Chapter 74

Emily’s PUV

I crossed my arms over my chest. “ Alright then. Educate ine. ”

Jessie’s smile was a little too bright, a little too satisfied. “ Rule number one, ” she said, leaning in until our oreheads almost touched.

“ Never give him everything at once. ”

I rolled my eyes. “ Seriously? That’s your big secret? ”

“ Completely serious, ” Poppy cut in. “ Alphas are hunters. It’s in their blood. If the prize just falls into their lap

vithout a fight … they get bored. Fast. ”

“ I’m not a prize, ” I muttered, the word tasting bitter.

“ Of course you aren’t, ” Poppy said softly. “ But his wolf doesn’t know that. To him, everything is a chase. ”

I felt a small shiver of realization crawl up my spine. “ So, what am I supposed to do? ”

Jessie held up a finger, her eyes gleaming. “ Tease him. ”

I let out a dry laugh. “ Are you for real right now? ”

“ More than ever. ”

Poppy leaned back, watching me closely. “ Make him feel like he’s inches away from having you. Let him smell

victory. ”

She paused, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

“ And then take a step back. ”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “ That’s cruel. ”

“ No, ” Jessie said, her voice perfectly calm. “ That’s how you stay in control. ”

I looked from Jessie to Poppy, my mind racing. It was a dangerous game to play with a man like Nathan. One vrong move and the hunter might decide to stop playing nice.

What if I pushed him too far?

The next morning, the car glided over the uneven road, the tires crunching against gravel. Outside, the trees > ressed closer together, turning into a wall of deep green and tangled shadows. The air felt heavier here, smelling of damp earth and pine.

Nathan’s hands were tight on the steering wheel. He hadn’t said a word since we left the main territory.

5:57 pm

“ You’re wound up, ” Lsaid, watching the way his jaw stayed locked.

He didn’t look at me for a long time. “ My father left, ” he finally said.

I shifted in my seat to face him. “ Left? Where? ”

“ To another pack. It was sudden. ” He shifted gears, his movements sharp and restless.

There was a strange edge to his voice. It wasn’t just stress; it was something he was keeping buried under that cold Alpha mask.

“ Is this about the rogues? ” I asked.

“ Everything is about them lately. ”

The car was quiet for the next few miles. I wanted to ask what he meant by “ urgent, ” but the trees suddenly > pened up.

A lake appeared. The water looked like dark glass in the fading light. Right on the shore sat the cabin. It looked onely against the huge lake – a perfect place to hide, or a perfect place to get trapped.

I wasn’t expecting this. It wasn’t just a house. It was modern, built with sharp lines and heavy stone, with huge

windows facing the water.

“ Where is everyone? ” I asked, looking at the empty woods. “ Where is the guard? ”

“ They’re around the perimeter, ” Nathan said, not looking at me. “ I told them to stay out of sight, but don’t worry.

There are plenty of them. ”

We went inside just long enough to drop our bags. The cabin was small but open, with only two bedrooms and a arge living area dominated by a stone fireplace. It smelled like cedar and expensive leather.

But we didn’t stay to unpack. Nathan had other plans.

He led me to a grassy spot behind the house. He threw his jacket onto a stump. His black T – shirt was tight across is shoulders, showing every muscle. He looked restless.

“ The rogues won’t wait for you to be ready, ” he said, turning to me. Out here in the wild woods, he looked langerous. “ Show me your stance. ”

I planted my feet, trying to remember everything from the grueling sessions back at the pack house.

“ Get lower, ” he said, walking around me. “ If your center of gravity is too high, you’re an easy target. ”

He moved before I could blink. It wasn’t a full attack, just a flash of movement to test me.

I felt a rush of air as he swung past. I dropped down, my shoes skidding in the dirt. He cleared the space where my head had been a second ago.

“ Better, ” he grunted, stopping just inches behind me. I could feel the warmth radiating off his chest against my

back.

5:57 pm

པ་ ་

Again, ” he said, “ Don’t just wait. Guess my next muove. ”

I didn’t let him finish I dove forward, staying low to the ground. I put everything I had into the strike, my heart

thumping hard in my chest.

He didn’t move an inch. He just reached out and grabbed my wrist. His grip was solid. Before I could react, he twisted his body, using my own force to throw me off balance.

Everything blurred. One second I was standing, the next I was looking at the sky.

I slammed into the grass, the breath knocked out of me. I tried to move, but Nathan was already there. He pinned ne down, his heavy, warm body pressing me into the earth.

He was too close. Every sense I had was screaming. I could smell the forest on his skin- pine needles and cold rain -and feel the steady, powerful thud of his heart through his shirt.

“ You’re distracted, ” he said, his voice dropping to a rough whisper that vibrated in my chest.

I couldn’t find the words to argue. He was right. My mind wasn’t on the training anymore; it was on the way his high felt pressed against mine and the dark intensity in his eyes.

“ In a real fight, you’d be dead by now, ” he added, his gaze dropping to my lips for a split second before locking

back onto mine.

I gritted my teeth, a spark of defiance flaring up. “ Then don’t let me lose. Teach me better. ”

He went completely still. The world around us seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of our breathing and he electric tension humming between us.

I remembered what Jessie had told me. Tease him.

I didn’t try to push him off. Instead, I shifted beneath him, a slow, deliberate movement that brought us even: loser. I wanted to see if I could rattle him as much as he rattled me.

The reaction was instant. His muscles locked tight, and a low, guttural growl started deep in his throat – a sound hat wasn’t human at all.

Nathan took a sharp, jagged breath. “ Emily … ”

I let a slow smile touch my lips. “ What? ”

Before I could say anything else, the pressure was gone. He let go so fast it felt like he’d been burned. He scrambled back, putting distance between us as if he was suddenly afraid of what he might do if he stayed a second longer.

“ Break, ” he snapped, his back to me. “ We’re done for now. ”

I stayed on the grass, my lungs burning. My heart was slamming against my ribs, a frantic, heavy rhythm that had nothing to do with the fall or the fight.

: 57 pm

“ Go take a shower, ” he said.

Next Chapter

Chapter 75

Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.