Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft golden hue across the quiet living room.
"Alright, I'm off to work," David called, grabbing his keys from the table. "You two try to get to know each other while I'm gone, yeah?"
Jake didn't look up from his phone. "Yeah, sure."
"Okay, darling," Sarah replied sweetly from the kitchen. "Drive safe-be back soon... love you."
"Thanks. Love you too," David said as the door clicked shut behind him.
Silence settled immediately.
Jake's eyes stayed glued to his screen, unmoving.
"Love you, my ass," he muttered under his breath.
"So, Jake-did you sleep well?" Sarah asked suddenly, her tone light but deliberate.
Jake blinked, caught completely off guard. "Uh... yeah. I guess?"
Why the sudden question? he wondered.
"You sure?" she pressed, drying her hands on a towel as she leaned slightly into the doorway. "You came in pretty late last night... What were you out doing?"
Her eyes locked onto him-calm, but probing.
Looks like I'll have to be more direct now that we're finally alone, she thought.
Jake's fingers froze on his phone screen. He slowly looked up, brow arching.
"Well I was-wait!" He paused. It had just hit him. "How do you know what time I came in?" he asked, tone sharpening. Suspicion bloomed across his face.
He sat up straighter now, eyes narrowing.
It was her... in my room.
FUCK! Sarah yelled internally.
She didn't flinch. "I heard you come in," she said as she walked toward the stairs. She stopped and looked back, eyes locked onto Jake's. "Why? Is anything the matter?"
Jake clenched his jaw.
Was I wrong, or is she lying? he wondered.
"Nah." He focused his attention back on his phone again. "It's nothing."
Sarah gave a slight nod. "Okay then. I'll be in my room if you need anything," she said, lips curling into a calm, unreadable smile.
Jake heard her footsteps fade upstairs.
I need to find out what she's up to, he thought, locking his phone and leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees, mind racing.
Meanwhile, Sarah shut her door softly behind her. As soon as it clicked shut, she sank to her knees, breathing hard.
"I still haven't gotten used to his strange Alpha aura," she muttered, chest rising and falling.
"Another minute down there and I would've passed out..."
She clenched her fists, heart thudding.
"But that was way too close... What was I thinking?"
She crawled to the side of her bed and leaned against it, still shaking.
I'll do anything-no matter what, I can't go back to the werewolf life. I won't.
Her jaw tightened as she stared blankly at the floor, a fierce determination burning behind her eyes.
No more packs. No more control. No more lies.
"Get your head in the game, Sarah," she told herself, pulling it together and wiping the last trace of anxiety from her face.
"I need to do whatever it takes to get answers," she muttered, unbuttoning her pajamas with slow resolve.
Her gaze darkened as it met her reflection in the mirror.
"And if there's one thing an Alpha can't resist..." she paused, pulling out a short black gown-tight-fitting and sleeveless, with a deep neckline that showed just enough cleavage. The fabric hugged her curves, stopping high on her thighs. The back was completely open, exposing her smooth skin from shoulders to waist. It was bold, seductive... impossible to ignore.
"...it's a good mate."
With that, she smirked at her reflection-ready to play the most dangerous game of all.