Ryan was standing by his car outside the company, scrolling through some documents on his phone, when a familiar voice rang out.
"Ryan, there you are!"
He turned, his jaw tightening as Suzan strutted toward him in a tight red dress, heels clicking against the pavement. Her smile was too sweet, her eyes glimmering with mischief.
"Don't tell me you've been avoiding me again," she teased, placing her hand boldly on his arm. "You know I've always been here for you. Why waste your time with—"
Before she could finish, a voice cut through the air.
"—With me? You mean me, Suzan?"
Suzan froze, her hand still resting on Ryan's arm, as Mia walked up confidently. She was calm, but her eyes burned with quiet fire. She stopped right in front of them, her chin lifted high.
"Mia," Ryan said softly, a flicker of surprise in his tone.
Mia ignored the tension in his voice and instead looked directly at Suzan. "You should remove your hand."
Suzan arched a brow, smirking. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're jealous. Ryan and I go way back—you wouldn't understand."
Mia stepped closer, her voice firm. "I don't have to understand your past. What I do know is that Ryan is mine. Not because you think you're entitled to him, not because you want him—but because fate chose me. I'm his mate. His Luna."
The word Luna carried weight, stronger than Mia realized. Ryan's wolf stirred within him at the sound, proud and protective.
Suzan's smirk faltered. "You? A human? You think you can ever be a Luna?"
Mia's eyes sharpened. "I don't think—I know. I may be human, but I'm the one bonded to him. The one he comes home to. The one who holds his heart. That's something you'll never have."
Ryan finally spoke, his voice low but commanding. "Suzan. That's enough. Mia is my mate. My Luna. No one else."
Suzan's face darkened, but Mia didn't flinch. Instead, she slipped her hand into Ryan's, intertwining their fingers deliberately. She looked Suzan straight in the eye.
"You can flirt all you want, but at the end of the day, he'll always be mine."
Suzan's lips tightened, her pride wounded. With a frustrated huff, she turned sharply on her heel and stormed off, her heels clicking angrily against the pavement.
Ryan glanced down at Mia, pride shining in his gaze. "You didn't have to do that," he said softly.
"Yes, I did," Mia replied, squeezing his hand. "Because I'm not just your girlfriend, Ryan. I'm your Luna. And I won't let anyone forget that."
For a moment, Ryan simply stared at her, his chest swelling with admiration. Then, with a smile, he leaned down and kissed her—not just to reassure her, but to show the world exactly where his loyalty and love belonged.