Ella
The instant the Darius estate’s grand doors swung open, my senses went on high alert.
The scent of polished wood, crisp linen, and faint traces of winterberry oil hit me first, but underneath it all, I could feel the subtle, unmistakable hum of Alpha energy.
The Darius family wasn’t just influential; they were a pack in the truest sense.
Every member carried it in their posture, in the air they occupied. And they could smell my heartbeat from a mile away if they wanted to.
Darling purred softly in my arms, curling her tiny body against my chest.
I held her like a shield, like she was a talisman warding off the subtle tension rolling off the family.
The little cat had survived being abandoned, surviving on scraps and luck, and now she was back with me.
I wasn’t about to l
