Chapter 3 Finding Her

Lysander's Pov

[After That Night on the Cruise]

“No records? Are you fucking kidding me? She managed to get into my party, and you’re telling me you don’t know how she did it?!”

Beta Mid hung his head, admitting his incompetence in handling such a simple disappearance case. Frustrated, I hurled the champagne glass against the brick wall, unwilling to accept the fact that the woman who had spent the night with me had vanished into thin air.

This was a first for me. Usually, the she-wolves would stay, begging for more privileges. But her? She slipped away while I was asleep!

What infuriated me even more was the inexplicable pull she had on me—her kiss, her touch—it felt like my soul had finally been made whole after my dick had been sucked in.

Mate. That was the only explanation. She was my mate, though I dared not admit it. From the age of 18 until now, 12 years later, I’ve been disappointed too many times.

And her rank—she was an Omega… Could it really be true? As the strongest Alpha of the largest pack in North America, could my mate possibly be an Omega?

And she had the audacity to reject me!

“Find her!” I stood up and commanded. “Unless you’re telling me you want to give up your position.”

Fear filled his eyes before he lowered his head and took his leave. I stared at my hands, the traces of her touch still lingering.

I would find her… whether she wanted it or not.

I’d make that Omega beg for forgiveness for daring to reject an Alpha like me.

[Present Day]

Anger burned through my veins like wildfire, my fists clenched tightly.

Beta Mid trembled as he informed me that, after a week, they still hadn’t found any trace of that Omega.

Defeated, I began to wonder if the woman I’d encountered had been nothing more than a figment of my imagination or a dream.

But how could that explain the vivid memories I had of her?

“You should forget about that woman and move on, Lysander.”

On the highway, my furious gaze shot toward Damon, my best friend and the Alpha of the second-largest pack in North America. We were in the human world, running businesses together.

If he weren’t my best friend, I was certain I’d have torn him apart with my claws and fed him to the sharks in the Pacific.

“I heard she’s just an Omega. I don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with her. There are plenty of hotter she-wolves out there…” He sipped his champagne, continuing to speak. “Why settle for a ‘one-night stand’?” He ignored my growing anger, taking another sip as he mocked me.

As if my rage was irrelevant.

Perhaps it was time to remind my so-called best friend—a wolf far beneath me in the pack hierarchy—of his place.

“Pull over.”

I noticed the confused glance he shot me from the corner of his eye. Beta Mid didn’t wait for me to repeat myself and pulled the car to the side of the road.

“Get out.”

His face paled.

“Oh, come on, man. Don’t make me walk to the MW Mall. I’m sorry, okay? I was just joking.”

I turned to him, my expression blank. He swallowed hard.

“Damon, aren’t you the fastest in your pack? Why don’t you show me now? Beat this luxury car to the mall.”

“Wh-what? Dude, are you serious? I can’t just shift into a wolf in the human world!”

I looked away, bored.

“Not my problem. Get out.”

He hesitated, frowning and scratching the back of his head before stepping out of the car. I watched silently through the rearview mirror as he began jogging down the highway.

That idiot better not hail a cab.

“Are we really leaving him on the highway, Alpha?” Beta Mid asked nervously.

He probably thought I was just messing with my best friend again. But honestly, I was furious. I didn’t even know why I was overreacting. Maybe it was because he dared to mock her? Or because I was affected by the truth in his words.

“Do you want to join him for a jog?”

He cleared his throat.

“No, Alpha.”

I scoffed and looked away.

The mall wasn’t far anyway. I was heading there for a meeting about the mall’s expansion. I could’ve left it to Damon, but since he was now busy jogging to the mall, I’d have to handle it myself.

Upon arrival, the director immediately greeted me and directed me straight to the conference room. “Welcome, sir! It’s an honor to have you here!”

When he tried to extend his hand, I didn’t bother to shake it. I didn’t like being touched.

The director awkwardly retracted his hand and said tentatively, “Um… this way, please. The conference room is ready. We can start as soon as you arrive.”

I gestured for him to lead the way. But a familiar tingling sensation in my body made me stop in my tracks.

It was the same feeling I’d had when that Omega appeared that night—only stronger.

It was like a poison I couldn’t ignore. It was driving me insane!

“Mate!” my wolf howled in my mind.

Mate! Yes, I was certain my wolf and my instincts were in sync. That Omega from that night was our mate.

“Boss, is something wrong?” the director stopped and asked cautiously.

I ignored his question. Every cell in my body screamed that I had to find my mate.

“Boss…” the director tried again, attempting to stop me.

“Move—” I growled, my crimson gaze locking onto his. Fear immediately filled his eyes, and he collapsed to the ground.

I couldn’t shift, damn it! I immediately started running in the direction of the scent—

It grew stronger until I found myself stopping at the door of the HR office.

The sound of a man and a woman arguing loudly made me pause.

The door wasn’t fully closed. And there she was—the woman I’d been searching for all week.

She—the woman I was looking for—was arguing with a man I’d never seen before. Listening to their conversation, I slowly realized who this man was.

Her cheating ex-boyfriend.

“Come on, Almira. You’re not that noble. You’re just as low as I am. You got on that cruise hoping to hook up with a rich guy, and you’re mad because I beat you to it,” the man sneered.

No, that didn’t make sense. She left first. She didn’t beg for more from me.

“You bastard! How dare you insult my feelings like that!” Almira roared in pain, then reached out her hand.

Her hand was caught, and the man’s eyes immediately turned furious as he quickly tried to retaliate.

“Mate! We need to protect our mate!” my wolf growled angrily.

I burst into the room, slamming the man against the wall. He cried out in pain.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I stepped out of the shadows, and both of them looked at me in shock. The man quickly lowered his hand, while she looked at me with a mix of surprise and relief.

I knew she recognized me—the way she swallowed, the glint in her eyes, the slight parting of her lips. I tried not to be tempted by it. Otherwise, I’d just take her away and find a big bed to punish her for leaving without a word.

But for now, I needed to hear what Almira had to say.

“A-Alpha Lysander!” He immediately stood up, looking at me in fear. “I mean… uh—CEO Lysander.”

In the human world, we could only refer to our human identities.

I had no interest in him. I turned my gaze to the woman, who was still staring at me wide-eyed. She seemed unable to believe I was standing in front of her now. She looked like she’d seen a ghost.

“CEO Lysander?” she whispered in disbelief. Then I saw her eyes turn angry. “You have no right to interfere in our matters. Even if you are CEO Lysander.”

She emphasized it again.

What was she saying? Was she rejecting me? Every fiber of my being was on fire. She was an Omega? She was rejecting me for the second time!

Was she still in love with her bastard ex-boyfriend? The thought consumed me again. I wanted to tear the man on the ground to shreds!

Hearing Almira’s words, he immediately apologized, “Sir, you see. She’s just a bitch who doesn’t follow the rules. I’m sorry you had to witness this. She’s trying to quit after multiple absences. She’s clearly violated the company’s ethical standards. I was just trying to teach her some professionalism.”

The look of surprise on her face was quickly replaced by anger.

“Ethics? You dare talk about ethics? You’re the last person who should be talking about ethics, you bastard!”

Her anger was palpable.

I scoffed.

Was she pretending not to know me? Was she afraid her ex-boyfriend would find out? Fine, then I’d ruin the surprise.

I glanced at the man’s ID. “You’re the senior manager?”

He nodded nervously.

“Fire her.”

The man looked at me in shock.

“Wh-what for?”

I looked indifferently at the Omega, who was just as surprised. Her eyes showed a hint of hurt and confusion, but I was too furious to care about her feelings.

“We don’t need her in our company,” I sneered, my voice dripping with disdain. “This mall isn’t a place for whores who use their bodies for revenge.”

“Wh-what did you say?”

Her gaze flickered between me and her ex-boyfriend. The pain in her eyes was evident. But even as I saw her pain, I felt a cold satisfaction. I had seduced her, and I wanted to have her again.

But she had rejected me for the love of her ex-boyfriend. Her mate!

She was a foolish she-wolf, and I had to make her pay for her actions.

My fondness for her had vanished, replaced by utter disgust.

She let out a humorless laugh.

“Wow! I’m really surprised,” she mocked, her disappointed gaze somehow stinging more than her anger. “Now you’re calling me a whore, as if revenge sex wasn’t your idea?”

Her ex-boyfriend looked at us in confusion. If he didn’t understand what was going on, he was truly an idiot.

Yeah, I was the one who fucked your girl.

I glared at her.

So, were we really supposed to forget everything after that night? Didn’t she feel the connection like I did?

“Even insects have feelings. Are you really so heartless?” I muttered, mocking her attempt to deny what had happened between us. “I shouldn’t be surprised, right? After all, you’re just a whore, unworthy of being with me.”

Looking at her face, I was filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, I wanted to embrace her; on the other, I wanted to crush her. I was Lysander Hitwell, the pack leader, a billionaire. A mere Omega shouldn’t make me feel this way.

I watched as she took a step back, her composure hardening as she forced a smile. “I’m glad I just tried to reject you. If I had the chance to do it again, I’d still reject you, you arrogant, horny bastard!”

She spat out angrily before storming out of the mall.

My fists clenched again! I’d make sure she couldn’t find a single company in New York City willing to offer her a job!