Elliot held me close, his grip firm with Alpha restraint, as if his instincts refused to loosen a bond he still hadn't fully claimed. The space between us was thick with pack pressure, that invisible force that rose whenever dominance and vulnerability collided in the same territory. "Do you think I could leave you alone like this?" he asked, his voice low, controlled, but threaded with the authority of an Alpha who didn't like being defied.
My spine straightened, old resilience locking into place as I forced my tone to stay steady. "I've survived five years on my own," I said evenly, though my instincts were still unsettled. "I can survive one night without an Alpha watching over me."
His gaze shifted, sharp but restrained, like a wolf choosing caution over impulse. Then came the question, slower this time, careful in a way I hadn't expected. "Is Jared really the pup of that rogue?"
