The Silvercrest Charity Gala was a riot of glittering gowns, polished tuxedos, and the faint, heady scent of expensive perfume mixed with champagne. The ballroom's crystal chandeliers refracted light across marble floors, casting kaleidoscopic patterns that danced like the nerves fluttering in Lauretta's chest. She adjusted the strap of her deep emerald gown, the fabric hugging her curves in a way that made her feel both elegant and dangerously aware of the eyes in the room.

Angela had insisted on accompanying her, of course, armed with pointed commentary and a steady supply of humor.

"Breathe," Angela whispered as they entered, tugging Lauretta through the sea of socialites. "And try not to trip over your own ambition. And your dress. And your obsession."

Lauretta groaned. "I don't need this right now, Angela. Focus on... networking."

"Networking," Angela repeated mockingly. "You mean dodging the charming werewolf who's haunting your dreams."

Lauretta rolled her eyes, but even as she tried to dismiss the thought, the sensation of him lingered in her mind like an electric current. Her pulse quickened. The gallery walls were lined with contemporary pieces, abstract swirls and geometric splashes that seemed to reflect her inner turmoil. Every painting, every canvas, only reminded her of how tangled her life had become since that night - since him.

And then she saw him.

Savior Hunt.

He was standing across the room, flawless in his black tuxedo, his posture relaxed but commanding. His eyes locked on hers for the briefest instant, and the air between them seemed to crackle. A low, almost predatory smile touched his lips. He hadn't smiled at anyone else; for him, in that moment, she knew she was the only one who mattered.

Angela, who had noticed long before Lauretta's gaze found him, leaned in and hissed in her ear, "Yep. There it is. Alpha mode. The universe is testing you. Again. Popcorn?"

Lauretta clenched her jaw. "Angela!" she snapped quietly, though her stomach lurched. She tried to navigate through the crowd, pretending she hadn't just noticed him, but it was impossible. His presence was magnetic, magnetic enough to make her knees weak.

Savior took a step forward, gliding through the crowd with the kind of grace that belonged in a movie rather than real life. Lauretta's pulse thundered as he approached, stopping just short of her. He leaned slightly, voice low enough for her alone.

"You look... stunning," he murmured, each word deliberate, charged, like a caress.

Lauretta's lips parted, but she forced herself to regain control. "I-thank you," she said, keeping her tone steady. "You look... very self-assured."

"Confidence suits me," he said smoothly, but there was a glint in his eyes - amusement, challenge, and something deeper, something she couldn't name.

Angela, ever-present, whispered from a few feet away, "Uh-huh. Classic. You're both circling each other like a pair of very expensive wolves. And yes, you're blushing."

Lauretta's cheeks flamed. She tried to focus on the gala, the art, anything, but her attention kept snapping back to him. And he noticed. He always noticed.

"Why are you here?" she asked finally, attempting nonchalance.

"To see you," he said simply. "As if I needed a reason."

Her heart skipped a beat. "This isn't... casual," she said, though even as she said it, the thrill in her chest betrayed her.

"No," he admitted, stepping closer. "It's not."

"You think I was gonna give up after last time?"

"Not really, never thought of you as someone that gives up easily " Lauretta said calmly.

"Correct. You seem to be interested in me" Savior said

"If you think so"

"Pretense doesn't suit you, Lauretta "

With that, Savior stares into her eyes deeply.

"This is not a casual meeting, respect yourself" Lauretta said flatly.

Savior quints his eyes, " I always do, just not around you"

The crowd swirled around them, oblivious, but Lauretta felt as if they were in a bubble, a space carved out just for the two of them. Every brush of his shoulder as he passed by, every look he sent her way, sent jolts of desire up her spine. She tried to pull away, to focus on her responsibilities, but the pull was impossible to resist.

Angela, noticing Lauretta's distress, sidled up and whispered, "This is exactly what I warned you about. You're thinking, breathing, sweating him already. And now everyone else is going to notice too."

Lauretta groaned and whispered back, "Angela! Not helping!"

"You're welcome," Angela replied cheerfully.

Their brief exchange was interrupted by a group of influential donors approaching. Lauretta was supposed to greet them, smile, charm, pitch her latest exhibition. But she could hardly focus. Her attention flicked constantly to Savior, who had now moved to the far end of the room, hands casually resting in his pockets, observing her with that piercing gaze.

He was dangerous. And she was addicted.

As she navigated through polite conversation, her phone buzzed in her clutch. Angela leaned over and peered at the screen. "Ooooh. Daddy drama incoming?"

Lauretta swallowed hard. Not now. "It's... it's just a message from my father. He wants to talk."

Savior's attention snapped toward her, eyes darkening with protective intensity. Lauretta felt a shiver run through her. Even across the room, he radiated power and danger.

"You don't have to handle that alone," he murmured, walking toward her again, cutting through the crowd with effortless grace.

"Woo, he does not play with his woman" Angela teases.

Her pulse pounded, and she felt the wolf stir inside her - senses heightening, instincts sharpening. She wanted to deny him, to pull away, but the truth was undeniable: she needed him.

Angela, sensing the tension and unable to resist commentary, whispered from her side, "Oh, yes. I see it. Protective Alpha. You're toast, girl. Totally. Deliciously toast."

Lauretta pinched her lips, exasperated. She wanted to scream at Angela, but also, secretly, she wanted her friend's commentary. At least someone could witness how completely Savior had infiltrated her thoughts.

Then came the subtle shift - a ripple of whispers through the crowd. A few heads turned, people murmuring, and Lauretta noticed it immediately: eyes scanning her, judging, curious. And among them were members of the Hunt family, Dew Philips included.

Savior's jaw tightened imperceptibly. His protective instincts flared, and he stepped subtly in front of her, positioning himself as a shield. The tiny, unspoken move sent her heart into overdrive.

Angela muttered, "Yep. He's your wolf. Alpha protective stance. You're officially doomed."

Lauretta ignored her, focusing on Savior. His eyes found hers, a silent question passing between them: Do you trust me?

She nodded almost imperceptibly. It was enough.

And just as the tension peaked, the shadowed observer from the rooftop - the one who had been watching Lauretta and Savior from a distance - slipped inside, blending seamlessly with the gala's elite. Their eyes tracked Lauretta, assessing, calculating, ready to tip the delicate balance of obsession, desire, and family politics.

Savior sensed something shift, a faint disturbance in the energy around them. His gaze hardened, scanning the room, instinct alert. Lauretta, unaware of the presence, clung subtly to his arm, her pulse racing.

The night stretched on, a careful dance of whispered words, stolen glances, and tension so thick it could be sliced with a knife. Lauretta realized, as she moved through the gala, that her obsession had become something more dangerous - something she no longer wanted to resist.

Angela leaned over one last time as they exited the main hall for a brief respite, whispering with a grin, "Welcome to the madness, girl. This is your life now. Wolves, obsession, secrets, and one very delicious Alpha. Try not to melt in public."

Lauretta closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. She didn't answer. She didn't have to. Savior's presence, his unwavering, magnetic attention, said it all. And somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that tonight was only the beginning.

Oh God help me.

The night air outside the gala hit Lauretta like a shock of cold water, crisp and sharp against her flushed skin. The lights of Silvercrest stretched out in glittering ribbons, cars humming by, distant laughter floating on the breeze. But none of it mattered-not when Savior Hunt followed her out of the building like a shadow she couldn't outrun.

Angela trailed a few feet behind, muttering under her breath, "Lord in heaven, if these two combust on the sidewalk, I'm calling the fire department."

Lauretta shot her a glare, but her attention jerked back when Savior closed the distance between them with slow, deliberate steps. His presence wrapped around her like a cloak-warm, commanding, impossible to ignore. She could feel him without looking at him, the way animals sensed a storm approaching.

"Why did you run?" he asked softly.

"I didn't run."

She absolutely had.

Savior stepped closer, so close she felt his breath brush her cheek. "Lauretta," he murmured, voice low, "every time you feel too much, you flee."

Her heartbeat stumbled-annoyed and undeniably affected. "You're assuming I was feeling anything at all."

He chuckled, and it was a dangerous sound-deep, dark, knowing. "You forget who you're talking to. I can smell you." His gaze flicked briefly to her throat, then her pulse. "Your heartbeat doesn't lie."

Her breath caught, her wolf pacing beneath her skin. She hated how easily he peeled her open. Hated how much she wanted him to.

Angela groaned. "Okay, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear the word smell used like that. Y'all are too much. I'm getting popcorn." She wandered toward the car park but kept an obvious eye on them from a distance.

"Your friend is funny"

"She is"

Lauretta turned back to Savior, trying to ground herself. "You shouldn't be here. People inside are already whispering."

"Let them whisper," he said. "I'm not afraid of them."

"You should be afraid of scandal. Of your father. Of-"

"I'm only afraid of losing you."

Her mouth parted, a small gasp escaping before she could stop it. Savior noticed. He always noticed.

"You don't even have me," she whispered.

He leaned in, lips inches from her own. "Don't I?"

Her breath hitched.

She took a shaky step back. "Stop doing that."

"What?"

"That!" She gestured wildly. "Getting inside my head. My body. My-everything. You can't just... show up everywhere and act like you belong in my life."

"I don't act like it," he murmured. "I know I do."

Heat seared through her. Raw, instinctive, claiming heat. Her wolf pushed against her skin, yearning toward him, recognizing him. Wanting him.

She hated it. She needed it.

"Go away, Savior."

"I can't."

"Try."

"Impossible."

"Savior, you really need to stop acting like this, this can never work" Lauretta said shifting.

"What makes you think so?"

"Am I not good enough for you?"

Lauretta sighs, "That's not what I'm saying, you're...a Hunt"

"Does it matter?"

"Savior..."

He moved, catching her wrist-not harshly, but firmly enough that she felt the strength beneath his calm. His thumb brushed the inside of her wrist, right over her racing pulse. Lauretta's knees weakened; she was grateful the wall was behind her.

"Your scent is different tonight," Savior said softly. "Stronger. Wilder."

Her breath froze. She didn't want him sensing her pregnancy before she'd even admitted it to herself emotionally.

She jerked her hand away. "Don't-don't sniff me. It's weird."

"It's natural," he replied, eyes darkening with a primal edge that made her thighs clench. "And you smell like you want me."

"Savior-"

"Say you didn't think about me tonight," he said, stepping closer, "and I'll walk away."

Her throat tightened. Her wolf snarled in protest. A lie would burn her tongue.

"I don't owe you anything," she whispered.

"Then why do you look like that?" he breathed.

He raised one hand slowly-giving her time to pull away-before cradling her jaw, thumb hooking gently under her chin. The touch was barely there, yet it burned straight through her.

Her breath trembled. "Savior..."

His thumb brushed the corner of her mouth. "You make me insane, Lauretta. You have no idea how much."

She did. Because she felt it too.

Before she could answer, his lips brushed her jaw-not a kiss, not yet, just a tease. Warm. Intentional. Obsessive.

Lauretta's hand shot out, gripping his lapel, either to push him away or drag him closer-she wasn't sure.

He smirked. "You're trembling."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

Her breath stuttered. And then he kissed her.

Not gentle. Not tentative. Not asking.

Claiming.

Their mouths crashed together, heat flooding through her veins. Lauretta gasped, fingers fisting his jacket as he pressed her back against the wall. His tongue slid against hers, slow and deliberate, and a low growl rumbled in his chest-dangerous, primal, possessive.

She moaned softly, and he deepened the kiss, hands gripping her waist, pulling her into him until she felt the hard lines of his body-his need, his hunger, his absolute obsession.

Her leg lifted instinctively, brushing his hip. Savior's breath hitched, and he groaned-raw and unfiltered.

"Lauretta," he muttered into her mouth, "you have no idea what you're doing to me."

He kissed her again, harder, his hand sliding up her thigh, almost-almost under her dress before he forced himself to stop, forehead dropping to hers.

"We need to stop," he rasped.

"You think?" she breathed, chest rising and falling rapidly.

"I'm five seconds from losing control."

She swallowed hard. "You already did."

He gave a huffed, breathless laugh. "For you? Always."

They stood there, panting, foreheads pressed together, breaths mixing as the city hummed around them.

Angela's voice shattered the moment.

"Okay, hey! Hi! Just checking-did you two remember this is a public sidewalk? With cameras? And humans? And probably someone's grandmother watching from a window?"

Lauretta jolted away from Savior, mortified. Her lipstick was smeared, her hair slightly mussed, her breathing-embarrassing. Angela's hands were on her hips, her face a mix of shock and delighted horror.

"Oh my God," Angela whispered dramatically. "I left for five minutes. FIVE. MINUTES."

Lauretta wanted to die.

Savior only smirked, straightened his jacket, and said, "Five minutes was all I needed."

Angela clutched her chest. "Satan, is that you?"

Lauretta groaned. "Angela, please-"

"Oh no," Angela said, pointing between them. "Don't you please me. You two need therapy, holy water, or direct intervention from the Moon Goddess."

Savior ignored her, gaze returning to Lauretta. "You can pretend this is nothing," he said softly, "but you feel it too."

Her throat tightened.

She did feel it. Too much.

"Go home, Savior," she said. "Before you ruin everything."

He stepped back, but not away. "I'll see you soon."

"That's not a plan," she shot back. "That's a threat."

"It's a promise."

Their eyes locked-and then he turned and disappeared into the night.

Lauretta's legs finally buckled. Angela caught her arm, shaking her lightly. "Girl. GIRL. Did he- you- I- WHAT WAS THAT?"

Lauretta pressed her palms to her reddened cheeks. "I'm doomed."

"Oh, honey," Angela said, pulling her into a hug, "you were doomed three chapters ago."

But neither of them noticed the shadow at the corner of the street.

Watching.

Listening.

Recording.

The same stranger who had followed them since last night.

The one who knew the truth of Keisha Owens' exile.

The one who knew exactly what Lauretta carried in her womb.

As the women walked to the car, the shadowy figure whispered into a communicator:

"Phase one complete. She's emotionally compromised. And he's already attached.

Just like we expected."

The night swallowed the voice whole.

Lauretta didn't sleep that night.

She didn't even pretend to.

She lay awake in her darkened bedroom, staring at the ceiling as Silvercrest's neon glow flickered against her walls, tracing shadows like claw marks. Her body still felt hot, trembling, alive from the kiss she'd shared with Savior-too much, too intense, too familiar.

But underneath the heat was a different feeling.

A deeper one.

Low in her stomach. Soft. Persistent.

A presence.

She placed a hand over her abdomen, her breath catching. "You again," she whispered, half-laugh, half-cry.

Angela had stayed the night as backup, claiming she didn't trust Lauretta not to sneak out and find Savior like a lovesick wolf. Angela was asleep on the couch, snoring softly, but Lauretta couldn't rest. Not when every instinct screamed that something inside her had changed.

The clock read 3:47 a.m. when she finally sat up and whispered to the darkness:

"I'm pregnant."

The words tasted like fear.

And hope.

And danger.

A tear slid down her cheek.

Her wolf hummed beneath her skin-warm, protective, instinctively curling around the life inside her.

That confirmed it.

---

SAVIOR - POV

Savior didn't sleep either.

He paced his bedroom in the Hunt mansion, the moonlight slicing through the windows like silver blades. His wolf was restless-snarling, pacing, clawing at him from the inside.

He could still taste her. Still smell the fear and desire tangled together on her skin. Still feel the moment she trembled in his hands.

But there was something else too.

Something wrong.

Something off.

Her scent had changed. Not a lot. But enough for an Alpha-born wolf like him to notice.

"Why didn't you tell me, Lauretta?" he whispered into the empty room. "What are you hiding?"

He grabbed his keys at 4:02 a.m.

He needed answers.

Tonight.

---

BACK TO LAURETTA

The knock came at 4:19 a.m.

Hard. Controlled. Too familiar.

Angela jolted awake on the couch. "If that's a demon, I'm killing it with holy water."

Lauretta froze. Her heartbeat slammed painfully against her ribs.

Another knock-deep, steady.

Savior.

"I'm not ready for this," Lauretta whispered, breath shaking.

Angela grabbed her shoulders. "Okay. First? Breathe. Second? You can't hide forever. Third? Put on lip gloss because your face screams disaster."

Lauretta shoved her toward the couch. "Shut up!"

"Never," Angela said sweetly.

Lauretta walked to the door with trembling fingers. Her wolf stirred inside her-excited, nervous, protective.

She opened it.

Savior stood there, chest rising and falling as if he'd been running. His hair was messy. His eyes were wild. His shirt was half-buttoned-as if he'd dressed in a hurry.

"Lauretta," he breathed.

She swallowed. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer with words. He stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and stood so close she could feel heat radiating off him.

Angela, perched nosily at the doorway to the kitchen, whispered, "Not me watching like a Netflix series..."

Lauretta shot her a murderous glare. "Angela-bed."

Angela saluted dramatically and left, but not without peeking around the corner. "I'll be eavesdropping. Continue."

Savior cupped Lauretta's face with both hands-gentle but firm.

"What's wrong?" he whispered. "I can feel it. Something's changed."

Her lip trembled. "Savior-"

"Tell me."

She tried to pull away. He wouldn't let her.

"Don't hide from me," he said softly. "Not after last night."

Emotion clogged her throat. "I didn't hide-"

"You did." His voice cracked. "Your scent... shifted. Your heartbeat... doubled. Your wolf... she's... protecting something."

Her stomach twisted. He knew.

He didn't know how, but he knew.

"Lauretta," he said again, voice breaking, "are you hurt?"

A sob escaped her. "No."

"Then what?" He searched her eyes desperately. "What are you afraid of?"

Everything.

Everyone.

The world.

Her future.

His father.

His family.

War.

Death.

But more than anything...

She was afraid of losing him.

She closed her eyes.

But she can't tell him about the baby.

No. I don't need drama in my baby's life.

"I just don't want you around me Savior, please just leave"

Savior's eyes darken, " I thought we have passed this stage, Lauretta "

"Passed what stage?, I don't want to concern myself with anything about you anymore " Lauretta said

"Now you're lying....you can't make me stay away from you "

"We literally can't resist each other and you know it... what I feel for is so strong for me to resist " Savior said.

" Savior...."

"Now tell me, what are you afraid of?" Savior stares into her eyes.

"Savior... I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Thick. Heavy. Crushing.

His hands dropped from her face.

He staggered one step back.

Lauretta felt the air leave her lungs. "Say something..."

Savior didn't blink. Didn't breathe. His wolf roared inside him-shock, fury, awe, possessiveness swirling like a storm.

Finally, in a broken whisper:

"It's mine."

Lauretta's voice cracked. "Yes."

Everything in Savior snapped.

His wolf surged to the front.

He grabbed her waist, pulled her into him, breath crashing against her neck. He inhaled deeply-long, desperate, reverent.

His whole body trembled.

"Oh my God..." he whispered. "Lauretta..."

Her eyes stung with tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't know how to tell-"

He kissed her.

Not like last night.

This kiss was nothing but emotion-raw, shaking, terrified, relieved, overwhelmed. His lips crushed hers, his hands sliding around her back, pulling her into his chest like she was the only thing holding him upright.

Lauretta gasped, clutching his shirt, kissing him back with the same trembling urgency.

He pulled away just enough to breathe, forehead to forehead.

"You're carrying my child," he whispered, voice shaking with awe and hunger and fear. "Our child."

She nodded, crying softly.

Savior wiped her tears with his thumb. "Don't cry. Please. I'm here. I'm not leaving you."

"I didn't want you to feel trapped," she choked out.

"Trapped?" He let out a wild, disbelieving sound. "Lauretta, I feel... alive."

She blinked, stunned.

"Say it again," he whispered. "I want to hear it again."

She swallowed. "I'm pregnant."

His breath caught.

Slowly-almost reverently-he knelt.

Lauretta's heart stopped.

He placed both hands on her hips and pressed his forehead gently against her stomach.

A tear fell from his eye.

"I'll protect you," he whispered to her womb. "Both of you. With my life."

Lauretta sobbed. This time not in fear.

In relief.

"But your parents, they wouldn't..."

"I don't care..."

"But I do. They are your parents and... you're a Hunt and I'm a Owens....it's impossible."

"We will make it possible, I don't care about whatever feud they had before, I want you and I won't let anyone come in between us" Savior said firmly.

Angela peeked from the hallway, hand over her mouth. "Oh. My. God. I'm gonna cry. I hate them so much. They're disgusting."

Lauretta laughed through tears. Savior chuckled softly, still kneeling.

But then-

BANG.

The living room window cracked. A bullet-silver-lined-embedded itself in the wall behind them.

Angela screamed.

Savior shot to his feet, yanking Lauretta behind him. His eyes glowed gold.

The shadowy observer from the previous chapters now stepped out of the darkness across the street-aim steady, expression unreadable.

Savior growled-a deep, animalistic sound that vibrated the floor.

"Lauretta," he said without looking at her, voice a deadly whisper, "get behind the couch and don't move."

Her wolf howled. "Savior-"

"NOW."

She obeyed, trembling.

Savior stepped toward the window, hands curling into claws, voice turning feral:

"You want war?" he snarled. "You're about to get one."

The watcher smiled coldly-and disappeared.

But the message was clear.

They were not safe.

The baby was not safe.

And the Hunt–Owens feud was far from over.