Chapter 6 6

Thorne's POV

I staggered back into the mansion, the wound on my side still raw and bloody, the pain sharp enough to make me hiss with each step. My body was healing, but exhaustion slowed the process.

I grabbed a coat near the entrance, throwing it over my naked body as I shifted back to human, my movements stiff from the lingering pain.

Darius followed closely behind, his expression grim. "Alpha, let me summon the healers. You're..."

"No." My voice was sharp, cutting him off. "I'll handle it. Leave me."

"But, Alpha..."

"I don't need to repeat myself, Darius," my tone leaving no room for argument. I pressed a hand to my side, feeling the sticky warmth of blood against my fingers.

Darius hesitated, and tilted his head. "The guards lost the prisoner," he said. "Overpowered by rogues. But we're already sweeping the territory. I'll make sure we find him."

I sighed, my patience worn. "If they slipped through once, they'll do it again if you don't secure the borders. Double the patrols. No one in or out until I say otherwise. Understood?"

"Yes, Alpha." Darius nodded and turned to leave, but paused for a moment. "And... the girl? Ember?"

"What about her?"

"She was shaken, but unhurt. She took the pup back to the servants' quarters. Should I..."

"Just keep her out of my way," I snapped, cutting him off again. My chest tightened at the mention of her name, then I quickly shoved the feeling aside. "Focus on what matters."

"Yes, Alpha." Darius bowed his head slightly before disappearing down the corridor.

Ember. My mate. The very idea got on my nerves. An insolent, defiant servant as my fated partner?

Fate had a cruel sense of humor, no doubt. There was something off about her, something I couldn't quite place, and it put me on edge.

She wasn't supposed to matter. She wasn't supposed to be anything. Yet she occupied my thoughts more than she should. What an annoying pup.

I opened my bedroom door, clutching the edges of the coat. My head throbbed, my side still burning as it healed.

All I wanted was a moment of quiet to think.

A burst of scent rushed into my nose. It was out of place, foreign, and it came from inside the room.

Every instinct went on high alert.

Then I saw her.

Serene, Matteo's Luna.

Alpha Matteo was ambitious but clueless when it came to strategies. His wife, however, was the real mastermind, Serene's sharp mind and sharp tongue often compensated for Matteo's shortcomings. She secretly ran the show.

The first time Serene walked into my office, she was all poised and professional. Her dark hair pinned back in a tight bun, her business suit sharp and modest. By our third meeting though, the suits had given way to dresses that hugged her thick figure, and her lipstick turned to a shade of red that was scandalous.

Now, she draped across the bed in little more than a lacy scrap of fabric that hardly counted as clothing. I glared at her, but she looked up at me with a sultry smile.

"Thorne," she purred, stretching lazily as if she hadn't just trespassed into my private space. "You look like you've had a rough night. Let me... help."

"What the hell are you doing in my room?"

Serene didn't flinch. Instead, she sat up, letting the sheet fall from her shoulders as she smirked. "You've been so tense lately. I thought you could use some company."

"You thought wrong."

"Did I?" She stood, walking toward me with calculated grace. "I've seen the way you've been brooding. All that pressure on your shoulders, all that frustration. I could ease it, Thorne. You know I could."

I stepped back, my eyes narrowing dangerously. "Get out."

"Why so cold?" Serene asked, her voice like honey as she tilted her head and offered a coy smile.

Ignoring my sharp tone, she stepped closer, her fingers brushing against my shoulder as she slipped the coat from my body. I tensed, my muscles rigid beneath her touch, but i didn't move. Her eyes dropped to the wound on my side, and before i could stop her, she swiped a finger through the blood.

"Why are your mate's wolves stalking my territory at night?"

"I have no idea, Thorne," she answered, her voice cold, the words deliberate as she met my gaze, unwavering. "If my husband had any other plans, he certainly never shared them with me. My meeting with you was scheduled by him. If this is his way of getting you to kill me on his behalf, I wouldn't be surprised."

Her words struck me like a cold breeze.

"And why would he want you dead?" I asked with an amused tone.

"Let's just say he doesn't agree with my methods lately. Perhaps he feels threatened by my forwardness, or maybe he doesn't know how to clip my wings," she said, a smile curving her lips as she spoke.

"What do you think the prisoner may have to tell me?" I asked, shifting the conversation. My patience was wearing thin, but I needed to know about this prisoner.

"Like I said, I have no idea. I swear," she replied, her voice earnest. She ran her hand lazily over my chest.

"What are you doing?" I growled threateningly.

Serene didn't answer. Instead, she brought her blood coated finger to her lips, her eyes locked with mine as she slowly licked it clean. The deliberate act was both provocative and defiant.

"Still the strong, silent type, I see," she teased, her smile widening.

Serene disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, returning with a damp towel in her hand. She knelt down, her movements slow as she dabbed at the blood on my side.

Her fingers lingered longer than necessary, the towel brushing against my skin in a way that felt too intimate.

"Don't flatter yourself."

She laughed softly, leaning closer. "Oh, Thorne. You always pretend to be so unaffected. But deep down, I know you enjoy the attention."

When the last trace of blood was gone, Serene set the towel aside. The wound had already closed. Yet instead of stepping back, she rose and straddled my lap, her movements fluid and unapologetically bold.

"Get off me," I hissed, my voice a low growl.

She ignored me, sliding her hands up my chest again as she leaned in, her breath warm against my neck. "Why fight it? You've been running yourself ragged for weeks. Let me take care of you for once."

Her lacy top slipped off her shoulders and fell away, leaving little to the imagination.

"This isn't happening," i said through gritted teeth, my tone sharp enough to cut.

But Serene wasn't discouraged. Her lips curved into a wicked smile as she tilted her head, studying me with predatory intent. "Oh, darling, it already is."

My voice turned icy. "You're playing a dangerous game, Serene. I suggest you stop before you regret it."

Serene leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear as she whispered, "And what if I don't?"

Before I could respond, she grabbed the back of my head and pushed her hardened nipple into my mouth.