Page 47 of Eclipse Sector

I’d slept.

End of consideration.

I checked the time on my watch and noted that it was still a little early to be up, but I left the bed anyway. Sleeping was no longer an option. I’d just… get ready.

For my date.

With Alpha Ransom.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CILLIAN

I wasn’tsure what pissed me off more—Ivana attempting to ice-skate or Ivana sleeping on the couch.

Both activities threatened her health and safety. The latter problem I’d been able to solve by moving her to the bed. The former issue, however, I was currently being forced to observe from the sidelines.

While another Alpha put his fucking paws all over her in an attempt to keep her from falling down.

Each time the asshole failed had me nearly shadowing to the ice rink to handle Ivana myself.

Alas, my job tonight was to supervise and guard from afar. Not teach Ivana how to balance on deadly blades.

She giggled as Ransom caught her by the waist, her arms flailing around while she fought for balance.

My wolf growled inside, irritated over the sight before us.Another Alpha has his hands on our female, my inner beast seemed to be saying.Kill him.

She’s not ours, I thought at my animal half.

Holding Ivana all day while she’d slept had been a bad idea. But when I’d found her curled into a tiny ball on that couch, a part of me had broken inside.

A part that hadn’t liked the touch of blue painting her lips or the goose bumps decorating her arms. She’d been cold and shivering andalone.

And it’d reminded me of the night we’d first met.

A night when I’d purred for her on instinct and cradled her body against mine for hours.

She’d looked so young. So fragile. Soshattered.

And last night, she’d exuded a similar appearance.

Or maybe it had all been in my mind.

Still, I hadn’t been able to stop myself from carrying her to the bed and purring for her while she slept. It’d felt so unbelievably right despite being so incredibly wrong.

I didn’t deserve her or any other Omega.Not after what I let my father do to…

Rolling my neck, I shook off the ancient memory before it could encapsulate my mind. The last thing I needed was another distraction. Ivana was quite enough.

If that Alpha touches her one more time…My teeth ground together as Ransom caught Ivana again before she could face-plant on the ice.

Her responding laugh went straight to my gut, the sound one I hadn’t heard from her before.

Because she never laughed in my presence.

Oh, she’d smiled and flirted with me. But she’d never laughed. Only ever fake-giggled at some of the other Blood Sector Omegas—an action she’d usually accompanied with a roll of her eyes.

Ivana had always reacted that way around Miranda and her crew of mean-girl types.