Semua Bab Violet CLAW: Bab 41 - Bab 50

Yes, this male didn’t offer to hand over billions in territory and titles because he felt some sudden fated-mate bond. He simply believed she was incapable of carrying a pup!"Forget it. I have no desire to bring a new life into this world with you."I forced my gaze toward the car window, letting the biting mountain wind chill the dangerous greed that had started to sprout in my mind. Because I was staring so intently at the passing dark pines, I missed the way his smirk vanished from the rearview mirror, replaced by a void so cold it was as if his amusement had never existed.Because of the tension, I refused to help him pick out the supplies at the market. When he finally returned to the vehicle, he was hauling a massive crate overflowing with pack-planning materials.I gasped. "Why did you buy the entire stock?""You said you didn't want pups," he rumbled, his voice losing every trace of its previous warmth. "So we’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen.""But these charms and

"I don't believe a word that leaves an Alpha's lips when we’re between the sheets," I breathed, my heart hammering against my ribs."Technically, we're on the sofa," Cole rumbled, his voice a low vibration against my skin.I was speechless. He didn't give me a chance to argue, capturing my mouth in another devastating kiss. That night, the air in the Ryder Penthouse was thick with a primal, desperate heat.But by morning, the cold light of reality returned. I needed to know if Cole’s promise to "hold the umbrella" during my storm was just talk.The test came via a ping on my device from Arnold Yoris: [Wednesday is the marking of my second son’s mating anniversary. We are hosting a small gathering at the estate. I expect my apprentices to attend and present their progress. I will be evaluating your steel.][I'll be there,] I replied.I knew exactly who lived at that estate: William and Sara Yoris. The two people I loathed most in this territory. But for the sake of my long-term play, I

I could see the faint muscle in Cole’s jaw twitching as he licked the inside of his cheek, a dark, playful glint in his eyes that only I seemed to catch.Jane, sensing the atmosphere thickening into something she couldn't control, suddenly spoke up, but Cole cut through the noise. "Why are you all hovering? You didn't hike up to this peak just for the catering. Since you’re here to evaluate the Cooper clan’s new territory, go sink into the springs. Otherwise, you’ll have nothing of substance to offer Tyler later."As the most dominant Alpha in our coastal circles, Cole’s word was law. The crowd of social climbers and heirs immediately scattered toward the steaming pools, eager to please him or at least stay out of his line of sight.Tyler had been splashing around with me earlier, our laughter echoing off the stone walls like pups at play. But the peace was shattered by a parade of guests seeking his ear. He was forced to play host, juggling improvement notes while keeping a protectiv

As a trauma surgeon, I knew precisely how much an twelve-hour shift in the theater drained the marrow from your bones."Go on up," Tyler said, his gaze lingering on me from the driver's seat of his Porsche. "I’m staying until I see your lights go on."He’d intended this weekend at the springs to be a battery recharge for tomorrow’s heavy surgical load, but the chaos with Talia had left him looking frayed. If I hadn't been so spent myself, I might have let him follow me up to my door."Goodnight, Tyler," I said with a tired smile, waving as I ducked into the lobby.Once inside the Mercer apartment, I stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass and waved again. Tyler pointed to his phone, signaling for a 'goodnight' text, before finally pulling away.The second his taillights vanished, my cheerful mask hit the floor like a lead weight. My chest felt tight—not from the surgery, but from the memory of Jane Yoris sliding into Cole’s SUV. I’d played the part of the busy, sought-after doctor for the

I obeyed the commands of the loudspeaker and retreated to a safe distance, but my feet felt like they were rooted in the sludge. I couldn't look away from the breach.Only the head nurse’s frantic grip on my arm saved me from being buried as a secondary slide hissed down. She dragged me back just in time, and I gasped out a thanks, my mind reeling. I must be losing my sanity in this downpour; for a split second, I could have sworn that voice on the megaphone belonged to Cole.It was impossible. The Alpha of Ryder Global wouldn't be in a wasteland like this.I mocked my own desperation, but as the steel blade of the bulldozer shoved the last of the boulders aside, the figure in the driver’s seat became clear. The rain lashed against his black raincoat, and his dark hair was plastered to his forehead, but there was no mistaking that silhouette.It was Cole."Those aren't council enforcers," a medic whispered nearby."The machines aren't government issue either."The rescue crew watched