Chapter Three – Two Worlds Collide: Stephanie, Grayson, and the Alpha's Plans

Alpha Brock –

            "Grayson, did you follow the woman who stormed out earlier?" I asked, compelled by an irresistible urge. My wolf was strangely attracted to her, and I needed to understand why.

   A bemused grin flashed across Grayson's face. I noticed my beta taking his shoes off while I plugged my nose. "Seriously Grayson", I watched as Grayson took out large tacks from the bottom of his black soles.

    "Boss, why on earth would you want to track down some lunatic?" he grimaced, his voice laced with dry humor. "As if we don't have enough crazies lining up to meet you."

               "Note my words, Grayson," I asserted, a sharpness tiptoeing into my tone. "This isn't about her sanity. My wolf is... interested in her, deeply. And save your theories about her being my mate—this is different. Her scent was completely masked, utterly undetectable, which is odd. There’s something she's hiding, and I intend to uncover what that is."

      "I respect you, Alpha, but something felt off about her. For example, consider the tacks in my shoes—she knew I was following her and likely scattered them to frustrate me." I watched Grayson wince while removing tacks from his shoes, each one causing him pain despite having taken them off. What a wimp, I thought.

   Grayson began to whine in a playful tone, "Alpha, will put medicine on my feet, I have owies?" As wolves capable of rapidly healing minor injuries, he was clearly just poking fun at me. It was all due because I had him chase some unknown crazy woman down the city streets.

    "Next time, Alpha, I am bringing a dart gun with sedative laced tips. That will teach her!"

               I leaned back, laughing as Grayson has always been my best friend and beta. I sat pondering the implications. "Forget about her for now, Grayson. There's another matter at hand. The Alpha from the Silverton pack is considering acquiring property adjacent to ours. He appears to be offering an olive branch, seeking my approval since I'll be his new neighbor before he finalizes the deal."

               "Speaking of him," Grayson interjected with a hint of amusement, "did you know he's fathered quite the litter? Seven grown, one teen, and another pup on the way."

              I smirked at the thought. “Despite his sizable family, he is known to be a respectable Alpha. There could also be advantages for us with them as our neighbors. Now, if you could arrange a meeting with the Alpha of Silverton pack. We must talk about their plan to buy the building next to ours for their corporate headquarters. It's a favorable moment to consider combining our packs.”          ---          

Stephanie –

            I sat down at the dinner table with a plate of juicy shredded beef, dumplings, and rich brown gravy before me. Mildred's cooking was a delectable sensory explosion, and I ate her food she had cooked with uncontrollable eagerness.

The peaceful atmosphere of my savoring my food was abruptly disrupted by Stephan's annoying interjection. He's fixated on his affected accent, demanding everyone pronounce his name as 'Stefan' to simulate a French sophistication, just ridiculous. I rolled my eyes, hardly hiding my contempt.

           "Stephanie, what brings you home to gobble down our food as if you've been starved?" His tone was more accusatory than curious, his all-knowing gaze fixed upon me.

           The nerve of him. "Oh, spare me, 'Stefan,'" I retorted with a scoff. "I miss Mildred's magic is all. If only I could steal her for my own kitchen."

          He leaned in, skepticism etched across his face. "No dice, sis. There's more to it. Why the sudden trip home? I know how much you dread coming back. What's really going on?"

           I met his gaze, feigning shock. "Moi? Come now, dear brother, isn't sibling love reason enough?"

          A chorus of family dynamics unfolded—as my father's chuckle filled the room, my mother’s disapproving glance stilled my heart. It was a pointless game; Mother could always see right through me. She knew I was trying to rile Stephan up into his antics for my own mischievous pleasure.

           "Dinner aside, Stephanie, we must talk in my office afterward," my father’s voice held a gravity that I recognized all too well.

           I nodded; fingers entwined in a nervous dance. "Yes, Dad..."

           As if on cue, Stephan pounced on my unease. "Are you—don't tell me, you're pregnant, aren't you?!"

           "I should knock your lights out for such garbage," I snapped, thumping him on the head. "And no, I am not 'following the tradition of popping out pups,' as you so crudely put it, by being pregnant." Aurina growled at the disrespect; sadly, she would never let me cheat on my mate.

        Our mother coughed, the signal to end the sibling quarrel, inducing a momentary peace as we fell silent.

            I piled more shredded beef onto my plate, exchanging snide glances with Stephan under our parents' watchful gaze.

My father’s threatening presence ordered a hasty end to dinner, reminding me that home was not a place of rest, but a realm of Alpha authority.

           Climbing to my father's office up the two flights of stairs, I prepared myself for a lecture, but when the moment came, I found myself opening up about my disastrous interview earlier that day.

           "Father," I hesitated before continuing, "Alpha I mean. Er... sorry. What I am trying to get at is I bungled my chance at an internship—vital for my business studies. Could you... provide me with an opportunity within our corporate sector as an intern in the It security department?"

          In our home respect for my father's authority and using his title was mandatory.

 His response hung silent in the air before the ringing phone shattered the stillness.

           "Hello Beta Grayson," my father answered, and my stomach churned as he agreed to a luncheon with the very pack I sought to avoid.

           As the realization crashed over me like a tidal wave, I had an intuitive feeling that he intended to require my attendance at the meeting he and Alpha Brock's beta were discussing. Despite my frantic hand-waving and silent refusals, he simply smiled in response and continued his conversation with the beta.

           "Yes, Beta. Stephanie majors in Business Law and Data Security," my father confirmed, unknowingly, my father was tying my fate to those I had just fled.

           I stood there, a flurry of embarrassment and apprehension swirling within me. How could I face them again?

           "Don't worry," my father's voice softened. "Face your challenges head-on, Stephanie. You'll rise above this. I'm guessing this is the Alpha you had that failed interview with?" He asked, a note of certainty in his tone.

           With a heavy heart, I fled the office, calling out for wigs and sunglasses—anything that could disguise me from my fated mate.

            Laughter echoed behind me, a bittersweet sound from my father as I pondered how to avoid the dreaded encounter tomorrow...