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    Lily White sighed, her shoulders slumping as she stared at the latest set of data on her computer screen. Another failure. The numbers blurred before her eyes, a cruel reminder of the countless hours she’d poured into this project—and the countless times she’d come up short.


    Just as she was about to give in to the urge to scream, the faint aroma of coffee wafted through the air. She turned, startled, to see Ethan Davis leaning casually against the doorframe, a steaming cup in his hand. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and his lopsided grin was as infuriatingly charming as ever.


    Lily hesitated, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him. “I’m fine,” she muttered, though her voice lacked conviction.


    She looked away, her cheeks flushing. “I can’t. Not until I figure this out.”


    “You’re too hard on yourself,” he said softly, his gaze steady. “You’re brilliant, Lily. You’ll get there.”


    Ethan’s expression hardened, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by something more intense. “Stop that,” he said firmly. “Your designation doesn’t define you. You’re more than that. You’re the smartest person in this lab—hell, in this entire facility. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, tell you otherwise.”


    For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension, their closeness almost unbearable. Ethan’s gaze dropped to her lips, and she felt a surge of longing that she quickly suppressed.


    Ethan nodded, though there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. “Alright. But don’t forget the coffee. And… take care of yourself, Lily.”


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    He smiled, a warmth in his eyes that made her stomach flutter. “Always.”


    The lab was eerily quiet, the hum of machinery the only sound breaking the stillness. Lily White sat hunched over her computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she tried to save the last of her research data. The clock on the wall ticked past midnight, and a sense of unease settled in her chest. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.


    "Hand over the data, Dr. White," one of them barked, his voice cold and commanding.


    The leader smirked, stepping closer. "That can be arranged."


    "Ethan!" Lily gasped, relief flooding her voice.


    The attackers turned their attention to Ethan, their weapons trained on him. He moved with the precision of a seasoned fighter, dodging their shots and using the lab’s equipment as cover.


    Ethan smirked, catching the man’s arm and flipping him onto the ground. "Still better than you, Alpha."


    "I’m not leaving you!" she yelled back, clutching the flash drive like a lifeline.


    Reluctantly, Lily turned and bolted for the exit, her heart racing. As she reached the door, she glanced back one last time. Ethan was still fighting, his determination unwavering.


    Lily fled into the night, the sound of the battle fading behind her. But even as she ran, her thoughts remained with Ethan, the man who had risked it all to save her and her work.