Chapter 108 108

Chapter 108 108
AMANDA

I walked through the pack house hallways, making my way to meet Scott, because that had become our routine these past few days. No matter how chaotic the pack had been lately, I always found myself looking forward to those stolen moments with him. They were the brightest parts of my day, the only times I felt like I could breathe without fear or expectation pressing down on my chest.
But just as I turned the corner, my steps faltered when I saw Aiden walking toward me.
For a second, instinct told me to turn around and run. My pulse jumped wildly in my throat, and my palms turned damp. I knew how sharp Aiden could be, how observant he was. If anyone could look at me once and know I was hiding something, it would be him.
Still, it was too late. He had already seen me.
There was no escaping now, so I forced myself to keep walking, lifting my chin as though I had nothing to hide.
“Did you know about it?” Aiden asked the moment we were close enough.
His voice was calm, but the intensity in his eyes made my stomach tighten. I bit my lower lip, already wondering what answer would sound believable.
What was I supposed to say?
There was no point lying outright. Everyone in the pack had probably begun whispering already. With the way Derrick had openly claimed Lyka, there was no chance of keeping it quiet.
“I knew… yes,” I admitted slowly. “I mean, I had my suspicions some time ago, and…”
“You don’t have to lie,” Aiden cut in sharply. “I’m sure you’ve known for much longer than that.”
The accusation in his tone made heat crawl up my neck. I lowered my gaze and nodded slowly.
There was no use pretending.
“The suspicions about him…” Aiden continued, his jaw tightening. “Do you think they’re true?”
I stared at him for a moment before a laugh escaped me.
“What is this?” I teased lightly, trying to ease the tension. “Are you scared you might be accusing your future brother-in-law wrongly?”
He scowled immediately.
“It’s not because of that,” he muttered. “I just think we may have rushed to conclusions without considering everything.”
For all his sternness, there was conflict written all over his face. He wanted answers, but part of him clearly feared what those answers might be.
I softened a little.
“You don’t have to worry yourself so much, Aiden,” I said gently. “We’re going to get to the bottom of it eventually.”
Before he could ask anything else, I slipped past him and hurried down the corridor. My heart was racing, though not because of Aiden anymore.
Someone else was waiting for me.
I made my way toward the lakeside, the hidden place that had quietly become ours. The path was familiar now, each step carrying memories of laughter, teasing whispers, and secret touches stolen beneath the trees.
The lake shimmered softly beneath the afternoon light, its surface calm and silver. Near the edge stood a lone figure, broad-shouldered and still, staring out at the water.
Even from behind, I knew him instantly.
My lips curved into a smile.
“Has someone been waiting for so long?” I called teasingly.
Scott turned at once, and the seriousness on his face melted into warmth the moment he saw me.
“And someone finally decided to grace me with her presence,” he shot back.
I laughed softly and rushed into his arms before he could say anything else. He caught me easily, holding me against him with the kind of certainty that always made me feel safe.
“I missed you,” he murmured near my ear.
The deep rumble of his voice sent a shiver down my spine.
“I’m going to miss you,” he added, brushing his lips against my earlobe.
I pulled back immediately, confusion replacing my smile.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked. “Are you saying you’re not going to see me anymore?”
He shook his head quickly, and relief flooded me so fast it almost made me dizzy.
“No,” he said. “That’s not what I mean.”
“Then why say something like that?” I demanded softly.
He cupped my face in both hands, his thumbs brushing my cheeks in a way that made my chest ache.
“We may not be able to meet like this anymore,” he said quietly. “Not now that the Alpha is back. I need to be by his side.”
The words landed heavily between us.
“Did you mean…” My throat tightened. “That once Derrick is back, we won’t have time for this anymore?”
My voice sounded smaller than I wanted it to.
Scott had become one of the reasons I woke up smiling. Every day with him had felt brighter than the last. Our secret meetings, our laughter, the stolen embraces that always lasted too short... they had become precious to me before I even realized it.
And now I was being reminded that nothing secret could last forever.
I had fallen for him.
There was no denying it anymore.
Unlike Lyka, who could deny herself for duty and sacrifice, I had never been that strong. I didn’t want to be noble or strategic.
I simply wanted the man in front of me.
“Yes,” he said softly. “Are you angry?”
I let out a quiet breath.
Was I angry?
Maybe with fate. Maybe with timing. Maybe with the fact that I had allowed myself to love someone I couldn’t fully have.
But never with him.
“No,” I whispered.
I wrapped my arms around him tightly, burying my face in his chest. He kissed the top of my head, lingering there for a moment before pulling back.
“I want to spend every day with you,” he said, voice rough with emotion. “Without hiding. Without worrying who might see us. Without duty tearing me away every time I hold you.”
My eyes stung unexpectedly.
I pouted to hide it, but before I could say anything, Scott’s mouth crashed onto mine.
The kiss stole every thought from my head.
It was fierce and hungry, yet filled with a tenderness that made my knees weaken. His hands moved slowly over my waist and back, drawing me closer until there was no space left between us. My fingers tangled in his shirt as I kissed him back with everything I had been holding inside.
The world around us vanished. There was only the lake, the wind, and the man kissing me like he had no intention of ever letting me go.
His lips trailed to the corner of my mouth, then back again, deepening the kiss until I was breathless. When I felt his fingers brush the edge of my clothes, heat rushed through me so suddenly that I gasped.
I wanted more. I wanted everything.
But just as desire began to sweep me under, Scott abruptly stilled and pulled back.
I blinked at him in stunned disappointment.
“What?” I asked, breathless and flushed. “Why did you stop?”
I stared at him, unable to hide how crestfallen I felt.
I had been ready to lose myself in him. And judging by the dark hunger still burning in his eyes, stopping had cost him just as much.