The office felt oddly quiet after Ethan left.
Kaius stayed in his chair, still as stone, eyes fixed on the door.
But his mind wasn't in the room anymore.
Austin's face kept pushing its way into his thoughts.
He remembered the way she'd looked at him that day.
Not afraid. Not entirely open either.
The almost-kiss kept playing in his head, like a stuck scene from a movie.
[I want to kiss her.]The thought came out of nowhere.
Clear. Loud. Real.
Not just attraction. Not just instinct. Something deeper. Something that wouldn't shut up.
He shifted in his seat, jaw tight.
His wolf stirred again, restless under his skin. [She belongs with us. We need to claim her.]
Kaius ran a hand through his hair and exhaled slowly.
He needed to shut this down. Now.He did
