Chapter 4 The Morning After

The first thing I felt was the light.It pierced through the sheer curtains and kissed my bare skin, forcing my eyes open.

For a moment, I couldn't breathe.

The ceiling above me wasn't mine. The scent in the air wasn't familiar. Everything around me screamed wealth and danger polished marble floors, soft silk sheets, the faint hum of an expensive air conditioner, and the distant sound of water dripping somewhere.

I blinked again, trying to make sense of it. "Where am I?"

The room was far too luxurious to belong to anyone I knew - white and gold walls, an ornate chandelier, floor-length curtains swaying lazily with the morning breeze. The bed I lay on was massive, draped in satin sheets that smelled faintly of sandalwood and something darker... something masculine.

My heart started to race.

Then the horror hit me.

I was completely naked.

"W–what..." I gasped, clutching the blanket to my chest. My whole body ached every muscle stiff, every nerve raw. When I tried to sit up, a sharp pain between my legs made me freeze, my breath catching in my throat.

My mind began to race. What happened?

And then, like a storm crashing through my thoughts, flashes of last night slammed into me.

A dark room. Music. The heat of his breath on my neck. Fingers tracing down my spine. The deep rumble of a voice I couldn't forget. The way he touched me firm, possessive, yet careful, like he already knew every inch of me.

The taste of his lips. The sound of my own breathless moans echoing in the dark.

My entire body shivered as the memory grew sharper, too vivid to deny.

And then I remembered his scent. Strong. Overwhelming. Wild. It wasn't just any man's scent. It had that commanding power that could only belong to one kind of wolf.

An Alpha.

I froze. My eyes widened, and I pressed my palm over my mouth. No... it can't be. I couldn't have slept with an Alpha.

I didn't even remember his face properly. Everything had been too dark, too rushed, too desperate. But I remembered his eyes - glowing faintly in the shadows, green like liquid fire. His voice still echoed in my head when he whispered my name like a secret.

And now, I was lying naked in a strange hotel room, reeking of his scent.

Tears welled up in my eyes. "What have I done?" I whispered, shame and panic curling through my stomach.

I forced myself out of bed, my legs shaking as I moved. My clothes were everywhere my skirt hanging from a chair, my blouse tossed across the floor, and my underwear torn slightly at the seam. My hands trembled as I picked them up, dressing in silence. I didn't dare look at the bed again.

There was no sign of him. The room was empty, cold, silent. But his scent still lingered - so potent that it made my heart race all over again.

I had to leave.

Before anyone saw me. Before I had to face what I'd done.Grabbing my purse, I slipped out of the room quietly, my pulse pounding in my ears as I rushed through the hallway and out into the sunlight.

When I reached home, the sun was already high in the sky. My father sat in the living room, a bottle of whiskey in his hand as usual. His eyes were dull, his jaw tight. The faint smell of alcohol filled the air.

He didn't even glance up when I entered.

"There's news for you," he muttered, taking another gulp. "Came from the pack house."

I stopped, confused. "The pack house?"

He only waved me off, uninterested. I frowned, remembering that I had sent in a job application a few weeks ago. Maybe this was about that.

But the thought barely settled before my chest began to tighten again memories from last night creeping into my head like smoke. *What have I done?*

I bit my lip hard, forcing back tears, and walked toward my room. I needed to think. To breathe.

Once inside, I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor. Everything felt heavy , my body, my heart, my soul. I thought of Lucas, my boyfriend, the Alpha's son. His arrogant smirk. His lies. The betrayal I'd witnessed when I caught him with another woman.

That was the night everything fell apart. That was the night I ran straight into the arms of a stranger.

And now, this morning, I was paying the price.

"No more crying," I whispered to myself. "You can't undo what's done. You have to move forward."

I changed into a simple dress, tied my hair back, and headed toward the pack house. My father's words still echoed in my mind. News for you. I just hoped it was something good - something that might distract me from the mess I'd made.

As I approached the small office building behind the mansion, I noticed the Gamma standing by the door, a faint smile on his face.

"Kiera Gray?" he asked.

I nodded nervously. "Yes?"

He beamed and handed me an envelope with the pack's seal stamped on it. "Congratulations. You got the job."

My eyes widened. "I- I did?"

"Yes. The Alpha approved it personally," he said. "You'll be working directly at his company headquarters, starting Monday morning."

My hands trembled as I took the envelope. "Oh my goddess," I whispered.

I quickly tore it open and unfolded the letter inside. My eyes darted across the elegant handwriting.

> Congratulations, Ms. Kiera Gray.

> You have been selected to work as the personal secretary to CEO Damon Jordan.

For a few seconds, I just stood there, staring at the paper, unable to process it.

The Alpha's company? His personal secretary?

My throat went dry. "T–the Alpha himself?" I asked faintly.

The Gamma nodded. "Yes. It's a great opportunity, Kiera. You should be proud. Not many get that close to the Alpha."

I forced a small smile, though my stomach twisted painfully. "Yeah... I guess so."

As he congratulated me again and walked away, I stood there frozen, staring at the letter in disbelief.

This wasn't what I expected. I'd wanted a simple position something quiet, something small. Not a job that would place me directly under the most powerful man in the pack.

And yet, a strange chill ran through me as I reread his name.

Damon Jordan.

Why did that name stir something deep inside me?

Why did it make my heart race the same way it did last night . when that stranger whispered my name in the dark?

I shook the thought away. No. It can't be. I didn't even know the man's name.

Still, I couldn't stop the unease curling in my stomach.

What if... by some cruel twist of fate... the Alpha I'd just been hired to work for was the same man who'd held me last night?

I swallowed hard, clutching the letter to my chest. "Get a grip, Kiera," I whispered to myself. "You're overthinking. It was just one night. You'll never see that man again."

But deep down, something in me knew that wasn't true.

Because fate never let go so easily.

And whatever had begun that night... was far from over.