CHAPTER 002

CHAPTER 002 

RYTIS'S POINT OF VIEW 

The only noise during the car journey came from raindrops hitting the windows. I repeatedly turned my eyes toward Eivina, who sat next to me without speaking. The combination of tears on her face and her hand-wringing movements and her emotional scent made my heart squeeze. 

I recalled my first encounter with her at the bar. The scent she wore hit me with the force of a train—a combination of delicate floral notes and sweet vanilla, which made my wolf react immediately. Her scent carried an ownership that made me feel like she belonged to me. 

My wolf pushed against my control to declare, "She's ours." 

The sight of her diamond ring made me suppress my desire. I told him she was married even though the words made my stomach churn.  

My gaze followed the contours of her body despite my inner resistance. The wet strands of her hair stuck to her face while maintaining their natural beauty. The dress she wore perfectly accentuated her curves, yet something beyond her physical appearance drew me closer. Her eyes revealed her inner vulnerability as she gripped her glass like it was her only connection to the world. 

Each glass she emptied failed to distract me from watching her. Her emotional pain overwhelmed her natural fragrance, yet I remained fixated on her. I needed to understand what force had destroyed her. 

My wolf became agitated and insisted I should approach her. 

I remained in my seat while resisting the impulse to move. The bartender's sudden grip on her body made everything around me disappear. I found myself standing up and moving across the room at a speed I never imagined myself capable of. 

I spoke through clenched teeth as I warned the lady to release my grip. 

Before the bartender could answer, I seized his collar to launch him onto the floor. My wolf emerged with a threatening growl that declared, "Mate," while I positioned myself between her and the man who attempted to touch my mate. 

My attention shifted from the wheezing bartender to Eivina when I turned my head. Her eyes reflected the alcohol's effects while her face glowed with redness. Her gaze pierced me with a force that traveled directly to my heart. 

“Are you alright?” My voice became gentle as I reached out to touch her face. 

She stared at me with confusion while attempting to stand, but her legs shook uncontrollably. I instinctively grabbed her body and drew her near. She pressed her body against mine while I took another deep breath to savor her scent. The faint scent drove me to complete insanity. 

My wolf repeated the word "mate" repeatedly as I assisted her in the car. “Mate.” 

Driving us to my house, I found myself pondering the significance of this moment. The ring on her finger made it impossible to believe she could be mine. 

I took another quick look at her. She fell asleep with her head leaning against the window glass. Her exposed vulnerability triggered a deep instinct within me. The need to protect her was not enough for me; I had to take action. 

I paused at my front door before gently waking her up. I gently touched her shoulder to wake her up, and her eyes opened briefly. 

She asked in a sleepy tone, "Where are we?" 

“My house,” I replied. Your current state requires you to stay here. 

She accepted my help without protest when I guided her from the car. 

I guided her to the guest bedroom while my entire body longed to stay near her to ensure her safety. She stood uneasily near the door while holding onto the fabric of her dress. 

I spoke gently, but my words came out more strained than I wanted. 

She lifted her eyes to meet mine while her lips moved slightly before she simply nodded. Her soft words made me pause when I tried to walk away. 

“Thank you,” she said. 

I paused before walking away to let her sleep. 

I didn’t go far, though. My wolf inside me moved restlessly while feeling frustrated. She stayed with me, but her body remained untouchable. Not yet. 

The hallway became silent for many hours until I finally heard her gentle footfalls. She discovered me standing in the kitchen while I watched the rain through the window.  

“You couldn’t sleep?” I asked without turning around.  

“No,” she said quietly. 

She appeared more fragile than ever when I finally stood in front of her wearing one of my oversized shirts from the guest room. The oversized shirt draped her body in a way that made her appear tiny and delicate. 

She abruptly declared, "I need to leave," which ended the prolonged silence. “This… I shouldn’t be here.” 

My wolf began to stir as I moved nearer to her. “Why not?” 

She held the shirt's hem while she hesitated. “You don’t even know me.” 

My voice remained steady as I declared, "I have enough knowledge." 

She looked into my eyes as if she sought something I doubted she would discover. I am in such a bad situation that you cannot understand it. 

“Then tell me,” I urged. 

She took a deep breath while her shoulders dropped. “My husband… He’s with my stepsister. The relationship between my husband and stepsister has been ongoing without my knowledge. The people who were supposed to protect my inheritance from my mother are now attempting to steal it all. 

Her emotional state reached me with the force of a physical blow to my stomach. I moved toward her until our bodies stood only a few inches apart. I spoke with determination as I told her, "They don't deserve you." 

She released a sad laugh while tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “I’m not sure anyone does.” 

I took her hand to bring her nearer to me. “I do.” 

Her breathing became uneven as she looked at me. “Why?” 

I blurted out the words "because you're mine" before I could stop myself." 

Her lips opened slightly as the universe paused its movements. She moved away from me while shaking her head. 

She spoke in a soft voice while shaking her head. “I can’t—”  

Her phone interrupted her with a notification that sounded from the countertop. She read the message while her face turned white.  

“What is it?” I asked, stepping closer again. 

Her voice shook as she explained that the inheritance was the reason behind the meeting. The inheritance will transfer to him in exactly thirty days. 

My jaw tightened while anger surged through my entire body. “That’s not going to happen.” 

Desperation shone through her eyes as she gazed at me. “How can you be so sure?” 

I remained silent for a few moments before I understood what I needed to do. I made a firm decision to defend her from any more harm. 

A single burning question occupied my mind when I looked at her while she trembled. 

How much would I need to sacrifice to defend what belongs to me?  

***

EIVINA'S POINT OF VIEW

The combination of pine and rain scents brought me to full wakefulness. My body weighed down like I had slept for an eternity. My eyes opened to discover I was not in my usual bedroom.

The sudden panic attack lasted only a short moment until memories from the previous night flooded my mind. The bar. The bartender. He was the next person to arrive.

My heart raced while I hurriedly looked around the room after I sat up. The spacious room featured contemporary design elements and big windows that allowed sunlight to enter.

The sound of water running drew my attention to the closed door at the far end of the room. He was in there.

I tried to understand the situation by rubbing my face with both hands. The coffee table phone buzzed, so I reached for it as a welcome interruption.

The screen displayed Laima's name. I unlocked my phone by swiping and discovered a new message.

Reading the message made my stomach feel like it was falling through the floor.

The transfer of my mother's inheritance to Domantas would happen in thirty days. Why had I failed to anticipate this development?

I jumped from my couch seat to put on my clothes while moving as fast as possible. I needed to figure this out. I needed to stop him.

My hands shook while I reached for Laima's phone number.

She immediately asked "Did you see it?" when she answered the phone.

My voice trembled as I responded with a simple "Yeah." The money belongs to you, Laima, not to him. He doesn’t deserve it.”

“What? Why?”

I breathed deeply to regain my composure. He's been unfaithful to me with Aurelija. The couple has been working on this scheme since the beginning of the year. I witnessed them together during the previous night.

Laima let out a sudden gasp while her voice grew increasingly furious.

“That bastard,” she hissed. He believes he can escape punishment for his actions.

“He won’t,” I said firmly. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“How?”

The weight of her question halted me abruptly. I needed to develop a plan, but I knew I would find a solution eventually.

I finally managed to say, "I'll come up with something."

The bathroom door swung open as Rytis emerged before Laima could utter a word. His intense green eyes met mine directly as the atmosphere became heavy with unexpressed emotions.

My throat tightened while my thoughts spun out of control because I had more questions than solutions.

I couldn't decide what to do next.