ADELE’S POV

I pulled away from him so fast it felt like my skin burned where he’d touched me.

My hands flew up, clutching the thin nightgown to my chest like it could shield me from the world. The fabric suddenly felt too light, too revealing, clinging to every curve like it wanted to betray me. Cold air kissed my bare legs, and I became painfully aware of how exposed I was standing there in the bright corridor.

Alpha Derek stiffened instantly.

He cleared his throat and looked away, sharp and deliberate, like a man reminding himself where to put his eyes.

“Sorry,” he said, voice low. “I didn’t mean...