The Price of Pride

Sienna's POV

I gave an awkward, stiff nod, my cheeks burning a brilliant crimson under his intense stare. Scrambling backward on the bed, I grabbed the closest garments I could find scattered across the plush hotel carpet. Every sudden, frantic movement sent a sharp, undeniable soreness radiating through my inner thighs, a glaring physical reminder of how thoroughly he had taken me just hours ago. I desperately tried to shield my bare skin with the fabric, trying to hide the sudden, raw vulnerability tearing at my chest.

"Don't get too smug about it," I muttered, my voice tight. I kept my gaze fixed on the floor, shoving my arms into the sleeves of my wrinkled blouse. "I just never got around to it before."

Roman stepped out of the tangled sheets. He approached me gloriously naked, unashamed of his towering, muscular physique. The morning sunlight highlighted every broad plane of his chest and the sharp v-line tapering down to his groin. I forced my eyes upward, refusing to look lower, though my freshly clothed body ached to be touched by him again.

"You think this is a good thing?" he asked. His tone dropped, turning inexplicably cold. The playful, predatory heat from a moment ago vanished, replaced by a chilling detachment.

Before I could process his sudden shift in demeanor, he casually picked up his phone from the nightstand. His thumb tapped the screen with calculated precision.

"Give me your banking account information," he commanded, his voice flat and detached. "I need to arrange a financial transfer for the night."

My hands froze on my zipper. Hot, suffocating shame washed over me, drowning out the lingering pleasure in my veins. "What did you just say?"

"Your routing and account numbers," he repeated impatiently, not even looking up.

"Are you joking?" I gasped, the air leaving my lungs in a rush. "You think I need money?"

He didn't even flinch at my rising panic. "You provide a service, I pay a fee. It is fair." His calm, businesslike detachment felt like a physical blow to my stomach.

Bile rose in my throat, thick and acidic. The tender touches in the dark, the heavy pants echoing in my ear, the way he held me—all of it shattered into pieces, reduced to a cheap transaction.

"I'm not a prostitute!" I yelled, my voice breaking. "I don't want your money!"

Genuine confusion crossed his handsome face. He tilted his head, studying me like a puzzle he could not solve. Then, his wolf nature began to surface. His icy blue eyes flashed a dangerous, striking gold. The temperature in the room spiked.

"If not money, then what do you want?" he demanded, stalking closer. "Social status? Pack position? You approached me at the bar knowing exactly who I am. And you're Mercer's woman."

"Ex-girlfriend!" I shot back. Furious, humiliated tears stung the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision. "Do you think every single person has a hidden agenda? Some people just want one night to forget their pain!"

He didn't believe a word. He crowded my space, forcing me backward until my spine hit the cold, hard wall. His massive frame trapped me in place, leaving no room for escape. His intoxicating sandalwood scent overwhelmed my senses, making my head spin with unwanted desire.

"Of all people in this sprawling city, why choose the Obsidian Moon Pack heir?" he growled. His rock-hard chest brushed against mine with every shallow breath I took.

My defenses crumbled under the sheer weight of his proximity. "When I saw your eyes, I just knew it had to be you," I whispered honestly. My trembling hand lifted of its own accord, resting flat against his warm chest. I could feel his heart racing beneath my palm, a wild, erratic beat that matched my own.

For a split second, the thick tension wavered.

But pulling away took massive effort. I forced my hand down, gathering the tattered shreds of my pride. I looked him dead in the eye and lied through my teeth to protect whatever dignity I had left.

"Nothing but regret. The moment that door closes behind me, you and I never met."

I grabbed my purse, dodged past his rigid frame, and fled the opulent suite as fast as my legs could carry me. Even as I sprinted down the carpeted hallway, my body still hummed wildly with the terrifying, electric awareness of his touch.

Roman's POV

The heavy oak door slammed shut, leaving me standing alone in the center of the massive suite. The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by my harsh breathing.

"A fucking virgin... Goddamn it!" I roared.

I swung my arm, slamming my heavy fist directly into the mattress. The immense force drove right through the plush layers, cracking the expensive wooden bed frame underneath with a sharp snap. Beneath my skin, the wolf clawed restlessly at my ribs, furious, agitated, and demanding I chase her down.

The memory of her unique scent from the Starlight Lounge hit me again with punishing clarity. It was a sweet, intoxicating blend of honey and fresh rain. The second that scent drifted across the crowded bar, my inner beast had instantly surged forward, baring its fangs and demanding, *Mine.*

Now, staring at the empty space where she just stood, I finally understood why the magnetic pull had been so undeniably powerful. She had been pure. Perfect for mating.

And I had deeply insulted her by offering a routine wire transfer.

I paced the length of the room, my jaw ticking with pent-up frustration. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and hit a speed dial number, forcing my voice to remain steady as it connected.

"Gideon," I barked into the receiver. "I need you to investigate a human female. Yes, from last night. Someone who might be connected to Mercer."

I didn't wait for my Beta to ask questions or offer input. I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the ruined bed.

Even as I gave the order, a visceral, burning memory hijacked my thoughts. I remembered exactly how her tight, virgin heat had gripped my cock. I remembered the slick friction, the virginal resistance before her body yielded to mine, and the way her inner walls had spasmed around me, milking my length until I lost all control. The way her scent had shifted during our coupling, blooming into something richer and marked by me, told my wolf the undeniable truth.

Sienna wasn't just Mercer's discarded toy. She was my fated mate.

Needing to clear my head, I marched into the luxurious glass bathroom and stepped into the massive shower. I cranked the heavy metal handle, turning the water to freezing cold. The icy spray pelted my hot skin, but it did nothing to wash away her embedded essence. Her scent was woven into my pores, impossible to scrub away.

I braced both hands against the wet tile, bowing my head under the freezing stream, and berated myself. I should have been far gentler. I should have drawn out her pleasure. I should have tasted every inch of that sweet pussy until she begged for my knot. Instead, I let my ruthless instincts take over, claiming her with brutal intensity, and then I treated her like a cheap escort.

My mind darkened, haunted by past catastrophic mistakes with virgins. Women who had cunningly seduced me, playing the innocent card just to get into my bed. Once the deed was done, they ruthlessly blackmailed me for millions. They had all craved my bank accounts, my corporate power, and my pack connection. It was a vicious cycle of deceit.

But this girl was different. She had walked away. She had refused my payment without a second thought. The genuine, raw hurt swimming in those deep green eyes when I offered the money cut deeper into my soul than any werewolf claw ever could.

I lifted my hand to wipe the water from my face. My gaze caught the black onyx family ring resting on my finger, gleaming sharply under the harsh bathroom light.

My vision flashed gold. A surging, possessive rage flooded my veins, hot and feral. My mate was out there in the city, hurting, and running away from me.

Unable to contain the wild emotion tearing through my chest, I pulled my arm back and drove my fist straight into the wall. The thick shower tile shattered under my knuckles, sending sharp ceramic shards raining down onto the floor.

"I'll find you, little doe," I promised the empty, steam-filled room. My voice dropped into a guttural, terrifying growl that reverberated off the broken walls. "Whatever your purpose, you will be punished for provoking me."