Olivia's breath came in short, uneven gasps, her heart hammering from the attack. The bloodied scene around her froze her in place as she stared at Callum in shock, adrenaline making her head struggle to catch up. The metallic scent of blood mingled with an earthy, wild smell she couldn't place.
She couldn't get the images out of her head—Callum tearing through those things like they were nothing. The precision, the raw force; utterly inhuman. His movements had been fluid, predatory, terrifying in their efficiency. Standing before her now, the man she thought she knew was something far beyond comprehension.
His eyes glowed unnaturally in the dim light, a molten gold that seemed to pierce right through her. One word reverberated within her mind, impossible yet undeniable: *werewolf*. The very thing that couldn't exist, shouldn't exist, yet clearly did.
"I need you to listen," he said, his voice strained like he knew the extent of her shattered world. A world where monsters were real, and the man she'd been falling for was one of them.
The remains of the attack—smashed glass, overturned furniture, deep claw marks gouged into hardwood floors—seemed insignificant compared to the earth-shattering revelation. Callum Wolfe, with his tailored suits and commanding presence, wasn't just a powerful billionaire. He was a werewolf. An Alpha werewolf.
Her mind struggled to marry the Callum she knew—charismatic, determined, intensely magnetic—to the monster she'd just witnessed. His transformation replayed in her mind: bones breaking with sickening cracks, muscles flexing and expanding, features molding from human to something primeval. Yet even in that monstrous form, his wolf retained those eyes, those glittering golden eyes that were so unmistakably *his*.
"Olivia." Callum's deep voice sliced through her thoughts, resonating with an authority that made her skin prickle. "I know this is a lot. But there's more at play here than you realize."
She wanted to laugh, or maybe scream. What could be more important than her whole conception of reality being blown apart?
Callum moved closer, his movements carefully measured, and she stepped backward, bumping into an overturned chair. Hurt flickered across his features, quickly replaced by his familiar boardroom mask. But she'd seen it—a flash of vulnerability that made her heart twist even as fear coursed through her veins.
"Werewolves live by different rules. We're bound by ancient laws, by our packs. And as Alpha, it's my duty to lead. To protect." His voice carried a weight of responsibility she was only beginning to understand.
The word 'Alpha' held a significance she couldn't fully grasp. It was more than a title—it was power, control, *dominance*. Everything she should run from. Everything that, deep down, she craved.
"And then there's... mates." Callum's jaw clamped down, the word clearly an ache in itself. "Fated mates. Two souls bound by destiny. You can't fight it, Olivia. Believe me, I've tried."
The air vibrated with all that was left unsaid. Her chest grew tight, suddenly filled with memories of James, all those promises reduced to cold, gray ash by his betrayal.
"I can't," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I cannot do this again."
Callum eliminated the space between them, overwhelming in his menace and magnetism. Heat radiated from his body, and that wild, earthy scent enveloped her. "I won't hurt you. But I also won't lie. There's something between us. I feel it. And I know you do too."
Her pulse raced, heart warring with her head. After James had made a wasteland of her heart, she'd vowed never to be this vulnerable again.
Yet here Callum stood, every word pulling her further into his orbit. His power, his intensity, his *need* for her—intoxicating, overwhelming, impossible to resist.
"You don't know what you're asking," she muttered. "You don't know what it feels like to be used, lied to. *Cheated on*."
Callum's face darkened, a growl underlying his words. "You think I don't know betrayal? I lost more than you could imagine. I know what it feels like to be rejected by the one person who is supposed to be my world."
For the first time, she realized she wasn't the only one with scars.
"I won't be second to anyone," she whispered.
"You never will be. Not with me." His words rang with conviction.
His words took her breath away, and she desperately wanted to believe him. But the walls she'd built were high, fortified by James' betrayal.
"How can I trust you? How do I know it's not just werewolf instinct? That I'm not some cosmic accident you're stuck with?"
Callum's eyes softened as he touched her cheek. She leaned into it despite herself.
"Because I've known you were mine from the moment I saw you. Your strength, your brilliance, the fire in your eyes when you stand up to me. You challenge me in ways no one else has. Werewolf or human."
"And when the novelty wears off? When you tire of a human partner?"
His grip tightened, not painfully, but with unmistakable intensity. "The mate bond isn't fleeting attraction. It's for life. You are my life now."
"I need time," she said finally. "This is too much. Werewolves, mates, packs. I need to process."
Callum nodded, though the struggle in his eyes was plain. "Take all the time you need. But know this—I'll wait. For as long as it takes."
As she turned to go, his voice halted her. "Be careful. Now that you know about our world, there are those who might see you as a threat. Or a way to get to me. If you need anything—call me. Day or night."
Stepping into the cool night air, the enormity of what lay ahead crashed over her. Werewolves were real. Magic existed. And she, Olivia Blackwood, was apparently fated to be mated with the most powerful Alpha in London.
God help her.
I stepped into Callum's packhouse with my heart pounding against my ribs, a caged animal. In this place, I wasn't just an outsider; I was a threat, a reminder of what Callum had once promised me and then cast aside.Every fibre of instinct in my body screamed at me to turn and run, to flee this world that was never meant to be mine. I made myself keep my chin high-not to show the nerves that were coiling in my stomach. I could feel the weight of every gaze on me: the curious and the hostile, the calculating. Callum's pack was watching, weighing my worth with every step I took beside him."Welcome to my home, Olivia," Callum whispered-the air from his voice fluttering low and warm against my ear. I managed a tight nod, not trusting my voice. The air was thick and heavy, weighted with an energy that charged my skin. This wasn't going to be just meeting the pack; this was about facing a life denied.We moved further into the packhouse, and two figures drew my attention. They stood at th
I would never have believed that I would ever be standing here, between two worlds with a sense of belonging to neither. The tightrope that I balance between human life and this new, dangerous, werewolf reality grows thinner with each passing day. And Callum? He will continue to grow as elusive as the moon, which dictates his transformation. Sometimes I catch myself wondering if I ever truly knew him at all.I stroll toward the elevator, the gleaming marble of Wolfe Industries' lobby echoing beneath my heels. I've learned to pull off unshakeable—head high, shoulders back, the very picture of rising star in London's financial district. Inside? I'm a maelstrom of doubt and fear, each step feeling like a performance in a play I never auditioned for.The elevator doors slide open, and she's standing inside.Emilia Hawthorne.My breath catches at her effortless grace. All sharp features and cool confidence, she commands the small space as if it were a boardroom. Still, there is something a
The morning rain beat against the floor-to-ceiling windows of Wolfe Industries' conference room, matching the storm in my chest. My fingers were shaking a little as I adjusted my laptop for the third time, its sleek device a poor shield against the primal energy radiating from Callum at the head of the table. Even in his perfectly tailored Tom Ford suit, he breathed raw power. A flicker across my skin prickled with awareness.I forced myself to breathe, to maintain that ice-queen veneer which had been my protection against the world since James's betrayal. But when Callum's amber eyes met mine across the gleaming mahogany table, that carefully wrought control faltered. For a heartbeat, his gaze gentled, and something in me stirred with a yearning I would not admit.The spell was snapped the instant Amelia Thornton swanned into the room, her platinum blonde hair glowing under the recessed lights. The way she posted herself up at Callum's right hand, posed in perfect ease in her Chanel
The text from James hits me like a physical blow, making my coffee cup tremble in my grip. Around me, Callum's pristine Mayfair office blurs at the edges as I stare at the glowing screen, my ex-husband's words burning into my retinas: *"I know I hurt you, but I've changed. The affair was the biggest mistake of my life. Can we talk?"*Thunder rumbles outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, echoing the storm brewing in my chest. Across the mahogany desk, Callum continues reviewing acquisition documents, his broad shoulders tense. Even without looking up, I know he can sense my distress – the subtle flaring of his nostrils tells me my scent has changed with my rising anxiety.My hands shake as memories flood back: walking in on James and Sarah, my supposed best friend, tangled in our marital bed. The shattered trust. The humiliation. The divorce papers served over breakfast like they were nothing more than a business transaction. Three years later, and the wound still feels raw."Everythin
The soft glow of candlelight dances across the white tablecloth at Maison Laurent, casting deceptive warmth over James's familiar features. My fingers tremble around the stem of my wine glass as I try to ignore my buzzing phone. Another message from Callum – the fifth one in the past hour."You always did love their Bordeaux," James says, his voice carrying that same tender note that once made my heart skip. Now it just makes my stomach clench. "Remember our anniversary dinner here?"I take a larger sip than intended, letting the rich wine coat my tongue. "That was a long time ago, James." Too long to matter, I tell myself. Too long to still hurt this much.My phone vibrates again, more insistent this time. I glimpse the words "URGENT - rival pack" before turning the screen face-down. Whatever pack drama Callum's dealing with will have to wait. I need this – need to face my past before I can even think about a future."You look beautiful tonight, Liv." James reaches across the table,
Rain pelted against the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse office, mirroring the turmoil in my heart. The kiss with James haunted me, a constant reminder of my weakness. Every time my phone buzzed with another message from Callum, guilt twisted deeper into my chest like a knife.I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, watching London blur through the downpour. The city lights below wavered like dying stars, distorted by streams of water. Just like my judgment lately. The ghost of James's lips against mine felt like a brand of shame."You've been avoiding him, haven't you?"I whirled around to find Amelia Thornton perched on the edge of my desk, her perfect manicure gleaming as she examined her nails. I hadn't even heard her come in. My heart thundered in my chest – had she somehow learned about the kiss?"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, keeping my voice steady despite the panic rising in my throat.Amelia's lips curved into a predatory smile. "Oh, come now
My heart pounds against my ribs as I press myself against the cold brick wall beside Cartier. Through the pristine windows, diamonds sparkle like trapped stars under carefully arranged lighting, but my attention is fixed on something far more precious – and potentially more devastating. Callum's tall frame bends over a display case, his familiar gesture of running fingers through dark hair betraying his nervousness. The stunning blonde beside him points at various rings, her perfectly manicured nail tapping the glass as she speaks animatedly. Each tap feels like a hammer blow to my chest.The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across Bond Street, but the darkness growing in my heart feels far heavier. I'm intimately familiar with this scene – the secretive meetings, the nervous gestures, the guilty glances. James had worn the same expression when he was shopping for jewelry with his mistress two years ago.*Not again. Please, not again.*My enhanced werewolf hearing picks up fragm
The world exploded into chaos. One moment, I was facing Callum outside the jewelry store, my heart breaking at his perceived betrayal. The next, a mass of gray fur and gleaming fangs erupted from the shadows."Behind me!" Callum shoved me backward, his body already rippling with transformation. The velvet ring box tumbled forgotten to the pavement as his designer suit shredded, giving way to midnight-black fur.My heels caught on the uneven cobblestones as I stumbled away from the melee. The screams of fleeing pedestrians filled the air, but all I could hear was my own thundering heartbeat and the savage snarls of warring wolves.Callum's massive black form tore through two attackers, his jaws snapping with lethal precision. Even in my anger and hurt, I couldn't help but marvel at his raw power. This was the Alpha of London's most powerful pack, and he moved like living shadow, each strike calculated and devastating.But there were too many. Four more wolves slunk from the darkness, t