บททั้งหมดของ THE ALPHA’S QUIET TEMPTATION : บทที่ 51 - บทที่ 60

LIORA’S POVI stepped into the drawing room, my heart hammering against my ribs.Lucas stood near the window, his back to me. The tension radiating from him was palpable, making the air feel thick and difficult to breathe.I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.Before the silence could stretch too long, footsteps sounded behind me. I turned to see Darren returning, a confused expression on his face.“I thought you left,” Lucas said without turning around.“I forgot my travel documents.” Darren moved to the desk and retrieved a leather folder. Then he noticed me standing there awkwardly and smiled. “Still here? I thought you had urgent business with my father.”“I do. Did. I mean…” I fumbled for words.“She burst in here like the palace was on fire,” Darren said, amusement clear in his voice. “Nearly gave poor Byron a heart attack. What was so urgent it couldn’t wait?”“I just needed to discuss something with the Alpha.” The lie felt heavy on my tongue.Elora appeared in th

LIORA’S POVI waited at the east gate as instructed, dressed in the simplest clothes I owned. A plain brown dress that could have belonged to any servant, my hair braided loosely over one shoulder.The sun had just dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of purple and gold. Guards stood at their posts, carefully not looking at me despite my presence.My mind kept circling back to Lucas.The way he’d looked at me in the drawing room, ice blue eyes giving nothing away. Would he tell anyone what we’d done? Would he use it against me somehow?No. He didn’t seem like that kind of person. Whatever else Lucas was, cold and distant and confusing, he didn’t strike me as someone who would weaponize intimate moments.At least, I hoped not.“Boo!”I jumped, a small scream escaping before I could stop it.Darren laughed, appearing from behind a pillar where he’d been hiding. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You we

LIORA’S POV After the morning class ended, Myra waited for me in the corridor as usual. “We need to submit requests for your wardrobe for the hunt,” she said as we walked. “There are specific requirements for each event. Riding clothes, formal dinner gowns, outdoor day dresses. The seamstresses need at least three days to prepare everything.” “I don’t want to go to the hunt,” I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them. “Well, that’s unfortunate.” The deep voice behind us made me freeze. I turned slowly to find Lucas standing there, dressed in training clothes that clung to his frame. Sweat dampened his shirt, suggesting he’d just come from the practice grounds. He looked good. Devastatingly good. Our eyes met, and for a moment the corridor seemed to narrow until it was just the two of us. The memory of hi

LIORA’S POVI sat on my bed alone later that night, wondering about my decision to become Darren’s surrogate. I stared at the trunks still on the floor, when I heard a knock on my door.It was late now and Myra had gone back to the servant quarters. Lucas stood before me, looking at me softly with his ice blue eyes. He looked at me with so much tenderness that I was confused.This wasn't the way he looked at me earlier when he shut me out. “You’re stronger than they know,” he said, reaching out to cup my face. His thumb brushed across my cheek where Elora had struck me. “Don’t let them break you.”What was he talking about?Before I could fully grasp what he was saying, he walked past me into the room and I shut the door. I turned back to look at him and saw he was standing close to me, then I felt his hands moving lower, undressing me with practiced efficiency. He cupped my face and kissed me with so much h

LIORA’S POVThe days following the mysterious letter had been filled with investigation that led nowhere. Darren questioned guards, reviewed access logs, interviewed servants who worked near my chambers.Nothing.Whoever had left the message had been careful to leave no trace.“Don’t worry,” Darren had assured me yesterday. “We’ll figure it out. Just focus on getting ready for the hunt. I’ll keep digging.”Now it was departure day, and Myra had just finished dressing me in one of Elora’s castoff gowns.I stared at my reflection in the mirror, hardly recognizing myself.The dress was deep emerald green with gold embroidery along the bodice. The fabric was rich despite being years old, and the style, while outdated, somehow suited me better than the current fashions.Myra had styled my hair in loose waves that cascaded over one shoulder, tucked a few small flowers into the arrangement.I looked good. Too good for someone in my position.“This is too much,” I said, turning to examine the