Chapter 2

It had been eight years since I arrived in this werewolf world — eight years as Alpha Female.

The moment I took power, the Witch had prophesied that my pack would fall within eight years, and only finding my fated mate could save us.

So I searched. For eight years, I searched.

No one else could know. That was why I'd come up with the plan to hide Lucian.

The moment news of Lucian's "execution" spread, his father came rushing to me, begging for forgiveness.

Viktor's pack relied almost entirely on my support. To him, Lucian was nothing more than a bargaining chip.

After what Lucian had done, Viktor could barely meet my eyes. He just kept dabbing the sweat from his forehead.

"We never imagined Lucian would have the nerve to bomb your altar. You were right to execute him — consider it cleaning up my mess for me. It's just that..."

He let his voice trail off deliberately, putting on his best reluctant face.

I glanced up. "Spit it out. Do you think I’d devour you?"

Viktor cleared his throat and spoke with exaggerated deference. "It's just that now that Lucian's gone, the union between our packs is broken, isn't it? So I've brought my younger son. He can fill the vacancy at your side, and it keeps the partnership between our packs intact."

Right on cue, a handsome young man walked in. He couldn't have been older than his late teens — not even old enough for a proper mating ceremony.

Viktor had always kept a backup plan. He'd been grooming this boy for the day I grew tired of Lucian, ready to slide his second son into place beside me.

He just hadn't expected Lucian's "death" to come so soon — forcing him to push forward an unfinished product.

Viktor wore a sycophantic grin that made my skin crawl.

There's a saying that even a tiger won't devour its own cubs. But to Viktor, his sons were nothing more than tools to protect his interests. Sacrificing two of them was a small price to pay.

"Serena, without an heir your pack will have no future. Grooming a successor should be your top priority. Since Lucian wasn't up to the task, let Caleb take his place."

I looked at Caleb standing behind Viktor — all youthful innocence, clearly dragged here before he'd even had a chance to experience the world.

I gave a slight nod. "You always think ahead. Fine — the union between our packs continues."

Viktor's face lit up with barely contained glee. A flash of contempt crossed his eyes before he left Caleb behind and walked out the door.

Abandoned in a stranger's pack, Caleb stood frozen — nervous, afraid, utterly lost.

I ignored him and went back to the files on my desk.

Not five minutes later, I felt a pair of ice-cold hands wrap around my neck. I whipped around to find Caleb pressed against me, his face burning red.

It was clearly his first time attempting anything like this. He looked like he was about to cry, his whole body shaking.

When he realized I'd caught him, he stammered out an explanation: "Father said... my job is to make you happy. And if you ignored me, I should... I should do what he taught me."

I didn't want to know what that old wolf had been teaching him. I sighed, tossed his jacket back to him, and said, "Put your clothes on. I have zero interest in children."

"If you really want to make me happy, sit quietly in the corner and don't interrupt my work."

I had Nora take him home and stayed at the office until well past midnight.

I wondered if Lucian had woken up yet. After all, he was the key to everything.