After the call with Jake, my mind was still on Luna. I needed to make sure she was okay.
“Luna!” I called out, rushing from my office.
“Sir …” She looked shocked.
“Come with me. I’m taking you home.”
“But—”
“No buts. Get your bag. Let’s go.”
Sitting beside her in the back of my car, I ordered the driver to stop at Luna’s place first. The heat from her skin, the sweet and wild scent of her perfume, filled the air between us.
I stared out the window, trying to focus, but she was too close, too intoxicating. Every ounce of restraint in me was being tested. When she bit her lower lip, I nearly lost control.
The hum of the engine was too loud, the silence too heavy. Our eyes met, and the spark flared again—dangerous, undeniable. She looked away, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her jacket, but I saw the flush on her cheeks. She felt it too.
As she gave the driver directions, her voice sent a shiver down my spine. The air grew hotter. I loosened my tie, unbuttoning my collar.
The car hit a bump, and her knee brushed mine—a jolt of electricity shot through me. I froze, praying she hadn’t noticed, but her breath quickened, lips slightly parted.
“I can walk from here,” she said suddenly, reaching for the door.
“Luna, don’t be ridiculous,” I said, grabbing her wrist gently. “We’re just a few blocks away.”
She didn’t pull away, but she wouldn’t look at me. “Orion … this is dangerous,” she whispered.
She was right. This pull between us could destroy everything—my family, my pack. But I couldn’t let go of her. The warmth of her skin was intoxicating.
“I know,” I admitted, my voice thick with the desire I was trying to suppress. “But that doesn’t change how I feel.”
Her eyes flickered to mine, reflecting the same turmoil, but she pulled her hand away, sinking back into the seat.
“We can’t,” she whispered, more to herself than to me.
The car slowed as we reached her house. The moment was ending, but the tension lingered.
“Goodnight, Luna,” I said softly, as she stepped out.
She paused, her hand on the door. “Goodnight, Orion,” she whispered, then disappeared into the night.
As we drove away, I watched her until she was out of sight. Luna was right—this was dangerous. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was far from over.
The vast hall of my mansion was steeped in silence, the only sound the soft crackling of the fire in the hearth. I sat in my favorite leather chair, the one facing the bay windows that overlooked the sprawling estate.
The bottle of Château Margaux, a 1982 vintage, sat open on the table beside me. I lifted the crystal glass to my lips, savoring the rich taste of the wine, but tonight, it did little to calm my nerves.
The fire’s flickering light danced on the dark wood paneling of the room, casting long shadows that matched the weight in my chest.Luna. Her name echoed in my mind, like a haunting refrain, impossible to shake. She was everywhere—in my thoughts, in my dreams, even in the air I breathed. And that terrified me.
A soft knock at the door pulled me from my reverie.
“Come in,” I called, though I didn’t need to. Jake never needed permission to enter. He was more than just my right-hand man. He was my confidant. The one person who had stood by me through every trial, every success, and every failure.
The door opened, and Jake stepped inside, his expression as neutral as always. His dark suit was immaculate, as if he’d just stepped out of a board meeting, rather than endured the chaos that often consumed our lives.
“You okay, boss?” he asked, his tone casual, but with a hint of concern beneath the surface.
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I took another sip of wine, letting the liquid linger on my tongue before swallowing. I could feel Jake’s eyes on me, waiting patiently, as always.