I sit in the passenger seat, dressed in clothes that belong to Soren, his scent overwhelmed me and made me feel on edge but the soft melodies of the radio floating through the car, accompanied by Grey's gentle humming from the back seat was creating a soothing ambiance that contrasts with the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind.

Why has Soren suddenly decided to take me shopping?

'because we have no clothes to wear?'

 Where exactly are we headed? ...Out of the territory?

These questions circle in my mind like restless birds, pecking at the edges of my consciousness with persistent curiosity.

Glancing out of the window, I watch the passing scenery blur into streaks of colour. The familiar streets and buildings seem to slip away, replaced by landscapes. 

Soren's sudden change in behaviour leaves me feeling unsettled. 

He is usually so aloof, cold, and distant, his actions veiled in layers of mystery and calculation. But now, he has taken a sudden interest in me, kissing and giving me a 'hand' this morning. 

oH NO, don't think about! 

 I also can't remember the last time he looked at me with a cold, empty stare!

 Now he is offering me his clothes and taking me shopping.. 

...It is almost as if to integrate me into his world more deeply.

What if that's what it is?! 

Is he manipulating me to submit to him?

As the car rolls along the road, I can't help but wonder about Soren's intentions.

Is this his way of asserting control over me, or is there something more beneath the surface?

And why can't I deny the allure of him?!

Lost in my thoughts, I barely notice when the car comes to a stop, jolting me back to the present.

 I turn to Soren, who sits beside me with his characteristic air of calm confidence, his eyes focused ahead with unwavering focus. With a silent nod, he gestures for me to follow him, and I step out of the car.

As we arrive at the shopping centre, I can't help but feel a sense of familiarity. "Are we still in your territory?" I ask, my voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.

He nods, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Why? Thinking of running?" he teases, his tone light but tinged with an underlying edge.

Was he scared I was going to try and run... If I tried he would catch me in seconds. 

I shake my head quickly, dismissing the Idea. "Just wondering," I reply, trying to mask the unease that settles at the edges of my mind.

Despite Soren playful demeanour, there is something about his presence that always makes me feel like I am walking on thin ice. 

I am never quite sure where I stand with him.

Soren merely chuckles in response, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Relax, Sam. I won't bite," he assures me, though the mischievous glint in his eyes suggests otherwise.

I offer him a tentative smile, though I can't shake the feeling that there is more to his words than meets the eye because he does bite. 

As we step out of the car and into the bustling shopping centre, Grey grabs my hand. We make our way through the throngs of people, with Soren leading the way with a confident stride while we trail behind, trying to keep up with his brisk pace.

The sound of chatter and laughter fills the air, blending with the soft music playing from nearby stores.

"Where are we going?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me as we navigate through the maze of shops.

Soren glances at me with a secretive smile. "You'll see," he replies cryptically.

I sigh inwardly, and eventually, we arrive at a sleek, modern storefront with large glass windows that display an enticing array of clothing.

"Here we are," He announces, gesturing towards the store with a flourish.

I follow him inside, the cool air conditioning washing over me as we enter. The interior is spacious and brightly lit, with racks of clothes neatly arranged along the walls.

A sales associate greets us with a warm smile, bowing at Soren. "Alpha, I'm so glad to see you again" 

I notice that she can't take her eyes off him as Soren immediately sets about browsing through the racks with purpose.

I trail after him, feeling somewhat out of place amidst the rows of designer clothing. 

"What are we doing here?" I ask, unable to contain  my inner impatience.  

Soren glances back at me with a glint of annoyance in his eyes. "We're going to get you some new clothes," he replies, his tone matter-of-fact.

The sales lady comes back. "Alpha, can I take a minute of your time?" she nervously asks.

I ignore them and start to rifle through the garments with a newfound sense of purpose, which was to not eavesdrop. 

I look for grey to find him seated on one of the chairs by the fitting rooms watching something on Soren's phone. 

I turn back to my rack and start pulling out items at random without paying much attention to their style or design. I wanted to get this over and done with. 

Soon, Soren is by my side, from the corner of my eye I can see that he is  leaning against a nearby rack. 

"Find anything you like?" he asks, his tone light. 

I glance at him to see a small smile on his lips.

 'Why is he smiling?'

 He never smiles! 

I look behind me to see the sales lady smiling too  as she writes something down. I don't know why but looking at her stupid face is pissing me off. 

I shrug nonchalantly, continuing to sift through the clothing. "Does it matter?" I reply with a shrug. "As long as it covers me up, I'm good."

Soren chuckle at that, shaking his head in amusement. "Fair enough; as long as it covers you up, I'm also good. I don't want anyone looking at what's mine," he concedes.

What's mine?

My eyes twitch at his words.

"But I have to say, I think you'd look good in just about anything," he whispers.

I can feel a warm flush creeping up my neck. Despite my effort to maintain a casual demeanour, I give him.  "Can you go away?" I spit out in anger. 

He does. But the feeling of his eyes on me is an annoying presence that lingers. 

After I have found about five outfits, I turn to find Soren. My eyes catch sight of him engaged in conversation with the saleswoman. 

I feel a twinge of unease as I watch her hand rest lightly on his arm, a gesture that seems too familiar for my liking.

Steeling myself, I approach the pair, trying to ignore the sudden dark emotion that is surging within me. 

"I'm done, let's go," I interject, forcing a casual tone as I interrupt their conversation.

Soren turns to me with a smile, his gaze warm and inviting. "Try these pyjamas on," he replies smoothly, his eyes flickering briefly to the saleswoman before returning to me as he hands me two pieces of silk clothing.

I nod, though I do not want to. I guess I want him to get away from that lady and put his focus back on me.

I step into the fitting room and close the curtains behind me, I let out a sigh of frustration.

 I look down at the black silk Pyjamas Soren has chosen for me.  The fabric feels luxurious against my fingers.   

I begin to undress, zipping my pants and taking them off,   But before I can even fully remove my shirt, the curtains suddenly fly open, flooding the room with light and exposing me to whoever is on the other side.

My heart leaps into my throat as I instinctively move to cover myself, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

 I open my mouth to protest, my words die on my lips as I catch sight of the familiar alpha standing before me.

"need help?" 

There's a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he leans casually against the doorframe.

"Soren!" I exclaim, irritated.

He merely chuckles in response, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he surveys me shamelessly.  

"I couldn't resist," he admits, his voice low and husky. "Besides, I wanted to see how those pyjamas looked on you."

I scowl at him, feeling both flustered and annoyed by his intrusion. "You could have at least knocked and asked if you could enter," I mutter, 

Soren seems unfazed by my irritation, his grin widening as he steps further into the room, his gaze lingering on me with the same hunger that I have come to know and not be scared of anymore. 

A part of me can't deny the thrill of excitement that races through me at the thought of him watching me change.

What's wrong with me? 

Have I also turned into a pervert like him?! 

"Where's the fun in knocking?" he teases, his voice dripping with mischief.

I roll my eyes, though I can't suppress the smile that tugs at the corners of my lips. 

Despite my irritation, there is something undeniably thrilling about Soren's boldness.

Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I straighten up and meet Soren's gaze with a mixture of nervousness  and fake annoyance.  

"Well, since you're here, you might as well help me put these on."

Author's Note: 

I want to dedicate this chapter to @angelharrison87 for being my first and only reader so far. I keep uploading just for you because you always support every chapter. Thank you so much!! Without you I would have lost the motivation to keep writing this book. So thank you ❤️