C1

"You're late, Rhea. The Alpha doesn't care for excuses, and he cares even less for those who can't keep time."

"The transit from the Ravenfall pack-run drifted behind schedule, Margaret. I assume the Luna Guard Academy taught you that some things are beyond a beta’s control?"

"Just get inside. Use the side pedestrian entrance. Don’t wait for the main gates to cycle."

I didn't argue. I moved through the narrow iron gap as the locks clicked with a heavy, metallic finality. Before me sat the Wolfe Pack Estate, a sprawling monolith of glass and white stone that looked more like an ice fortress than a home. It pulsed with a raw, territorial energy that made the hair on my arms stand up.

A man who looked like he’d been carved out of a granite cliff intercepted me on the driveway. He was massive, his suit jacket straining against shoulders that clearly belonged to a high-ranking enforcer.

"I have an appointment with Alpha Dominic Wolfe. Rhea Callahan, reporting for the head trainer position."

"Walk fast."

"I’m sorry, do you have a name, or should I just address you as 'Sir Giant'?"

"Ethan."

"Short and sweet. I like it, Ethan. Is the Alpha always this welcoming, or did I miss the 'Beware of Wolf' signs at the perimeter?"

"Alpha’s busy. Less talk, more pace."

He didn't look back. He moved with a predatory lurch that forced me into a near-sprint just to stay in his shadow. We passed two more sentries at the threshold—men with eyes that glowed a faint, warning amber as I passed. This wasn't just a house; it was a war room.

"What exactly am I walking into, Ethan? The briefing said private coaching for his sister, not a military intake."

"Wait here."

"Charming. Truly."

He left me in a room that felt like a museum for the elite. A grand piano sat in the corner, and a massive chandelier hung from a glass ceiling four stories up, dripping in crystals that looked like frozen tears. Two other women were already there. One was a veteran from the elite circuit, looking at me like I was a stray pup.

"Ms. Sedgewick, the Alpha will see you now," Margaret Hale announced, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

The woman stood, adjusted her blazer, and disappeared behind the heavy oak doors. Ten minutes later—barely enough time for a handshake—she was ushered out a side exit, looking pale.

"Rhea Callahan. Your turn."

"Wish me luck, Margaret. I have a feeling I’m going to need it."

"Luck has nothing to do with surviving Dominic Wolfe, Rhea. Just don't let him smell your fear."

I adjusted my collar, took a breath to steady my racing heart, and pushed through the doors. The scent hit me first—sandalwood, cold rain, and the unmistakable, heavy musk of an apex predator.

Dominic Wolfe sat behind a desk of dark mahogany, his eyes fixed on a tablet. When he looked up, the air in the room seemed to vanish. He wasn't just handsome; he was a force of nature. Dark hair, jawline like a jagged ridge, and eyes that saw straight through my skin to the marrow of my bones.

"You don't look like your file, Miss Callahan."

"I find paper rarely does justice to the real thing, Alpha. Are we here to discuss my credentials in the rink, or are you planning to stare me into submission?"

"I'm deciding if you're a trainer or a distraction. You’re here to coach my sister for the Pro-Circuit Hockey trials. It’s a high-stakes position. My sister is... difficult."

"I’ve spent ten years at the Luna Guard Academy breaking in the most stubborn wolves in the US expansion territories. I think I can handle one girl with a hockey stick."

"Sit down, Rhea. Tell me why I shouldn't send you back to Ravenfall right now for that tone."

"Because you need the best, and we both know the other two candidates couldn't handle the scent of this room, let alone your sister's temper. Now, do we talk business, or do I keep standing?"

"I like the fire. Just make sure you don't get burned."