"You're late."
The deep voice rolled through the marble hall, velvet over steel. The sound alone carried a warning that made the butler freeze mid step. He clutched the folder to his chest and bowed his head, eyes on the polished floor.
"M-My apologies, Alpha," the man stammered. "The meeting with the human investors… they—"
"Excuses," the Alpha cut him off, his tone smooth yet sharp enough to slice through the tension in the air. He descended the curved staircase with unhurried grace, each footstep measured, predatory. "Do you think they would forgive me if I were late?"
"No, Alpha."
"Then why would I forgive you?" His voice was soft, almost gentle, but the butler trembled anyway.
A low chuckle echoed from the corridor.
"Still terrifying after all these years, brother," a smooth, mocking voice said. "Relax before you scare him to death."
The Alpha didn't glance at his brother, though the corners of his mouth tilted ever so slightly.
"He should be afraid," he said quietly, walking past the butler. "Fear keeps humans obedient. Fear keeps secrets safe."
His brother leaned against the doorframe, his posture casual, but his sharp, amber eyes missed nothing.
"You do realize," the brother drawled, "normal billionaires don't growl at their staff for being late. Or terrify them into fainting. We're supposed to be… discreet."
"Normal billionaires," the Alpha replied smoothly, "don't rule two worlds."
The butler exhaled in relief when the Alpha's gaze left him. He scurried toward the massive office at the end of the hall.
"You should be nicer to the humans," his brother murmured as he fell into step beside him. "They're loyal."
"They are paid," the Alpha corrected. "Loyalty is a myth in the human world. Money keeps them. Fear keeps them. Only in our world does loyalty mean anything."
"You mean the pack?"
A short silence stretched between them as they entered the grand study. Floor to ceiling windows overlooked the estate, bathed in silver light from the rising moon. The scent of leather and aged whiskey clung to the room.
"The pack," the Alpha agreed finally. "They are loyal because they have no choice. Blood binds them. The moon binds them."
His brother smirked. "And yet, we remain unbound."
The Alpha gave him a single, sharp look.
"You enjoy that too much."
"Of course I do. Nearly four centuries old, and still no mate. I call that freedom."
The Alpha didn't reply, though his silence spoke volumes. His wolf stirred faintly inside, restless as it always was when the blood moon approached. But he ignored it, the way he always did.
A soft knock interrupted the moment.
"Enter," the Alpha commanded.
The butler returned, paler than before, carrying a silver tray with two crystal glasses and a decanter of dark amber liquid. His hands shook slightly as he poured.
"You're trembling," the brother teased, taking his glass with an easy smile. " You're new. Has our dear Alpha been scolding you again?"
"No, sir," the butler whispered, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him.
"He'll get used to it," the Alpha said dismissively, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "Or he won't.Replace him if he doesn't."
"Y-Yes, Alpha."
The human knew he was spoken to. He then bowed and retreated as quickly as he dared.
"You really should learn how to smile," his brother said after a long sip. "Women would kill for that face, and you're wasting it scaring servants."
"I don't need women," the Alpha said flatly.
"Correction," his brother drawled, "you don't need a mate."
The Alpha didn't answer, instead staring out the window where the first sliver of the blood moon crept into view. It cast the grounds in a muted crimson glow, touching the silver edges of the forest beyond.
"It's coming," he murmured.
"What is?"
"Change."
Across the estate, deep in the shadow of the old forest, a faint rustle stirred.
She moved like a whisper, golden hair glinting faintly under the moonlight. Bare feet pressed against the earth as she ran, not for speed but for silence.
A wolf's distant howl broke the stillness. Her lips curved, but she didn't slow.
"Always watching," she murmured to herself, voice low, almost a purr. "But never seeing."
If anyone had been there to listen, they would have heard the faint echo of a second heartbeat, stronger than it should have been for a wolf. But there was no one. She had made sure of that.
Back in the mansion, the Alpha turned from the window, his senses prickling.
"Do you feel that?" he asked softly.
His brother's easy smile faltered. "Something… familiar?"
"No," the Alpha said, his voice a quiet growl. "Something…"
"You're late," a male voice whispered from the shadows ahead.
The woman stilled, golden hair catching the moonlight. "Says the wolf who hides instead of greets."
A tall, lean figure stepped from behind a tree, silver fur fading into a human form, dark eyes gleaming. "I wasn't hiding. I was… watching."
"Then you're wasting your time," she said lightly, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "You'll never see what I don't want you to."
He smirked. "One of these days, someone will."
"Not today."
The male wolf, one of the border sentinels studied her for a moment. "Our Alpha doesn't like anyone wandering this close to the human side of the land."
"Then it's a good thing I'm not just anyone," she said, stepping past him.
"He'll know you were here."
"Let him."
The wolf hesitated, then leaned against a tree, arms crossed. "You're braver than most. Or stupider."
She gave a soft laugh without looking back. "You'll figure out which someday."
The scent of the mansion reached her first: faint traces of polished wood, whiskey, and power. Human life blended with something deeper, primal, and it pulled at her instincts like a magnet.
She approached silently, boots now on her feet, dress simple but elegant enough to pass as a late-night guest if anyone saw her.
The heavy front doors opened before she even touched them.
"I was wondering how long you'd stalk my forest before you came to my door," a deep voice said from inside.
She froze in the doorway. He was leaning against the frame like he had been waiting for her all night—tall, broad, every line of him radiating controlled power. His eyes, dark and glinting in the moonlight, tracked her every move.
"Mr," she said smoothly, inclining her head. "You keep interesting hours."
"So do you," he countered, not moving aside. "Most wolves prefer their packs. You… prefer the shadows."
"Shadows are quieter," she said.
"They're also where secrets hide."
A soft tread sounded from the staircase. His brother appeared, shirt slightly unbuttoned, hair damp from a shower.
"And who do we have here?" the brother asked with a teasing lilt, eyes flicking over her like he was taking measure. "Another stray come to test your patience, Alpha?"
"She's no stray," the Alpha said quietly. "She walks these woods like she owns them."
"Does she now?" The brother descended a few steps and leaned against the banister. "You have a name, shadow walker?"
"Perhaps," she said, voice smooth as silk. "Perhaps I'll even share it… when I'm ready."
The Alpha's gaze didn't waver. "You're on my land. Names are not optional."
A slow exhale, and then she stepped fully into the light. "Isodel ," she said at last.
"Isodel," the brother repeated, rolling it on his tongue. "Like a Queen. Fitting."
"It suits her," the Alpha said, eyes never leaving her. "And yet, I don't recall inviting some Queen into my halls."
"Maybe this one doesn't wait for invitations," she said softly.
The air between them thickened.
His brother tilted his head. "She's bold. I like her."
"I didn't ask your opinion," the Alpha said, still watching Isodel. "Why are you here?"
"Maybe I was curious," she said. "Maybe I wanted to see if the stories were true."
"Stories?"
"That the Alpha who rules the city by day and the forest by night… doesn't smile, doesn't bend, and doesn't care for a mate."
His jaw tightened slightly. "You believe everything you hear?"
"Only the things I see," she murmured, glancing around the grand hall. "And I see a man who lives in two worlds… and trusts neither."
The brother let out a low whistle. "Sharp tongue. Careful, or he might bite."
"I don't fear teeth," Isodel said, eyes glinting.
The Alpha finally stepped aside, gesturing toward the room beyond. "Then come in. Let's see if your courage lasts."
They moved into the grand study. Firelight danced against glass and wood, the scent of whiskey heavy in the air. Isodel wandered, fingers brushing a carved wolf statue on the shelf.
"You like my collection?" he asked quietly.
"It's… meticulous," she said. "Every piece placed perfectly. Like a man who hates being surprised."
"I prefer control."
"Control is an illusion," she said, lifting the statue slightly before setting it down. "The moon doesn't ask permission to rise."
His brother choked on a laugh. "She's going to get herself killed, talking to you like that."
"I haven't decided yet," the Alpha said, voice a low rumble. "Whether I should kill her… or keep her."
Isodel's lips curved in a slow, daring smile. "Maybe you don't get to decide that."
Silence stretched between them, heavy with tension, until the Alpha finally moved closer, his shadow swallowing hers.
"Careful, little wolf," he murmured. "Some doors, once opened, never close."
"Maybe I like open doors," she said, voice steady.
His gaze lingered on her, searching for weakness. He found none.
"Then we'll see," he said finally, turning toward the fire. "Stay if you wish. But understand… in this house, curiosity has teeth."
The brother poured himself a drink, watching the sparks fly between them like a predator amused by another hunt.
"Oh, this will be fun," he muttered under his breath.
Isodel only smiled. "I never stay anywhere I'm not wanted."
"Then I suppose we'll find out," the Alpha said, voice soft but laced with danger.