Chapter 89
Cecilia’s pov
“All I have is fruit,” I said helplessly, gesturing to the plate I’d arranged.
Alpha Sebastian’s brow smoothed out as he considered the offering, then gave a slight nod of understanding.
For a moment, I thought he was going to let it go—but then he pulled out his phone and called for someone to deliver ingredients.
Seriously? At this hour?
How hungry could he possibly be?
By the time the ingredients arrived and I’d finished cooking, it was already 11 PM.
To my surprise, Alpha Sebastian ate with obvious enjoyment.
Watching him devour the meal I’d prepared, I wondered if I’d been seriously underestimating my culinary skills all this time.
Maybe I could give Liam a run for his money—hell, maybe I could even compete for a Michelin star.
By 11:45, I was fighting to keep my eyes open.
Between yesterday’s restless night and that brief afternoon nap, exhaustion was hitting me hard. When we went upstairs and Alpha Sebastian headed toward his office, I didn’t bother asking if he needed anything else.
I just retreated to my room, showered, and collapsed into bed.
Around 2 AM, a deep growl jolted me awake.
I shot up, heart pounding, and rushed to my door.
Down the hall, I noticed Alpha Sebastian’s bedroom door was cracked open, with faint light—probably from his floor lamp—spilling into the hallway.
When I pushed the door open, the scene before me was shocking.
Alpha Sebastian stood rigid with fury, while on the floor, a young woman in a sheer white negligee was sprawled in tears, her hair disheveled, looking utterly lost.
I recognized her immediately—Mindy, one of Remy’s companions from earlier.
Moving quickly, I grabbed a towel from the bathroom and draped it over her shoulders while demanding, “How did you get in here p>
Mindy just continued sobbing, refusing to answer.
“Get her out of here,” Alpha Sebastian snarled, his voice thick with disgust.
Mindy covered her face and wailed even louder.
I helped her up and guided her out of the bedroom toward the stairs.
“Cut the waterworks,” I said flatly. “The performance isn’t working on me p>
Mindy looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes, the perfect picture of distress.
“If I go back like this, Mr. Remy will throw me to those men,” she whimpered.
“And what exactly do you want me to do about that?” I asked pointedly.
“You’re kind. If you help me just this once, when I become Alpha Sebastian’s mistress, I’ll put in a good word for you. “
I had to fight the urge to both laugh and slap her at the same time.
Right. A GOOD WORD. How generous.
Swallowing my disgust, I played along.
“That’s a tempting offer, but how exactly am I supposed to help? Send you back to him? He’s clearly not interested, and he’ll just throw you out again p>
“Nah, he ain’t gonna do it,” she snapped, sudden confidence in her voice.
“I saw him gulp that water. Once it hits him, he won’t stand a chance p>
My heart sank.
Her sweet face flipped—revealing a cold, calculating smirk.
Before she could spit another word, I hauled her to the front door and tossed her out.
“Go on,” I hissed, voice icy as frost, “tell Remy he just made a hell of an enemy of the Silver Peak Pack. And you? Good luck with whatever’s left of your life p>
My sudden flip—from friendly to mad—caught her off guard.
“Please,” she begged, scrambling to push back inside, “please don’t go blabbing to Alpha Sebastian p>
“Beat it!” I barked, slamming the door.
I had no time to waste on a girl so young yet already rotten to the core.
I turned and raced back upstairs to Alpha Sebastian’s bedroom.
In the dim room, he was reclining in a black lounge chair at the foot of his bed.
One alabaster hand supported his forehead, his black silk robe trailing to the floor, collar falling open to reveal a generous expanse of muscled chest.
The loosely tied belt looked dangerously close to giving way entirely.
I was already breathless from running up the stairs, but the sight of my boss looking so devastatingly sexy made my breath catch completely.
The air held the faint scent of cherry liqueur, and my eyes landed on the empty water bottle by the bed.
So that’s what the Instagram model had been doing when she disappeared—she’d switched his water!
Damn it all to hell!
I wanted nothing more than to tie Remy, Mindy, and that model together and beat them senseless.
With a grave expression, I sat beside Alpha Sebastian. “They drugged your water. Are you feeling strange in any way p>
I examined him carefully.
No redness.
No sweating.
Temperature p>
I reached out to check, then thought better of it and pulled back.
“The drug doesn’t seem to have taken effect yet. We need to get you to a hospital immediately. I’ll call Liam to drive us.” I reached for my phone, only to realize I’d left it in my room in my hurry.
I was wearing nothing but my thin nightgown.
And…oh god, no bra!
“Alpha Sebastian, just stay put for a minute. My phone’s in my room—I’ll go get it p>
I turned decisively. At this point, getting properly dressed seemed more important than anything else. “Cecilia p>
His hand landed on my shoulder, his voice a feverish bass that sent shivers down my spine.
Oh no.
After a moment’s hesitation—I couldn’t just abandon him like this—I turned back. “How are you feeling? Are you uncomfortable? Hot p>
Alpha Sebastian didn’t answer.
Instead, he slowly opened his eyes.
Maybe it was the dim lighting, but his eyes seemed darker, more intense—like some dangerous, beautiful realm that only opened at night.
They held danger and an otherworldly allure, as if he could devour me whole and steal my soul with just a look.
I couldn’t help but hold my breath.
His gaze locked with mine as the hand on my shoulder tightened.
His towering frame leaned toward me, his breath scorching against my ear as he whispered, “I’m… thirsty p>
The words against my sensitive ear sent electric shocks through my entire body.
I grabbed his hand and removed it from my shoulder. “I’ll get you some water p>
I tried to launch myself up like a missile, desperate to escape.
But he pulled me back down onto the chair.
“Too late for that p>
The husky murmur brushed my ear as his hand slid from my shoulder to my waist.
Before I could process what was happening, his lips pressed against mine—soft yet commanding. The taste of mint and wild grass flooded my senses, his kiss both tender and deep, passionate yet restrained, rolling over me like waves.
I had to admit later that I might have enjoyed it. Just a little.
But in the moment, as I moved from shock to blank confusion to… whatever that feeling was… I suddenly bit his lip, pushed him away, and grabbed a nearby pillow to beat him with.
“Snap out of it!” I shouted, whacking him repeatedly. “Don’t let the drug control you! You can fight this! Come on p>
I’ll admit there was definitely some frustration behind those blows.
Alpha Sebastian caught the pillow, his expression somewhere between resignation and amusement. “I am lucid, Cecilia p>
I narrowed my eyes, channeling my inner skeptic. “Really? I don’t believe you p>
I stood up defensively, eyeing the door to plan my escape route. “We need to get you to a hospital. Otherwise, you’ll lose control completely. I’m calling for help right now p>
If he was already making moves like this, that drug must be powerful enough to turn even the most disciplined Alpha into a midnight Romeo.
“It’s at least three hours to the nearest hospital,” Alpha Sebastian pointed out, his gaze penetrating. “Do you want me to… succumb… in the car p>
I was at a loss for words.
Where was Beta Sawyer when you needed him?
Beta Sawyer, Beta Sawyer, where are you p>
After mentally cursing Remy and his entire ancestral line, I sighed heavily. “Then what do we do p>
“Just go. Close the door behind you. Don’t worry about me.” Alpha Sebastian leaned back in his chair.
I left the room, but not for long.
A few minutes later, I returned after emptying the entire ice supply from the refrigerator into his bathtub and filling it with cold water.
It took a full twenty minutes of persuasion to convince Alpha Sebastian to get in.
” Alpha Sebastian, isn’t that better?” I asked hopefully.
His lips tightened in discomfort as the icy water enveloped him. Where did you get this idea from p>
I waved my hand dismissively. “Don’t ask. This is standard procedure. Just stay in until dawn, and you’ll be fine. Don’t worry about running out of ice—I’ve got more freezing. Plenty for everyone p>