Page 55 of The Forbidden Alpha

If I didn’t do something, I’d tear my hair out. I slipped out of the bed. The room was empty, and I padded toward the closet. I pulled out one of Ethan’s white button-ups, the material soft and crisp, and slipped it over my head; it cascaded down my body as I headed to the kitchen. I needed to move—to justify the space I occupied.

The cold braced my bare feet as I walked down the hall. Once in a familiar setting, I rummaged through the drawers, cataloging the contents. I put the kettle on the stove, grabbed a heavy matte black mug, and dropped in a spoonful of honey. Next, I found a cloth and lathered it. The marble was pristine, but I scrubbed anyway, my knuckles turning white as I tried to work my issues out of the stone.

By the time I was done wiping the surface of the cabinets, the elevator dinged.

“I didn’t see it going that way,” a voice rumbled near the entryway. Odis. Even from the kitchen, I could hear the rasp of exhaustion in his tone.

“How did you expect it to play out? That he’d challenge me and risk his Kingdom?” Ethan drawled.

“He’s his only son, his heir. He stripped his own blood of his rank. Not only did he leave him bleeding, but he left him a rogue. Jaxon either has a plan to bring him back or he’s that afraid.” The voices stopped and I knew I was caught. When I risked a glance over my shoulder, they rounded the corner, walking through the kitchen. Odis looked like he hadn’t slept a wink. His clothes were crisp, but the deep shadows under his eyes and the tension in his jaw betrayed his anger. My gaze flew to Ethan as he removed the mask. His eyes reminded me of my forest, my safe place, and a shiver ran down my spine. I took in his sharp jaw and plush lips. This man was mine. A smirk pulled at his mouth, his eyes darkening, knowing.

“Luna.” Odis’s chin dipped, his eyes darting to the floor.

“What are you doing?” Ethan’s voice was soft, but carried that unquestionable power that made the other kingdoms quake.

“The counters… I saw a spot,” I murmured, my voice hushed. “It’s better now.”

Ethan stepped closer. His hand reached out and he gently caught my wrist.

“Sabine handles—”

“I thought you were getting rid of her?” I asked, remembering the name from brunch yesterday. “That’s what you told Olivia.”

Odis coughed, but Ethan ignored him.

“You’re right. Her replacement will be chosen soon. Why not rest out on the terrace?”

The word replacement sat in my chest like a stone. Not gone. Not handled. Replaced—as if the role Sabine occupied was structural, not personal. As if the woman herself was simply the wrong hire. I didn’t press it. She was one of many things in Ethan’s life that had existed before me and continued to exist around me.

“I don’t want to sit,” I countered, finally looking up. My eyes met his. His jaw was set, and his green eyes were dark with a command that didn’t invite a debate. But I wasn’t going to sit around, waiting for him every day. “I need something to do, Ethan. I’ve never had nothing to do.”

“Then today is a day for firsts,” he said. I balled my hands into fists. “I’ve brought kingdoms to their knees. My people—our people are safe and you are free to relax for now. I came to check on you and you’re laboring in the kitchen. You’re going to go sit on the couch, put your feet up, and let your body rest. You’ve been through a lot.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but his grip tightened. “After you’re better, we can discuss your duties or what you’d like to do with your time. But for now, I need you to rest. Understand?”

Would he be this insistent if I had a wolf?

Is this because I wasn’t healing quickly enough?

He offered me his palm, and I sighed. I looked at Odis, who nodded once. Despite his obvious need for sleep, he looked like a man who would follow Ethan’s orders until he passed out. I looked back at my mate.

“Yes, Ethan. I understand,” I whispered. My tongue was a lead weight. I handed him the cloth, loathing how my compliance came so naturally.

I turned from him, walking toward the living room. The shirt material swayed against my thighs. The view of the towers outside was beautiful and the sky stretched on forever, but as I sat on the sectional and stared at the desert, I realized the truth.

The bars were made of onyx now. If I didn’t want my new home to feel like a prison, I needed to heal and figure out what my life would look like from now on.

Everything that had happened played on repeat. The whistle of the whip cutting through the air and the wet thwacks as it met skin made goosebumps race across my skin. The guilt of watching my best friend take the lashes ate me alive.

On the horizon, a line of black cars snaked across the valley floor, disappearing into the mirage. People were leaving. Half Moon would be leaving too. I hadn’t even noticed Odis slip out of the room; the air was suddenly empty.

Shane was powerless now. He wouldn’t be able to get to me anymore, but his last words to me rang with a different promise. Now, he had nothing to lose.

“I’m taking you out for brunch,” Ethan murmured, his breath warm against my ear. I jumped, then sighed as his arms wrapped around my shoulders.

“You don’t have work?” I asked, still looking outside.

“It’ll still be there when I come back,” he said, his grip tightening possessively. “Right now, my mate needs me.”