THE SCENT OF TREASON

THE ALPHA'S SCENT

The heavy double doors clicked shut behind Kaelen, sealing us inside the massive bedroom. I stood frozen on the plush carpet, staring at the sheer size of the predator claiming the space.

Go, he commanded softly, gesturing toward the frosted glass door of the bathroom. Wash the stench of death off your skin.

I did not need to be told twice. I grabbed a bundle of folded clothes from the edge of the wardrobe and practically ran into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. My trembling hands gripped the edge of the marble sink. I looked in the mirror and barely recognized the pale, terrified girl staring back. My hair was matted with sweat, and a dark smear of royal blood stained my cheek.

I stripped off my ruined clothes, shoving them into the corner as if hiding them would erase the memory of the trunk. I stepped under the hot spray of the shower, scrubbing at my skin until it was raw and pink. The water ran a faint, terrifying shade of crimson before finally turning clear.

The bleach was gone. The copper tang of the dead prince was gone. But as the steam filled the room, a new scent completely overwhelmed my senses.

Dark pine. Ozone. The intoxicating, dangerous smell of a storm.

It was Kaelen. His scent was baked into the very walls, clinging to the heavy towels and the dark soap resting on the marble ledge. My heart kicked against my ribs in a frantic rhythm. Even separated by a locked door, his presence was completely suffocating.

I turned off the water, drying off quickly. I unfolded the clothes I had grabbed from the wardrobe. It was a pair of black sweatpants and a dark grey t shirt. They were enormous, clearly belonging to the Alpha King himself. I pulled the shirt over my head, and the fabric instantly swallowed me. The scent of dark pine enveloped me, sinking into my pores. It felt like wearing a brand.

I took a deep breath, unlocked the bathroom door, and stepped back into the bedroom.

The lights had been dimmed. Kaelen was sitting on the edge of the massive four poster bed. He had discarded his suit jacket and tie, leaving him in a crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. His sheer physical size was overwhelming without the tailored jacket restricting his broad shoulders.

His head snapped up the second I opened the door. The glacial gray of his eyes was entirely gone, replaced once again by that predatory, molten gold.

He stood up. The movement was slow, deliberate, and entirely terrifying. He crossed the room, closing the distance between us until my back hit the bathroom door frame. He reached out, taking a strand of my wet hair between his long fingers.

You smell like me, he murmured, his voice dropping into a rough, vibrating purr that resonated straight through my chest.

You gave me your clothes, I whispered, my voice shaking violently.

Kaelen leaned down, resting his forehead against mine. The heat radiating off his skin was intense. His nose brushed along my jawline, tracing the erratic pulse beating frantically at my throat.

It is not just the clothes, Nalia, Kaelen growled, taking a deep, ragged breath against my neck. My brother was murdered tonight. My pack is demanding blood. And yet, the only thing my beast wants to do is tear this world apart to keep you safe.

He pulled back just enough to force me to look into his glowing golden eyes.

Do you know what that means? he asked, his voice dark and heavy with a terrifying truth.

I shook my head, my breath catching in my throat as his hand slid down to wrap firmly around my waist.

It means, Kaelen whispered, pulling me flush against his hard chest, that the witches who sent you to clean my brother's blood just handed me my mate.