Serena collapsed exhausted onto her sofa, her legs still shaking from the long day behind her. The small apartment she called home was quiet and dark, except for the gentle hum of the refrigerator and the sound of the street outside her apartment. She sighed wearily as she heated up the microwave dinner, a simple but comforting meal after a day that was anything but easy.

This new job, full of people, was confining, unfamiliar and overwhelming. She was no longer used to so many people in one room. The high heels had tormented her feet all day. Now, free of them, warm socks wrapped her feet while she slipped into comfortable sweatpants and a soft sweater vest.

Serena could hardly believe it. All these years she had tried to avoid him, and now she was facing him: he was the Alpha. Looking back, his arrogant mannerisms, the way he always seemed to speak for the whole pack, were clear signs of his true position. Such authority, to speak directly on behalf of the pack, was not usually reserved for someone below an Alpha, neither a Gamma nor a Delta. Now that she knew his true identity, she realized there was no escape for her. Her disappearance would offend him so much that he would search for her until the end of her days. With a heavy heart, she accepted her current situation. She would not let it get her down, even if she could not solve this problem yet.

With a plate in her hand, she sank into the cushions of her sofa, ready to enjoy a moment of peace, when her cell phone vibrated. Nathan's name lit up on the screen - a call she had both expected and feared. His voice was cool, his instructions clear: she was to come to the office immediately. There were documents in the archives that he needed. An obvious pretext to punish her for talking back.

Despite the tiredness pulsing in her bones, a spark of defiance rose within her. She would not let herself be defeated so easily. Not by him, not by this new situation.

She swapped her warm socks for sneakers, grabbed her car keys and made her way back to the office. The streets of Vancouver at night were not as busy as they were during the day but were still busy. When she arrived, the building was quiet, almost eerily. Only the flickering lights of the security service illuminated the corridors. The man in the uniform shone a light on her, checked her ID and let her through to the archives. It had taken about half an hour until she had everything together. She was tense and annoyed, overtired at the same time.

When Serena entered his office, she immediately felt the change in the atmosphere. The otherwise tense and busy environment seemed to stand still for a moment. In her hands she held the documents that Nathan had asked her for. She walked over to his desk and handed him the papers.

"I'm not your maid who is available 24/7," she replied, "Is that clear?"

"No," he said calmly.

Nathan pushed his chair back and walked around the table without taking the papers. So Serena put the papers on the table right next to his tie and his apparently already cooled Chinese food.

An unexpected smile played around his lips. He was obviously amused by her outfit, which looked different from her morning work clothes. The sweatpants and sweater suited her in a way he would not have expected. She no longer seemed so strict and distant, but almost relaxed in her outfit. If it weren't for the grim look she gave him.

He himself had also relaxed his formal appearance. His shirt was unbuttoned, his tie was lying on the table. In front of him on the desk were piles of orders and contracts that his lawyers had presented to him for review. He hadn't made any progress today.

"If I have to work late shifts now, I expect a decent raise," she said harshly, her voice sharp as a blade. "Or is this just another way to punish me for my 'disobedience'?"

Nathan's smile remained as he slowly approached his desk again. "You overestimate your importance to my mood, Serena. I need you here because there is work to be done. Nothing more, nothing less."

"I have to prepare a pitch by tomorrow. And look through these contracts. You can give me some information about the contracts."

"Is that your order as Alpha?" she asked annoyed.

"It's a request," he replied, and she realized that he probably felt no less tired than she did.

She nodded hesitantly.

"Fine. I'll order something to eat and show you around," he replied, almost gratefully.

❦

They left the traditional office and entered a room that was more like a combination library and lounge. Serena immediately felt enveloped in the cozy, almost homely atmosphere. Tall bookshelves filled with old and new works lined the walls, while soft, inviting sofas and modern armchairs invited guests to linger. Large windows offered breathtaking views of Vancouver. The city lay at their feet, a sea of ​​lights shining against the darkness of the night. Food was delivered and they worked side by side, engrossed in the documents Nathan had given her to review. Nathan patiently explained the finer points she needed to consider. She compared contracts from old projects with new ones, highlighting the differences as he put together tomorrow's pitch. She was settled on a couch and going through all the data. At one point her head got so heavy that her head got heavier and she nodded off. The exhaustion of the long day, coupled with the warmth of the room, caused her to fall asleep on the sofa.

She dreamed she was running. In the impenetrable darkness of the forest, lit only by the pale glow of the moon, Serena roamed through the undergrowth. But she was not human and she was not rushing. Her white fur shimmered brightly as she moved smoothly and quietly between the trees. Each of her steps was deliberate and sure, her senses perfectly attuned to her surroundings. The cool night air filled her lungs, an invigorating and at the same time calming feeling. Suddenly she stopped, her ears twitching alertly. A soft rustling, barely perceptible, but a clear signal to her heightened senses. A deer, not far from her, drinking unsuspectingly from a small forest stream. Serena felt her muscles tense, ready to pounce. But she was not alone. Next to her, almost invisible in the shadows of the trees, stood another wolf, its fur dark against the nighttime surroundings. Their eyes met, a silent understanding, and the next moment they started moving together.

She had never dreamed of hunting before. Let alone met another wolf in her dreams. That fate was not destined for her. Only mates met in her dreams. But Serena was made to realize very early on that an unawakened wolf would have no mate either. They moved like shadows, fast and silent, a perfectly coordinated duo. The stag raised its head, alerted by an instinct that told it that danger was imminent. But it was already too late. Serena and her companion split up, one on the left, the other on the right, to encircle the animal. Their hearts beat in unison with the stag's hasty beats, a symphony of the wild that only they understood. They were the embodiment of wild, untouched nature, whose laws had been written since the beginning of time.

❦

Nathan stood there, silent, almost motionless, his gaze resting on Serena, who had fallen asleep on the sofa. Her face, peaceful in sleep, was delicately illuminated by the soft glow of the room's lights, which accentuated her delicate, almost elfin features even more.

She was pretty, and intelligent, as he could see tonight. And she had this stubborn spirit and the audacity to contradict him. He wasn't sure what to do with it yet. Deep inside him, his inner wolf stirred, drawn to being close to Serena. He had known her for two days. But he also felt what his wolf felt. It was an instinctive pull towards her. He didn't need to call her tonight, but he hadn't wanted to miss the chance to work with her directly and in private.

Nathan felt the wolf inside him rising to the surface. But Nathan fought against it. He remembered all too vividly the moment when his wolf had taken control while Serena had tended to his hand. It had been a moment of weakness, a moment when he had no longer been himself. The fact that the word "hot" had escaped him showed how deeply his wolf had sensed Serena, a fact that still embarrassed him. "Leave her alone," he warned himself in the silence of his mind. "She is not ours. She belongs to another pack." But those words did not seem to be enough for his wolf.

_You know that they rejected her, she was worthless to them_, whispered the wolf,_ I could just once..._

_"No way," he whispered angrily, "I promised her my protection. I will not take advantage of her." He had demanded her loyalty, but she did not know that he had given her his as well. Her rank may have been low, but his word was worth something and as long as she was on his territory, no wolf would have the chance to touch her. Not even his._

_She twitched in her sleep as if she were dreaming, her eyes moving under her lids. It didn't seem like a bad dream. _With a mixture of reluctance and concern, Nathan approached the sofa quietly. His voice, soft and soothing, broke the silence as he touched Serena on her shoulder. "It's time to get up," he said quietly. Despite the gentle touch - or perhaps because of it - she was startled and sat upright. Her gaze seemed diffuse, as if it had brought her out of the deepest sleep. She shook herself as if she were freezing.

"Sorry. We have to get out of here before the office reopens. Besides, I desperately need some sleep," he admitted.

"What time is it?" Serena asked in a rough voice. She cleared her throat.

"It's already morning," he informed her gently. His words swirled around in her head for a moment before they fully sank in. "Sleep in the morning and come back later. I want you to be there for dinner with the investors. In evening wear."

She looked at him confused. She had sold the evening dresses she had in a second-hand shop several years ago. She sat up, ran her hands over her face, trying to drive away the remnants of sleep. "Why should I attend this dinner?" she asked, her voice still groggy from sleep. "I have no business being there."

"You know the contracts as well as I do by now... I will be able to use your support. My beta will also accompany me," he replied.

"I don't have a dress that would suit this type of occasion," she tried to explain.

"I'm sure you'll find a solution," he said with an ironic smile.