Chapter 135

I tossed and turned for what felt like an eternity, the weight of my thoughts making sleep impossible. My heart pounded so violently it drowned out every other sound, an unrelenting echo in my ears. No matter how much I tried to silence them, Hadrian’s words kept replaying in my mind, each syllable etched into my consciousness. I remembered every breath he took, the cadence of his voice lingering on my skin like a ghost of the past. He had been my addiction once, and now the craving returned with an unforgiving intensity.

At that moment, I knew I would take him back in a heartbeat, even if it destroyed me. I wasn’t sure if I longed for Hadrian’s love or simply the idea of love itself. But I knew what I didn’t want—I didn’t want to be hurt again. As much as I couldn’t deny the feelings I still harbored for him, I also knew trust was beyond my reach, especially with Selene lingering in the shadows.

Logic had never been my strong suit when it came to him. No matter how much I tried to reason with myself, my heart still beat for him with a desperation that made no sense. I needed a Hadrian-rehab. The problem? You couldn’t cure one addiction by replacing it with another.

And speaking of potential addictions, my relationship with Kenzo was beginning to take on a strange shape. When Oberon spoke about the mate bond, I had imagined something raw, untamed—an emotional wildfire impossible to control. With Kenzo, there was fire, but it burned with a singular, unmistakable emotion: lust. His eyes, sharp and assessing, never held warmth, never offered the tenderness I had once imagined came with the magic of a mate bond.

Maybe it was a wolf thing. Maybe it was an Alpha thing. Either way, it didn’t feel like the destined, unbreakable connection I had heard about. Not that I minded being desired by someone who looked at me like he wanted to devour me whole. But sometimes, I wondered if I would ever be more than a body to him.

After another hour of restless tossing, I gave up. It was 3 AM. Moonlight spilled through the balcony window, silvering the room in a soft glow. I got up and stared blankly at the sky, hoping the quiet night would lull me into sleep. And for a moment, it worked. My heart slowed, my breath evened out, and a sense of calm finally settled over me.

Then, I heard it—the soft click of a door closing somewhere in the corridor.

Kenzo? Was he just now returning to his room?

Curiosity overpowered reason. I tiptoed to my door, easing it open just enough to peer through the crack. The hallway was dark, but a shadow moved toward the stairs, slipping away with calculated silence.

That wasn’t Kenzo.

Whoever it was, they were half his size.

Nosiness won over common sense. I stepped out, moving carefully toward the staircase, but before I could get close enough, the figure darted forward, heading straight for the main doors. They were fast—too fast for me to catch a clear look. The only detail I caught was a flash of fabric, deep blue, fluttering as they disappeared into the night.

Mission: failed. But at least it distracted me from my Hadrian withdrawals.

With a sigh, I returned to my room and, finally, exhaustion won.

Sleep claimed me.

The war council meeting was set for eight o’clock, but I had my alarm set for six sharp. The plan was simple—meditate to clear my thoughts, shower, eat something quick, and arrive focused.

Of course, my plan was shattered by seven when a knock came at my door.

"Eat breakfast with me," Kenzo’s voice was smooth, but his words were anything but a request.

I blinked at him sleepily. "I was just about to shower," I mumbled, still groggy.

Breakfast with Kenzo never ended well. The last thing I needed was to start my day on the wrong foot, but my brain had yet to wake up enough to argue. Instead, I simply yawned, dropping my gaze to the floor in the hopes that he’d get the hint and leave me be.

Silence stretched between us, longer than it should have, and when I finally looked up, he was watching me. A slow, amused grin curled his lips as he ran his tongue across his lower lip.

"What?" I scowled.

His smirk deepened. "Just thinking it’s only fair that it’s my turn to see you naked."

Heat rushed to my face instantly. "Are you serious?"

"What can I say?" His gaze dragged over me like a touch, slow and deliberate. "You’re the perfect mix of feisty and sexy. And I won’t lie—I think about throwing you onto my bed every single day." He took a step closer, forcing me back into my room. His presence consumed the space between us, heavy and unshakable.

"Right now," he murmured, eyes dark with hunger, "I want to rip that silk off you and make you come until you faint."

I swallowed hard, heat pooling low in my stomach. My body betrayed me, responding to his words with an ache that was impossible to ignore. I squeezed my thighs together, pulse quickening as he closed the distance.

"You should just give in, Thalassa." His voice dropped, deep and commanding. "I know you want this as much as I do."

I should have stopped him. I should have pushed him away.

But I didn’t.

His arm curled around my waist, pulling me flush against him, while his other hand tangled in my hair, tilting my head as his lips descended on mine. The kiss started slow, teasing, but it didn’t stay that way for long. His tongue swept against mine, and I melted, my arms looping around his neck as desire took over.

With effortless strength, he lifted me, my legs wrapping around his waist as he carried me toward the bed. He grinned before tossing me onto the mattress, his body following a second later.

His hand slipped beneath my nightgown, fingers grazing my thigh as his lips roamed my neck. Heat coiled in my belly, sharp and insistent, as his touch grew bolder, pushing fabric aside, parting my legs—

Then I froze.

The door was wide open.

And Beta Ronan stood in the doorway.

He cleared his throat, visibly flustered. "Hate to interrupt… but the council meeting…" His lips twitched, barely suppressing a grin.

Kenzo exhaled sharply, then reached for the sheets, pulling them over me before turning to Ronan with a murderous glare. He pushed him back into the hallway and slammed the door behind him.

"Can you be ready in fifteen?" he asked, his tone far too composed for what had just happened.

I nodded, still struggling to gather my scattered thoughts.

"Guess I’ll have to feed you after the meeting, then." He smirked before disappearing through the door.

Somehow, I managed to shower and get dressed in ten minutes, though my mind was still a tangled mess. I had no one to blame but myself. I let him in. I let him touch me. And each time, I was finding fewer reasons to resist.

When I stepped out, both Kenzo and Ronan were waiting. Ronan’s amusement was barely contained, his lips twitching every time he glanced at me. I avoided looking at him altogether, mortified.

Giving in to Kenzo was one thing.

Leaving the damn door open was another.

Kenzo, of course, remained unfazed, his poker face intact as we made our way to the meeting room. I was tempted to punch him.

Inside, warriors and council members filled the long table. I recognized a few familiar faces, including Gamma Alistair. Most greeted me with respect—except for one.

A woman with gleaming amber hair and golden eyes fixed me with a sharp, burning glare.

Her face softened when she looked at Kenzo.

I almost rolled my eyes. Whatever her issue was, I wasn’t in the mood to care. But then my gaze dropped to her neck, and my breath caught.

A scarf.

Blue.

The same shade as the fabric I had seen the night before.

Was she the one who had slipped out of Kenzo’s room?