THE NAIVE SEDUCTRESS

Chapter Three: The Secret Behind Her Name

Rose had never been afraid of the dark.

As a child, she had wandered through the Ray estate after sunset without a second thought. She knew which trees were safe to climb, which garden paths were illuminated by the security lights, and which old servants' entrance could be used to sneak into the kitchen whenever she was hungry.

The darkness had never frightened her.

Secrets did.

And tonight, the Ray mansion seemed to be filled with them.

Rose sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the closed door.

Her mother's voice continued to echo in her head.

His wolf has chosen her.

She had spent twenty-one years believing she knew who she was.

Rose.

Daughter of Margaret.

Born in Lagos.

Raised by a hardworking mother.

Father deceased.

That was the entire story.

Or at least, that was the story she'd been given.

Now she was beginning to wonder whether every important part of her life had been carefully edited.

She stood and walked to the mirror.

Her reflection stared back at her.

Same face.

Same dark eyes.

Same features she had inherited from her mother.

Nothing looked different.

Yet something felt different.

She touched her chest.

Her heartbeat was unusually fast.

Then she remembered Xavier.

The way he'd looked at her.

The way his entire expression had changed when she'd entered the kitchen.

The way he'd stepped between her and the woods.

And that strange, almost primal intensity in his eyes.

She had known Xavier as a child.

He had never looked at her like that.

Rose swallowed.

"What are you hiding from me?"

She wasn't sure whether she meant Xavier or her mother.

Perhaps both.

A soft sound came from the corridor.

Rose froze.

Footsteps.

She moved toward the door.

They stopped outside.

She held her breath.

Nothing.

Then the footsteps continued down the hall.

Rose opened the door.

The corridor was empty.

She stepped outside.

A cold breeze drifted through the open window at the far end.

And beneath it came a scent she couldn't identify.

Earth.

Rain.

Something wild.

Rose walked toward the window.

The gardens below were dark.

Except for two golden eyes.

She gasped.

The eyes vanished.

Rose stumbled backward.

A hand caught her wrist.

She screamed.

"Don't!"

Xavier pulled her away from the window.

Rose stared at him, heart pounding.

"What are you doing?"

His breathing was heavier than usual.

"You shouldn't be here."

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep ignoring me."

"You've been acting strangely since you saw me."

His jaw tightened.

Rose pulled her wrist from his hand.

"What's happening?"

"Nothing."

"Stop lying to me."

Xavier's expression hardened.

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because you wouldn't believe me."

Rose folded her arms.

"Try me."

For a moment, Xavier said nothing.

He looked at her as though he were trying to decide whether telling her the truth would save her or destroy her.

Rose noticed the conflict.

And for the first time, she saw something beneath the cold billionaire exterior.

Fear.

Not fear for himself.

Fear for her.

"Xavier."

Hearing his first name from her lips seemed to affect him.

His gaze dropped briefly to her mouth before returning to her eyes.

The movement was so quick she almost missed it.

Almost.

Rose's breath caught.

There was something between them.

Something neither of them had named.

She stepped closer.

Xavier immediately stepped back.

"Don't."

Rose frowned.

"Don't what?"

"Come closer."

"Why?"

"Because I don't trust myself around you."

Silence.

Rose stared at him.

The confession seemed to surprise Xavier as much as it surprised her.

His eyes darkened.

"I need you to understand something."

"I'm listening."

"You need to stay away from me."

Rose gave a disbelieving laugh.

"You've been telling me that since yesterday."

"Because it's true."

"Then why do you keep coming to find me?"

Xavier didn't answer.

Rose took another step.

"Why do you look at me like that?"

His breathing changed.

"Like what?"

"Like you're angry with me."

"I'm not angry."

"Then what?"

His voice dropped.

"Frustrated."

"With me?"

"With myself."

Rose's heart fluttered.

Before she could respond, a voice came from behind them.

"Rose?"

Her mother.

Rose turned.

Margaret stood at the end of the hallway.

Her face drained of color when she saw Xavier.

"You need to come with me."

Rose stared at her.

"Why?"

"Now."

There was something so serious in her mother's voice that Rose obeyed.

She followed Margaret downstairs.

Xavier remained in the hallway.

Watching them.

Margaret didn't speak until they reached the old servants' quarters.

The moment the door closed, Rose turned.

"Who was that man?"

Her mother's face tightened.

"What man?"

"The man I heard talking to you."

"You were listening?"

"I wasn't trying to."

"Rose—"

"And what does 'his wolf has chosen her' mean?"

Margaret went completely still.

Rose stepped closer.

"Who is my father?"

Her mother looked away.

"You know who your father was."

"Do I?"

Margaret's eyes filled with tears.

Rose had never seen her mother cry over her father.

Not once.

Her mother had always spoken about him in the past tense, with a strange, careful calm that made Rose assume the subject was painful but simple.

Now she realized it wasn't simple at all.

"He wasn't who you thought he was," Margaret whispered.

"Who was he?"

"Someone dangerous."

"Was he a werewolf?"

Margaret's face changed.

That was answer enough.

Rose felt the room tilt.

"A werewolf?"

"Lower your voice."

"You're telling me werewolves are real?"

Margaret grabbed her hands.

"I wanted to protect you."

"From what?"

"From them."

"Who are they?"

Margaret looked toward the door.

"The world you're about to enter is nothing like the one you've known."

Rose pulled her hands away.

"You knew."

"Yes."

"All these years?"

"Yes."

"And you let me believe my father was just a dead man?"

"I let you believe whatever kept you alive."

Rose's anger faltered.

"Alive?"

Margaret nodded.

"Your father belonged to the Black Moon bloodline."

The words sounded unreal.

Rose had never heard the name.

"What is that?"

"A bloodline older than most of the packs that exist today. They were powerful. Feared. Their wolves were different."

"Different how?"

Margaret hesitated.

"They could do things ordinary werewolves couldn't."

"What things?"

"I don't know everything."

"But you know enough."

Her mother looked at her.

"I know they were hunted."

"By whom?"

"The other packs."

"Why?"

"Because power makes people afraid."

Rose sat slowly.

Her mind struggled to process everything.

"Then how did you meet my father?"

Margaret's expression softened with sadness.

"He wasn't always dangerous."

Rose waited.

"He loved me."

The words were barely audible.

"Then what happened?"

Margaret looked toward the window.

"He disappeared."

"When?"

"Before you were born."

"Did he die?"

"I don't know."

Rose stared at her.

"You've been telling me he was dead."

"I needed you to believe it."

"Why?"

"Because people were looking for you."

Rose's stomach dropped.

"Looking for me?"

Margaret nodded.

"Your father left something behind."

"What?"

Her mother hesitated.

"His blood."

Rose frowned.

"I don't understand."

"Neither did I at first."

Margaret reached beneath the bed and pulled out a small wooden box.

She placed it on the table.

Rose stared at it.

"What is that?"

"Something your father gave me."

She opened the box.

Inside was a silver pendant.

It was beautiful.

A crescent moon surrounded by a black stone.

Rose reached toward it.

"Don't."

She stopped.

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what will happen."

Rose looked at her mother.

"You've never let me see this."

"I was hoping I never would."

A loud crash came from outside.

Both women froze.

Rose stood.

"What was that?"

Margaret grabbed her arm.

"Stay here."

Another crash.

Then a growl.

Deep.

Animalistic.

Rose's blood turned cold.

"Mom?"

Margaret's eyes widened.

"They found us."

Xavier heard the growl from the opposite wing of the mansion.

He was already moving before anyone could stop him.

Daniel appeared at the end of the corridor.

"Xavier!"

"Where?"

"West side."

"How many?"

"Three."

Xavier's eyes flashed gold.

"Get everyone inside."

"Already done."

"Rose?"

"With her mother."

Xavier stopped.

His wolf surged violently.

Protect her.

He ran.

The mansion erupted into chaos.

Security personnel moved through the halls.

Doors slammed.

People shouted.

Outside, the rain had become heavier.

Xavier reached the west wing just as something crashed through the window.

A huge black wolf landed inside.

Its claws scraped across the marble floor.

Xavier shifted his weight.

The wolf snarled.

Then another appeared behind it.

Daniel came running.

"Two!"

Xavier's eyes narrowed.

"Where's the third?"

A woman's scream came from downstairs.

Rose.

Xavier's blood turned to ice.

He ran.

Rose had never seen her mother move so quickly.

Margaret dragged her through the servants' corridor, clutching the silver pendant.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe."

"What about Xavier?"

"Don't trust him."

Rose stopped.

"What?"

Her mother turned.

"You cannot trust the Ray family."

"Why?"

"Because they knew about your father."

Rose's eyes widened.

"What?"

"They knew he was Black Moon."

A noise came from behind them.

A low growl.

Margaret shoved Rose behind her.

The hallway lights flickered.

A shadow appeared at the far end.

Rose couldn't see its face.

But she could see the eyes.

Gold.

The creature stepped forward.

It wasn't entirely a wolf.

Its body was too large.

Too muscular.

Too unnatural.

Rose backed away.

Her mother whispered:

"Don't move."

The creature sniffed the air.

Its eyes locked onto Rose.

Then it smiled.

A human voice came from its throat.

"Finally."

Rose's blood froze.

The creature stepped closer.

"We found you."

A roar thundered from behind them.

Xavier appeared at the end of the corridor.

His eyes were glowing gold.

His expression was no longer human.

"Get away from her."

The creature laughed.

"Alpha Xavier Ray."

Xavier stepped forward.

"Who sent you?"

The creature tilted its head.

"You don't recognize me?"

"No."

"You will."

Then its gaze moved to Rose.

"Tell your mate the truth."

Rose's breath caught.

"Mate?"

Xavier went still.

The creature smiled.

"She doesn't know?"

Rose looked at Xavier.

Her voice trembled.

"What is he talking about?"

Xavier said nothing.

"Xavier."

Still nothing.

The creature laughed softly.

"Tell her."

Xavier's eyes remained fixed on Rose.

And then, finally, he spoke.

"Rose..."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"You're my mate."

The world seemed to disappear beneath her feet.

Rose stared at him.

Her mother closed her eyes.

The creature smiled.

And somewhere deep inside Rose's chest, something answered.

A howl.

Not from outside.

From within her.