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Episode 1: The Night of the Alpha
The lobby of the Blackthorn Grand Hotel always smelled faintly of roses and old money. Its marble floors gleamed so brightly under the golden chandeliers that Lila Hayes could almost see her own reflection as she rushed across them, breathless and late again.
Her sneakers squeaked as she skidded behind the reception desk. The night manager, Mrs. Delaney, shot her a withering look.
"You're two minutes late," the older woman hissed, adjusting her glasses.
"I'm sorry, the bus broke down again," Lila whispered, smoothing down her wrinkled blouse. She tucked a strand of her wavy chestnut hair behind her ear, praying her flushed face didn't give her away.
Mrs. Delaney sniffed. "Our guests don't care about buses. They expect perfection. Try harder."
Lila bit back a retort. She needed this job. With her mother's hospital bills piling higher every week, she couldn't afford to get fired. So she pasted on her best polite smile and nodded.
"Yes, ma'am. Won't happen again."
But fate had other plans.
The heavy glass doors of the lobby swung open with a gust of cold night air, and silence fell across the room. Even the pianist in the corner paused mid-note.
Lila's eyes lifted—and her heart stuttered.
A man strode in, tall and commanding, his presence enough to make every guest and staff member turn to look. He was dressed in a tailored black suit that clung to his broad shoulders like it had been sewn onto his body. His hair was ink-dark, swept back with effortless precision, and his jawline looked sharp enough to cut glass.
But it wasn't his looks that made the air feel heavy.
It was him.
Something about him radiated power, danger, and control.
The doorman bowed low. "Mr. Blackthorn, welcome back."
Ethan Blackthorn.
Lila's stomach dropped. She had heard his name whispered more than once by guests and staff alike. The billionaire hotel tycoon. Owner of half the luxury chains in the country. A man so rich and untouchable that he seemed more myth than real.
Her gaze dropped instinctively, but not before she caught a glimpse of his eyes.
For just a second—so fast she thought she imagined it—they flashed a molten gold.
She blinked hard. Probably the lobby lights playing tricks on her.
"Prepare the executive suite," Ethan's deep voice commanded. Low, smooth, and dangerous, it rolled through the air like distant thunder.
"Yes, sir," Mrs. Delaney stammered, all her sternness evaporating under his gaze.
Lila tried to focus on her computer screen, her pulse racing for no reason she could explain. She'd dealt with plenty of arrogant rich men before, but none had ever made her skin prickle like this.
She didn't notice him looking at her. Watching.
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Hours later, the hotel grew quiet. Midnight draped itself across the city, and the grand lobby was nearly empty.
Lila had just stepped into the staff hallway when voices carried down from the executive floor above. Curious, she moved closer, the thin walls making it easy to overhear.
"…rogues are becoming bolder," a low male voice said. "The attack last night left three dead."
"Not unexpected," came Ethan's voice—smooth but colder now. "I warned them the truce wouldn't hold."
Lila frowned. Rogues? Attacks? She slowed her steps.
"We should call the elders," the first man insisted.
"No." Ethan's voice was a growl now, though it didn't sound human. "We handle this our way. The pack answers to me."
The hairs on the back of Lila's neck stood straight. Pack? What kind of pack?
She leaned closer, heart pounding, when suddenly the air shifted. She didn't hear him—she felt him.
In an instant, Ethan was behind her.
"What are you doing here?"
His voice was a low, dangerous whisper, so close it brushed her ear.
Lila spun, her back hitting the wall. Her eyes widened as she looked up into his face. He was even taller up close, his broad frame blocking out the dim hallway light.
"I—I was just…" Her words died.
His eyes weren't their usual storm-gray now. They burned, molten gold in the darkness.
Lila's breath caught. "Your eyes—"
"You heard nothing," Ethan said, his tone commanding, final. But there was something else there too—a flicker of emotion he quickly masked.
"I didn't mean to—" she stammered.
"Go back to your post," he cut in, his voice low and sharp, though his gaze lingered on her lips for a fraction of a second longer than it should have.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. She should leave. She should run. But her body felt frozen under his piercing stare.
Finally, Ethan stepped back, his control snapping into place like armor.
"Stay out of places you don't belong, Miss Hayes."
He walked away, the scent of cedarwood and smoke lingering in the air.
Lila's knees felt weak, her breath unsteady.
She didn't know what she had just witnessed. But deep down, in a place she never dared look too closely, she knew her life would never be the same.
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That night, Lila dreamed.
She was running barefoot under the moon, her heart racing, the sound of howls echoing all around her. And somewhere in the shadows… golden eyes were watching.
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✨ End of Episode 1