Kai's POV
The wild wolf's claws missed Kai's throat by inches. He rolled sideways, dirt flying as he sprang back to his feet. The black wolf growled, foam dripping from its mouth as it prepared to attack again.
"You picked the wrong territory," Kai growled, his own wolf pushing to the surface. His eyes flashed gold as he faced the invader.
The rogue lunged forward, but Kai was faster. He changed mid-leap, his powerful wolf form colliding with the enemy. The fight was over in seconds. The rogue whined once before going still.
Kai changed back to human form, breathing hard. His patrol team emerged from the trees, looking impressed but not shocked. Their Alpha always won.
"That's the third rogue this month," Beta James said, going over to check the body. "Something's got them stirred up."
Kai wiped blood from his mouth. "Double the guards. I want to know why they keep testing our limits."
"Yes, Alpha," James nodded. "Also, your grandfather wants to see you. He says it's important."
Kai's stomach tightened. Elder Marcus never called meetings unless something was seriously wrong. "What about?"
"He wouldn't say. Just that you need to come now."
The walk back to the pack house felt longer than normal. Kai's mind raced through scenarios. Were they under attack? Had another pack challenged them? His grandfather had been Alpha before him, and even at sixty-five, the old man still had the sharpest senses in the pack.
The pack house buzzed with normal activity. Kids played in the yard while their adults worked. Everyone waved at Kai as he passed, and he nodded back. Being Alpha meant everyone looked to him for security, for answers, for strength. He couldn't show weakness, not even for a second.
Elder Marcus waited in his study, looking out the window with worried eyes. When Kai entered, the old man turned around with a serious look.
"We need to talk," Marcus said. "Sit down."
Kai stayed standing. "What's wrong? Are we under attack?"
"In a way, yes." Marcus walked to his desk and picked up a letter. "The Cross Pack has made an offer. They want to unite our regions through marriage."
Kai's jaw clenched. He'd been expecting this talk for months. At twenty-eight, he was thought old for an unmated Alpha. The pack elders had been dropping hints about finding a Luna.
"Let me guess," Kai said. "Victoria Cross."
"She's beautiful, well-educated, and her father controls the largest territory in the south," Marcus replied. "It would make us the most powerful pack in the region."
"And what do I get out of this business deal?" Kai asked coldly.
Marcus frowned. "You get a strong mate and political security. What more do you want?"
"Nothing," Kai said quickly. "I don't want anything from a mate except a partnership. Love is a weakness I can't afford."
His grandpa studied him carefully. "You say that now, but someday you'll meet someone who changes your mind."
"No, I won't." Kai's voice was strong. "I've seen what love does to people. It makes them stupid, weak, and susceptible. Look at Beta Thomas from the River Pack - he nearly got his whole pack killed because he was too busy going after some omega to notice an attack coming."
"That was different-"
"Was it?" Kai interrupted. "Love makes you put one person above everyone else. An Alpha can't do that. I have eight hundred pack members counting on me. I won't risk their lives for love feelings."
Marcus sighed. "Your parents loved each other deeply, and they were excellent leaders."
"My parents died in a car crash when I was fifteen," Kai said coldly. "If they'd been thinking about pack business instead of planning their anniversary getaway, maybe they'd still be alive."
The room went quiet. Marcus looked sad, but Kai refused to feel bad. He'd learned early that caring too much about people meant failing the group. It was a lesson written in blood and loss.
"The Cross Pack expects an answer within the week," Marcus said finally.
"They'll have it," Kai answered. "I'll marry Victoria Cross if it benefits the pack."
"And what about finding your true mate?"
Kai laughed bitterly. "True mates are fairy stories, Grandfather. I'll take a practical plan over a fantasy any day."
After leaving his grandfather's study, Kai walked through the pack house rooms. The dinner rush was starting in the kitchen, and he could hear the normal chaos of pots and pans. He thought about dropping by to check on preparations for tonight's meeting, but decided against it. The kitchen staff knew their jobs.
As he passed the kitchen door, a smell hit him like a physical blow. It was sweet and warm, like vanilla and summer rain. Every nerve in his body went on high alert. His wolf stirred restlessly, pushing against his mental boundaries.
What was that smell?
Kai stopped walking, his entire focus narrowing to that incredible smell. It was coming from the kitchen, but he'd never noticed it before. It was definitely omega, but different from any omega he'd ever met. This smell made his mouth water and his heart race.
"Alpha?" Beta James appeared beside him. "Are you alright? You look strange."
Kai forced himself to breathe properly. "I'm fine. Just thinking about the Cross Pack problem."
But he wasn't fine. That smell was still in his nose, making his wolf pace anxiously. What omega smelled like that? Why had he never noticed it before?
"Did someone new join the kitchen staff?" Kai asked, trying to sound relaxed.
"I don't think so," James responded. "Same team as always. Why?"
"No reason," Kai lied.
They continued down the hall, but Kai's mind stayed focused on that amazing smell. He'd bedded plenty of omegas over the years, but none had ever smelled like that. None had ever made his wolf respond so strongly.
Maybe he should go back and check the kitchen. Find out which omega had that incredible smell. It would just be interest, nothing more.
No. Kai shook his head firmly. He had pack business to handle, and tomorrow he would probably agree to marry Victoria Cross. Getting sidetracked by some kitchen omega was exactly the kind of weakness he couldn't afford.
But as he walked away, one thought kept repeating in his mind: What if true mates weren't fairy tales after all?
The smell followed him all the way to his office, and Kai couldn't shake the feeling that his carefully controlled world was about to change forever.