Jess was walking just fine.


    No staggering, no tripping, no leaning on walls for support. Her


    back was straight. Her heels clicked with confidence. She even


    nced at her reflection in a ss panel and fixed a stray hair.


    She wasn’t drunk. Not even a little.


    She’d been pretending the entire time.


    As soon as we entered the room, Jess said she wanted to take a


    shower.


    I nced at her warily. “You’ve been drinking,” I said, keeping


    my tone polite. “Showering might not be a good idea right now.


    Let me get you some honey water instead.”


    She didn’t even look at me. “I’m fine.”


    She turned toward the bathroom like I hadn’t said anything at


    all.


    I stepped forward, blocking her path. “Seriously. I can’t answer


    to Alpha Alexander if something happens to you. Please don’t


    be difficult.”‘


    Chapter <b>h </b>


    That made her stop. Her eyes darkened and then went ssy,


    reddening again like she might cry.


    But this time, I wasn’t buying it.


    I gently guided her toward the couch instead. “Sit. Just rest a bit, alright?”


    She did, wordlessly.


    I called the front desk and asked them to send up some warm honey water. As soon as I hung up, my phone buzzed again. I nced at the screen. Only two contacts existed in my phone-


    Alexander and Gai. This one was Alexander.


    I hesitated for a second, then answered. His voice was cool and


    simple: “Come to my suite.”


    No exnation. No greeting.


    Just an order.


    “I’ll be there in a moment,” I said.


    I turned to Jess. She was curled up on the couch, arms crossed,


    still acting like the world had betrayed her. “I’m going to check


    in with Alpha Alexander. You rest. Your honey water will be


    here soon.”


    She didn’t reply. She just looked up at me with that frosty,


    unreadable stare–like I’d just told her I was taking her ce in line for something she believed was hers.


    I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped. Anything I added would only make it worse. I nodded and turned toward


    the door.


    A short walkter, I tapped my room card at Alexander’s suite


    and stepped inside. The ce was dark, the lights dimmed to a


    soft amber glow.


    Alexander stood near the window, taking off his watch with


    slow, methodical movements. His posture was always elegant,


    deliberate–never a slouch or stumble to him.


    He didn’t look at me when he spoke.


    “I’m hungry.”


    I blinked. “Sorry?”


    His tone didn’t change. “I’m hungry.”


    For a wild second, my brain short–circuited. Hungry as in-


    what kind of hungry? I hoped not ‘sexually‘ hungry.


    I stared at his back,pletely unsure how to respond. Then he


    added, tly, “To eat!””


    I exhaled. Right. Of course.


    “Okay” I said quickly, clearing my throat. “What would you


    like? I can call the kitchen.”


    He shrugged. “Anything.”


    That wasn’t helpful at all. But I didn’t push. I listed off a few items off the top of my head–grilled chicken, seafood pasta, mushroom soup, whatever I could remember from the menu-


    and ryed it to the housekeeper over the inte.


    Once I hung up, Alexander finally turned to me. He walked


    over slowly, stopping a few feet away.


    “Gai used to handle all this,” he said.


    Just that. No warmth. No thanks. Just a casual reminder that I


    was still in the learning curve.


    I gave a short nod. “Understood.“”


    He didn’t ask me to stay. He just said, “You can leave.”


    Dismissed. Like a server who had poured thest ss of wine.


    I turned toward the door without saying anything more.


    As I stepped into the hallway, I thought about the man behind <ol><li>me. One minute he was sharp,manding, and graceful. The </li></ol>


    next, cold and clipped, like I barely existed.


    I shook my head to myself.


    What <i>a </i>temperamental man.


    Olivia’s POV


    I woke up to the quiet stillness of the room. Jess was still curled


    up in the extra bed, asleep like a statue–face turned to the side, lips slightly parted. I didn’t wake her.


    I changed quietly and slipped out. My stomach was growling. I


    hadn’t eaten properly the night before on the yacht–too many


    awkward encounters, too many things on my mind. Yve was


    grunting in my head, annoyed, “How are you supposed to


    function on an empty stomach?”


    The hotel breakfast spread was gorgeous–gran, fruit, eggs,


    smoked salmon, all arranged like artwork. I loaded my te, but


    ate slowly, savoring the deliciousness.


    After breakfast, I walked out into the hotel garden to clear my


    mind. The air was fresh. Birds chirped in the distance, and the


    faint scent of jasmine wafted on the breeze. I found a shaded


    bench beneath a tree and closed my eyes for a moment, just to


    take in the calm.