Savior Hunt had never been this unfocused in his life.

Not during Alpha training.

Not during combat trials.

Not even during the time the west border pack launched a midnight attack and he fought six wolves at once.

But one woman - one night - had wrecked him.

Lauretta.

Her name tasted like temptation on his tongue.

His wolf practically purred whenever he thought it.

And lately?

He thought about her every damned minute.

Her laugh.

Her attitude.

Her scent that clung to his memory like it owned him.

He drove like a man possessed toward Silvercrest City, heart thudding with a strange mix of anticipation and dread. He didn't even know what he'd do when he found her.

Hold her?

Touch her?

Smell her?

Fight her?

Kiss her until she forgot all sense?

His wolf wanted all of it.

But he had no plan.

He only had need.

---

The Hunt mansion was loud. Voices filled the halls as warriors trained outside and advisors argued inside. Hexta's voice boomed from his office, barking orders about the upcoming summit.

The moment Savior stepped inside, heads turned.

"Alpha's son."

"Future Alpha."

"Sir."

He nodded stiffly and kept walking. His mind wasn't here. Not today.

He needed to find her.

He tried to take the stairs two at a time, hoping to escape before-

"SAAAAVIOR!"

Too late.

Dew Philips - Beta's son, smug bastard, and Savior's best friend - launched himself at him like an enthusiastic puppy.

Savior caught him by the shoulders, groaning. "Dew, what the hell?"

Dew grinned, eyes gleaming with trouble. "So... rumor has it that our dear, emotionally constipated Alpha-to-be disappeared for two days on his 'business trip.' Which is interesting because last I checked, you don't do business in Manhattan nightclubs."

Savior stiffened.

Dew smirked wider. "Ah. So the rumors are true."

"There are no rumors," Savior said tightly.

"Oh please. The guards saw you stumbling in at dawn smelling like perfume and sin." Dew elbowed him. "Spill. Who's the woman? Why is your wolf pacing like you put caffeine in its food?"

Savior stared at him.

Dew's mouth fell open. "HOLY SHIT. IT'S TRUE?!"

And then he burst out laughing.

Savior dragged a hand down his face. "Dew-"

"Oh my god, the cold, stoic, terrifying Savior Hunt actually slept with someone! After what-two years? Three? Was it amazing? It must've been. You look traumatized."

Savior didn't answer.

His silence was answer enough.

Dew froze.

"Oh... oh no. It was THAT good?"

Savior exhaled sharply. "Drop it."

Dew looked horrified. "Dude. Are you... in love?"

Savior nearly choked. "Dew, I swear to-"

"Okay, okay! Don't punch me. But seriously, what did she do to you? Did she hex you? Bite you? Whisper sweet nothings in your ear?"

Savior's jaw clenched.

"She didn't do anything," he said quietly. "I... don't know what's happening to me."

Dew blinked.

And for a rare moment, the teasing dropped.

"...Shit. It's that serious?"

"Yeah."

Dew rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay. Then start talking. What's her name? Where's she from? Is she human? Wolf? A witch? Is she hot? Actually, scratch that - she HAS to be hot if you're this messed up."

"Her name is Lauretta," Savior muttered.

Dew raised a brow. "And?"

"And that's all I know."

Dew stared.

"Wait. Wait-WAIT. You don't know anything else?" he exclaimed. "Savior! Did you at least check if you used protection?! What if she's pregnant?!"

Savior stiffened so violently that Dew's eyes widened.

"...Oh gods," Dew whispered. "You didn't."

"I didn't," Savior growled.

Dew let out a strangled laugh. "Wow. You really said 'fuck responsibility' and meant it."

"Dew-"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Continue. What else do we know about Lauretta?"

Savior hesitated.

He didn't tell Dew about the LuneArt Studios post.

About the picture.

About the fact that she lived here - in his territory.

He didn't have to.

Because his wolf suddenly snapped awake.

She's close.

Savior inhaled slowly.

There it was.

Her scent.

Faint but present.

Like moonlit jasmine drifting through sunlight.

He stiffened.

Dew noticed instantly. "Bro... are you okay?"

"She's in Silvercrest," Savior said quietly.

Dew blinked. "Wait - WHAT? Your one-night mystery woman is HERE?!"

Savior didn't bother answering.

He brushed past Dew, instincts igniting like wildfire.

He needed to see her.

Now.

"Savior!"

"Jeez, you couldn't even take off your suit man" Dew called after him.

Dew sighs, "What love can do "

He shakes his head and walks inside.

---

The normal and rational Savior would have been busy with meetings or pack duties.

He should've gone to train.

Should've gone to the council room.

Should've checked in with his father.

But instead...

He drove.

Straight into the city.

Straight toward the LuneArt Studios building.

He told himself he was just curious.

He told himself he just wanted a glimpse.

He told himself he didn't care.

All lies.

His wolf practically hummed with anticipation as he passed the tall glass building with the glowing moon emblem.

He slowed the car.

There - through the fourth-floor windows.

Lauretta Owens walked across the studio like she owned the world.

Wearing a fitted navy jumpsuit.

Hair slicked back into a ponytail.

Sharp eyes.

Sharp heels.

Sharp tongue - he could still hear her voice in his head.

She commanded the room with a presence that made even the walls straighten.

Savior's breath left him.

"Fuck."

She looked... beautiful.

Untouchable.

Perfect.

He gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white.

His wolf practically whined, pressing against his mind.

Go to her.

Touch her.

Smell her.

Claim her.

"No," Savior whispered. "Not yet."

"It doesn't work that way, she might have even forgotten about me" he mutters.

He couldn't walk in.

Not until he figured out what the hell this connection was.

Not until he knew what he wanted.

He forced himself to drive away.

Barely.

---

THE DINING HALL - HUNT MANSION

Later that evening, the dining hall was full. The long wooden table was lined with warriors, pack members, advisors - and the Philips family.

Amira sat beside him, smiling sweetly. Too sweetly.

"Welcome back," she said softly.

Savior grunted. "Thanks."

"You look tired," she added, placing a delicate hand on his arm.

His wolf growled instantly.

He moved his arm away.

Amira's face fell, but she recovered. She always did.

She wanted him.

She'd always wanted him.

But he had never felt anything for her.

Not even a spark.

Savior stabbed his food with unnecessary aggression.

Dew leaned in from across the table and whispered, "You're acting like a lovesick teenager with anger issues."

Savior didn't look up. "Shut up."

Dew smirked. "Okay, Romeo."

Jasmine watched him with worried eyes.

Hexta watched him with suspicion.

Savior's head was full of Lauretta.

The way she looked at him.

The way she moaned.

The way she didn't fear him.

The way she-

"Son," Hexta said sharply, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Where is your mind tonight?"

Savior answered honestly.

"Not here."

Gasps rippled down the table.

"Woah..." Dew gasps.

Earning a glare from his father.

Hexta's eyes narrowed. "You are distracted."

"Yes," Savior said evenly.

"And that is unacceptable."

"Maybe I don't care."

Hexta slammed his fist against the table so hard the plates rattled.

"Savior Hunt! You do NOT get to fall apart! You do NOT get to be distracted! You are the heir! You are the future Alpha! You-"

"I know," Savior said quietly. "But right now... I need space."

Jasmine touched Hexta's arm. "Enough. Let him breathe."

"Breathe?" Hexta snapped. "He smells like a woman! His wolf is unsteady! This is the exact recklessness that destroyed the Owens!"

Savior stiffened.

Lauretta's image flashed in his mind.

He didn't know her last name.

He didn't know her family.

He didn't know her history.

He didn't know... anything.

Except that he wanted her.

Badly.

Painfully.

Dangerously.

He stood abruptly from the table.

"I'm done here."

"Savior!" Jasmine called softly.

But he was already walking out.

Already choking on the memory of Lauretta's scent.

Already in too deep.

"What the actual hell am I supposed to do with myself?" He mutters.

---

Savior returned to his room, heart beating too hard, mind spinning.

He shut the door.

The scent of moonlight and jasmine slammed into him.

His wolf surged.

Snarling. Growling. Demanding.

He fell to his knees, gripping the floor.

FIND HER.

WE NEED HER.

NOW.

Savior groaned, chest burning with longing.

"Oh Lauretta, you're like a f*cking virus, you're eating me up from inside!"

"Fuck!" He shouts grabbing a handful of his hair.

He wanted her so badly he felt sick.

This wasn't normal.

This wasn't rational.

This wasn't-

He stood abruptly.

"I'm going to find her."

His wolf howled in triumph.

The city of Silvercrest had a way of looking too bright at times, streets glittering under the late afternoon sun like gold dust. But to Lauretta Owens, the sunlight was meaningless. It did nothing to illuminate the turmoil that had taken root inside her chest. She sat at her glass desk in LuneArt Studios, the sharp lines of her office and the bold colors of her canvases blurred by the storm in her mind. Every brushstroke on the wall seemed dull compared to the vivid images of him that refused to leave her thoughts.

Savior Hunt.

She tried to tell herself it had been just one night. A fleeting connection. A dangerous encounter that shouldn't have mattered. Yet his face, his voice, his scent - all of it was lodged in her like a living thing. Every time she closed her eyes, she could hear his low, confident tones echoing in her ears, smell the faint cedar and musk that clung to him like an invisible trail. Even in the daylight, even surrounded by work and responsibility, her body remembered him.

Her laptop sat open, cursor blinking, a silent accusation. She had begun "researching" him. Not because she wanted to, but because she couldn't stop herself. His name typed into search bars yielded profiles, news articles, and sleek photographs - all of which pulled her deeper into obsession. Each image of him, every news snippet about the Hunt family, sent a pang of longing and irritation through her chest. She hated that she wanted him so badly, hated that he had invaded her thoughts without permission.

And yet... she couldn't stop.

Hated that he was her enemy, someone she couldn't have.

Her phone buzzed sharply, interrupting her spiraling thoughts. Angela's name flashed on the screen. Relief and dread collided as she answered.

"Angela," she said, forcing a casual tone she didn't feel.

"I can hear it in your voice," Angela replied immediately, no greeting, no small talk. "Don't even try to pretend you're fine. You've been staring at his pictures again, haven't you?"

"I... no," Lauretta said quickly, though her voice sounded fragile even to her own ears.

Angela snorted. "Right. Totally normal behavior: CEO of a successful art studio, late afternoon, staring at a man's photos online like a lovesick teenager. You're obsessive, Lauretta. Admit it."

Lauretta pressed her forehead against her desk. "I'm not obsessive," she whispered.

"You are," Angela said bluntly. "Obsessed, infatuated, wrapped around his finger, whatever you want to call it. And you're heading straight for disaster."

"I can't help it," Lauretta admitted, almost inaudibly. "It's like... like he's in my blood. Everywhere I go, everything I do, he's there. I can't think about anyone else. I... I hate it, but I... I can't stop."

Angela's voice softened, just slightly. "I know. I've seen this before. But listen - you've got to get a grip. You're letting a man you barely know control your every thought. You're brilliant, you're capable, and you're letting him steal your headspace."

Lauretta groaned. "I know. I know! But it's not like that. He's... I don't know. He's everything and nothing, and it's maddening."

"Exactly," Angela said with a sharp laugh. "Maddening. Dangerously maddening. And you're loving it."

Before Lauretta could respond, a knock sounded at her office door. Mara, her assistant, appeared with a hesitant expression.

"Sorry to interrupt, Lauretta," Mara said softly, holding a folder, "but there's a client proposal that needs your approval. And... someone is here asking for you. He said it's urgent."

Lauretta's stomach twisted. She didn't need Mara to say his name. She felt it before she saw him: that magnetic pull in the air, the subtle shift in temperature, the almost instinctual awareness that someone had entered her space and was dangerous.

Angela, still on speakerphone, let out a sharp, knowing intake of breath. "Don't tell me-"

Lauretta cut her off with a quick, "Send him in." Her voice trembled slightly despite her attempt at calm.

The office door opened, and the man entered. Every detail of him was vivid in her senses: broad shoulders, dark tailored suit, the faint, intoxicating scent of cedar and something wilder beneath it, the confidence that radiated from him like heat.

Savior Hunt.

Angela's gasp echoed through the speaker. "Oh. Ohhhh. That explains everything."

Lauretta's chest tightened. Her wolf stirred beneath her skin, senses flaring. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but every part of her craved him closer.

Savior's eyes locked onto hers, intense and unyielding. He didn't smile, didn't offer casual greetings. He simply was, and the room seemed to shrink until it was only them.

"Hello, Lauretta," he said, low and deliberate, voice carrying that dangerous edge that set her pulse racing.

Angela, undeterred, continued, her voice teasing: "Yep. Totally obsessed. Classic look: eyes wide, jaw tight, about three seconds from spontaneously combusting. This is why I live, watching you unravel."

Lauretta groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Angela! I'm trying to handle this professionally!"

Savior leaned against the desk, eyes never leaving hers. "You've been thinking about me," he said, almost as a statement, not a question. "You can't hide it."

Her breath hitched. Angela's words echoed in her mind: Obsessed. The truth burned, sharp but undeniable.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed violently. She glanced down and saw a message from her father:

We need to talk. Now. About Hexta Hunt.

Her blood ran cold. Savior noticed immediately, his gaze sharpening, the alpha in him sensing the threat in her sudden panic.

"We go together," he said firmly, gripping her hand with surprising strength. "I'm not leaving you."

Angela's voice broke through, sharp and excited: "Ohhh! Protective mode activated! Alpha alert! This is exactly why I'm here! Popcorn ready!"

Lauretta ignores her, can't get over the fact that Savior held her hands which sent fire and desire through her body.

"You're welcome!" Angela chirped. "Go! Handle your chaos! And don't get eaten or cursed or whatever Hunt family men do."

The call clicks.

Savior not being aware of the call, eyes glued to Lauretta.

Savior leaned in closer, face inches from hers. "I can't stop thinking about you," he whispered, low and magnetic. "Not for a second."

Her chest heaved. Her wolf stirred, instincts raw, senses heightened. Desire warred with reason, and for the first time in weeks, she let herself feel the pull completely.

Savior walks to her, close, heated, and takes off the ear pods on her ears brushing against her earrings.

Lauretta's heart pounds, eyes heated with desire.

Every sense was on high alert. The streets of Silvercrest seemed to hum around them, the sunlight glinting off buildings and cars, but she only noticed him.

"You need to leave" Lauretta choked out.

Savior looks at her intently, "I'm not going anywhere "

"Savior...."

"Lauretta don't you get it, I'm literally losing my mind every single day, thinking of you and now I'm here you're telling me to leave?" Savior said.

"Leave " She said averting his gaze.

"You and I know you don't mean it" He said

"I do"

" Look at me, and say it"

Lauretta breathes out, calming her wolf and looks up.

"Leave, Savior" her silver eyes glistening in the sun.

Savior stares, desire builds up.

Lauretta turns away, "if you have nothing else to say, please leave, I have work to do"

Her wolf cries out badly but she can't continue to fall for him anymore, he's driving her insane.

She really needs to stay away from him, even if it hurts.

Savior's shoes click to ground, as he walks towards the door and stops.

"We will meet again, Lauretta"

And then, from a shadowed rooftop across the street, a pair of eyes followed them. Not Hexta Hunt, not an enemy she recognized, but someone tied to Lauretta's past - someone who knew the secrets of her mother's exile, someone who had waited a long time to see this moment.

The observer's lips curved into a faint, almost predatory smile.

This is going to be far more interesting than I expected.

Lauretta didn't know it yet, but her obsession, her desire, and her dangerous connection with Savior Hunt were about to collide with forces she couldn't even imagine.

The Silvercrest Charity Gala was a riot of glittering gowns, polished tuxedos, and the faint, heady scent of expensive perfume mixed with champagne. The ballroom's crystal chandeliers refracted light across marble floors, casting kaleidoscopic patterns that danced like the nerves fluttering in Lauretta's chest. She adjusted the strap of her deep emerald gown, the fabric hugging her curves in a way that made her feel both elegant and dangerously aware of the eyes in the room.

Angela had insisted on accompanying her, of course, armed with pointed commentary and a steady supply of humor.

"Breathe," Angela whispered as they entered, tugging Lauretta through the sea of socialites. "And try not to trip over your own ambition. And your dress. And your obsession."

Lauretta groaned. "I don't need this right now, Angela. Focus on... networking."

"Networking," Angela repeated mockingly. "You mean dodging the charming werewolf who's haunting your dreams."

Lauretta rolled her eyes, but even as she tried to dismiss the thought, the sensation of him lingered in her mind like an electric current. Her pulse quickened. The gallery walls were lined with contemporary pieces, abstract swirls and geometric splashes that seemed to reflect her inner turmoil. Every painting, every canvas, only reminded her of how tangled her life had become since that night - since him.

And then she saw him.

Savior Hunt.

He was standing across the room, flawless in his black tuxedo, his posture relaxed but commanding. His eyes locked on hers for the briefest instant, and the air between them seemed to crackle. A low, almost predatory smile touched his lips. He hadn't smiled at anyone else; for him, in that moment, she knew she was the only one who mattered.

Angela, who had noticed long before Lauretta's gaze found him, leaned in and hissed in her ear, "Yep. There it is. Alpha mode. The universe is testing you. Again. Popcorn?"

Lauretta clenched her jaw. "Angela!" she snapped quietly, though her stomach lurched. She tried to navigate through the crowd, pretending she hadn't just noticed him, but it was impossible. His presence was magnetic, magnetic enough to make her knees weak.

Savior took a step forward, gliding through the crowd with the kind of grace that belonged in a movie rather than real life. Lauretta's pulse thundered as he approached, stopping just short of her. He leaned slightly, voice low enough for her alone.

"You look... stunning," he murmured, each word deliberate, charged, like a caress.

Lauretta's lips parted, but she forced herself to regain control. "I-thank you," she said, keeping her tone steady. "You look... very self-assured."

"Confidence suits me," he said smoothly, but there was a glint in his eyes - amusement, challenge, and something deeper, something she couldn't name.

Angela, ever-present, whispered from a few feet away, "Uh-huh. Classic. You're both circling each other like a pair of very expensive wolves. And yes, you're blushing."

Lauretta's cheeks flamed. She tried to focus on the gala, the art, anything, but her attention kept snapping back to him. And he noticed. He always noticed.

"Why are you here?" she asked finally, attempting nonchalance.

"To see you," he said simply. "As if I needed a reason."

Her heart skipped a beat. "This isn't... casual," she said, though even as she said it, the thrill in her chest betrayed her.

"No," he admitted, stepping closer. "It's not."

"You think I was gonna give up after last time?"

"Not really, never thought of you as someone that gives up easily " Lauretta said calmly.

"Correct. You seem to be interested in me" Savior said

"If you think so"

"Pretense doesn't suit you, Lauretta "

With that, Savior stares into her eyes deeply.

"This is not a casual meeting, respect yourself" Lauretta said flatly.

Savior quints his eyes, " I always do, just not around you"

The crowd swirled around them, oblivious, but Lauretta felt as if they were in a bubble, a space carved out just for the two of them. Every brush of his shoulder as he passed by, every look he sent her way, sent jolts of desire up her spine. She tried to pull away, to focus on her responsibilities, but the pull was impossible to resist.

Angela, noticing Lauretta's distress, sidled up and whispered, "This is exactly what I warned you about. You're thinking, breathing, sweating him already. And now everyone else is going to notice too."

Lauretta groaned and whispered back, "Angela! Not helping!"

"You're welcome," Angela replied cheerfully.

Their brief exchange was interrupted by a group of influential donors approaching. Lauretta was supposed to greet them, smile, charm, pitch her latest exhibition. But she could hardly focus. Her attention flicked constantly to Savior, who had now moved to the far end of the room, hands casually resting in his pockets, observing her with that piercing gaze.

He was dangerous. And she was addicted.

As she navigated through polite conversation, her phone buzzed in her clutch. Angela leaned over and peered at the screen. "Ooooh. Daddy drama incoming?"

Lauretta swallowed hard. Not now. "It's... it's just a message from my father. He wants to talk."

Savior's attention snapped toward her, eyes darkening with protective intensity. Lauretta felt a shiver run through her. Even across the room, he radiated power and danger.

"You don't have to handle that alone," he murmured, walking toward her again, cutting through the crowd with effortless grace.

"Woo, he does not play with his woman" Angela teases.

Her pulse pounded, and she felt the wolf stir inside her - senses heightening, instincts sharpening. She wanted to deny him, to pull away, but the truth was undeniable: she needed him.

Angela, sensing the tension and unable to resist commentary, whispered from her side, "Oh, yes. I see it. Protective Alpha. You're toast, girl. Totally. Deliciously toast."

Lauretta pinched her lips, exasperated. She wanted to scream at Angela, but also, secretly, she wanted her friend's commentary. At least someone could witness how completely Savior had infiltrated her thoughts.

Then came the subtle shift - a ripple of whispers through the crowd. A few heads turned, people murmuring, and Lauretta noticed it immediately: eyes scanning her, judging, curious. And among them were members of the Hunt family, Dew Philips included.

Savior's jaw tightened imperceptibly. His protective instincts flared, and he stepped subtly in front of her, positioning himself as a shield. The tiny, unspoken move sent her heart into overdrive.

Angela muttered, "Yep. He's your wolf. Alpha protective stance. You're officially doomed."

Lauretta ignored her, focusing on Savior. His eyes found hers, a silent question passing between them: Do you trust me?

She nodded almost imperceptibly. It was enough.

And just as the tension peaked, the shadowed observer from the rooftop - the one who had been watching Lauretta and Savior from a distance - slipped inside, blending seamlessly with the gala's elite. Their eyes tracked Lauretta, assessing, calculating, ready to tip the delicate balance of obsession, desire, and family politics.

Savior sensed something shift, a faint disturbance in the energy around them. His gaze hardened, scanning the room, instinct alert. Lauretta, unaware of the presence, clung subtly to his arm, her pulse racing.

The night stretched on, a careful dance of whispered words, stolen glances, and tension so thick it could be sliced with a knife. Lauretta realized, as she moved through the gala, that her obsession had become something more dangerous - something she no longer wanted to resist.

Angela leaned over one last time as they exited the main hall for a brief respite, whispering with a grin, "Welcome to the madness, girl. This is your life now. Wolves, obsession, secrets, and one very delicious Alpha. Try not to melt in public."

Lauretta closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. She didn't answer. She didn't have to. Savior's presence, his unwavering, magnetic attention, said it all. And somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that tonight was only the beginning.

Oh God help me.