Chapter 3

Sylvia's POV The atmosphere in the luxury Maybach was thick with tension as we drove through the moonlit streets of Howling Peaks. Morgana, normally chatty and bold, sat rigid in her seat, not daring to utter a single word in the presence of her Alpha. Despite being Caesar's pack member, the power difference between them was palpable—she clearly held a healthy dose of reverence for the Alpha king. My attention drifted to Caesar's wrist, where an old, worn wolf-fang bracelet hung incongruously against his otherwise immaculate appearance. Something about it seemed strangely familiar, tugging at the edges of my memory, but the whiskey's pleasant haze made it difficult to place. My mind wandered back to the first time I'd encountered Caesar Conrad years ago. The memory was sharp despite the alcohol—his commanding presence, the way other Alphas deferred to him, how my teenage heart had hammered embarrassingly in my chest, a flutter that hadn't faded, only deepened with the sharpened intensity of his presence now. Now, years later, he remained just as devastating, his beauty almost cruel in its perfection. We dropped Morgana off first, her house being closer. She shot me a meaningful glance before hurrying inside, leaving me alone with the most powerful Alpha in America. "Planning to stay in Howling Peaks?" Caesar's deep voice broke the silence, his tone deliberately casual as he pulled away from the curb. Though Howling Peaks was Frostfang territory, it ultimately fell under his jurisdiction as Supreme Alpha. His question about my return was perfectly reasonable. "Yes," I answered simply, my fingers twisting nervously in my lap as I fought not to squirm under the weight of his unspoken questions. I waited for him to press further, to question my intentions or my Alpha mother's plans, but he fell silent again. The powerful air conditioning and the rhythm of the car lulled me into a drowsy state, the silence stretching thick enough to taste, amplifying the erratic thud of my heartbeat, and before I knew it, I had drifted off. "Sylvia, wake up." The low rumble of Caesar's voice pulled me from sleep. I opened my eyes to find him leaning into the car, the door already open. His face was inches from mine, those penetrating eyes studying me intently. The moonlight cast sharp shadows across his aristocratic features, every line of his face searing itself into my addled brain. "...Caesar?" My voice came out husky with sleep and lingering alcohol, my breath catching at the proximity. He had opened my door and was half-leaning into the car, his broad shoulders blocking the exit. The crisp scent of pine needles emanated from him, enveloping me completely. My wolf responded with immediate, overwhelming hunger——a primal reaction I couldn't suppress, even as my rational mind screamed how dangerous this was. The cost of pretending to be an omega for three years had been steep. I'd suppressed my wolf so thoroughly that I'd been incapable of forming a complete bond, a sacrifice that now left me adrift, uncertain if what remained between us could ever be whole. Yet fate had other plans, bringing us together again. But that glance just now—maybe it was just a trick of the light. And would Caesar even truly recognize me, after years of hiding who I really was, of smothering the very part of me that would call to his? "You're beautiful," I murmured, a smile playing on my lips. The whiskey emboldened me, a reckless impulse surging through me to bridge the distance, consequences be damned. I reached up and hooked my arm around his neck, pulling him closer. "Want to fuck me?" I asked, drawing out the words with deliberate provocation. Caesar seemed momentarily stunned. He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his voice carefully controlled. "You're drunk." "Not that drunk," I countered. I was intoxicated enough to be honest but sober enough to know what I wanted. Memories of the past three years flashed through my mind—pretending to be something I wasn't for Zane, the lost wager that would now bind me to Frostfang Pack leadership, the arranged mating that would surely follow. This might be my last chance at true freedom before duty consumed me. "Caesar," I said, leaning closer until my red hair brushed against his face, "don't you want me?" The tension between us built like an approaching storm. Then, without warning, his cool lips pressed against mine. His strong hands gripped my waist as our breaths mingled. "Don't regret this later, Sylvia," he growled against my mouth, gently biting my tongue in a gesture of dominance that sent electricity down my spine. The heat between us intensified rapidly. I caught my own reflection in his dark eyes—flushed, wanting, surrendering. Our kiss deepened, grew hungrier. The car suddenly felt too small, too confining for what we both clearly needed. We barely made it into my hotel room before Caesar pinned me against the wall, his mouth devouring mine. My wolf howled with triumph as his hands explored my body, claiming every inch. The bond between us—the True Mate bond I'd never expected to find—flared to life, magnifying every sensation. "I've waited years for this," he growled, his voice rough with desire as he tore my dress away like tissue paper. My nails raked down his back, drawing blood as he lifted me, wrapping my legs around his waist. The feeling of his hard body against mine was intoxicating, perfect. "Caesar," I gasped as his mouth found my neck, teeth grazing the sensitive spot where a mating bite would go. When his fingers slid between my thighs, I nearly came undone immediately. The mate bond amplified everything—every touch, every sensation was magnified tenfold. I was soaked for him, my body recognizing what my mind had denied for so long. "You're mine," he growled possessively. "You've always been mine." We tumbled onto the bed, a tangle of limbs and desperate need. Caesar's skills as a lover were as legendary as his power—deliberate, commanding, attentive to every response. When he finally entered me, the pleasure was so intense I cried out, digging my fingers into his shoulders. "Look at me," he demanded, and I obeyed, meeting his intense gaze. The connection between us was electric, primal. My wolf surrendered completely to him—not out of weakness, but recognition. This was what I'd never found with Zane, what I'd never even known to look for. With each powerful thrust, Caesar drove me higher, the mate bond between us singing with completion. Wave after wave of pleasure crashed through me, more intense than anything I'd ever experienced. My body convulsed around him, drawing him deeper. Caesar's eyes flashed with his wolf as he claimed me completely, his release triggering another explosive climax of my own. As we lay tangled in the sheets afterward, his arms wrapped possessively around me, I realized with startling clarity—I'd spent three years chasing the wrong wolf. My True Mate had been watching, waiting all along. "How long have you known?" I asked, tracing the lines of his chest with my fingertips. Caesar's hand stroked my hair, a possessiveness in his touch that my wolf adored. "Since the first moment I saw you at your father's funeral. You were seventeen, fierce and beautiful, challenging everyone with your eyes." His voice deepened. "But you were too young then. I decided to wait." "And then I went after Zane," I murmured, understanding dawning. His arms tightened around me. "I've never wanted to kill another Alpha so badly in my life," he admitted, a dangerous edge to his voice. "But I respected your choice. I thought you'd eventually realize he wasn't your mate." I looked up at him, seeing both man and wolf in those predatory eyes. "And if I hadn't?" "I would have waited forever," he said simply. "But now you're mine, Sylvia Frost." His hands slid down my back possessively. "And I don't share what's mine."