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.

THEA

What if I dared him?

What would he actually do?

He wanted to forbid me from being near other men while he flaunted another woman in my face? Not a chance.

Without another word, I walked to the edge and jumped into the pool.

The water was a shock to my system, cold and enveloping. I surfaced, gasping, as the group erupted into cheers.

Liana swam over to me, laughing as she helped me find my footing in the shallow end. The boys immediately closed in.

The one who had been flirting with me moved closer than necessary. His hand came up, ostensibly to help me steady myself, but his fingers lingered on the back of my neck.

Another boy brushed past me, his hand accidentally pressing against my ribs, dangerously close to my breast.

I felt a wave of pure discomfort. I didn't like their touch; it felt shallow and wrong compared to the way Rowan’s hands had felt on me.

But I didn't push them away.

I forced a smile, leaning into the attention, keeping my eyes fixed on the balcony above.

I wanted him to see every hand on me. I wanted him to feel even a fraction of the agitation I felt seeing that woman touch his arm.

‘Thea...’ His voice in my head was a low, dangerous snarl now.

I didn't answer.

I slammed my mental shields shut, blocking him out completely.

I turned my back to the balcony and laughed at something Liana said, pretending to be having the time of my life while the boys circled me like sharks.

I looked up one last time and saw him looking genuinely frustrated.

He set his wine glass down with enough force that I thought it might shatter. He leaned over, whispering something sharp to one of the guards standing by the door.

The guard nodded quickly and hurried inside.

I turned away, a triumphant smile tugging at my lips. I was getting to him. I was finally cracking that Alpha mask.

But my triumph was short-lived.

A few minutes later, three massive bodyguards marched onto the pool deck, their expressions grim. The music stopped, and the laughter died down as they reached the edge of the water.

"Alpha demanded everyone to vacate the pool immediately," the lead guard announced, his voice booming. "He and his guest wish to swim in private."

My breath hitched.

My heart felt like it had been dropped into a bucket of lead.

His guest?

"What? Why now?" Liana groaned, splashing the water in frustration. "We just got in! Ugh, Dad has started again with his moods! This is so unfair!"

The boys looked annoyed, but nobody argued with the Alpha’s guards. They started climbing out of the pool, grabbing their towels, and grumbling.

I stepped out of the water, my skin pebbled with goosebumps.

I felt humiliated.

He hadn't come down to stop the boys because he was jealous; he’d cleared the pool because he wanted to be alone with that woman.

He wanted me out of the way so he could enjoy his guest without his daughter’s little friend watching.

I didn't wait for Liana.

I didn't look at the boys.

I just grabbed my cover-up and started walking, my head down.

Liana was calling my name, but I ignored her, my legs moving faster and faster until I was practically running.

I reached the main house and bolted up the stairs. I needed to get to my room. I needed to lock the door, hide under the covers, and stay there until I could figure out how to leave this place.

I burst into my bedroom, drenched and shivering, and slammed the door behind me.

Except, it didn't stay shut.

A hand caught the edge of the door, forcing it back open with a terrifying strength.

I gasped, stumbling back as Rowan stepped into the room.

He didn't look like the calm, collected Alpha on the balcony.

His hair was windswept, his shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his eyes were so dark they were almost black.

The beast was right at the surface.

He slammed the door shut behind him, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the large room.

I stepped back, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

My back hit the wall, and I realized I was trapped.

"Why did you shut me out, Little T?" he growled, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that shook me to my core.

He stepped into my personal space, his scent was raw, male, and furious washing over me. "Why did you disobey my order?"

He took another step, pinning me against the wall with nothing but the intensity of his gaze.

"I told you not to go in that water," he whispered, his face inches from mine. "I told you those boys weren't to touch you. Did you think I was joking?"

I held his gaze and swallowed hard.

“Why do you even care if they touch me? You already brought another woman to the pack.” I tried to sound calm, but my heartbeat kept rising.

He looked at me for a long moment, like he was trying to read every thought on my face. “Did you… jump because of her? Are you jealous of someone I brought to play with? She’s not even my woman.”

My chest tightened.

Play with?

So that was how he saw women?

I stared back at him. “Seriously? Is that really how you see everyone? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me for a whole week? Because you were done playing with me too?”

Rowan stepped back a little and dragged a hand through his hair. He shook his head slowly, like he was already tired of fighting himself. “You’re different… You feel different.”

The words made my heart beat even faster.

I moved closer to him and let the cover slip from my body. His eyes traveled over me before stopping on my face again.

I placed my hand against his chest and slipped it under his shirt, feeling the hard thump of his heartbeat under my palm.

“Since I’m different,” I whispered softly, “why don’t you take me wherever you’re going? Why don’t you use me the same way you use the others?”

A low groan left his throat. He grabbed my hand gently but firmly and pulled it away from his chest. Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss against my forehead.

“Stay inside,” he murmured. “I don’t want another man touching you under my roof.”

I scoffed quietly and watched him turn away. But before he could leave, I grabbed the edge of his shirt.

“Stay with me, Rowan. I don’t want you to go see that woman.”

He carefully removed my hand from his clothes, like touching me any longer would break the control he had left.

“I can’t do this with you right now, Thea,” he said, his voice rough. “You should talk to your friend about your position at the company.”

He stepped back and looked at me one last time before finally walking away.

I didn’t chase after him.

I let him go because I could already see it. Rowan was trying to push me out of his mind, he was trying not to give in to me.

But sooner or later, that control of his would break… especially once he started seeing other men touch me outside.

My door suddenly burst open again and Liana rushed in. “Thea! Seriously? Can you see what Dad's doing now? He chased my friends away!”

I turned to my best friend with a small smile tugging at my lips. “Leave him,” I said softly. “Let him enjoy himself… for now.”