For a moment that felt like it stretched into eternity, neither of us dared to move.
Then, slowly, his hand softened its grip-not releasing me completely, but just enough to tilt my face gently backward, creating the slightest gap between our lips.
His palm still cradled the back of my head tenderly.
Our eyes locked.
Mine were wide and filled with alarm.
His were unreadable-too still, too focused, too intense.
Time fractured around us. My heartbeat thundered so loudly in my ears that it drowned out any coherent thought.
I was the first to break the silence.
With a sudden jerk, I pushed myself upright, stumbling off the bed as if I’d been scorched. My hands rushed to my hair, smoothing it with frantic, almost desperate motions-anything to distract from the chaos swirling inside me.
“It’s five-thirty, Alpha. You really should get up now,” I managed to say, my voice betraying me with a slight tremble.
And without waiting for a response, I spun around-no, I bolted-out of the room and down the hallway.
I didn’t stop until I reached my suite, where I slammed the door behind me and locked it as if some invisible predator were chasing me.
My heart pounded wildly, as if trying to escape my chest.
I hurried to the bathroom, turning on the cold tap and splashing water onto my face over and over, hoping it might wash away the last two minutes-the accidental, unforgettable kiss.
In the mirror, my reflection stared back at me: cheeks flushed, eyes wide, lips slightly parted.
“What was that?” I whispered to myself, barely recognizing the trembling voice I heard. “I was just doing my job-waking the Alpha. That’s all it was.”
At six o’clock sharp, I forced myself to return to Sebastian’s suite. To my relief, Beta Sawyer had also arrived. We stood together in the living room, waiting silently for our Alpha to appear.
As we waited, I glanced over at Sawyer. He’d worked for Sebastian much longer than I had. Had he ever been tasked with waking the Alpha? Had he ever found himself in a similarly… compromising situation?
The mental image of Beta Sawyer accidentally kissing Sebastian made me cringe inwardly.
“Celina, why are you staring at me like that?” Beta Sawyer asked, self-conscious as he touched his face.
“Nothing, nothing,” I said quickly, pressing my hand to my chest in an attempt to steady my racing heart. “I was just thinking that our job isn’t exactly easy.”
“No job is easy. You just learn to adapt,” he replied with a philosophical shrug.
“You have a good attitude about it.”
“What choice do I have? It’s not like I can snap at the Alpha, can I?”
He was right, of course. But please forgive me if I wasn’t exactly radiating clarity after what had just happened.
Beta Sawyer let out a small sigh beside me, but before I could respond, I sensed a shift in the atmosphere-like the air itself had changed.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed a shadow near the entrance to the dressing room.
It was Sebastian.
He was already there, standing silently as if he’d been listening for some time.
I had no idea how long he’d been watching-or how much he’d heard.
But the way his gaze flicked between us, lingering just a moment too long on me, sent a shiver down my spine.
His eyes held something unreadable-not amusement, not irritation.
Something quieter. Sharper.
Beta Sawyer noticed him next and straightened immediately. “Alpha.”
I turned as well, and the instant our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat.
I managed to hold his gaze for a heartbeat-maybe less-before dropping my eyes to the buttons on his shirt, pretending they were ancient runes holding some secret.
Without a word, Sebastian strode past us and headed toward the exit.
Beta Sawyer and I followed, falling into step behind him like obedient Betas trailing their Alpha.
We didn’t speak.
The car ride to ONE 15 Marina was cloaked in silence, thick and heavy like a fog settling around us.
I sat stiffly in the back seat, every muscle from my neck to my toes tense and drawn tight.
I wanted to relax. I tried.
But every time I closed my eyes, even for a moment, all I could feel was the heat of his skin, the ghost of my lips brushing against his jaw-unintentional, uninvited, unforgettable.
“Celina.”
Sebastian’s deep, almost drawling voice came from beside me.
I responded instantly, as if pulled by an unseen string. “Yes, Alpha? What can I do for you?”
“Get me some water.”
“Of course.” I reached into the car’s mini-fridge, grabbed a bottle, opened it, and offered it to him.
Sebastian pushed it back toward me. “Here. Take small sips. Relax. Don’t dwell on work-related… mistakes.”
Outside the window, the city lights twinkled, casting multicolored reflections across my flushed, mortified face.
I turned forward and took a long gulp as if it were a strong drink instead of plain water.
When we arrived at the marina, the driver stayed with the car while Beta Sawyer and I followed Sebastian onto the yacht-a magnificent three-story vessel gleaming pristine ward.
The first floor was set up as a business reception area, the second featured entertainment facilities including a large swimming pool, and the third housed guest rooms. The top deck offered the best view and privacy, furnished with large circular sofas perfect for intimate conversations.
Keith greeted Sebastian personally, clasping his arm with a smile that was almost too eager-bordering on unsettling.
Inside, about a dozen local elites mingled. Among them was a petite, attractive young woman with tanned skin and a smile so genuine it lit up the room.
“This is my granddaughter Vivian,” Keith announced proudly. “She turned twenty-one today and just returned from studying art in America-the same university you attended, Alpha Sebastian.”
Beta Sawyer and I stayed on the deck but could see everything through the floor-to-ceiling windows. We exchanged knowing looks. So this was a matchmaking attempt.
Sebastian greeted Vivian politely.
The young woman couldn’t take her eyes off him, clearly starstruck. Standing barely five-foot-three, she had to tilt her head up to meet the gaze of the six-foot-three Alpha, her excitement palpable even from where we stood.
“If we’d known Keith had these intentions, the Alpha never would have accepted the invitation,” Beta Sawyer sighed.
“Well, Keith could hardly say, ‘I’m inviting you to meet my granddaughter,’” I replied, crossing my arms. “Besides, what if they actually hit it off? It could be a perfect match.”
“She’s not his type,” Beta Sawyer said confidently.
“How would you know?” I challenged.
“Of course I-” Beta Sawyer broke off suddenly, his gaze fixed on the marina.
“What is she doing here?!” he exclaimed.
“Who?” I followed his line of sight.
A woman approached, every step measured and deliberate, as if she expected the whole world to move around her.
Her tall, lithe figure was draped in a slip of black satin that shimmered like oil in the light.
Shoulder-length waves framed a face too sculpted to be soft, too symmetrical to be forgotten.
“Amara, the regional branch manager,” Beta Sawyer explained as he hurried toward her.
So this was Amara. I’d seen her name in reports but had no idea she was so stunning.
“Ms. Amara,” Beta Sawyer greeted her at the gangway.
“Beta Sawyer.” Her cold glance acknowledged him briefly. “It’s been a while.”
As she moved to step past him, her eyes landed on me, and her expression instantly turned frosty. “And who is this?”
I extended my hand with professional courtesy. “Hello, Ms. Amara. I’m Celina, Alpha Sebastian’s secretary.”
It was probably my imagination, but her expression seemed to grow even colder, a flash of pain crossing her features. “Secretary. Of course,” she said with bitter emphasis.
I stood there, hand still outstretched, unsure how to respond.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply