The city skyline glittered as the jet touched down. Ryan stepped off the plane, tall and commanding in his tailored suit, but exhaustion lingered behind his sharp eyes. He had spent days in boardrooms and negotiations, sealing contracts that would strengthen the company's empire.
Yet his heart was not in the deals—it was still with Mia.
The driver opened the car door, and Ryan slid inside, his phone immediately in hand. He dialed Mia's number. It rang once, twice, and then—
"Hello?" Her voice came, tired but warm.
Ryan's lips softened into a smile. "I'm back, Mia. I'll be home soon."
There was a pause, and then a soft laugh. "Welcome back, Alpha. Don't forget you promised me breakfast tomorrow."
"I'll keep that promise," he said firmly, as if it was sacred. "I'll see you soon."
The line clicked off, but the warmth in his chest lingered.
---
At the company, Mia had been working late. The glow of her office lamp illuminated her face, but her eyes were clouded. Something felt… wrong.
The security cameras had glitched twice that day. A stranger had been lingering near the building entrance, pretending to check his phone. And earlier, a file she was reviewing had gone missing, only to mysteriously reappear on her desk.
She brushed it off as stress—yet deep inside, her instincts whispered that someone was watching her.
Still, she forced a smile when she packed her things. "Ryan's back," she murmured to herself. "Everything will be fine now."
But shadows had learned to move quietly.
---
Meanwhile, in the Alpha estate, Suzan adjusted her gown in front of the mirror. It was silk, crimson red, hugging every curve, designed not just to flatter—but to seduce.
Her father's words echoed in her ears: "Temptation is stronger than love."
She hated herself for trembling, but her longing for Ryan outweighed her shame. She had already given up her true mate. Her heart was chained to Ryan, and tonight she would prove her devotion.
When Ryan returned to the pack that evening to check in before heading home, Suzan was waiting outside the training grounds. She approached him with a soft smile, her perfume drifting in the air.
"Ryan," she said smoothly, her voice low and inviting. "You must be tired after your long trip."
He glanced at her, his expression neutral. "I'm fine, Suzan. Why are you here at this hour?"
"To welcome you back," she said, stepping closer. Her hand brushed against his arm, lingering longer than necessary. "You've worked so hard. You shouldn't go home alone, not when you need someone to ease your stress."
Ryan stiffened, his wolf bristling inside. He stepped back, his voice sharp. "Suzan, stop."
But she only tilted her head, her eyes soft and pleading. "Why do you push me away, Ryan? You know I've always loved you. That girl—Mia—she can never understand you the way I do. She doesn't belong to our world. But I do."
Ryan's eyes turned cold. "Enough. I don't want to hear her name from your lips. Mia is my mate, my choice. Whatever this is, end it now."
Suzan's heart cracked, but desperation made her reckless. She leaned in, whispering, "If she breaks you, if she leaves you… you'll come to me. You'll see I was always the one meant for you."
Ryan's jaw tightened. He stepped past her, his voice like steel. "Suzan, the only thing I see right now is betrayal. Stay away from me. And stay away from Mia."
As he walked away, Suzan's fists clenched. Tears stung her eyes, but beneath them burned fury. If he won't choose me willingly, then I'll make sure he has no choice.
---
Back at the company, Mia walked through the lobby, unaware of the game being played in the shadows. She thought only of Ryan, of the relief she would feel when he wrapped his arms around her.
But behind her, a pair of eyes followed, filled with the same hunger that had taken her once before.
The storm had only just begun.