Chapter 3: Forbidden Taste

THEA

He didn't wait for an answer...

He pushed forward, sliding into my mouth. I gasped, a muffled sound of surprise, and immediately began to choke.

"I knew it. You can't take more than this," he smirked, though his voice was thick with need. He started to move his hips, a slow, punishing drive that forced me to accommodate him.

He began to moan, a deep, guttural sound that vibrated through my skull. He stopped for a second, pulling back just enough to see the mess I was in.

My face was flushed, my lips stretched, and his scent was everywhere.

"Moon... You're a seductress," he groaned, his voice cracking. "How could I still want to ruin this little mouth of yours when you're already ruined?"

Without thinking, one of my hands slid down between my thighs. My gown bottoms were already soaked through. I rubbed against myself through the fabric, my movements frantic and messy, matching the rhythm of his hips.

I moaned around him, the sound lost in the friction of our bodies.

Then, he stiffened. He stayed buried deep for a long, agonizing moment. I felt the sudden, hot gush of him filling me, thick and overwhelming.

He pulled out abruptly, his hand still tight in my hair, and hauled me to my feet. I stumbled, my head spinning, as he began to lead me toward the back of the room.

"Spill that into the bathroom," he commanded, his voice harsh.

I stopped walking.

The sudden resistance made him halt and turn back to me. He wanted me to spit it out?

Why?

"Don't you dare," he said through gritted teeth. He saw the look in my eyes; he knew exactly what I was thinking.

But the defiance was already there, bubbling up in my chest. I looked him dead in the eye and swallowed, the heat sliding down my throat.

He stared at me, his expression a mix of shock and something that looked dangerously like fear. His hand dropped from my hair, his fingers trailing away as if I had suddenly burned him.

"What... the hell?" he muttered, sounding half-annoyed and half-breathless. "You want to carry your best friend's dad's child? Is that it?"

He looked genuinely disturbed by the prospect, his Alpha instincts clashing with the reality of what we were doing.

I stared back at him, my heart heavy. For a split second, I remembered Liana. I remembered everything she had done for me, the way she had welcomed me into her home, and the promise I had made to be a good friend.

But as I looked at Rowan standing there, shirtless and powerful, I couldn't find the regret.

"Is it bad?" I asked softly.

He groaned and pulled me against him again, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"You're unbelievable," he whispered against my skin.

Suddenly, a voice shattered the silence. A voice that made my blood run cold.

"Thea! Thea! Where are you?"

My eyes went wide, the pupils shrinking with terror. Reality hit me like a physical blow. It was Liana. She had probably finished eating, and she was headed this way.

The panic was instantaneous.

How the hell did I end up here?

I was supposed to be at the dining, I was supposed to be a sister eating with her... not the girl in her father's bathroom with his taste still in my mouth.

Rowan didn't hesitate.

In a blur of Alpha speed, he flashed to the bed, snagging his underwear and trousers.

Before I could even blink, he was back at my side. He scooped me up into his arms, and I clung to him instinctively, my heart pounding against his bare chest.

In a flash, we were inside his massive bathroom, the door clicking shut behind us just as the bedroom door opened.

He set me down on the cold tile and looked at me, his expression stern and focused. "Will you come down now, or do you want your friend to see you here?"

His voice was like a bucket of ice water, snapping me back to reality. I stepped back, my face burning with a deep, shameful blush.

I watched him as he moved, amazed by how effortlessly he used his power. His suite was a palace... the bedroom was all gold and opulence, but the bathroom was sterile, blinding white.

My eyes drifted back to him as he stepped into his underwear.

I couldn't help it; my gaze landed on him again, and my stomach did a somersault.

I found myself wondering what it would feel like to have him fully inside me. I wondered if I could even survive it.

He pulled up his trousers and buckled his belt, the metal clinking in the quiet room.

"What you're thinking... it will not happen," he said, his eyes meeting mine.

Green clashed with grey.

Why not? I asked him silently, the question screaming in my mind.

He answered as if I’d spoken it aloud, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Because I'm your best friend's dad. I'm your alpha and we are forbidden, Thea. What we did... it was just one time. No one must know."

He reached the sink, his back to me. He turned on the water and washed his hands thoroughly, his muscles rippling under his skin. He looked at me through the mirror. "Come here."

I didn't move. I knew what he wanted.

"Wash yourself. Make sure my scent is not on you. I'm going to see my daughter."

I shook my head, my eyes filling with tears of frustration.

"No. Please," I muttered. I didn't want to wash him away. I wanted to carry the scent of him like a secret prize.

He hissed, his brow furrowing. "Don't disobey me, Little T. She’s almost here."

And just like he said, Liana’s voice rang out from the bedroom. "Dad? Dad! Are you in there? Are you still home?"

She sounded so happy, and innocent. It made my stomach turn with guilt.

Rowan walked back to me when he saw I still wasn't moving. He grabbed my arm, his grip firm, and pulled me toward the sink. He splashed cold water onto my face, the shock of it making me gasp.

"Wash yourself," he repeated, his voice low and commanding. "I’m going to see my daughter."

He didn't wait for me to agree.

He turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving me standing there in the white silence.

"Hrghh!" I clenched my fists, a silent scream of rage and longing tearing through me as the door clicked shut behind him.

"Really, Dad! So you're still home?" Liana’s voice was clear now, full of excitement. "Have you seen my friend around? Have you seen Thea? I think she got lost in this big house!"

My heart ached with every word she spoke. She was worried about me. She cared about me.

And here I was, standing in her father's shower, trying to scrub the evidence of my betrayal off my skin.

I turned the handle, the water spraying down on me, and began the agonizing task of washing him away.

ROWAN

Being home today felt like the best thing that had ever happened to me, but it was also the scariest.

When my daughter and her best friend walked into the house, I sensed them right away. Something about her friend hit me hard. Her scent drifted toward me, faint because she was an omega, but it was grounded, real, and it pulled at me deep inside.

I couldn’t focus on the work in front of me on my laptop anymore. My body started heating up as they moved closer through the big pack house. My daughter was giving her the tour, showing her around.

When they reached my room, I lost it. I stood up fast, stripped off my clothes, and headed straight for the shower, hoping the water would cool me down.

It didn’t. Not even close.

I walked out naked and stopped in front of the dressing mirror. My mind went wild. I pictured bending her over, her ass right there, her face pressed against the cold glass while I drove into her tight heat from behind. Hard. Deep. Her voice breaking as she called me Daddy.

My hand wrapped around my hard dick without thinking. I started stroking, slow at first, then faster, eyes half-closed, seeing her in my head the whole time.

Then I felt it... the same pull coming from her. She was feeling it too.

The door to my room opened a little later. I froze when I saw her standing there... Thea. She looked even better than the last time I’d seen her.

She had grown up. Sexy as hell.

Her green eyes shone bright, those red lips looked like pure sin, and her brown hair fell longer down her back.

I tried to hold myself together. I tried not to grab her, throw her on my bed, and ruin that tight little pussy right then and there.

But she dropped to her knees and sucked me so fucking good. I never expected it to feel like that... Even the women I used to carry weren't this good!

She wasn’t supposed to be this good. She wasn’t supposed to be here at all.

She was forbidden.

My daughter’s best friend.

I knew I shouldn’t let it go this far, but her mouth was warm and eager, and for those few minutes I let myself have it.

One time. That was all it could be. No one could ever know.

Especially not my daughter.

“Calm down, princess,” I said, keeping my voice steady even though my heart was still racing.

Liana stood in my room looking worried sick about her friend. “She’s still somewhere in the house.”

Liana looked up at me, her brows pulled tight. “I showed her everywhere, Dad. How could she just get lost?”

I stepped closer and gently guided her away from my room before she could pick up on anything. My alpha scent was thick in the air, and I didn’t need her questioning it.

“Go look for her on your side of the house,” I told her. “You might find her there.”

“Okay, Dad… I’ll tell you when I see her,” she said, already turning to leave. But she stopped suddenly and glanced back. “Why are you home anyway? I thought you went to the office.”

How the hell was I supposed to tell her the truth?

That her best friend’s scent had me locked down here like some weak pup?

“I’m a bit stressed today,” I lied, keeping it simple. “I decided to rest a little.”

She studied me for a second, as she could see right through the words. I wasn’t the type to admit stress. I was the alpha. Always strong. Always in control.

“Okay then,” she finally said. “Don’t let me stress you more. And please put some clothes on… I don’t want my friend seeing you like this.” She walked off quickly, calling out loud, “Thea! Thea! Where the hell are you?”

I smirked to myself and turned back toward the bathroom. I pushed the door open and stopped dead.

Thea was inside, leaning against the wall, one hand between her legs, fingers moving fast inside her pussy. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her lips parted, her breathing heavy. She was whispering something under her breath. I leaned in closer to hear.

“Daddy… yes… please, Daddy…”

She was touching herself and thinking about me. My cock twitched hard at the sight. I stepped in quietly, reached down, and grabbed her wrist, stopping her fingers mid-stroke.

Her eyes flew open wide.

She yanked her hand away fast, her cheeks turning bright pink with embarrassment. She looked so fucking cute like that, all flushed and caught.

I lifted her wet fingers to my face and ran my nose along them, then over her cheek. She shivered hard. My scent was gone from her skin now. She had washed it all off as I told her to. But the thought of it still made my eyes darken with heat.

I pulled back a little, trying to keep control.

“You think that’s how you’d sound if it was really me inside you?” My voice came out rough, low, almost a growl.

She stared up at me like she was in a trance. Those green eyes were pure seduction, pulling me in.

“No… Please, touch me, f...”

I didn’t let her finish. I couldn’t hear those words from her mouth right now or I’d lose every bit of control I had left.

I stood up straight. “Get your ass up and go find your friend. I don’t want you stressing my princess.”

She frowned, clearly annoyed.

She stood slowly, washed her hands, and looked at me. Her gaze dropped to my bare chest for a long second before climbing back up to my eyes. She held the stare, bold as hell.

“And what am I, Daddy?” she asked, her voice soft and dripping with heat. It sent a shiver straight down to my thighs.

Damn.

She stepped closer, reaching out like she wanted to touch my chest. I caught her hand before she could.

“You’re my daughter’s best friend. That’s what you are. Nothing more,” I said firmly. “Now go meet her.”

Her face twisted with frustration.

She clenched her fist, then shoved me to the side. The push was sudden and strong enough that I almost lost my balance. I caught myself quickly and watched her ass as she stormed out angrily, her hips swinging with every step.

I stood there breathing heavily, staring at the empty doorway.

I couldn’t give her what she wanted. Not really. If I did, there’d be no going back. I’d own her completely. Her body, scent, everything, and once an alpha like me claimed something that sweet, there was no way in hell I’d ever let it go.

My wolf stirred inside me, restless and hungry.

I ran a hand through my hair and let out a low growl.

This was dangerous. She was dangerous. My daughter’s best friend is walking just down the hall.

One wrong move and everything could blow up.

One time. That’s all it was supposed to be.

But the way my body reacted every time I scent her told me something different.

This wasn’t over. Not even close.

Chapter 5: When I Chose to Disobey Him

THEA

A week.

It had been a full week since I moved into my best friend’s house.

A week since I had that encounter with her dad... since I’d been on my knees in his room, tasting him, losing myself in the sheer, overwhelming size of him.

And since then?

He had become a ghost.

Rowan started hiding from me.

It was deliberate, a calculated game of avoidance that only an Alpha could pull off so perfectly.

He was out of the house before the sun even hit my windows, and he didn’t return until long after Liana and I had gone to sleep.

He didn’t even give Liana a chance to ask about when we would start our internships at the company.

Every time she brought him up, she just sighed, complaining that her "workaholic" father was drowning in pack business again.

But I knew better. I knew he wasn't drowning in work; he was running from a girl half his age.

Being with Liana for the week was supposed to be a distraction. She was fun, loud, and full of life. She made me forget about Noah, the guy who had broken my heart.

But there was one person she couldn’t make me forget, no matter how hard she tried.

Her dad.

I couldn't get him out of my head. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him.

I couldn't forget the sight of his abs... And the rest of him... the portable weight of his ass, the sheer, terrifying length of him down there... it was burned into my mind.

I wanted him.

I wanted him so badly it felt like a physical sickness.

But he had left me hanging.

He made me taste him, and then slammed the door, telling me I was forbidden.

He told me I was just his daughter’s best friend, an Omega who had no business craving an alpha.

I knew I wasn't supposed to want him.

He was twice my age. He was the Alpha of our entire pack. If the pack members found out, the scandal would be legendary.

They would tear him apart. They would call me a social climber, a seductress, or worse.

It would destroy everything he had built.

Liana would never trust me again. She was the only person who had truly stood by me, and the thought of hurting her made my stomach twist into knots.

That was why I tried to tell myself that Rowan was right.

I told myself that what happened a week ago was a mistake... a one-time lapse in judgment that I needed to bury deep and never speak of again.

"Back to earth, Thea!"

Liana’s voice snapped like a whip, pulling me back to the present.

I blinked, the sunlight hitting my eyes as I looked around the lavish living room. Liana wasn’t alone. She had called over some of her rich, high-society friends to come spend the afternoon swimming with us.

There were three guys and one other girl.

I could tell by the way Liana was smirking at me that this wasn't just a casual hangout. She was trying to matchmake. She wanted to fix me up with one of these polished, wealthy wolves so I could finally move on from Noah.

"I told you I'm not swimming, Liana. I don't know how to swim," I said, feeling a sudden wave of shyness wash over me.

I felt out of place among these people, who moved with such unearned confidence.

"You'll learn today!" Liana laughed, grabbing my wrist and tugging me toward the glass doors. She dragged me along behind the men, who were already strutting out toward the pool.

The pool area was practically a building of its own... a sprawling oasis of blue water, white stone, and lush greenery.

Two of the guys kicked off their shoes and dove in immediately, their tanned bodies slicing through the water.

The third guy lingered behind.

He was handsome, in a conventional way, and he had spent the last hour throwing signals my way.

He’d linger a second too long when he looked at me, or find excuses to brush against my arm.

I had been dodging him all afternoon, not because he wasn't attractive, but because my mind was stuck on a man who wasn't even in the room.

Stop it, Thea. Stop thinking about him, I scolded myself, my heart was heavy.

I gave the boy a polite, strained smile. He took that as an invitation, winking at me before jumping into the deep end.

The splash sent a spray of cool water onto my skin. I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling very exposed in my swimsuit.

"Thea, come on! This is fun!" Liana shouted, treading water and waving me over.

Suddenly, a voice echoed in my mind. It wasn't the soft, instinctual whisper of my wolf... this was something much more powerful.

‘Don't... Don't go in there with them.’

I froze.

I looked around quickly, wondering if one of the boys had somehow learned how to project their voice, but they were all splashing each other, laughing and oblivious.

‘Don't join them. It's a command, Little T.’

The voice was deep, resonant, and hummed with an authority that made my knees tremble. I knew that voice. I would know it anywhere.

Rowan.

I slowly turned my head, looking up toward the main pack building that overlooked the pool area.

There he was.

He was standing on the high balcony, a dark silhouette against the afternoon sky. He was holding a glass of wine, his posture rigid and imposing.

Even from this distance, I could feel the weight of his gaze on me.

He was home.

He was watching me.

A surge of heat rushed through me.

Finally, he was out of hiding. Finally, he was looking at me again. I had to fight the overwhelming urge to drop everything, to run away from Liana and her friends and sprint up those stairs just to stand in his presence.

I wanted to confront him, to demand why he’d been ignoring me, to ask if he’d thought about that night as much as I had.

But then, the water hit me.

Splash! Splash!

I gasped as a wave of pool water drenched my front. I turned, wiping my eyes, to see the boy who had been flirting with me laughing. "Come on, gorgeous, we've been waiting for you," he called out, his eyes roaming over my wet swimsuit.

Before I could find my voice to decline again, Liana chimed in from the water. "Don't mind her! She’s just being stubborn. She’ll have no choice but to join us if I come up there and drag her down by her ankles!"

I took a step back, knowing Liana wasn't joking. When she decided we were having fun, we were having fun, whether I liked it or not.

I looked back up at the balcony, wanting to see Rowan’s reaction to the boys' attention, but the breath left my lungs for a completely different reason.

He wasn't alone anymore.

A woman had appeared beside him. She was stunning... tall, poised, and wearing a dress that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

She was the kind of woman an Alpha was supposed to be with.

She leaned in close to him, her red lips curved into a seductive smile as she reached out and ran a hand over his bicep.

She touched him with a casual intimacy that made my blood turn to ice.

And he let her.

He didn't pull away.

He didn't move.

He just stood there, letting this beautiful stranger stake her claim while he stared down at me.

So that was it.

All these days, he wasn't hiding; he was actually just busy with another woman. Just like Liana had said... her dad always had women drifting in and out of his life.

I was just a temporary distraction, a little toy he’d played with for five minutes before moving on to someone who actually knew what they were doing.

My blood began to boil. A white-hot flare of jealousy and spite erupted in my chest.

‘Don't you dare... Little T,’ his voice rumbled in my head again. He was mind-linking me, his tone warning, almost growling.

He knew exactly what I was thinking. He could see the defiance written all over my face.

Oh, you want to watch? I thought, directed toward the balcony.

Then watch.