Page 46

I scowled. “Took you long enough.”

Silas just huffed, stepping into the water unhurriedly, completely unbothered by the heat that had made me yelp.

He settled in across from me, his golden gaze dark and assessing.

“You getting impatient, Wildcat?” His voice was smooth, teasing, infuriating.

I narrowed my eyes. “Just figured you might’ve run off, finally realizing that you don’t want to deal with me.”

His smirk widened, his head tilting. “Oh, I want to deal with you, quite thoroughly I might add, my sweet mate.”

My clit tingled, but I ignored it, rolling my eyes instead. “Whatever, Alpha. Just try not to drown in here, alright? I don’t want to have to explain to your pack how their mighty leader slipped and finally met his maker naked in the tub.”

Silas just laughed. Then he stretched out in the tub like he owned the damn thing, muscles flexing as he sank deeper into the steaming water. The way he moved was annoying me right now, all effortless strength and purposeful confidence, like he knew exactly how much space he took up, and exactly how much of my attention he was stealing without even trying.

I refused to let him see how much it affected me. Instead, I crossed my arms over my chest, shifting slightly as the heat lapped at my sore skin. The water felt good, but the dull ache still pulsed beneath it, a reminder of exactly how thoroughly Silas had put me in my place. Bastard.

His eyes flicked to mine, slow and assessing, and then—just to make a point, I was sure—he stretched his arms across the back edge of the tub, his biceps flexing just enough to be obnoxiously distracting.

Cocky fucker.

“You comfortable over there?” I asked, arching a brow.

Silas grinned. “Very.”

I huffed, sliding a little deeper into the water, letting the heat curl around my shoulders. His gaze followed the movement, his eyes darkening slightly as the water lapped at my collarbones. I felt it in the air, that shift, that unspoken frisson between us, sharp and electric. It wasn’t just the heat of the bath making my skin feel too warm.

I should have changed the subject, should have said anything to break whatever was settling between us. Instead, I smirked. “What? You planning on staring at me all day, Alpha? Or are you actually going to wash up?”

His lips curved up, amusement flickering behind his eyes. “I was thinking about staring.”

My pulse thrummed low in my belly.

Damn him.

I rolled my eyes, reaching for the soap at the edge of the tub.

“Suit yourself,” I muttered, running the bar over my arms and legs, my breathing calm even though I was flustered by his gaze tracking every movement.

Deliberate. Predatory.

I pretended not to notice, but then his hand moved. The water rippled as he reached for the soap, plucking it right out of my grasp.

I blinked. “Excuse me?—”

Silas leaned forward slightly, his body shifting closer to mine, the space between us shrinking, the air growing suddenly dense.

“Turn around,” he ordered abruptly.

My pulse jumped.

I squinted at him. “I can wash myself.”

His half smile widened. “I know you can, but I’m going to do it for you.”

Something squeezed in my chest, and warmth spread between my thighs, but I lifted my chin, feigning nonchalance. “Bossy.”

He just waited, and damn it, my body betrayed me, because before I could think better of it, I turned.