Silvercrest City rose beneath the clouds like a kingdom carved from steel and ambition. Neon reflections glimmered off the river, skyscrapers pierced the sky, and the streets hummed with restless life - human and wolf alike.

Lauretta Owens stepped out of the airport terminal, her red coat flaring behind her like a cape. She inhaled the air of her birth city - crisp, electric, tinged with the faintest scent of pine and moonlight. The scent of a place that remembered her family... and had not forgiven them.

She straightened her shoulders. Let the city remember all it wanted. She was not the same girl who left in shame.

She was a CEO now.

She was powerful.

She was dangerous.

And she had a secret blooming in her belly she wasn't ready to name.

---

LuneArt Studios

The elevator doors opened to the top floor of LuneArt Studios, her artistic empire - modern black marble floors, illuminated moon-themed sculptures, walls showcasing rotating exhibitions. The place felt alive, pulsing with the creativity she commanded.

Her employees immediately straightened. Even the air seemed to tighten under her dominance.

"M-Ms. Owens!" her assistant, Mara, stumbled forward, holding a tablet and a triple-shot latte like they were holy offerings. "Welcome back! We weren't expecting you this early!"

"I don't like being predictable," Lauretta replied, slipping out of her coat.

Mara nodded frantically. "I'll alert the team! And your best friend has called - five times."

Lauretta sighed. "Let me guess - she said it's urgent?"

"She said," Mara cleared her throat and imitated Angela perfectly, "'Tell that woman to call me back before I break into her office with pastries and violence.'"

Lauretta actually laughed. "Sounds like her."

---

Inside her private office - all glass walls, clean lines, city skyline - Lauretta finally allowed herself a moment to breathe.

Except her mind wasn't quiet.

Her fingers drifted subconsciously to her neck, remembering Savior Hunt's breath on her skin. His hands gripping her hips. His voice whispering her name as if he owned it.

She clenched her jaw.

She did NOT have time for this.

She was here to rebuild her family's reputation.

She was here to lead an empire.

She was NOT here thinking about a man she'd known for only a few hours.

...even if those hours still pulsed under her skin.

What have you done Savior?

Her phone buzzed. Angela. Again.

Lauretta groaned and answered. "If this is about brunch-"

"Don't you dare," Angela snapped. "Lauretta Owens, don't play with me. You think you can disappear for a whole weekend and act like you didn't leave a piece of your soul in Manhattan?"

Lauretta rolled her eyes. "You're being dramatic."

"Oh, am I?" Angela hissed. "Let me refresh your memory, Miss Selective Amnesia. You called me at two in the morning whispering - WHISPERING - about some man named Savior Hunt!"

Lauretta slapped a hand over her face. "Angela-"

"No, no, shut up. I'm not finished." Angela inhaled deeply like she was preparing for battle. "You described him like he was carved by the moon goddess herself. You said he smelled like firewood, whiskey, and sin-"

"I did not."

"You did! And I quote: 'Angela, his voice alone could get me pregnant.'"

Lauretta sank into her chair, mortified. "Okay, that sounds like me."

Angela cackled. "So who is this man? Where does he live? Do I need to stalk his social media?"

"There is NO social media to stalk," Lauretta snapped. "I checked."

"Oh my god, you checked?!"

Lauretta froze.

Angela screamed, "YOU'RE OBSESSED!"

"I am NOT obsessed."

"You are! You looked for him online! This is phase three obsession!"

Lauretta groaned. "Angela, it was one night. I went to that club with a mission, and he happened to fit the criteria."

"And the criteria was what? Hot, intimidating, and guaranteed to make your knees tremble?"

Lauretta glared at the wall. "I needed a baby, remember? You told me to just... find someone suitable."

"Yes, but I didn't say find a man so fine he'd haunt your dreams AND your hormones."

Lauretta said nothing.

Which only encouraged Angela.

"So?"

"So what?"

Angela grinned through the phone. "So when's the second round?"

"There isn't going to be a second round."

Angela scoffed. "Mhmm. And I'm the queen of France. Girl, your wolf has been pacing since last night."

Lauretta closed her eyes. Because yes - her wolf was pacing.

Restless.

Agitated.

Searching.

But she wasn't about to admit that.

"I have work to do."

"You can ignore it now but not for long" Angela laughed like a villain. "Call me later, Lovergirl."

She hung up before Lauretta could protest.

---

The Pull

The day rolled on - meetings, deadlines, two gallery arguments, and a designer crying because gold paint looked "too gold." Lauretta handled it all with precision and ice.

But every quiet moment felt invaded by memories of Savior.

His heat.

His hands.

His scent.

The way her wolf reacted to him - not just attracted but recognizing.

"You really need to chill out" she mutters to her wolf.

"If I need a man to warm my bed I can always find one "

"Nothing special about him "

By evening, the office was empty except for her.

She exhaled slowly... then suddenly winced.

A wave of nausea.

Followed by heat spiraling through her blood.

Then - a tug.

A warm, magnetic tug deep inside her body.

Lauretta pressed a hand to her abdomen.

"...no."

But another pulse answered under her palm.

Soft.

Alive.

Her breath hitched. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my god..."

She wasn't imagining it.

The connection was real.

She was pregnant.

Already.

Her wolf hummed in satisfaction.

Lauretta stared at the floor, stunned and speechless.

She had wanted this.

She had planned for this.

But the reality - the immediacy - the intensity - shook her.

Savior Hunt's child.

No.

Mine.

Her chest tightened.

Her throat warmed.

And she whispered to the empty office:

"...this is insane."

"Though I wanted it, I wasn't expecting it to be this fast"

She stares at the air.

---

Across the City

At that exact moment, in a high-rise suite on the opposite side of Silvercrest, Savior Hunt jolted awake at his desk.

His heart hammered.

His wolf snarled.

He pressed a hand to his chest, breathing hard.

Something had changed.

Something vital.

"Damn it," he whispered. "What are you doing to me, Lauretta Owens?"

He had no idea where she was now.

No way to reach her.

Not even her last name.

But he could feel her.

In his blood.

In his bones.

In every restless breath.

He leaned back, staring at the moon through the window - silver, sharp, unforgiving.

And he knew one thing with absolute certainty:

Their night wasn't over.

Their story hadn't even begun.

An SUV rolled into Silvercrest's residential district just as the sun dipped behind the high-rises, casting the neighborhood in shades of gold and shadow. Lauretta stared out the window in silence, fingers tapping lightly against her bag.

Her stomach felt... different today. Not painful - just warm. Connected.

Like her body knew something her mind was still catching up to.

The car stops and she stepped out in front of the Owens family home - a neat, two-story building with trimmed hedges and a warm porch light that flickered annoyingly. She grimaced.

Home.

She loved them.

But they were a lot.

She took a breath, stepped inside-

"LAURETTA! My child! You didn't tell me you were coming today!" her mother, Keisha Owens, shouted from the kitchen before she even saw her face. "Ah-ah, is this how you visit your mother now? So you want me to collapse unexpectedly one day? Is that it?"

Lauretta pinched her nose and dropped her bag. "Good evening, Mom."

Keisha rushed forward, wiping her hands on her apron. "Let me see you. Has Manhattan changed your eye shape? Why are you fine like this? What are you hiding?"

"Jesus," Lauretta muttered.

From the living room, her father's voice boomed, "Keisha, leave the girl alone! Let her breathe!"

Then he turned his glare on Lauretta. "Where have you been? You couldn't call? You couldn't text? Your mother has been pacing the house like someone threw hot water at her."

"I was WORKING," Lauretta said, hanging her coat.

Before either parent could resume their chorus, her brother bounded down the stairs.

"Ah, the prodigal womb returns!" Isaac Owens announced dramatically. "Did Manhattan finally tire of your wickedness?"

Lauretta smacked the back of his head.

He yelped.

Her mom pointed. "Good! Hit him again!"

"Mom!!" Isaac cries out.

Lauretta rolled her eyes. "I didn't come here to fight all of you."

Isaac grinned like a devil. "Then why are you here? You look guilty."

"I don't look guilty," she snapped.

"Exactly! Which means you ARE."

Her father stepped closer. "Lauretta, are you in trouble? Tell me now before I start sweating."

She opened her mouth - then closed it again.

She wasn't ready for this.

Not ready to say it out loud.

Not ready for the world to shift violently around her.

But her wolf nudged her gently, almost reassuringly.

"Dad... Mom... I need to talk to you."

"But can we at least go inside, you guys corner me like a thief"

Her parents exchanged a look - the kind that said: Something is coming. Prepare for battle.

"Alright let's go in dear" Keisha said.

---

They all sat in the living room. Isaac perched eagerly like it was movie night. Her mom clutched a throw pillow like a life vest. Her dad folded his arms and stared her down.

Lauretta inhaled. "I... think I might be pregnant."

SILENCE.

Complete.

Utter.

Bone-deep silence.

Then-

"HEAVEN HAVE MERCY!" Keisha screamed, throwing the pillow into the air.

Isaac fell off the couch dramatically.

Larry Owens slapped both hands on his knees. "Pregnant?! Since when?! By who?!"

Lauretta winced. "It was intentional."

"INTENTIONAL?!" Her mother staggered like she'd been shot. "So you planned to give me high blood pressure? You scheduled it?!"

Isaac was wheezing with laughter. "Oh my God, yes! My sister said 'baby by force!' I love it here!"

Lauretta glared at him. He quieted instantly.

Keisha fanned herself. "I am shocked. My spirit has left my body."

Her father stared at Lauretta, his voice softer. "Are you sure, baby?"

Lauretta placed a hand gently over her abdomen.

"I'm sure."

For a moment, their parents' panic melted into awe - a quiet, emotional pause as Keisha covered her mouth and Larry looked at his daughter like seeing her in a new light.

But Isaac broke the calm.

"So... who's the lucky - or unlucky - guy?"

Lauretta stiffened.

And her quiet reaction was all the confirmation Isaac needed.

"Aha! So there IS a man!" Isaac grins.

Her father leaned forward suspiciously. "Which pack is he from?"

Lauretta froze.

Keisha gasped. "Is he even from Silvercrest? Or did you go and carry some man from the streets of Manhattan?"

Lauretta looked away. "He's... not from Manhattan."

Her father's aura shifted. "Lauretta... what are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything-"

"Don't LIE," Larry thundered. "Your tail always twitches when you're lying!"

"Dad-I don't HAVE a tail."

"Your metaphorical tail!"

Isaac leaned forward like a gossiping auntie. "What's his name? Come on, say it."

Lauretta swallowed. "...His name is Savior."

The entire room went still.

Like someone hit a cosmic pause button.

Keisha blinked. "Savior WHAT?"

Lauretta looked away. "He didn't give me his last name."

Her father exploded.

"Ehn?! So a man slept with you and did not even give you his surname? Is he MAD?! Is he sensible at all?! What kind of upbringing-"

"Dad!" Lauretta snapped. "It was one night! I wasn't exactly asking for a family tree!"

Her father paced the room, muttering curses, sweating dramatically. "Lord... this girl will be the end of me..."

Then, without warning, he spun around and shouted:

"If this man is anything like those HUNT wolves, I swear-"

Silence.

The world stopped.

Lauretta's heart stopped.

"Hunt?" she whispered. "What did you just say?"

Larry froze mid-rant.

Too late.

Lauretta stood slowly. "Dad... why did you mention the Hunts?"

Keisha covered her face.

Isaac suddenly looked nervous.

Larry swallowed hard.

"Lauretta," her father said carefully, "there's... something you must understand-"

"NO," she cut him off sharply. "Don't soften it."

He looked at her with guilt so deep it carved new lines into his face.

"Lauretta... the Hunt family is the reason we were exiled."

Her breath caught. "What?"

Her father ran his hand over his face. "Their Alpha - Hexta Hunt - banished us from the pack. Years ago. Because of a mistake I made."

"Dad..." Lauretta whispered. "Why am I just hearing this?"

"For how long?"

Larry sank heavily onto the couch, voice raw.

"I was trying to protect you. To protect all of you."

Lauretta stepped back, her chest tightening.

Her father continued, voice shaking:

"I wronged the Hunt pack in the worst way. I cost them something valuable - something sacred. And Hexta Hunt vowed we would never be welcome again."

Lauretta shook her head. "I don't understand-"

"That family hates us, Lauretta."

He looked straight into her eyes.

"If your child's father is a Hunt, we are FINISHED."

The blood drained from her face.

Savior.

Savior Hunt.

The man who branded her with his scent.

The man whose touch she couldn't forget.

The man whose child now grew inside her.

Her knees almost gave out.

Keisha reached for her. "Baby, breathe. BREATHE."

Lauretta stumbled back. "No... no, no... it can't be him... there are other Saviors-"

Isaac cut her off quietly.

"...nobody else in this city is named Savior except Savior Hunt."

Her stomach dropped.

Savior.

Alpha-born.

Hexta Hunt's only son.

The heir.

"Oh my God," Lauretta whispered, sinking onto the couch. "I slept with a Hunt."

Her father clutched his chest. "I SAID IT! THIS GIRL WILL KILL ME!"

Keisha fanned him. "Larry, calm down, you're gonna have a heart attack!"

Isaac whispered, "We're dead."

Lauretta stared at nothing.

"Why didn't you guys say anything to me?!"

"Now look!"

"Is not our fault you couldn't control your..." Isaac cuts in.

Lauretta glares at him.

"Say one more f*cking word!" She stares at Isaac.

Isaac looks away.

She hates the way he can't control his tongue sometimes.

She breathes out.

Her bloodline.

His bloodline.

Enemies.

Forbidden.

Banished.

And now tied by the strongest bond imaginable.

A child.

Her child.

His child.

Lauretta buried her face in her hands as her wolf rose in panic and fierce protectiveness.

She whispered through trembling lips:

"...what have I done?

Larry calms down, "This is what we are going to do okay? "

"Listen Lauretta, since you said it's intentional, you really want this baby...then keep it, but you must never tell this to anyone else, this news shouldn't reach the ears of others"

"Understand?" He said looking at her directly.

Lauretta gives a sad smile, "Yes Dad "

"But... Angela knows "

Keisha scoffs, "Of course, I'm not surprised she's always the first person to know"

"Just make sure she doesn't tell anyone else " Larry said seriously.

"Sure"

"If anyone asks, just make up a man" Larry said.

"A really good one too" Keisha said.

Lauretta nods, worry etched on her face.

Savior Hunt did not sleep.

He lay in the king-sized bed of his hotel suite in Manhattan, sheets tangled around his waist, chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. The skyline glowed in the distance, but it was the memory of her - her scent, her lips, her voice - that lit him like wildfire.

Lauretta.

He didn't know her last name.

He didn't need to.

His wolf whispered it in his mind with a hunger he struggled to control.

Find her.

Claim her.

She is ours.

Savior dragged both hands over his face and growled softly. "Shut up. I'm not doing that."

"I don't even know her that well"

His wolf retreated a little, irritated, pacing in the back of his mind like a caged predator denied fresh meat.

He sat up abruptly. The sheets slid down his torso. He was still shirtless. Still restless. Still breathing in the phantom scent of vanilla, moonlit jasmine, and something darker - something ancient - that clung to Lauretta like a crown.

"Fuck," he muttered.

"What's going on with me?"

He'd had women before. Plenty. Being the only son of Hexta Hunt - Alpha of the largest remaining werewolf territory in America - meant women practically threw themselves at him. But only one woman had ever made his wolf go silent, drop to its belly, and then rise with a snarl of mine.

Lauretta.

The way she'd looked at him with defiance instead of awe.

The way her voice had slid over his skin like silk and claws.

The way she offered him nothing but boldness... and desire.

And when she kissed him - when he had her beneath him - he felt something that terrified him more than his father's own wrath.

Bond.

Not full, not complete.

But something that felt too close.

It scared him enough that he ran.

No, he escaped.

Leaving her sleeping peacefully because staying meant surrendering.

He stood abruptly, grabbed his black shirt from the couch, and tugged it over his head. His wolf snarled again. It hated clothes. Hated human composure. Hated the fact that Savior was intentionally staying away from the only woman who'd ever made him feel alive.

But Savior had responsibilities.

Heir to the Hunt Legacy.

Future Alpha.

Bound to duty.

Chained by expectations older than he was.

He couldn't get attached.

He couldn't get weak.

He couldn't-

His phone buzzed.

He glanced at the caller ID.

Mom.

Savior exhaled slowly, allowing the tension in his back to soften. He loved Jasmine Hunt more than anything. She was the calm in the storm of his father's rule.

He answered.

"Hey, Mom."

"Sweetheart," Jasmine said, her voice warm, composed, and musical. "You sound tired. Did you land safely? Your message last night was short."

Savior swallowed. "I'm fine. Just... long night."

She hummed knowingly. "Business or pleasure?"

He hesitated.

His mother didn't pressure. She rarely did. But she always knew.

"Business," he lied.

"Well," she sighed softly, "your father is pacing the mansion as if the moon itself is late. I believe he expects you home by noon. He said something about a council meeting. And the Philips family is here."

Savior stiffened.

Perfect.

Just what he didn't need: a confrontation with Hexta Hunt and the family trying to push their daughter Amira into his life.

"I'll head home soon," he said.

"And Savior?"

"Hm?"

Her voice lowered with concern. "Are you... okay? You sound far away."

He shut his eyes briefly.

He saw Lauretta's face.

He smelled her scent.

He felt her breath against his neck.

"I'm fine, Mom."

A soft sigh. "If you say so, my love. Travel safely."

"Always."

He hung up, grabbed his jacket, and left.

---

THE HUNT MANSION - SILVERCREST CITY

Two hours later

Savior stepped out of his car and stared up at the property he had been raised in - a massive stone and black-steel estate overlooking the river, banners of the Hunt crest fluttering in the breeze.

He heard voices before he even entered.

Angry voices.

His father's.

Damn it.

Savior stepped inside, and immediately every warrior bowed slightly.

"Alpha's son."

"Future Alpha."

"Sir."

He nodded, though tension already pulled at his jaw.

His mother appeared at the top of the stairs like soft moonlight. Jasmine was stunning, all flowing silver hair, warm brown skin, and eyes that carried the softness his father lacked.

She descended gracefully and pulled him into a hug.

"My boy."

Savior hugged her tightly. "Missed you."

"I know." She pulled back and cupped his face. "Now breathe before your father gives himself a stroke."

Too late.

"SAVIOR!"

Hexta Hunt's voice boomed from the council room like thunder.

Here we go.

Savior sighs and followed the sound and stepped inside.

Hexta stood at the head of the long table, broad-shouldered, greying hair pulled back, power radiating from him like heat. Beside him sat Dew Philips and his parents... and Amira, who lit up like a lightbulb when she saw Savior.

"About time," Hexta barked.

Savior kept his expression flat. "I drove in from Manhattan."

"You should have flown," his father snapped. "You have responsibilities."

Here we go.

"What's the emergency?" Savior asked.

"The emergency," Hexta said sharply, "is that you've returned from your trip even more distracted than before. Your energy is unstable. Your wolf is restless. You missed three training sessions, and you've been avoiding Amira."

Savior didn't look at her.

He didn't have to.

Amira Philips was beautiful - long-legged, soft-spoken, loyal. A perfect Luna candidate on paper.

But the problem?

She wasn't Lauretta.

"Father," Savior said evenly, "I told you I'm not marrying for political convenience."

Amira's mother cleared her throat. "Savior, darling, we're not saying marriage now, just-"

"No," Savior cut in.

Everyone flinched.

Hexta's eyes darkened. "No?"

"That's what I said."

Silence.

Jasmine, standing behind Hexta, subtly shook her head at Savior, pleading for calm.

But Savior's wolf was pacing, restless, irritated. It scented Lauretta in his mind, tasted her, wanted her.

"Savior," Hexta growled, "you are the next Alpha. You do not get to pick and play with women like a reckless boy. You will form alliances. You will obey the bloodline. You will-"

"I'll choose my mate," Savior said quietly. "Not you."

Shock rippled around the room like wind.

Hexta slammed his hand on the table, power rippling. "You think this is a game?! The Owens incident nearly cost our pack its place twenty-five years ago! You think I'll let you jeopardize the future with a random woman-"

"Dad," Savior snapped. "This isn't about the Owens. This is about me."

His father's face froze. Hard. Dangerous.

"You smell different," Hexta said slowly, darkly. "You smell like a woman."

Savior stiffened.

Jasmine's eyes widened in worry.

Dew Philips choked on his drink.

Amira burst into tears quietly.

Hexta leaned forward. "Who is she?"

Savior's heart pounded.

He saw Lauretta's smile.

He heard her laugh.

He felt her nails down his back.

He couldn't tell them.

Not because she was human - because she wasn't.

Not because she was a stranger - because she wasn't.

But because of something far worse:

He didn't know her last name...

...or her connection to the one family his father hated most.

The outcasts.

The Owens.

"I don't owe you details," Savior said tightly.

Hexta's eyes glowed with Alpha fury. "You owe this pack everything."

Jasmine stepped between them. "Enough."

Her voice was soft, but it carried command. Even Hexta paused.

She turned to her son. "Savior. You're trembling."

He was.

But not from fear.

From wanting.

From remembering Lauretta pinned under him, her voice begging for more.

Jasmine touched his arm gently. "Come outside with me. Now."

He followed her like a lost child.

---

Jasmine led him to the moonflower garden behind the estate. The air was cool, the scent sweet, and for a moment, Savior just breathed.

His mother watched him closely.

"You met someone," she said simply.

Savior swallowed. "Mom..."

"You don't have to hide everything from me. I raised you. I feel your heart tremble when you're holding something heavy."

Damn. She knew him too well.

Savior sat on the stone bench, elbows on his knees. "It was one night. I don't... I don't even know her last name."

Jasmine's soft gasp was filled with warmth, not judgment. "Oh, sweetheart."

"It wasn't supposed to be anything," he continued, running a hand through his hair. "But she's in my head. I can still smell her. I can't sleep. My wolf is... acting insane."

"Bond?" Jasmine whispered.

"Something close."

She exhaled sharply. "Oh Savior... this isn't small."

He knew.

He absolutely knew.

Jasmine sat beside him, her hand gentle on his shoulder. "You deserve love, not political chains. If she's meant for you... you'll see her again."

Savior closed his eyes.

"I want to."

"Then find her."

He looked at her sharply. "Dad-"

"Let me deal with your father." Her voice stiffened, still warm but iron underneath. "The world has changed. The old rules no longer serve us. If the moon pulled your soul to this woman... then I trust the moon."

Savior felt emotion claw at his throat.

But then-

"It's not going to easy, where would I be able to find her without no surname?" Savior sighs grabbing a handful of his hair.

"You will find her, trust me , I will enable my most trusted men to help, don't worry about it" Jasmine said.

"Mom..."

His phone buzzed.

A notification.

He glanced down.

Social Media Tag:

LuneArt Studios - Award Ceremony in Silvercrest City

The picture that loaded hit him like a punch.

A woman in a cream jumpsuit.

Black curls pulled into a sleek ponytail.

Golden skin glowing under the lights.

Sharp eyes, sharper posture.

Boss energy radiating like heat.

Lauretta.

His breath stopped.

She lives in Silvercrest.

She's here.

In his territory.

"Savior?" Jasmine whispered. "What is it?"

He didn't answer.

He was already standing.

Already moving.

Already burning.

His wolf roared in triumph.

Find her.

She's ours.

Find her NOW.

And Savior Hunt did the one thing that would change both their destinies:

He went after her.

"Savior?!" Jasmine shouts.