"Are you out of your mind?!" a guard roared, his grip like a vice as he shoved me away from the vehicle. "Do you have any idea whose car you just stepped in front of? You're courting death, Omega!"
I struggled against his hold, my chest heaving. I knew the person in the car was my partner Kaden Reynolds' boss-a powerful alpha. But that was exactly the person I was looking for.
Then, the atmosphere instantly shifted. The air grew thick with the scent of winter pine and an undeniable, crushing Alpha authority that made my knees want to buckle.
"Let her go," a low, magnetic voice commanded from the shadows of the backseat. "Bring her here and let her speak."
The guard holding me instantly stiffened, his arrogance vanishing into pure terror. He released me and bowed his head deeply toward the vehicle.
"Apologies, Alpha Del Wolfe," the guard stammered, his voice trembling. "This... this woman has been causing a scene at the gates for three days straight. It was a moment of negligence on our part. She slipped past us."
"It's fine," the Alpha replied smoothly.
The back door pushed open, and Del Wolfe stepped out into the dim light. He was a mountain of a man, the supreme ruler of the Stone River Pack. His deep blue eyes locked onto mine with a chilling, absolute intensity.
Under his gaze, the memory of why I was doing this flared up, burning away my fear.
Three days ago, I had been happily cleaning our shared apartment, preparing for Kaden's return. Instead, hidden beneath his clothes, I had found a velvet box holding a diamond ring-not for me-and a handwritten note from Jennifer Conley, a neighboring Alpha's daughter.
'I can't wait until you get rid of that pathetic Omega and we can finally be together,' it had read. The paper had reeked of her cloying, sweet perfume.
The same perfume I had smelled on Kaden's collar for months. The scent he swore was just from crowded Pack meetings. The betrayal had shattered my heart, leaving behind only a cold, sharp fury. I had been turned away at these gates for three days, but I refused to be a lamb led to the slaughter.
I pulled the worn bonding certificate from my pocket. My fingers were trembling, but I held it out to the terrifying Alpha standing before me. The Moon Goddess's seal gleamed in the dim light. It was my only weapon to reclaim my dignity.
Del Wolfe stared at the paper in my hand. He stepped closer, his towering frame casting a long shadow over me. I held my ground, keeping my chin high and my eyes locked on his striking features, ready for whatever storm he was about to unleash.
His intense gaze dropped to my face, softening just a fraction. The oppressive, suffocating weight of his Alpha aura shifted. It wrapped around me, heavy and surprisingly warm, like a thick, protective blanket settling over my shoulders.
He reached out. Instead of simply taking the document, his large, calloused fingers deliberately brushed against mine, lingering for a heartbeat longer than necessary.
A sudden, electric jolt shot up my arm. I drew in a sharp breath, my eyes snapping up to meet his. A dark, turbulent storm was brewing in those deep blue depths, swirling with an emotion I couldn't quite name, but one that made my pulse hammer against my throat.
He slowly pulled the paper from my grasp, his eyes scanning the text. His jaw tightened, a muscle feathering along his cheek.
"I accept this report," Del Wolfe announced. His voice was a low, gravelly rumble that vibrated straight through to my chest.
He turned his head slightly toward his Beta, Evan Foster, who stood at attention nearby. "Kaden Reynolds is suspended from all duties immediately, pending a full investigation."
Evan blinked in surprise but nodded quickly. "Yes, Alpha."
Del Wolfe turned his intense gaze back to me, his eyes tracing the line of my neck before meeting my gaze again. "Until the truth is uncovered, you are under my personal protection, and the protection of Pack law. Foster, the key to Reynolds's quarters."
Evan quickly produced a silver key. Before he could hand it to me, Del Wolfe intercepted it. He stepped even closer, invading my personal space, and gently pressed the cold metal into my palm. His thumb slowly traced the sensitive skin of my wrist as he folded my fingers over the key.
I met his burning gaze, forcing the sudden heat in my cheeks down. "Thank you, Alpha," I said, my voice steady and clear.
"Don't thank me yet," Del Wolfe murmured. He leaned down, his lips brushing dangerously close to my ear. His scent-pine, rain, and pure Alpha power-enveloped me completely.
In that breathless second, a deep, primal growl echoed in the back of my mind, vibrating through my very soul.
Mate.
My breath hitched, my heart slamming violently against my ribs. A wild, impossible shock rippled through my veins, freezing me in place for a fraction of a second. Did his wolf just speak directly to my soul? I stared into his darkening eyes, searching for a flicker of confirmation amidst the storm brewing there.
But I quickly clamped down on the dangerous flutter in my chest. A trick of the mind, I told myself fiercely. It had to be a hallucination born from sheer exhaustion and the overwhelming, intoxicating weight of his aura. I forced the absurd thought away, steeling my resolve and sharpening my focus on the real reason I was here. Kaden Reynolds had a debt to pay, and I was going to collect it. I had no room for distractions, especially not the magnetic pull of a powerful Alpha.
His voice dropped to a husky whisper meant only for me, carrying a fierce, undeniable possessiveness. "Go inside. You are in my territory now. No one will touch you."
I stepped back, breaking the heavy tension between us, and walked past the heavy iron gates. I gripped the key tightly, my spine straight and my steps measured. As I walked down the path into the heart of the pack, I could feel the heavy, burning weight of the Alpha's gaze tracking my every move, anchoring me to this dangerous, intoxicating new reality.