ELARA

I folded my lips nervously, biting down hard. Jeremy only stayed pressed against me for half a second before pulling away.

"I’ll go change," he said.

"There’s no need," I blurted out.

He gave me a confused look. "You do realize my shirt is soaked, right?"

My hands flew up in frustration before dropping uselessly to my sides. "No, I meant I’ll go. So you can change without me standing here like an idiot."

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Nice try, young lady." He started walking away. "You stay. Give me one second."

I huff out a dramatic sigh. Of course it didn’t work. He knew me too well to fall for it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a text from Martins. Typical Martins, he couldn’t just send a short message.

Martins: Hey Ela. Just left the lab and I was wondering if it was too early to tell you this. Actually, I couldn’t keep the excitement to myself...

I skipped straight to the end, ignoring the novel in between. Then I saw it.

A slow smile spread across my face. My hand flew up to cover my mouth.

"Oh my God," I muffled against my palm. "I got picked."

I read the message again. Then a third time. Still there and still plainly real.

The project team had actually chosen me as their representative.

For a few precious seconds, everything else disappeared. The mate drama. My father. Vale. Hardin. Jeremy. Aaron. All of it faded into the background. This was my thing. Something I had worked my ass off for, completely separate from wolves and fated bonds and palace politics.

I was still grinning at my phone like a complete idiot when the bathroom door opened.

I looked up immediately. And just like that, every intelligent thought in my head vanished again.

Jeremy stepped out of the bathroom with nothing but his bare chest and the soaked shirt dangling from his hand.

Holy shit.

I honestly couldn’t stop staring. My eyes traced the hard planes of his chest, the defined ridges of his abs, the way droplets of water still clung to his skin and slid slowly downward. Heat flooded my face... and lower... as my gaze lingered far longer than it should have.

Get a fucking grip, Elara.

My brain screamed at me, but my mouth had already fallen slightly ope.. I didn’t even realize it until he walked past me, close enough that I caught the clean, warm scent of his skin.

"Perhaps I should get you a jaw clip," he teased, voice low and rough around the edges, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Mortification burned through my face. I snapped my mouth shut so fast it was embarrassing, but the damage was done. My cheeks were on fire. I had no idea if he was joking, trying to lighten the mood, or genuinely calling me out. Either way, I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

When he returned a minute later, he was fully dressed in a crisp white shirt that clung just slightly to his still-damp skin, he somehow looked even more dangerous than before. The fabric stretched across his broad shoulders, hinting at everything I’d just shamelessly ogled. Dammit! He always looked unfairly good in white.

"Alright," he said, slipping one hand into his pocket. "Shall we?"

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my pulse was racing. "Right." My voice came out steadier than I felt. "I’m ready."

"I’m glad you don’t sound scared anymore."

"I wasn’t scared," I lied quickly. Then I hesitated. "Okay... maybe I was a little. But I wasn’t supposed to be. I didn’t do anything wrong."

At least, that’s what I kept trying to tell myself.

Jeremy studied me for a long moment, his eyes darkening as they dropped briefly to my lips before returning to mine. The air between us suddenly felt thick, charged with everything we weren’t saying. "I didn’t—"

"Just let me talk," I cut in, my voice sharper than I intended. Then I softened it. "Please."

"Alright," Jeremy said quietly.

I bit down hard on my lip, nerves twisting in my stomach. "I... I think I have a wolf."

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just stared at me.

I searched his face desperately for shock, confusion, surprise, anything. But there was nothing. If anything, he looked like someone who had known all along which wasn’t possible. Even my own father would never believe it if he were to hear it.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?" I demanded.

His eyes lowered briefly before meeting mine again. "I always knew you were special, El. So no... I’m not surprised you have a wolf."

Seriously? That was it?

The calm way he said it only frustrated me more. There was clearly something he wasn’t telling me, I could see it in his eyes.

My face squeezed. "I just told you I got my wolf and that’s all you’re going to say?"

Jeremy stayed silent.

I scoffed. "What did you expect? For me to smile and say ’Wow, Jeremy is amazing. Jeremy was the only one who believed my wolf wasn’t dead’? Is that it?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "I think you’ve been using that tone with me a lot since you got here."

His voice stayed calm, plus his statement, only pissed me off more.

"How about you work on that first?"

"Are you kidding me right now?" My voice rose before I could stop it. I threw my hands up and shoved his chest slightly enough to make my point. "You don’t get to lecture me about my tone, Jeremy."

I stepped back, dragging a hand through my hair, frustration and hurt boiling over. "And I think I finally understand what the problem is."

His eyes narrowed. "Your ego."

The words slipped out without any ounce of remorse.

"At least I’ve always been honest about how I felt about you," I continued, pointing at him. "But you? You’re always hiding behind rules. Boundaries. Reasons. Except the funny thing is... you crossed those boundaries yourself."

Jeremy swallowed hard. I could see him physically restraining himself, trying so hard to stay in control like the good and responsible guy he’d always tried hard to be.

And I was tired of it.

"You’re such a hypocrite."

The accusation hung heavy in the air between us.

"Fine. I understand it," I laughed bitterly. "You were my father’s friend. There were lines you weren’t supposed to cross. I get that."

My eyes locked onto his. "But stop acting like you’re not jealous. Stop acting like the only thing you’re worried about is how I feel about my mates."

I took a shaky breath, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

This conversation wasn’t supposed to go this way. But I was glad it did. Because for once, I wanted the truth. Without no excuses or rules or boundaries. Just the damn truth.

"Tell me that kiss meant nothing."