Perry's POV

I woke up before Richard did. He'd wrapped himself around me like a human straightjacket, and I had to carefully wiggle free from his arms.

The room was still pitch black - the heavy curtains shut out all the light. I avoided looking at his face, not wanting to confirm what Gina told me: this was Richard Scott's room, so that meant he had to be the wolf from last night.

I crouched down to grab whatever was left of my shredded clothes, trying to cover myself with the torn fabric. They looked more like ripped napkins than clothing.

"I came here to tell him no, and now... now I've ended up in his damn bed," I hissed under my breath as I shoved the door open. "Fated mate? Screw that. I'd rather suffer than be tied to him."

I touched my face, surprised to feel tears rolling down. I thought, just for a second, I could maybe kill him and be done with it. But no - I couldn't even do that.

His breathing behind me was heavy, dragging me back into that horrible moment. I had to get out.

Once I made it down the hall and ducked into a corner, I called Gina. "Gina, please, I need you."

"Perry? Oh my god-what happened?" She must've heard my voice cracking because she immediately panicked. "I'm coming. Right now."

She wasn't lying. Gina showed up fast, sprinting out of the elevator still in her slippers.

When I looked up and saw her eyes full of worry, I completely lost it. "Gina..."

"Oh baby, please, don't cry like that," she squatted down and hugged me tight, totally thrown off. "You're breaking my heart."

"What happened to you?" Her eyes went wide as she got a better look at my mess of a body.

I stayed quiet, couldn't bring myself to speak. Only when she frowned and gently helped me stand did I find the strength to say anything.

Fighting to keep the tears down, I sniffled and muttered, "Something awful... The wolf... not now. I'll explain soon."

With a sigh, Gina didn't push. She guided me to the elevator and brought me back to her room.

She worked nearby and didn't like going home much, so keeping a hotel room had always made sense for her.

During the walk, I just hugged myself in silence while Gina softly patted my back.

"I need a proper shower," I said, drained, when we reached her door. "Do you have something I can wear?"

"Of course, honey, I'll get you something right now," she yelled, already on her way to the wardrobe.

Dragging my exhausted self to the bathroom, I stood under the water, trying to scrub that feeling off me. The smell lingered - faint booze mixed with something else. Maybe it was just in my head, but I couldn't shake it.

Gina brought me a soft set of pajamas, obviously worried sick. She sat close, her voice urgent. "Perry, please, tell me what happened. I need to understand what's hurting you."

"I went into the room, and then," I paused, gripping the fabric of the shirt tightly, "I ran into a rutted-out alpha. Richard."

"What?!" Gina practically screamed, staring at me like I'd grown another head, completely thrown.

She paced back and forth like her thoughts were spiraling, then suddenly stopped. "No. That can't be right. Perry, I... I need to say something..."

"That wasn't Alpha Richard!" Gina looked like she might actually faint. "You hadn't been in the room long when I bumped into Byron from the Bloodmoon Pack. He told me that Richard isn't even in the hotel tonight. I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up."

My eyes went wide, a chill running straight through me. Panic gripped my chest. "Then who the hell was the guy who screwed me?"

Gina inhaled sharply, clutching my hand like it was the only thing grounding her. "I'm so sorry, Perry. I have no clue. That top-floor suite's usually booked under Alpha Richard's name-if he's not using it, it goes to other high-ranking wolves."

"No..." I bit my lip and buried my face in my hands, feeling like the whole world was crashing down on me.

"If you want, I can try to find out who he was," Gina offered quickly.

I didn't say anything right away. And once I'd calmed down a little, I wasn't sure it would even matter.

When I walked into that room, that unknown alpha was already in heat. Burning hot all over like someone had triggered it on purpose-just waiting for a she-wolf. I must've walked in at the worst possible moment.

Gina must've noticed how zoned out I was. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "So... he's probably still in the room, right? Perry, if you care, we could go check. Wanna give it a shot?"

"Terrible idea," I muttered. "Even if I find out who he is, what am I supposed to do? He's still an alpha."

There was another reason I didn't tell Gina-we'd smelled each other. That scent meant something. And I kept that to myself.

I had no idea how to make him take responsibility or even apologize. Honestly, if I could, I'd walk right up to him and punch him in the face. No way I'd forgive an alpha who forced me into something like that.

I couldn't help but smile at the thought of it. Right then, my phone rang, dragging me back to reality. I frowned and glanced at the screen.

Francis Lake. Of course.

Just seeing his name made my blood boil. I hit 'decline' hard, like it would make up for everything.

If it weren't for Francis, I never would've gone to meet Alpha Richard. None of this would've happened. He'd completely screwed up my life. He wasn't even half the father he pretended to be.

Less than a minute later, Francis started calling again. Relentless, like an annoying fly. I just kept rejecting his calls, on repeat.

The ringtone was grating as hell, made my mood crash even lower. I finally gave in, took a deep breath, and jabbed the screen. "What do you want, Francis? Stop blowing up my phone-are you trying to wear me down?"

"Sweetheart," he said, cheerful as ever, not the least bit rattled. "Your grandfather told me you'd left the countryside. I've been waiting for you at the train station. Honestly, can't wait to see you. But it's been a while and you're still not here. Come on, tell me where you are?"

"I'm not there yet." I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. "And more importantly, I don't need you picking me up."

He went quiet for a second. Then, sounding all faux-concerned, he said, "Don't be like that, Perry. So... when are you getting here?"

"I'm done talking. If you wanna stay there, fine, stay there. Just stop calling me!" I said flatly.

Everything Francis ever did was just to shove me into being Richard Scott's mate, so he could cozy up to the Bloodmoon Pack. No matter how much he pretended to be this caring father, I wasn't buying it.

"But Perry," Francis switched up his tone, now sounding more like an alpha than a dad-stern, commanding. I knew he was trying to intimidate me. "I've set everything up with the Bloodmoon Pack. Tomorrow, you'll meet Alpha Richard. I've picked out a nice dress for you, something really flattering and-"

"Shut up!" I snapped, my voice cracking under the strain. "The only time you even remember you have a daughter is when you need something. If you miss me so much, Francis, then where the hell have you been all this time?"

I didn't wait for a reply. I hung up on him without a second thought.

"Perry," Gina stepped closer, lowering her voice. "What are you going to do now? Are you really meeting Richard tomorrow?"

"I don't want to be his mate. Especially after all this, I can't face him. I've gotta figure something else out."

"But..." Gina looked at me, worry written all over her face. After overhearing my call with Francis, she finally understood where I was coming from. "Even so, you'll have to deal with him sooner or later. He's an alpha. You can't just run forever."

Maybe she was right.

As much as Francis was a manipulative jerk, he wasn't dumb. If he already arranged things with the Bloodmoon Pack and I flaked, it could cause real problems. I'd be poking the beehive.

I let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, Gina. I'll meet him, but I'm gonna tell Richard there's someone else. That I'm already with another alpha. Maybe that'll make him back off. And if Francis finds out, maybe he'll finally give up on me."

Gina squeezed my hand in support. "There you go. Stay strong, Perry."

She gave me a quick but warm hug before rushing off-there was always something going on at the hotel, and Gina practically ran the place.

Left alone in her room, I just sat there.

I'd never felt this drained. My body ached like I'd been tossed around in a fight. That alpha I slept with-whoever he was-didn't hold back. It was still messing with me.

He'd overwhelmed me, yeah, but not just with force. There'd been pleasure too, intense and confusing. And that scared me even more.

Richard's POV

I woke up feeling strangely relaxed. The curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the light, but I could tell it was already the next morning.

Last night, someone from the rival pack slipped something into my drink-something meant to mess with my head. They clearly underestimated my control. I didn't turn into some crazed beast. I just went into a heat I couldn't ignore.

The moment the drug kicked in, I knew exactly what had happened. I made my way from the basement to the top floor quietly. No one would know. Once I reached my room, the urge inside me only grew stronger.

I told myself I'd deal with those bastards later, once the effects wore off. They'd regret thinking they could play me like that.

Truth be told, heats weren't really a thing for me. This was the first time I'd let lust nearly take over.

I didn't have a mate-not that an alpha like me needed one.

But right then, I had to take care of the problem. So I called Byron, my ever-efficient beta. "Byron, it's me. You should know what's happened. Find me a female. Now."

"Yes, alpha," he said without hesitation. "She'll be there soon."

I hung up, trying to stay calm while waiting for whoever he'd send. Sure enough, the door cracked open after a short while.

She called my name. That was all the confirmation I needed-must've been the one Byron sent.

I didn't hold back with her. She responded to every move, her body writhing under mine, breathless and eager. That only pushed me further. She clung to me like I was the only thing that mattered, her body trembling under the weight of what we both needed.

I poured myself into her, kissed her like I couldn't get enough. Her lips were addictive, her skin intoxicating.

But more than that-it was her scent. The moment I caught it, I knew. She was my fated one. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I tried to mark her, claim her fully, but she resisted.

That pissed me off. I had to pull back, bracing myself against the heat building inside. Then she spoke.

"Just... not now."

I backed down. There was something about her-this mix of boldness and shyness, strength wrapped in sweetness. She tasted just like her scent promised.

Maybe she just needed time. Our meeting wasn't exactly planned. No one expected to find their destined mate like this-but here she was. And she was everything.

Even now, completely sober, I couldn't stop replaying the night in my mind. It'd be impossible to forget her.

After sitting on the bed for a few minutes, I called out for Byron. He showed up fast.

"Alpha, how are you feeling?" Byron kept his head bowed, voice steady. "I turned away anyone asking about you last night, even the hotel manager. Do you have any new orders?"

I got dressed, lifted my chin, and went ice cold. "Did you find out who drugged my drink?"

Byron didn't skip a beat. "Belen Morgan, Silverfang's alpha. He wanted to team up with you but didn't know how to convince you. So, he brought in a hot female. Worried she alone wouldn't do the trick, he had something slipped into your drink. I got rid of her before she even got close."

"Silverfang," I said his pack's name like poison. "Byron, I don't want to hear another word about them pulling stunts like this again."

For a pack that tiny, they sure had some nerve. They came at the wrong alpha. I wasn't one to let something like this slide.

Byron looked a little surprised. He knew this meant war-and Bloodmoon didn't take war lightly. It had been a while, but I hadn't forgotten how to burn traitors down.

Being played like that? Yeah. I hated that most of all.

Byron lowered his head again, looking serious. "I'll pass on your orders quietly to a few deltas. Silverfang got greedy. Bloodmoon doesn't take threats lightly. They're gonna pay for it."

I pulled the curtain aside, squinting into the flood of sunlight. Warm, just like the soft curve of that she-wolf from last night.

Damn it. I couldn't stop thinking about her. I needed a cold shower-fast. Heading for the bathroom, I asked before I went in, "Byron, where exactly did you find that she-wolf last night?"

"What?" Byron blinked like I'd just slapped him. He looked honestly confused. "I got her from our pack."

"Okay, then I need her name."

"But... she never came, Alpha." Now he looked rattled. "She said there was already a she-wolf in your room when she arrived, so she left without going in. She didn't dare bother you. I figured you'd handled it yourself."

"I didn't." My voice stayed calm, but my mind wasn't. "So who the hell was she?"

Byron's eyes went wide. Then came the nervous glance. "Wait... you really didn't know her?"

This had officially gotten weird. A random stranger sneaks in to sleep with me? That wasn't just suspicious-it was dangerous. What if she was a spy, sent from another pack to get something out of me?

I touched the scratch marks she'd left on my neck. Oddly enough, I didn't feel angry. All I could think of was how she smelled-how she felt. Everything else faded.

"So, I guess I slept with the wrong person," I muttered. "Maybe she just walked into the wrong room."

Was I seriously trying to defend her? To ease Byron's concern? I couldn't believe myself.

Not that Byron would question me. He's always been loyal to the core. I didn't have to explain a damn thing. But something about her stuck with me. Maybe that's what it means to find your true mate. If so, I couldn't say I minded one bit.

"I understand," Byron said, definitely not pushing it. "But Alpha, there's something else. The meeting with Ashen Pack-it's today. Alpha Francis is bringing his daughter to meet you this morning."

His reminder hit me like a brick. I paused, thinking. "Right. I'll be there."

One thing was clear-I'd gotten myself into a whole mess. A mysterious mate who vanished into thin air. A promised mate from Ashen Pack I'd never met.

Back when Ashen Pack still stood strong, their Luna made a pact with my grandfather. She once saved his life, and that's how our packs started working together.

Since then, both of them passed away. The connection between our packs faded.

I rose to lead Bloodmoon as its youngest Alpha ever. I'd built everything to perfection. We were powerful-untouchable. That was something I took pride in.

Meanwhile, Ashen Pack was crumbling under Francis. I knew they were in trouble-frequent rogue attacks, barely holding on. So Francis remembered the old deal.

My father chose to honor it. They'd sworn to the Moon Goddess, after all. A promise like that couldn't be ignored.

Francis's daughter was meant to be my mate, the Luna of Bloodmoon.

But now, my heart had already chosen someone else.

She was the one-I was sure of it. And I was going to find her.

Perry's POV

After a wild night, all I needed was some decent rest. No clue when I passed out on Gina's bed.

The blaring ringtone yanked me out of a sweet dream.

I groaned and peeled my eyes open begrudgingly. The phone lay right beside me, practically demanding attention.

"Francis again?" I grumbled internally.

His name flashed on the screen. Ignoring him wouldn't help-he was the type to keep calling till I picked up. I took a deep breath, gave myself two seconds of silence, then tapped to answer. Tried to keep my tone chill. "What do you want?"

"Perry, where are you?" Francis's voice held a weird mix of worry and frustration-definitely more worried I'd hang up than about me. "I waited at the train station all night. You never showed."

I stared blankly at the ceiling, not saying a word. So what he waited all night. It wasn't like he had to deal with waking up in a stranger's bed like I did. I answered coolly, "I didn't ask you to wait for me."

"It's fine," Francis said without missing a beat, still weirdly calm. That surprised me. But the next sentence wiped any goodwill off my face. "Tell me where you are. I'll come get you and we'll grab something to eat. Once you've rested up, we'll go see Alpha Richard like we planned. I told you-Bloodmoon Pack's strength is unmatched. Becoming his mate, their luna, would be the best thing for you."

"If it's so great, why don't you do it yourself?" I snapped, half-joking, half-serious.

"Come on, Perry, don't be ridiculous. I'm your father. If Alpha Richard wasn't worthy, I wouldn't push this."

That just made me picture some angry, greasy-haired alpha with zero charm and a whole lot of issues.

Francis's words always sounded better than his actions. But I didn't exactly have much choice right now. I let the silence hang for a while. He didn't dare break it-he knew he needed me to agree to meet Richard.

I'd come all the way from the countryside. Even though things hadn't gone as planned last night, this meeting still needed to happen.

I sighed. "I'm at the Crown Regent Hotel."

"Perfect, Perry! I'll be there soon!" he chirped, clearly too happy.

Click-he hung up.

I groaned again, flopping back on the bed with a scowl.

By the time I woke up again, Gina was gone.

She'd left me a text-said she got called away on something urgent. Probably pack business again. She'd included a long list of hotel tips, classic Gina overthinking everything. Her thoughtfulness made me feel a little lighter.

"Sorry I didn't get time to help investigate," she'd written at the end.

I bit my lip before sending back, "It's fine. I can handle it."

Now it was just me and Francis.

I didn't nap for long before dragging myself to the bathroom for a quick shower. Ditching the pajamas, I took the elevator down to the lobby. As I stepped outside, I spotted him.

Francis was in his usual polished clothes, but he didn't look like the alpha I remembered-more like a regular werewolf. His grey hair was all over the place, and his dull grey-blue eyes looked nothing like Mom's.

I walked toward him, expression unreadable.

He lit up and reached out, all cheer. "Hey, Perry! How'd you sleep?"

I glanced at his bloodshot eyes. Yeah, seemed like he really had stayed up waiting all night.

Then his gaze swept over me, head to toe. I'd gotten Mom's looks, sure, but I never bothered with makeup. Taking care of animals in the rural edges didn't exactly leave space for fashion choices.

"Let's freshen you up first-some makeup, and I've got a beautiful dress I had custom made for you," Francis said with a practiced warmth. "Once Alpha Richard sees how gorgeous you are, he'll be drawn to you for sure."

That irked me. "So you're saying I'm not attractive enough to catch his eye otherwise?"

"No, Perry, that's not what I meant," Francis quickly waved his hands, flustered.

"If you think I'm not good enough, then forget it. I'll head straight back to the countryside and never come back."

"Sweetheart, don't be mad. Fine, no makeup if you don't want it. You're already very beautiful. But at least change your clothes?"

"Nope," I said, face stone cold, not giving him any wiggle room. "Let's be real-you just think I'm out of his league."

Francis let out a resigned sigh. He gave in, probably hoping I'd just play along. He was being surprisingly tolerant today. "Alright, fine. We'll go as you are. Fingers crossed Alpha Richard likes you."

I followed him silently to the car, giving him the cold shoulder the whole ride.

He drove straight into Bloodmoon Pack territory and parked outside a tall building-Richard's workplace.

"Let's go," Francis said as he got out and opened my door, reaching out his hand.

I didn't even glance at him. Just ignored the gesture. Francis awkwardly retracted his hand and smoothed his jacket before leading the way inside. Watching his back, I couldn't help but smirk.

The Ashen Pack used to be a big deal. In my mind, Francis was always the arrogant, untouchable alpha.

Now he was all humble and cautious, trying to trade me for Bloodmoon's support. What a joke.

We took the elevator to the top floor. At the door, we were stopped by Bloodmoon's beta.

"Alpha Francis, I'm Byron," he greeted politely. "Please wait here while I inform Alpha Richard."

Byron turned and left. Francis and I sat down in the waiting area.

It wasn't long before Byron came back with a friendly smile. "Come on in."

I suddenly felt a touch nervous and started fiddling with my fingers. Francis, thrilled but cautious, took my hand and walked in ahead of me. I followed in silence, staying just behind him-until he suddenly pulled me forward, right in front of Richard.

"Alpha Richard," Francis said carefully, "this is my daughter, Perry Lake. She just came in from the countryside and was too anxious to dress up properly. She's really excited to meet you."

I nearly rolled my eyes. The way he lied so smoothly-it was ridiculous.

Francis kept rambling his introduction while I stood there, head down, zoning out. It wasn't until he nudged me that I finally looked up-just in time to meet Richard's gaze.

"Hi, Alpha Richard. I'm Perry," I said evenly, keeping it short.

I studied his face-undeniably handsome. His well-groomed black hair framed striking crimson eyes. One look, and you could feel the dominance radiating off him. His sharp features made it easy to see why people bent to his will. Broad shoulders, toned build, and an expensive outfit that fit just right-he was every bit the powerful alpha.

He lounged in his seat casually, not even putting on any alpha-pressure, and yet it was obvious who held all the power in the room. Of all the werewolves I'd seen, he was easily the best-looking.

Too bad I wasn't into him like that. But he seemed to be under the impression otherwise.

He got up and walked over, leaning his left hand on the edge of the table behind him and scanning my face like he was sizing me up. That stare made me tense immediately.

"Miss Lake arrived last night, then?" His deep voice cut through the moment, eyes narrowing slightly like he was piecing something together.

Francis nodded right away. That eager-to-please look on his face made my stomach turn, so I dropped my gaze again.

"Yes, Perry just arrived yesterday. I took her back to the Ashen Pack to get some proper rest, didn't I?" He shot me a glance.

His voice had that familiar pressure behind it. I gave a reluctant nod.

Richard paused a moment before speaking, looking a bit suspicious. "So she stayed with the Ashen Pack all night?"

I raised an eyebrow, not quite catching what he was getting at. When I looked at him, he had a frown on his face, clearly a bit confused. But seriously-where I slept last night had nothing to do with him, right?

Maybe the alpha from last night was someone he knew, maybe even a packmate. But the lights were off in that hotel room, and neither of us could see the other clearly. Even if he wanted to stir up trouble, he'd have no way of knowing it was me. I rubbed my fingertips together, mind spinning fast.

"Of course! She's my daughter, after all," Francis said, wiping sweat from his forehead with a careful look.

"I need a private word with Miss Lake," Richard said at last, voice cold as ice. "Byron can take you back to the guest room. If you still feel like waiting, be my guest."

"Got it," Francis replied with a fawning grin, quickly turning around to leave.

Now it was just me and Richard in the room.

He looked at me, and I looked right back. We stared each other down for a few seconds before I decided to break the silence.

"I have no intention of being your mate," I said, watching his brows pull together. Still, I pushed on. "We've never met before. This is literally the first time I've seen you. I'm not interested in you. Even if we were somehow matched, it'd fall apart in no time."

I forced the words out, nerves buzzing under my skin, but he kept that frosty expression. I tried to ignore the low-key dominance rolling off him.

"That's actually perfect, because I don't want that either," Richard replied calmly. "I've already found my mate."

At that, the heaviness in my chest lifted like a weight had been yanked off it. Relief bloomed into a small grin on my face. "That's honestly the best news. I already have a mate too. Francis dragged me here. I just needed to tell you straight-up that this whole thing? Not for me."

"Just that?"

"Nope. I'm down to officially cancel whatever arrangement we had."

My voice rang clearly through the room. Richard went quiet again.

I kept smiling. He looked kind of stunned. His crimson eyes locked on mine, but I didn't flinch.

"That's... impressive. So, Miss Lake, is there anything you want?"

I never wanted any of this in the first place. And after what happened last night, the last thing I wanted was to be tied to him.

Right now, all I cared about was finding the alpha from last night-the one who crossed the line-and making him pay for it.

Richard's unexpected approval threw me a little. Part of me had expected him to be offended by how blunt I was. But instead, he took it in stride, which kind of surprised me.

My gut told me if I asked him for help with the Ashen Pack, he'd probably say yes.

But that was exactly what Francis wanted. Not me.

So I shook my head. "Nothing. Alpha Richard, if you've got nothing else to say, then I'll be heading out."

This wasn't my place. I had no reason to stay here.

"I know why you came. If the request came from you, I'd actually consider it," Richard said slowly, lifting an eyebrow, his deep voice tinged with curiosity.

But I just shook my head again, firm. "The Ashen Pack's got nothing to do with me. This isn't on me."

He looked genuinely thrown by my answer. Like he couldn't wrap his head around someone turning down an offer from the Bloodmoon Pack.

Sure, it was a hell of an offer. But I didn't care.