Chapter 45

Valerica's POV

A sharp sting lanced through my neck, a shiver running straight down my spine. I bit back a growl, forcing myself not to reveal my wolf ears. My nails dug into my palms, carving half-moon trenches into raw flesh.

“Alpha Gideon,” I muttered, trying to sound light, but my voice came out lower than usual, threaded with tension. “It hurts.”

Not from his grip—he wasn’t being rough. It wa