Chapter 7
Richard
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As soon as the door clicked shut behind Amelia, the room felt wrong. Empty. Too quiet.
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But she hadn’t truly left. Her presence still clung to everything–the dip in the mattress where she’d slept, the pillow her head had rested on, and worst of all, the place on my chest where she’d collapsed against me like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Her scent still clung to my skin: lily of the valley and jasmine. Light, but intoxicating. I let out a breath and stripped off my cool silk pajama pants before stepping into the shower.
The hot water only made things worse. The scent of her deepened in the heat, saturating the steam until it felt like she was in there with me, naked, slick against my skin. My stomach tightened, lower and lower, blood rushing south until I was painfully hard. I braced both hands on the tile wall, groaning, and turned the water ice–cold in a desperate attempt to get control of myself.
Of course, that’s when Storm decided to speak up.
So you’re just gonna send her off, just like that? After how badly she wanted you last night?
I didn’t answer. My mind was already somewhere else.
[FLASHBACK LAST NIGHT]
I could feel the heat of her body pressing down on me, the friction between us, the way she’d kissed me like she’d been starved for it. I’d let it happen–let myself have that moment; But I hadn’t let it go further.
The sedative had kicked in, thankfully. One moment, her mouth was pressed urgently to mine, hot and open, her hands clinging to the sides of my face like she couldn’t get close enough. The next, I felt her body slacken slightly, her lips slow. She was still kissing me, barely, but her weight had shifted–heavier, more languid.
I pulled back just enough to look at her. Her eyes were still half–lidded, her breath shallow. She blinked once, like she was fighting it. Then her head dropped gently against my shoulder, her lips brushing my collarbone before going still, She’d drifted off, right in the middle of wanting me. And fuck, that did something to me too.
I had barely started to relax when my phone buzzed. Jenny.
I hadn’t answered, but the sound alone had forced me fully awake. I’d turned to look at Amelia, asleep now beside me, still breathing hard like her body hadn’t caught up to the sedative yet. She was beautiful. So soft, so open. She’d wanted me so badly.
Even asleep, she’d clung to me.
She’d burrowed into my chest like it was home, her fingers tangled tightly in my pajama shirt, practically tearing it. She’d brought the fabric to her face and inhaled deeply, like she needed me in her lungs. I’d barely moved when she shifted again, hips rolling against the mattress, the faintest sound escaping her lips.
I felt guilty even watching, even though I hadn’t done anything. I tried to pull away, but her grip only tightened.
I’d ended up shrugging out of the shirt just to get free. She held onto it like it was life or death, burying her face in the fabric and inhaling deeply, again and again, like she was trying to pull every part of me into her lungs. The sound she made–low, breathy, a near- whumper–hit me hard. And then she started to move. Her hips rocked slowly against the sheets, searching, needy, chasing something in her sleep that she clearly hadn’t stopped wanting.
I was frozen, watching painfully aroused and breathing like I’d just run ten miles. I throbbed with every soft little roll of her hips, every needy whimper muffled into the fabric of my shirt. She was lost in it–grinding slow and instinctual, like her body was chasing the release she hadn’t been allowed to find. I retreated to the bathroom, desperate for cold water and stronger self–control.
She’s your mate, Storm said now, low and firm. Why are you punishing both of you by holding back?
“She’s not ready.” I muttered aloud. “And I won’t touch her when she’s not.”
Didn’t stop her from begging for it.
“Storm” My tone was warning
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Chapter 7
I’m just saying, the wolf drawled. You’re not exactly doing a great job of pretending you don’t want her.
I didn’t respond. I just stepped quietly back into the bedroom.
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She was still asleep–finally still. Her grip on my shirt had loosened a little, her breathing deep and steady now. I stayed by the doorway for a long minute, just watching her.
Then I forced myself across the room and climbed into the farthest edge of the bed, careful not to shift the mattress too much. I lay on my back, arms stiff at my sides, staring at the ceiling.
But I couldn’t stop looking at her.
Even across the bed, I could see the way her lips parted with each breath, the flush in her cheeks, the curve of her spine where she curled around my shirt. Every detail pulled me in like gravity.
Storm stirred again, smug and knowing, but I shut him out.
I didn’t sleep. I just laid there, listening to her breathe, doing everything in my power not to reach for her.
[END FLASHBACK]
A sudden blast of cold water jolted me back to the present. Right–the shower. Morning. She was gone, and I was still trying to wash the ghost of her off my skin.
I turned the water even colder.
Eventually, the heat in my body dulled enough to shut Storm up. I shut off the water and grabbed a towel, wrapping it tightly around my waist.
A mind–link buzzed in my head.
Beta: I passed along your message to Miss Amelia about the internship. But honestly… why didn’t you just tell her yourself?
That’s none of your concern.
I walked to my closet to find something clean to wear. Something that didn’t smell like her.
Amelia
The car door shut behind me, and for the first time in days, I felt something like hope.
पसंद
This was it. A real opportunity. Working on the King’s campaign team? That was miles above anything I thought I could get. Until now, I hadn’t even let myself admit how fascinated I was by politics.
But Richard’s leadership? I’ve admired it for years. His policies. His public speeches. His calm, steady power.
And, okay, yeah–he’s hot. Obviously. But this was about more than that.
My head was still spinning from the past twenty–four hours. Everything had changed since Richard re–entered my life.
The car slowed to a stop, and I stepped out, barely taking two steps before a voice stopped me cold.
“You went home with that guy last night, didn’t you?”
Adam
My stomach dropped
“That guy?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You mean the guy who tried to get me drunk?”
Adam flinched.
The one I begged you to help me get away from, and you just walked away?”
He looked away, jaw light.
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Chapter 7
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“You don’t get to be mad.” I snapped. “You don’t get to ask where I went after that.”
He stepped toward me. “So where were you last night, Amelia?”
My phone rang.
I held up a finger and turned away to answer. “Hello?”
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A voice greeted me: “Miss Amelia, your interview for the King’s campaign team will begin shortly. Please arrive within the next thirty
minutes.”
I blinked. “Wait–my interview is today? I thought this was just a follow–up.”
“The other candidates have already begun arriving,” the voice replied. “Please check in at the main reception as soon as you can.”
I didn’t even glance back at Adam. I just walked past him, ducking into the building long enough to splash water on my face and run my fingers through my tangled hair.
I grabbed my bag and flagged down a cab.
The driver raised an eyebrow when I gave the address. “The pack house?”
I nodded.
He snorted. “I sure hope you don’t work there. You seen how things have been going lately? That Alpha’s running us into the ground.”
I blinked and snapped back. “How exactly is he running things into the ground?”
The driver shifted in his seat, clearly not expecting me to talk back. “Taxes are high. Rules keep changing. People don’t know what’s coming next.”
I raised an eyebrow. “But have those changes actually affected you? Like–personally?”
He hesitated. “Well… no. Business has been better, actually. More people moving through the area, more cab fares.”
“So, what exactly don’t you like about him?”
He let out a grunt, then muttered, “I just don’t like the guy.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
The driver cursed. “She breaks down sometimes.”
Moments later, the engine cut out completely.
I groaned. “I’m going to be late.”
I glanced around–no other cars in sight.
I jumped out and ran.
By the time I reached the business entrance of the pack house, I was sweating, out of breath, and completely disheveled.
Still, I walked in with my chin high and tried to pretend like I wasn’t dying.
The receptionist barely looked up. Then she did–and wrinkled her nose.
“Sorry, hun, the food pantry’s down the street. Opens at poon.”
1 blinked, “No–I’m here for an interview”
The woman raised an eyebrow. “We don’t take walk–ins. All candidates are referred by someone on staff. Who sent you?”
“1-1 was invited,” I said. “I was told to come here for an interview.”
The woman scoffed. “By whor
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Chapter 7
My voice faltered. “By–by the Beta, N–Nathan!”
“Yeah sure, and how do you know the Beta?”
A deep, familiar voice cut through the air behind her.
“Stop it, Meredith. She’s my guest.”
And Meredith’s face shifted in horror.
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