Chapter 13

The night air was crisp as Lillian stepped onto the balcony of Sebastian Blackwood’s mansion, her fingers gripping the railing. The full moon cast an ethereal glow over the estate, painting everything in silver. She exhaled, watching her breath form a mist in the chilly air.

Inside, the party continued—laughter, clinking glasses, the hum of conversation. But out here, it was just her and the quiet.

Until footsteps approached.

She didn’t need to turn to know who it was. The scent of sandalwood and something distinctly alpha gave him away.

"Escaping the festivities?" Sebastian’s voice was low, smooth, like dark chocolate.

Lillian smirked. "Just needed some air. Your guests are… enthusiastic."

He chuckled, stepping beside her. "They always are when free alcohol is involved."

Silence settled between them, comfortable yet charged. She could feel his gaze on her, studying her profile.

"You’re different tonight," he murmured.

She raised a brow. "Different how?"

"Less guarded."

Lillian hesitated. It was true. Something about tonight—the moon, the way he’d subtly shielded her from prying eyes all evening—made her defenses waver.

Before she could respond, a burst of laughter echoed from inside. Evelyn’s voice, sharp and mocking, cut through the noise.

"Honestly, Donovan, she’s practically feral. What did you ever see in her?"

Lillian stiffened.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened. "Ignore them."

She forced a laugh. "Oh, I do. Every damn day."

But the words stung. Because no matter how much she pretended, the rejection still ached.

Sebastian turned to face her fully, his golden eyes intense. "You’re worth ten of her."

The sincerity in his voice made her breath catch.

Lillian swallowed. "You don’t have to say that."

"I don’t say things I don’t mean." His hand brushed hers, sending a jolt of warmth up her arm. "You’re strong. Clever. Loyal. And you have no idea how rare that is."

Her pulse raced. This was dangerous. He was dangerous. Not because he was an alpha, not because he was powerful—but because when he looked at her like that, she wanted to believe him.

She opened her mouth to reply—

A crash from inside shattered the moment.

Sebastian’s head snapped toward the sound, his body tensing. "Stay here."

But Lillian was already moving. "Not a chance."

They pushed through the crowd to find Oliver standing amidst shattered glass, his small frame trembling. Evelyn loomed over him, her face twisted in fury.

"You little brat! Do you know how expensive that was?"

Sebastian was at his son’s side in an instant. "What happened?"

Oliver’s lower lip wobbled. "I—I didn’t mean to—"

Evelyn scoffed. "He knocked over the champagne tower. Obviously."

Lillian’s blood boiled. She stepped forward. "He’s seven."

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed. "Stay out of this, mutt."

Sebastian’s growl silenced the room. "Enough."

The air thickened with tension.

Then—

A slow clap echoed from the doorway.

Donovan leaned against the frame, smirking. "Dramatic as always, Blackwood."

Sebastian’s gaze turned glacial. "You’re not welcome here."

Donovan shrugged. "Just came to collect my mate." He shot Lillian a mocking glance. "Though it seems you’ve found a replacement."

Lillian’s fists clenched.

Sebastian stepped between them, his voice deadly quiet. "Leave."

For a heartbeat, no one moved.

Then Donovan chuckled, grabbing Evelyn’s arm. "Come on, darling. Let’s not ruin the happy couple’s night."

As they disappeared into the crowd, Oliver sniffled. Sebastian knelt, brushing glass from his son’s shoes. "You okay, champ?"

Oliver nodded, but his eyes were wide with unshed tears.

Lillian crouched beside them. "Hey, accidents happen. Want to help me sneak some dessert from the kitchen?"

A small smile tugged at Oliver’s lips.

Sebastian met her gaze over his son’s head, something unreadable in his expression.

And in that moment, Lillian realized—

She was in deep trouble.

Because the longer she stayed, the harder it would be to leave.

And part of her didn’t want to.

Sebastian handed back the results without a word, his piercing gaze briefly scanning the document before shifting to his son. The air between us grew thick with tension, almost unbearably awkward. Oliver kept glancing between me and his father, his young eyes brimming with unspoken questions.

"And what do you want, Oliver?" Sebastian asked, his deep voice cutting through the silence.

The boy hesitated, his eyes flickering toward me. A part of me braced for rejection—for him to declare he never wanted to see me again. Had I even made an impression? Or was I just another tutor destined to be replaced? But then, Oliver's face lit up with a bright smile as he turned back to his father.

"I want Lillian," he declared, stunning all of us.

Sebastian and Theodore exchanged shocked glances, though Theodore's surprise quickly melted into amusement. Sebastian arched a brow, studying his son.

"You're sure?" he asked.

Oliver nodded eagerly.

"I thought she was just another tutor, but she's different, Dad. She actually listens. She makes learning fun. I want her to train me—to help me be the best," he said proudly, casting me a quick glance before looking back at his father.

Warmth swelled in my chest, and I had to bite back a smile. Even Sebastian's stern expression softened slightly as he regarded his son.

Then his gaze landed on me, and my pulse stuttered.

"My son doesn't usually take to tutors. The fact that he likes you speaks volumes," he said, his voice low and measured.

Heat rushed to my cheeks. Was that… a compliment? I cleared my throat, scrambling to regain my composure.

"You're the man of the house," I said, lifting my chin. "If you'd prefer, I can leave. I didn’t mean to intrude."

"Dad?" Oliver tugged at Sebastian's sleeve, his small face pinched with worry.

Sebastian ruffled his son's hair gently.

"Go with Theodore inside. I need to speak with Lillian for a moment," he murmured.

Oliver hesitated, glancing between us before nodding. He followed Theodore into the villa, leaving me alone with Sebastian.

I crossed my arms, bracing myself for whatever came next.

"I'll go," I said before he could dismiss me. "I honestly had no idea you were his father."

For a fleeting second, something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

"I'm not sending you away," he surprised me by saying. "Oliver likes you, and that’s rare. I won’t take that from him. You can stay as his tutor."

Relief washed over me. "Oh. Well… thank you," I said, extending my hand.

He didn’t take it. Instead, he folded his arms across his broad chest, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath hitch. The silence stretched, thick and heavy, until I slowly lowered my hand, my nerves prickling under his scrutiny.

"There are conditions," Sebastian finally spoke after what felt like an eternity.

I arched a brow—of course it wouldn’t be that simple. Nothing with him ever was.

"What kind of conditions?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

His gaze flickered over me, lingering just a second too long on my bare midriff before snapping back to my eyes. "For starters, you can’t wear clothes like that again."

I blinked, glancing down at my cropped tank top and denim shorts. The outfit was hardly scandalous, but the way his jaw tightened told me he disagreed.

A slow smirk curled my lips as I remembered earlier—how his eyes had darkened when he first saw me, how they had trailed down my body with something far more primal than disapproval.

Taking a deliberate step closer, I dropped my voice to a husky whisper. "Why is that, Alpha Blackwood?" My fingers toyed with the hem of my top, lifting it just a fraction higher. "Afraid you won’t be able to resist?"

His nostrils flared, and for a heartbeat, I swore I saw a flicker of hunger in those storm-gray eyes. But then his expression shuttered, his voice turning to steel.

"Because I won’t have my future Luna parading around like some careless pup."

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Oh, please. You’re not my Alpha yet."

His hand shot out, gripping my wrist before I could retreat. The contact sent a jolt of heat up my arm. "Aren’t I?"

The challenge in his tone made my pulse stutter.

I leaned in, close enough that my breath ghosted over his lips. "Prove it."

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "Careful, Lillian. You’re playing with fire."

I grinned. "Good thing I don’t burn easily."

His grip tightened, and for one dizzying moment, I thought he might actually kiss me.

Then his phone buzzed, shattering the tension.

He released me with a growl, stepping back to check the message. His expression darkened further.

"We’ll finish this later," he muttered, already turning away.

I crossed my arms, watching him go. "Promises, promises."

He paused at the door, glancing over his shoulder. "Wear something decent tomorrow. We have guests."

I opened my mouth to retort, but he was already gone.

Sighing, I flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

This was going to be so much harder than I thought.

And yet…

I couldn’t help the thrill that shot through me at the thought of our next encounter.

Sebastian Blackwood had no idea what he’d just signed up for.

And I couldn’t wait to show him.