Lionel's POV
I flew back to LA for the Ironclaw Pack Gathering hosted by my father, Alpha Drogo. But here's the kicker - I didn't tell a soul from the pack about my whereabouts. Only my Beta knew I was holed up in this overpriced hotel suite. I'd just stepped out of the shower, towel around my hips, reaching for my cigarettes and that bottle of Cabernet when my door burst open.I walked there and saw a drunken woman standing there, her steps unsteady.
She was clearly wasted. I frowned, about to tell her to leave—I didn't want any trouble ruining my night. Before I could say anything, she stumbled into me. Her palms slid across my abs like she was checking for six-pack authenticity. My body responded before my brain could - typical werewolf biology. "Damn, you're easy on the eyes," I growled, catching her wrists. "Wrong room?" But she didn't seem to hear me. She kept trying to get closer, mumbling something incoherent. I tried to push her away, but she suddenly tripped me, and I lost my balance, falling onto the floor. At that moment, I felt a surge of power inside me. That's when my wolf Leroy went nuts in my head. "MATE!" he roared like a damn stadium speaker. What? Finding my mate now would be like spotting Bigfoot at a Starbucks. But Leroy wasn't joking. As I tried to ask him, I realized I couldn't control my body anymore. Leroy was taking over. Damn it, the full moon had amplified Leroy's abilities. The urge for a mate was hard to suppress. The woman seemed to sense the change in me. She stopped trying to get closer and just stared at me. Then she mumbled something about being drunk. Her scent hit me - honeysuckle and roses with that dangerous edge of whiskey. My vision blurred as Leroy took the wheel. I couldn't control how I felt—she smelled like a sweet fruit. I could feel her breath on my face. Her unique scent was driving Leroy wild. The full moonlight streamed through the window. I could feel my wolf growing even more eager under its glow. I touched her body gently. Sparks seemed to fly between our skin. It was a feeling I'd never had before. I stopped holding back and let my wolf take over. We began kissing. "Mark me," she breathed. "Mark her!" Leroy howled approval. Just as I was about to do it, the moonlight outside the window suddenly brightened. We saw each other's faces clearly. Her expression shifted from confusion to horror, and she stammered my name. I quickly reached for the bedside lamp. The sudden light made me squint. When my vision cleared, I looked at the woman lying in bed. She had long brown hair, and her eyes were filled with panic. When I looked at her neck, I saw a faint, incomplete mark. The sight hit me like a punch in the gut—I immediately realized the gravity of the situation. I looked at her face again. By then, she also saw me clearly. Her already pale face turned even whiter. It was obvious that the alcohol had worn off. "...Uncle Lionel?" Hearing her address me, I remembered something. A few years ago, I attended Aljean's son's wedding when I was back at Ironclaw Pack. Aljean was my brother. He was older than me. The she-wolf who had made a mate vow with Esmond was the woman in front of me. Her name was Camellia, a she-wolf with Alpha blood. "Uncle Lionel... I..." She opened her mouth, nervously trying to say something. "Shut up." I snapped. My mood was terrible, filled with anger and disappointment. I couldn't believe this had happened. She seemed scared. She wanted to explain, but I didn't want to hear it. Leroy protested in my mind. He still wanted her. I looked at Camellia's face. When my gaze fell on the skin of her chest, Leroy roared again. "Get. Out." The words came out harsher than I intended. As I stood up, Camellia's eyes glanced at my body. She froze for a moment, then awkwardly looked away. Her ears were turning red. She had no idea how attractive that reaction was to me. "Get out of here! I don't want to see you again!" I shouted, my voice filled with anger. Camellia scrambled for her dress, that damn floral scent still messing with my head. After she fled, I chain-smoked by the ruined bed, dialing my cleanup crew. "Scrub all security footage. Tonight never happened." Leroy kept whining about lost chances while I stared at the city lights. My nephew's wife. My mate. The universe really needed to lay off the tequila shots.Third Person's POV"Esmond... I was wrong... I'm sorry, I didn't know Miss Sanders was really kidnapped..."Tears kept welling up in Hazel's eyes, her face filled with fear and regret.Esmond released her, turned away with a cold expression, and left.Only when the living room was empty did Hazel wipe away her tears. Her expression shifted from initial sadness and fear to calm.She got up, walked into the bedroom, and took out a document from the farthest corner of the bedside table. It read "Medical Report" in bold letters.After obtaining the medical reports of Esmond and Camellia, she had made a copy for herself.Now, it was time to put this medical report to use.She clutched the document tightly, her eyes filled with coldness.The next morning, Camellia was woken up by a racket.As soon as she opened her eyes, the ward door was pushed open. Claire's parents pushed past the nurse and hurried in.Vanya s
Third Person's POVEsmond instinctively defended himself, "I didn't..."Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, his wolf eyes contracted sharply into vertical gold-red lines, and his pine pheromones turned chaotic. "How did you know I was with Hazel?"Camellia stared at him, her Shadowfang Alpha aura leaking into her words, "Because I called you, and Hazel answered."The healing mark on her neck flared red in warning. "When I was at my most desperate and scared, you were with another woman."Lyra whined in her mind, and her canines punctured her lower lip. "How dare you show up here, acting as if nothing happened?"Esmond's face turned pale, his wolf ears flattening instinctively. "No... I have no call records..."He could scent the blood in Camellia's words—pheromones from her glands, activated by desperation."Then ask Hazel," her voice was icy, her rose-scented aura frosty."Cam, I will get to the bottom of this!"
Third Person's POVAfter Konstantin left with his men, Lionel drove Camellia to the hospital.During the ride, Camellia cast several glances at Lionel, hesitating to speak.Lionel turned to her and asked, "What's on your mind?"She pursed her lips and said, "Mr. Dalton, I'm curious… how did you know I was kidnapped and manage to find me here?""Konstantin had some data to ask you about. He called but you didn't answer. When he went to your place and found you gone, he did some investigating."He said it casually, but Camellia was filled with gratitude. "Mr. Dalton, I really appreciate it… If you and Mr. Carroll hadn't arrived in time, I might not have made it through the night."Lionel's expression was indifferent. "Don't overthink it. Focus on recovering."Camellia fell silent, determined to find a way to repay him.As they neared the hospital, she said, "Mr. Dalton, it's late. Just drop me off at the entr
Third Person's POVLionel had just stepped out of the car when he spotted a figure plummeting from the hotel's upper floors.An Alpha's signature frost instantly blanketed his features, the intimidating aura between his brows thick enough to curdle the air.His fingers, hanging by his sides, twitched into an unconscious curl, the whitened knuckles hinting at a beast close to breaking through, their tips tinged with a sickly blue-black.His face tightened, an unnameable panic surging in his chest.When his wolf eyes, with their night vision, revealed it wasn't Camellia, the surge of pine scent around him receded just as quickly, though his palms were already damp with sweat laced with wolf pheromones.Konstantin, following close behind, glanced at the crumpled figure on the ground and spoke in a deep voice, "Mr. Dalton, this is Connor. Miss Sanders should be upstairs."Lionel didn't acknowledge, instead turning and striding swiftly into the hotel.At that moment, on the hotel rooftop,
Lionel's POVI was reviewing lab surveillance footage when my suit pocket vibrated with an incoming satellite call.I answered, and Konstantin's urgent breathing filled my ear. "Alpha Lionel, Miss Sanders has gone missing!"My knuckles crushed a pen, splintering wood into sharp shards. "What's the situation?"Leroy whined anxiously in my mind."Her place is a mess. Her phone's on the sofa, but she's gone."Fabric rustled as Konstantin investigated. "There are drag marks on the hallway carpet, and in the kitchen...""Check it out." Cedar scent froze on my tongue as I loosened my tie and headed to the garage.A sudden pain seared my neck—my true mate was in danger.Unfortunately, without her marked, I couldn't pinpoint her location.Leroy's claws scraped my nerves."Let me take over," it growled."Shut up. Not the time to shift," I snapped back.Oddly, a flicker of anxiety stirred within m
Camellia's POVFrom Connor's conversation with that man, I figured out he kidnapped me for money.In a flash, everything became clear.Claire wanted me dead but didn't want to get involved, so she arranged for Connor to kidnap me. If I died, Connor would take the blame.She might even plan to kill him too. After all, dead men tell no tales.Seeing I didn't respond, Claire sneered, "If you don't call, you'll die right now."I knew calling Esmond was my only chance to survive.If I could hold on until he came, I might live."Alright, I'll call.""You give the number, I'll dial. But think carefully about what you say."She put Esmond's call on speakerphone.But it wasn't Esmond who answered. It was Hazel."Who's this?"Recognizing Hazel's voice, my heart sank."It's Camellia. I need to speak to Esmond."Hazel giggled. "Esmond's taking a shower. You can tell me what you want, and I'l