Alex watched Erica carefully, like a wolf weighing whether a lone hunter could be turned into advantage or threat. Her scent lingered too close, sweet but unstable, and he knew exactly what it meant when someone from a rival line started circling him. In a world ruled by packs, attention was never just attention—it was positioning.
"I'm nothing worth admiring," Alex said at last, lowering his gaze as though stripping himself of rank would make him safer. "I don't understand why you're looking at me like this."
Erica's smile sharpened, soft on the surface but edged with intent. "I don't chase status like my sister," she replied. "I follow instinct. And my instinct says you're exactly the kind of man I want beside me."
