"I've been searching for you." The door clicked shut, and Lucius emerged from the shadows.

An overwhelming desire swept over me as I took in the sight of Lucius, casually leaning against the door, his muscular arms folded across his chest, clad in a white shirt that accentuated his chiseled body.

"Now, why would you be looking for me?" My eyes traveled down his rolled-up sleeves, revealing his well-defined arms that left me feeling unsteady. "Am I truly so irresistible that you can't endure fifteen minutes without me?"

He scoffed. "Do you enjoy teasing me?"

"Teasing you?" I flashed a mischievous grin. "I'd never dream of it."

He pushed away from the door and closed the distance between us. "You'll come to regret teasing me."

I retreated slowly until the back of my knees made contact with the desk, and I lowered myself into a seated position, just as Lucius closed in on me. His imposing frame cast a shadow over mine, and he tilted his head slightly as his eyes raked over me.

A hint of a smirk attempted to break through his cool composure, acknowledging the power he held over me. Surprisingly, it was this very power that made me feel protected in his presence.

"And what do you intend to do with me, Lucius?" I let his name slide sensually off my tongue. "Perhaps you'd like to see me bent over this desk—"

"Don't finish that sentence." Lucius growled and moved closer, his leg slipping between mine, and he gently parted my knees. "Or I might be tempted."

"I'm not stopping you."

My heart thudded nervously, especially as his amber eyes smoldered with desire. His flirtatious behavior was unexpected, but I was enjoying it. It was easy flirting with him when he didn't know it was me.

"You're playing a dangerous game."

My breath caught when he leaned down to my eye level and firmly placed his hands on the desk, one on each side of me.

He studied my mask, examining my features with a focused intensity that sent a rush of warmth through my body. When our eyes finally locked, his broad smile made me feel a deep connection.

It was a simple moment, but it ignited a powerful mix of emotions inside me, leaving me eager for more...

"Hello, Nate."

My heart pounded so intently I feared it might burst out of my chest.

"Shit!"

I wriggled beneath his hold, attempting to escape his dominating presence. I wasn't prepared for this – for him to recognize me.

I froze when his free hand reached up and he threaded his fingers through my hair, gradually loosening the ribbons of my mask. He delicately removed it, allowing my black hair to tumble down around my face.

I felt naked without the mask, and I instinctively pulled back from his intense gaze, anticipating the teasing that would follow. The reason I had concealed my identity was because I was afraid of how he would react when he eventually discovered the truth.

"What happened to that sassy mouth of yours?" He spun the mask in his hand before setting it on the desk.

"Say what you need to say then leave," I snarled at him.

"Don't be like that." He leaned closer. "I just want to discuss our situation."

"We're mates, what else is there to discuss?"

I regarded him with suspicion; his demeanor had shifted since our last encounter. He was no longer tense, and a glimmer of confidence now danced in his amber eyes.

"What if I were to say I'm open to exploring our mated connection."

Lucius Nightshade was interested in me. A flicker of desire surged within me, but I knew not to get too carried away. I held a deep-seated suspicion about his sudden change of heart regarding our newly formed bond.

I thought he hated me. Was he playing with my emotions?

"I thought you said I wasn't your mate?"

"That was before I realized it was you." His smile broadened.

What did he mean by that?

I inclined my head to the side, still suspicious as he placed his hands on the table on either side of me and leaned down to match my height once more.

"When I heard– No, when I felt your pained howl, my wolf went crazy wanting to find and protect you. And when I saw Donavan attacking you, I almost lost it. I didn't understand why I would want to save a wolf I didn't know. Until I figured out it was you, and it all made sense."

In the dimly lit office, the air was thick with anticipation. Lucius was just inches away from me, our faces so close that I could feel the warmth of his breath.

"I must confess, I've always hated other wolves touching you because you are mine," his growl became possessive. "I want to..." Lucius was staring at me intently, his amber eyes swirling with emotions, drifting down to my lips. "Now that we're finally mates, I so desperately want to kiss you."

I realized at that moment he was dead serious about us, and it wasn't a mere tease. I took a sharp breath as his warm hand wrapped around my neck, delicately tilting my head to the side.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do this to you," he husked.

My eyes fluttered closed, savoring his sensual touch as he leaned in and deeply inhaled my scent.

"You smell amazing," he whispered against my neck, his lips grazing against my skin.

At that moment, I craved him. The influence of the fated bond was unmistakable, but I was still confused about the whirlwind of emotions between us. Everything was unfolding at an overwhelming pace.

Deep down I wanted this. Yet I knew it was a forbidden path we couldn't tread.

There was too much fighting against us. The packs we represented were sworn enemies. Accepting Lucius as my mate meant defying centuries of animosity between our packs.

Even if I was banished, I was still from Silver Moon. I couldn't be with Black Wood's alpha. The Elders would never consent to our union. This could never work; it was bound to end in disaster.

Yet, if fate would have it, we were destined to be together.

My heart quickened with uncertainty. I could feel the magnetic pull, the palpable chemistry that had been simmering beneath the surface—a longing for something more in my life.

But I wasn't ready, not until we were both willing and our inner wolves weren't dictating our actions. With a weighty heart and a sigh of resignation, I made the difficult choice to resist the allure of our mated bond.

"We can't."

The moonlight streamed through the window, casting an ethereal glow across Lucius's face, dark and brooding as a deep, rumbling growl resonated from the depths of his throat in frustration.

"I don't understand." I placed my hand against his chest and gently pushed him away from me and he stepped back. "You have always hated me and now you want me because we're suddenly mates."

The tables had turned and now I was the apprehensive one.

"I never hated you–"

"Your behavior towards me over the years says otherwise." I lowered my hands from his chest. "I can't possibly believe you're happy about this situation."

"I've had feelings for you from the moment I first met you. But I have dangerous enemies who want me dead and who would use you against me. I was trying to protect you by scaring you away from me, but all it did was make me like you more when you stood your ground and fought back against me. I can't deny it any longer, and the mated bond we share proves we are meant to be. I like you very much, Nate."

I froze, unable to speak as I tried to gather my thoughts, I wasn't expecting such a confession from him.

"Say something, please." He looked helpless.

I swallowed nervously not knowing what to say. On one hand, there was a glimmer of hope, a hint of the possibility for something beautiful to emerge from our past, to finally unite our packs and end the feud.

On the other hand, I couldn't easily forget the years of pain and humiliation I had endured at Lucius's hands. The wounds ran deep, and forgiveness seemed like an impossible task.

Caught between my lingering resentment and newfound emotions, I faced a daunting dilemma, uncertain whether I could ever truly open my heart to him.

"I don't like you." I shuddered, concealing my emotions behind a blank face when I noticed the flicker of hurt on his face. "Not after the way you've treated me. I was afraid to remove my mask because I feared your response might trigger an unwelcome reaction from you. I shouldn't have to feel that way when I'm around you."

Lucius was shaking his head in disbelief as he took another step back from me. "Then why have you been flirting with me all evening?"

"The mask gave me confidence because you didn't know it was me," I confessed. "Despite all the times you had the upper hand, taunted me, and subjected me to humiliation in front of the packs, it's rather amusing that all it took to unravel that perfect composure of yours and stir your emotions was a bit of playful teasing." I couldn't help but laugh. "For once, I had the upper hand."

"You can't mean that." His chest heaved as he took another step back, and the room instantly seemed much larger without his reassuring presence surrounding me. "I know there was more to your flirting, I could feel it. You like me too."

"You said it yourself; 'Only because we're mates, it doesn't mean I have to like you.'"

"But you will desire me," he countered back my own words.

"I admit there is something profound happening between us, and I can't resist the idea of exploring it further." My breaths came in heavy as his face briefly sparkled with hope. "However, if we rush into this without addressing the issues between us, it will only result in a toxic relationship, and I'm not prepared to sign up for that again."

He frowned at my choice of words and growled.

I wasn't prepared to go down the rabbit hole that was my ex-boyfriend. I retrieved my mask and secured it in place, making my way toward the door and grabbing the handle.

"Why do I have this impression that you're pushing me away because of some other reason?" Lucius came up behind me and pressed his hand firmly against the door, preventing me from leaving.

"This... us... it will never work." My lips trembled, and I closed my eyes. "I'm a banished wolf."

"I don't care."

My voice quivered with vulnerability as I said, "Even if we are fated mates, the traditions of the Elders would never allow us to be together or they won't accept our relationship. It's better to end it now before it ends in heartbreak."

"Then we won't tell them."

My eyes flashed open, and I turned around to study his face which was tight with anxiety. He meant it. He reached out, eager to hold me.

"Don't." I flinched, my back hitting the door, "I've been through enough rejection and heartache to last me a lifetime. I can't take it from my mate as well."

With a breathless smile, he said, "Then let me show you acceptance."

I could feel the raw emotion in his voice. The room felt like a cocoon, a world of its own where only we existed. My heart raced with desire, frustration, and a lingering sense of connection.

As our bodies drew nearer, the intensity heightened when he positioned his other hand firmly around my waist. He inhaled my scent, his lips hovering just above mine, and my breaths turned into ragged gasps as the world around us dissolved into a blur.

In a moment of vulnerability, my gaze drifted to his lips, and he tilted his head, indicating a desire to kiss me. Yet, he held back, respecting my pace and waiting for me to be ready.

But I wasn't ready; I needed more time. Everything was happening too fast. So, I turned my head to the side. He let out a sigh of frustration, stepping away from me and walking off, granting me the space I needed.

"You're right." He waved dismissively, his lips tightened in anger, and he wore a deep frown while locking eyes with me. "There's a possibility it might not end well, but we can't know that unless we try, and you're a coward for not at least giving us a chance."

Coward.

That word. The same one he always used when taunting me during our pack fights. My throat tightened, and it felt as if I could barely breathe as the scarred memories of his bullying all came back.

I was right to turn him away. This wasn't a pack fight. This was my heart he was messing with.

I was thinking about his best interests as well as my own. I could tell he had never truly understood the pain of loving someone and then having his heart broken. I wasn't being a coward for protecting my heart... our hearts.

I cursed fate, the Lunar Goddess, or whatever higher being had deemed it a brilliant idea for me to be fated mates with Lucius Nightshade. I loathed him with every fiber of my being. Even if he was my mate, it didn't mean I had to be with him.

Tears brimmed in my eyes as I swiftly grasped the handle. My wolf seemed to protest the idea of leaving Lucius, but I needed to leave and get as far away from him as possible.

"Then I guess I'm a coward."

I slammed the door shut after me.