.”Rian’s marble-crushing hand shot toward my space.The air left my lungs in a sharp gasp.I am dead.He is a monster.Nine years of avoiding his explosions saved me.I dropped low again.I spun on my heel.His fingers slammed onto the desk corner.They missed me.The wood shrieked.The air smelled thick with ozone.“Stop,” Rian commanded.The feral layering was gone.Hi

I had only a second to decide. My pulse hammered against the grip on my wrists. I saw the amber fire in his eyes. A pure, desperate need terrified me. I chose survival. I had to. The fear of being torn apart was immediate. The fear of failing to escape him was secondary.Slowly, carefully, I raised my free hand. I did not look at his teeth. I kept my focus on the veins cording his powerful neck. My fingers found the damp hair at the back of Rian's head. I pressed my palm flat against his burning skin. The effect was instant. Shocking. The pressure in the air seemed to equalize.The violent shaking that had taken his body stopped. The desperate tremor vanished. The intense heat radiating off him dropped slightly. The pressure on my wrists softened. It became a heavy, immovable hold. He held me captive, but the immediate threat of violence receded. He stayed pressed against me, motionless, breathing in deep, ragged bursts against my neck. He pulled my scent in deeply. The heavy, musky s

My heart sank as the man's voice cut through the thick door.“Thorne. We know you are here. We can sense the female. And we have come for what you stole from our territory.”I thought the only monster was Rian. I was wrong. There are others.The lock on the security door began to grind. Violently. The heavy sound echoed through the silent 65th floor. It sounded like metal protesting against immense, unnatural force.I stood frozen. I stared at the main security door. It was solid steel. It was designed to withstand siege.Rian’s voice, sharp and commanding, sliced through the intercom system from his suite.“Elara! Move away from the entrance! Now!”I scrambled back. I ran behind the large mahogany desk. I put a physical barrier between myself and the threat.The grinding stopped.There was a pause.Then a single, clean crack. The sound of the deadbolt snapping clean was terrifyingly simple.The steel door swung inward slowly.It revealed a man framed in the morning light. He was tall

The clearing was silent. It was a silence heavy with threat.Dozens of wolves surrounded us. They were massive. Gray, black, and russet fur bristled in the moonlight. Their eyes were locked on us. They were waiting for the command.I stood frozen behind Rian. The pressure of the wards was crushing my chest. It felt like an iron band tightening with every breath. My vision blurred.Rian’s body was a rigid shield. He vibrated with tension. His suit jacket was torn. His stance was primal.“Marcus Blackwood,” Rian snarled. His voice was a layered, guttural sound. “You waited for the boundary. You knew the wards would weaken me.”The massive black wolf in the center began to shift. Bones cracked. Fur receded.A man stood before us. He was terrifyingly powerful. His eyes were the color of obsidian.Marcus Blackwood. The Alpha of the Tribunal.He accepted a robe from a subordinate. “I knew you would come, Thorne. I knew you were arrogant enough to bring a human pet.”Blackwood’s gaze shifted

I pressed my arm into his chest. Blood to blood.The contact was immediate. Violent.It wasn't just pain—it was an execution.A blinding surge of energy slammed into my body. I shot upward off my knees. It felt like grabbing a live wire. My back arched, and a raw, tearing scream ripped from my throat.The room vanished. The pain in my arm was replaced by invasion.Fire poured out of Rian, flooding my veins. At the same time, my logic, my sanity—my self—was violently sucked out and poured into him.I tried to pull away. I tried to scream stop. But my arm was locked to his chest by a fierce, magnetic force.The memories began.They didn't hit me as pictures. They hit me as physical realities, slamming into my consciousness. I wasn't watching Rian’s past; I was living it.Cold. I am cold.The cellar. I was small. I could smell the mold. I felt a craving—not for food, but for something red and wet."Let me out," a child's voice whispered in my head. Rian's voice. "Please, Father. It hurts