(Olivia Vane's POV)
I felt his presence before I saw him.
My apprentice healer stood before me, his earnest face flushed as he extended a rare Moonlight Orchid toward me. His confession of love hung in the air between us, but my attention had already shifted to the tall figure approaching from the nearby chamber.
Andrew Obsidian. The Alpha King of Silvermist Pack. My mate-at least on paper.
I never expected to see him again, not after our last encounter on the second night of our Marking Ceremony three years ago. Yet there he stood, surrounded by his usual retinue, his amber eyes briefly meeting mine before sliding away.
As our paths crossed, the hem of his impeccably tailored suit brushed lightly against the back of my hand for just an instant before slipping away, leaving a faint trace of his powerful aura that made my skin tingle.
I forced myself to breathe normally, to show no reaction. But inside, my heart hammered against my ribs like a caged animal seeking escape.
Three years. Three years of silence, and now this.
The young healer was still speaking, but his words had become distant noise. All I could focus on was Andrew's retreating back, his shoulders broad and unyielding under the expensive fabric of his suit.
"Senior Healer Vane? Did you hear what I said?"
I blinked, forcing my attention back to my apprentice. "I'm sorry, I was distracted. Perhaps we should continue this conversation another time."
After politely declining my colleague's offer for a ride, I made my way alone to the Obsidian Estate. The exclusive enclave in Northcrest City was reserved for only the most powerful werewolves-the kind of place only the Obsidian Family could command.
My taxi could only take me to the imposing gates, forcing me to walk the rest of the way in the chilly November dusk. As I stepped out, a familiar Black Wolf's Midnight SUV swept past me.
Andrew sat in the driver's seat, his profile sharp against the gathering darkness. His amber eyes briefly met mine before quickly looking away, but that fleeting glance was enough to send a jolt through my system.
I shivered in the autumn air, hastening my steps toward the main entrance. The wind carried the scent of fallen leaves and something else-something distinctly Andrew that my traitorous body still recognized after all this time.
At the entrance of the Obsidian Estate, I found him waiting by his Midnight SUV, cigarette in hand. His tall and commanding figure was silhouetted beneath the estate lights, smoke curling around him like ghostly fingers.
Our eyes met-his gaze deep, unreadable, tinged with a misty confusion that mirrored my own turmoil. For a second, I froze in place, rooted by the unexpected, almost predatory intensity of the moment.
Andrew flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushing it beneath his expensive shoe. He strode toward me, closing the distance between us until his formidable presence overwhelmed my senses.