Chapter 48
Adrian Valehart
The moment she stormed out, I let out a heavy sigh.
She slammed the door so hard I thought the whole damn building might come down.
My hand went straight to my wrinkled collar.
I adjusted my suit, slow and carefully, still feeling the aftermath of her explosion.
That girl…
She nearly killed me with just a look.
And the worst part?
I liked it.
I leaned back in the chair, finally letting my spine rest against the cold leather.
My neck cracked as I rolled it, the tension deep.
My fingers grazed my lips.
Still warm.
Still… tasting like her.
If she only knew how close it had been...
If she had any idea what would’ve happened if I hadn’t kissed her when I did—
I closed my eyes.
Inside me, my wolf stirred.
He wanted her.
He wanted to tear up everything in the way and devour her, until no other son of a bitch dared even look at her.
Until there was nothing left but him inside her.
But not yet.
Not now.
I opened my eyes and stared out across the city from above.
The sky was too clear. Too bright.
Maybe that’s why I hated days like this.
Too bright.
That view...
Another cursed reminder that the Valeharts had always been above everything.
Above the city.
Above the rules.
Above the law.
I tilted my head slightly and ran my tongue across my lips.
Her taste...
It was torture.
The closer she got to awakening, the more ravenous I became.
I saw it in her eyes.
That rage.
It was coming, clawing its way out of her, like a beast about to break free.
I’d seen that look before.
I’d watched half-bloods awaken.
It always came through something raw.
Rage, heartbreak, betrayal, death.
Most of them never came back from it.
And Sofia’s wolf?
I’d bet everything I had—it wasn’t just any wolf.
It was an Alpha.
It explained everything.
The way she moved when threatened.
How she challenged with her eyes… her body.
How she refused to lose.
How she’d do anything to stay in control.
On the outside, maybe she looked like a well-behaved little girl.
But inside...
Inside, she was far more dangerous than me.
And maybe… maybe that’s why I couldn’t stop obsessing.
It wasn’t just her body.
Or her taste.
Or even the way our wolves seemed attracted to each other, as if there was nothing but them in the world.
It was that she challenged me.
She wasn’t afraid of me.
Or worse…
She was.
But she still looked me in the eye and didn’t flinch.
She’s the kind of woman who doesn’t bow…
Unless it’s to look down at your corpse and step over it.
And honestly?
Just imagining that, her standing over me, eyes blazing, ready to consume me whole
I let out a dry laugh.
Maybe I’d let myself get too caught up in those sick little games at the club.
But none of that mattered.
Because the truth was:
If I hadn’t kissed her…
If I hadn’t pulled her in when I did…
She would’ve exploded.
And if that had happened, everything in this room would’ve been in pieces.
Probably me too.
My job now was to keep her calm.
Contained.
At least for now.
Because before I unleash the beast…
I need answers.
I need to know where she came from.
Why has no one ever found her before?
How did a wolf of that level get born in the middle of nowhere — and go unnoticed?
No.
Something didn’t add up.
About her story felt wrong.
I pulled out my phone and dialed straight to HR.
First things first — I needed to make Sofia Bliss officially mine… on paper, at least — before diving deeper into this mess.
“H-Hello? M-Mr. Valehart?”
The receptionist’s voice trembled through the line.
“Yes, it’s me.”
I didn’t waste time with pleasantries.
“A new employee starts tomorrow. Her name is Sofia Bliss.”
“O-of course… understood.”
“She’ll be my personal assistant. I want her in my office by seven a.m. Sharp. At my disposal.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Her voice still rang in my ear as I pulled the phone away, ready to hang up.
But before I could, her voice came back — even more hesitant than before.
“I-I’m sorry, sir, but… I was just about to call you with a scheduled visit update.”
I closed my eyes, sighing, already feeling the frustration building in my veins.
“What visit?”
My voice came out low.
A pause.
As if she was struggling to find the right words.
And then she said it:
“Your mother, Mrs. Elenna Valehart, sir. She arrived in the city a few hours ago and requested to visit the company as soon as possible…”
Fuck.
I’d completely forgotten.
Ana had warned me a few days ago — but I hadn’t paid attention.
I exhaled hard and ran a hand through the back of my neck.
“Is that all?”
“Y-yes, sir. She only asked me to inform you.”
“Thank you. Hang up.”
The call ended.
One second, I was burning with emotion, thinking of Sofia, and the next, I was cold again. Numb.
Annoyed.
Full of questions.
My mother…
After all this time.
What the hell does she want now?
She never shows up without a reason. And it’s never a 'good' one.
That sly fox doesn’t leave the damn ancestral Valehart estate unless something’s important…
Or dangerous.
And now she just decides to waltz into my territory without even saying why?
Fine.
Whatever trouble she’s bringing, I’ll deal with it. Fast.
Then send her right back to her precious mountain lair.
I scoffed, standing and walking toward the window — too bright, too clean.
“Right now… there’s something way more important than clan wars and political bullshit,” I muttered under my breath.
I licked my lips.
Still tasting her on them.
And whispered:
“No one… is going to stop me from having what I want.”