The house was bigger than she expected. Warm lighting. Large windows. A fire crackling in the living room. It felt… lived in. Jake carried her bag upstairs, stopping in front of a door. "This is yours." Lila stepped inside without a word. The room was simple. A bed. A dresser. A window overlooking the forest. It was nice. Too nice. She hated it. She turned to face Jake. "How long do I have to stay?" Jake hesitated. "As long as it takes." "For what?" "For you to heal." Her chest tightened. "And after that?" Jake’s expression darkened, but before he could answer, Lucas spoke from the doorway. "You’ll leave," he said, voice unreadable. Lila turned to him, startled by his presence. He was leaning against the frame, arms crossed, watching her with that same guarded expression. Something sharp twisted in her stomach. Lucas held her gaze. "If that’s what you want." She should have felt relieved. She should have felt something like victory, like freedom w
Lila set the dagger back on the table, narrowing her eyes at the mess of blueprints and scattered wires. "This place looks like a bomb went off," she muttered. Jake smirked. "It’s organized chaos." She shot him a skeptical look. "That’s just something people say when they don’t want to admit they live in a disaster zone." He chuckled. "Maybe. But it works for me." Lila wasn’t sure what she had expected from Jake’s personal space, but this… it was something entirely different. It wasn’t just a collection of weapons or tech—it was a reflection of him. A mix of precision and unpredictability. Her gaze flickered back to the empty space where a bed should be. "You seriously don’t sleep?" she asked again, this time more curious than before. Jake leaned against the desk, crossing his arms. "Not much." "Why?" He hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "Too much to do." Lila frowned. That wasn’t the whole truth. "You mean too much to think about," she guessed. Jake’s s
"This place is... homey." The second the word left her mouth, Lila wanted to take it back. Her lips parted as if she could snatch it from the air, but Jake was already staring at her, one eyebrow raised, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Homey?" he echoed, a slow smirk forming. "Did you just say you like it?" Lila scowled. "No." "You did." She shook her head, looking away. "I meant—it’s livable. Barely. Don’t get ahead of yourself." Jake didn’t say anything, but she could feel his eyes on her, studying her in that way that made her want to squirm. Not that she would. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She stepped further into the room, trailing her fingers along the edge of the wooden dresser. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was sturdy, well-crafted. The bed looked—comfortable. Too comfortable. She sat down cautiously, testing the mattress. A sigh slipped out before she could stop it. Jake chuckled. "Oh, so now the bed is nice too?" "Shut up," she muttered, try
"You're staring again," Lila muttered, her voice low, hesitant. Jake's lips curved into a lazy smirk. "Can you blame me?" Lila exhaled sharply, gripping the sheets beneath her as if they could anchor her. His presence was overwhelming, like a slow-burning fire licking at her skin—tempting, dangerous. She should push him away—say something sharp, something cruel—but she didn’t. "I can feel your heartbeat," he murmured, stepping closer. "It speeds up every time I do this." His fingers brushed against her cheek, the warmth sending a tremor through her body. She swallowed hard. "Don't flatter yourself." His smirk deepened. "Oh, I don’t need to. Your body already tells me everything." A bitter laugh escaped her. "You think you know me?" "I do." Lila’s breath hitched as Jake leaned in, his scent intoxicating, his warmth a trap. She was drowning, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be saved. "You don’t know a damn thing," she whispered, forcing herself to look away. Jake
"I—" She tried to speak, but his lips were on hers again, swallowing the protest before it could form.She wasn’t sure if she wanted to fight him or pull him closer, and the indecision made her dizzy. His touch was everywhere—his hands at her waist, his fingers pressing just enough to keep her there, as if daring her to leave."You should stop," she whispered, though even she could hear the lack of conviction in her voice.Jake smirked against her lips. "Then tell me to."She inhaled sharply, but no words came.Instead, she kissed him back.It was reckless. It was inevitable. It was everything she had been trying to avoid, yet now that she was here, drowning in him, she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.He deepened the kiss, his fingers sliding from her waist to her back, pulling her flush against him. She felt the heat of him through the thin fabric of her shirt, felt the way his breath hitched when she let herself melt into him."Lila," he murmured, his voice rough, raw. "You’re
Jake She tasted wonderful. I was never going to forget how her lips felt against mine and how she moaned as I played with her tongue. It was the best thing in the world, and I wanted more of it. But despite all that, the strong scent of her desire in the air was impossible to miss. She smelt as exquisite as she tasted, elating my desire. My wolf pranced around, urging me to cede control to him so he could be closer to her and show her how much she meant to us. He wanted to show her how much we had missed her, desired her. "My pussy kitty. It's time for play," I told her, unable to keep myself back. She was feeble yet ready for me. She seemed to come alive under my touch, making me feel like the most powerful man on the earth. Her eyes were dark with hunger and need for me, and a whimper from her lips. Her chest rose and fell fast as he stared at me, waiting. I didn't want to make her wait for long. I inserted myself between her legs, eyeing her carefully while I gently pulled a
Lucas I was delighted today since Lila was finally coming home. I had done my best to arrange her room so she'd like it. Even if she didn't like it, I was willing to make alterations according to her preferences. I was eager to do anything for her, but being away from her was slowly depleting me. I needed to see and speak to her, but I decided to hide in my ofice instead. She didn't want to see me yet, and I didn't want to overwhelm or distress her by continuously being in her face. If she wanted for my absence, that was all I would offer her, even if it physically wounded mne to do so. My knot had been throbbing all day and night since she woke up, and I could feel the link again. No matter how much I massaged myself, it wouldn't help me at all. It appeared to make my urges worse. It seemed as if my body was indirectly pressuring me to go to her, but I wasn't selfish. Lila needed rest, and I doubted she'd be able to relax if she saw me So far, Jake had been doing excellent at eas
"Is she awake yet?" Lucas asked, his eyes locked on the screen before him. "Just stirring now," Jake replied, leaning against the desk. "You really think she’s gonna like it?" Lucas didn’t answer immediately. He watched as Lila sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. His heartbeat picked up when she noticed the small box resting on the bedside table. For a moment, she didn’t move, just staring at it as if it were something foreign. "She’s hesitating," Jake noted, folding his arms. "She’s curious," Lucas corrected. "Just give her a moment." On the screen, Lila reached for the box. She lifted it slowly, fingers brushing over the velvet surface. Her expression remained unreadable as she unlatched it, revealing the delicate silver pendant inside. Lucas held his breath. Lila’s thumb ran over the tiny engraving on the pendant. Something flickered across her face—something Lucas couldn’t quite place. Hope flared in his chest. Then, without a word, she snapped the box shut. Luc
Lila’s words lingered in the air like a challenge.“Let’s make a new plan. Because something tells me Rikkard isn’t the only ghost who’ll be showing up.”Jake gave her a cautious look, sensing something unspoken underneath her defiance. “You’ve been thinking about this for a while, haven’t you?”She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she walked back toward the small table near the window where her satchel lay. She reached inside slowly, fingers brushing past the notebook she’d been scribbling in since they arrived in Venut. But it wasn’t the notebook she was after.It was the small, battered silver device hidden beneath it—no bigger than a deck of cards. It hummed faintly in her palm, the casing warm to the touch.Jake’s brow furrowed the moment he saw it. “What is that?”Lila looked at him, then at Lucas, her eyes steady. “I wasn’t just sitting here waiting for you two to come back. While you were keeping Rikkard busy, I was busy too.”Jake crossed the room in two strides. “Lila—what
Jake didn’t move until the elevator doors slid closed behind Rikkard.Lucas let out a breath that was more of a growl. “He’s gone. For now.”Jake ran a hand down his face. “That was too close.”Lucas turned to him, voice sharp. “We need a plan, Jake. If he gets even a hint of the truth—about her—he won’t stop until he finds her.”“I know,” Jake muttered. “That’s why we’re going to give him something else to chase.”Lucas raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”“A misdirection,” Jake said, already walking toward the lounge bar where a bottle of aged scotch was quietly calling his name. “He’s desperate. He wants answers. We give him just enough to feel like he’s getting somewhere, but not enough to lead him to Lila.”Lucas followed him warily. “You want to lie to him.”Jake poured a finger of scotch and downed it. “Yes. I want to lie so well that he doesn’t think to look any closer.”Ten minutes later, they found Rikkard leaning against a column in the hotel lobby, like a man half-expect
“You’re joking, right? Please tell me this is some twisted prank,” Lucas muttered under his breath, his eyes never leaving the figure lounging by the fireplace.“I wish it were,” Jake replied quietly, jaw clenched. “But that’s him. That’s Rikkard.”Lucas swore under his breath. “Of all the days… why the hell would he show up in Venut?”“I don’t know,” Jake admitted, hands fisted in his jacket pockets. “But we need to play this smart. We can’t let him know about Lila.”Lucas inhaled sharply and nodded. “You sure he hasn’t seen her?”“Positive. He only saw us. Let’s keep it that way.”The plush lounge of the hotel was dimly lit, scented with expensive cologne, polished leather, and cigar smoke. Rikkard was seated casually on a velvet couch, legs crossed, swirling amber liquid in a crystal tumbler. His demeanor was relaxed, almost amused—but Jake could see it. The glint of calculated menace in his eyes.Jake took a breath and approached with Lucas, every step deliberate. They stopped jus
“Tell me you’re joking,” Lucas muttered, his voice low and edged with tension.“I wish I were,” Jake replied, running a hand through his damp hair. “But he’s here. In Venut. I saw his convoy near the North Quarter twenty minutes ago.”Lila blinked. “Wait, Rikkard? As in—the Rikkard?”Jake gave a grim nod. “The Mad Alpha himself.”Lucas straightened from where he sat beside Lila on the hotel bed, his entire body going rigid. “How the hell did he find out we were here?”“Doesn’t matter,” Jake said. “What matters is that he’s here. And if he’s sniffing around, it’s not just to catch up over drinks.”Lila’s face lost all color. “You told me he wasn’t a threat anymore.”“I told you what I needed to so you’d sleep,” Jake said quietly, shame flickering across his expression. “But clearly, I was wrong.”“Perfect,” Lucas growled. “Just what we need—another lunatic Alpha throwing his weight around.”“Not just another lunatic,” Jake said, voice clipped. “He’s the lunatic. The one who ripped out
“…She’s alive,” Lila repeated, quieter now. “I just don’t know where.”Lucas’s hand tightened briefly on her shoulder before he let go, stepping back to give her space even as his eyes lingered with worry. Jake returned to the window, gaze hard and focused.The silence that followed was the kind that spoke louder than words.Then—Knock. Knock. Knock.Not soft. Not tentative.The kind of knock that didn’t ask permission.Jake’s head snapped toward the door. Lucas was already moving—one hand reaching into the drawer beneath the minibar, where he’d hidden a blade and compact gun. Lila rose too, pulse leaping as the door handle turned despite the locks still being in place.Click.“Jake,” Lucas said, tone sharp.Jake strode toward the door and yanked it open an inch just as the locks disengaged, bypassed from the outside.The man who stepped in didn’t belong in any polished hotel suite. His mere presence dimmed the luxurious lighting, as if shadows followed him in.Rikkard.He was as unm
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Lucas murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face.“You didn’t,” Lila whispered back, her voice still drowsy. “I was already half-awake. I just didn’t want to move.”“You were sore,” he said gently, guilt flickering across his features. “I can feel it in your muscles.”“I’m fine,” she said, but he was already moving, sliding from the bed with careful grace.Jake’s voice floated in from the other room. “She’s not fine if she’s wincing in her sleep.”“I wasn’t wincing,” Lila muttered, rolling her eyes even as her cheeks flushed. She tried to sit up, only to wince slightly at the sting between her thighs. Damn it.Lucas was already wetting a towel from the tiny sink across the room. “Don’t lie to me, little wolf,” he said with an affectionate smile that didn’t quite mask his concern. “You’re strong, but you’re not indestructible.”Jake appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, his eyes scanning her with that piercing protectiveness that made her squirm mor
A Morning of Warmth and Wariness:“Lucas… your knot’s still in,” Lila mumbled, voice raspy with sleep.“I know,” he murmured against her shoulder, lips brushing her skin. “Didn’t want to wake you. You were peaceful.”“I’m not now,” she grumbled, stretching slightly and wincing at the soreness spreading through her hips.His arm tightened around her waist. “Sorry. I lost control.”“You didn’t.” She turned in his arms to face him. “I gave it willingly. Don’t take that away from me.”He searched her face, his eyes dark with concern. “You’re sore.”“I’m alive,” she said with a soft smile. “And I’m with you. That’s enough.”Lucas exhaled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Still… I should’ve been gentler.”“You’ll make up for it,” she teased, and for a moment, the heaviness in the room eased.The cabin bedroom was dim, the blinds half-drawn against the gray light of morning. Somewhere beyond the walls of this quiet space, the engines hummed low and steady. But here, wrapped in warm
“You’re safe now,” Lucas whispered, his knot still pulsing deep inside her.But safety was only one part of it.Lila trembled, her body molded against his, the fullness of his knot keeping her grounded and overwhelmed in equal measure. Her breath hitched, shallow and stuttered, as her inner muscles clenched around him again—an aftershock, or maybe the prelude to something more.Lucas didn’t move.Didn’t demand.He simply waited.And that, more than anything, unraveled her.“I can’t move,” she breathed, eyes clenched shut.“Yes, you can,” he murmured, brushing hair from her face. “You’re not broken, Lila. You’re not fragile. Not anymore.”Her fingers dug into the armrest, breath catching.Lucas leaned forward, his lips at her ear. “I want you to move. I want you to ride it. Take what you need from me.”Her heart stuttered.This wasn’t a command.It was a gift.Her legs ached. Her body throbbed. But still, she shifted—slowly, hesitantly—testing the taut pressure where their bodies remai
Lila’s breathing had slowed, her body molded to Lucas’s as though it belonged there—because it did. But the storm inside him hadn’t yet passed.Not even close.The feel of her, bare and vulnerable in his arms, only fueled his craving. His wolf still paced beneath his skin, restless and territorial, demanding more—demanding all of her. Every breath. Every sound. Every submissive gasp she hadn’t dared give anyone else.Lucas’s voice was low against her ear. “Up. On your knees.”She blinked in surprise.Still curled in his lap, wrapped in the thin barrier of his jacket, Lila hesitated.Lucas didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.His fingers skimmed under the fabric, trailing down her spine. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”Her heartbeat kicked harder, not out of fear—but recognition.She moved. Slowly. Carefully. She slid from his lap and turned, positioning herself between his legs, kneeling. The soft carpet beneath her knees contrasted with the burn in her chest. The jacket slipped