280 Breakfast

    Third Person POV

    With Charles’s quietfort, Aubrey’s emotions finally settled a little.

    48 Pears

    Thank ithe /iiMoon /iGoddessi, /iiyou’re /iiall /iiright/ii. /iiYou /iiscared /iime /iihalf /iito /iideath /iijust /iinow/i. E sighed in relief within her mind.

    “Sorry,” Aubrey murmured. She hadn’t even known what came over her. The moment she’d begun suspecting that Alpha Henry had provided protection for that secret facility in her past life, her emotions had spiraled out of control.

    She had tried to contain it, but quickly realized she couldn’t. If she didn’t vent somehow, she would lose control andsh out at those around her.

    So she had chosen to leave, abandoning the car, shifting into her wolf form, running until her strength gave out. Only then had she turned back into a human, exhausted, sitting by the river in a daze.

    By then she’d calmed some, but she knew she still couldn’t face Alpha Henry. Seeing him would have pushed her back over the edge. That was why, when Charles appeared, she had gone with him.

    She exhaled slowly, lifted a hand, and patted his shoulder. “I’m fine now. You can let go of me.”

    At her words, embarrassment flickered across Charles’s face. He quickly released her, but the warmth of her body and the faint, cool fragrance of herbs lingered against him. Retreating a step, he found himself strangely restless, his ears tinged red.

    “You’re sure you’re all right? Should I call a therapist for you?” he asked, forcing himself to bury the thoughts running astray.

    Aubrey rubbed at her temples. The stabbing pain in her head was already fading. “No need. I can handle it. myself.”

    “…All right.” Charles pressed his lips together. He wanted to keep talking, but what was there to say? Ask why she had fought with the alpha? Ask what had happened in the short time he’d been gone, what had hurt her so badly?

    They weren’t close enough for those questions. And with Aurelia and Bailey tangled between their families, the tension between the merchants and the Lin family was at its peak.

    He ran a hand down his face. “I’ll make you

    breakfast.”

    As he walked into the kitchen, Aubrey leaned back on the sofa, her eyes following his tall, straight figure, lost in thought.

    Soon the sounds of running water and chopping drifted from the kitchen. The air gradually filled with the scent of cooking food.

    Aubrey was still a little dazed when she heard a faint hiss of annoyance–water had sshed somewhere. Looking up instinctively, she saw/Charles peel off his damp shirt and toss it onto a chair.

    His shoulders were broad, his back smooth and muscled, not overdone but taut with quiet strength. Each small movement made his muscles shift and flex, sweat sliding down the line of his spine into his waistband, catching the morning light with a healthy sheen.

    1313 bWed/b, 17 Sept

    Chapter 280 Breakfast

    Aubrey froze, blinking. iWow/i.

    + Pearls

    “Tsk tsk, who would’ve guessed? This beta’s body is pretty well built,” E whistled in her mind. “Those lines

    he definitely trains regrly.”

    Aubrey snapped back to herself, heat rising in her cars. She jerked her gaze iaway/i, but after a heartbeat, her eyes flicked back sideways, stealing another nce. Yes… definitely well built.

    Charles seemed oblivious, focused entirely on the pan in front of him. His movements were practiced, as though he cooked often. Before long, he carried out two tes, only to catch Aubrey quickly turning her face aside, her expression stiff.

    He paused, then nced down at his bare chest. Realization hit, and a touch of awkwardness crossed his face. He cleared his throat lightly. “Sorry, my shirt got wet just now…”

    “It’s fine,” Aubrey cut in quickly, her voice sharper than usual. “Breakfast smells good.”

    Watching her forceposure, Charles’s lips curved faintly. He set the tes down. “It’s nothing fancy. I just hope it suits your taste.”

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