Maria

Everything slowly died down after the healer’s announcement.

The tension that had once filled the corridor like thick smoke began to thin, voices lowering, footsteps retreating. The crowd dispersed gradually, and for the first time since the chaos began, I could breathe properly.

I was grateful.

Grateful beyond words to Daniel.

If he hadn’t stepped in when he did, I would have been dragged to the dungeon without another word. I could already imagine it, the cold walls, the darkness, the humiliation. And knowing the Quadruplets’ temper, I doubted it would have stopped at mere confinement.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Daniel had saved me.

I didn’t know what pushed him to intervene, or why he chose that moment, but I owed him. Deeply.

He caught my eye from across the corridor and offered me a small smile. It wasn’t wide or showy, just subtle reassurance.

I tried to return it.

My lips curved slightly, but the smile didn’t reach my mind. My thoughts were elsewhere.

Noah.

The healer had said he would wake soon, that he only needed rest. But still... the image of him lying there unconscious lingered in my head. His stillness. His silence.

What exactly was Anabel up to?

The question gnawed at me.

She wouldn’t harm Noah.

Would she?

The thought felt absurd and yet unsettling. I had seen the way she acted, the tears, the accusations, the way she shifted blame so effortlessly.

I just hoped he was okay.

I kept staring at the closed door long after most of the crowd had left. Something in me was reluctant to walk away. Maybe guilt. Maybe fear. Maybe just the need to see him open his eyes.

The hallway grew emptier with each passing second until the murmurs faded completely.

"Why keep staring? Regretting already?"

The voice cut through my thoughts sharply.

I blinked and turned.

The corridor was nearly deserted.

But Adrien was still there.

Of course he was.

Why?

He stood a few steps away, arms relaxed at his sides, but his expression was anything but calm.

"Why did you do that to him?" he asked, his tone controlled but edged with something darker.

I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself.

The audacity.

His sister had orchestrated the entire scene, yet I was the one standing here being interrogated like a criminal.

"Answer me, Maria," he said again, stepping closer. "You know how I get when I get no response."

The warning in his voice was clear.

He moved into my space deliberately, slowly, intentionally, until there was no air left between us. Close enough that the heat of his body wrapped around mine like a second skin. Close enough that every shallow breath he took ghosted over my cheek, warm and controlled, as if even his breathing was calculated.

I didn’t step back.

I refused to.

My spine straightened, chin lifting slightly despite the tension tightening every muscle in my body. I would not cower. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me retreat.

"Alpha Adrien..." I started, my voice steady even though my pulse was beginning to hammer against my ribs.

I didn’t even get to finish.

His hand came up abruptly, fingers curling around my jaw, firm and unyielding. Before I could process the movement, his lips crashed against mine.

The shock froze me.

For half a second, my mind went completely blank. No thoughts. No breath. Just the sudden pressure of his mouth on mine and the overwhelming realization that this was happening.

What the hell?

Just moments ago he had been glaring at me like I was something foul. Accusing me. Questioning my loyalty. Letting his words slice through me without hesitation.

He had looked at me like I was dirt beneath his shoes.

And now he was kissing me?

The anger came fast, hot and sharp, burning away the shock.

He was an asshole.

There was nothing tender about the kiss. No softness. No hesitation. It wasn’t affection, it was force. It felt like he was trying to prove something. Like he was pouring every ounce of frustration and wounded pride into the press of his mouth.

Possession.

That’s what it felt like.

As if I was something he could claim whenever it suited him.

My hands flew to his chest immediately, palms pressing hard against the solid wall of muscle. I shoved, putting all my strength into it, trying to create space.

He didn’t move.

Not even an inch.

Of course he didn’t.

He was stronger. Bigger. The Alpha.

The imbalance of it made something inside me snap. The unfairness crashed over me all at once, his baseless accusations, his sister’s betrayal, the humiliation I had endured earlier, and now this.

I hated him.

I hated the way he looked at me like I was guilty without proof.

I hated the way he assumed control without asking.

I hated the way he felt entitled to touch me whenever his emotions spiraled out of control, as if my body was an outlet for his anger.

And more than anything, I hated that he thought he could take from me without consequence.

And yet...beneath the anger, something else flickered.

Hurt.

That was what surprised me the most.

Why did it hurt?

Why did his earlier disappointment sting more than the slap?

Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, burning at the corners of my eyes. But I refused to let them fall.

Not in front of him.

Not after everything.

I pushed against him harder, fingers pressing firmly into his chest, trying to break free. He tightened his hold for a moment before finally easing just enough for me to pull back slightly.

My breathing was uneven.

My heart pounded, not from desire, but from frustration.

He stared at me intensely, as though searching my face for something.

But I didn’t look away.

If he wanted answers, he would have to listen.

And I was done being silent.

He kept kissing me so intensely that fear crept into my chest.

Not because of the kiss itself.

But because of what could happen next.

Vanessa’s face flashed in my mind, the last time she had walked in on something she misunderstood. The humiliation. The slap. The way he had chosen pride over me in that split second.

What if she showed up again?

What if someone else did?

Would Adrien push me away just as quickly? Would he raise his hand like Aidan to protect his image? To prove loyalty to his family?

The thought terrified me more than his grip did.

I couldn’t endure that again.

Summoning what little strength I had left, I pressed harder against his chest and twisted my face away. This time, I managed to break the kiss. Air rushed into my lungs as I stepped back quickly, my heart hammering violently.

Without looking at him, I turned to leave.

I couldn’t face him.

Not now.

Not when the tears I had been holding back were threatening to betray me. If I met his eyes, I knew I would break. And I refused to cry in front of him.

I had barely taken two steps when his hands wrapped around me from behind.

Strong.

Unyielding.

He pulled me back against him, his grip tightening around my waist as though I might disappear if he didn’t hold on firmly enough. My back pressed against his chest, and I could feel the rise and fall of his breathing.

He buried his face near my neck and inhaled deeply.

Slowly.

Like my scent was the only thing anchoring him.

The gesture caught me off guard.

"Wait!" he said, his voice rough, almost breathless. "I haven’t permitted you to leave!"

The command in his tone made my spine stiffen.

Permission?

Since when did I need his permission?

"Alpha Adrien," I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady despite the way his hold unsettled me, "I have duties to attend to. I am not sure I can."

It was the most neutral excuse I could find. Polite, controlled yet distant.

But it only seemed to provoke him further.

He spun me around abruptly, forcing me to face him.

The sudden movement made me stumble slightly before steadying myself. And when I looked up...I saw it.

Anger.

Raw and building.

His jaw was tight, his eyes darker than usual, something turbulent swirling behind them.

"I said you should wait," he thundered, his voice reverberating through the now-empty hallway. "And that is what you would do!"

The force in his tone made my heart skip.

This wasn’t the teasing arrogance he usually wore.

This was something else.

Something possessive.

Something volatile.

Before I could respond, he grabbed my hand firmly, almost painfully, and began marching forward. His stride was long and determined, leaving me no choice but to follow or be dragged.

"Adrien..." I tried, but he didn’t slow down.

His grip tightened slightly in response.

The hallway blurred as we moved quickly, the echo of our footsteps bouncing off the walls. I struggled to keep up with his pace, my mind racing just as fast as my heartbeat.

Where was he taking me?

Why was he reacting like this?

Moments ago, he had been accusing me.

Now he was acting as though I belonged to him.

The contradiction made my chest ache.

I glanced at his profile as he pulled me along. His expression was rigid, focused straight ahead, like he was trying to outrun something, his thoughts, perhaps.

Or his feelings.

I didn’t know which frightened me more.

His anger.

Or the possibility that beneath it was something neither of us was ready to admit.

My fingers flexed in his hold, testing his grip.

He didn’t loosen it.

And I realized then...Whatever conversation he intended to have, he wasn’t going to let me escape it.