Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Breaking the Rules
Rowan's POV
Before I could react, the Alpha had already moved with lightning speed—he reached out and grabbed the girl's face.
My heart seized.
God, the Alpha... he actually initiated physical contact with a strange woman? This had never happened before!
I held my breath, not daring to make a sound, only able to watch helplessly as everything unfolded before my eyes.
Because the Alpha's grip on her cheeks was so forceful, the girl's lips involuntarily puckered up, forming a pouty expression. Honestly, it looked absurdly cute.
The Alpha's handsome brow furrowed slightly.
He didn't move. The girl didn't speak either.
They remained locked in this stalemate. I stood to the side counting seconds—one, two... God, three minutes had already passed!
I finally couldn't take it anymore. This atmosphere was too bizarre. I had to break this silence.
"Alpha?" I ventured cautiously.
Suddenly, the girl reached up and gently placed her hand over the Alpha's fingers that were gripping her face.
My brain went completely blank—had she lost her mind?! She actually dared to initiate contact with the Alpha?!
Then I heard her speak, her voice trembling slightly:
"Please—I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be here. I got lost, I swear. I didn't see anything, I promise. Please just... please let me go."
My jaw nearly hit the ground.
She was good. Really good.
The slight shake in her voice, the way her eyes went wide and glassy like she was about to cry, the subtle tremble of her hands as they touched his—it all screamed "harmless, terrified girl who stumbled into the wrong place."
Most people facing the Alpha would be frozen in genuine terror.
She wasn't breaking down. She wasn't hysterical.
And somehow, somehow, it was working.
This girl was playing the most dangerous game I'd ever seen.
What shocked me even more was the Alpha's reaction.
His expression darkened—not just annoyed, but dangerously so.
His jaw clenched. The muscle in his cheek twitched. Those cold eyes went from ice to absolute zero.
The temperature in the alley seemed to drop ten degrees. The air itself felt heavy, oppressive, like the moment before a lightning strike. Every instinct I had was screaming that something was about to snap.
I've been with the Alpha long enough to read his moods. And right now? He was a loaded gun with the safety off.
I was so nervous my palms were sweating, ready to collect a corpse at any moment.
Based on past experience, this girl shouldn't survive the next second.
But... the Alpha remained motionless for what felt like an eternity.
I watched as the girl blinked, seemingly also considering her next move.
Then, the unbelievable happened—
The Alpha's hand gripping her face released!
He actually let go!
"Thank you. Really. You're... you're so kind."
The breathless gratitude in her voice would've been Oscar-worthy if this were a movie. That perfect blend of relief and lingering fear, the slight catch in her throat—she was playing her role flawlessly.
My skin crawled. Not from disgust, but from recognition.
This girl was a goddamn actress, and the Alpha was her audience of one.
After saying this, she completely ignored the Alpha's increasingly dark expression, turned and ran, disappearing without a trace in moments.
I stood rooted to the spot, pushing up my glasses, my mind utterly blown by shock.
Did I just... see that correctly?
The Alpha... he actually initiated physical contact with a woman? And not only didn't kill her, but let her go?
This completely overturned everything I knew!
You have to understand, I've been by the Alpha's side for so many years. I know his temperament better than anyone.
The Alpha has rules.
Rule number one: personal space is sacred. He keeps a minimum ten-foot radius between himself and everyone else. Always. No exceptions.
Rule number two: no physical contact. Ever. I've seen him break a man's arm for clapping him on the shoulder. The guy thought they were celebrating a successful mission. He thought wrong.
Rule number three: women stay the fuck away.
I'll never forget what happened to Miranda.
She was new to the pack, didn't know the protocols yet. During a briefing, she stepped too close—maybe three feet away—trying to hand him a report directly instead of leaving it on his desk.
She wasn't flirting. Wasn't trying anything. Just... didn't know better.
Seventy-two hours later, they found her body in a dumpster outside city limits. The message was clear: learn the rules, or become an example.
And this girl?
She'd just shattered both of his rules.
I stared at the spot where the girl had disappeared, then back at the Alpha, my brain struggling to process what I'd just seen.
In all my years with him, I'd never—never—seen him let anyone get that close. Let alone let them walk away alive.
A crazy thought crept into my mind, one so absurd I almost laughed out loud.
Oh shit.
Is this... is this what it looks like when Cupid's arrow hits a man who's supposed to be immune?
No. No way.
The Alpha didn't do feelings. He didn't do connections. He sure as hell didn't do romance.