ADELE’S POV

My heart was still hammering against my ribs as I stared up into a pair of dark eyes that were definitely not Lucien’s. Alpha Derek. Tall, broad, with that same dangerous edge all ranked wolves carried, but softer around the mouth when he smiled at me like this. His arms were still locked around my waist, holding me effortlessly against his chest like I weighed nothing.

“I’m fine,” I stammered, heat flooding my face. “You—you can put me down now. Thank you.”

Derek’s lips curved into a slow, easy grin. “Anytime, Adele.”

Before I could wriggle free, a blur of movement cut across the hall. In seconds, Lucien...