I cringe when I hear him curse. He's panting and tense like an angry cloud ready to unleash a storm.

"Kaden." I speak up.

His eyes find mine, but his glower doesn't relax.

"Alpha Kaden, we're here because the doctor allegedly disclosed—"

"I'm fully aware of what the doctor is being accused of. What I fail to understand is why this small misdemeanour is being scrutinised so heavily. When you requested access to my territory, you failed to disclose that your business was to apprehend one of my pack members." He crosses his enormous arms over his chest, giving a false sense of control. His furrowed brow betrays him. We all know that he's out for blood.

He's baring teeth because he doesn't want me to be taken. I can't lie. It's flattering that he's being so protective. I'm just a woman. No matter how stubborn I am and how much I try to push him away, I'm still just a cluster of pheromones, ovaries, and daydreams that swoon under his attention.

I know better than to let him sweep in, though. Although he's my alpha, I brought this mess on myself and deserve no help.

"Thank you for coming," I say. "But there's no need to intervene. I have this under control."

His eyes flicker to mine again. He recognises my words, but his stance doesn't relax.

"Alpha Kaden, disclosing the personal information of a patient is no small misdemeanour." The investigator persists.

"Do not!" Kaden booms, his voice sounding like a clap of thunder. "Do not question my intelligence, officers. You're well below me in rank. I will investigate the charges brought upon the doctor and decide what her punishment shall be."

The officers exchange a look. Their demeanour is shifting. They've taken a step down the stairs, subconsciously trying to become smaller because they know by nature that Kaden can rip them apart. They must submit to survive.

"Please be reasonable. It's our job to complete the investigation and assign any appropriate punishment. Would you... how would you know how to rule this type of case?"

Kaden becomes angrier with every word he has to add to this exchange. "She's my pack member. If I want to punish her by removing her title, or making her do community service, or tossing her over my fucking knee and spank her until she's red with regret, then I will! It's none of your business. I will decide what happens. Now get off my territory before I personally remove you limb by limb."

"Kaden," I press.

This isn't right. This is favoritism.

His heated gaze remains on the men until they shuffle down another step. One of them clears their throats. "Right, then. We will have our supervisor reach out to you."

I watch the men retreat. "You didn't have to do that," I sigh. "You shouldn't have."

Kaden closes the space between us, standing a shrivelling foot away from me. "You drive me halfway to insanity, Kenna. What the fuck happened last night? Why would you confront that bastard? The investigation was getting somewhere. We haven't found the second page of the letter, but we bugged his house and he had been dropping hints in conversations that he harassed Anya. He was going to be charged. We just needed to gather enough evidence."

If only I had bitten my tongue and not given into my ego. I possibly ruined the investigation and alerted Milton that we were onto him.

I run a hand through my hair. "I accepted that I've fucked up. I'm sorry, but you shouldn't have come here. I should face the consequences of my actions, not get a free pass just because you enjoy being in my guts."

"Stop doing that!" he flashes his teeth and pushes against me, his broadness nearly knocking me backward if it weren't for the hands that firmly grip my biceps. "Stop simplifying what's between us. You know it's more than just physical. You're more than a warm cunt to me."

I look away, refusing it. That only infuriates him further.

"I'm done with this. Get over my knee, now."

I tense. "Are you kidding me? Hell no, I'm not laying my grown ass over any man's lap!"

He's not having it. In one swift move, he sits on the top stair, takes my hand, and pulls me down so I'm lying across his strong thighs. The pressure in my belly empties my lungs, and I gasp.

"If you hit me—" I wheeze, anger seeping through my clenched teeth. I didn't consent to this. He will not punish me this way.

Kaden rests a hand on the small of my back, and I tense in preparation of the stinging feeling on my ass.

"Do you feel that?" He asks. "The emptiness in your lungs? The blood rushing in you? The disorientation in your mind? That is how you make me feel every time I'm with you. I know you feel it too, so let's stop this bullshit and make things official. Become my luna."

The blood must be rushing to my head, because I think I've begun to hallucinate. Did this mad man just ask me to become his equal, his life partner, the mother of the pack? All while I lay over his lap out in the open?

"Kaden!" I hiss. "There's only a handful of Lunas in the world, and you're asking one of the most unstable women you know to lead beside you?"

"Yes," he deadpans. "Move in with me. Let's have the mating bond ceremony and get this nonsense over with."

"No!" I scramble on his lap until I'm standing. "No. I'm barely fit to be a doctor. I can't mother a pack. Is this a joke?"

He stands up, and I reach a hand out to keep him at a distance.

"You are fit," he counters. "You're an intelligent woman that can read people and have experiences no other pack members have had. As a Luna, you could help me build channels that would help abused women that were in Anya's situation so they don't have to turn to suicide. You could determine the workload of medical staff to decrease their stress."

Oh, my goddess. He has lost it.

"Kenna?"

I look to my left, and find Sylvie. Oh, great. The circus has fully arrived.

My eyebrow raises, releasing my bitch-face. I'm done with this entire situation. "No, Sylvie, we're not doing this." I turn my attention to her.

It's quite audacious for her to be here, unannounced. I've gone through so much, my name getting spit on by the pack as it gossips. I don't mind that Sylvie didn't clarify any of the rumours, since it's not her responsibility. However, I won't tolerate her strolling into my yard whoever she wishes, soiling it with her crocodile tears. My home is my safe haven, and I won't entertain any more unpleasant encounters with a stranger.

"I'm sorry you're having trouble with your one-sided love or whatever is going on between you two, but you cannot just show up here."

She shuffles her weight from one leg to another. "I just..."

"No. We're not doing this. I can't imagine what business you could possibly have with me, but you could have written, called, or texted me. This is extremely inconsiderate, uncomfortable, and I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

I cup my hips. I'm done with the disrespect.