Waldo's body tensed, muscles coiling like a predator poised to strike. A deep, primal growl rumbled in his chest as he pressed against the heat of Regina's trembling form—only for the resistance before him to halt his advance.
"Damn it..." His breath was ragged, strained.
Regina gasped, her nerves twisting in agony at the sharp invasion. A cry threatened to tear from her throat, but Waldo devoured it in a possessive kiss, his lips silencing her protest. For a fleeting moment, the haze in her drug-clouded mind wavered—the pain snapping her into a brief flicker of awareness.
Waldo remained still, every fiber of his being screaming for him to move. The unbearable heat of her body clenched around him, sending pulses of raw sensation through his nerves. He gritted his teeth, resisting the primal urge to claim her with reckless abandon. Instead, he traced his rough hands down the curve of her spine, savoring the contrast between her silken skin and his calloused fingers.
Regina's brief clarity shattered under his touch. The soft kisses, the heat of his body, the intoxicating scent of him—earthy, wild, unmistakably male—coiled around her senses, dragging her back into the depths of delirium. The ache of intrusion gave way to a slow, creeping hunger, a need she couldn't comprehend but couldn't resist.
Waldo's tongue flicked against her lips, parting them with predatory patience. He tasted her, slow and deliberate, his thick tongue tangling wickedly with hers. The tip teased against the sensitive flesh of her mouth before sucking her in deeper, drawing out muffled whimpers as their breaths merged into one.
A moan spilled from her lips as her body instinctively shifted, seeking something more. The burn of initial pain dulled, replaced by the unbearable heat surging through her core. Her fingers curled, nails digging into his flesh, desperate and pleading.
Waldo's golden eyes darkened, his pupils dilating. He knew—she was ready.
A low snarl escaped his throat as he gripped her thighs, pulling them higher. No more waiting. No more holding back. He thrust forward, each motion deliberate, each movement claiming her as his own.
His rhythm grew relentless, his body driven by something older than wolf instinct—something feral. He buried his face against her neck, lips brushing against her pulse, feeling it race wildly beneath his teeth. The scent of her surrender intoxicated him, fed the primal hunger burning through his veins.
The room pulsed with heat, the air thick with the heady scent of sweat and something darker—something animalistic. The dim light cast shifting shadows across the walls, flickering like restless spirits bearing witness to their fevered union.
"Mmm… ahh…" Regina's gasps melted into incoherent sounds, her body arching into his. Her hands gripped him tighter, fingers pressing into the firm ridges of his back as pleasure swallowed her whole.
Waldo's breath came in ragged bursts, his pace growing erratic. His grip on reality wavered, instincts pulling him deeper, closer—too close to the edge where man and beast blurred into one.
"Cecilia..."
The name tore from his lips like a ghost from the past.
Regina stiffened.
But Waldo didn't stop.
Couldn't stop.
Wouldn't stop.
Not until she was his. Completely.
The heavy, ragged breathing echoed throughout the room, intertwining into a fiery nocturne of the night, a passion so intense that even the raging blizzard outside couldn't extinguish it...
Regina's wolf rejoiced in ecstasy.
Outside, the once-furious snowstorm gradually abated. Occasionally, a gust of wind would sweep the eaves and tree branches, sending delicate snowflakes swirling under the dim glow of the streetlights, shimmering like scattered diamonds.
As the ink-dark sky lightened with the first streaks of dawn, the long-absent sunlight bathed the earth. The snow-laden branches reflected the light in a dazzling brilliance…
"Mmm..."
Regina stirred, a sharp ache splitting through her head. As she shifted, a wave of soreness washed over her body, as if she had been completely dismantled and put back together again. A deep frown creased her brows as she forced her heavy eyelids open…
A foreign room.
An unfamiliar scent.
An atmosphere of extravagant opulence.
Her mind struggled to function, her dazed gaze drifting across the luxurious chamber… until it landed on the broad, tanned back of the man beside her.
Regina blinked, her vision still hazy. Then—her eyes snapped wide open in shock!
A man?!!!
Regina's eyes widened as she stared at Waldo's back. The terrifying scene from last night gradually sharpened in her mind, replaying like a nightmare she couldn't escape…
She suddenly threw off the blanket. The marks on her body—evidence of last night's fevered passion—seared into her vision, burning her eyes red with shame and rage.
Her fingers clenched tightly around the fabric, her body trembling slightly. A mist of tears blurred her vision, and her chest rose and fell erratically as she struggled to suppress the overwhelming emotions crashing over her.
Regina bit down hard on her lip, lifting her gaze in a desperate attempt to hold back the tears. But the sorrow spreading through her heart stung like a thousand needles, piercing deep into her very soul…
She didn't want to think about it. She didn't dare to think about it.
The drug… Last night… Did her father have anything to do with this?
But…
Regina's lashes fluttered as she bit her lip even harder, forcing herself to stay silent despite the storm raging inside her.
What was the point of running away?
In the end, wasn't this the same outcome?
Besides…
This bed… she had climbed onto it herself.
A sudden shift beside her sent a jolt of fear through her body. Regina snapped back to reality, panic overtaking reason. Instinct kicked in—she bolted from the bed without thinking.
The chill of the air struck her bare skin, and only then did she realize—she had nothing on. Her breath hitched in her throat as she darted a glance at the man beside her, who seemed to be stirring. Panic surged in her veins, and before she could think twice, she dropped to the floor, curling up in a desperate attempt to hide herself.
Regina pressed her lips together tightly, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Even if last night had been caused by the drug…
Even if her mind had been clouded beyond reason…
She couldn't face him now.
Not in the cold light of morning.
Not when she couldn't even remember his face clearly.
The movements on the bed suddenly ceased.
Regina held her breath, stealing a quick, fearful glance—
But before she could see anything, an overwhelming pressure filled the air, suffocating and oppressive, forcing her gaze back to the ground.
A predator had awakened.
And she was still trapped in his den.
After waiting for a while longer, hearing nothing but the steady rhythm of his breathing, Regina finally dared to swallow hard. Her gaze fell on the scattered lingerie and nightrobe on the floor ahead. Holding her breath, she crawled forward on shaky limbs, fumbling to gather them. She hurriedly slipped into her clothes, wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and tiptoed toward the door.
The figure on the bed didn't stir.
Not until the faint click of the door closing reached his ears.
Only then did Waldo's eyes slowly open, a deep, wolfish gaze emerging from the darkness, laced with a chilling intensity.
Outside the room, Regina carefully pulled the door shut behind her, not daring to linger. Even now, wearing nothing but a bathrobe, she had no time to hesitate. She turned quickly—
—only to slam straight into a solid chest.
"Ah—" The impact sent a jolt through her body, and she winced, raising a hand to her forehead in pain. Every muscle tensed as she lifted her gaze, meeting the stranger's eyes.
Sharp, striking features framed a face brimming with an air of dangerous mischief. His lips curved into an enticing smirk, yet there was not a shred of warmth behind it. His piercing gaze raked over her, bold and unapologetic, as if stripping away the thin fabric shielding her from his view.
"You… were here last night?"
Martin tilted his chin slightly, his eyes flickering toward the door Regina had just shut, his expression unreadable.
"No!"
The denial came out in reflex, far too quick, far too defensive. Her face flushed with embarrassment, her fingers gripping the edges of her bathrobe tightly. She bit her lip, casting a nervous glance at the dangerously unreadable man before her, then abruptly turned—
And ran.
Bare feet barely making a sound against the cold floor, she sprinted down the hallway without a second thought, her robe fluttering behind her.
Martin watched, amusement glinting in his eyes as he took in her desperate retreat. Only when her figure vanished around the corner did he shift his gaze back to the door.
Then, with a devilish smirk, he reached out—
And pressed the doorbell.