I stepped out of the vehicle first, scanning the dark edges of the terrain out of instinct before leaning slightly toward Elliot. "No peeking," I warned.
His reply was immediate, calm, faintly amused. "I am a gentleman," he said, voice steady in that Alpha tone that always carried quiet dominance without effort.
I turned away and walked into the reeds beyond the parking lights. The grass swallowed me quickly, giving me privacy away from his presence and the pressure of his aura.
Even in a modern city, nature still felt like the only real boundary between instinct and restraint. Right now, I needed that distance.
Why now of all times? Why does my body choose to remind me I still react like this when he's near?
Frustration tightened in my chest. I could feel Elliot's awareness behind me even without looking—Alphas always sensed shifts in energy, especially from someone already within their focus.
