Freya
The taxi ride back to Stone Lake territory felt surreal. My wolf paced restlessly inside me. *We should have ignored his threats. We don’t owe him anything.*
"I know," I muttered, earning a curious glance from the driver.
I was mentally rehearsing what to say to Jasper when a sudden jolt threw me forward against my seatbelt. The taxi had been rear-ended, and not lightly.
"Are you okay, miss?" the driver asked, already dialing his insurance company.
"Fine," I replied automatically, though my neck was already stiffening.
After exchanging information with the other driver, I stood on the sidewalk, phone in hand, searching for another ride. Stone Lake territory was still ten minutes away, and I refused to be late. Jasper would take too much satisfaction in that.
A sleek black Maserati purred to a stop beside me, the tinted window sliding down to reveal a pair of amused amber eyes.
"Need a ride, gorgeous?" Alpha Silvano’s deep voice sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.
"Stalking me already?" I asked, trying to sound annoyed but unable to suppress my smile.
He flashed a wolfish grin. "I was in the neighborhood. Coincidence, I promise." His gaze swept over me appreciatively. "Although finding you looking like this—" he gestured to my tailored black suit, "—makes me want to drag you back to my bed immediately."
Memories of the previous night flooded my mind—his hands on my skin, his mouth trailing fire down my body, the way he’d claimed me without shame or hesitation. Heat crept into my cheeks.
"I have a meeting," I managed, trying to sound professional despite the hunger in his eyes.
"Where to, then?" Silvano opened the passenger door.
I hesitated only briefly before sliding into the leather seat. "Stone Lake headquarters."
His relaxed demeanor instantly shifted. "Stone Lake Pack? Why the hell are you going there?" His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "Is this about Alpha Kane?"
"It’s complicated," I replied, fastening my seatbelt as Silvano pulled into traffic with more force than necessary.
"Uncomplicate it for me." His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. "Are you going back to him?"
"No." The firmness in my voice surprised even me. "Never. Jasper threatened to exile me officially if I didn’t come in to discuss transition matters."
Silvano’s jaw clenched. "That bastard has no right. You resigned properly."
"He’s still Alpha of Stone Lake," I reminded him. "And technically, I was born into that pack." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
"You could request a formal transfer to Crescent Moon," Silvano suggested, his eyes briefly meeting mine. "As my... special consultant."
I couldn’t help but laugh. "Special consultant? Is that what we’re calling it?"
The tension in the car dissipated slightly as Silvano’s lips quirked upward. "Would you prefer ’Bedroom companion’? ’The she-wolf who makes the mighty Alpha Moretti beg’?"

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Mated to My Intended's Enemy