Chapter 1

Michael

“Sorry, Alpha. Looks like it’s going to be a bit of a wait today,” Peter said, glancing nervously at the rearview mirror as the black SUV crawled to a halt in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Michael exhaled sharply, his jaw tight. The constant blare of horns and the slow pulse of the city only served to irritate him further. He pressed his index finger to his temple, massaging away the tension already building behind his eyes.

“Good thing we left two hours early,” David, his Beta, offered from the passenger seat, attempting to lighten the mood. “We’ll still make it in time for the meeting.”

Michael didn’t look up. “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late,” he muttered, his voice clipped and sharp with agitation.

The silence that followed was thick.

Michael wasn’t one to be easily flustered—but delays, especially in moments like this, tested even his legendary self-control. Today’s meeting wasn’t just another corporate formality. It was a rare negotiation with a powerful human conglomerate, one that could provide his pack with invaluable resources—and discretion.

And he hated being late.

Though he knew neither Peter nor David were to blame, that didn’t stop the frustration from tightening his chest. They’d planned everything meticulously. Departed early. Routed alternatives. Yet the gods of New York traffic cared little for werewolves or their careful schedules.

Peter drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, glancing between the sea of cars and the GPS that hadn’t updated in ten minutes. David shifted in his seat, arms crossed, sensing the tension pulsing from his Alpha.

Michael’s sharp blue eyes scanned the street beside them as he tried to center himself. Concrete towers loomed high above, their glass faces reflecting the late-morning light. Crowds spilled onto sidewalks, each person wrapped in their own rush, their own importance.

Then he saw her.

She was walking alone, seemingly unbothered by the chaos around her—brunette, slim, wearing a simple dress and flats, her bag slung casually over one shoulder. Her hair danced behind her in the breeze, and she glanced down at her phone with a gentle, almost serene expression.

Ordinary. Human. Unaware.

But something deep inside Michael—something primal and ancient—howled to life.

Mate.

The word thundered through him like a heartbeat.

Without thought, without permission, his hand moved to the door handle.

“Alpha?” David called out, confused. “What are you—?”

Michael was already out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him as he strode across the street, ignoring the horns and shouts of angry drivers. His eyes never left her.

She disappeared through the revolving doors of a nearby hotel, and Michael followed.

Neither Peter nor David moved. They exchanged a stunned look—one of understanding and disbelief. There was only one thing that could cause their Alpha to abandon a mission, even one this important.

Fate.

And her name, though they didn’t know it yet, was Anastasia.

⸻

Anna

The moment Anna stepped into the grand marble-floored lobby of the Ritz-Carlton, she felt the usual contrast between her world and the one around her. Gleaming chandeliers sparkled above, and polished surfaces reflected the sleek opulence of luxury. She adjusted the strap on her shoulder bag and scanned the crowd—until she spotted a familiar wave.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been dying to get out of here,” Dawn called out, weaving her way around a concierge desk.

Anna’s face lit up. “It’s finally over. You’ll never have to see this place again unless you check in for a weekend getaway,” she teased, wrapping her friend in a big hug.

They both laughed.

“I can’t believe I’ve been working here for over three years,” Dawn said, pulling away. “It doesn’t even feel that long. It’s like I blinked and—boom—graduation.”

Dawn looked stunning, as always. Her bronze-toned skin seemed to glow under the natural light filtering through the tall lobby windows. Her signature curls framed her face like a halo, and her honey-brown eyes held a warmth that was impossible not to love.

Today was a big day for her—her last shift at the hotel. After years of balancing classes, work, and late-night study sessions, Dawn had earned her master’s in psychology. She’d already accepted a position as a clinical psychiatrist with a private practice uptown.

Anna couldn’t have been prouder.

“Okay,” Dawn said with a tired exhale, rummaging through her small tote bag. “Wait a sec…” She paused, her face contorting. “Crap. I think I left my phone at the time clock station upstairs.”

Anna chuckled. “Still doing that on your last day?”

“I know, I know,” Dawn groaned, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. “I swear this place makes my brain foggy.”

She hesitated, then looked back at Anna. “Can you watch my stuff for a sec? I’ll be quick.”

“Of course. Take your time. It’s only noon and I told my boss I wouldn’t be back online until three. I’m milking every second.”

“Okay, cool. Be right back!”

Dawn turned on her heel and practically sprinted to the elevator, her shoes clicking across the floor in a rhythm that echoed her anxious energy.

Anna smiled to herself and walked toward the hotel bar, finding an open stool along the edge. She draped her cardigan over the seat next to her and settled in, letting her shoulders relax. It felt good to have a midday break with no urgent calls, no overflowing inbox, and no bosses breathing down her neck for redlines or contract drafts.

She glanced briefly at the bar’s drink list, debating between sparkling water or something stronger, when a strange sensation crept up her spine.

Like she was being watched.

She shifted in her seat, casually looking around the room.

Businessmen with earpieces and briefcases, a group of tourists taking selfies by the grand piano, a concierge smiling politely at a newly arrived guest. Everything looked normal—yet something felt… off.

Her gaze lingered near the revolving doors.

No one she recognized. No one out of place.

And yet…

She swallowed and straightened her posture, brushing the feeling away. Probably just the caffeine wearing off. Or maybe it was all the late-night legal reviews catching up to her.

Still, her fingers fidgeted with the napkin on the bar counter as she tried to shake the unease.

She didn’t know that just yards away, a man stood in the shadows of the lobby, his eyes locked solely on her.

And for the first time in his centuries of life, Michael—the Alpha of a powerful werewolf pack—felt something he never thought he would.

Hope.

Because fate had just walked into his life wearing a navy-blue dress and the softest smile he’d ever seen.