Offer your body

"Stop the car at a nearby hotel," Gabriel ordered the driver. "The rain is heavy, and I wish to rest tonight before heading to the capital."

His beta immediately leaned forward, giving the driver directions to the nearest hotel. The vehicle smoothly adjusted course, cutting through the rain-soaked streets as Gabriel leaned back in his seat, his eyes staring out at the stormy night beyond the window.

Finally, the car screeched to a stop before a hotel, Gabriel's beta quickly stepped out, opening an umbrella to shield him from the heavy downpour.

Gabriel had just placed his foot on the wet pavement when, out of nowhere, a woman threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a desperate embrace. 

He stiffened at the unexpected contact. She was completely drenched, her clothes clinging to her trembling form, and her entire body quaked with fear. 

Then, she said, "Sleep with me."

Her breathless, desperate words stunned him—she was asking to sleep with him. 

Gabriel's violet eyes darkened as he regarded her with intrigue. Did she not know who he was? Such a bold request, coming from a woman so fragile, both amused and piqued his curiosity. 

He had never allowed women to get close to him, not since he had given up on finding his mate. The moon goddess had seemingly denied him that bond, and he had long believed it was because she also despised him. 

And yet, here was this woman, pressing herself against him in the pouring rain, asking for something no one had dared demand of him before.

Gabriel without any hesitation agreed to sleep with her and carried her in his arms in a bridal style. Before heading inside, he gave a befitting reply to the approaching warrior wolf. 

Amelie started feeling nervous when Gabriel walked through the hotel's lobby and many eyes casted on them. She didn't dare to look up since she didn't want anyone to recognize her. 

She barely noticed when they arrived at the grand suite, too lost in her own thoughts. It was only when Gabriel gently set her down that she realized they were inside the suite. Her hands remained on his arms as she whispered, "Thank you."

But her relief was short-lived.

"Shall we begin, miss?" Gabriel's deep, velvety voice once again sent a shiver down her spine, reminding her why she was here.

Before she could react, his thumb brushed against her rain-kissed lips, making her breath hitch. Slowly, she lifted her gaze, meeting his striking violet eyes.

"Do you want to take a bath first," he mused, "or should we do it right away?"

Amelie's heart pounded violently against her ribs.

"I'll shower first," she replied quickly, her fingers fidgeting against the fabric of her damp dress.

Gabriel didn't press further, simply watching her with amusement.

As she turned away, she clenched her hands to steady herself. She couldn't tell him she was pregnant. Not yet. If he knew, he might throw her out, and she had nowhere else to go.

For tonight, this man—this stranger—was her only hope. But how the hell was she supposed to sleep with him?

As soon as Amelie stepped into the washroom, she locked the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment as she caught her breath. 

Her reflection in the mirror made her stomach twist—she looked terrible. The makeup she had carefully applied earlier was now a complete mess. Her eyeliner had smudged, dark streaks running down her cheeks, and the once-perfect lipstick was smeared unevenly around her lips. She barely recognized herself.

With a tired sigh, she stripped off her soaked dress and heels, her bare feet pressing against the cold floor as she stepped toward the transparent shower room.

"They all want me dead," she murmured under her breath as warm water cascaded down her body. "Even my own family didn't come to save me."

The water washed away the dirt, the rain, and the traces of her ruined makeup. But it couldn't wash away the betrayal that she received from Alex and her own younger sister. 

How couldn't she ever notice this? Was the sweet smile that Alex carried all the time around her was fake? But why? Why did it happen to her?

Wiping away her tears under the warm stream of water, Amelie steadied herself with a deep breath. "I will leave this place at all costs tomorrow," she whispered while making up her mind. 

Shutting off the shower tap, Amelie reached for a bathrobe, slipping it over her damp skin. Her hair remained loose, dripping slightly against the fabric as she stared at her reflection one last time. The woman in the mirror looked fragile, haunted—but beneath the exhaustion, there was determination and resilience.

She hovered near the door, her fingers gripping the handle tightly, but she was hesitant to open it. 

"Just sleep with him and get over it," she murmured under her breath. "It's only for a night. You need to do this—to save your baby's life."

However, her body refused to move until Gabriel's deep voice came from outside.

"Don't make me wait too long. I have thin patience."

Amelie finally opened the door and stepped out. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes landed on Gabriel, who stood half-naked with his back facing her. But it wasn't just his bare skin that caught her attention—it was the massive tattoo carved into his back.

A wolf's face, fangs bared in a menacing snarl, stretched across his entire back. She had never seen anything like it before. 

This man exuded a dark aura, an unshakable dominance that couldn't go unnoticed. And yet, there was an unexplainable pull toward him, something magnetic that unsettled her.

"Why did you call me your mate?" Amelie asked, hoping a conversation would delay what Gabriel was waiting for.

Gabriel turned around with his phone pressed against his ear. His piercing gaze locked onto hers as he uttered a simple response.

"I'll talk to you later."

With that, he ended the call and lowered his hand.

Amelie swallowed hard, her eyes flickering over his sculpted chest and toned arms before she quickly looked away. She tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear, attempting to steady herself.

"Why did you offer your body to me?" Gabriel asked.