And now I’d been dragged into the middle.
A hot flare of anger ignited in my chest.
But I swallowed it down.
He was the Alpha. I had no right to question him.
The front of the vehicle had only two seats-the driver’s and one passenger’s.
That meant someone would have to ride between the two of them in the back.
My skin prickled at the thought.
“I’ll take a separate car,” I said quietly, stepping back. “It’s better that way.”
Beta Sawyer sighed heavily, then grabbed my arm and nudged me forward with more force than necessary.
“I’d rather take a taxi than you,” he muttered. “Get in.”
Before I could react, he opened the passenger door, guided me inside, and closed it firmly behind me.
I sat there, stunned, surrounded by silence, the weight of tension pressing down from every direction.
Resigned, I fastened my seatbelt and glanced in the rearview mirror.
Sebastian’s profile was stern, the atmosphere thick with unspoken conflict.
As we pulled away from the dock, the silence inside the car felt suffocating.
I stopped looking in the mirror and focused instead on the road ahead.
In the back seat, Amara, who had been reclining, suddenly sat up and swayed unsteadily from side to side.
As the car descended from the bridge and turned onto the right boulevard, her body drifted toward Sebastian’s lap like a fragile leaf caught in a slow fall.
My fingers clenched tightly on the edge of my seat.
This was going to be an interesting night-and not in a good way.
Celina
A strong arm suddenly shot out, catching Amara just as she was about to collapse onto Sebastian’s lap.
“Amara.”
His voice was low and cutting, sharp like shattered glass.
“I know you’re not drunk. Stop pretending.”
The atmosphere inside the car shifted, growing tense and suffocating.
Amara
I blinked once, then slowly straightened my posture. My eyes were clear, not clouded with shame, but carrying something softer-wounded, yet deliberate.
“Does it really have to be like this?” I whispered, barely audible.
“You should be asking me that,” he replied, his tone icy and unforgiving. “Sit properly. Or get out.”
The temperature inside the car seemed to plunge several degrees.
What followed was a silence so complete it felt suffocating.
Even the driver had turned rigid, hands gripping the wheel tightly, eyes fixed ahead as if willing himself invisible.
From my seat, I could sense it too-not irritation, but rage simmering just beneath the surface.
I forced myself to look straight ahead, spine rigid, breathing shallow-every instinct screaming to remain perfectly still.
Amara’s eyes were wide and defiant, shimmering with unshed tears as she fought to keep her composure intact.
“Stop the car!” she suddenly shouted, voice breaking through the heavy quiet.
The driver didn’t respond. Naturally-not his place to act without Sebastian’s command.
Fearing she might do something reckless, I quickly pressed the child lock button near my seat. “Lock the doors,” I whispered urgently to the driver.
Sure enough, Amara lunged for the door handle, yanking it desperately. Thank Luna I’d thought ahead.
What stunned me was Sebastian’s complete lack of reaction. Not a flicker of surprise or concern crossed his face as she tried to throw herself from the moving car. His expression remained cold and indifferent, as if silently saying:
“If you want to hurt yourself, I won’t stop you.”
“You hate me that much…” Amara’s voice cracked, finally breaking under the weight of her emotions.
She curled into herself, pulling her knees to her chest and burying her face between them. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs that filled the confined space.
My heart clenched despite myself. Whatever had transpired between them, this raw, aching pain was something I understood all too well. Memories of Xavien and Cira flickered through my mind. I sighed quietly and reached for the tissue box, discreetly extending my hand toward the back seat…
“Celina.”
Sebastian’s sharp voice snapped me out of my thoughts. His dark eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, expression unreadable but clearly displeased.
I pressed my lips together and slowly withdrew my hand.
Men were all the same-whether human or wolf. Either betraying trust or coldly discarding feelings when they no longer suited them.
Sebastian caught the disapproval on my face, and a flicker of dark amusement crossed his features.
When we finally arrived at the hotel, Sebastian stepped out of the car without a backward glance, striding purposefully toward the entrance.
Seriously? He had told me to look after Amara, and now he was just walking away?
I turned to the woman still sitting rigidly in the back seat.
“Ms. Amara, let me get you a room.”
She remained motionless, eyes cast downward, surrounded by an aura of icy detachment. After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke, voice distant and hollow.
“Don’t bother with another room. I’ll stay in yours.”
“That’s fine,” I agreed readily. The suite had an extra bed anyway.
We entered the hotel together. I couldn’t help but notice that the woman who had seemed hopelessly drunk earlier now moved with perfect steadiness.
So it had all been an act.
I swallowed a sigh.
Once inside the suite, Amara announced she wanted a bath.
“You shouldn’t,” I said calmly but firmly, the tone of someone entrusted with a responsibility they couldn’t afford to fail.
“You’ve been drinking. It’s dangerous.”
She didn’t respond or even glance my way-just stalked toward the bathroom, the silk hem of her dress whispering against the floor.
I stepped in front of her path.
“If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to Alpha Sebastian?”
I let the words hang in the air, cold and sharp.
“You know better than this. Bathing after drinking isn’t indulgence-it’s reckless.”
Her eyes flickered, and the confidence wavered.
For a brief moment, she looked less like a poised beauty and more like someone teetering on the edge of losing control.
I seized the opportunity, gently but firmly guiding her back toward the sofa. She allowed it, too stunned or too drained to resist.
I picked up the phone and ordered honey water from the hotel staff, keeping my tone clipped and professional.
The moment I ended the call, my phone vibrated in my hand.
Only two numbers were saved in my new phone-Sebastian’s and Sawyer’s.
Seeing it was Sebastian, I glanced nervously at Amara on the couch. Maybe he’d calmed down and was checking on her? I answered quickly.
“Hello?”
“Come to my room.”
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