I lay in bed, staring at the faint patch of light drifting across the ceiling, unable to settle down. I had to admit, my heartbeat got a little out of control for a while. Hebert wasn't just an Alpha. He was young, wealthy, ridiculously good-looking, and yes, he could whip up blueberry pancakes for me in the middle of the night. But that's all it was—just a momentary feeling. It was like admiring some fancy jewelry in a*****e window—something you pause to look at, something you appreciate, but absolutely something you'd never take home. Because I knew the price. Brian had made promises too—sweet, sugary promises that turned out to be poison, leaving me completely broken in the end. I won't make the same mistake twice. I rested my hand on my stomach, where a new life was

