bChapter /bb42 /b

bAdrian’s /bPOV

I strode across the tavern. My Alpha presence made conversations falter and heads turn bface /bshowed surprise and something like guilt.

“Adrian! I didn’t expect to see you here tonight,” she said.

1 passed. Before I reached their table, Nadia blocked my pathb. /bHer

bMy /battention stayed on the scene behind her. Skye was barely recognizable. Her usual calm was gone, reced by something wild. Her silver hair hung messy around her flushed face bas /bsheughed loudly. She swayed on her seat and almost fell before Ryder steadied her with both hands.

b“/bWhat’s going on here?” I asked, voice low but sharp..

Nadia shifted uneasily. “It’s Ryder’s birthday. He turned eighteen yesterday. We just came out for a small celebration.” She pointed vaguely at their table. “Ryder dared Skye to try some wolf liquor. bHe /bsaid she wouldn’t. She insisted she was a bartender and could handle it. One sster, well, you see the result.”

I clenched my jaw. Wolf liquor was made with rare herbs that affected werewolf metabolism. Normal alcohol did little to us, but wolf liquor intoxicated us.

More importantly, it suppressed our ability to shift temporarily and dulled ourbat breflexes/bb. /bThat is why warriors were strictly forbidden to drink it.

“You are her training mentor,” I said sharply. “How could you let her drink wolf liquorb? /b

Nadia bristled. “She chose to drink it herself. I did not force her.b” /b

From the corner booth, Skye suddenly stood up, swaying dangerously. b“/bIs that our Alphab?/bb” /bshe called out loudly. “Adrianb! /bbCome /bcelebrate bwith /bus!b” /bfnf6a9 Th?s chapter is updated by FιndNovel/fnf6a9

She tried to move around the table but stumbled. She knocked over an empty ss that rolled before Ryder caught it.

bI /bmoved past Nadia toward their table. Ryder looked up at me with zed eyes and a lopsided grin.

b“/bAlpha!” he bslurred/b. “Join us! One little drink will not hurt.”

bI /bgrabbed his cor and pulled him to his feet in one swift move. “Wolf warriors are absolutely forbidden from drinking wolf liquorb,/bb” /bbI /bgrowled. b“/bbYou /bbroke pack discipline.”

Skye’s handnded on my arm, warm through my shirt. “Adrianb,/bb” /bshe giggled, clearly drunk, “you bare /bbway /btoo btense/bb. /bEveryone is fineb. /bbYou /bshould have a drink too and loosen up.”

She leaned forward but lost her bnce and copsed against my chest. I caught her with one arm around her waist. The weight bof /bher bsoft /bbody against bme /bsent heat rushing through my veins. Her breath brushed my neck, warm and sweet with the herbal wolf liquor bscent/b.

“I am taking you home,” bI /bsaid firmly.

“But I am not done drinking,” she protested, trying to turn back to the table. She stumbled again and knocked over another bss/b. Amber liquid spilled across the table.

I made a quick decision. I bent down and hoisted her over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry. She squealed in surprise thenughed breathlessly as her bsilver /bhair fell down.

b“/bAdrianb!/bb” /bNadia called after me.

I turned, my expression leaving no room for argument. “You and Ryder will both report for disciplinary action tomorrow morning,b” /bbI /bmandedb. /bb“/bbAs /bbhis /bsuperior, you are responsible for his conduct. Is this how you manage your team?”

bI /bdid not wait for her answer. I pushed through the tavern doors into the cool desert night. Skye went quiet on my shoulderb, /bthough bI /bbfelt /bbher /bbuneven /bbreathing against my back.

bWhen /bbwe /breached my SUV, bI /bcarefully lowered her into the back seat, arranging her so she would not broll /boff during bthe /bdrive.

bChapter /bb42 /b

bThe /bbtrip /bbto /bbher /bbapartment /bwas bfilled /bwith her incolierent mumblingb. /bSometimes the whispered tearfully. Other bUmes /bbshe /bbughed /bmadaniy then the bthe /bbrearview /bbmirror/bb, /bworried bshe /bbmight /bget bsick/bb, /bbut she stayed sprawled out.

bAt /bbher /bbbuilding/b, bI /blifted her from the back seat, cradling her against my chest. Her head lolled against bmy /bshoulder, blips /bslightly partedb. /b

“bSkye/bb,/bb” /bbI /bsaid gently, “I need your keys. Where are they?”

She mumbled something I could not understand. Her pocket to find the keysb. /b

When bmy /bfingers brushed her thigh through the fabric,

yes fluttered but did not fully open. After trying once more to wake her, I slid my bhand /binto her

I frozeb, /bbmy /bbody reacting instantly. Taking a deep breath

she

and giggled. “That tickles,” she said. Her body pressed closer bto /bmine as she twisted.

bHer /bapartment was simple but neat. It reflected her organized bShe /bcurled on her side with a soft sigh.

yself, I carefully took out the keys and quickly unlocked her door…

temporary home. I carried her to the bedroom and gently faid her down.

She could not sleep in her clothes. The tight jeans and t–shirt would be ufortable and might restrict her breathing. I hesitated. Leaving her like that bfelt /bwrong. Undressing her crossed a boundary I was not sure about.

Her well–being won. Moving as clinically as bpossible/b, I took off her boots first and bset /bthem by the bed. Then came the harder partb, /bher jeans.

I unbuttoned them and slowly slid the denim down her legs. My knuckles brushed her smooth skin ba /bbfew /bbtimes/bb, /bsending sparks through me.

I held my breath as I lifted her slightly to pull the t–shirt over her head. Her silver hair fell bback /bon the pillowb, /bframing her flushed bface/bb. /bbShe /by there in only simple cotton underwear. Her skin was pale and wless in the dim light.

My throat tightened. I found arge t–shirt in her dresser and carefully put it on her bsleeping /bbody.

Every second required all bmy /bself–control. I wanted to bkiss /bher, touch her, feel her heat. I beven /bwanted to mark bher/bb, /bim her as bmine/bb. /b

I pulled the nkets bover /bher and stepped back, heart pounding. She looked bso /bvulnerableb. /bbHer /blips were parted slightly in bsleep/bb. /bA bfierce /bprotective feeling rose inside me, beyond my Alpha duties.

I had to leave immediately before I did something I would regret.

I ced a ss of water on her nightstand, knowing she would need it when she woke. Then I turned and quickly left, locking the bdoor /bbehind bme/b.

The cool night air hit my heated skin as I went down to the parking lot. Skyeb, /bdrunk like that, was beven /bbmore /bbsensual /band irresistible than usual.

Fuck. I had bnever /blost control like this before.

bI /bstarted the engine and mmed on the elerator, hoping to bleave /bbmy /bbrestless /bbdesire /bfar behind.

Nadia is spying on people and trying to control everyone, I don’t like her