Maria.

He pulled away suddenly, so abruptly that the loss of his warmth felt like a shock to my system. We both stood there, breathing hard, chests rising and falling rapidly as though we had just finished running a thousand-meter race without stopping. The air between us was thick, heavy with everything we hadn’t said and everything we almost had.

For a brief second, neither of us spoke.

Then Noah’s lips curved into a faint, hopeful smile.

"Is that a yes?" he asked softly.

His voice wasn’t teasing. It wasn’t playful either. It was careful, almost fragile. His eyes searched mine intensely, scanning my face like the answer he wanted was hidden somewhere in my gaze. He looked nervous in a way I had never seen before, like a man standing at the edge of something life-changing, terrified of falling but willing to leap anyway.

"Noah..." I began, my voice barely finding its way out. My mind was still spinning, my heart still racing. I needed a second. Just one second to put my thoughts together.

But he didn’t let me.

"I’ll take that as a yes," he said quickly, almost breathlessly, as if he was afraid that if he gave me time, I might change my mind.

Before I could protest, he straightened and reached for his shirt, tugging it over his head in one smooth motion.

I gasped softly and immediately turned my face away, my cheeks burning as heat rushed to my face. My heart thudded wildly in my chest, betraying me completely.

"Hey!" I blurted out, flustered. "Don’t you realize there’s a lady in the room?"

He chuckled, low and amused, clearly enjoying my reaction. Instead of stopping, he stepped closer again, bending slightly so we were eye to eye. His presence alone made my breath hitch.

"And that lady," he said quietly, his voice suddenly serious, "the one who will soon be mine... she’ll get to see this every day."

My heart skipped.

He lifted his hand and gently pushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch tender, almost reverent. My skin tingled where his fingers brushed me, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

"I need to prepare for the Alpha’s gathering," he continued, his tone shifting reluctantly back to reality. "I need to freshen up."

The Alpha’s gathering.

The words hit me like a bucket of cold water.

My stomach dropped instantly.

Oh no.

Oh no, no, no.

Panic crept in as realization slammed into me. I had completely lost track of time. Everything that had just happened, Noah’s confession, the kiss, the emotions swirling inside me, had made me forget the one thing I absolutely shouldn’t have.

Alpha Aidan.

My chest tightened as the memory rushed back. He had ordered me to come to his room two hours before the gathering. Not asked. Ordered.

And here I was.

Still sitting on Noah’s bed.

My heart began to race again, but this time, it wasn’t from desire. It was fear. Cold, sharp fear curling in my stomach. What would Alpha Aidan do if I was late? Or worse—if I didn’t show up at all?

I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into the fabric beneath me.

"I’m in trouble," I whispered inwardly, dread settling deep in my bones.

Noah, completely unaware of the storm raging inside me, smiled again.

"Alright, Maria," he said gently. "Just wait for me here. I’ll freshen up and be right back."

Before I could respond, before I could even think of an excuse, he leaned down and placed a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. It wasn’t rushed or demanding. It was slow, affectionate, sealing his promise more than his words ever could.

He turned without another word and walked into the bathroom, his broad back disappearing behind the door. It closed quietly, the soft click echoing far louder than it should have.

Silence followed.

The kind of silence that pressed in on my ears and wrapped tightly around my chest.

I remained where I was, unmoving, as though my body had forgotten how to function. My heart slammed violently against my ribs, each beat sharp and frantic, undoing whatever fragile warmth lingered in me moments ago. That warmth dissolved quickly, replaced by a creeping anxiety that settled deep in my bones.

The Alpha’s gathering.

Alpha Aidan.

Two hours before the ceremony.

The reminder surfaced all at once, and my stomach twisted painfully. My fingers trembled as I clasped them together in my lap, trying to steady myself, trying to breathe normally. It felt useless. No matter how hard I tried, dread clung stubbornly to my thoughts.

"This evening is going to ruin me," I murmured under my breath, my voice barely audible in the still room.

I stared blankly ahead, not really seeing anything. Deep down, an unshakable certainty took hold of me, whatever Alpha Aidan had planned, whatever awaited me behind his closed doors, it wasn’t going to be gentle. The thought sent a shiver crawling up my spine.

I couldn’t wait for Noah to finish.

The instant that realization struck, panic surged through me like a sudden flood. My chest tightened, breath coming faster as urgency took over completely. My heart pounded violently as I shot to my feet, refusing to waste even a single second. The fragile calm I had been clinging to vanished without a trace.

Without looking back, I rushed out of the room.

My footsteps echoed unevenly as I hurried down the corridor, dread snapping at my heels like a relentless predator. My mind screamed warnings, but my body didn’t slow. It couldn’t.

My legs seemed to move on their own, carrying me straight toward Alpha Aidan’s room as if pulled by an invisible force. I didn’t pause to think. I didn’t allow myself to hesitate. The only thing that existed was the order he had given me, and the fear of what would happen if I failed to obey.

With every step, my pulse grew louder, counting down the moments until whatever fate awaited me finally caught up.

When I reached his door, I didn’t knock.

I pushed it open and stepped inside.

The sight that greeted me made me freeze.

Aidan was pacing the room restlessly, moving back and forth like a caged beast. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his jaw tight, his entire posture screaming agitation. He looked like a man tormented by thoughts he couldn’t silence, as though something deep within him was unraveling.

Before I could say a word, he noticed me.

The moment I came into view, he spun around sharply and rushed toward me, closing the distance between us in seconds. His hands landed on my shoulders, gripping tightly, his touch firm, almost desperate.

"What took you so long?" he demanded.

For a brief second, I thought I saw concern flicker in his eyes. Genuine worry. It almost softened me.

Almost.

In the very next heartbeat, that concern vanished, replaced by something darker. Something cold and terrifying.

His nostrils flared as he leaned closer, his expression twisting with dread.

"Why do you have another man’s scent on your body?" he asked sharply.

My breath hitched.

"I—" I started, but he didn’t let me finish.

"Answer me, Maria," he barked, his voice rising as his grip tightened, pulling me closer. "Who were you with?"

His eyes burned into mine, wild and accusing.

"No... it can’t be..." he muttered suddenly, more to himself than to me. "It cannot be him!"

I didn’t even know who he was referring to, but the fear in his voice sent chills down my spine. My heart raced uncontrollably, my thoughts scattering as I tried to regain my composure. More than anything, I needed to know why he had summoned me here in the first place, but it was clear he wouldn’t allow me to ask.

"Was this the reason you came late?" he snapped.

I stayed silent.

Not because I didn’t want to speak, but because I knew he wouldn’t listen. His rage was too loud, drowning out anything I might say.

Suddenly, he shook me vigorously, his hands gripping my arms now. "Answer me, Maria!" he shouted. "I am talking to you!"

The force made my teeth clack together, and something inside me hardened.

"I don’t know what you’re implying, Alpha Aidan," I said, my voice trembling but steady, "but who I was with before coming to you is none of your business."

The words had barely left my mouth when everything changed.

In a split second, he grabbed my waist and pulled me flush against him. Before I could react, before I could even inhale, his lips crashed onto mine.

The kiss was sudden. Forceful. Possessive.

My eyes widened in shock as his mouth claimed mine without warning, stealing the air from my lungs. My hands froze at my sides as my mind reeled, struggling to process what was happening.

"You belong to me, Maria," he said against my lips, his voice low and dangerous. "No one else has the right to be this intimate or close to you."

And then he deepened the kiss.

It was overwhelming, his presence, his dominance, the intensity of his claim. His lips moved against mine with a fierce urgency that left no room for resistance. My thoughts blurred, my strength melting away as he poured his demand into that kiss, leaving me breathless, dizzy, trapped between fear and a surrender I didn’t want to feel.

My knees weakened as the world seemed to tilt, and for a moment, I could do nothing but cling to the edge of consciousness, caught in the storm of his emotions.

And deep down, I knew this was only the beginning of something far more dangerous than I had ever imagined.