After My Alpha Left, Ethan Saved Me

I stood outside Nathan's study, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. The silk robe I'd chosen clung to my curves, the sheer material leaving little to imagination. This was attempt number one thousand—not that I was counting—to seduce my own mate. My fingers trembled as I smoothed down the delicate fabric, the cool silk a stark contrast to my feverish skin.

My wolf, Luna, whined anxiously inside me. *He has to notice us tonight. He has to.*

"He will," I whispered, more to convince myself than her. "He has to."

I took a deep breath and pushed open the heavy oak door without knocking. Nathan sat behind his massive desk, his broad shoulders hunched over a stack of papers, the lamp casting golden shadows across his chiseled features. My breath caught—even after a year of neglect, the sight of him still made my heart stutter.

"Nathan," I called softly, letting the robe slip slightly off one shoulder. "It's late. Don't you think it's time for bed?"

He looked up, those piercing blue eyes sweeping over me with clinical detachment. No heat. No desire. Nothing but cold, empty recognition.

"Claire." My name on his lips sounded like an inconvenience. "I'm busy."

I moved closer, the silk whispering against my skin. "Too busy for your mate? It's been a year, Nathan." I tried to keep the desperation from my voice. "A whole year, and you've barely touched me."

His jaw tightened. I could see his wolf stirring behind his eyes—just barely—before retreating back into indifference.

"I have pack business to attend to," he said, his voice taking on that Alpha edge that made my knees weak even as it broke my heart. "Go back to your chambers."

"My chambers," I repeated hollowly. "Not our chambers. Never our chambers."

"Claire." The warning in his tone was unmistakable. "Not tonight."

Not tonight. Not any night. Never.

The humiliation burned through me like acid. I turned away quickly, blinking back tears. I wouldn't let him see me cry. Not again. As I reached the door, my gaze caught on the edge of his desk drawer—slightly ajar, with the corner of a paper peeking out.

"Wait," Nathan called, suddenly rising. "I need to step out for a moment. Stay here if you must, but don't touch anything."

He brushed past me without a second glance, his scent—pine and winter—swirling around me in a cruel reminder of what I couldn't have. The door closed behind him with a soft click.

I stood frozen, the rejection still raw. Luna growled inside me. *Look in the drawer.*

"We shouldn't," I whispered, even as I moved toward his desk.

*He doesn't deserve our loyalty.*

With trembling fingers, I pulled open the drawer. Inside lay a stack of papers—maps, sketches, and handwritten notes. I lifted the top sheet, and my breath caught.

It was a detailed drawing of a female wolf with distinctive markings around her eyes. Territorial maps of the Northern Territories were marked with red