Richard was busy dealing with reports, calmly scribbling "Rejected" across a request form.

His mood today wasn't terrible, but definitely not great either. At least, not until Belen suddenly barged into the Bloodmoon Pack. That's when everything went downhill.

Byron showed up just in time with a few deltas to block the hot-headed alpha. They dragged Belen in front of Richard, who set his pen down and raised a questioning brow. Annoyance flickered in his eyes.

"You do know I could kill you right now, don't you?" Richard's voice cooled noticeably. "You're lucky you didn't shift-and that you ran into Byron first, Morgan. Start talking, and this better be good."

"Alpha Richard!" Belen dropped into a submissive posture, hiding the fact he was an alpha too. "There's something I really need to tell you... I'm at my limit. It's about my sister, Mara."

Belen looked wrecked-clearly hadn't slept all night. He knew Richard was secretly hitting Silverfang Pack, but calling him out would be suicide. That was the price Belen paid for trying to play games with Richard before. He hated it, but resistance was useless.

Still, he had a plan. Maybe he could finally get Richard to back off, and better yet, fix the mess Mara had gotten into.

"You've got a minute," Richard said coolly, resting his chin on his hands. "After that, get out."

Belen nervously licked his lips and took the plunge. "Alpha Richard... I'm really sorry, but that night-Mara's the girl you slept with."

"Keep going," Richard said, expression unreadable, gaze locked on him.

His tone was pure ice. Belen could feel the pressure of dominance coming off him in waves. This alpha was way out of his league.

Belen's teeth chattered slightly. Alpha or not, he was terrified. After a few seconds, he managed to steady his voice.

"Mara's had a thing for you for a long time. But she's always felt like she wasn't good enough... she was scared. The other night, she knew I'd spiked your drink and was worried about what might happen, so she went to your hotel. She ended up being pulled into your room... you thought she was the cure."

"Afterward, she was a mess. She confessed everything to me and swore she'd try to forget about you. She doesn't want to bother you, but her feelings haven't gone anywhere. She's been so out of it lately, not eating, not sleeping... last night she fell down the stairs and hit her head. I took her to the hospital, and that's when I found out about what happened between her and you."

His voice cracked like he actually believed the story himself. Richard didn't say a word, just kept staring at him. Belen started to doubt himself, voice trailing off as he rushed through the ending.

"Alpha Richard, I'm only asking you to go see her... that's all."

"Go home," Richard finally said, tone distant. "As for your sister, I'll pay her a visit."

Belen's eyes went wide with surprise, thrilled he got a yes. Richard always kept his word. He bowed with exaggerated respect before quietly slipping away.

Byron narrowed his eyes, watching him leave.

"Byron," Richard said, frowning, "look into the hospital he mentioned. I don't buy his story completely."

Byron gave a nod and quickly placed a call. However, thanks to Belen's warnings to the hospital, they kept the truth under wraps. The info Byron got? Pretty much matched what Belen had just said.

Richard still wasn't fully convinced-he didn't trust Belen, not really. But he shoved the doubts aside and headed for the hospital anyway. He had to know for sure. What if Belen was telling the truth and it really was Mara he'd slept with?

When Richard got there, he saw Mara sitting up in bed, looking out the window with a moody expression. It all lined up with what Belen said. Richard took a breath, straightened his expression, and walked over, trying to sound civil. "Hi, Miss Morgan."

Mara was wrapped in bandages, and when she heard the familiar voice, she turned her head quickly, eyes lighting up. Seeing that handsome face of his, she froze for a second, greeting him with a flirty little grin. "Alpha Richard? Wow, I didn't think you'd actually come!"

"Yeah," Richard answered calmly, moving to sit beside her bed.

"You really came to see me." Mara was practically dizzy with excitement. Any guilt about her little lie was long gone.

He caught the sharp scent of disinfectant in the air, and something bitter from her meds. Nothing he could put his finger on.

Looking at her bandaged head, he asked, sounding thoughtful, "How are you feeling now?"

Mara was thrilled, but she made sure to keep up the act, gazing at him with wide, fragile eyes like some poor helpless girl. "Thank you for checking on me, Alpha Richard. I'm doing much better. Just knowing you're here makes me feel a whole lot better. I didn't want my brother to tell you, but... he did anyway."

"It's fine. I wasn't that busy today," Richard replied.

"That's good. Just-please don't get the wrong idea about that night... I-I shouldn't have gone to the hotel..."

She was just about to nudge him into saying those magic words-make her his mate. She thought she saw him hesitate, like she almost had him. Then his phone rang. She stared at it, annoyed like someone had stolen her spotlight.

Richard didn't notice the look she gave. He walked toward the door and answered the call-it was from his father.

"Richard, where are you? Benjamin's getting worse..."

Richard's face tightened. His voice dropped. "I'll be there immediately."

Benjamin was his brother. Everyone knew Richard wore the alpha title now, but not many realized how capable Benjamin was too. He'd been attacked by rogues while traveling abroad. Took them down easily-but a virus got into his system.

The healers in the Bloodmoon Pack were out of answers. Nothing worked. Benjamin was wasting away, bleeding out slowly. Richard could only tell the healers to make him as comfortable as possible.

He left the hospital in a rush, didn't even say goodbye. Mara stared after him, fists slamming into the mattress, yelling in pure frustration. "Seriously? Now of all times?!"

She was sure that if she'd just had one more minute, Richard would've said yes. She could've become his mate-it was that close!

Meanwhile, Richard had already made it back to the Bloodmoon Pack. His father and Byron were there waiting, and Miles, the healer treating Benjamin, came rushing out of the medical room.

Miles looked stressed. "Benjamin's stable for now, but the virus he caught...it's not something we've seen before. We've asked everyone we can, no one knows how to fight it. Alpha Richard, there's only one shot-find that healer I mentioned. Vinnie Richie. But he's vanished. No one has a clue where he is."

Richard had known Miles for years and trusted him completely. If even he was saying this was the only option... there really was no other way. He turned to Byron. "How bad is it?"

Richard had already told Byron to find Vinnie as soon as possible. Byron gave a helpless shake of his head-he'd made tons of calls today, but no luck. "I've been trying everything, but Richie vanished two decades ago. No one knows where the guy went. But I do have a lead on one of his students-some mysterious she-wolf. Rumor has it, she's been spotted somewhere around our territory."

"The werewolves she treated only saw her with a veil on," Byron added quickly, like he was afraid of missing an important detail. "She made everyone sign some kind of confidentiality pact. No one's allowed to share anything about her."

Richard's face went sharp, like a storm was brewing just under the surface. His eyes turned icy, and his voice lost all warmth.

"Whatever it takes. I need her. Find her."

The entire Bloodmoon Pack received his orders. Everyone moved out. All for one goal: track down the healer.

Meanwhile, Perry was still lying in bed. She slowly opened her eyes and lazily got dressed.

Sitting in front of the mirror, she carefully put on her makeup. But her mind wandered-everything that had happened recently just wouldn't leave her alone. She sighed.

"Maybe it's time to ditch this place and head back to the countryside. Just live peacefully with Grandpa again," she thought, her fingers halfway through brushing her hair.

She was completely over how Francis constantly messed with her head. The quiet life started to feel more appealing than ever.

Just then, her phone buzzed. The noise snapped her out of it. She frowned and checked the screen-it was a call from Dylan.

Dylan Kent had grown up with her in the countryside. Always looked out for her, always listened. He was one of the few people she trusted completely. He became a talented healer, but when he invited her to join the hospital with him, she turned him down.

"Hey," Dylan greeted her, then paused, sounding a little hesitant. "Perry, it's about Benjamin Scott-the Bloodmoon Pack alpha's younger brother. He's caught some kind of weird virus. They're trying to find Vinnie Richie's student... That's you."

Perry's brows furrowed. She bit her lip, thinking hard. She'd heard about Richard's brother before but didn't know it had gotten this bad. "How bad is he right now?"

"It's pretty serious. The pack's losing it," Dylan replied, clearly worried. "They've asked a bunch of folks for help-even me-but I'm not strong enough to cure him. Honestly, I don't think he has much time left, Perry. What are you thinking?"

Perry stared at her reflection-her blue eyes searched for an answer in the glass. Finally, she made up her mind. One life was still a life. "Dylan, send me all his test results. I need to check everything first."

"That's all I've got," Dylan said, sending over an email not long after.

Perry opened the data and started going through it. Page after page of reports made her frown deeply. Even when noon came and went, she stayed focused, reviewing the material while nibbling on her dinner in her room.

She only realized it was nighttime when she stood up to stretch and glanced out the window-pitch black outside. Rubbing her temples, she headed to the door, planning to get some fresh air.

But before she could even step out, two strange deltas grabbed her at the threshold. A black car waited just outside-one of them shot her with a tranquilizer.

Before she passed out, she managed to whisper, "Who are you?"

"We're taking you where you need to be," one of the deltas responded coldly, tossing her into the car.

Perry bit down, still fuming but unable to fight back. As everything went dark, only one thought ran through her mind-

"Who the hell sent them? Francis? Tom? Some desperate patient? Tch, either way... I'm not helping anyone."

The black vehicle sped off into the night.

Dylan had been slammed with work all day. His pack had just dealt with a rogue attack, so there were more healing duties than usual. He didn't get a break until nightfall, when he finally left the hospital, planning to talk to Perry about Benjamin's condition.

But when he got to the hotel, he couldn't get through to her. That set off alarm bells. Dylan headed inside and spotted Gina, already looking flustered.

"She's not in her room either," she said, clearly shaken. "What if something's happened to Perry?"

She pulled out her phone and noticed a missed call from Perry. It must've been right before Perry passed out-Gina had been too wrapped up in work to notice it ringing. Guilt hit her hard.

Dylan frowned, confused by her panic. "What are you talking about?"

"It's her father," Gina said urgently and launched into the whole story-everything that had gone down with Francis setting Perry up. Now Dylan looked just as worried. He crossed his arms tightly, the anxiety written all over his face.

"So... what do we do now?" Gina asked nervously. "Poor Perry, she's been through so much ever since she got here. What if this time it's even worse?"

Dylan let out a frustrated breath. "We need to figure out where she went..."

As he glanced toward the hotel entrance, a familiar sports car parked out front caught his eye. He recognized it immediately-belonged to Richard Scott.

Eyes going wide, Dylan suddenly had an idea. He rushed outside and hurried over to the car, knocking on the window. The car stayed still for a moment, then the window rolled down. Dylan finally exhaled, relieved Richard hadn't ignored him.

"Alpha Richard, I'm Perry Lake's friend. She's in trouble-serious trouble. I'm asking you to help us get her back," Dylan said carefully, trying not to sound pushy.

Richard gave him a cold glance. He had enough on his plate with Benjamin and didn't even know who Dylan was. And why would Perry suddenly be in danger anyway? "Not my problem."

"She almost became your mate, didn't she?" Dylan pushed, getting desperate. "Can you really turn your back on her like this?"

"She's not one of my wolves," Richard replied, his voice clipped. Dylan could tell his patience was wearing thin. Biting his lip, he leaned in closer before the window closed.

"She's the only one who can save your brother. The only one."

Richard froze.

For a second, he just stared. Shock flickered in his eyes, then turned into irritation-as if Dylan had just tried to feed him some ridiculous lie. Perry? A healer? That sounded insane. She was just a young she-wolf, maybe an alpha's daughter at most. There was no way she was capable of something like that.

At that thought, his gaze turned icy as he gave Dylan a sharp warning. "I hate being lied to. Tell me how you know about Benjamin. You'd better have a damn good explanation-otherwise, I'll tear you apart right here."

Dylan took a shaky breath. Even under Richard's overwhelming aura, he held his ground for Perry's sake. "I was one of the healers Byron contacted. Perry and I grew up together. She got interested in healing werewolves because of her mom. She's insanely talented, and... she studied under Vinnie Richie. No one else knows-just me."

He rushed through the explanation and quickly pulled out his phone, tapping on a photo. "Look, this is Perry. You've seen her in this outfit, right? She's the mysterious healer everyone's been talking about."

Richard stared in disbelief at the picture. Perry had a veil on, tending to a dying werewolf. He'd been chasing after any traces of this healer-and now it made sense. Doubts started to melt away.

Whatever the truth, he needed to check it out. Especially considering she nearly became his mate once.

Richard locked eyes with Dylan and asked seriously, "That's Perry?"

"Yeah," Dylan said with a resigned nod, rubbing his hands before slipping the phone back in his pocket. "She's been hiding her identity. Richard, you've got to promise to keep this to yourself. Not even Gina knows."

"Then how did she get into trouble?" Richard thought for a moment before asking.

"I'm not sure. But Gina mentioned two names-Francis or Tom. And if someone found out who Perry really is, they might've grabbed her because of that."

Dylan's voice was full of worry. Richard's expression hardened instantly, and fury sparked in his eyes.

"Did they take her just to stop her from saving Benjamin?" the thought shot through Richard's head like lightning.

He leaned back in his seat, his tone ice-cold. "No matter what, we're finding her. Byron, get those trackers over here. I want to know exactly where she was taken from."

"Got it," Byron answered from the driver's seat, focused and ready.

While they were frantically tracking Perry down, she had already woken from the anesthesia.

Perry blinked her eyes open and realized she was in some sort of villa. She scanned the room, cautious. The curtains were drawn tight-no way to see outside. A couple of deltas had dumped her in one of the rooms.

The lights were on. No patient in sight. That meant this wasn't about healing-someone had kidnapped her for another reason. Her mind raced. Maybe she could shift and smash the window to escape.

But she couldn't be sure if there were guards outside. The anxiety crept in-until a moment later, a werewolf came strolling out from the bathroom. Perry snapped her head to face him.

Tom Pierce stood there, all smug, reaching toward her.

His eyes trailed over her in a way that made her want to gag. She rolled her eyes hard. He only had a bathrobe on, that creepy grin smeared across his face as he slunk closer. "Well, well, darling. Took you long enough to get here."

Perry tensed up, knowing full well she couldn't take on an alpha head-on. If Tom tried anything, she'd fight tooth and nail to get away, even if the odds weren't in her favor. "Back off! What exactly do you want from me?"

"Francis is useless. Couldn't even catch you, so I had to step in myself," Tom sneered, clearly enjoying the fear in her eyes. "But don't worry. As long as you play nice, I promise you'll enjoy it way more than you think."

She stepped back, determined to keep him at a distance, her gaze sharp and unwavering. Her eyes landed on several nasty ulcers on his torso, and she instantly felt the bile rise in her throat. "You look like you're falling apart. And you still have the nerve to act like this?"

She'd heard the rumors-Tom was notorious for sleeping around with different females. Finding out he had syphilis didn't surprise her in the slightest.

Tom flinched. He'd been hiding his condition, and having Perry call him out like that hit a nerve. He yanked his robe tighter around his body as those sores started itching again, despite all the meds he'd been taking. "I don't have anything!"

"Right," Perry scoffed. "How about we make a deal? Tom Pierce, I treat you, and in return, you let me go."

She wasn't keen on healing someone like him, not at all. But right now, it was her only shot at buying time and maybe getting out. She knew how bad his condition had to be-it would be eating him alive. Sure enough, he froze in place.

Then he burst out laughing, completely dismissing her. "You? Fix me? You really think I'm that gullible?"

"I'm guessing your healer already told you-doesn't matter what you try, you've got two years max, and that's being generous," she said calmly, watching his face closely.

His eyes widened in shock. Her words hit a little too close to home. He stared at her for a long second, suspicion creeping in. "You... actually know how to cure this? Are you serious?"

"Believe what you want," Perry said coolly, watching the gears turning in his head. She knew he was starting to believe her. "Honestly, if I wasn't trying to figure out who drugged and kidnapped me, that sedative of yours wouldn't have done a damn thing."

Tom stood frozen, eyes darting to the sores on his body-his ugly little secret. This might be his only shot to get better. "You really can do it?"

Perry didn't hesitate. She carried herself with confidence, chin lifted high. She'd trained for this since she was a kid. Tom's illness was tough, but not beyond her.

"Absolutely. But only if you listen to everything I say."

"If you pull it off, I swear I'll owe you everything. I'll do anything you-" Tom didn't get to finish. The heavy door suddenly flew open with a loud bang.

One of his deltas, unconscious, was tossed inside like trash. Tom reeled back as Richard strode in, eyes dark and full of barely-contained fury. Byron followed closely behind, giving Tom a cold, assessing look.

"Found it," Byron said flatly.

Perry's heart nearly leapt out of her chest. She had no idea how Richard had tracked her here, but she instinctively edged back a little, anxiety bubbling inside her. Then Richard's gaze caught hers-just a quick glance-but it sent her heart into a wild, erratic rhythm.

Tom stared at them, completely stunned, clearly having no clue how Richard had tracked them down. He forced a stiff smile. "Alpha Richard, what are you doing here... Ah!"

Richard grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall, then drove a hard kick into his gut. Tom shrieked and crumpled to the ground, moaning in pain. Still, he didn't dare show even a trace of hostility toward Richard-he knew he'd be flattened in seconds.

"What... What are you gonna do?" Tom's eyes flickered into wolf form, but Richard's overwhelming presence crushed any thought of a fight. Tom shakily pushed himself upright, glaring at Richard, frustrated but too scared to lash out.

Richard ignored his outburst, turning to Perry with an icy calm. His voice was low, steady. "If you want to make him pay, now's your shot. You could even cut his nuts off-I'll back you up, no questions asked."

The words rolled off his tongue like a devil's whisper, dangerous yet strangely alluring. Perry blinked, dazed by the raw power and breathtaking looks of the alpha before her.

As her eyes lingered on his face, she found herself fascinated. This wasn't what she expected to feel, and it rattled her more than she liked. But as her thoughts refocused on Benjamin's condition, urgency surged back. She gasped and shouted, "There's no time! Forget him-we need to get to the hospital. Benjamin's symptoms could be flaring up again right now!"

"What?" Richard looked genuinely thrown off.

How in the world did she know about Benjamin's situation? Did Dylan already fill her in?

"If you still want to save your brother, we have to go now," Perry said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Tell Dylan to meet us there-I'm gonna need his help. We need to move, fast!"

Richard set aside the questions and rushed to leave with her. Byron didn't hesitate-he floored the gas, and the engine roared as the car sped toward the hospital. On the way, Richard's phone suddenly rang-it was the hospital calling.

"Alpha, Mr. Scott just started throwing up blood-way worse than before. We're doing everything we can, but... it's not enough," the healer on the other end sounded frantic.

Richard ended the call, a dark expression clouding his face, worry tightening his features.

He glanced at Perry, who wore a serious look. "You know what's going on with Benjamin?"

"I do," she confirmed with a nod. "Dylan already sent me all of his medical info."

"You think you can cure him?" Richard asked, his gaze fixed on her.

For a split second, he was caught off guard by how beautiful she looked-drawn to her without even fully realizing it. The thought confused him. Then Perry answered softly, "I'll do everything I can."

After that, she turned her eyes to the window, distracted, already planning her next steps. She didn't notice Richard studying her, as if trying to memorize every little detail.

He didn't even realize how possessive his expression had become. At that moment, something clicked in him.

"Maybe I want her as my mate," the thought came out of nowhere.

The Bloodmoon Pack's hospital was a total mess. Healers kept shuffling in and out of Benjamin's room, doing everything they could just to stabilize him for a bit longer. Benjamin lay unconscious, blood all over the sheets and floor.

Joel paced back and forth, anxiety written all over his face. He didn't stop until he spotted Richard hurrying over. Only then did he finally let out a breath of relief. Grabbing his son's shoulders, he asked urgently, "Richard, did you find that mysterious healer?"

Before Richard could answer, Perry suddenly stepped forward. She scanned Benjamin quickly and seriously, then turned and barked out, "Everyone out! Except Alpha Richard and Healer Miles!"

Nobody in the room recognized her. She'd walked in behind the Alpha, didn't look like a healer, and now she was giving orders like she owned the place. Everyone froze, stunned.

Richard's face darkened. "You heard her. Everyone else, leave."

Alpha's command overruled all doubts. The others lowered their heads respectfully and left in a hurry. Joel glanced at Perry with concern. "Richard, is she Perry Lake?"

He knew of Perry, but she wasn't Richard's mate-at least not officially. He had no idea why Richard brought her.

"Yeah, that's her." Richard hesitated for a breath as her name almost crossed his lips-there was warmth there-but he quickly steadied his tone. "She's also the mystery healer we've been looking for."

"What?" Joel looked completely shocked.

"I know it's hard to believe," Richard said quickly, already stepping into the room, "but trust me-it's her."

Inside, Perry had already placed her hand gently on Benjamin's head, eyes closed, sensing something. Richard stared at her, momentarily dazed. Her lashes trembled as she focused, lips pressed tightly together like she was under serious pressure.

"How is he?" Richard asked softly.

Perry didn't look up. "I'll give him my blood. It's the only way."

Richard froze. That was the last thing he expected. He hesitated, clearly uneasy. He didn't want her to get hurt, or worse, overdo it. "Is that really necessary? There's no other way?"

"This is my gift," she said gently, but she meant every word. "My mentor figured it out-my blood's unique. It can neutralize certain poisons, including whatever's in Benjamin."

Richard frowned, clearly not happy with how casually she said it. He knew it couldn't be just a few drops-there was definitely going to be a price, and he hated that she was willing to pay it.

Perry didn't back down. She met his eyes, steady and stubborn. His stare burned with frustration, but she held firm.

"Miss Lake, maybe you should think this through," Miles spoke up from the side, clearly uncomfortable. These two hadn't even looked at him once. "This isn't exactly a safe call."

Of course Perry understood that. But saving Benjamin meant more to her than playing it safe. She gave a small nod. "I get it. I know my limits. If it's just Benjamin, I'll be okay."

She looked over at Richard, her expression firm as she made her decision clear. Richard let out a long breath but gave in, choosing to go with what she wanted. Turning away, he tried to swallow the ache in his chest and let Perry do what she came for.

Miles came back quickly with the blood-drawing equipment. Richard waited outside, restless, watching Perry work on Benjamin. His eyes couldn't help but linger on the way she focused completely, her face calm and precise. "She's really something else."

He couldn't lie to himself-he wanted her. Details that slipped past him before suddenly made more sense; her figure reminded him of the she-wolf from that night, and her long, soft hair... he could almost feel its touch against his skin.

Richard narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. Belen had told him that night, it was Mara. But after actually meeting Mara, something hadn't quite clicked. Still, he'd told himself he'd mate with her-if he had to.

Caught up in these thoughts, he didn't even notice when Perry stepped out. She looked pale, enough to make his chest tighten with concern. But he held back, keeping his tone neutral as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Perry replied with a tired smile. "Just need... a little rest."

She swayed slightly, and before either of them realized, he was holding her up by the waist. She froze for a second, then slowly relaxed in his arms. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she leaned into him, clearly running out of energy.

Looking down at her face as she drifted off, Richard made a quiet decision and carried her to his place. The wolves who saw him walk by with an unknown female in his arms stared, jaws damn near dropping. Their Alpha, being soft with a female? That was new.

"I can't help worrying about her," he muttered once he'd laid her down on his bed, heart pounding a little too hard. "She looks so fragile... like she actually needs someone."

He sat by her side, watching her, soaking in every little expression. That strange pull toward her only grew stronger. An urge to kiss her welled up inside him-so he did. A quick, almost sneaky kiss on her cheek. It felt right.

For a second, he thought he caught that sweetness in the air again. He blinked, shook his head, and quickly left the room, stepping out into the cold to cool off. He took in a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

Perry stirred something in him-strong, consuming desire. It wasn't normal; he didn't react to others like this. He was a powerful Alpha, unmated by choice, never willing to let feelings cloud his judgment.

But with Perry... Rich had to admit it-he'd fallen for her. Hard. The feeling mirrored that intense rush they'd always said came with finding your true mate. Maybe he really needed to figure out what was going on with Mara Morgan.

He didn't go back inside until Perry woke up. When he did, she was sitting on the bed, a bit shy but smiling up at him. "Sorry about earlier. I feel way better now."

"It's okay," Richard said softly. "You scared the hell out of me, passing out like that."

He even threw in a wink-something totally out of character for him. If Byron had seen it, he'd probably choke on his drink. Perry, though, cracked up laughing. Her impression of Richard shifted. She'd thought he was this cold, serious Alpha-but there was more to him. A charming side she hadn't expected. And it made her heart skip a beat.

"By the way, where am I?" she finally asked, noticing just how soft the bed was. And that scent... definitely an Alpha's place. Her smile faltered a bit, the realization creeping in.

"Ahem," Richard tugged at his collar and cleared his throat, his voice laced with teasing. "You're in my house, you know."

"What?" Perry blinked, half-convinced she'd misheard him or he was joking.

But Richard looked dead serious. "Exactly what you're thinking. I brought you back to my place. Perry-can I call you that? Or should I stick with Miss Lake?"

"No, I mean-yes, Perry's fine," she stammered, clearly flustered. "Sorry, I didn't realize this was your home."

"Right. You thought only a luna could sleep in my bed or something?"

He leaned forward, resting both hands on the mattress. His fingers were so close to hers that he could have held her hand with just the slightest move.

Perry's face turned a faint shade of pink. She bit her lip and didn't reply. Sliding off the bed quickly, she avoided his hand-which he suddenly reached out and caught. Her cheeks flushed even deeper as she struggled to pull away.

"Thanks for looking after me," she said, trying hard to stay calm. "But I really have to go. Benjamin still needs treatment."

That was true, yes, but more than that, it was the only excuse she could think of right now. She had no idea how to deal with Richard. She had feelings for him-no doubt about that-but they scared her. And honestly, she still had to figure out who that alpha from that night was.

Richard got to his feet and pulled her into his arms. Perry froze. She didn't fight back. He cupped her face, locking his eyes with hers. "Tell me how you feel. I can't hide it anymore-I want you."

"No..." She tried to protest, but before the word fully left her lips, Richard kissed her hard. His cool lips pressed firmly against hers, tongue slipping past as he deepened the kiss. Her eyes softened, hazy with emotion, and she made no move to resist.

The passion in his kiss was overwhelming. Her body melted under his touch, instinctively leaning into it. A part of her had been waiting for this, so for once, she let herself go. Just for a moment.

His hands circled her waist, trailing slowly up her back, feeling her tremble under his fingers. When she whimpered softly, eyes pleading and glassy, it made something primal stir in him.

"Mark her. Claim her," a voice in Richard's head whispered fiercely. "Make Perry Lake yours. Once you do, she won't leave. She's your mate."

He held back. Barely. Instead, he kissed her more deeply, tongues tangled, pressing in harder. Tears welled up in Perry's eyes as her face flushed redder. Richard, caught in the moment, slid his hand toward her waist, seeking more.

But just as his fingers brushed her skin, she snapped out of it. The heat in her cheeks faded, and she shoved him away suddenly. Richard hadn't expected it, didn't resist.

He stared at her, surprise flickering in his eyes. "Why?"

"I can't... I really have to go," she said, voice shaking. "This isn't right."

She dropped her gaze and wiped at the tears in her eyes. Her lips were still tingling from his kiss, her heart racing so fast it felt like it might burst.

Richard just stood there, eyes full of emotion. Then finally, he let out a long breath and gave a small nod. "Okay. Go."

They stepped out of the alpha's home together, walking in silence back to the hospital. Perry could feel his gaze on her the whole way, and it stirred a storm in her chest. One thought kept echoing in her mind: "He's changed his mind... he actually loves me now."