Maria.

I stood frozen in the arena, my mind still trying to piece together everything Galen had said. Her words, the way she had vanished, the sheer audacity—it was all too much. My thoughts swirled in confusion, and for a moment, I didn’t even realize I was standing in the middle of the chaos, exposed and vulnerable.

Then, out of nowhere, I became acutely aware of a presence beside me, almost like the air itself had shifted. Before I could even process what was happening, Noah’s hand shot out and gripped mine with a strength that was both surprising and grounding.

His fingers closed around mine firmly, anchoring me in place, and a strange sense of calm began to weave through my chest despite the chaos surrounding us.

I looked up, and my gaze met his—emerald eyes so vivid and intense that it felt like they pierced straight through me. There was focus there, an unwavering sharpness that made it impossible to look away.

"Maria," he said, his voice low, deliberate, and commanding all at once, carrying an authority that left no room for hesitation, "it’s not safe here. Come with me."

I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden intensity in both his tone and his eyes. My mind raced for a moment, trying to protest, to ask questions, but the urgency in him silenced everything. There was something in the way he held me, the way he stared, that made arguing feel absurd.

Without thinking, I nodded. It was instinctual, almost reflexive. Hand in hand, I let him guide me through the maze of chaos, past the Quadruplets, past the alert guards, past the murmuring pack members whose whispers seemed distant and irrelevant.

My heart was still fluttering wildly, a mix of lingering adrenaline and the strange reassurance his presence provided, yet I followed him without hesitation, trusting him completely in that instant.

The corridor seemed endless as we moved swiftly, yet I didn’t mind. His presence beside me was enough to calm the storm inside my chest. He led me with purpose, each step measured, his hand never leaving mine, his grip firm but not overbearing.

There was a silent urgency in him that I couldn’t ignore, a silent warning that made every nerve in my body tense and alert.

Finally, we reached his room. The door shut behind us with a solid thud, cutting off the noise of the outside world. Noah turned to face me, his expression softening slightly, but the intensity in his eyes remained.

He stepped closer, and I instinctively shrank just a little, though my body betrayed my hesitation with a subtle leaning toward him.

"You need to be more careful, Maria," he said, his voice low, almost a growl that carried both warning and concern. "Nothing is to happen to you. Not a single thing. Do you understand?"

I nodded, my throat tightening, though I didn’t speak. His words resonated deep within me, and a strange warmth spread through my chest.

My heart felt like it was melting under the weight of his concern, his possessiveness, his unwavering need to protect me. I could feel my knees weaken slightly, and I had to remind myself to stay standing.

"I won’t forgive myself," he continued, taking a step closer so that the space between us was nearly nonexistent, "if anything happens to you. Not ever."

I swallowed hard, my mind a jumble of emotions. The words, the way he said them, the intensity in his gaze—it was enough to leave me momentarily breathless. I only managed to nod, unable to articulate how deeply his words affected me.

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair as if trying to find the right words. "About earlier...," he started, his voice trailing off as he scratched the back of his head, clearly frustrated with himself. He looked down at me, his emerald eyes flicking with honesty. "I... I didn’t do anything, Maria. It wasn’t me...it was Anabel. She kissed me. You shouldn’t think otherwise."

I wanted to laugh, a small, teasing sound, but it caught in my throat. I could feel the corners of my lips trying to curve, and I felt the urge to smile, but I stopped myself. Instead, I simply lowered my gaze, my chest tightening as a subtle mix of relief and determination coursed through me.

In my mind, I made a quiet vow: I would make Anabel understand, once and for all, that Noah was mine. That he belonged to me, and no one else. The thought alone made my heart flutter, and my hands clutched lightly at my sides, still tingling from the warmth of his grip.

Noah’s eyes softened, and he tilted his head, leaning slightly closer. I could feel his breath, warm and familiar, against my face. There was a pause, a silent moment where the world seemed to shrink to just the two of us. And then, without another word, he claimed my lips with his.

The kiss was slow at first, gentle, almost testing the waters, but the intensity quickly grew. His hands moved to cradle my face, his thumbs brushing against my cheeks as if memorizing every curve. My body responded immediately, leaning into him, melting against him, my own hands finding their way to his chest.

I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer, desperate to feel every inch of him, desperate to remind myself that he was here. That he was mine. And in that moment, nothing else mattered—no Galen, no Quadruplets, no chaos—just us, suspended in the quiet storm of our own shared heat and tension.

When we finally pulled back slightly, our foreheads resting against each other, I could feel my pulse hammering in my chest.

My lips tingled from his kiss, my heart racing with a mix of exhilaration and relief. I looked up at him, eyes wide, breath shallow, and all I could think was that in the madness of this pack, of everything happening around us, I had found my anchor.

Noah’s hands stayed firmly on my waist, holding me close, his emerald eyes soft yet intense.

And I knew, without a doubt, that I would follow him anywhere....because this was more than protection. This was more than passion, it was belonging.

And as he leaned in again, brushing his lips softly against mine in a quiet, possessive promise, I let myself melt completely.