Kohen Rice and I attended the same pack academy. He was the son of the Alpha, his life meticulously charted out—every step predetermined. But Kohen was stubborn; he defied his family’s expectations and carved his own path as an entrepreneur. I became his first business partner. He brought the resources, and I brought the grit.

Once, I asked him why he chose me. There were plenty in our pack who seemed more capable, more polished. He twirled a pen absently between his fingers, his amber eyes locking onto mine with a warmth that made my stomach flutter.

“I like you,” he said finally, a slow smile spreading across his face. “For that unyielding spirit of yours.”

Back then, it was my relentless drive that caught his attention. Later, that same ambition became what he feared. Miriam Meyer was different from me—soft-spoken, uncomplicated. She was the perfect Luna candidate, someone who wouldn’t challenge him but would seamlessly fit into his life. Kohen was decisive; he knew what he wanted and acted on it.

We were similar, he and I—always pushing, always striving, like two wolves circling each other in a hunt. This mutual understanding made us formidable business partners, adept at navigating tough negotiations and crafting strategies that led us to success. But it also made us volatile, like two flames that could either light up the world or burn it down.

The night we celebrated our first major success, we drank too much and ended up sprawled on a bed surrounded by scattered pack records and loose bills. Kohen turned his head to me, his gaze heavy with something I couldn’t quite name.

“Brooklyn, you’re amazing,” he said, his voice low and rough.

I laughed, the sound echoing in the quiet room. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

The relentless pace of our work eventually caught up with Kohen, and he fell ill with a fever that left him weak and disoriented. I stayed by his side, tending to him until he suddenly shifted, his larger wolf form pinning me beneath him. His eyes were bloodshot, his body radiating heat like a furnace.

“I like you,” he whispered again, this time with no hesitation, his voice thick with emotion.

The air between us was charged, filled with the faint scent of cedarwood and mint, a scent that was uniquely his. His words were like a spark, igniting something deep within me, pulling us both into a current neither of us could resist.

I returned to my own place. Over the years, I’ve grown accustomed to a luxurious lifestyle, which has spoiled me a bit. The unfamiliar bed left me tossing and turning all night, my wolf restless in the back of my mind, unsettled by the day’s events.

Back at the pack’s headquarters, I bumped into Alpha Kohen Rice. As an Omega, I knew my place, so I nodded politely, keeping things professional. His towering frame, broad shoulders, and piercing gaze were hard to ignore, but I maintained my composure. Kohen frowned, his alpha aura pressing down on me, though I refused to let it show.

“Alpha Kohen!” Miriam Meyer, his Beta fiancée, hurried over, inserting herself between us with a practiced ease. “Hi, I’m Miriam, Alpha Kohen’s fiancée,” she introduced herself, her voice sweet but with an edge that made my wolf bristle.

I nodded with a simple, “Hello.” Her expression soured slightly at my voice, and I could sense the tension radiating from her. Uninterested in further chitchat, I headed straight for the elevator, my heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

“Brooklyn, right?” Miriam caught up with me, Kohen trailing behind her like a shadow. “Alpha Kohen has mentioned you a lot; you’re really good at what you do.” Her tone was polite, but the underlying message was clear.

“But, you know,” she continued, “it’s better for Omegas to stay out of the limelight or not spend too much time with Alphas. Shopping with friends or spa days are much more fun. Leave the heavy lifting to the Alphas.” She smiled sweetly, her words dripping with condescension.

“Isn’t that so, Alpha Kohen?” Kohen tenderly tousled her hair, his deep voice rumbling. “Do I even have a choice?”

Unfazed by Miriam’s remarks, I kept my cool. She likely recognized my voice and was eager to flaunt her relationship with Kohen. My wolf growled softly, but I silenced her, refusing to give them the satisfaction of a reaction.

“In the office, please call me ‘Alpha Rice.’ Otherwise, HR will arrange a training session for you,” I said, brushing off the spot where she had touched my sleeve, my tone icy.

My response infuriated Kohen. His jaw tightened, and he sent Miriam away with a nod before walking straight into my office without knocking. I frowned, my patience wearing thin. “Alpha Rice, have you forgotten how to knock?” I stressed those words deliberately, echoing Miriam’s own words back at him.

He smirked and leaned down, his muscular frame trapping me between his arms and the sofa. His alpha aura was overwhelming, but I held my ground, refusing to let him see how much it affected me.

“You were the one who opened the door last night,” he hinted, his eyes dropping to my skirt, his voice low and teasing.

“Smack!” Without hesitation, I slapped him hard. His pale cheek now bore a vivid red mark, and my wolf growled in satisfaction.

Kohen rubbed his jaw, chuckled slightly, then sat opposite me, his expression unreadable. “I’ve had the West End villa transferred to your name, and the plot of land you were interested in is almost cleared,” he said, his tone casual, as if discussing the weather.

He always knew how to hit me where it hurt. The knife I handed him, he drove straight into me. At that moment, he seemed like my so-called stepfathers—claiming love while trying to buy it off. Dress it up in the name of love.

Miriam arrived with a lunchbox just as I splashed water at Kohen. She screamed and rushed in, slapping me hard across the face. The sting of her handprint burned, but I refused to back down.

I’ve never been one to back down. The only time I did was probably with Alpha Kohen Rice. My raised hand halted mid-air, caught by Kohen. Protecting Miriam, he spoke with controlled anger:

“Brooklyn! This isn’t the place for you to lose it!”

I raised my other hand and slapped him hard across the face. Seeing the matching handprints on Kohen’s cheeks brought a surprising sense of satisfaction.

“Without Alpha Kohen, would you have achieved your current status?” Miriam stepped forward, defending him, her voice shrill.

“You’re fired,” I said calmly, my voice steady despite the chaos.

“On what grounds?” Miriam shot back, trying to sound tough.

“I own thirty percent of the pack’s assets. You barged into my office and assaulted a pack executive.”

Miriam panicked, her eyes darting around. Seeing Kohen not reprimanding her, she continued to provoke me unabashedly.

“Alpha Kohen is the major shareholder, and I’m his fiancée. What are you? If anyone’s leaving, it’s you!”

By then, a crowd had gathered at the office door. Kohen remained silent, implicitly backing her actions.

There was no need to drag this out further.

“Fine, let’s dissolve the partnership,” I said, my voice calm but firm. “I’ll sell you my shares at market rate. Alpha Kohen Rice, I’ve been more than fair.”

For the first time, Kohen’s composed facade cracked when I pulled out the agreement from my bag. He probably didn’t expect I had already prepared an exit plan, ready to walk away.

Miriam smiled triumphantly, secure in her standing.

“Who called the police?” I asked, my voice steady. I stepped forward, wobbling slightly. “Officer,” I said, covering my cheek, “I’ve been assaulted. I’m feeling dizzy and nauseous.”

The room fell silent as the officers approached, and for the first time in years, I felt a sense of control over my own life. My wolf growled softly in approval, and I knew I had made the right choice.

After the hospital examination, the healer concluded it was just a mild concussion. If I refused to settle, Miriam would end up being held in the pack’s detention cells for a few days at least. Kohen stood there with a knowing smirk, his Alpha aura radiating confidence, as if he could see right through the situation. Miriam finally panicked, nervously clutching the hem of Kohen’s coat.

“Alpha Kohen, I don’t want to stay there overnight; it scares me,” she pleaded softly, her voice trembling with the submissive tone of a Beta.

Kohen reassured her gently, his Alpha tone softening as he promised to sort everything out. “Don’t worry, Miriam. I’ll handle it.”

With his influence and resources, I wasn’t naive enough to miss the bigger picture. Once we left the pack’s judicial hall, Kohen pulled me aside into a dark corner of the courtyard, his towering frame casting a shadow over me.

“All this for leverage, Brooklyn? You’ve really sunk low,” he sneered, his voice low and mocking.

I grabbed his tie and yanked it hard, forcing him to bend down to meet my gaze. My Omega status might have made me weaker in hierarchy, but I wasn’t about to back down.

“You should have considered the fallout of using me to boost her up,” I retorted, my voice steady despite the simmering anger.

Instead of getting angry, Kohen chuckled, his deep laugh reverberating through the night. He placed a hand on my lower back, pulling me closer until I could feel the heat of his body. “You better keep that temper in check, Brooklyn. No one can handle it but me,” he said, his tone both teasing and possessive.

I shoved him away with disdain, my wolf stirring faintly in the back of my mind, a quiet growl of frustration. I turned and headed toward the parking lot, but Kohen followed, his Alpha presence looming behind me.

“You know my mother’s situation, Brooklyn. Her health has been on the decline these past two years, and Miriam is her ideal choice for Luna,” he said, his voice steady yet impactful, carrying the weight of his position.

I ignored him, reaching for the car door, only for Kohen to block it with his hand, his muscular arm barring my way.

“Brooklyn, anything but the mate bond. I can give you everything but that,” he said, his voice softening, almost pleading.

“Get lost!” I snapped, slamming the door shut and starting the engine. My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I drove off, my wolf’s quiet whimper echoing my own pain.

In the rearview mirror, I saw him standing there, hands in his pockets, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the streetlamp. His lone shadow stretched long across the pavement, a reminder of the distance between us—both in rank and in heart.