"Scarlett..."

A sudden, unexpected sneeze ripped through the air, echoing within the confines of the room. My eyes snapped open in response to the surprising burst of sound, my senses abruptly yanked from the veil of slumber. Blinking against the hazy confusion that lingered in the corners of my mind, I found myself met with a sight that tugged at my heart in a way I had never anticipated.

Adolph stood before me, his gaze locked onto me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. But it wasn't the intensity that caught my attention—it was the sight of tears glimmering in his eyes. Tears—a vulnerability I had never seen in him, the formidable Alpha whose very essence radiated strength and composure.

"Adolph?" I murmured, my voice soft and filled with a mixture of concern and surprise. The moment was surreal—a paradox in which the Alpha's emotions were laid bare before me.

He seemed to shake himself from his reverie, his expression a blend of disbelief and a profound sense of something unspoke