The skyscrapers glared down at her like arrogant giants. Neon lights reflected on her simple village clothes, and car horns blared in every direction.
A lesser girl would've shrunk.
But not Mei Lin.
She adjusted the strap of her bag, her sharp eyes scanning the city like a martial artist sizing up her opponent. The air smelled different here—expensive perfume mixed with gasoline and a hint of greed.
"City people really think they're something, huh wait until I make my own entrance?" she muttered. "In the village, even chickens walk with more dignity."
Her words earned her a curious glance from a woman carrying designer bags. Mei Lin didn't care. She'd grown up sparring with boys twice her size and healing wounded hunters with herbs the forest whispered secrets about. This concrete jungle wouldn't scare her.
At least, that's what she thought—until she nearly walked straight into him.
---
The Collision
He was taller than any man she'd ever seen up close. Sharp suit, colder eyes, an aura so powerful it made the air heavy. His very presence screamed: danger, dominance, control.
The alpha CEO himself—Adrian Li.
The man every business magazine worshipped. The man the gossip pages claimed could buy a nation on a whim. The man who, apparently, had no time to step aside when a girl walked past.
Their shoulders brushed. Mei Lin steadied herself with the reflexes of a fighter. He didn't even flinch.
He simply glanced at her, eyes as silver as moonlight.
And then—he sniffed.
Like a wolf.
Her martial artist instincts caught it. His movement was too sharp, too animal-like. Something primal lurked under that billionaire polish.
But instead of fear, her lips curved.
"You know," she said, tilting her head, "staring at me like that without saying sorry is rude. Or maybe city wolves don't learn manners?"
---
The Roast Battle Begins
His brow arched. No one—no one—spoke to Adrian Li like that.
"You bumped into me," he replied, voice low and smooth, the kind of voice that made secretaries faint.
Mei Lin crossed her arms. "Correction. You stood there like a marble statue pretending to be a man. I just proved you're made of flesh after all."
A sharp silence spread around them. People had stopped walking. The village girl was roasting the CEO alpha in broad daylight.
For a moment, Adrian's wolf surged. He wanted to growl, to remind her that alphas weren't mocked. But then… he smirked.
Interesting.
"No one talks to me like that," he said, leaning closer. His scent—cool, intoxicating, dangerous—wrapped around her like a storm.
Mei Lin didn't flinch. Instead, she wrinkled her nose. "Is that cologne or arrogance? Either way, it's choking me."
The crowd gasped. Phones came out. Someone whispered, "Is this girl insane?"
---
The Alpha Tests the Girl
Adrian tilted his head, studying her like a puzzle. She wasn't ordinary. Her heartbeat was steady, her gaze unwavering.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Mei Lin smirked. "The girl who won't bow just because you're rich. Should I get that engraved on a business card for you?"
For the first time in years, Adrian laughed. Not a polite chuckle—an actual laugh that made nearby assistants blink in disbelief.
But beneath that laugh, his wolf stirred. Something about her called to him, challenged him.
---
Rival Appears
Before he could reply, a sleek voice interrupted.
"Adrian!"
A woman in heels approached, her designer dress sparkling under the city lights. Her beauty was the kind people paid money to maintain. This was Vivian Zhou, the socialite Adrian had once saved from a scandal, and ever since, she'd clung to him like a shadow.
She hooked her arm through his. "You finally came. I was waiting. And who is this… girl?"
Her gaze sliced toward Mei Lin, dripping with disdain.
Mei Lin met it head-on. "The girl who almost got run over by his ego."
Adrian's lips twitched. Vivian's face burned red.
This wasn't supposed to happen. No random village girl was supposed to stand next to her alpha.
---
Clash of Worlds
Vivian sniffed. "Adrian, let's not waste time. You promised to discuss the charity gala."
Mei Lin shrugged. "Oh, don't mind me. I'll just step aside before her perfume gives me a headache. Smells like desperation mixed with credit card debt."
The crowd exploded with muffled laughter. Someone whispered, "Who IS this girl? She's savage!"
Adrian didn't stop Mei Lin. He didn't correct her. Instead, his silver eyes followed her as she walked away, her braid swaying with confidence.
The wolf inside him growled.
He wasn't supposed to care.
He wasn't supposed to feel… intrigued.
But he did.
---
Meanwhile – Mei Lin's POV
As she left the scene, Mei Lin smirked to herself.
She'd seen enough dramas in the village to know how these city alphas operated. They thought money and power made them kings. But she'd survived hunters, storms, and poisoned arrows.
A man—even a wolf—wasn't going to scare her.
Still, why had his gaze burned through her? Why did her martial artist instincts whisper that he wasn't fully human?
She shook the thought away.
City life was going to be fun.
Especially if roasting that arrogant CEO became her new hobby.
---
Teaser for Next Chapter
> Next time:
Adrian Li isn't the type to be ignored.
The alpha hunts what catches his eye—and this village girl just made herself his favorite prey.
But when he follows her, he discovers something no one else knows: Mei Lin isn't just a healer. She's a fighter.
And the wolf inside him wants to fight… and claim.