Mindy

I rolled down my window and leaned out toward the guard at the gate. "Open the gates right now," I ordered in a sharp voice. "And the car right behind me is with me. Let him through-no questions."

The guard bent down to peek at Derek's car, then looked back at me with a nervous expression. He leaned in closer and spoke in a low, shaky whisper. "Miss Mindy... Alpha Duncan gave very strict instructions. No strangers are allowed into this party without a personal invitation from him. He was really clear about it."

Of course he was. My brother had the build and aura of a complete monster-tall, muscular, powerful, the perfect mix of sexy Alpha and ruthless businessman. Everyone feared him. That was honestly the nicest way anyone ever described Duncan.

But to me? He was my whole world. He never made me feel small or worthless. He never left me crying alone in my room. He always tried his hardest to make me feel safe, loved, and protected-no matter what.

I tilted my head and stared the guard down. "He's my invited guest. Duncan will know exactly who he is."

The guard swallowed hard, looking even more uncomfortable. "Miss Mindy, please forgive me, but... could you maybe call Alpha Duncan first? Just let him tell me himself? You know how strict he gets about security. He made it very clear-"

My patience snapped. "I said he's my guest. Can't you hear me?" I raised my voice, almost yelling. "If you don't open these gates right now and let him in, I swear I'll make sure my brother kicks you out of the pack-and out of the whole damn country while he's at it."

I knew I was worse than Duncan sometimes. Way worse. If I asked Duncan not to punish someone, he'd listen to me. He'd back off. But if I told him to get rid of someone-even if they hadn't done anything wrong-he'd do it in a heartbeat. No hesitation. No second thoughts.

Yes, I broke rules constantly. And Duncan always let me get away with it. Always gave me what I wanted.

Right now, all I wanted was one thing: Duncan. All to myself. Forever.

The guard nodded fast, bowing his head. "Yes, of course, Miss Mindy. Just... please don't let Alpha Duncan use me as a punching bag. I'm only doing my job."

I laughed a little and nodded to reassure him. "He won't. Thank you."

I waved Derek forward. He followed me through the now-open gates. We parked side by side in the huge driveway. Inside, the place was packed with luxury cars and limos-rows and rows of them. Ministers from different packs, Alphas, the richest businessmen in the country. Typical Duncan party crowd.

Derek stepped out and stared up at the house with his mouth open. "Wow! What can I even say? This place is massive. Unreal."

I slammed my car door shut and smirked at him. "Yeah, thanks for noticing." He didn't say a single word about my dress, my hair, my makeup-nothing. Not one compliment. All he cared about was getting inside and meeting my brother.

Everyone was the same. Every single guy I dated, every person who got close to me-they all wanted Duncan. They wanted his power. His connections. His fame. His money. His influence. Duncan was too big, too important. He'd turned our pack into something close to paradise. And every man who ever showed interest in me only wanted to use me as a stepping stone to reach him. I hated it more than anything in the world.

All I wanted was Duncan. Just him. All mine.

I'd asked him a million times if he planned to get mated soon. He always gave the same answer: he was living for me. Only me. No one else.

But I worried. Deep down, I knew he couldn't stay single forever. Alphas needed Lunas. Needed heirs to carry on the line. One day he'd have to choose someone. And when that day came... I didn't know if I could survive it.

"Stop staring at the house like you've never seen one before," I snapped, linking my arm through Derek's. I was pouting, huffing, annoyed.

"It's not a house," he said, still gawking. "This is a full-on palace! I'm so jealous you live like this."

I sighed dramatically. "Jealous of me being rich? Please. You're just as loaded as I am."

"No, I mean jealous of this insane place... and having such a powerful, rich brother!" He pulled me closer to his chest and gave me an awkward smile.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What's wrong with you? Do you have a crush on my brother Duncan or something? Are you gay and trying to get to him through me?"

He burst out laughing so hard he almost tripped. "Of course not! I'm not like that. I just want to meet him, get to know him, maybe do some business with him after college. You know my dad's an Alpha and a businessman, but I want my own path. I don't want to ride on his name forever."

I didn't believe a single word. Not even a little.

So tonight would be his last night pretending to be my boyfriend. I'd get rid of him for good after this. I hated people who used me-especially anyone who tried to use me to get close to Duncan.

"Shut up and stop wasting time," I said with a fake, overly sweet smile. "Let's go inside and introduce you to my brother."

I walked into the party with confidence, swaying my hips side to side, letting the short white dress do its job. Derek didn't seem bothered at all by how rude I'd been. He just kept smiling like I'd said something cute.

The pool area lights flared on as we stepped in. Music pumped. Laughter filled the air. Guests everywhere-Alphas, ministers, businessmen, beautiful she-wolves in expensive gowns.

Then my heart dropped straight into my stomach.

Duncan was standing near the center, holding hands with a stunning she-wolf. Right in front of everyone.

She was gorgeous-perfect hair, perfect body, perfect smile. Everything I wasn't.

And it wasn't just her. The whole place was packed with powerful people. Alphas from other packs. High-ranking officials. Everyone who mattered.

Okay... what the actual fuck is going on here?

My plan-my whole stupid, jealous plan-was already falling apart.

I forced a smile anyway. Gripped Derek's arm tighter.

But inside? I was panicking.

This wasn't going to be funny anymore.

This was war.

And I had no idea if I was ready to fight it.

Alpha Duncan

I called Mindy as soon as her last class let out. She answered on the second ring.

"Hey, little wolf. You finished for the day?"

"Yeah," she said, sounding a little out of breath. "Just got to the parking lot. What's up?"

"I need you home early tonight. No hanging out, no coffee runs. Shower, get dressed nice-something pretty but not too revealing. I'm hosting a big party here. Very important people. Business deals on the table."

There was a pause. Then her voice came softer. "The kind of party I'm never allowed to come to?"

"Exactly that kind," I said, keeping my tone even. "You can stay upstairs, watch a movie, whatever. But you're not coming down."

She let out a small laugh that didn't reach her eyes-I could hear it. "You're so predictable, Duncan. Is it really because you think I'll say something stupid? Or because one of your rich friends might look at me the wrong way?"

I gripped the phone tighter. "It's because I said so. Be home by six. Ready by seven. That's all."

"Fine," she muttered. "But one of these days you're going to have to tell me the real reason you treat me like I'm still a kid who needs babysitting."

I didn't answer. Just ended the call before she could hear the way my breath caught.

She's never known. And I've spent more than half my life convincing myself I didn't know either.

Our parents died when she was twelve. Car accident. One phone call and suddenly I was twenty-one, fresh out of college, guardian to a heartbroken little girl, and suddenly in charge of companies I barely understood. I inherited the businesses, the money, the responsibilities. I dressed her every morning, helped her pick out clothes, sat with her while she cried herself to sleep. I braided her hair before school, checked her homework, taught her how to tie her shoes properly even though she already knew. I watched her grow-every awkward stage, every inch she gained, every curve that appeared. I told myself it was just brotherly love. Protective. Normal.

We weren't poor. Middle-class comfort turned into serious wealth fast because I worked like a machine. Expanded the companies. Took risks. Built an empire. Billions now sit in accounts I barely look at. People call me powerful. Ruthless. Successful.

But no boardroom win, no seven-figure deal, no admiring crowd ever loosened the hold she has on me.

Things changed when she turned fourteen... fifteen... sixteen. Her scent shifted first-sweet, addictive. Then her body followed. Soft hips, full chest, long legs. She started wearing my old hoodies around the house and nothing else sometimes, and I had to leave the room before I did something unforgivable. I told myself it was hormones. Puberty. Temporary.

It wasn't temporary.

By the time she was seventeen I was already drowning. Every smile she gave me felt like sunlight and poison at the same time. I started dating-random beautiful women, she-wolves who wanted my title, my money, my bed. None of them lasted more than a few weeks. I couldn't even get hard for them half the time because all I could think about was her laugh echoing from the kitchen.

Then came her eighteenth birthday.

The full moon.

Her first shift.

I stood outside the private clearing we'd set up behind the estate, heart hammering so hard I thought it would crack ribs. When she emerged-silver-gray fur, eyes the same deep hazel as mine but brighter, wilder-my wolf roared inside me.

*Mate.*

The word slammed into my skull like truth I'd always known but refused to name.

I shifted back fast, pulled on clothes, and walked away before she could see my face. That night I locked myself in my office and drank until the room spun. I told myself it was a mistake. A glitch. Biology playing a cruel joke.

But the bond only grew stronger.

Every day since then has been war.

I catch her scent on the stairs and my body reacts instantly-hard, aching, shameful. I've had to excuse myself from rooms because just watching her stretch in the morning sun made me want to pin her to the nearest wall. I hate myself for it. I lock it down. Every. Single. Day.

One evening a few months ago she came home smelling like another man. Cheap cologne and beer. I was waiting in the foyer.

"You're late," I said.

"Study group ran long." She kicked off her shoes. "Why do you care?"

"You reek of him."

She froze, then turned slowly. "It's called having friends, Duncan. You remember what those are?"

"Don't play games with me."

"I'm not the one playing games." She stepped closer. Too close. "You growl every time a guy even looks at me. Your bodyguards follow me like I'm in witness protection. You won't let me go to your parties. You won't let me date. You won't let me breathe. Just admit it-you're jealous."

My jaw clenched so hard I tasted blood. "Go upstairs."

"No." Her chin lifted. "Say it. Say you don't want anyone else touching me."

The air between us crackled. I could feel the bond pulling, hot and insistent.

"I said go upstairs, Mindy."

Her eyes glistened. "You're such a coward."

She turned and ran up the stairs. I stood there shaking, fists clenched, fighting every instinct screaming at me to chase her, catch her, claim her.

I started looking for a way out.

I needed to break the bond. Or at least bury it so deep it couldn't hurt her anymore.

That's when I chose Emma.

I told Mindy over breakfast three weeks ago. She was eating cereal, hair messy from sleep, wearing one of my old college shirts that barely covered her thighs.

"I'm getting mated," I said, like I was discussing the weather.

Her spoon stopped mid-air. Milk dripped onto the table.

"To who?"

"Emma Sinclair."

She blinked. "The one from the steel company? Royal bloodline?"

"Yeah."

Silence stretched so long I thought she'd stopped breathing.

Then, quietly: "You're really doing this?"

"I have responsibilities, Mindy. To the pack. To the businesses. To the future."

Her voice cracked. "And what about us?"

I forced myself to look at her. "There is no 'us' like that. You're my sister."

Tears welled but didn't fall. "You feel it. I know you do. The pull. The dreams. The way your wolf goes crazy when I'm near. I'm not imagining it."

My throat burned. "You're wrong."

"I'm not." She stood up slowly. "But if you want to lie to yourself and mate someone else... go ahead. Just don't expect me to smile and clap for you."

She walked out of the kitchen.

I didn't stop her.

That night I stood outside her bedroom door for almost an hour. I heard every sob, every shaky breath. Each one carved something out of me.

I thought I was strong enough to win this. To choose duty over desire. To protect her from me.

I was wrong.

The mate bond isn't a feeling you can outrun. It's gravity. It's the tide. It's the moon calling the wolf.

You can fight the wave for a while.

But eventually...

It crashes.

And either you ride it-or it pulls you under forever.

Alpha Duncan

The truth is, I never let things get romantic or emotional with Emma. I sat her down one afternoon in my office, door closed, and we talked like two CEOs closing a merger. No flowers, no sweet words-just cold, hard facts.

"Look, Emma," I said, leaning back in my chair. "I'm not looking for fireworks or soulmate nonsense. I need a strong Luna. Someone who can run a pack beside me, handle the business side, merge our territories, and make everything more powerful. You're smart, you're connected, you've got royal blood, and you understand the game. We'd be unstoppable together. Partners in every way-pack, business, life. That's the deal. No illusions."

She studied me for a long minute, then smiled that calm, confident smile of hers. "You're not asking if I love you, are you?"

"I'm asking if you're in," I answered flatly.

"I've been in love with you for years, Duncan," she said quietly. "You know that. If this is how you want it-practical, powerful, no messy feelings getting in the way-then yes. I'm in."

I didn't ask if she'd already met her true mate. I didn't want to know. Part of me figured she had, rejected him, and chosen ambition over fate. Weird? Sure. But convenient. I wasn't in a position to judge.

That was that. We shook on it like a contract. No kiss, no celebration. Just a plan.

Now came the hard part: the announcement party.

I threw the biggest event the pack had seen in years. The palace ballroom glittered-crystal chandeliers, live orchestra, tables loaded with imported champagne and rare steaks. Every Alpha from the surrounding territories showed up, along with government ministers, CEOs, investors, old friends. The room buzzed with power deals being whispered in corners.

And of course, I invited the one person who mattered most.

Mindy.

I couldn't bring myself to tell her ahead of time. Every time I opened my mouth to say the words-"I'm mating with Emma"-my throat locked up. I pictured her face crumpling, tears filling those hazel eyes that looked so much like mine. Worse, I was terrified she'd look right at me and say the words I'd been running from for years: *I love you too, Duncan. More than a brother. I feel the bond.*

What would I do if she said it out loud? Fall to my knees? Claim her right there? Or run harder than ever?

I wasn't ready to find out. So I kept silent and hoped she'd stay upstairs like she usually did during these things.

The night arrived. Guests poured in. Emma looked flawless in a deep emerald gown that screamed old money and royalty. She stayed close, hand lightly on my arm, playing the perfect future Luna.

But Mindy was nowhere.

I scanned the crowd every few minutes, heart pounding harder each time I didn't see her. Ten minutes passed. Twenty. Thirty. I started to relax-maybe she'd decided to skip it. Maybe she'd heard rumors and was hiding in her room crying. Part of me hated that thought. Another part was relieved.

Then the double doors at the far end opened.

She walked in.

And she wasn't alone.

Mindy stepped into the ballroom on the arm of a tall, broad-shouldered guy in a custom tux that probably cost more than most people's cars. Dark hair, sharp jaw, easy smile-the kind of face that screamed Alpha blood. He held her like she belonged to him. She wore a sleek black dress that hugged every curve, hair swept up to show off her neck, lips painted red. She looked like sin wrapped in elegance.

My wolf snarled so loud inside me I almost shifted right there.

I forced a smile, excused myself from a conversation with two ministers, and crossed the room. Emma followed, sensing the shift in my mood.

Mindy spotted me. Our eyes locked. For one second I saw something raw flash across her face-pain, anger, defiance-then she lifted her chin and smiled like nothing was wrong.

I couldn't wait another second.

I grabbed the microphone from the band's stand, tapped it twice. The music faded. Hundreds of eyes turned to me.

"Good evening, everyone," I said, voice steady even though my hands were shaking. I slid my arm around Emma's waist, pulling her close. "I've got an announcement. Emma and I are engaged. We'll be mating soon. Officially. Tonight marks the beginning of our future together-as mates, as partners, as leaders."

The room erupted in applause, cheers, glasses clinking. Alphas slapped me on the back. Someone yelled, "To the happy couple!"

I forced another smile.

Then I looked straight at Mindy.

She stood frozen, jaw slack, eyes wide with shock. Her date-Derek, I'd later learn-tightened his grip on her arm like he was claiming territory.

I waved her over, casual, like we were just siblings catching up.

"Come say hi, Mindy," I called. "Congratulate us."

She blinked, then slowly disentangled herself from Derek's arm. She walked toward us, heels clicking on the marble like gunshots.

When she reached us, she stared at Emma's hand. The five-carat diamond caught every light in the room.

"You bought her a ring?" Mindy asked, voice dangerously quiet at first. Then louder. "You actually bought her a diamond engagement ring and didn't even mention it to me? Not once?"

Emma laughed lightly, holding out her hand. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Duncan has excellent taste."

Mindy's eyes snapped to mine. "You should've told me. Asked me. Something. Anything."

I leaned in, voice low so only she could hear. "This isn't about you."

Her laugh was bitter. "Right. Of course it isn't."

Then she raised her voice so half the room could hear.

"I reject this mating bond!" she shouted. "I reject it right here, right now!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd. A few Alphas frowned. Emma stiffened beside me.

I grabbed Mindy's wrist-hard-and yanked her closer. My voice dropped to a growl only she could hear.

"Don't you ever fucking yell in my face like that again," I hissed through clenched teeth. "Don't raise your voice. Don't make a scene. You're embarrassing yourself-and me."

She looked down at my grip on her arm, then back up at me. Instead of pulling away, she smirked-cold, challenging.

"Okay, big brother," she said sweetly, loud enough for people nearby to hear. "Congratulations on your engagement. I'm so happy for you."

She twisted free and turned to her date, who'd followed her over.

"Let me introduce you properly," she said, sliding both arms around Derek's neck. He grinned like he'd won the lottery. "This is Derek. My boyfriend. And-" She paused, tilted her head, eyes locked on mine. "Soon to be my fiancé."

The word hit me like a punch to the gut.

"What the fuck," I snarled, stepping forward. "Who the hell said that?"

Derek chuckled, completely unbothered. "She did. Just now."

Mindy smiled up at him, then back at me-pure defiance. "What's wrong, Duncan? You can announce your engagement in front of the whole pack, but I can't mention mine?"

I felt the shift coming-fangs lengthening, claws itching. My wolf was seconds from ripping through.

Emma touched my arm. "Duncan..."

Mindy leaned into Derek, voice soft but cutting. "Don't worry. I won't make a scene. I just wanted to congratulate you both. Same as you wanted from me."

She turned, pulling Derek with her, and walked away-head high, hips swaying, leaving me standing there in the middle of my own party, surrounded by applause that suddenly sounded like mockery.

I watched her disappear into the crowd.

And for the first time in years, I wasn't sure who was drowning faster-her, or me.