Two Years Later

The soft patter of tiny feet echoed across the small apartment.

"That's it, baby... good job!" Sarina laughed softly, her arms stretched out in encouragement.

A little boy wobbled toward her, his steps unsteady but determined. His grey eyes sparkled with excitement, his tiny hands reaching for her but before he could fully get to her, he fell forward into her embrace.

Sarina caught him instantly, pulling him close as her heart melted.

"My big boy," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his soft hair.

Asher giggled, his tiny fingers clutching her sweater.

She held him tighter than necessary, because every time she looked at him...

She always remembered.

'You disgust me. I never want to see your face again.'

Her smile faltered slightly, those words echoed in her mind as if they had been said to her just yesterday. But she quickly retrained her expression smiling down at Asher who was now looking up at her face with his head tilted as if he was trying to decipher why she had such a look in her eyes.

He was just a year and two months old but he was already very smart for his age. He would read her eyes and decipher her mood. Whenever she was happy, he would smile and laugh happily with her, but if he sensed her sadness, tears would well up in his eyes too. It almost felt like he could smell every emotion on her even from afar, which made her very careful how she reacted in front of him. She never wanted him disheartened in any way.

But then he was the offspring of an alpha, and they had extremely sharpened senses, it was no surprise Asher was like that. Looking at the small but adorable face of her son which looked exactly like every feature of Alpha Kane, a sharp pain tightened Sarina's heart.

"Don't worry, baby," she murmured softly, brushing her fingers across his cheek.

"I'll never let your father's anger touch you." His anger and hatred was only for her, she would never let him release that hatred on her son.

And if he ever came to know that the single night he considered a disgusting scheme made up by her ended up getting her pregnant...she couldn't imagine what he would do to her...or to her son.

"Mama..." Asher muttered the word incoherently, reaching a tiny chubby hand to touch her face which made her giggle. She playfully dropped kisses all over his face.

"Mama loves you so much Asher." He gave her a toothless grin as if he understood what she said.

In the past, she had a father and a sister whom she'd loved despite how harshly the latter treated her, she'd had a home and what she considered a family, and yet she had always felt alone.

Now however, it was just the two of them. Her and Asher and a few friends she'd made along the way and that felt like everything. Everything she'd ever needed and more...

"Asher is such a beautiful boy. I don't think I've ever seen a baby as cute as he is."

Sarina looked up as Hailey dropped down beside her on the floor, smiling warmly as she stared at Asher with stars in her eyes.

"He gets more handsome every day," Hailey added, gently tapping Asher's nose. "Honestly, he looks like someone famous, I just can't remember who but he definitely looks like someone I've seen on TV."

Sarina's heart skipped. Many human girls idolized the werewolf alphas like celebrity crushes. Werewolves weren't just supernatural, they were hot and wealthy too so the human communities definitely hyped them up a lot and they were very often showed online and on TV. Hailey must have seen alpha Kane once before.

Though she didn't want Hailey or anyone else finding out about her son's father, Sarina kept her face calm.

"You're overthinking it," she said lightly. "Asher looks a lot like me."

Hailey raised a brow.

"No offense girl, but he really doesn't. He doesn't have your green eyes, blonde hair or even your nose. I think he looks a lot more like his father,"

Hailey continued before suddenly freezing in realization when Sarina's expression stiffened. "Oh...I'm sorry,"

Hailey said quickly, guilt flashing across her face. "I know you don't like talking about him. I didn't mean to pry."

Hailey and Sarina had known each other for two years now as roommates having moved into a shared apartment to lower costs. They'd become really good friends, when Sarina had started falling sick just a few weeks after moving into this small apartment, Hailey had suggested she tried a pregnancy test, and lo and behold it had come out positive.

Hailey was very curious about Sarina's past, as a friend she wanted to know more about who Sarina was, but when they first met Sarina had been closed off, almost broken to the point of hardly opening up to someone else... Hailey had never tried to pry into a life that Sarina didn't willingly want to share.

Sarina exhaled softly.

"It's okay," she said after a moment, her voice gentler now. "The past is... the past. You didn't do anything wrong by bringing it up."

She looked down at her son, her gaze softening instantly.

"All that matters is giving my little angel a better future."

Hailey smiled.

"And you will," she said confidently. "Especially now that you're starting your new job today."

Sarina's eyes widened slightly.

Right.

Her job.

"You don't want to be late on your first day," Hailey added, already grabbing her bag as she stood. "I have to run too-if I'm late again, Dante will actually kill me."

Sarina laughed softly.

"Remember," Hailey called as she reached the door, "tell the daycare I recommended you! You'll get a discount."

"I will. Thank you, Hailey."

"Bye!"

The door shut behind her and silence returned to the warm apartment.

Sarina let out a small breath.

"Alright, Ash," she said, standing up with renewed determination. "Let's get you ready for daycare... and me ready for a fresh start."

---

The streets of South Rivers were already alive by the time she arrived.

Cars passed and people hurried along sidewalks.

It was normal, peaceful.

No whispers, no judgment. No one was looking at her like a freak, no one treated her like an outcast just because she never awakened a wolf like everyone else.

Sarina had never felt like she belonged anywhere, until here. Back at the pack, they used to tell her that she was no better than a human, having no wolf and no powers. Perhaps she was always meant to be human after all.

After quickly getting Asher dressed, she carried him into the daycare.

A cheerful sign at the entrance read:

'Little Angels House'

Inside, everything felt warm and safe, somewhat making Sarina feel reassured to leave Asher here for a whole day while she was at work.

Bright colors filled the space, along with soft laughter and gentle voices.

The owner was a woman who seemed to be in her early forties, she greeted Sarina kindly, guiding her through the registration process.

Sarina signed and filled up several forms and confirmed every detail.

When she was done...the reluctance and a slight ache in her chest made her hesitate to leave her son.

Sarina knelt down, holding Asher close.

"Be a good boy, okay?" she whispered, kissing his forehead. "Mommy will be back soon."

Asher blinked at her, then smiled. That beautiful type of smile she'd never seen on his father's face.

She hesitated for just a second before handing him over to the owner, Avery.

Her chest tightened but she forced herself to let go, handing him over to the woman she knew would take care of him.

Asher seemed to sense she might leave, he grabbed onto her hand tightly, looking up at her with questions in his silver orbs.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to reassure her son to be good and she would only be gone a few hours, a sudden announcement on TV caught her attention.

"...Billionaire Alpha of Blue Moon Pack will be visiting South Rivers soon-"

Sarina froze the moment she heard those words. The television had been playing in the background but she hadn't paid attention to what was being said until she heard the familiar name.

"...his search for a wife seems to have extended into human territory...women have been lining up at Moon Villa since last night and a reward of ten million dollars has been announced for any woman who can give the Alpha an heir..."

Her heart began to pound.

Alpha Kane...

Dread slowly crept into her heart. Why was alpha Kane here in the human territory? Though the fear of seeing him again made her momentarily panic, she assured herself by the reminder that there was no way she would ever see him again if she didn't go looking for him and no matter what, he should never come to know that she'd had his son.

Asher's voice broke through her thoughts in that moment, as he said one single word that made her blood run cold.

"Papa?"

"Papa! Papa! Papa!"

Asher's tiny voice rang out brightly, his little hand stretching insistently toward the television.

Sarina's heart nearly stopped.

"No, baby..." she said quickly, forcing a light laugh as she gently lowered his hand. "That's not your papa."

She was astonished at her son's reaction seeing the man's face on the television. He had never once addressed another man as his father before even if he saw them on TV or in real life. How could a child so young have been able to instantly identify his own father.

This was dangerous!

Sarina tried to pull his attention away from the television and explain to him that the man was not his father but Asher didn't understand.

"Papa!" he repeated, even more excited this time, his grey eyes locked onto the screen.

Avery, the owner of the daycare watched the boy's excitement, curiosity written all over her face.

"Papa?" Avery asked, glancing between the child and the television. "Is that your daddy, little one?"

"Oh no," Sarina said immediately, her smile tight but polite. "He's just... mixing things up. He calls everyone Papa, its a weird little habit of his."

Sarina knew nothing if the talks of Alpha Kane desperately wanting an heir was true or just plain rumors, but she couldn't have anyone linking her son to him.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she smoothed Asher's hair, the fear of meeting him again even by accident making her feel unsettled.

The human territory was huge and so was South Rivers City, he could be anywhere, even if he was in this city, it would be difficult to run into him.

'Stop worrying Sarina, you'll never see him again.'

"Be good, okay?" she whispered softly, pressing a kiss to Asher's forehead before straightening. "Mommy will be back soon."

At the moment she turned to leave, her eyes settled on the familiar face whose photograph still remained on the TV screen.

The man's face was rigidly handsome, the years had done nothing but made him look more breathtaking. Steel grey eyes seemed to look coldly into her soul and she held her breath, just for a moment. A strange anger welling up in her chest as she looked at him.

'Did you know that you broke my heart after taking my innocence? Did you know how much I cared about you? After your wife died, I stayed every night outside your house, every day I dropped notes outside your door...but all of that was a stupid little attraction that should never have existed.'

'Don't let me ever see you again! God help you if I do!' She recalled the words he'd said to her and tears stung her eyes.

"I hope I never see you again too." She whispered, quiet anger laced in her voice as she walked away, leaving the daycare to head to work.

Behind her, Avery glanced back at the television, her eyes widening slightly. Something about the child she currently held in her arms looked strongly similar to the picture of the man on TV but she didn't take that too seriously.

One wouldn't possibly carry the child of a billionaire alpha and keep him secret, especially one who was willing to pay such a huge amount to get an heir.

"Ten million dollars... for a wife and a baby?" she murmured under her breath. "That's insane..."

---

Miles away, inside the grand halls of Moon Villa located in the most elite parts of South Rivers City, soft laughter echoed through a luxurious living room.

"Well," Grand Luna Yolanda said with clear satisfaction, adjusting her glasses, "this should teach that stubborn grandson of mine."

The television continued to play the announcement and her eyes gleamed with mischief.

The next second, sharp footsteps began to approach like a storm she had been expecting.

"Grandma," Alpha Kane's voice cut through the room, low and irritated, "please don't tell me you just put out an ad to attract every gold digger in the country."

The older woman smiled.

"Oh, I'm doing you a favor, Leo," she replied calmly. "You should be thanking me."

Leo dragged a hand through his hair, already feeling a headache forming.

"Until when are the elders going to beg you for a Luna? Get married while you're still young and handsome, before you become an unsightly old man." His grandmother scolded.

Leonard's jaw tightened.

"And let's not forget," she added pointedly, "you need an heir or the elders are going to vote you out as Alpha. Your brother Raymond would be more than happy to take your place."

Leo exhaled slowly, massaging his temple at the mention of this issue. The elders have been on his neck to produce a Luna and an heir otherwise he would be voted out of his position as Alpha of Blue Moon pack, and his estranged older brother would be voted in. And Raymond was more than eager to take the spot and have him dethroned.

Seeing him look stressed, Grand Luna Yolanda smiled. This little trick of hers might just work.

"That ad I placed already has a running website and hundreds of women are already signing up. Every girl wants to be the Cinderella chosen by the prince, just do what you must and pick a wife.

Leonard sighed exasperatedly hearing that she had even put up a website as well.

"What am I going to do with you..." he muttered under his breath.

Forget it, dealing with the old woman was no use.

"Tim!" he called loudly for his beta.

Tim appeared almost instantly, though the slight curve of his lips suggested he had already heard everything.

It wasn't every day the great Alpha was being publicly advertised for marriage, especially in the human world where the ladies would kill to have an alpha wolf for a husband. Human men just didn't seem to meet their standards anymore.

"Handle it," Leo said sharply. "Take down that story. Shut down the registration site. I don't want to hear another word about this again, is that understood?" Though his words were directed at his beta he kept his eyes firmly on his grandmother letting her know the words were meant for her too.

Tim nodded, though his eyes flickered briefly with amusement. "Yes, Alpha."

"Leo," his grandmother cut in, unfazed, "just take one look. I have eight hundred women lined up for you tonight."

Leo paused at the doorway.

For a moment, he almost turned back. He had worked really hard to gain this position as Alpha. He hadn't inherited it like others did, he had proven himself worthy and the whole pack had voted him in as alpha instead of his useless stepbrother. He couldn't afford to lose this spot...he could just pick a woman, any random one would do but then...

Someone he had long wanted to forget creeped back into his mind again, he shook his head to discard the thought.

"There's no point arguing with you," he said flatly, already walking away.

"Leo, I'm still talking to you!" his grandmother yelled after him.

"I'm busy, Grandma." His voice carried finality. He didn't even stop to listen anymore as the door closed behind him.

Grand Luna Yolanda huffed, crossing her arms.

"You're going to end up all alone!" she called after him. "All alone, do you hear me?!"

Silence answered her.

She leaned back in her seat with a frustrated sigh.

Stubborn boy.

In the bustling epicenter of South Rivers City, Sarina stood before the towering glass building of Skyline Towers, her reflection staring back at her.

This was it.

A new beginning.

She inhaled deeply before stepping inside.

Luxury surrounded her immediately. Glistening marble floors, golden chandeliers and soft music drifting through the air.

It felt like stepping into another world.

She almost bumped into a strict looking woman at the entrance if she hadn't stopped herself. Seeing the badge on the woman's chest that said; Manager, Sarina immediately greeted her.

"Hello, I'm Sarina Dawson."

"Yes, I've been expecting you." The woman said dryly. Her gorgeous dark eyes taking in Sarina from head to toe. "Follow me."

Elena Hastings, the manager, didn't bother with pleasantries as she led Sarina through the hotel.

"Your job is to clean. Only to clean," she said sharply as she gave Sarina a brief tour, "Skyline Towers has strict policies so make sure to read the handbook to understand it all even more."

Sarina nodded quickly. "Yes, Miss Hastings."

"Elena," the woman corrected coldly. "Just call me Elena. And remember this..."

She stopped, turning to face Sarina fully. "The only person you answer to here is me."

Sarina stiffened slightly, for some reason the woman's tone held a strict threat Sarina couldn't understand.

"Get on my bad side," Elena continued, her gaze narrowing, "and you won't last a day."

"Understood." Sarina nodded. She would just have to stay out of the cranky Manager's way and everything would be fine.

"Good. Get to work." Elena ordered authoritatively.

Sarina immediately turned to leave, but it seemed Elena wasn't done yet as her sharp voice reached over again...

"One more thing."

She paused, then turned around inquisitively, "Yes?"

Elena's eyes flicked over her face, then down her whole body something like disdain flashing across her expression.

"That pretty face of yours might distract our guests," she said bluntly. "We don't tolerate staff trying to seduce clients."

Sarina blinked, stunned. Her face was a problem? What was she supposed to do about that?

"Before you get any ideas about trapping a rich man, remember you'll lose your job."

Sarina swallowed nervously, she couldn't accord to lose this job, she wanted a comfortable life for her and Asher but she had no intentions of chasing any rich men.

"I understand." Sarina replied.

"Good."

---

Work began quickly and she found it quite easy. Sarina focused on cleaning, letting the routine settle into her nerves.

She dragged the cleaning cart she had been given to different places, humming to herself as she got her work done. She had been nervous last night knowing today would be her first day, thinking working here would be challenging, but being here Sarina realized that it was a lot easier than she thought.

"Things will be fine from now on." She sighed to herself having finished cleaning one particular section, "I just know it."

Sarina was about to pull her cart somewhere else when a set of other staff rushed down the hallway, she quickly dragged her cart to the side. They walked hurriedly, their voices excited as they chattered,

"Hurry! The new owner is coming!" One of them said.

"What? I didn't even know the hotel was sold!" Another replied.

"You won't be able to guess who the new owner is." The first girl said mysteriously.

"Who...?"

"He's handsome, rich and famous as well. And he's not from around here."

"Stop with the suspense Rachel, just tell me who he is!"

"Alright, alright, the new owner is..."

Their voices faded as they turned the corner. Sarina frowned slightly, she hadn't been able to overhear who the new owner was as the girls already rounded the corner.

Curiosity stirred within her despite herself. She pushed her cart toward the lower floor, hoping to catch a glimpse when someone suddenly yelled, making her jump alert.

"What are you doing?!" Elena stormed toward her, her expression sharp with irritation.

"You're ruining the aesthetic with that cart! Get it out of here before the new owner sees it!" Elena snapped.

"I was just trying to..."

"Save it. Move!"

Sarina bit back her response, seeing that Elena wasn't interested in hearing whatever she had to say.

"Yes, Elena." She turned away, pushing the cart quickly, she took one last look down to the lobby but it seemed the new owner still hadn't arrived. When she felt Elena's sharp gaze on her, she quickly looked away, pushing the cart hastily.

The lobby buzzed with excitement.

Whispers carried through the air, bouncing from one staff member to another like wildfire.

Elena slowed her steps as she passed a group of female employees gathered near the front desk. Their voices dropped slightly when they noticed her.

"Oh my gosh, I heard the new owner is Alpha Leonard Kane from Blue Moon Pack!"

Another girl gasped softly. "Isn't he that insanely handsome alpha from the ads?"

"Yes!" the first replied eagerly. "I tried registering, but the site crashed. I don't even know what happened."

"Imagine being chosen as his wife..."

The group of girls sighed dreamily.

"That's literally every human girl's dream," another added. "These alphas aren't just hot, they're filthy rich. One lucky woman could go from cleaning floors to becoming queen of this entire place."

Elena's lips curled slowly into a smirk. One would think she was receiving a sweet compliment from someone.

"I don't care if the registration site crashed, when that Alpha steps through those doors, I'll definitely shoot my shot, do you think he'll be able to resist any of this?"

The smile on Elena's face fell immediately, her eyes turned dark, settling on the girl who just finished speaking. She stepped forward, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

"Do you actually think you stand a chance with Alpha Leonard Kane?" Elena's words were sharp, derision evident in her gaze as she sized the girl up. "You might as well go back to sleep."

The girls stiffened immediately they spotted Elena, forming a straight line as if struck by lightning with their heads lowered.

They fell completely silent, none of them uttering a word. Elena Hastings was a demoness no one wanted to mess with among the staff.

"Alpha Kane doesn't just want a child, he wants a wife. And do you honestly think he'd look at you...or any of you..." she paused, her lips curving faintly, her dark eyes swept across them, full of quiet superiority. "...while I'm here?"

No one spoke, they didn't dare to even look at her.

So even Elena Hastings with all her superiority had her sights set on the alpha. With Elena in the picture, everyone secretly harboring thoughts that they could get the alpha completely dismissed that thought. Elena wasn't just beautiful, she was classy and elegant as well, men usually couldn't resist her. No one stood a chance, if Elena wanted the alpha, many thought she could get him.

"Keep your eyes off him," she added coldly. "He's mine."

A chorus of soft "Yes, Elena" followed.

Satisfied that she had laid her claim, Elena turned away, already preparing herself.

This was her moment, she wouldn't just rule over this place as a manager, she would become the queen of it all, once that alpha falls right into her lap.

The revolving glass doors of the entrance moved and the air suddenly shifted.

"He's here!" Someone whispered and all the staff straightened instantly.

The man stepped into the hotel with crisp black shoes, his every step commanding, and powerful.

"Alpha Kane, welcome to the Skyline Tower Hotels."

Leonard took off the dark glasses that shadowed his eyes, his silver orbs sharp and cold. He stiffened, the moment he stepped into the hotel, his wolf suddenly became alert, there was a strange scent in the air...it felt like that scent was calling him...

"Alpha, is everything alright?" Timothy, Leonard's beta noticed him stop abruptly, and came forward to ask.

Just like that, the strange scent that stopped Leonard in his tracks disappeared, he frowned.

'What was that?' he wondered internally. Immediately, strange scents filled his senses instead. Cheap, overly seductive feminine perfumes that irritated him. His gaze barely skimmed over the women, excitedly watching him with eager lustful eyes as if they wanted to devour him whole.

Tim," Leo said, his voice low but clear enough to carry across the vast lobby, "find someone who can give me a proper debriefing. I want full stats, staff numbers, operations, everything. Upgrades are needed here."

Elena felt her breath catch. The man she had been fantasizing about was standing right in front of her!

She had only ever seen him in screens, and magazines, but seeing the man in reality was.. different.

"God... he's hot," she whispered under her breath, completely forgetting herself for a moment, but when she saw him walking away, not acknowledging anyone who came to welcome him, she came forward quickly, gathering her confidence.

"Alpha Kane," she greeted with a bright, polished smile as she stepped forward. "I'm Elena, the manager, and I..."

Her words cut off as he walked past her. He didn't stop, didn't even slow down or look at her for a second.

Elena froze, her smile cracked instantly and heat rose to her face, embarrassment burning a hole in her chest.

She composed herself and glared sharply at the other staff lined up behind her before walking away with a straight posture.

---

Sarina stood in the quiet space of the staff restroom, washing her hands slowly, the cool water helped steady her, it helped her breathe.

She suddenly felt a sharp pang in her chest. "Asher must be missing me so much." She muttered to herself.

After drying her hands, she pulled out her phone and dialed quickly.

"Hello?" Avery's voice came through.

"Hi, it's Sarina," she said softly. "I just wanted to check on Asher."

"Oh, he's doing perfectly fine," Avery replied warmly. "You should hear him right now, he's been giggling nonstop."

As if on cue, a soft, familiar giggle echoed faintly through the phone. Sarina's lips curved into a smile and relief flooded her chest.

It seemed he was doing just fine without her.

"Thank you," she whispered, and after a brief exchange, she hung up.

The knowledge of Asher being safe, and happy made her feel even more determined to focus on her work.

"Shit, I'm supposed to clean up the penthouse floor. If Elena finds out I'm not done yet..." Sarina didn't even want to think about the things Elena would say to her.

She hurried into the elevator, pressing the button for the penthouse floor.

She exhaled softly, her shoulders relaxing, but as she glanced down.

Her brows furrowed, the strap of her shoe had come undone.

"...Great," she muttered under her breath bending slightly to reach down and fix it, but just as the elevator doors began to close, a hand shot forward stopping them and the doors slid open again.

Sarina froze, slowly looking up from where she was fixing her shoe and her breath stopped. Time itself seemed to have come to a sharp halt.

A man was standing there, right outside the elevator, he was tall, broad and overwhelmingly handsome...a lot more handsome than she remembered.

Those steel-grey eyes locked onto hers cold, and unforgiving.

It was him! The man she dreaded seeing again. Alpha Leonard Kane!

His eyes narrowed onto her, and something electric seemed to surge through her veins.

She took two steps back when a cold recognition suddenly settled in his eyes and something unknown flickered in them, those familiar steel grey eyes and her heart slammed violently against her chest.

No, no, no, this can't be happening!

"You...!" He growled furiously, stepping into the elevator and caging her inside it's glass walls.