Contract Marriage With Alpha Snow

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CHAPTER 14

~Zara's POV~

This was a mega fuck up!

Okay, don't panic, Zar. Do not panic.

Although I was screaming internally, I somehow managed to keep a neutral smile plastered on my face, all while mentally shoving Astrid back into her corner. 

She was stirring trouble, as usual, and in the worst possible way. It seemed that no matter what I did, she thrived on Snow's attention. Worse, she craved Glacier's just as much, the two of them feeding off each other's energy.

In my past life, I thought bitterly, I was hung up on Ivan, and none of this ever happened—ever!

But here I was, completely unprepared, feeling like a clueless teenager with her first crush.

Snow's deep voice broke into my thoughts, laced with amusement. "Having trouble there, wifey? Need help taming that wolf of yours?"

I lifted my gaze, locking onto his smug face. That insufferable—ugh! But I forced my smile to remain in place. "What are you talking about? Why would I need Astrid tamed?" I scoffed. "Not necessary, I assure you."

He raised an eyebrow, the smirk never leaving his lips. "More games, I see." Snow's tone had dropped, the playfulness in his voice now carrying a subtle edge. 

He rose slowly from his chair, his eyes never leaving mine and I suddenly felt like prey caught in a predator's sights. 

He moved with deliberate ease, circling me until he was standing behind my chair. I held my breath, my heart beating a little too fast for my liking.

As his fingers brushed against my arm, a whisper of touch that left a trail of goosebumps in its wake, I felt a shiver run down my spine. 

His hand trailed up towards my neck, sending sparks skittering across my skin like fireflies on a summer night. 

I stiffened, my breath catching in my throat as he leaned in, his warm breath dancing across my ear, sending tremors through my entire body

"You sure about that?" His voice was low and teasing. "Because from where I'm standing, it seems like Astrid's dying to come out and play."

I bit my lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his words—and his proximity—affected me. 

"Maybe you're overestimating your effect, hubby," I shot back, but my voice came out a little shakier than I intended.

Snow chuckled deeply. "Oh, I don't think I am." His fingers brushed the back of my neck, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. Damn him. I hated how easily he got under my skin.

"Tell me, Zara," he whispered, his lips hovering just inches from my ear. "How long are we going to pretend this tension between us doesn't exist?"

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my cool. "There's no tension," I lied, though my voice was barely audible. 

"Liar," he murmured, his fingers tracing the curve of my jaw, his touch sending sparks through my skin. "I can feel it... Glacier can sense it. Your wolf is betraying you, revealing the truth you try to hide.'"

I cursed Astrid under my breath for letting her aura slip out earlier. She was practically purring under his touch, while I was fighting to stay composed. Just as I was about to retort, there was a knock at the door.

Snow stilled, his lips a breath away from my ear. He let out a frustrated sigh, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

"Come in," he called, his voice sharp.

The door opened and Mr. Hunt stepped in, his eyes briefly flicking between Snow and me before settling on his boss. "Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we need to review the financial reports before the board meeting."

Snow hesitated, his fingers still resting lightly on my neck. He glanced down at me, a slow smirk spreading across his face as he leaned even closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear.

"This isn't over, wifey," he whispered, his voice dark and teasing. "To be continued."

My breath hitched and before I could respond, he pulled away, his gaze lingering on me for a second longer before turning to the Vice CEO.

"Give me a moment," Snow said, his tone back to its professional, authoritative self.

Mr. Hunt nodded, stepping back to give us some space, but I could see the hint of curiosity in his eyes.

I stood up quickly, eager to escape before my heart decided to beat right out of my chest. 

"Running?" Snow teased.

"I'll leave you to your work," I said, my voice a little too quick. "We'll… talk later."

Snow gave me a knowing look, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, we will," he replied smoothly. "Count on it."

I didn't bother responding. I turned and walked out of the office, my head held high even though my pulse was still racing.

As soon as the door closed behind me and Mr. Hunt walked in, I let out the breath I'd been holding and hurried down the hallway, desperate to put some distance between us.

But even as I walked away, I could still feel the lingering heat of his touch and Astrid's smug purr echoed in my mind.

To be continued, indeed.

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Luckily for me, Snow left after that for his meetings and we didn't cross paths for the rest of the day. 

The relief was short-lived though—my thoughts kept drifting back to his touch, the teasing glint in his eyes, and that maddening smirk of his.

To be continued.

The words echoed in my head and despite myself, I felt a shiver of anticipation.

By the time work ended, I was practically running out of the office, eager to escape the charged atmosphere Snow had left behind. 

My destination? Ella's apartment. 

Like a scared lamb fleeing from the bad wolf, I headed straight for my best friend, needing her calm and chaos to balance the storm inside me.

But first, I needed wine. The good stuff.

I stopped at the mall, taking my time to pick out the best bottle I could find. I knew Ella had her favourites, so I grabbed one of those along with some cookies, hoping it would be enough to calm my nerves.

By the time I reached Ella's place, the sun had set. I stood outside her apartment and my finger hovered over the doorbell. Before I could press it, a little wind blew and the door suddenly pushed open, revealing—Ella striding a guy, their lips pressed against each other. 

0_0

"Ella?"