Oliver’s POV

​I stared at my phone screen, waiting for the little bubbles to appear, waiting for her to respond to the text I had just sent as Raymond. My wolf was pacing in the back of my mind, his fur bristling with a mix of amusement and irritation.

​What are you doing? He growled, his voice a low rumble in my head. This is childish. You are the Alpha King, yet you are playing games with your own woman.

​"It’s not a game," I muttered under my breath, grabbing my car keys from the desk. "It’s a test. I need to know where her loyalties lie. I need to know if she chooses the man who protects her or the masked man she doesn’t even know."

​You are both, the wolf reminded me sharply. And you are breaking her heart in the process.

​I ignored him, my chest tightening as I remembered the look in Aurora’s eyes just moments ago. When I touched the bandage on her temple, I felt the spark—the urge screaming at me to pull her into my arms and never let go. It took every ounce of my strength to keep my voice cold, to maintain the distance that she herself had created when she pushed me away.

​I watched through the one-way view in my office door as she stared at her phone, her face pale, her bottom lip trembling. She looked like a trapped bird, caught between two cages.

​I saw her fingers fly across the screen, and a second later, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, my heart hammering.

​"I can’t. I’m going out for a business lunch with the Alpha."

​A dark, bitter satisfaction curled in my gut, but it was quickly replaced by a flare of possessive rage.

​I stepped out of my office, my expression masked in pure, professional indifference. I didn’t want her to see how much that text affected me.

​"Ready?" I asked, my voice clipping the air.

​She jumped, nearly dropping her phone. She scrambled to shove it into her bag, her eyes wide and filled with a guilt that made my wolf want to howl. "Yes, Alpha. Ready."

​"Good," I said, gesturing for her to precede me.

​As we walked through the packhouse, the scent of her—sweet jasmine mixed with the sharp, metallic tang of her fear—filled my senses. I could feel the weight of her double life pressing her down.

​We reached the black SUV waiting in the driveway. I opened the door for her, my fingers brushing against hers for a split second. She flinched as if burned, and I felt the low growl of my wolf vibrating in my chest.

​"Is the seat uncomfortable, Aurora?" I asked, my voice smooth but carrying a hidden edge. I knew exactly why she was shifting so tentatively—she was scared Raymond would show up anytime soon.

​"I’m fine," she whispered, staring out the window.

​I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward The Silver Leaf, a high-end restaurant on the edge of town. The silence in the car was thick enough to choke on. My phone buzzed in the cup holder—a notification from my security team...

​When we arrived, the hostess led us to a secluded table in the back. But as we approached, I saw a flash of blonde hair and a designer dress.

​"Ah, Genevieve. You’re early," I said, a practiced, charming smile spreading across my face.

​Aurora froze beside me. Genevieve stood up, her eyes lighting up as she stepped forward to press a lingering kiss to my cheek. She was the daughter of the Northern Alpha—beautiful, poised, and exactly the kind of woman the elders wanted on the throne beside me.

​"For you, Oliver? Always," Genevieve purred. She glanced at Aurora, her eyes raking over her simple office attire with a faint, dismissive smile. "And who is this? Your new assistant?"

​"Aurora," I said, pulling out a chair for Genevieve first. "She’s here to handle the financial projections for the merger we’re discussing."

​I sat down, deliberately placing myself closer to Genevieve. "You look stunning today, Gen. That color suits you."

​Aurora’s scent spiked—sharp and full of jealousy.

​Throughout the meal, I focused my attention entirely on Genevieve. I laughed at her jokes, leaned in close when she spoke, and even reached over to tuck a stray hair behind her ear. It was a performance, a cold and calculated one, but it was working.

​"You aren’t eating, Aurora," I said, finally turning my gaze to her. She was stabbing at her salad, her face full of rage and heartbreak she couldn’t even hide. "Is something wrong with the food?"

​She looked up, and for a second, the icy blue of her eyes flashed with a fire I hadn’t seen in weeks. "The food is fine, Alpha."

​"If you say so," I replied, my voice smooth and uninterested as I turned back to Genevieve.

​I made sure to catch Aurora’s eye as I took a slow sip of my wine, maintaining a gaze that was as sharp as a blade. I was pushing her, testing the limits of her patience and the strength of the feelings she was trying so hard to ignore.

​"So, about my birthday party next weekend," Genevieve said, leaning in so close her perfume—something expensive and artificial—clashed with the natural sweetness of Aurora’s scent. She placed her hand over mine on the table, her fingers tracing the line of my watch. "You’re coming, right? My father would be so disappointed if the Alpha King didn’t show."

​I felt Aurora’s body go rigid beside me. The silver fork in her hand trembled slightly.

​"I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Gen," I said, my voice dropping into that warm, intimate tone I used to reserve only for the woman currently vibrating with rage next to me. "I’ve already cleared my schedule."

​The air around the table felt like it was about to combust. Aurora’s scent was no longer just jasmine; it was dark, heavy, and scorched with a possessive heat that made my wolf’s ears perk up in triumph.

​"Excuse me," Aurora said abruptly.

​The chair screeched against the floorboards as she stood up. She didn’t wait for a response, didn’t look at me, and certainly didn’t look at the blonde woman touching my arm. She walked away toward the restrooms, her back a stiff, narrow line of pure defiance.

​I watched her go, my gaze following the sway of her hips until she disappeared around the corner. The cold mask I’d been wearing didn’t slip, but my blood was beginning to hum.

​Genevieve let out a soft, knowing laugh and finally pulled her hand away. She leaned back, a smug, satisfied smirk playing on her lips as she looked at the doorway Aurora had just passed through.

​"I think it worked, Oliver," she whispered, her voice dropping the flirtatious act. She adjusted her sleeve, looking back at me with a calculating glint in her eyes. "She looks like she wants to burn this entire building down just to get you alone."