His Daddy’s Fated Mate

9: Authoritative man

Hannah’s POV

Done with my shower and now wrapped in a soft white towel I found in one of the cabinets, I walked back to the study, holding my clothes in one hand. The towel smelled fresh, unused. Maybe that was a small mercy, considering everything else that had gone wrong today.

I didn’t expect him to be there. My steps faltered the moment I saw Alpha Liam standing next to his desk,l his broad shoulders tense, his profile sharp under the muted light of the room.

Something small and black rested in his hand, but it vanished into the pocket of his sweatpants as soon as our eyes met.

His face was unreadable but his eyes—l the way they dragged down my body and then slowly back up left me rooted to the spot. A shiver raced down my spine, unwanted and completely uninvited. He doesn’t deserve any reaction from me.

Why does he have this effect on me? It’s infuriating. I hated how my body reacted to him, hated how just one glance could set every nerve on edge. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right

How could he feel so cold, so distant, when the bond burned in me like a wildfire? Was it possible he didn’t feel it? Or was there something broken in me something that made him look at me like this like I was an unwelcome responsibility?

“Get dressed” he said, his voice clipped. “And wait here. Don’t make me repeat myself”

For a second, I couldn’t move, too stunned by the sharpness in his tone. Then, without a word, I walked past him to a corner of the room, my back turned to him as I hastily slipped into my old clothes.

The fabric felt rough against my skin, damp from the shower and I hated how vulnerable it made me feel. But I didn’t have a choice my suitcase was still in the car and I wasn’t about to ask him for help. At the moment I hate him.

When I turned back, he was still there his hands resting on the desk, his jaw tight. He didn’t say anything, just watched as I awkwardly sat down on the couch, clutching my hands in my lap. The air between us felt heavy, suffocating, and I couldn’t bring myself to meet his gaze.

For a moment I allowed my mind to drift, to the Alpha Liam I used to know. The one who used to sneak me sweets when I visited, who’d step in whenever Tucker decided to hide my toys just to see me cry.

That Liam was nothing like the man in front of me now, the man who looked at me like I was nothing more than a nuisance he had to tolerate.

Maybe it’s because of Luna Jane. She was the one person who made everything brighter, simpler. She was kind, endlessly so, and Liam had been different when she was around. Or maybe it’s just that he wasn’t my mate back then. He didn’t have this bond tying us together, making everything more complicated.

The sound of the door opening pulled me back to the present. I stiffened, expecting my parents. But it wasn’t them it was Liam, a tray of food balanced in his hands.

He set it down on the coffee table without a word, the clink of the dishes unnervingly loud in the silence. I glanced at it, then quickly looked away.

“Eat” he said, his tone more of a command than a suggestion. “I don’t want them thinking I’ve started starving you already that will be later”

The smug edge to his voice made my jaw tighten. I didn’t respond, didn’t even glance his way. Instead, I turned to the window, letting the sunlight filtering through the glass distract me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him move closer, his patience clearly wearing thin. Before I could react, his fingers were on my chin, tilting my face toward his.

“Don’t make me repeat myself Hannah” he said, his voice low and dangerously quiet.

His closeness made it impossible to think. I could see every detail. The dark stubble lining his jaw, the way his eyes bore into mine like they could see straight through me. My breath hitched, but I refused to look away, refused to give him the satisfaction.

“Answer me when I talk to you” he demanded, his grip tightening just slightly.

“Yes, Alph” I whispered.

The words tasted bitter, but they were enough to make him release me. He straightened shoving his hands into his pockets and stepped back. He doesn’t look like the alpha Liam I know and it’ll be easy to hate him.

“Good. Now eat”

He turned away, walking to the window where the sunlight hit his frame just enough to cast his shadow across the room. I waited until I was sure he wouldn’t look back before reaching for the tray.

The food was perfect, too perfect. Grilled meat, buttery sides, perfectly brewed coffee it was everything I loved down to the smallest detail. The sight of it made my chest ache in a way I wasn’t prepared for. He knows what I wanted.

I ate in silence, my movements mechanical, each bite a reminder of how much he still knew about me. But it wasn’t enough to erase the hurt, the humiliation. It wasn’t enough to make me forget the way he looked at me, like I was nothing but a burden.

When the tray was empty, I set it aside and leaned back, my eyes drifting to the ceiling. Alpha Liam hadn’t moved from the window, and for that, I was grateful.

Because if he turned around, he might see the tears threatening to spill, and I refused to give him that satisfaction.

As I finished the last bite, I pushed the tray away, suddenly feeling suffocated by the room and his silent presence. My gaze flicked to the door a thought of escape flashing through my mind before I pushed it aside. There was nowhere to go. Nowhere safe.

The scrape of a chair startled me, and I realized Liam had moved. He walked to the desk, picked up a folder, and then glanced at me, his expression unreadable.

“You’ll be staying in the east wing” he said flatly. “I’ve had a room prepared for you.”

A room. I don’t want to stay here. I want to go back to the human realm!

I should’ve been relieved but the hollow ache in my chest only grew. His words felt deliberate, like a line he was drawing one I wasn’t allowed to cross.

Liam paused, his fingers drumming against the folder. For a moment I thought he might say something more, something human. But then he turned away heading for the door.

“Don’t wander” he said over his shoulder, his tone clipped. “This is my home and I won’t have you getting lost like some stray.”

The door clicked shut behind him before I could even muster a response.

Alone, I stared at the untouched coffee on the tray, the bitter aroma filling the room. For a moment, I considered dumping it down the sink just to spite him. But what was the point?

Instead, I reached for the cup and took a sip, letting the warmth spread through me, even as my heart felt colder than ever.