I couldn't stop replaying Jake's words in my head as I trudged across campus the next morning. 'Tonight seems like a good night to start making better choices.' The memory of his intense gaze sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine. I didn't need another arrogant wolf in my life, especially not one with Jake Sterling's reputation.

The campus café beckoned with promises of caffeine—the only thing that might dull the ache behind my eyes after a night of crying. Three hours of sleep and a puffy face weren't exactly the college-girl look I was going for, but here we were.

The line moved slowly as I scrolled through my phone, deleting pictures of Ryan and me. Each swipe felt like ripping off a bandage, painful but necessary. When I finally reached the counter, I ordered the strongest coffee they had.

"Make it a double shot," I muttered, fumbling for my wallet.

As I reached for my drink at the pickup counter, my elbow collided with someone else's arm. Coffee sloshed over the rim, narrowly missing my sleeve.

"Sorry about that," a deep voice rumbled.

I looked up—way up—into familiar dark eyes that seemed to flash gold for just a second. Jake Sterling. Again.

"Are you following me?" The words slipped out before I could stop them.

A slow smile spread across his face, revealing perfect white teeth. "I was about to ask you the same thing, Madison Parker."

My heart stuttered at the way he said my name, like he'd been practicing it. Up close, his Alpha aura was even more intense—a tangible pressure that made the air feel heavy. My skin prickled with awareness, and something floral and warm seemed to bloom between us.

Jake's nostrils flared suddenly. His eyes widened, and his hand tightened around his cup until I heard the cardboard creak. "What is that scent?" he murmured, almost to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing." He shook his head, but his eyes never left mine. "Let me buy you another coffee. You lost some when I bumped you."

"That's not necessary," I said, taking a step back. The last thing I needed was to owe anything to another wolf, especially an Alpha.

"I insist." His tone left no room for argument as he reached for my cup. Our fingers brushed, and an electric current shot up my arm. Jake froze too, his brow furrowing as if he felt it as well.

"Fine," I relented, if only to end this strange moment. "Thank you."

As he ordered me a fresh drink, I noticed several she-wolves at nearby tables watching us, their expressions ranging from curious to hostile. Great. Just what I needed—more pack drama.

Jake returned with my coffee and gestured to the door. "Mind if I walk with you?"

Before I could answer, the café door burst open. Olivia stormed in, her eyes wild as they locked onto Jake standing beside me. Her lip curled into a snarl.

"Get away from her!" she growled, shoving Jake backward with surprising force for her size. "We don't allow rogues in our territory!"

The café went silent. Jake didn't budge, but his eyes darkened dangerously.

"Olivia, stop!" I grabbed her arm, mortification burning through me. "He's not a rogue. This is Jake Sterling, future Alpha of the Silverfang Pack."

Olivia's mouth fell open. The silence in the café grew heavier as curious eyes watched the drama unfold. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

"Oh my goddess," Olivia whispered, her face draining of color. "I just attacked an Alpha."

Jake's expression remained neutral, but I could feel the power radiating from him in waves. "No harm done," he said smoothly, though his eyes never left mine. "Madison's friend was just protecting her. I respect loyalty."

The way he emphasized my name made my cheeks burn. Every wolf in the café was staring now, whispering behind their hands. I could already imagine the gossip: *Wolfless Madison Parker, fresh from being played by Beta Ryan, now causing scenes with the Silverfang Alpha.*

Jake leaned closer, his breath warm against my ear. "I'll find you later," he murmured, before nodding politely to Olivia and striding out of the café.

As the door closed behind him, I could still feel the ghost of his presence—and smell something like amber and pine that hadn't been there before. My empty wolf stirred for the first time in my life, leaving me breathless and confused.

What the hell was happening to me?

I couldn't stop thinking about Jake's strange reaction to my scent at the café. The way his eyes had widened, how his nostrils had flared... it was almost as if his wolf had recognized something in me that even I didn't know existed.

Two days had passed since the embarrassing scene with Olivia, and campus gossip was already spreading like wildfire. I'd gone from 'that wolfless girl Ryan was dating' to 'that wolfless girl who somehow caught Jake Sterling's attention.' Neither label felt particularly flattering.

I was leaving my Werewolf History class when my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number.

*Meet me at The Silver Moon tonight. 8PM. -Jake*

My heart stuttered. The Silver Moon was a popular bar in neutral territory, frequented by wolves from all packs in the area. I hesitated, my finger hovering over the screen. Part of me wanted to delete the message and pretend I'd never received it. But another part—the part still raw with Ryan's betrayal—saw an opportunity.

If Ryan could parade his fated mate around, why couldn't I be seen with an Alpha?

*I'll be there,* I typed back before I could change my mind.

---

"You can't be serious," Marcus Vance's voice carried through the cracked door of Jake's office. I'd arrived early at the Silverfang Pack administrative building for my campus job, and found myself accidentally eavesdropping.

"I'm perfectly serious," Jake's deep voice replied, the authority in it unmistakable. "And I don't need to explain myself to you or anyone else."

"Jake, she's wolfless," Marcus insisted, lowering his voice. "The pack will question why their future Alpha is pursuing a girl who hasn't even shifted."

I froze, my hand clutching my bag. They were talking about me.

"She has a name," Jake growled. "Madison Parker. And my interest in her is my business."

"Is this about getting back at Ryan Mitchell? Because there are better ways—"

"This has nothing to do with that Beta," Jake cut him off. "My wolf... reacts to her. I can't explain it, but I'm not ignoring it."

Marcus sighed heavily. "Fine. But be careful. You're not just Jake Sterling anymore. You're the future Alpha of Silverfang. Your choices affect everyone."

I backed away silently, my mind racing. Jake's wolf reacted to me? That wasn't possible. Wolves only responded that way to potential mates, and I was wolfless. I was nothing.

---

The Silver Moon glowed with soft blue lighting when I arrived that night. Jake was already waiting at a high-top table near the entrance, looking devastatingly handsome in dark jeans and a charcoal button-down that emphasized his broad shoulders. When he spotted me, something flickered in his eyes—recognition, hunger, I couldn't tell.

"You came," he said, standing as I approached. His voice carried a note of surprise, as if he'd expected me to stand him up.

"I said I would," I replied, sliding onto the stool across from him. The table he'd chosen gave us a perfect view of the entrance. Something about the positioning felt deliberate.

"What are you drinking?" he asked, signaling a waitress.

"Moonlit cocktail," I said, naming the bar's signature drink—sweet but with a kick that burned all the way down. I needed the liquid courage tonight.

As we sipped our drinks, Jake kept the conversation surprisingly easy. He asked about my classes, listened intently when I talked about my research into werewolf history. But I couldn't shake the feeling that he was waiting for something, his attention occasionally drifting to the door.

"Why did you invite me here, Jake?" I finally asked. "Is this about Ryan?"

His eyes snapped back to mine. "Would it bother you if it was?"

I thought about lying, then decided against it. "No. In fact, part of me hopes it is."

A slow smile spread across his face, revealing those perfect teeth. "Revenge looks good on you, Madison Parker."

Before I could respond, the energy in the bar shifted. Jake's eyes darkened as he looked past me toward the entrance. My heart began to race, adrenaline flooding my system as I slowly turned to follow his gaze.

Ryan stood in the doorway, his arm wrapped possessively around Chloe's waist. They were both glowing, that unmistakable aura of newly bonded mates. As I watched, frozen in my seat, Ryan pulled Chloe close and bent to her neck. His teeth grazed her skin in the exact spot where a mate mark would be, reinforcing their bond publicly.

"Finally, my Beta," Chloe sighed loud enough for nearby tables to hear, her voice dripping with satisfaction as she tilted her head to give him better access.

The glass in my hand cracked under the pressure of my grip. Shock gave way to white-hot rage as I realized what I was witnessing—the mate bond that Ryan had hidden from me while draining my bank account and planning my public humiliation.

Jake's warm hand covered mine, steadying the trembling I hadn't even noticed had started.

"Now you know," he said quietly, his eyes never leaving my face. "The question is, what are you going to do about it?"