Chapter 2 Do You Really Think It Was Sent to the Wrong Person

Liora's POV "It does surprise me, Miss... What? Whatever. I didn't expect you to spend your off-hours trolling to get clients." Ethan's tone was sharp and needling. He was being deliberately cold and impatient to make Olivia squirm. I wanted to stop him. It wasn't exactly gentlemanly. But then, that photo flashed in my mind, and I kept my mouth shut. I couldn't pretend that photo didn't get to me. Silence hummed on the other end of the line. It lasted only a few seconds, yet my heart slammed against my ribs. I held my breath and waited for her answer. At last, a flustered voice came through, panicked and stammering. "Captain Doyle, I... I'm really sorry. It was my fault. Those messages were meant for my boyfriend. You both have the same name. I must have sent it to the wrong person." Ethan gave a short snort, his expression cold and detached. I had never seen him look so merciless before. He ignored her flustered tone and warned, "Don't even try to upset my wife again. If you do, you're off my squad!" He hung up without waiting for a reply. The instant he looked at me again, the cold edge was gone. He softened into the man I knew, his gaze warm and pleading. He always said his gentleness was reserved for me, and he proved it. He slid his arms around me again, his voice coaxing. "Lio, believe in me, will you? I'm loyal to you. She's just a member of my patrol team. It hurts that you'd doubt me over a text. "You'd better make it up to me tonight. It's been a month since we've touched each other. I miss you. Do you want me to show you just how much?" He nuzzled my nose, our breaths tangling. He kissed the corner of my mouth. His hand slipped from my waist to my hip. Something hot pressed against my back. I felt it, and heat pricked my skin. I tightened my grip on his shoulders and pushed him away. Even if the story sounded like a simple mix-up, something in me still snagged. Was it really a mistake? She just sent it to the wrong person? I couldn't shake the feeling it wasn't that simple. My gut said I was missing something. Maybe that photo had rattled me too much to act like nothing had happened. "Sorry, Ethan. I'm tired tonight. Another time, okay?" He studied my face for a long beat, as if testing whether I meant it. When he realized I did, he sighed and pressed a goodnight kiss to my forehead. "Alright, Lio. Get some rest. I'll go finish some paperwork." "Don't stay up too late." I waved him off, stretched out on the bed, and closed my eyes, forcing the cursed photo out of my mind. Ethan switched off the light as he left. At some point, I drifted under. ... Sometime after midnight, a crack of thunder yanked me out of sleep. Rain hammered the windows. My heart pounded wildly as a stabbing headache split behind my eyes. Cold sweat drenched my forehead, dripping down as I swiped it away with a trembling hand. Maybe it was the photo. Or maybe it was something else. I had been trapped in nightmares all night. In the dream, Ethan held Olivia's hand with one hand and a little boy's with the other. The boy looked about three years old, with blond hair and light brown eyes exactly like Ethan's. Ethan looked down at me, cold and impatient. "I already told you, Liora. I don't love you. I have a wife and a son now. Leave the Frostmane pack, or I'll have you expelled!" He walked away with them. I chased him, crying, but no matter how far I reached, I couldn't catch up. Panic and grief surged. I grabbed for Ethan's side of the bed on instinct and found it cold, as if no one had slept there. My heart kicked hard. Where was Ethan? In this storm, where could he have gone? I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. It was already 4:00 am. Notifications began to flood the screen. "Do you really think it was sent to the wrong person?" "Ethan's not with you, right? The storm's terrible tonight, and the thunder's so loud. I was scared, so he came to keep me company." The last message had arrived ten minutes ago. "Don't you want to know how he's comforting me? Come to the Hollowpine Suites, Room 408. I've left the door unlocked." "Will you come? I'm curious."