Kael’s POV.
The first thing I was aware of was the pounding in my head-a dull, insistent throb that seemed to echo with every beat of my heart. The second thing was the scent lingering in the room: whiskey, faint traces of perfume, and something else I couldn’t quite place but knew all too well.
I groaned, rubbing a hand over my face as I tried to push myself upright. The sheets tangled around me like a trap, and for a moment, I considered just sinking back into the warmth of the bed. But then I heard it-the sharp knock at the door.
My heart sank.
“Kael!” Zander’s voice was muffled but unmistakable, firm and commanding as always.
I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was barely seven in the morning. What the hell was he doing here?
Another knock, louder this time, shaking me out of my haze. My gaze darted around the room, taking in the chaos I had so carelessly left behind. The whiskey glasses on the table, the red dress draped over the couch, the black lace underwear sitting beside it. My mouth tightened into a grim line.
This was bad.
“Kael!” Zander’s voice rang out again, sharper now, irritation clear.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, throwing the sheets off and swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My body protested the sudden movement, but I ignored it. The last thing I needed was Zander storming in here and finding…
The sound of the shower running in the bathroom made my stomach twist. Of course. She was still here.
I barely had time to think before the door creaked open, and Zander stepped into the suite.
“Kael, what the hell is-” His words cut off as he took in the scene before him. His sharp eyes darted to the couch, the dress, the underwear, and then to me, sitting disheveled on the bed. His expression hardened, his jaw tightening as the pieces clicked together in his mind.
“Care to explain?” he said, his tone low and dangerous.
I forced myself to meet his gaze, keeping my expression as neutral as possible. “It’s not what it looks like,” I said, though even I didn’t believe the words.
Zander arched a brow, his disbelief evident. “Really? Because it looks like you decided to have one last fling before the mating ceremony. Am I wrong?”
I clenched my jaw, annoyance bubbling beneath the surface. Leave it to Zander to immediately assume the worst of me. Not that he was entirely wrong, but still.
“Look,” I said, standing up and grabbing a shirt from the chair nearby. “This isn’t what you think. It’s for Aria.”
That got his attention. His eyes narrowed, his posture stiffening as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Aria?” he repeated, his tone sharp.
“Yes, Aria,” I said, pulling the shirt over my head and straightening it. “She came by last night. We had a drink, talked about… things. The dress and everything else-it’s hers.”
The lie slipped from my lips easily, smooth and practiced, but Zander’s piercing gaze made my skin prickle. He didn’t speak for a long moment, just studied me with that infuriatingly calculating expression of his.
“She’s in the shower,” I added, nodding toward the bathroom. “If you don’t believe me, wait and see for yourself. But I’d rather you didn’t.” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “You know how uncomfortable this situation would make her. She’s already struggling with this arrangement. Don’t make it worse by barging in here and making assumptions.”
Zander’s lips pressed into a thin line, his dark eyes flicking toward the bathroom door. For a moment, I thought he was going to ignore me and push his way in. But then he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“You’re unbelievable,” he muttered, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His voice was low, but the frustration behind it was impossible to miss. He looked at me like I was the biggest disappointment he’d ever encountered, like I was incapable of making a single good decision in my life.
I forced a smirk onto my lips, leaning casually back against the bedpost as if his words didn’t sting. “I’ve been told,” I replied, my tone light, though deep down, I could feel the tension crawling under my skin. It wasn’t the first time Zander had said something like that to me, and it probably wouldn’t be the last.
“Don’t,” he snapped, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. His tone was sharp, almost angry, and his eyes burned with a kind of intensity that could make anyone uncomfortable. “Don’t make this a joke, Kael. You’re playing with fire here, and you don’t even seem to care. If Aria really is in that shower, then what you’ve done here proves one thing-you have no respect for her or for this entire ceremony. And if she’s not…” He trailed off, his jaw tightening, a dark, dangerous look settling over his face.
“She is,” I said quickly, cutting him off before he could spiral further. My voice was steady, calm, even though my heart was racing. “Zander, I’m not an idiot. I know exactly what’s at stake here. Do you really think I’d risk everything-my future, this ceremony, my position-for something like this?” I gestured vaguely to the mess around the room, hoping it looked convincing enough to support my lie.
He didn’t respond at first, just stared at me with that intense, calculating gaze of his. His jaw worked, his lips pressed into a tight line as if he was trying to decide whether to believe me or not. The silence stretched between us, heavy and uncomfortable, until finally, he let out a low growl of frustration, shaking his head as he turned toward the door.
“Fine,” he said at last, his voice tight and clipped. His hand gripped the doorknob, but he didn’t leave immediately. Instead, he turned back to me, his dark eyes narrowing. “But clean this up, Kael. If anyone else sees this-if *she* sees it-you’ll have more than me to answer to. Do you understand me?” His words were sharp, a warning that left no room for debate.
I nodded, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. “Understood,” I said simply, my tone calm and collected, though my mind was already racing.
Zander gave me one last hard look, his eyes flicking briefly toward the bathroom door before he stepped out of the suite. The door clicked shut behind him, the sound echoing in the now-quiet room.
The moment he was gone, I let out a long breath, the tension in my chest finally easing. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the lingering nerves. That had been way too close. Zander had almost caught me, and if he had… No, I couldn’t let myself think about that.
The sound of the shower turning off pulled me back to the present, reminding me I wasn’t alone. A few seconds later, the bathroom door opened, and she stepped out. Her long hair was damp and curling slightly at the ends, water droplets clinging to her skin. She had a towel wrapped around her body, her steps light and unbothered as she padded across the room.
“Who was that?” she asked casually, her voice soft with curiosity but entirely unconcerned. She didn’t even glance at the mess around her, as if chaos was just a normal part of her mornings.
“No one,” I replied quickly, my tone sharp as I grabbed the red dress from the couch and tossed it toward her. “Get dressed. You need to leave.” My words were clipped, and I didn’t bother softening them. The sooner she was gone, the better.
She caught the dress easily, one brow arching as she gave me a teasing look. A playful smirk tugged at her lips, making it clear she wasn’t taking me seriously. “Oh, so we’re done now?” she said, her voice dripping with mock hurt. “No breakfast? No morning cuddles? You’re kicking me out already?”
“Not today,” I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument. “Just go.” I turned away from her, focusing on tidying up the mess Zander had seen.
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue, slipping into the red dress with ease. She grabbed her heels and bag, gathering her things quickly. As she walked to the door, she paused, turning back to me with a sly smile that made my stomach twist with irritation and unease.
“Whoever Aria is,” she said, her voice teasing, “she’s a lucky girl.” There was a hint of amusement in her tone, but her words felt like they carried more weight than she intended.
I didn’t respond, didn’t even look at her. I just walked to the door, opened it, and watched as she stepped into the hall. Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she walked away, her head held high. She didn’t look back, and I didn’t wait to see her disappear. I closed the door firmly, leaning against it with a heavy sigh.
The room was quiet again, but the weight of everything that had just happened lingered heavily in the air. My chest felt tight, my thoughts spinning as I considered the mess I had just created.
Zander thought he knew what kind of person I was. He thought Aria was just like every other girl who had fallen for my charm, every other girl who had given herself to me without hesitation. But he didn’t know her-not even close.
And no matter how much he thought he knew me, he sure as hell didn’t.