Elliot nodded once. "Yes."
The answer was simple, but it carried weight—like an Alpha confirming a deliberate marking of territory.
"I won't give it away," I said after a moment, my voice softer than I intended. It felt wrong to discard something chosen with intent, especially when his attention had gone into it. The last time I had done that, his reaction had been… far too intense.
Something in his expression shifted at my words.
A quiet satisfaction flickered in his eyes, restrained but unmistakable. Like a wolf recognizing that its offering had been accepted instead of rejected.
Around us, the pressure in the hallway changed.
More coworkers had gathered outside my office, their curiosity sharpening. Only then did I fully register what had happened—Elliot hadn't simply delivered flowers. He had walked through the entire design department, roses in hand, moving through pack territory without hesitation.
A public claim in all but name.
Perfect.
No way to erase this now.
