đ Episode 3: Fighting Fate
The storm had rolled in overnight, leaving the Blackthorn Grand shrouded in a restless gray morning. Guests hurried through the lobby with umbrellas and coats, but Lila barely noticed the rain.
All she could think about was Ethan's words from the night before:
"Because you're mine."
She'd replayed them until dawn, her heart pounding every time. What had he meant? Surely not in the way it sounded. He couldn't meanâ
She shook her head, trying to bury the thought. Men like Ethan Blackthorn didn't notice women like her. At least, not in any way that made sense.
And yet, here she was, still feeling the phantom warmth of his gaze on her skin.
---
Ethan, meanwhile, stood in his office on the top floor, staring out over the rain-slick city. His reflection glared back from the windowâsharp jaw, controlled posture, the mask of the ruthless billionaire Alpha.
But beneath the surface, his wolf prowled restlessly.
She's ours. Mark her. Claim her.
"No," Ethan muttered under his breath, raking a hand through his dark hair. "She's human. She doesn't know our world."
She will, the wolf growled. She's stronger than you think.
Ethan's chest tightened. He'd sworn never to take a mate. He knew what fate could doâwhat it could cost. He wouldn't drag her into this life, not when rogues were already circling like vultures.
A knock interrupted his thoughts. His Beta, Marcus, stepped inside, his expression grim.
"She saw too much last night."
Ethan didn't move. "I handled it."
"Did you?" Marcus crossed his arms. "Because the way she looks at you says otherwise. You can't ignore this bond forever."
Ethan's jaw clenched. "I'll try."
---
Downstairs, Lila's morning shift had just ended when the lobby doors swung open.
Ethan walked in.
Her heart skipped as he strode across the marble floor, powerful and controlled, like he owned the very air around him. Guests parted instinctively, giving him space.
He shouldn't have looked at her. She knew that. And yet his gaze found hers instantly, locking on like a magnet.
Lila's breath caught. The world seemed to narrow, the buzz of the lobby fading until there was only him.
She tore her eyes away, forcing herself to focus on stacking the guest keys behind the desk. But when he stopped in front of her, her fingers fumbled.
"Mr. Blackthorn," she said quickly, her voice betraying the nerves fluttering inside her. "Good morning."
"Lila." His voice was smooth, but there was tension beneath it. "A word. In private."
Her pulse stumbled. "Iâmy shiftâ"
"Now," he said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
---
He led her into one of the executive meeting rooms, closing the door behind them.
The silence pressed in. She could feel the heat of his presence, the intensity of his stare even before she turned to face him.
"You need to stop getting involved," he said, his voice low, edged with frustration.
"I wasn'tâ"
"You were," he cut in sharply. "You keep showing up where you don't belong. And if you continue, you're going to get hurt."
Lila folded her arms, summoning courage she didn't really feel. "Then explain it to me. Because right now, it feels like I'm being pulled into something whether I want it or not."
Ethan's chest rose and fell heavily. He took a step closer, then stopped himself as though he'd hit an invisible wall.
"You don't understand what you're asking," he said, his voice rougher now. "The world I live inâit's dangerous. People would kill to hurt me. To hurt you."
"Then why did that man come after me?" she pressed. "You said it yourselfâhe was after me."
His eyes flashed gold. Her breath caught.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them crackled with something fierce and undeniable.
Finally, Ethan turned away, dragging a hand over his face. "I can't do this," he muttered. "I can't let you in."
Her heart twisted at the rawness in his voice. She stepped closer without thinking, her hand hovering near his arm. "EthanâŚ"
He turned suddenly, catching her wrist before she could touch him. The contact sent a jolt of heat racing through her veins, and she gasped.
His eyes burned into hers, the gold shimmering again.
"You don't know what you're doing to me," he said, his voice low and strained.
Lila's lips parted, her chest rising with each shaky breath. "Then tell me."
He held her gaze a moment longer before forcing himself to release her, stepping back like the touch had burned him.
"You need to stay away from me, Lila," he said harshly. "For your own good."
Her throat tightened. "What if I don't want to?"
The muscle in his jaw ticked. His wolf howled inside him, demanding he claim her, but he forced it down.
"You don't have a choice," he said finally, though his voice cracked under the weight of the lie.
And before she could respond, he strode out, leaving her trembling in the silence.
---
That night, Lila lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
She should have been afraid. She should have listened. But all she could think about was the fire in Ethan's eyes, the way her body had responded to his touch.
If this was danger, she wasn't sure she wanted to escape it.
---
Meanwhile, Ethan stood alone in his penthouse, staring out at the rain-drenched city. His reflection glowed faintly in the glassâeyes no longer gray, but gold.
He pressed his palms to the window, chest heaving.
You can't resist forever, his wolf whispered.
And deep down, Ethan knew it was true.
---
⨠End of Episode 3