As soon as the car pulled up in front of my house, I turned to glance at him.

"And how do you know where I live?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

He simply grinned in response — that same maddening, confident grin. Oh, goddess.

He didn’t bother answering.

“I’ll get going,” I muttered, reaching for the door.

But before I could fully step out, he pulled me back to him and kissed me again — just like earlier. I didn’t fight it. I let him in, parting my lips for him the way he’d silently asked before.

“Be ready. I’ll come meet you here tomorrow,” he said against my mouth.

I shook my head weakly, flustered. He gave me one last soft peck before I quickly stepped out of the car.

I practically sprinted to the front door, flung it open, and slammed it shut behind me. My heart was still racing.

As I tiptoed deeper into the house, I spotted my father sitting on the couch, reading a book with a glass of fruit juice in hand.

Just then, my brother came marching down the stairs with his mate in tow.

“Look who finally decided to come home,” my mother sneered from the hallway.

My father put down his paper and stood, making his way toward me. I instinctively braced myself, expecting the usual punishment for being late.

But instead, his gaze locked onto my lips.

“Why are your lips so red?” he asked sharply. “Is that… a bite mark?”

Startled, I touched my lips instinctively, feeling them burn under my fingertips. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Now it was my brother’s turn to chime in.

“And why do you smell like that?”

That caught my mother’s attention. She came closer, sniffing the air.

“Yes! You reek of someone — it’s flooding the whole house,” she hissed.

Then she snapped.

“Did you throw yourself at another man after being rejected?!” she shouted.

Suzy, my brother’s mate, snickered.

“I... I,” I stammered, barely able to speak.

My father’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You didn’t, did you?”

I swallowed hard and finally forced the words out.

“I got a second chance mate,” I breathed.

Silence fell.

“What?” my mother asked, half-laughing.

But my father wasn’t amused.

“Who is it?” he demanded.

“Osborne,” I whispered.

The entire room froze.

And then, laughter erupted — from my father, my brother, even my mother.

“You?” my mother laughed cruelly.

“You think the Alpha’s son would ever choose you?”

“Are you drunk?” my father scoffed. “Or did some random guy pretend to be Osborne and you just went and kissed him?”

I clenched my fists.

“No. It was him. He claimed me — even said he’d be here tomorrow. He drove me home.”

The laughter died. Silence returned.

My mother rushed to the window, peered outside, and then turned back slowly.

“You’re not lying?” my father asked, staring hard at me.

I shook my head earnestly.

“I swear, Dad. I was just as shocked. He came to me... he claimed me, and it felt like my whole body was on fire.”

I cut myself off, suddenly remembering what had happened between us. My lips burned again, the bite mark too obvious to hide.

My father looked to my mother. Even Suzy and Josh exchanged glances.

“Go make dinner,” my father finally said.

I quietly nodded and left the room, retreating fast.

But even as I walked away, I could hear their murmurs.

“She must have lost her mind,” someone whispered.

None of them believed me.

Heck, even I wasn’t sure I believed it myself.

How could a man like Osborne — the future Alpha, strong, devastatingly handsome, and so completely out of my league — ever claim someone like me? Just a plain girl?

The next morning, I woke up before the sun. I had so much to do—clean the house, prepare breakfast, and most importantly, prepare myself. He said he would come, though he didn’t say when. Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about last night… the way I had craved him. One moment changed everything. My entire life shifted in the blink of an eye.

Today felt unlike any other. A strange joy bubbled in my chest, unfamiliar but warm. Even my wolf was restless, pacing inside me with excitement.

"Clean that area properly," my mother barked.

"I will!" I replied cheerfully, a smile tugging at my lips. She looked at me as if I had gone mad, but I didn’t care.

For some reason, my father didn’t go to work. My brother and his mate were also home. I had a feeling they were waiting—to mock me again, probably. None of them believed I had found my second chance mate. Not really.

By noon, their laughter rang through the house.

“We should really get her checked,” my brother said, chuckling.

My mother joined in. “You should’ve seen the look the beta’s son gave her. Disgust, pure hatred. And when he rejected her, she didn’t even fight back. How did I raise such a daughter?”

Their words stung—sharp and cold—but I tried to ignore them. Still… why was Osborne taking so long?

I sat alone in silence, my ears tuned to every sound. The earlier joy had faded into quiet uncertainty.

Then, suddenly, it hit me.

A wildfire blazed through my body. My heart raced painfully fast, breath caught in my throat. It was hard to breathe. My skin burned, my head throbbed, and between my legs—I was wet. Embarrassingly so.

It was happening again… no, this was worse.

Heat.

But why now? He wasn’t even here.

I doubled over, trying to steady myself, vision blurring. And then I heard Suzy’s voice.

“The scent… it’s coming from here. I think Aina is in heat!”

Footsteps pounded toward me. My father’s voice followed. “Why is it so strong? Someone get a glass of cold water!”

My mother crouched beside me. “Breathe, Aina. We might as well find you a mate ourselves. Maybe then you’ll stop clinging to your little delusions.”

They were wrong.

Osborne was real.

And he was coming.

Before the water reached me, my body gave out and I collapsed.

But just before darkness pulled me under… I heard it.

My name.

"Aina."

His voice.

Osborne

"The shares in the company within the Waterford Pack are increasing by the day. I want you to go check it out, son. As you know, we’ve maintained a good relationship with them for a long time."

My father’s voice echoed in my head, calm but heavy with the same expectations that had followed me for years. I gave a stiff nod, trying to mask my irritation.

"I know, Father. But when does it end?" I looked him in the eye. "I should be elsewhere by now. Doing what I was born for, not babysitting alliances."

He studied me quietly for a second, then nodded as if he’d anticipated this resistance. "I see. But there’s a party tonight. I want you to attend... with Bella."

Ah. So that’s what this is really about.

I scoffed inwardly and stood. "You could’ve just said that from the start."

We both knew what this was. He wanted me to claim Bella—to mate with her for power, not love. That’s why he never forced me to attend the gatherings in the pack square like the other unmated wolves. He’d always had Bella in mind. Always waiting, always scheming.

But tonight, I’d shatter that plan.

"I won’t be going with Bella," I said coolly. "I’m going to see the woman I’ve already claimed."

He froze mid-motion, eyes lifting slowly to meet mine. "What did you just say?"

"I said," I repeated calmly, "I’m going to the woman I have claimed."

His face twisted with disbelief before rage began to crack through his polished exterior. "You haven’t even been officially mated! Don’t stand there and speak nonsense to me."

"I’m not," I said, standing my ground. "I claimed her under the moon goddess. I marked her in truth."

He surged toward me, grabbing the collar of my shirt in a tight fist. His fury poured off him in waves. "What. Have. You. Done?"

"I’ve followed my heart," I answered steadily. "I love her, Father."

His hand dropped from my shirt, but the anger didn’t leave his face. This wasn’t just disappointment—it was betrayal in his eyes. To him, I wasn’t a son. I was a tool. And tonight, I’d dared to bend the blade away from the grip.

"I want no part in your politics with Alpha Hamilton," I added. "I’ll go to the party, but not with Bella."

His shoulders tensed, his jaw clenched. He didn’t speak. Silence meant fury, and I welcomed it.

"Excuse me," I said, turning my back on him.

My heart pounded as I stepped out of the room. The weight of defying him was heavy, but it didn’t slow my stride.

Shit. I’m late.

She’d be waiting. Probably confused. Maybe hurt.

I’ll bring her a flower. Something soft to make up for the sharpness of my delay.

As I stepped out, I spotted my mother heading toward my father's office.

"Are you two arguing again?" she asked.

I shook my head quickly. "No, Mom. But I really need to be somewhere," I replied, already halfway past her.

She took a step closer. "Your father must have mentioned Bella—"

I cut her off, not wanting to get into it. "Later, Mom. Please, not now." I hurried off, leaving her watching me with concern.

I reached my car, only to be stopped yet again—this time by Alex.

What the hell?

"Hey, buddy," he greeted.

I exhaled sharply. "Not now!" I snapped, slamming the door shut and driving off without another word.

I drove straight to a nearby flower shop, my thoughts completely consumed by Aina. The moment I stepped in, I could feel the attention shift toward me.

"Who do you think he’s buying flowers for? Is he already mated?" one girl whispered with clear jealousy.

"Oh God, please let it be me," another giggled.

Ugh. Seriously?

I paid quickly, ignored the unnecessary attention, and headed back to my car. I just needed to see her. As I drove, my mind drifted to her—how she looked last night, how she felt. I gripped the wheel tighter. I was almost there when it hit me.

A wave of heat slammed into my chest and shot down my body. My cock hardened painfully, demanding her. It was the same uncontrollable ache as last night—but this time it was more intense. Like a primal force was dragging me toward her.

Then I caught it.

Her scent.

Oh, goddess.

Sweet. Potent. Irresistible. And it wasn’t just inside the house—it reached outside. Fuck. That shouldn’t happen. No one should know how my mate smells. No one should know she’s going into heat.

I pulled up in front of her house and jumped out, heart racing. That’s when I saw them.

Three guys loitering just a little too close to her block. They were sniffing the air subtly, eyes narrowing in the direction of her home.

They smelled it too.

No. Hell. No.

My protective instincts kicked in so hard I saw red. I clenched my fists and stalked toward them. One of them, a lanky omega with twitchy eyes, dared to speak.

"Smells like—"

"Don’t." I snapped.

The moment they saw my face, they froze. Recognition flickered in their eyes. One stepped back. The other two immediately lowered their heads and bowed.

"Alpha," one muttered quickly, trying to act like they hadn’t just been sniffing around my mate’s scent like hungry dogs.

I didn’t care who they were. I didn’t care if they belonged to this pack or the next. My glare could’ve burned holes through them.

"Next time I see you this close to her house," I growled, my voice low and lethal, "you’ll be crawling home without your noses."

They didn’t wait. They backed off quickly, practically tripping over themselves.

Without wasting another second, I turned and stormed toward her house. No knocking. No hesitation. I shoved the door open and followed her scent like a predator locked on prey.

It led me straight to the living room.

Her family was gathered there—faces tight with worry.

And then I saw her.

Aina.

She swayed on her feet, eyes fluttering closed. Her body gave out beneath her, and without thinking, I shouted her name.

"Aina!"