Chapter 188
Chapter 188:
I stared him down, my dormant wild rose scent blooming into a cold, unyielding shield. “Stability is the precursor to death, Alpha Henderson. A stagnant Pack is just a meal for a hungrier rival p>
I ignored his shocked sputtering and pressed the intercom on the massive oak table. “Send in Ms. Golden p>
Carmella Golden walked into the chamber with flawless posture. She was striking, her dark hair cascading over a tailored suit. But as she handed me her portfolio, a strange, inexplicable ripple tore through my chest. Beneath her expensive human perfume, I caught the faintest trace of a scent — rosemary and rain.
It carried a profound, hidden sorrow that made my dormant Inner Wolf whimper in sudden, instinctual recognition. I didn’t know why, but something deep in my soul demanded I keep her close.
“You’re hired, Carmella,” I stated, silencing the entire room.
When I returned to the penthouse that evening, the heavy mahogany doors slid open to reveal a chaotic spread of yellow Lego bricks across the Persian rug.
Kain sat on the floor beside Jaxon. The moment I stepped inside, his jaw clenched. His storm-gray eyes dropped immediately back to the plastic bricks, his defensive walls slamming into place. The air grew so thick with his suppressed tension I could barely breathe.
Jaxon, however, looked up. His bright eyes widened behind his glasses. He trotted over to me, his little nose twitching as he inhaled deeply.
“Auntie Adelina,” Jaxon announced, his innocent voice echoing through the dead silent room. “You smell like Uncle Kain’s den when he’s not angry p>
𝖢𝗁𝘪nе𝘀е 𝗇𝗼𝗏e𝗅s 𝘵r𝖺𝗇𝗌𝘭𝗮𝘁𝖾𝗱 o𝘯
The words landed like a lightning bolt.
Kain’s entire massive frame froze. A sharp crack split the air as the plastic Lego brick in his hand shattered under his sudden, crushing grip. I stared at him, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs, watching the tips of his ears turn a dark, furious red. The terrifying Lycan King had been completely undone by a child.
“Pizza is here, Jaxon,” Kain growled abruptly, his voice rougher than usual as he stood up, avoiding my gaze entirely. “Go eat p>
He retreated to the kitchen, leaving the shattered plastic on the rug. The conflict between us remained unresolved, but as I stared at the empty space he left behind, the undeniable truth of our bond vibrated in the air — impossible, any longer, to ignore.
Adelina POV
Saturday morning arrived with the warmth of a graveyard. The penthouse den at Blackstone Tower was suffocating.
After Jaxon’s innocent comment the night before — exposing the undeniable truth of our mixed scents — Kain had retreated entirely. His ancient cedar scent now carried a biting, oppressive frost that coated the back of my throat. He was punishing me for the Blood Ring incident, yes, but he was also fighting his own inner beast. He had locked himself in his study, claiming an emergency conference call, effectively sealing himself away in a fortress of his own pride.
I couldn’t breathe in that apartment anymore. The silence was too loud.
“Come on, Jax,” I said, grabbing my coat and forcing a smile. “Let’s go to Columbus Circle and get you a brand new Lego set p>