Sophia stirred, her body still nestled against Ethan’s warmth, as a sharp knock on the door interrupted the calm. She blinked, disoriented for a moment, the events of the night before slowly flooding back. The mate bond, the way their bodies had tangled together in an overwhelming rush of desire—everything had felt so intense, so undeniable.
Another knock came, this time louder and more insistent. Sophia sat up, glancing at Ethan, who was still sprawled across the bed, his bare chest rising and falling with steady breaths. She reached over, lightly shaking his shoulder.
“Ethan, someone’s at the door,” she whispered, her voice thick with sleep.
He groaned, eyes fluttering open before pushing himself up. He looked groggy but alert, his body tense as if he already knew who was waiting outside.
The knock sounded again, and Ethan sighed heavily, running a hand through his tousled hair. “I’ll get it.”
Sophia watched him as he slipped on a pair of sweatpants, his muscles still glistening under the morning light. For a brief moment, the connection between them tugged at her heart, reminding her of the way his touch had felt against her skin just hours ago. She was about to say something, to ask who could possibly be knocking at this hour, when the door creaked open.
Standing in the doorway was a tall woman, with sharp features and a commanding presence that instantly made Sophia feel small. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, and her piercing gaze immediately locked onto Ethan.
“Ethan, we need to talk,” the woman said, her voice low but firm, completely ignoring Sophia’s presence in the room.
Sophia felt her stomach twist. A woman. Why was a woman showing up at Ethan’s apartment so early in the morning, especially looking like that? She looked like someone who belonged in his world—his real world, the one filled with werewolves and pack bonds. Her heart started to race, and a sickening feeling settled in her gut.
She stood there, frozen, watching the two of them. Ethan didn’t look surprised, but he also didn’t seem happy to see her.
“Lila, this isn’t a good time,” Ethan said, his tone clipped.
Lila crossed her arms, her gaze flickering to Sophia for the briefest of moments, then back to Ethan. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting, Ethan. You know what’s happening. The pack is restless, and you need to deal with it.”
Sophia’s mind reeled. The pack. Of course, she thought bitterly. The pack—his real world, the one she had no place in. The woman was clearly from his pack, and that meant she was involved in all of this—werewolves, mating bonds, everything that had turned Sophia’s life upside down in the last few days.
Before she could stop herself, hurt and anger bubbled to the surface. Ethan hadn’t even bothered to tell her about this woman. Did she know him better than Sophia did? Was this some ex-flame, a packmate, someone he trusted more than her? The possibilities swirled in her mind, each one more painful than the last.
Without waiting for an explanation, Sophia grabbed her clothes from the floor and hurriedly dressed. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes, but she forced them back. She wouldn’t cry in front of him—not in front of both of them.
“Sophia, wait,” Ethan said, his voice full of urgency, but she ignored him, her vision blurring as she shoved her feet into her shoes.
“Who is she, Ethan?” Sophia asked, her voice shaking as she faced him. “You didn’t think it was important to mention that some woman would be showing up at your door, demanding to talk?”
“Sophia, it’s not what you think—”
“It never is, is it?” she snapped, cutting him off. “I’m supposed to trust you, to believe in this ‘mate bond’ thing, but you keep leaving me in the dark! This—this whole thing is insane!”
Lila stood silently, watching the exchange with a raised brow, clearly sizing Sophia up but making no attempt to intervene.
Ethan took a step toward Sophia, his hands raised in a placating gesture. “She’s my Beta, Sophia. She’s here because there are things happening in the pack that need to be dealt with. It’s not—”
“Your Beta?” Sophia shook her head, frustration and hurt overwhelming her. “And you didn’t think to tell me about any of this before? I’m just supposed to figure it out on my own while you handle ‘pack business’?”
“Sophia, I didn’t want to overwhelm you—”
“Well, congratulations, because I’m overwhelmed!” she snapped, her voice rising as she backed away toward the door. “I can’t do this, Ethan. I don’t belong in your world. And clearly, you have other things—other people—to worry about.”
Ethan’s face contorted in anguish, and he reached out to her. “Sophia, please. Don’t go.”
But the hurt was too deep, the confusion too raw. Without another word, Sophia turned and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She didn’t wait for an explanation, didn’t even give Ethan a chance to chase after her.
As she fled down the hallway, the sound of her pounding heart drowned out the echo of her footsteps. All she knew was that she needed to get away—away from Ethan, away from his world, and away from the pull that had consumed her.
She needed space to think, to breathe, and right now, all she could feel was the crushing weight of betrayal.