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8.69% Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow / Chapter 18: Tension

Capítulo 18: Tension

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CHAPTER 18

~Zara's POV~

I woke up with a start, my heart pounding as the remnants of a nightmare clung to me—my death from my last life playing over and over in my mind. 

Cold sweat trickled down my face, my chest heaving as I sat up, the heavy darkness in the room pressing down on me.

I slid out of bed, needing something—anything—to ground me in the present. 

Padding quietly to the washroom, I splashed cold water on my face, the icy chill shocking me awake. 

I took in deep breaths, slow and steady. 

"They can't hurt you, Zar. He can't touch you, not in this life."

When I glanced at the mirror, my reflection startled me. I looked younger, freer, nothing like the worn-down version of myself from when I was Ivan's wife in my past life.

I stayed there for a moment, breathing deeply before deciding to head downstairs for some water. 

The quietness of the night settled around me as I made my way to the kitchen, expecting to be alone and collect my thoughts. 

But when I walked in, there was Snow, sitting shirtless at the counter, casually nursing a cup of coffee while scrolling through his phone.

The glow from the soft kitchen lights danced across his bare chest, highlighting the defined muscles of his body. 

My heart skipped, and I felt Astrid stir restlessly inside me. 

Not now, I pleaded with myself, but it was too late. Before I could turn to leave, his deep voice stopped me.

"Can't sleep?" Snow asked, his gaze lifting to meet mine.

I froze, caught off guard by how calm and composed he seemed. "Just came down for water," I mumbled, trying to keep my tone steady.

His eyes stayed on me, a small smile pulling at his lips. "You look troubled."

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "It's nothing. Just… a bad dream."

He put his phone down, giving me his full attention and showing me a front-row seat at his human godliness. "Want to talk about it?"

I hesitated, sucking in a deep breath. The sight in front of me was too hot to pass by and Astrid purred in approval. 

I swallowed, unsure if I should let him in on the nightmares that haunted me. Ever since my rebirth, I hadn't spoken to anyone concerning it. 

Although he was an equation I didn't consider, I didn't know if I could trust him and whether he wouldn't think of me as senile. 

Snow's gaze, though, was soft and something about it made me feel like I could tell him anything. I made my way towards the refrigerator, leaning against it when his piercing gaze bore into mine. 

"Just memories," I finally said, my voice barely a whisper. "From when I was younger."

Snow's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Dreams can be powerful," he mused. "But they're just that—just dreams. They don't control you unless you let them."

"Well, I beg to differ. A lot of things can happen with dreams," I refuted. 

Snow arched a brow, intrigued by my words. "Is that so?"

I nodded, feeling the weight of his words. His understanding, his attention—it made my chest tighten in a way I didn't expect.

Shit.

At once I knew I had gotten into the lion's attention when that wasn't part of the plan. My skin prickled. I needed to leave before things got out of hand. 

"I should go," I said, suddenly needing to escape this moment and the heat between us.

But as I turned to leave, Snow's voice stopped me again. "Zara."

I paused, looking back at him.

"Forgotten something?" he asked, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Confused, I furrowed my brow. "What?"

He tilted his head toward the counter. "The water you came down for."

I blinked, realizing I'd been so caught up in him that I'd forgotten the reason I came downstairs in the first place. "Oh… right," I stammered. "I guess I don't really need it anymore."

"Nonsense." Snow stood up in one smooth motion, his presence suddenly overwhelming.

Before I could react, his hand shot out and gently grasped my wrist. In one swift move, he pulled me close, pressing my body against the wall. 

My heart pounded in my chest as his intense gaze locked onto mine.

"What's the matter, wifey?" he murmured in a teasing low voice. "Running away from me?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. And then he did the next strange thing. He leaned in impossibly close that I had expected him to kiss me, my breath hitching at how close his lips were to mine. 

Astrid stilled inside me. His effect was pulling both of us in a way we couldn't escape. Instead, he leaned in even closer, his lips brushing my ear.

"You've got a crumb on your shirt," he whispered, his breath warm against my skin.

I flinched as his fingers brushed lightly against my collarbone, plucking away the imaginary crumb. 

touch sent a shiver down my spine, and when he pulled back, there was a wicked smirk on his face.

"Fixed that for you," he said, his voice silky smooth.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I tried to regain my composure. But Snow wasn't done. His hand lingered on my wrist, his thumb stroking the pulse point softly, making my skin tingle.

"Goodnight, Zara," he mused, his voice dropping an octave.

I swallowed hard, trying to shake off the spell he seemed to cast over me. "Goodnight, Snow," I whispered, turning to leave.

But just as I took a step forward, his hand tightened on my wrist, pulling me back.

"Snow," I whispered, my pulse racing, unsure of what he was about to do.

He leaned in once more, his lips barely brushing against my ear as he whispered, "Be careful, Zara. You're running from your demons, but they're catching up."

A chill ran through me at his words, the meaning behind them sending a wave of unease through my body. Instantly, I recalled the strange text I got the previous evening.

On reflex, I jerked my wrist free from his grip, fleeing the kitchen before the weight of his words—and his presence—completely overwhelmed me.

As I ran, I felt his gaze on me, burning into my back, leaving me breathless and confused.

Whatever this is, I thought to myself, I can't let him pull me in.

But the truth was, Snow had already stirred something inside me that I wasn't sure I could contain and Astrid wasn't helping.


Capítulo 19: Claimed

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CHAPTER 19

~Zara's POV~

I woke up the next morning, furious with myself. Snow had gotten under my skin so easily last night, leaving me tossing and turning for hours. 

I wasn't about to let him win this game—no, if he wanted to play, I'd push things forward and come out on top.

Skipping breakfast, I went straight to the company, brushing off my frustration. On the way, I updated Ella on everything that happened. 

She, of course, egged me on, delighting in the idea of getting even. Fueled by her enthusiasm, I mentally prepared myself for the day.

I worked through the morning, meticulously organizing Snow's schedule, filing paperwork, and ensuring everything was in order. 

By the time he walked into the office, I was ready for whatever tricks he might pull. 

But when he appeared, there was no sign of the teasing, mischievous Snow from last night. Instead, his demeanour was cold, indifferent, and commanding—the perfect image of the Alpha and CEO, Snow Zephyr.

His presence seemed to drain the room of any warmth, and even without looking directly at me, I could feel his intensity. 

His secretary, Ms. Taylor and I both greeted him, but he didn't respond. He simply stopped at the door to his office, pausing without turning to face us.

"Meet me in my office in ten minutes," he ordered coldly, leaving no room for argument.

I exchanged a confused glance with Taylor, wondering who he was referring to. 

Taylor assumed it was her and nervously entered his office exactly ten minutes later. 

Within moments, she came rushing back out, her face pale and eyes wide with panic. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. 

"He... he wants you," she stammered, clearly terrified.

With a deep breath, I stood and walked into Snow's office, determined not to let him see any hint of weakness. 

His mood was still sour, his gaze sharp as I entered with a cup of coffee like he wanted and placed it on his desk before him.

But despite his cold expression, there was something undeniably captivating about him. He was effortlessly handsome, even when he was brooding.

"Sit," he commanded, and I complied, folding my hands on my lap as I met his gaze evenly.

He began asking about his schedule and meetings, questioning whether everything had been properly arranged. 

To his amazement, I answered each question confidently, explaining that everything had been taken care of, down to the smallest detail.

Snow's expression barely shifted, but as the questions continued, he realized I wasn't bluffing. 

I had everything under control, more efficiently than any staff member he'd worked with before. His surprise was almost imperceptible, but I saw the faintest flicker of it in his eyes.

Finally, he leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why did you leave the house without me this morning?"

Caught off guard, I scrambled for an excuse. "I... didn't want to be late for work. You seemed busy, so I thought I'd get a head start. Besides, it's in one of your rules. punctuality before the boss."

Snow raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my excuse. "Really? Or is it because I affected you so much last night that you couldn't stand being around me?"

His words sent a flush of embarrassment through me, and I crossed my arms defensively. "Don't flatter yourself, Snow. You didn't affect me at all."

He smirked, standing up and walking toward me slowly. "Is that so?" he murmured, stopping just inches away. 

His fingers hooked underneath my chin, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. His closeness made my pulse quicken, and I smacked his hand away, trying to maintain some sense of control.

"We're at work," I snapped. "This isn't exactly professional."

Snow's smirk deepened. "You're my wife. You're supposed to obey me, at all times."

My teeth clenched, and I was tempted to retort, but I bit my tongue. I knew he was going to play the contract card on me again. My fault for not reading before signing. 

'Tsk dollophead.' 

Fine, I thought. If this is how he wants to play it, I'll turn the tables.

Slowly, I stood up and stepped closer to him, allowing my fingers to graze his chest in a teasing, seductive manner. 

Snow's expression faltered slightly as I let Astrid's aura slip out just a little, her wild energy intertwining with mine. 

At once I felt Glacier stir within him, his presence rippling in response to Astrid's.

Good. Very good, Glacier. Awaken his desire.

Snow hissed softly, biting his lip as he fought to maintain control. I tilted my head, smirking. "Careful, Boss. Don't hurt those lips. I'm sure plenty of girls would love to kiss them," I purred seductively.

Amusement flickered in his eyes as he leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear. "And you? Are you dying for a taste?"

His question caught me off guard, and for a moment, I hesitated. I quickly masked my surprise with a smile, shaking my head as he pulled back. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction. 

"Unlike other girls, I have strong resistance against—"

I didn't get a chance to finish when Snow's lips crashed against mine, cutting off my words. I gasped, shocked by his action and that simple movement helped him slip his tongue between my lips as he deepened the kiss instantly. 

Snow stole my breath away, crashing his tongue against mine, claiming my mouth with a hunger that left me breathless.

At once all reasons were thrown away and Astrid's aura pushed forward. My wolf wanted him and for a moment, I kissed him back, my body reacting instinctively to his touch. But as soon as I realized what I was doing, I pushed against his chest, breaking the kiss.

Fuck!

Snow's eyes were blazing with desire, and I could feel Glacier's approval radiating through him. 

He looked at me like he wanted more. But I stepped back, apologizing softly before turning and hurrying out of his office with only the harsh pounding of my heart in my chest to accompany my thoughts.

As soon as the door closed behind me, I leaned against it, trying to calm myself. I glanced around and noticed Taylor wasn't in her seat. 

Good. I needed all the space I could get to help collect my thoughts. 

What was that? 

My finger reached up, caressing my lips. I could still feel his lips pressed against mine and my body tingled. 

"Continue. More. Kiss him."

Astrid urged me to go back in and continue what we'd started, but I fought to regain control.

It hit me just as I was about to return to my desk. 

In Snow's eyes, I must have looked like every other girl—unable to stand by my words and easily captivated by him. I narrowed my eyes and bit my lips.

I'm not like them, I reminded myself.

I reopened the door and strode back into his office without another thought. Snow stood by his desk close to his chair, his finger brushing his lips, as if he were savouring the taste of the kiss.

My lips curled upward as soon as his eyes flicked to me as I approached, a glint of surprise and curiosity in them. 

I didn't give Snow time to react. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, I pulled him toward me and pressed my lips firmly against his.

He must have missed me and loved the kiss as the next second, Snow responded immediately, his arms wrapping around my waist as he kissed me back, this time with even more intensity. 

"Great!" Astrid purred in approval.

But just as our kiss deepened, the door to his office burst open.

A small boy with messy blonde hair and bright blue eyes like his, dashed into the office, shouting excitedly, "Daddy! Daddy!"


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