Melissa’s POVI could still feel the weight of Knox’s arms around me, his strong presence calming the storm of chaos in the hospital. How had I let myself get swept up in that moment? Twice in one night, I’d lost my guard. I was supposed to be stronger than this—smarter than this. It had been so easy to fall into him, to let the past blur with the present. But I couldn’t afford to be that naive girl anymore.Being in Knox's arms had been wonderful—too wonderful. It was like nothing had changed. His scent, his warmth, the way his arms felt around me… My wolf had purred in delight, but the moment the council members arrived, reality hit me like a brick. Knox was still a married alpha. I was still a doctor with a job to do. And I had a fiancé waiting for me back home. No matter how much my wolf longed for the connection we used to share, I had responsibilities now. Responsibilities that didn’t include getting entangled with Knox.At least Knox was fine. His injuries, while severe, had be
Melissa’s POVI couldn't sleep. The moonlight filtering through the curtains did nothing to calm the storm raging inside me. Melissa had messed me up, and I knew it. That cold look in her eyes, the professional detachment in her tone—it had cut deep. She wasn’t the same girl I used to know. But then again, I wasn’t the same man either.Lying there, staring at the ceiling, all I could think about was her. Her soft lips, the way she fit so perfectly in my arms for those few stolen moments. But then reality hit—she was just a doctor here to help me, nothing more. She had a fiancé waiting for her. And I… I had responsibilities I couldn’t ignore.Yet, no matter how hard I tried to shut it off, something kept pulling me back to her. Restlessness gnawed at me, a feeling deep in my gut telling me I was needed somewhere. Unable to ignore it, I threw on a shirt and followed the pull. It was irrational, crazy even, but I trusted my instincts.When I found her outside, standing alone in the dark,
Melissa’s POVI could feel my mother’s gaze on me, watching for any signs of resistance. I crossed my arms and leaned back against the hospital bed, trying to stay calm. “Fine, Mother. Have Andrew check my schedule and set a date for this… meeting,” I said, forcing the word out of my mouth.The truth was, I had no intention of going through with it. I’d have Andrew push the meeting back as far as possible. Eventually, my mother would give up. At least, that was the plan.But her next words threw me completely off guard. “You won’t need to wait long, dear. She’s coming today.”My eyes snapped to her, a flicker of frustration sparking in my chest. “Today? That’s too soon. I’ve barely had time to… prepare for something like this.”Mother simply smiled, the kind of smile that always meant she had anticipated my every move. “I know you, Knox. If I left it up to you, you’d delay this forever. We don’t have time for that. She’s already on her way.”I clenched my jaw. I had expected resistanc
Knox’s POVI watched as Caroline introduced herself. She had a mix of confidence and shyness, a rare balance that made me pause. There was something undeniably beautiful about her, but what caught me off guard was how she wasn’t immediately trying to flirt with me. No coy glances, no suggestive smiles. Just a simple introduction with a warm handshake.“Caroline,” she said with a soft smile, her voice steady. “I’m pleased to meet you, Alpha Knox.”I nodded, taking her hand briefly before letting go. “Likewise.”She wasn’t like the others, who threw themselves at me the moment we were alone. I led her to the car, stealing glances at her as we walked. She had an elegance in the way she moved, every step confident but not calculated. I found myself admiring her in a way I hadn’t expected. She wasn’t my mate, but there was no denying she was attractive. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.When we got into the car, her scent hit me—sweet, almost intoxicating. It caught me off guard, ma
Melissa’s POVDemetri’s laughter rang in my ears, and I found myself chuckling along with him. It felt good to laugh—like the weight I had been carrying was a little lighter, at least for now. The park was bustling with families and friends, and Tyler and Dylan were eager to try out every game they could see. For once, it felt like we were just a normal family enjoying the day. No looming threats, no pack politics, just… normal.But that feeling didn’t last long.Without warning, a strange tingling sensation ran through my body, and my senses went on high alert. My breath caught as I picked up on a scent—one that I knew far too well. That familiar, intoxicating smell that I could never forget. My heart started pounding, and I knew exactly who it was.*Knox.*The moment I registered his presence, I heard a sweet, feminine voice call out his name. I whipped my head around, and there he was—Knox, standing not too far away, staring right at me. The intensity in his gaze caught me off guar
Alpha Knox’s POVThe drive back was quiet. Caroline was quiet and so was I. I knew that I was been a bad date by being so reticent, but I could not stop thinking about Melissa and the smile on her face when Demetri had won the plush bear for her. Even worse, it was obvious that the twins had liked him as well, which bothered me greatly. I had wanted them to dislike him, so much so that they would have only accepted the toys I had won for them and not his.It was bad form to be thinking about another woman while on a date, but I was helpless against my feelings for Melissa. Earlier in the day, Caroline seemed so bright, beautiful, and confident. But the moment I had seen Melissa laughing at whatever Demetri had been saying to her, I had forgotten what Caroline looked like, even though she had been right next to me. The silence in the car stretched on, thick and heavy, almost unbearable. Caroline shifted in her seat beside me, clearly aware that something was off, but too polite to say
Melissa’s POVI thought the drive home would be quiet and peaceful due to the boys’ exhaustion after a long day at the park, but I was wrong. It was as though they had gotten a fresh wave of energy the moment we got into the car. They began to play with the numerous toys they had gotten from Alpha Knox’s and Demetri’s ridiculous competition playing the park games and outdoing themselves in winning toys for the boys and for Caroline and me. I looked through the rearview mirror and could barely see the boys. My huge SUV was so laden with toys and plushies, that I knew the boys would have a field day trying to play with them all. But they already had more than enough toys at home and I wanted to teach them a lesson in cheerful giving, so I decided to bring up the idea of them donating some of the toys to the sick kids in the hospital. I was not worried they would not like the idea. I was proud of the fact that my boys were good children who were kind and lovely as well.“Hey boys,” I cal
Melissa’s POVI was preparing a light dinner for the twins and I, but I could not stop thinking about all that had happened during the day. From finding out that Knox was getting a concubine, Caroline to the way he and Demetri had acted at the park and finally to what the boys had said when we were in the car, my head was a buzz of different thoughts. Despite trying as hard as I could, I could not get Knox out of my mind. The jealousy that had coursed through me the moment I had seen him with Caroline had left a bitter taste in my mouth all day long. I tried to caution myself, reminding myself that I had no right to be jealous and that not only was silly, but it was also disloyal to Sam.You have a loving fiance, Sam. There is nothing between you and Knox and there can never be.Just then, my phone buzzed. I looked down at it and saw that it was Sam. It felt eerie as though he had been summoned by me thinking of him, but at the same time, I felt guilty. Other than in the past few min