Chapter 262
+8 Pearls
Night had fallen over Mooncrest, the crisp autumn air carrying the faint tang of pine and distant rain.
Riley had taken extra care with her appearance that evening, choosing a cream tweed jacket that hugged her frame, pale blue jeans, and spotless white sneakers. Her hair was swept into a playful bun, a touch of makeup brightening her already fresh features. Beside her, Mia adjusted her scarf as they stepped toward the door, ready to head out.
But before they could leave, the sound of a powerful engine rolled into the driveway. A sleek black Maybach eased to a stop. Lucien Duskgrave, Stormridge Pack’s Alpha Prince, stepped out first, his gaze sharpening the instant it landed on Riley.
His eyes–wolf–sharp, commanding–lingered on her like a territorial claim.
“Where are you going?” His tone was cool but threaded with that quiet, possessive authority only an Alpha could wield.
Riley’s lips curved. “Tomorrow is Carmen’s birthday. Tonight Mia and I are taking her for longevity noodles.”
At that, Duke lifted a brow. “Miss Riley, Mia… why don’t I drive you?”
The words were polite. The glint in his eyes was not.
Carmen, he thought, I wonder how you’ll face me after last night.
At the gates of Ashmoor University, Carmen waited, the glow of the streetlamps painting her features in warm gold. She /shifted her weight from one foot to the other, scanning the road. Ten minutes passed before the Maybach appeared, sleek
and imposing.
Her stomach tightened the moment she recognized it. Duke’s car.
In an instant, heat bloomed under her skin as memories from the previous night surged–heat–slick skin, ragged breathing, the undeniable pull of their mate–bond snapping into place when neither of them had expected it. This morning, she’d stood in the shower until her skin flushed from the water, scrubbing at the marks Duke had left over her collarbone and down her ribs–scattered claims in the shape of his hunger. At least he’d spared her neck; facing the world with a visible bite would’ve been unbearable.
She turned sharply on her heel, ready to flee back into the safety of the campus, but Riley’s voice stopped her.
“Carmen!”
Her body went rigid. Slowly, she looked back to see the rear window rolled down. Riley and Mia sat inside, smiling warmly at
her.
And in the driver’s seat, Duke leaned back in a posture of deceptive ease, eyes locked on hers. The scent of him–pine smoke and something darker–seemed to cut through the autumn air, reaching for her wolf and tugging. His mouth curved in that slow, dangerous way she remembered from last night.
“So,” he said, voice a silken blade, “you’re Mia’s daughter. What a surprise.”
Carmen’s pulse skittered. She dropped her gaze, unable to meet the heat in his eyes. The bond thrummed between them, alive, insistent–her wolf bristling, torn between retreat and the urge to press closer.
Mia, oblivious, called out, “Come on, Carmen! Don’t just stand there.”
She swallowed hard, fighting the instinct to refuse. But when she opened the rear door, she found the back already full- Riley, Mia, and Lucien taking up the space. Lucien’s gaze flicked over her once, unreadable, before he closed his eyes and settled back.
“Up front,” Riley and Mia said together.
The moment Carmen opened the passenger door, her eyes landed on a bouquet of blood–red roses, still dewy, the scent rich and intoxicating.
Duke’s smile deepened. “Heard it’s your birthday tomorrow. On the way here, I thought you might like these. For you, Carmen. He put deliberate weight on for you, letting the bond hum through every syllable.
The heat that surged to her ears was instant and impossible to hide. She gathered the roses into her arms, using them as a shield against his gaze.
Chapter 262
“…I like them,” she managed, her voice low, before staring determinedly out the window.
+8 Pearls
The Maybach glided into motion, the silence between them thick as the night outside. But Duke’s attention never wavered, his wolf prowling just beneath his skin. Every flicker of her scent, every restless shift in her seat fed that primal satisfaction- she might pretend otherwise, but the bond was there, burning in both of them.
And he intended to see how far she could run before she realized there was no outrunning a mate.
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