Chapter 0010

The moment Alpha Adrian started moving toward the bar, I bolted for the dance floor. Just then, the DJ blasted Who Runs the World—dedicated to me. My pack warriors erupted in cheers. Little traitors. They were clearly trying to embarrass me. Joke’s on them. I owned that song alongside every fierce female warrior in the room. Genevieve and I led the charge, radiating pure attitude until the last beat. Then, like the queens we were, we howled our dominance to every male in earshot.

When I glanced up, Sebastian was watching me with that smoldering gaze. Goddess help me. Thank the stars for dark-wash jeans because the heat pooling between my thighs was undeniable.

I danced through two more upbeat tracks, acutely aware of Sebastian waiting for a slow song. The second the tempo dropped, he was on his way. The crowd parted for him like he was royalty. My breath hitched as those sage-green eyes locked onto mine—lighter than my own but burning with an intensity that sent my pulse racing.

His hands slid to my hips, pulling me flush against him as he buried his nose in my neck. "Hello, beautiful," he murmured against my ear, his breath hot. "Still saving yourself for me?" A purr escaped before I could stop it. "You know I'm waiting for my mate."

He leaned back just enough to smirk at me. "Exactly. Saving yourself for me." Cocky Alpha.

I melted into his arms, drowning in his scent—woodsmoke and something uniquely Sebastian. His strength, his humor, the way his body moved against mine... Everything about him was intoxicating.

"You look fucking stunning tonight," he growled, lips brushing my ear. "Did you wear this for me?" I tilted my head, flashing him a smirk. "Maybe."

A deep rumble vibrated through his chest, and damn if my lace thong wasn’t utterly useless now. He smirked, clearly noticing how my nipples pebbled against him. "Someone likes my growl."

"Perhaps," I teased, threading my fingers through his sandy blond curls. Short, because they turned wild when left unchecked. I scraped my nails lightly over his scalp, earning another possessive growl.

We swayed, oblivious to the music, lost in each other. His hard length pressed against me, and his grip tightened. "I love how you smell, Evelyn. But if you keep perfuming the air like this, I’ll have to drag you out of here. No one gets to scent your arousal but me."

I leaned up, lips grazing his ear. "Then maybe you should stop turning me on, Alpha."

The title triggered exactly what I wanted—a deeper, hungrier growl that shot straight to my core.

This was our dangerous game. I refused to lead him on, but something in my soul whispered he was my mate. And he knew my stance—I’d wait for fate. But he was a 24-year-old Alpha. Realistically, he wasn’t celibate. Yet if I asked him to wait? He would. That knowledge made the teasing even more delicious.

His growl had me dripping, and his nostrils flared. Without warning, he grabbed my hands and pulled me off the floor. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

Outside, winter air bit at my skin. Sebastian tucked me against his side. "Cold?"

"A little," I admitted. Werewolves handled chill better, but human forms had limits.

He lifted me into his Ford Raptor, draping his jacket over my legs. "Keep teasing me like that, mate or not, and you won’t leave my bed tonight." His gaze held mine, testing. When I didn’t rise to the bait, he kissed me quickly and shut the door.

The café was nearly empty. We slid into a booth, and Sebastian ordered steak while I opted for apple pie—knowing he’d steal half.

Then, out of nowhere, he took my hands. "Tell me your dreams, Evelyn."

Whoa. Heavy. I deflected with a smirk. "Romantic dinners. Beach walks. A man who dances and respects a strong woman."

His grin could’ve powered the sun. "Sounds like me."

When the waitress left, his expression turned serious. "I know you’re waiting for your mate. I respect that. But if it’s not me? I want you as my chosen mate." His voice dropped. "Even if you find him and hate him, I’m here. I’ll give you everything—respect, training, equality. Your strength doesn’t scare me; it turns me on. I’d protect our pups, but I know you’d gut anyone who threatened them." He squeezed my hands. "You’re it for me, Evelyn."

My throat tightened. "Sebastian, I..."

"Don’t answer. Just know I mean it."

The pie arrived, and I moaned around the first bite—cinnamon, apples, buttery crust. When I opened my eyes, Sebastian was frozen, steak halfway to his mouth. His eyes darkened. "One day," he growled, "I’ll be the reason you make those sounds. And I won’t stop until you’re screaming my name."

Heat flooded my cheeks.

Later, outside my door, he kissed me until my knees buckled. Selene pushed forward, purring to Dorian. His wolf’s gravelly voice replied, sparking a fresh wave of desire.

Sebastian pulled back, forehead against mine. "Dream of me, Evelyn."

As he drove away, a lone wolf howled in the distance.