Read Howling for Freedom :: The Alpha's Claim(2/2)

Clara stepped closer to Noah, her movements deliberate yet graceful. The air between them seemed to thicken as she inhaled deeply, her nose brushing dangerously close to his neck. "Your scent," she murmured, her voice low and velvety, "is... unique. Snow and iron. I’ve never smelled anything like it."

Her words lingered in the space between them, charged with something unspoken.

Noah stiffened, his body instinctively recoiling as if her proximity was both a threat and a lure. He took a cautious step back, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you helping me?" he demanded, his voice steady but laced with suspicion. He couldn’t afford to trust her, not yet. Not when everything about her screamed danger.

Clara’s lips curved into a knowing smile, her gaze unwavering. "Maybe because I find you... different," she replied, her tone teasing yet sincere.

She took another step forward, closing the distance he had created. Her presence was intoxicating, and Noah felt his pulse quicken despite his best efforts to remain composed.

"You’re the Alpha leader," he said, his voice tinged with both curiosity and caution. "Showing interest in an Omega like me—isn’t that risky? People will talk."

Clara tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let them talk," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I’ve never been one to care about what others think."

Her hand brushed against his arm, the touch fleeting but electric. Noah’s breath hitched, his resolve wavering for the briefest of moments.

He crossed his arms over his chest, a defensive gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by Clara. "You’re playing a dangerous game," he said, his voice firm but quieter now, as if he was afraid someone might overhear.

"Maybe," she admitted, her gaze softening. "But aren’t the most dangerous games the most thrilling?" She leaned in slightly, her lips dangerously close to his ear. "Tell me, Noah, don’t you ever get tired of playing it safe?"

Noah’s heart raced, her words stirring something deep within him. He wanted to push her away, to distance himself from the chaos she represented, but he couldn’t. Her scent, her presence—it was intoxicating. "I don’t know what you’re after," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe I’m after you," Clara replied, her tone light but her eyes serious. She reached up, her fingers brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. The gesture was intimate, and Noah felt a shiver run down his spine.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The tension between them was palpable, a silent battle of wills and desires. Noah’s mind raced, torn between caution and the undeniable pull he felt toward her. Clara’s gaze dropped to his lips, and for a heartbeat, he thought she might close the distance between them.

But then she stepped back, her smile returning, though it was softer now. "Think about it," she said, turning to leave. "I’ll be waiting."

Noah watched her go, his chest tight with conflicting emotions. He didn’t know what game she was playing, but one thing was certain—he was already in too deep.

Victor leaned back in his ornate chair, the dim light of the council chamber casting shadows across his sharp features. His fingers drummed against the polished table, a slow, deliberate rhythm that echoed the tension in the room. "Clara Wilson," he began, his voice dripping with icy disdain, "has overstepped. Exempting that Omega from the hormone quota? She’s not just bending the rules—she’s breaking them."

The other council members exchanged glances, their faces a mix of apprehension and intrigue. One of them, a wiry man with a perpetual sneer, leaned forward. "She’s always been too soft," he said, his voice low and venomous. "But this? This is a direct challenge to our authority. If we let it slide, others will follow."

Victor’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Exactly. And we can’t have that, can we?" He straightened, his gaze sweeping the room. "Clara’s favoritism toward Noah isn’t just a personal indulgence—it’s a threat. If the military sees her as a protector of Omegas, our control over them weakens. We need to act swiftly, discreetly."

Another council member, a woman with sharp eyes and a sharper tongue, spoke up. "So, what’s the plan? How do we turn this to our advantage?"

Victor’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "We plant seeds of doubt. Whisper in the right ears, leak the right information. Make it seem like Clara’s actions are not just reckless but dangerous—a liability to the military’s stability. Once the rumors start, her credibility will crumble."

The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of their conspiracy hanging in the air. Then, the wiry man chuckled, a sound that sent a chill down the spine. "And what about the Omega? Noah, was it? He’s the root of this mess."

Victor’s expression darkened. "Noah is a pawn. A disposable one. If Clara’s downfall doesn’t break him, we’ll make sure he’s dealt with separately. But for now, focus on Clara. She’s the bigger threat."

As the council members murmured their agreement, Victor leaned back again, his mind already racing with the next steps. The game was set, the pieces in place. All that was left was to watch it unfold—and to ensure that Clara Wilson never saw it coming.

The scene shifted seamlessly, the shadows of the council chamber giving way to the quiet intimacy of Clara’s office. She sat at her desk, her brow furrowed as she reviewed a stack of reports. Noah stood by the window, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

"You’re quiet today," Clara said, glancing up at him. "Something on your mind?"

Noah turned to her, his eyes dark with something she couldn’t quite place. "Just thinking," he said, his voice soft but edged with tension. "About the exemption. About what it means."

Clara set down her pen, her gaze steady. "It means you’re free. That’s all that matters."

"Free," Noah repeated, his tone skeptical. "But at what cost? You’ve made enemies, Clara. Powerful ones."

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I’ve always had enemies. That’s never stopped me before."

Noah stepped closer, his presence filling the room. "This is different. They’ll come for you—for us. And I... I can’t stand the thought of you getting hurt because of me."

Clara stood, closing the distance between them. "I can handle myself," she said, her voice firm but gentle. "But I need to know you’re with me. That you trust me."

Their eyes locked, the air between them charged with unspoken words. Noah’s hand twitched, as if he wanted to reach out, but he held back. "I do trust you," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "But that doesn’t mean I’m not afraid."

Clara’s heart ached at the vulnerability in his voice. She reached up, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "Fear is part of it," she said softly. "But so is this. Us. And I’m not letting anyone take that away."

For a moment, they stood there, the world outside forgotten. Then Noah’s hand covered hers, his grip firm but gentle. "Promise me," he said, his eyes searching hers. "Promise you’ll be careful."

Clara smiled, a small, determined curve of her lips. "I promise. But you have to promise me something too."

"What’s that?"

"That you’ll stay by my side. No matter what."

Noah’s breath caught, and for a heartbeat, it felt like the room itself held its breath. Then he nodded, his voice steady. "Always."

The moment stretched, heavy with unspoken feelings, until Clara finally stepped back, her hand slipping from his. "Good," she said, turning back to her desk. "Now, let’s get back to work. We’ve got a lot to do."

As Noah returned to the window, Clara couldn’t help but glance at him, her heart swelling with a mix of affection and determination. They were in this together, and no matter what the council threw at them, she was ready to fight—for him, for their future, for everything they’d built.

But in the shadows, the whispers of betrayal were already stirring, and the battle ahead would be anything but easy.

Noah slammed the door of his sparse apartment shut, leaning against it as if the weight of the world had finally caught up with him. The memory of Clara’s fleeting touch on his arm earlier that evening replayed in his mind like a broken record.

Her fingers had lingered for just a second longer than necessary, and he had felt the warmth of her skin seep through his sleeve. It was a small gesture, but it had stirred something deep within him—something he had been trying to bury for years.

“Why her?” he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “Why now?”

He paced the room, his boots echoing against the wooden floor. The image of Clara’s piercing blue eyes, filled with a mixture of concern and something else he couldn’t quite place, haunted him. She had always been a mystery, a puzzle he couldn’t solve. But tonight, she had looked at him differently, as if she could see through the walls he had built around himself.

“You’re not just another Alpha to her,” he whispered to the empty room, his voice tinged with both disbelief and hope. “But what does that even mean?”

Noah clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He had spent his entire life being told what he could and couldn’t do, shackled by the expectations of others. But Clara—Clara had always been different. She had never treated him like just another pawn in the game of power. She had seen him, truly seen him, in a way no one else ever had.

“I can’t let her down,” he murmured, his voice firm despite the turmoil in his chest. “I won’t.”

He walked over to the small window, staring out at the city below. The lights twinkled like distant stars, a reminder of the vast world beyond his control.

But for the first time, he felt a spark of determination ignite within him. He wasn’t just a product of his circumstances; he was capable of so much more.

“No more running,” he said aloud, his voice steady. “No more hiding. I’ll find my own path, and I’ll protect her—no matter what it takes.”

As he turned away from the window, his mind was made up. The fear that had once held him back was replaced by a fierce resolve. He didn’t know what the future held, but he knew one thing for certain: Clara was worth fighting for.

And he would do whatever it took to prove that he was more than just a pawn in this game of power and politics.

The room fell silent, the only sound the steady beat of his heart. Noah took a deep breath, his resolve solidifying with each passing second.

He was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, ready to carve out his own destiny. And, perhaps most importantly, he was ready to face Clara—not as an Alpha or a pawn, but as the man he was determined to become.