Kael stares in a state of controlled terror. The events that happened that morning —the desperate kiss, the sealing of the mate bond, felt less like reality and more like a monstrous fever dream. He had banished the wolf, but the wolf had left its indelible mark. Every cell in his body was now painfully aware of Anya, and the constant, throbbing echo of their shared moment was a persistent torment.
He had showered, meticulously rebuilding the walls of ice and corporate armor. He selected a fresh charcoal grey shirt, adjusted the cuff links, and forced the glacial blue back into his eyes. The Alpha was back!
It was just after 1:00 PM. Anya was still in his vast master bathroom, dressing.
Kael slid a high-collared, sophisticated navy blue corporate dress and a pair of matching shoes onto the vanity counter. It was a subtle, expensive uniform, designed to look professional while hiding the violent love bites that now mapped the skin beneath her clothes. He needed her to be invisible, protected, and presentable.
He walked to the door, rapped once, and spoke without looking. "Put this on. The partner's meeting begins in twenty minutes. Do not be late."
He didn't wait for a response, retreating to the safety of his office. He poured himself a glass of water, his hand barely trembling, and forced himself to focus on the digital reports flooding his desk—reports that detailed the immediate need for security upgrades after the court scare.
The door to the penthouse opened, and Anya stepped out. Kael froze.
The dress was severe, yet breathtaking. The navy blue fabric hugged the curves he now knew intimately, reaching a respectable length just above the knee, and the high collar hid the undeniable mating marks on her neck. Her hair was pulled back tightly, revealing the sharp, furious elegance of her jawline.
She looked like the perfect, efficient corporate secretary, yet to Kael's eyes, she was illuminated, radiating a furious, fragile beauty. His wolf saw his Luna, his other half, wearing his colors, and it howled a silent approval that ripped through his gut.
"Ready, Alpha," Anya said, her voice perfectly level
"Good," Kael managed, his voice sounding too rough even to his own ears. "Let's go."
The Partners Council meeting room buzzed with nervous energy. The recent court victory had provided a brief reprieve, but the threat from Malik remained a palpable anxiety. The top executives and key Pack Elders—disguised in business attire—were all present.
Among them was Eamon, Kael's Beta and childhood friend, who held the position of Chief Operations Officer.
Also present was Dr. Helen Varma, a human consultant brought in to advise on infrastructure and legal exposure—a sharp-witted analyst Malik had tried to manipulate before.
Eamon stood to present the crisis. "Partners, the recent skirmish confirmed Malik's target: our transportation and supply corridors running through the industrial zone. I propose immediate diversion of 30% of our Q3 capital into a subterranean expansion of our existing tunnels. This will protect the supply, but it will cut King's Corporation's Q3 profits by 12%."
Dr. Varma countered instantly. "With respect, Mr. Eamon, that financial outlay is catastrophic and disproportionate to the current threat. My counter-proposal: we invest 5% of Q3 capital into immediate, visible, high-tech security fences and cameras. This serves as a credible deterrent to human mercenaries, satisfies shareholder scrutiny, and minimizes financial loss."
The debate was simple. Should the company money go into protecting the pack or profiting the company?
Since most of the partners are Pack Elders the answer was obvious but humans like Dr. Varma still wonder why such decisions are made and is ready to find out now
Eamon looked directly at Kael, expecting the immediate nod that always signaled Pack interest trumped profit.
But Kael wasn't listening. His gaze was fixed on Anya, who stood quietly against the wall, a notebook held professionally at her side.
He noticed the slight quiver in her lower lip, the exhaustion etched around her eyes. He noticed the way the lighting caught the gold flecks in her irises—gold that meant she was awake, alert, and fighting the exhaustion. He was lost in the sight of his mate and his mind drowning in the phantom touch of her skin.
"Alpha?" Eamon prompted, his voice sharp. "We need a decision"
Kael blinked, pulling himself back to the sterile reality of the meeting room. He hadn't heard a word. He couldn't risk revealing his absent mind.
"The... the issue is complex," Kael stated, forcing his mask back into place. "I want to hear the opinions of the other partners. Take a vote"
"This is ridiculous, we don't need a vote! Why would we spend so much on securing the Hearthlands, we barely use it. Sir, I drew up a chart that shows how much we've the Hearthlands have generated for the company for the past three years and frankly, this is just unnecessary spending" Dr. Varma said passing a notepad to Kael
"Your analysis are correct Dr. Varma but every partner has the right to their opinion so the vote pls. Anya, bring me a glass of ice water. Immediately."
It was a redundant command—water was already on the table—but he needed a task to assert his control, to remind her, and himself, of her place.
Anya moved instantly, seizing the glass of water meant for another executive. As she passed Kael's chair, the residual tension of the bond, the close proximity, and her exhaustion made her hands tremble. The glass slipped, not shattering, but sending a glass of icy water down the front of Kael's perfectly tailored shirt and soaking the corporate documents on the table.
A collective gasp filled the room.
Anya's face went white with terror. She braced herself for the inevitable, brutal punishment.
For a terrifying moment, Kael's composure held. His eyes flashed with dangerous gold, but he fought it down. He saw the panic in her eyes, and the wolf inside him screamed Protect her!
"It's just water," Kael said, his voice surprisingly calm. "Ms. Malik, you're excused. Go to the penthouse and wait. I will change before we resume."
Anya, baffled by the reprieve, nodded quickly and rushed out.
But as the door closed behind her, Kael's hatred and denial roared back, bolstered by the need to show Eamon and the others that the daughter of the traitor still meant nothing.
"On second thought," Kael said, his voice now flat and cold. "This incident is unacceptable. You are excused from your job for the rest of the week. You can use the quiet time to reflect on your lack of focus. This meeting is adjourned." Kael ordered and everyone dispersed.
Two hours later, Kael was nursing a tumbler of whiskey at a sleek, bar downtown
"The rest of the week? Really?," Eamon said, swirling his own drink, and Kael already knew who was talking and why "That's cruel. She saved us, man. She saved your title."
"She is the daughter of Malik," Kael bit out, his hand tightening around the glass. "And she spilled water on a three-thousand-dollar suit."
"No," Eamon countered softly. "You are running from something, Alpha. And your fear is sloppy. You ignored the two most critical proposals today. That's not the Alpha I follow."
Kael looked away, staring into the dark, reflective surface of the bar. The whiskey did nothing to drown out the constant, low thrum of the bond.
"She is my mate, Eamon," Kael confessed, the words tasting like ash. " and I sealed the mate bond last night, right after the court news. It was... compulsive, I just lost control and…"
Eamon merely nodded. "I suspected it. The way you look at her. The way you punished her after the first time you were alone with her. But Kael, what did you expect? She's the daughter of a legendary warrior and she saved your life. Your wolf chose correctly."
"No," Kael whispered fiercely. "The wolf chose chaos. I hate her blood. I hate the debt I owe her. I hate that she is the only person who calms the rage, and I hate that she makes me weak! If I accept her, I accept the rebellion, the chaos, and the loss of my father."
Eamon placed his tumbler down, his expression serious. "Kael, you can reject her status as Luna. You can reject her bloodline. But you cannot reject the mate bond. It's fate. The more you fight it, the more unstable you become, and the more danger you put the Pack in. You fought it today. You were absent. You chose the wrong security decision—you chose Varma's human profit model over my tunnels."
Kael slammed his hand on the bar, the sound barely audible over the lounge music. "I did not choose Varma's plan! I only said it was good."
"And that's all he needs to keep badgering us. And you can't keep asking for a vote every time you can't make a decision. Malik already spread news that we are werewolves, the human partners are suspecting us, don't give them more ammunition" Eamon advised
"Sure, sure" Kael agreed
"You need to decide, Kael. If she is your mate, then she is your destiny. She proved her loyalty with her father's blood. Accept it, control it, or it will control you," Eamon warned.
Kael took a deep swallow of whiskey, the spirit burning a small hole in his immense guilt. He was trapped. The hatred demanded she be exiled, but the mate bond was now wanting her close.
"I won't be seeing her for…four days now" Kael thought out loud, regretting his decision
"I need a distraction, Eamon," Kael said, his voice hard. "Something real. Something we can fight, human or otherwise. Pull the security reports on Malik's activity around the Hearthlands industrial site. Now."
Eamon knew this was Kael externalizing his rage. "Consider it done, Alpha. But I suggest you go home and sleep off your guilt. We need a clear head to fight Malik."
Kael ignored the advice. He stood, his immense frame filling the space, the Alpha mask fully restored.