Reiya swallowed hard, but the thick knot in her throat refused to ease. He was too close, too solid, too masculine, too much in every possible way. It wasn’t just his presence. It was the way he looked at her, the way he seemed to see her—not as something delicate or breakable, but as someone whole and real.
And gods help her, that unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
She could smell her own scent shifting, betraying her at the worst possible moment. The suppression remedies she’d relied on weren’t enough. Her body knew before she did, reacting instinctively, heedless of rational thought. She clenched her fists at her sides, forcing herself to steady her heart, to push back against the slow, creeping unravelling of her control.
But when she looked up again, Alarik’s nostrils flared ever so slightly. The movement was almost imperceptible.
Realization slammed into her like a crashing tide. He wasscentingher.
Not overtly, not in the way Jodhar had. It was restrained, cautious, uncertain, as though he himself hadn’t expected to react.
And she wasn’t . . . recoiling.
She wasn’t choking on the weight of it. Wasn’t bristling with the same revulsion that had clawed up her throat when other Alphas dared to press too close.
Instead, she stilled, attuned to the slow, measured way he held himself in check, muscles taut with effort—like a bowstring drawn but never loosed.
The air between them crackled, a quiet hum of a restless thing, waiting. Her fingers twitched at her sides, instinct warring with reason, warning her that this was dangerous—that it would be safer to step back, to sever this thread before it wove itself into something she couldn’t untangle.
For a fleeting second, his pupils darkened, his body tensed as though fighting some unseen pull, as though waiting for her to make the call.
Then, with a jolt, he stepped back.
The space between them stretched, snapping taut like a thread about to fray. He exhaled slowly . . . controlled, measured.
“Enjoy your bath,” he murmured, his voice lower, rougher, as though it cost him to speak.
Then he turned and walked out the door without looking back.
Reiya remained where she stood, chest tight, legs unsteady beneath her. She pressed her back against the nearest wall, fingers gripping the cool stone. Her thoughts were a tangled mess, an ache curling in her lower belly as she tried to piece together what just happened.
For the second time today, an Alpha made her question everything she thought she knew.
She couldn’t linger long in the bath. No amount of hot water or perfumed oils could dissolve the restless energy thrumming beneath her skin. What once felt like solace now buzzed with unease, the stillness pressing in rather than soothing.
She washed quickly, oiled herself with a light blend of almond and orange blossom, rubbing it over her arms and throat until the scents covered her. She dressed, fumbling with her sash as impatience prickled at her fingers, her mind still tangled in the memory of Alarik’s presence.
The cool night air met her as she stepped into the courtyard, brushing against her damp skin, carrying the smells of jasmine and wet stone.
She began to stroll toward the gates—only to freeze.
Alarik stood beneath the arching branches of an olive tree, half-shrouded in shadow. He was already looking in her direction, as if he’d sensed the exact moment she emerged.
For a brief, unguarded moment, she simply stared, uncertain whether to step forward or retreat. Then, steeling herself against the warmth creeping into her cheeks, she approached him.
“You didn’t have to wait for me,” she said when he was within earshot.
Alarik’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, unreadable in the soft glow of the lanterns. Then, he nodded. “I know.”
He pushed off the tree, falling into step beside her as they made their way to the street. The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of lingering spices from the market and the faint murmur of distant voices.
“You didn’t take long,” he remarked after a beat.
Reiya hesitated, fingers tightening around the edges of her shawl. “I didn’t feel like staying.”
He gave her a sidelong glance before he asked, “Did something happen?”
Reiya—still caught in the aftershocks of earlier, still trying to make sense of the storm he’d unknowingly stirred—realized she didn’t quite have an answer.
