After Clark, the Alpha of the pack, had publicly rejected me, ending our secret romance, I was ready to leave the pack behind. The sting of his dismissal still lingered, but I refused to let it break me. I straightened my shoulders and approached him in the packhouse, where he sat at his desk, his dominant aura filling the room.

"I’d like to request three days off, Alpha," I said, my voice steady despite the knot in my stomach.

Clark paused, his pen hovering over the paper. His dark eyes flicked up to meet mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—regret, perhaps? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "Is this leave for a pack transfer?" he asked, his tone sharp and probing.

Feeling a pang of guilt, I shook my head. "No, Alpha. It’s personal."

He raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Then how do you explain your résumé landing at my other pack’s territory?"

My heart skipped a beat. He knew. Of course he knew. I quickly snatched back the leave request, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I’ll write a resignation letter and submit it elsewhere," I muttered, turning to leave.

Before I could take a step, Clark was on his feet, his hand gripping my wrist with a firmness that sent a shiver down my spine. He pinned me against the desk, his towering frame looming over me. His voice was low and unwavering, carrying the weight of his Alpha tone. "I won’t approve any resignation letter." His gaze bore into mine, intense and unyielding. "And you’re not allowed to leave me."

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The next morning, mist rolled in through the window of the packhouse, casting a soft, gray light over the room. I lay in bed, coughing into the crook of my arm, my body wracked with fever. Clark stirred beside me, his large frame shifting as he sat up. On the floor, our clothes lay scattered haphazardly, a testament to the night before.

Despite my obvious discomfort, Clark showed no concern. He leaned over me, his hands roaming my body, his lips claiming mine with a possessiveness that left me breathless. Even in my weakened state, I couldn’t deny the pull of the mate bond between us, though it only made the situation more painful.

When he was finally satisfied, he pulled away, his expression cold and detached. "The driver called out sick today," he said, his voice devoid of warmth. "I’ll drop you at the pack’s training grounds."

His stern demeanor made it seem as though our closeness had never happened. I touched my forehead—it felt even hotter than before. "Could I possibly… take today off?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"No," he interrupted sharply, as if preempting a demand. "I can only drop you at the nearest intersection." His tone left no room for argument.

He was anxious that someone might uncover our affair, and I knew this was a relationship destined to remain in the shadows. "I’m just feeling unwell and want a day off," I insisted, my voice trembling.

Clark continued tying his tie, his gaze fixed on the mirror. "Ailani, do you think it’s appropriate to request leave from me?" he asked, his voice cold and dismissive.

We were separated by several ranks in the pack hierarchy; it truly wasn’t appropriate. Clearly, he didn’t care about my health. But I also knew this was my own doing. When Clark and I had first started, he laid down the ground rules. The pack was no place for romance, especially for him as Alpha. Being with a subordinate had already broken his rules for me.

He would never cross boundaries to openly claim me as his mate, which meant our relationship could only ever be a secret. When I first heard his rules, how did I feel? I suppose I was too caught up in the thrill of him accepting my confession. Even under such circumstances, I had been willing to take the plunge willingly. Now, I was paying the price.

Before Alpha Clark and I became involved, I had pursued him for what felt like an eternity. Because of him, I chose not to return to my father’s pack after completing my education. Instead, I applied for a Delta position in the Silverfang Pack, where he served as Alpha. Alpha Clark had always been aloof, even back when we were in school together. His expression was often unreadable, his aura cold and commanding, as if he were always above the rest of us.

When I first joined the pack, I tried everything to catch his attention, but my efforts were met with failure. If he stayed late organizing pack affairs, I’d linger at my post, pretending to be busy with patrol duties, waiting for him to finish. More often than not, he’d find me slumped over, fast asleep, after hours of waiting. In the pack hallways, I’d pretend to trip, hoping he’d steady me, but he’d step aside with a pointed look, maintaining his distance. During pack meetings, he’d remind me in his deep, authoritative voice, "Delta Ailani, it’s important to maintain professionalism within the pack."

Noticing he often skipped meals due to his responsibilities, I spent an afternoon baking ginger honey cake for him. But when I handed it to him later that day, he held the offering with a barely concealed disdain and tossed it aside, his sharp eyes narrowing. On evenings when I went to pick him up after pack gatherings, a slightly inebriated Alpha Clark would mistakenly call me by another Delta’s name. After several failed attempts, I thought of giving up. Yet, I couldn’t help but focus all my attention on him.

Things shifted during a pack retreat. During the day, I approached him, my voice trembling with hope. “Alpha Clark, is there really no chance for us at all?” He barely glanced at me, his tone cold and final. “None.”

Frustrated, I drowned my sorrows in drink that night. Fueled by the alcohol, I barged into his quarters, pouring out my feelings with reckless abandon. To my surprise, he was also intoxicated, and what followed was a night of chaos and blurred lines. The next morning, he stood tall, his alpha aura radiating as he said, “I’ll take responsibility for you.” But then he added, his voice firm, “But this stays between us. No one can know.” It was to be a secret relationship. And right after the retreat, he solidified his position as Alpha, his authority unquestioned. I took over his previous duties as Delta, but the gap between us seemed even wider.

The pack was stunned to see a fellow Delta suddenly become the Alpha’s confidante. Their attitudes toward my pursuit of him shifted from indifferent curiosity to something more calculating. At the time, I didn’t care. All I could think was how impressive it was for someone like Alpha Clark, with his lineage and status, to immerse himself in the daily grind of pack leadership.