The hallway went silent after the stranger's body hit the wall, leaving only the sound of Alaric's heavy, ragged breathing on the other side.
"Sofia," Alaric's voice came through the wood, vibrating with an authority that made her toes curl into the rug. "Open the door. Now."
Sofia's mind was a haze of white-hot fog. Her wolf was screaming for a mate, and her human heart was too tired to fight the physical demand of her heat.
With legs that felt like jelly, she pushed herself up from the floor. She didn't think about her nakedness or the fact that she had been terrified of him only hours ago. All she knew was that the fire inside her was burning her alive.
She stumbled to the door, her fingers fumbling with the deadbolt. With a sharp click, the lock gave way.
