Chapter 1

Arianna:

“Good evening, boss, the usual?” I asked, smiling at the Alpha who just walked toward the bar.

Alpha Dean Ivanov, Pakhan, and Alpha of Alphas, also my family’s biggest challenge and rival.

His blue eyes met my green ones and he nodded in response and I smiled before turning to the bottles and pulling out his bottle of scotch and a glass. 

I poured the glass for him and handed it to him before turning to his beta, or in other words, his second hand as I poured him his glass. 

I waited for a few seconds, wanting to see whether or not they needed anything else, but the Alpha simply nodded, dismissing me as he turned to his beta. I caught sight of the chain under his shirt, meaning that he had the keys. 

I turned toward the next customers, a couple, who were sitting beside one another and I frowned as I saw the man pouring white powder, a drug, inside the woman’s drink. Her eyes were on her phone as he did it, before she extended her hand to wrap around the glass. 

The woman went to take a sip only for me to clear my throat and take the glass from her, making her frown.

“What is your problem?” She asked, glaring at me.

“That is a question that you need to ask your date here,” I said, handing him the glass. “Take a sip,”

“What the fuck…?”

“I said a word,” I smiled at him, my smile devious as I glared at the man who pushed the glass away from him. The Alpha and his beta stopped whatever they were saying, turning their attention to us as I crossed my arms over my chest. “I do believe that you don’t have the balls to face the consequence that you just drugged your date’s drink, do you?” 

“You are sick,” he said, shaking his head at me as the woman frowned.

“Prove me wrong then,” I said, pushing the drink toward him again. “Drink it,” 

The man pushed the drink at me, causing the glass to break and the drink to pour and I took a deep breath as he got up. He wrapped his hand around the woman’s arm, pulling her to her feet just as Alpha Dean stood in front of him, glaring daggers at the man. 

“You have two options,” he said, glaring at the man whose heart raced. “Let the woman’s arm go, or get a fucking beating that I will be sure that you never forget.” 

“You people are sick, is this how you treat your clients?” The man asked and the woman snatched her arm from him, glaring at him as she did. 

“It is you who is fucking sick.” She said, turning to the bar. She grabbed the Alpha’s glass before pouring it at the man whose eyes widened in surprise before she put the glass back on the bar. “To think that you fucking changed.”

“Beatrice…”

“Don’t fucking call me again,” she said, walking toward the door without saying a word. The man froze before the Alpha nodded at two of us men to come and kick him out. They grabbed him by his arm and pulled him toward the door just as I kneeled down to pick up the broken glass, noticing that it cut my ankle.

“Shit,” I said, shaking my head before straightening to get a napkin. 

“Are you okay?” The Alpha asked and I nodded before he frowned as he probably caught the smell of blood. 

“It’s a small scrape, I just don’t want any glass to be stuck inside, that’s all.” I said and he nodded before walking behind the counter toward me. His eyes met mine for a second, and I couldn’t help but feel a clench in my chest as my wolf tried fighting me, wanting to give in to her urge. However, I was quick to suppress her as I kept my eyes on him, thankful for the fact that the spray’s effect was yet to wear off and he couldn’t catch my scent.

He pushed me to sit on the counter before grabbing the napkin from my hand and removing the two shards that were the initial reason that my ankle was cut. His eyes met mine and he smiled, “I appreciate what you did back there.”

“I wasn’t going to have a man drug the woman without her consent,” I said and he nodded.

“Well, how about I invite you for a drink in the pool as compensation for what you did?” He said, his eyes meeting mine for a second before he looked down at the cut as he wiped the blood off. 

“My shift hasn’t ended yet though, and there is no one else to cover it today. Emelia is taking a day off.” I said and he nodded. 

“The night is still young anyway, finish your shift and meet at the pool.” He said and I nodded as a smile made its way to my lips. He took a step back, allowing me to get down on my feet and I couldn’t help but find myself glancing at the key, which dangled over his shirt, for a second before looking down at the glass. 

“I’ll go and get a broom to clean up, then I’ll proceed with work.” I said, and he nodded. I nodded at the customers who were waiting, knowing that they heard me, and both girls nodded in assurance as I walked toward the janitor’s closet.

I pulled my phone out and looked up to make sure that no one was watching before sending my father the one text that he was waiting to hear for the past few months.

-I’ll be a little late tonight. I have a little key to fetch.

-Preso atto, assicurati di mantenere la tua copertura. Noted, just be sure to stay under cover. His response was instant and I couldn’t help but shake my head, knowing that he was waiting to hear from me anyway, especially considering the fact that he knew that the Alpha was in the city. 

-Non preoccuparti, chiamami quando avrai finito. Don’t worry, I’ll call you when it’s done…

I put my phone back in my pocket before grabbing my bag and sneaking out of the janitor’s room, using the window, making sure that no one saw me from the outside.

I walked toward the man and woman who were waiting for me by the backdoor, knowing that no one ever used it unless it was an emergency. 

“Good job,” I said, pulling out the envelope containing the two thousand dollars. 

“I don’t have the balls, do I?” The man asked, raising an eyebrow. I didn’t even know their names, but there was a lot that two thousand dollars could do in a five minute showcase. 

“You’re getting paid to hear such a word, or do you want me to back down…” 

“Marcus,” the woman said and I rolled my eyes before handing them their envelope. 

“Now disappear, and I don’t want to see your faces around here again. Otherwise, I believe that you know how fatal the consequences would be…”