After the wedding ends and Alpha Marreck passes down his throne, the Ironvale pack erupts in celebration, welcoming their new Alpha and Luna with cheers, music, and endless blessings.
But Tanner doesn't care.
The second the ceremony is over, he takes Jess's hand like he's been holding himself back all day, like he's counted every second waiting for this moment.
There's a wild urgency in the way he pulls Jess through the crowd, past the feast, past the glowing lights, leaving the joy and noise behind like none of it ever mattered.
At the car, his chauffeur moves to open the door, but Tanner lifts a hand.
"It's fine. I'll drive. You can stay and celebrate with the others."
His voice is low, steady, but it carries something simmering beneath the surface.
A command wrapped in urgency. He opens the passenger door himself and helps Jess in, careful and reverent, like touching something precious.
He then rounds the car and slips into the driver's seat.
Jess's heartbeat stutters.
Every bit of confidence he had in his plans is shredded to pieces now, replaced with sharp anticipation and a wave of panic that makes it hard to breathe. He doesn't know where Tanner is taking him.
But that's not the real problem.
The real problem is Tanner.
From the moment they were declared Alpha and Luna, something in him has changed. His body is tense, his skin humming with heat. Jess can feel it, can smell it. This isn't just desire.
It's hunger.
A deep, aching starvation that no feast or title can satisfy.
Jess tries to reassure himself. He's not really a girl. When Tanner finds out, he won't want him. He won't touch him. He'll stop.
But the thought doesn't calm him. If anything, it makes the panic worse.
Because it's no longer about secrets. It's about what Tanner is making him feel.
Tanner says nothing as he drives. His eyes stay locked on the road, his jaw clenched, body taut with restraint. His hands grip the wheel like it's the only thing keeping him from unraveling.
Jess's nerves coil tighter with every mile.
After thirty minutes, they reach a gated property. High walls. Electric wire. Jess stiffens. Is this a sanctuary or a cage?
The gate slides open with a soft hum, and the car rolls inside.
The house is stunning, sleek lines, endless glass, glowing under the moon light. A pool glistens in the back, surrounded by sculpted gardens that look like something pulled from a dream. Or a fantasy someone's clung to for years.
Tanner parks and cuts the engine. The silence presses in thick.
Jess doesn't move.
His whole body is suspended in uncertainty, teetering between running and staying. But it doesn't matter. Tanner comes around to open the door.
He offers his hand again.
And for one brief, dangerous second, Jess wants to take it. Wants to believe this is real. No secrets. No lies. Just them. Just this.
So he takes it.
"How do you like it?" Tanner asks, his voice rough, low. "I always dreamed of the day I'd find you and bring you here. The pack house is ours, but I wanted a place that was just for us. Somewhere we could leave everything behind… and just be."
Just be.
There's weight in those words. A longing Jess didn't expect. A plea, even.
"No one knows about this place," Tanner adds. "Not even my parents. That's why I sent the driver back. It's just you and me now."
Jess swallows hard. A flicker of guilt cuts through him, fast and sharp. Tanner sounds too honest. Too desperate.
Inside, Tanner shows him the house piece by piece, like unveiling a promise. Until finally, they're standing in the master bedroom.
Jess's breath catches.
This is it.
The panic is louder now. Thunder in his chest. He doesn't want to tell Tanner the truth. Not now. Not when he's being gentle. Not when he is making him crave something real between them now. Not when he's looking at Jess like he's the one thing that ever made sense.
Jess doesn't want to see that look change. Doesn't want to hear the revulsion. Or feel the distance that would follow.
But it's too late.
Because Tanner turns. And kisses him, pulling him inside the room.
Jess freezes. But his body doesn't.
His wolf responds before he can think, instinct taking over, heat flaring through his veins.
The kiss consumes him... hot, reverent, aching with the weight of everything Tanner's held back.
One kiss melts into another. Hands find skin. Breath tangles. Jess doesn't know how they end up on the bed, only that Tanner is above him, eyes locked, gaze deep.
"I know you can feel how much I need you right now," Tanner breathes, voice strained. "But I won't lose control. I won't overwhelm you. You're going to let me, right? Please... You have no idea how long I've suffered without you. How many nights I've dreamed of my mate, you, just like this."
Jess's blood turns to ice.
He speaks so tenderly, like he's whispering to something delicate, something pure and breakable.
Jess looks every bit the innocent girl beneath him, his features soft, eyes wide, lips parted in quiet hesitation.
A dream made real. Every word from Tanner is soaked in longing, in the ache of someone who's been waiting a lifetime for this moment.
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Hey guys, I'm really, really sorry... I know I keep publishing and unpublishing like a maniac, but I swear this is the last version. I've finally got it.
Also… it would seriously help if you said something, just so I know if I'm actually doing okay or just totally bluffing.
I low-key blame you for my chaotic behavior, because when no one says anything, I start doubting myself!😁
Anyway, thanks a ton for sticking with me and being patient. Love you for it!
I refined from chapter 5.