Maria.

The moment we stepped outside, my face flushed red instantly.

The cool air brushed against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the sudden heat rising to my cheeks. My heart was still racing, my body tense, and being in Noah’s arms only made it worse. The closeness, the warmth, the way he held me so effortlessly, it all made me painfully aware of everything at once.

"Can you put me down, Noah?" I said quickly, my voice coming out a little more breathless than I intended. "He is already out of sight."

The moment the words left my lips, Noah didn’t hesitate.

He lowered me gently to the ground, his hands lingering for just a second longer than necessary before pulling away. Then he cleared his throat softly, the sound breaking through the silence that had suddenly settled between us.

And just like that, everything felt... awkward. The kind of awkward that made it hard to look at each other.

I avoided his gaze, brushing an imaginary crease off my clothes as I tried to steady myself. My fingers fidgeted slightly, betraying the calm I was trying so hard to maintain.

I needed to move.

To do something.

So I turned, ready to keep going, to put some distance between us and whatever that moment had just been but I didn’t get far.

Noah’s hand caught my arm, stopping me.

Before I could react, he gently turned me around to face him, his other hand sliding to my waist, holding me in place. My breath hitched slightly at the sudden movement, my eyes lifting to meet his.

He didn’t say anything, he just looked at me and then, he leaned in slowly and carefully.

As if giving me time to pull away but I didn’t. And in the next second, his lips brushed against mine, soft, gentle and brief but enough to send a wave of warmth rushing through me.

Then, just as quickly as it happened, he pulled away, almost abruptly, like he had just realized what he had done.

He raised his hand, scratching the back of his head, his expression shifting into something slightly embarrassed, slightly unsure.

"Maria, how about we make our..." he started, his voice hesitant, like he was trying to gather the right words.

But he didn’t get to finish.

"Maria! We need to talk." The voice cut through the moment instantly, sharp and demanding.

I turned toward it, my brows furrowing slightly as my gaze landed on the source.

Davian.

Of course.

What exactly does he want to talk about?

I exhaled quietly before responding, not even bothering to meet his eyes fully.

"Alpha Davian," I said, my tone controlled as I averted my gaze slightly, "you can say whatever you want to say here."

I wasn’t in the mood for secrecy.

Or authority.

Or anything that involved him trying to control the situation.

But his reaction was immediate.

"There is no way I will speak when he is here," Davian replied, his voice firm, leaving no room for negotiation. Then his gaze hardened slightly as he added, "And don’t forget, Maria... I am still Alpha."

I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself.

Uncontrollably.

Of course he would pull rank.

I let out a quiet breath, resisting the urge to argue further. Instead, I glanced at Noah, my expression softening just slightly as I mouthed silently...

I will be back.

He didn’t say anything, but his eyes lingered on me for a second longer, as if he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Then Davian turned and without another word, he started walking.

I stood there for a brief moment, watching him, knowing I didn’t really have a choice.

Then I sighed softly and followed him.

The moment we stepped into his room, the door hadn’t even fully shut before Davian’s grip tightened around my wrist.

Before I could react, he pulled me hard.

My back hit the wall in the corner with a soft thud, the impact forcing a small breath out of my lips. My eyes widened slightly, my heart skipping as he closed the distance between us in an instant.

There was no space left.

No room to move. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

His presence surrounded me completely, overwhelming, intense, his hand sliding up to my chin as his fingers traced along it slowly, deliberately, tilting my face up so I had no choice but to look at him.

"How could you let him kiss you, Maria?"

His voice was low, but there was nothing calm about it. His eyes burned into mine, dark and hungry, filled with something raw, something possessive that made my chest tighten.

"I hate seeing another man’s lips on yours," he added, his jaw clenching slightly as his grip on my chin tightened just a fraction.

I inhaled slowly, trying to steady myself despite the way his closeness made it difficult to think clearly.

"Alpha Davian," I started, my voice controlled, though there was a sharp edge to it, "I don’t think you are in any position to..."

"Shhh!"

His fingers moved instantly, pressing lightly against my lips, silencing me before I could finish.

"Allow me to do the speaking," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

My brows furrowed, irritation flashing through me, but I didn’t move, didn’t give him the reaction he wanted.

For a moment, he just stared at me.

The silence stretched, thick and heavy, his gaze searching mine as if he was trying to pull something out of me without words.

"Name it, Maria," he said finally, his voice dropping lower, more dangerous. "What do you want to stay away from Noah?"

The question caught me off guard.

"You are already marked," he continued, his fists clenching at his sides now, the tension in his body obvious. "You belong to us."

The words hit harder than I expected.

I stared at him, stunned.

Because I truly didn’t understand them.

Didn’t understand *him*.

One moment, they acted distant, cold, like I meant nothing. The next, they stood here, claiming, demanding, acting as if I belonged to them.

It was confusing.

Frustrating.

Exhausting.

At times, it felt like they had memory loss... like they forgot their own decisions, their own words. Their personalities shifted without warning, their emotions unpredictable, their actions contradicting everything they once stood for.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry as he leaned in closer.

Too close.

His breath brushed against my skin, warm and uneven, sending a faint shiver down my spine despite myself.

"I’m waiting, Maria," he murmured, his voice softer now but no less intense. "Speak."

I held his gaze for a second longer.

Then I let out a small breath.

"What do I want?" I repeated slowly.

A faint, almost humorless smile touched my lips as I tilted my head slightly.

"How about I ask you the same thing, Alpha Davian?" I shot back, my voice steady now, stronger. "What do you want?"

His expression flickered.

But I didn’t stop.

"What do you want to stay the hell away from me?" I continued, my eyes narrowing slightly. "You are clearly engaged... So why covet what isn’t yours anymore?"

That did it.

He froze.

Completely.

His hand dropped from my chin, his body pulling back slightly as if my words had physically pushed him away.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he turned slightly, running a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening again, but this time, it was different, it was barely controlled.

"Maria," he said, his voice lower now, restrained, "don’t push your luck."

I didn’t respond.

I just watched him.

"You’re going too far," he added, his back still partly turned to me. Then he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes sharp again. "I’m asking you calmly now... stay away from Noah."

There was a pause.

A dangerous one.

"Don’t blame me when something else happens."

The warning hung in the air, heavy and unsettling. Then, without waiting for a response, he moved.

Crossed the room.

And stormed out.

The door shut behind him with a force that echoed through the space, leaving the room in complete silence.

I stood there for a moment, unmoving.

Then I let out a small breath, shaking my head slightly.

"So dramatic," I muttered under my breath.