Minutes earlier, the entire mansion had been dead silent. The television in the sitting room flickered on mute, casting a strange, wordless dance of shadows across the walls.
Pandora was curled on her side, her black shorts riding up her thighs, the loose neckline of her shirt slipping over her shoulder.
Beside her, Anthony was sprawled across the edge of the couch, typing on his phone. Every time he shifted, his foot brushed her thigh, triggering a sharp spark of awareness she desperately tried to ignore.
The door swung open and Jake stepped into the room, Alec trailing closely behind.
Grateful for the distraction, Pandora turned a teasing smile toward Alec. "How do you feel? Still want to punch Samantha in the face?"
"Drop it, Pandora," Alec muttered, crashing onto the opposite sofa. He still looked pissed, but he was finally in control.
"I’m just asking, seeing as you almost lost your mind today. But it would have given me immense satisfaction if you had punched her."
"How do you even know about that?" Jake frowned, settling next to Anthony. "You weren’t there."
"Dorian told Anthony, and he told me," Pandora shrugged lightly, then grinned. "He also told me how Pandora begged Alyssa on her knees! Damn! What I would have given to witness it and see the look on her face."
"You’ve got to stop doing that, man," Jake said, throwing his statement at Anthony.
Anthony finally looked up from his phone and glanced around in confusion. "Doing what?"
"Telling Pandora everything."
"Why should he stop?" Pandora sat up, an annoyed scowl creasing her brows. "Why would you even ask him to do that?"
"Pandora, let’s face it," Alec cut in. "You take every piece of gossip straight to your little friends and laugh over it."
"What’s wrong with that?" Pandora laughed. "That’s what girls do, Alec. Do you perhaps like any of my friends? One of them might actually end up being your fated mate."
When Alec ignored her and closed his eyes, she turned back to Jake. "And to answer your question, Jake, Anthony tells me everything because we’re friends. Stop making it sound like a crime."
"Why don’t you both just get married already?" Jake muttered. "You’re already acting like a couple."
Pandora’s smile vanished. An embarrassed heat rushed to her cheeks as she sat up fully. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" she snapped, her throat suddenly dry.
"Oh, please," Alec chimed in, eyes still closed. "It’s obvious you both have feelings for each other. Who knows, you might actually end up being mates."
"Stop it, man," Anthony said, letting out a nervous chuckle and deliberately avoiding Pandora’s gaze. "Pandora and I can’t be mates. It would be too weird. She’s like my sister."
"Exactly," Pandora chimed in quickly. "Besides, Anthony drives me completely insane. I could never be mated to him."
As the two of them kept listing reasons why they were impossible, Jake and Alec exchanged a knowing look.
[How long do you think they’ll keep denying it?] Alec asked through their private mind-link.
[I have no idea.] Jake mentally chuckled. [Forever, maybe. Pandora would rather eat glass than admit her feelings first.]
[And Anthony? What’s his excuse?]
Jake went quiet for a moment, watching the bickering pair. [He’s terrified of what Dorian would do if he found out. And honestly? He’s scared that Pandora will reject him.]
[You mean he can’t see she’s completely crazy about him?]
Before Jake could answer, a sharp, piercing scream shattered the quiet night, followed by a violent crash.
Pandora shot to her feet first, her eyes snapping toward the staircase as her mind immediately flashed to Alyssa.
In an instant, Anthony, Jake, and Alec were up, their bodies locking tight, instincts on high alert.
"Did you hear that?" Anthony demanded, his voice dropping into a tense whisper.
The frantic, heavy pounding of bare feet followed his words. Alyssa came barreling down the stairs, her eyes wide with pure terror. Dorian’s silk robe billowed wildly around her, swallowing her small frame.
"Alyssa?" Pandora stepped forward, reaching out as Alyssa flung herself blindly into her arms.
"Something is happening to Dorian," she gasped, her chest heaving as she looked at the crowded faces around her.
"Wait, slow down," Jake said, gently holding her shoulders. But Alyssa shook her head frantically, the words rushing out of her non-stop.
"I... I think he’s in pain... he told me to run... so he wouldn’t hurt me..."
Jake didn’t need to hear another word. He exchanged a sharp look with the others before softening his tone for Alyssa. "Stay here with Pandora, okay? We’ll check on the Alpha."
Alyssa nodded, burying herself deeper into Pandora’s embrace.
"It’s alright. Everything’s fine," Pandora whispered, holding the trembling girl tight. She looked up at Anthony, her eyes wide with worry. "Whatever happened up there must have been terrifying. You need to make sure Dorian is fine."
The three men moved instantly. They knew exactly how terrifying Dorian became whenever his demon side broke free.
Anthony took the lead, his expression hardening as he stealthily but rapidly moved up the grand stairs with Jake and Alec close behind.
They reached the landing and closed in on the bedroom. The door was halfway open.
Bracing himself, Anthony pushed it wide, ready to face Dorian’s full feral rage. But the room was entirely empty.
"Alpha?" Jake called out tentatively, his eyes scanning the shadows. No answer.
"Where is he?" Alec muttered.
The answer came from across the room. One of the windows was thrown wide open, creaking softly as it swayed in the night wind.
Dorian had leaped out from the upper floor in a violent bid to protect Alyssa from his own darkness.
"I don’t think he’ll be back tonight," Anthony said, striding over to the window. He pointed to the deep, vicious claw marks gouged straight through the wall. "He shifted before leaving. Something triggered him, something strong enough to wake his demon."
He stared out into the pitch-black night, his brow furrowed. "But what was it?"
...
Dorian didn’t return to the mansion until the first light of dawn cracked against the sky.
He stepped through the front door, his heavy movements completely silent. His face was a mask of cold stone, his golden-brown eyes tight with annoyance.
He made a move toward the stairs, but a sound from the sitting room caught his attention.
"Alpha?" Jake called out from the couch.
Anthony and Alec sat up instantly, their eyes locking onto Dorian’s massive silhouette.
Dorian stepped into the archway, scrutinizing the three of them with an unreadable expression. "What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you," Anthony said, standing up. "What happened, Dorian? Where have you been?"
Dorian didn’t answer. His gaze drifted past them, tracking up the staircase. His mind was consumed by a single person. "Where is Alyssa?"
"She’s fine. She’s with Pandora," Anthony answered. "She couldn’t sleep alone up there. She was too scared."
Dorian’s expression didn’t change, but inside his chest, his heart broke. The crushing weight of guilt settled over him; he had terrified her. He needed to see her.
"What really happened, Dorian?" Anthony pressed gently.
Dorian continued up the stairs. For a moment, it seemed like he would ignore them entirely, but he paused halfway up the landing and turned his head.
"I lost control," was all he said, his voice hollow, before disappearing into the shadows above.
Anthony looked away, his eyes meeting Jake and Alec who stood beside him.
"What do you think made him lose control?" Jake whispered.
Anthony shook his head, unable to give an answer. But deep down, he knew it had something to do with Alyssa.
...
Pandora’s eyes flew open the moment her bedroom door creaked.
She lifted her head, her breath catching as Dorian’s massive frame filled the doorway, blocking out the light from the hall.
"Dorian?" she whispered. Beside her, Alyssa was fast asleep, snuggled deeply inside the oversized silk robe as if it were a blanket.
"Go back to sleep," Dorian murmured, his deep voice slicing through the quiet as he stepped inside. "I’m only here for her."
He stopped at the edge of the bed, his gaze locking onto Alyssa’s sleeping face. His jaw tightened.
He knew it was reckless. He had spent the entire night running until his paws bled just to keep his beast under control, and logic told him he should keep his distance from her.
But the primal instinct inside him refused to let her spend another hour out of his sight. He needed her back in his bed, beside him, surrounded by her scent.
Leaning down, he effortlessly lifted Alyssa into his arms. She didn’t wake; she merely stirred with a soft sigh, her face cradling perfectly into the crook of his shoulder, her body instinctively relaxing against his chest.
Dorian’s eyes flicked up, locking onto his sister. "Thank you for staying with her."
"Wait, Dorian," Pandora called out softly as he turned away. "What happened? Where have you been?"
But just as he had dismissed the men downstairs, he ignored her question, silently carrying Alyssa back to his room where she belonged.