Alexander’s POV
I stood in the bustling airport terminal, my eyes scanning the departures board as Beta Ethan confirmed our check–in details for the Seattle business trip.
We had a major acquisition to finalize—a timber processing plant that would significantly expand our territory’s commercial interests–yet my mind kept drifting to Sarah.
The woman who had crashed into my life and somehow carved out space in my thoughts despite my best efforts to remain detached.
“Alpha, our gate opens in forty minutes,” Ethan reported, handing me our boarding passes. “Security shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes at this hour.”
I nodded absently, my phone vibrating in my pocket. Jeremy’s name flashed across the screen–my head of security who’d been tasked with gathering information on Sarah Winters.
“Wait here,” I instructed Ethan before stepping aside to take the call. “Report.”
“Alpha Blackwood,” Jeremy’s voice came through clearly, professionally detached. “I have the preliminary findings on Ms. Winters that you requested.”
My wolf stirred inside me, suddenly alert. “Go on.”
“Sarah Winters appears to have deep connections with Alpha Nate Santos of Coastal Crescent Pack. They’ve been closely associated for at least four years.”
Something cold settled in my chest. “Define ‘closely associated.‘”
“They’re considered a power couple in certain circles, sir. Alpha Nate’s technology firm has been making strategic moves to enter the North American market, and Ms. Winters‘ return to the country appears timed with his expansion plans.”
My fingers tightened around the phone. “Are they mated?”
A brief pause. “Not officially, but the bond is considered imminent by those in their circle. They’re raising a child together–a four–year–old girl named Aria.”
The world around me seemed to slow, sounds becoming muffled as blood rushed in my ears. A child. They had a child together.
“The girl’s parentage is… unclear,” Jeremy continued, oblivious to my internal turmoil. “Records indicate she’s being raised by both of them, though adoption papers haven’t been finalized.”
I remembered the time I had asked her, casually at the time, “Who… who is the father?”
She had replied softly, almost too quickly, “He… he’s dead.”
I had accepted it, not knowing then that while the biological father was indeed gone, she had kept the child’s adoptive father a secret.
I clenched my fists, the words barely under control as fury and confusion coursed through me.
“What’s Santos’s interest in this region?” I demanded, my voice dropping to a dangerous growl that made a passing human instinctively step away from me.
“His company needs strategic partnerships to gain footing in the western markets. Your connections and influence would be… invaluable to someone in his position.”
The pieces clicked into place with sickening clarity. Sarah’s sudden appearance in my life.
The inexplicable pull I felt toward her–was it all manufactured? A carefully orchestrated plan to use me for business connections?
“Is there anything else I should know?” The words felt like ice shards in my throat.
“Just that they arrived separately. Alpha Nate landed this morning. His Beta is scheduled to join them next week.
“Keep monitoring. I want hourly updates.” I ended the call, my wolf raging beneath my skin, demanding release, demanding vengeance for this perceived betrayal.
I turned, intending to inform Ethan that our plans had changed–and that’s when I saw them.
Across the terminal, partially obscured by the crowd but unmistakable nonetheless, stood Sarah and a tall, broad -shouldered man.
His arms were wrapped around her in an intimate embrace that spoke of years of familiarity. They looked like lovers reunited. They looked like mates.
Something primal and violent clawed at my insides.
My wolf snarled, the sound nearly escaping my human throat.
The beast inside me wanted to charge across the terminal, to tear this interloper limb from limb, to claim what it had inexplicably decided was ours.
With savage effort, I suppressed the urge, forcing my attention back to my phone. I dialed my niece.
“Uncle Alex?” Thea answered, sounding surprised. “Aren’t you supposed to be boarding?”
“Did you give Sarah Winters my name?” I asked without preamble, my voice deceptively calm.
“What? No,” she replied, confusion evident. “Why would I?”
“Are you certain? Think carefully.”
“I’m positive, Uncle..“Thea insisted. “Is everything okay?”
I ended the call without answering and turned to Ethan. “Have you ever met Sarah Winters before? Ever been in her presence when my name was mentioned?”
Ethan frowned, shaking his head. “No, Alpha.”
And yet, she had known my name. Had called it out with such familiarity, such conviction.
She had been playing me from the start. Researching me, studying me, planning her approach with calculated precision.
And I, like a fool, had begun to feel things I’d sworn never to feel again.
“We’re not going to Seattle,” I announced, my voice cold enough to make Ethan flinch.
“But Alpha, the acquisition-
11
I silenced him with a look, a flash of the beast in my eyes that had even my loyal Beta taking an instinctive step back.
“Call the lawyers. Tell them to delay. We have more pressing matters to attend to here.”
My gaze drifted back to Sarah and her Alpha, now walking toward the exit, her hand tucked comfortably in his.” Much more pressing matters.”
Ethan knew better than to argue. “Yes, Alpha.”
The tension in the car was thick enough to cut with claws. I caught Ethan studying my expression in the rearview mirror, his face paling slightly at whatever he saw there.
“Alpha, there might be…” he began hesitantly, then seemed to think better of it. “Never mind.”
“Speak,” I commanded, my patience paper–thin.
Ethan swallowed visibly. “It’s just… are you certain about Sarah’s relationship with Santos? Perhaps there’s another explanation.”
“You question my judgment?” The temperature in the car seemed to drop several degrees.
“No, Alpha,” he backpedaled quickly. “I would never. I only meant-”
“Then don’t.” I turned back to the window, effectively ending the conversation.
As the city buildings flashed by, I began plotting. Sarah Winters had made a critical error in targeting me, in thinking she could manipulate an Alpha of my standing.
If she and Santos wanted to play games, they’d soon learn that I wasn’t merely a player – I owned the entire
board.
Whatever their ultimate goal, they would fail.
And in the process, I would discover exactly what connection Sarah truly had to my past – and why the mere thought of her with another man made my wolf howl with a possessive rage that threatened to consume us both.
