Deanna’s POV: “What… What did you just say?” My cheeks weren’t just red. They were burning hot, like someone had lit a flame beneath my skin. A few hours ago, I was still an Omega with barely any experience. Do what? How should I… How was I supposed to even start? Nyra help me. Could I still pull up a crash course online and study everything in one sitting? Could the hub help me? “Deanna,” Luis said my name with that unmistakable Alpha tone. Deep. Steady. Irresistible. “Kiss me.” His eyes locked on me, and I felt like I was burning alive under that stare. My skin flushed. My mouth went dry. My entire body felt like it was overheating. In that moment, something inside me clicked. If Jake could throw me away for Peggie—a woman with mixed blood, not even a full wolf—and never once care how it would wreck me… Then, why was I still holding back? Why should I keep silencing the instinct that made me who I was, all for an Alpha who didn’t protect me or love me like he should? Luis was right in front of me. Gorgeous. Strong. Pure-blooded. He had every trait an Alpha should carry. His beauty was sharp, almost unreal, like a sculpture from ancient civilizations. His aura screamed nobility. And compared to him, Jake didn’t even come close. There were plenty of she-wolves who would do anything just to be near Luis. Who would give anything to be marked by him. If I slept with him, I wouldn’t be losing anything. I’d be choosing something better. I took a deep breath and slowly bowed my head. Then, I leaned in and kissed him, just like he had kissed me. His lips were thin and a little cool, with that faint, clean scent that clung only to him. I trailed my lips down his neck, brushing his throat and collarbone. However, I wasn’t just kissing him—I was memorizing him. Breathing in his scent like I needed it. Luis stayed still beneath my touch, but I felt his breath get heavier. His throat moved hard beneath my lips. I was trembling. Every nerve lit up with a shiver, a rush that started from my core and climbed through my veins until my heart couldn’t take it anymore. My pulse was racing. I had to stop just to breathe. Luis let out a low chuckle, then flipped me onto the mattress in one smooth move. “Fast learner,” he murmured against my skin. “Not bad, little one.” Then, he kissed me again. The heat that followed left me gasping. I thought about pulling away, but he pinned my wrists gently above my head. His body pressed into mine. The heat wrapped around me. My thoughts dissolved into static. … Peggie’s POV: After the mating ceremony, Jake drove me back to the hospital so I could rest. He stayed in the hallway, talking with my doctor, Jorge Gilbert. I didn’t change into the usual hospital gown. I waited in bed, still wearing a black lace dress, watching the door like it was the only thing that mattered. Not long after, the door opened. When I saw Jake walk in, my whole face lit up. He had changed out of the ceremonial outfit, but he still wore a crisp white suit. The lights in the hallway spilled behind him, casting soft shadows over his sharp profile. That glow made him look gentler, even more beautiful than I remembered. If I hadn’t left Jake five years ago… There wouldn’t even be a Deanna in his life right now. I bit down hard, holding back the bitterness in my throat. But I knew—deep down—I still had a place in Jake’s heart. That wouldn’t disappear so easily. The way I looked—fragile, soft, always in need of protection—combined with my half-human, half-wolf blood… it stirred something deep in him. A need to shield. To guard. To hold. And this ceremony had proven I still mattered. Tonight, I didn’t want him to walk out again. And I wouldn’t let him. Since I came back, Jake had spoiled me. He was gentle. Patient. Kind. But he never took the last step. It was making me uneasy. There was always a gap between us. And I knew why. Deanna. That woman. She was getting in my way. I turned toward the door as he stood there and reached out my hand. My fingers were pale, a little unsteady. “Jake… will you stay with me tonight?” Jake stepped forward and gently tucked the blanket around me. “The doctor said you need rest. I’ll leave once you fall asleep.” A wave of disappointment swept over me. Every time I had a flare-up, he’d stay… but he always left before morning. Not this time. I pushed myself upright, kneeling on the bed. The lace slid off my shoulder, revealing a stretch of smooth skin and the dip between my collarbones. I let every soft, feminine part of me take over. I moved slowly, hands brushing his belt. “Jake,” I whispered. “You know what I want.” Jake froze, then caught my hands and pushed them away. “Peggie,” he said quietly. “Don’t.” He didn’t sound angry. He didn’t even raise his voice. But it still shook me. Still, I didn’t give up. I raised my eyes, already shining with unshed tears. “I’m sorry. I got carried away. I forgot… Deanna’s still your fiancée.” His face softened. He reached up and smoothed my hair. “Don’t think too much. Just get some rest.” … Jake’s POV: After I left the hospital, I opened my phone and checked the call log. Aside from that ridiculous kidnapping call earlier, there was nothing. The silence was starting to get under my skin. “Take me to Spade A,” I told the driver. Spade A was the Olsendreich Pack’s base downtown. On the surface, it looked like a nightclub, but everyone in the inner circle knew it was a front for gathering intel. The second I walked in, sound slammed into me like a wave. The bass shook the walls. The air was thick with alcohol, pheromones, and the mixed scents of humans and wolves packed into one space. I headed straight to the VIP lounge. “Well, look who finally showed up,” Robert Scott, Olsendreich Park’s Alpha, smirked. “Jake in the flesh. Shouldn’t you be enjoying your wedding night right about now? You know what they sa—” Before he could finish, I smacked the back of his head. “Ow! Come on, what was that for?” I tossed my jacket aside and sat down. “Has Deanna contacted any of you?”