Chapter 39

Silvia I bent down to pick up Alpha Sherman's suit jacket and tie that he'd casually draped over the back of the sofa. The expensive fabric still held his warmth, sending a pleasant tingle through my fingertips. As I folded it neatly over my arm, I couldn't resist breathing in the lingering scent—rich rum mingled with his unique male musk. "He smells so good," Keal said excitedly. "Like home and safety and... ours." "Shut up, Keal." I interrupted her incessant chatter. I pushed the thought away, still not entirely comfortable with how quickly my wolf had accepted our arrangement with the Nightfang Alpha. This was business—a contract—not a true mate bond, despite what we were pretending. After turning off the lights downstairs, I climbed the old wooden staircase, each step creaking beneath my feet as if whispering stories from years past. The familiar sounds brought a bittersweet comfort—I'd grown up hearing these same squeaks and groans every night. When I reached the second-floor land