Chapter 2

ASHER POV

At that moment.

I had just walked out of an exclusive global VIP styling center in a white, hand-tailored bespoke suit, strikingly handsome. Even I knew it.

In my arms I held Sylvia's favorite pink roses.

Nine hundred ninety-nine of them, their petals studded with tiny diamonds that sparkled dazzlingly under the blazing sun.

Passersby who saw it were so envious they practically drooled.

"Whoa! Are those diamonds? That's insanely extravagant. How much must that cost?"

"We can't even imagine how rich people live."

"Isn't that the Hale heir, Asher Hale? The next Alpha of the Hale bloodline? I read his interview in the paper."

"He's so hot! He looks like a prince out of a manga, even better-looking than on the news. His Alpha aura is unreal."

"I heard he's obsessed with his little sister. Are the flowers for her?"

"No way, they're for Sylvia!"

"Sylvia? Who's that?"

"My idol! The she-wolf superstar! He's confessing to her today on a global livestream, announcing her as his fated mate!"

"What? Livestreaming a mate confession?!"

"Which stream? Tell me now! Even if it's a pile of crap, I'm going in to get a taste!"

"Here, scan this code. It starts in an hour..."

I smiled, full of high spirits, and opened the door of my Porsche supercar.

I had chased Sylvia for a whole year, and she had finally softened.

Today, I was going to lock down her status as my fated mate in front of the whole world.

But when I thought of my sister, my smile stiffened slightly.

My sister and Sylvia were like fire and water. They'd never gotten along, and my sister probably wouldn't accept her as the future Luna easily.

I turned to Wesley. "Order one of those Black Swan cakes from Miller's Bakery and send it to my sister. She's still a kid at heart. She loves that super-sweet stuff."

"Yes, Alpha. You're so good to her. I'll take care of it right away."

Just then, my phone rang.

It was the special ringtone I'd set for my sister.

I answered and, smug as ever, blew at my bangs.

My black hair, slicked with half a pound of mousse, didn't budge.

"Sis, your big brother's about to do something huge. How about I go get you a sister-in-law? A future Luna?"

Hah.

Sister-in-law? More like I was about to make a fool of myself.

Zoe Hale forced down her anger and blinked her big eyes.

Her fair, translucent face was full of innocence and curiosity.

"Brother, what's this?"

"What?"

I lazily raised my eyelids and glanced casually at the screen.

The next second, I froze.

My peach-blossom eyes went rigid.

I looked again, very carefully.

I sucked in a sharp breath and blew up on the spot. "Zoe Hale, you're only nineteen! Who the hell gave you that?"

Zoe slowly curled her lips. Between two slender, snow-white fingers she held up a small, garishly colored square box.

The bold black words "LONG-LASTING ULTRA-THIN" were enormously magnified on the screen.

She tilted her head, her clear, innocent eyes blinking with naive wonder at the mysteries of the world.

"Your good buddy Brother Kai gave it to me! He gave me this too!"

As she spoke, she picked up a white collar from beside her, a small red bell hanging from its center.

She tapped it lightly with her finger, and the bell jingled.

I turned to stone. "Who did you say?"

"Kai Sterling?"

"My good buddy??"

Three questions in a row. I was completely dumbfounded.

"He's my archenemy! Archenemy, do you understand?! The Alpha of the Sterling pack!"

Of course she understood.

Zoe puffed out her cheeks, her big, clear, glistening eyes full of pure innocence.

She gestured in front of her with a finger. "Brother, don't lie to me. Every time you see him, your eyes get sooo big. Your wolf practically bristles. You must be really close!"

I nearly coughed up blood. The veins at my temples throbbing.

That was the look of an Alpha who wanted to rip his throat out!

I took a deep breath, my voice turning urgently coaxing. "Sweetheart, we don't want anything he gives us. Be a good girl, Zoe, and throw all that stuff away. Throw it all in the trash."

"No."

Zoe refused flat out and put a fluffy pair of cat ears on her head.

Her snow-white fingers stroked the fuzzy ears.

"Cute, right?"

"...Zoe Hale, don't make me slap you!"

On the screen, my face had turned frighteningly dark. I'd completely lost it.

Zoe lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushed pink with shyness.

"But... Alpha Kai says I look cutest in these."

"They're hideous! Not! Cute! At! All!"

"You're calling me ugly? Brother, you're not nice at all. You're not as nice as Alpha Kai."

I wasn't nice at all. I'd left Zoe all alone, and in the time after I died, she had lived every day in total darkness.

Thinking of her last life, Zoe's eyes went red, and glistening tears clung to their corners.

I coughed up blood.

I wasn't as nice as that Kai Sterling bastard?

Had my sister lost her mind?

My precious little cabbage was about to be dug up by some pig from outside.

But seeing the tears in my sister's eyes, I panicked. "Don't cry, Zoe. I didn't say you were ugly. That's not what I meant."

Zoe pouted and snorted. "Aren't you going to confess to Sylvia? Announce her as your mate? Hurry up and go. I'm leaving too."

My ears pricked up. "Leaving? Where are you going?"

"Alpha Kai is waiting for me in the presidential suite at the Aether Grand Hotel. He's going to teach me an exciting game."

A hotel?

A game?

I was struck by lightning, my face ashen.

My hands clenched the diamond roses so tightly I nearly stopped breathing.

Help!

I needed heart pills!

My sister was only nineteen.

That animal Kai Sterling. The Sterling Alpha had had his eyes on my sister since they were kids.

I never imagined that after all these years, the guy still hadn't given up.

But Zoe, usually so obedient and sweet, was suddenly unusually stubborn.

"No. If you get to claim a mate, why can't I? You do your thing, I'll do mine. It's none of your business."

Zoe pouted, every inch the rebel, and had already slung her little backpack over her shoulder.

By the time I got back from my confession, it'd be too late.

"You're not going. Wait for me to get back!" I roared.

Zoe paused and raised an eyebrow at me. "When are you coming back?"

"Well..."

I was torn.

It had taken me so long to win Sylvia over.

The reporters and media were already there.

Sylvia had everything ready too. She was only waiting for me to arrive with the flowers and diamonds...

If I stood her up now, she'd definitely be angry. She might even reject the mate bond on the spot.

Zoe couldn't help rolling her eyes inwardly.

Doormat.

If I could be talked out of it that easily, I wouldn't be a doormat.

The corners of her pretty lips lifted in a cold curve, and she kept pushing.

"Brother, hurry and go. Don't make Sister Sylvia angry. You wouldn't want to upset your fated mate."

Hm?

When something's off, there's always a catch.

"Brother, don't miss such an important moment. I'm off to play games with Brother Kai! Bye-bye!"

Zoe blushed shyly, her voice full of a little girl's innocent excitement and anticipation.

The corner of my mouth twitched.

A grown Alpha inviting a girl to a hotel to play games?

Cat ears, a collar... what kind of decent game could that be?

Son of a bitch!

Kai Sterling!

He looked so respectable on the surface, a powerful Alpha with no interest in women at all, and behind closed doors he was this kinky?

My heart pounded wildly in my chest, and my head spun as if I couldn't get enough air.

Seeing Zoe tuck the little square box into her pink LV bag and head for the door,

I felt blood surge into my throat. I couldn't care about Sylvia anymore.

I spread my fingers and bellowed at the phone, "No! I'm coming back right now! Wait for me!"