Chapter 3 Encounter With Adrian

Selena's POV:

A tall black iron fence stretched along the edge of the Sterling Estate.

I pulled my suitcase behind me while the wheels scraped steadily over the pavement.

Cold wind stung my face, carrying the damp chill that always seemed to settle over Sretmont.

Once I got through those gates, I'd finally be away from Ethan's control, even if it was only for a little while.

"Sorry, Luna." Two guards dressed in black stepped in front of me and blocked the way out.

"Open the gate." I stopped and looked straight at them.

"Alpha gave us orders. You're not allowed to leave the estate without his permission," said the guard on the left, standing firmly in front of the exit.

"I'm not a prisoner." I tightened my grip on the suitcase handle. "Move."

"Please just go back. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Instead of backing off, the guard stepped closer. Then he shot out a thick arm and reached for my wrist, clearly intending to drag me back inside.

Disgust hit me immediately. I jerked my arm away and leaned back to escape his grip.

I backed away too fast, missed my footing, and stumbled into the middle of the driveway.

At that exact moment, tires screeched against the asphalt, and the sharp smell of burnt rubber filled the air.

I snapped my head around and saw a sleek black Maybach stop less than half a meter from my knees.

If the driver had reacted even a second later, the car would've hit me.

The guard looked shaken by how close it had been and quickly reached down to help me up.

Then the rear window of the Maybach slowly lowered.

No one said anything. The first thing that reached me was a powerful scent of fir and tobacco, mixed with the heavy pressure of an Alpha's presence. His pheromones filled the space around us so quickly that the air itself seemed to tighten.

A sharp whine came from my wolf deep inside me.

Instead of shrinking back, she fought against me, restless and agitated. It wasn't fear—more like a physical shudder being forced awake inside my chest.

My knees nearly gave out. Heat tightened low in my stomach while a strange rush traveled up my back.

I locked my jaw, steadied myself, and turned toward the lowered window.

Someone was sitting in the rear seat.

Dark hair framed a sharply defined face, and a perfectly cut black suit covered his broad frame. The first thing that caught my attention, though, was the unusual gray of his eyes.

Nothing about the way he sat looked tense. Even so, the power surrounding him pressed down on everyone nearby.

There was no mistaking who he was. Adrian Blackthorn, Alpha of the Darkcrest Pack, was also Ethan's strongest competitor in business.

That explained why he was here. He must've come for the negotiations taking place at the estate.

Not a single apology came from him for the close call. He simply remained inside the car and studied me with an expression I couldn't read.

"Luna, please come back here!" The guard finally seemed to realize exactly who was inside the car, and panic crossed his face.

Two quick strides brought him beside me, and his hand shot toward my arm. "You're blocking Alpha Adrian. Get back inside before this gets worse!"

He immediately turned toward the car and put on a polite smile. "Please excuse this."

Under Adrian's suffocating gaze, the guard's movements turned rough.

Before he could grab me again, I lifted the papers in my hand and held them directly in front of him.

"Section Seven of the Stormclaw Pack Council's Mate Bond Act is very clear. Unless the pack is at war, an Alpha can't keep his mate confined against her will." I kept my voice even and looked him straight in the eye. "Lay a hand on me again, and I'll file a complaint with the Council for unlawful confinement. When their investigators come asking questions, do you really think Ethan is going to risk himself to protect a guard who went too far?"

The guard's arm stopped halfway toward me.

For all his loyalty to Ethan, he was still only a guard. Getting the Werewolf Council involved was a problem he couldn't afford.

"But our Alpha ordered us to..." His voice faltered.

"Then he can answer for his own orders." I knocked his arm aside before he could finish.

With that, I tightened my grip on the suitcase and headed for the gates without slowing down.

He stayed behind me, furious and helpless, but this time he didn't try to touch me.

Only after I'd crossed beyond the estate did I stop and glance over my shoulder.

The Maybach was still waiting. Through the open window, Adrian's attention had shifted from me to the papers still clutched in my hand.

There was too much distance between us for me to figure out what that look meant.

A moment later, he seemed to lose interest. The window rose, the engines started again, and the line of vehicles continued into the estate.

I turned away first, tucked the papers into my bag, and kept walking without looking back.