Chapter 17
The door creaked open, drawing all of our attention, and Aeson’s beta, stepped inside with his usual stoic demeanor.
“Take Miss Carlton to her office, Jace,” Aeson instructed him, his tone clipped and professional.
Jace gave a curt nod. “Of course.”
I blinked, trying to digest Aeson’s words. Her office? He’d already arranged an office for her? My jaw tightened.
“Her office is on the floor below, Aeson added smoothly, turning his attention back to her.
I couldn’t believe this. He’d not only hired her but placed her one floor below us. Was this convenience or a deliberate move? Was he trying to keep her close to monitor her? For all his calm exterior, I knew Aeson. His instincts were razor-sharp, and he didn’t hand out trust easily. It made me wonder if his offer was truly benign or if he had suspicions brewing beneath the surface.
“That’s good,” Caiden said with an uncharacteristic grin, leaning back in his chair. His entire demeanor was different-sweet, even-and it threw me off. I knew him too well to buy it. He wasn’t this friendly, not even when he flirted or aimed for a one-night stand. Caiden was direct, casual, but distant enough to make sure no one misread his intentions.
Yet here he was, acting almost… eager. And for what? Her? She wasn’t even his type. She wasn’t one of those polished, hot girls he usually gravitated toward. If anything, her look was understated, modest, far from the usual trophies he’d go after.
Serena bowed politely, a slight dip of her head that spoke more of habitual respect than genuine deference.
“Thank you,” she murmured, stepping toward the door where Jace waited. But before she could leave, Caiden shot up from his chair, crossing the room in two quick strides.
“Wait!” he called out, stopping her mid-step.
She paused, her back stiffening as she turned to face him.
“That doesn’t look good,” Caiden said, gesturing toward her.
Before anyone could process what he meant, he reached up and yanked the tie from her hair in one swift motion. Her caramel strands spilled down her shoulders, catching the light like threads of gold.
She gasped, her gray eyes wide as they locked onto his. For a moment, the room seemed to freeze. Her hand twitched at her side, as if debating whether to snatch the tie back or not.
Caiden grinned, clearly pleased with himself. “You’re good like this,” he said, his voice softer, almost admiring.
Then his hand moved again-too far, too bold. His fingers brushed through her hair, grazing the loose waves as if testing their texture.
Something inside me snapped. “Get your hand off her!” The words tore out of me before I could stop them, sharp and commanding, laced with an anger I didn’t fully understand.
But it wasn’t just me.
Aeson groaned at the exact same time, his voice gruff with irritation.
We both turned to each other, surprised and, for a fleeting second, almost embarrassed by the synchronized outburst.
Caiden froze, his hand hovering midair, his expression aghast. He looked between Aeson and me, his confusion evident as if he couldn’t decide which of us
had lost it more.
Her reaction, though, was the worst. She stood there, stunned into silence, her wide gray eyes darting between us as if trying to piece together what had just
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happened. There was no fear in her gaze, no shrinking back. If anything, her confusion mirrored Caiden’s, as if she couldn’t fathom why either of us cared
enough to intervene.
The air in the room thickened with tension, every second stretching unbearably long. I could feel my pulse thundering in my ears, my wolf restless beneath the surface, growling his disapproval.
What the hell was happening to me? Why did it matter? Why did she matter?
Her gray eyes lingered on mine, just long enough for something unspoken to pass between us. Something I didn’t want to name.
And then she looked away, her lips parting slightly, as if she wanted to say something. But no words came.
Aeson’s beta cleared his throat, breaking the silence like shattering glass.
“Miss Carlton,” Jace prompted, his tone firm but polite.
She blinked, finally moving again, stepping toward the door with Jace by her side. Caiden stayed rooted in place, still looking back at us with bewilderment.
But her presence lingered, like the faint scent of lavender she left behind. And as the door clicked shut, the tension in the room didn’t dissipate.
If anything, it thickened, wrapping around me like a vice. Because deep down, I knew this was only the beginning.
