Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Her eyebrows lifted. “Really? How did you two even know each other?”
“We went to the same school,” I said, keeping my tone deliberately casual. I didn’t want to delve too deeply into our past, not here, not tonight.
But you weren’t in the same rank or even the same field. How’d you meet?” Jane’s curiosity was unrelenting.
Zoe smirked, cutting in. “Isn’t it obvious?”
I rolled my eyes, hoping he’d drop it, but his grin told me he wasn’t about to let the matter
- go.
Nick cleared his throat, his expression suddenly serious. “We’ve decided you’ll be assisting Ethan with his work for a while, Claire. There have been some strange cases of werewolf deaths recently. I’ve already spoken to your chairman about it.”
I felt a chill run through me, both from the mention of Ethan and from the knowledge of what these new assignments entailed. The organization I worked for, Halix Club, was comprised mostly of rogues, managed sometimes jointly by Laiden Pack and K.T. Pack.
I shot Ethan a look, only to find him deliberately avoiding my gaze. Oh, I just knew he was behind this. My chairman, practically the devil incarnate, would tear me apart if I refused. I cursed silently, forcing a polite smile as I responded. “Great. I’m so glad you remembered to inform me. Thrilled, really.”
Nick seemed pleased, as if he hadn’t heard the sarcasm in my voice. “Alpha Ethan’s skills in criminal investigation surpass all other Alphas. I believe you two will make a great team and surprise us all.”
I held my smile for the remainder of the event, playing the role of the dutiful sidekick. Lost in thought, I suddenly felt a cold, sharp gaze fixed on me. Startled, I looked up and found myself caught in Ethan’s intense stare, his profile highlighted by the dim lighting of the room. He still wore that earring–the one I’d noticed earlier. It looked almost dull now, as if reflecting something quieter, more introspective.
Theil, he spoke, his voice cutting through the murmur of voices around us. “Come to fny place tonight.”
My hand jerked, nearly spilling my drink.
“You’re leaving?” Jane asked, sidling closer to Ethan, her face hopeful.
He didn’t spare her a glance, “Yes, I’m leaving with Claire.”
Jine’s face fell, her expression clouded with obvious reluctance, but Zoe quickly pulled her away with a reassuring smile. As I turned to leave, I couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped me, relieved that Jane wouldn’t be joining us. Ethan was still as infuriatingly
possessive as ever.
Once we were alone in his car, the atmosphere turned heavy, tension pressing down in the silence. I fidgeted with the soft fur on the seat, trying to distract myself. Nick’s car drove by, and he shot me a thumbs up. I clenched my hands, barely resisting the urge to poke a hole in the leather. I hated this car. It had been the very one that had escorted me to hell once, and now it was taking me to a new one–Ethan’s home.
Ethan’s car was unusually modest for him, a sleek Benz, far from the Lamborghinis and Ferraris he used to flaunt. And there was no trace of the Bugatti he’d gifted Vanessa…on my birthday, no less. My lips thinned at the memory; all I’d received that day was…nothing.
I turned to him, suddenly struck by how different he seemed. According to Zoe, he’d changed into a workaholic, dedicating his days to managing the pack and assisting other Alphas. Yet the familiar flicker in his gaze hinted that part of him hadn’t changed at all.
As we neared his home, I felt a small wave of relief that it wasn’t our old place. That would have been too much. I reminded myself silently, almost like a mantra: Grab the work files and leave. No lingering
“Ouch…” I muttered, bumping into Ethan when he stopped suddenly in front of me. He turned, giving me an exasperated look.
“Watch where you’re going,” he muttered, his voice gruff.
I rubbed my forehead, annoyed. “Clearly, you stopped too suddenly.”
He didn’t respond, simply turning and walking away, but I noticed the subtle twitch at the
Chapter 24
corner of his mouth, as if he were suppressing a smile. I followed, feeling irritation flare in
my chest.
My shoe caught on the edge of a step, and I stumbled, instinctively reaching out to grab Ethan’s arm. He caught me, his hands steady as they held me upright, and suddenly, I was pressed against him, close enough to feel his heartbeat.
Time seemed to stop. The space between us was charged, filled with a pull that neither of us could deny. His gaze softened, his eyes darkening as they swept over my face, lingering on my lips. I felt my own pulse race, every nerve alert to his touch. A fierce, almost desperate urge to stay there, to hold him close, gripped me.
He stared back, his breath catching. The intensity in his gaze held me captive, like an invisible hand forcing us to look at each other, acknowledge each other. Before I could process what was happening, he leaned in, his arm wrapping around my neck as he pulled me closer, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that sent sparks through my entire body.
12 45
