Chapter 26: My Roman
Chapter 26: My Roman
(Scarlett’s POV)
The SUV glided smoothly through the chilled night alc, the atmosphere inside tense yet oddly familiar Roman had kept silent since we left the border, the hum of the engine filling the void between us. Every now and then, I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, unable to stop myself.
His face was calm but brooding, his sharp jawline set in a way that brought back so many memories. He kept one arm resting on the door handle, his fingers tapping idly on the leather. The blue light from the dashboard illuminated his features, but his eyes never left the road ahead.
Finally, I broke the silence. Where are we going?” My voice was steady, though Cora stirred restlessly beneath my skin.
Roman didn’t look at me, his voice low and deliberate. To your villa.“
A sharp jolt shot through me. “My villa? How do you
Hunter, seated in the passenger’s seat, turned slightly to face me. The faintest smirk played on his lips as he cut in. “We confirmed the address after you entered the Shadow Clan’s resource network yesterday. You didn’t think we’d overlook your movements,
did
d you?”
| clenched my fists, tension building in my spine as I realized they had tracked me without my knowledge. Thorough, aren’t we?” I muttered, sarcasm dripping from my tone.
Roman’s eyes flicked toward me briefly, their ice–blue intensity making my breath catch. It wasn’t hard. Three years might seem like a long time, Little Wolf, but your habits leave trails.”
The nickname stirred more emotions than I cared to admit, I forced myself to scoff lightly. “Three years of seclusion isn’t exactly leaving trails.”
Hunter chuckled, his voice layered with amusement. “Seclusion? You’ve been impressive, Scarlett. No one expected you’d build such independence. A center like yours? That isn’t common” He tilted his head. “Roman doesn’t seem as impressed as the rest of us, though, does he?”
I glanced toward Roman again, and my stomach twisted at the cold frustration simmering in his eyes. It wasn’t anger at my success; it was something deeper–a dissatisfaction that stung more than accusations ever could. I shifted uneasily in my seat.
“Your silence says a lot.” I muttered, crossing my arms.
Roman let out a low chuckle, his voice tinged with disapproval. “You’ll want to save your defense for when we’re behind closed doors, Scarlett”
His words settled thickly in the air, silencing any retort I might have had. I finally looked away, focusing on the ever–darkening road ahead
Minutes later, the SUV slowed to a stop in front of my villa. The sight of my home brought a brief wave of comfort, but it evaporated the moment felt Roman’s piercing gaze on me. Quietly, he stepped out of the car, his towering frame cutting an imposing figure against the soft glow of the porch lights.
Hunter was the first to approach the door, his stride purposeful. Before I could even retrieve my keys, he had already opened it, motioning for us to
enter.
Roman lingered behind me for a moment, his sharp eyes surveying the surroundings. This is close. Too close to Alexander’s pack.”
His tone was dangerously neutral, but the weight of the accusation hit me like a hammer. I straightened my back and turned to face him head–on. “The location is strategic for my work. It has nothing to do with those idiots”
His lips twitched, a flicker of amusement breaking through his loy demeanor. “Idiots?”
I nodded firmly, refusing to back down. “That’s what they are. Their politics, their games–it’s all beneath me. This villa is mine, earned with my own work. The Shadow Organization contracts were my decision, my.. independence. I let the last word hang heavily in the air, hoping to hammer the point
home.
Roman said nothing at first, but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly. “Interesting choice of words, he muttered under his breath, before stepping inside.
Once we were settled, I busled myself in the kitchen. The familarity of preparing tea grounded me momentarily. My hands moved mechanically, picking out the finest moon–blessed herbal leaves I reserved for important guests. The irony of the gesture wasn’t lost on me..
As I reached into the cabinet, the faintest trace of Alexander’s scent hit me. My movements froze, bile rising in my throat as the memory of his
1/3
trusion surped back. It wasn’t just a scent–it was a reminder of how close I’d let him come to trespassing on everything I held sacred
“What’s wrong?” Roman asked quietly, his deep voice sending a chill down my spine.
I turned slightly finding him standing unnervingly close. His eyes narrowed as he caught a whiff of the foreign Alpha’s smell. In an instant, his entire posture changed. Logan’s power radiating dangerously beneath his skin.
now.
“There’s a scent of an intruder here,” Roman said darkly, his tone vibrating with restrained anger. “Whose?”
Cursing inwardly, I grabbed the tea leaves quickly, trying to deflect. It’s nothing important,” I said calmly, pouring the hot water. “The past is irrelevant
Roman’s ice–blue eyes locked onto mine, his voice soft but undeniably dangerous. “Playing hostess to other Alphas, are we?”
I shot him a sharp glare, clutching the teapot tightly. 1 wasn’t playing hostess. There’s no one here now but you.”
His inspecting gaze moved across the room, lingering briefly on the marks on the couch and the faint traces of rearranged furniture. His expression
darkened.
Ignoring his tension, I handed him the tea, hoping to change the subject. “Moon tea,” I said simply. 11 should help you rest after your long trip. You said you haven’t slept in 36 hours.”
He took the tea but didn’t immediately drink it. His eyes remained fixed on me, unnervingly perceptive. “Scarlett,” he said quietly, his voice like a slow–building storm, “how much have you been hiding?”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Enough to survive.
A cold laugh escaped him, one that carried both amusement and anger. He finally sipped the tea, though his posture remained tense. “Survive? You call this survival? Living this close to territory that disrespects you? Associating with packs that cut you out of their schemes the second it suits them?”
I clenched my jaw, my patience thinning. “You think this is about them? Lshot back. This is about me. Every choice I’ve made has been for me, for what I’ve built. And I’m not about to apologize for it’
Roman leaned closer, his intense gaze making it impossible to look away. “You’ve built something impressive, Little Wolf,” he admitted, his deep voice dropping into a lower, more dangerous register. “But don’t mistake this for independence when you’re still entangled by their mess.
1 crossed my arms, glaring at him. “I cut my ties. That’s more than you can say for yourself. You’re the one who’s been playing king of shadows,
judging from your operations.”
Roman only smirked, that infuriatingly confident tilt of his lips making my blood boil. “You’ll find my operations are very specific. Unlike the chaos
you’ve allowed to fester here.”
I opened my mouth for a sharp retort but stopped when his expression softened–not
at with gentleness, but with something far heavier.
“Five minutes,” he growled, his voice darkening to a command. Explain why you fled during the Thom Pack’s darkest hour.”
The weight of his words slammed into me, every muscle in my body tensing. My breath hitched, my chest tightening as decades of memories
threatened to crush me.
I didn’t answer.
Instead, I countered, my voice trembling slightly. “What about the Morrison family?”
Mornson family, my adoptive father’s beta and his daughter Lily, they were my nightmare.
Roman’s reaction was immediate. A low, cold snort left him as he leaned back against the couch. “The Morrison family?” he repeated, his tone sharp and mocking. “They’re gone. They don’t exist anymore.”
I blinked, startled. “What… what do you mean?”
“They aligned themselves with rogues,” he said simply, his words biting. “Traitors, Power–hungry fools. Their ambition got them crushed, their power structure obliterated. A year ago, their legacy ended.”
I felt as though the air had been knocked out of my lungs.
Roman’s sharp gaze softened ever so slightly as he watched the mix of emotions play over my face. “You don’t have to fear quietly. “The Thom Pack doesn’t tolerate betrayal.”
fear them
anymore,” he added
Relief washed over me like a wave, but my gaze remained locked on Roman, his sheer presence overwhelming as he sat there, emanating power and
control
Chapter 26: My Roman
This was Roman My Roman And despite the tension between us, despite everything we hadn’t resolved. I couldn’t deny the safety his presence
brought
