My badass alpha

GAVIN.

In one of my expensive and luxurious presidential suites, I sat in the dimly lit corner, my eyes locked on the slender figure stretched across the bed. The soft glow of the moonlight bathed her golden hair, turning it into liquid silk against the dark sheets. She hadn't moved much, her breathing steady but wakeful.

Her black evening gown still hugged her delicate frame, but I could tell she was waiting-waiting for my next move.

"Are you sure you want this?" My voice was calm, yet there was an underlying heat in my words.

She lifted herself slightly, her eyes meeting mine in the darkness. A slow, knowing smile spread across her lips. "Do you think I'd be here if I wasn't sure?" Her voice was laced with something dangerous-something tempting. "And who knew I would discover something so... unexpected."

I placed my half-empty glass on the table before me, the faint clink of crystal against wood the only sound between us. Then, I stood, my fingers slowly working the buttons of my shirt.

"Strip." My command was low, deliberate.

She moved like liquid fire, her delicate hands slipping the straps of her dress off her shoulders, baring the smooth curves beneath. Her body was a work of art-pure, untouched in ways that mattered. But I had no intention of being gentle.

Gripping her chin, I pulled her into a hungry kiss, swallowing the soft gasp that left her lips. Her hands found my chest, shoving my already unbuttoned shirt aside, but before she could reach for more, I caught her wrists, my belt sliding free in a swift movement. The way she shivered under my touch sent something primal surging through me.

She belonged to me tonight.

And I would make sure she felt it.

---

The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting lazy golden streaks across my skin. I shifted slightly, only to realize there was a weight pressed against me.

Her.

Her head rested on my chest, her breath warm against my skin. The faint scent of roses and desire lingered in the air-a reminder of the fire that had burned between us just hours ago.

But that fire had already turned to embers.

I moved, pushing her off me without a second thought. She let out a sleepy groan, stretching like a satisfied cat before her voice filled the silence.

"That was a nice night, don't you think, Gavin?" She purred.

I didn't reply. I didn't have to. Instead, I walked into the bathroom, letting the cold water wash away the traces of the night before.

When I returned, she was standing near the bed, my white dress shirt draped over her frame. Her own gown was clutched in her hands.

"There were no spare clothes, so I borrowed your shirt," she said, flashing a playful smile.

The sight of her like that-bare legs peeking from beneath the hem of my shirt-should have stirred something in me. Instead, I reached for my chequebook, scrawling a number onto the crisp paper before handing it to her.

Her expression shifted as she read it, confusion clouding her delicate features. "Five million dollars?" Her voice faltered. "Why are you giving me this? Did something happen?"

"Leave," I said simply.

Her lips parted, her body going rigid as if my words had struck her like a slap. "I don't understand, Gavin. I am your mate. Our wolves confirmed it. You're not going to act on our bond?"

She took a step toward me, but I met her with a single, cold glare.

"You might be my mate, Iris," I said, my voice devoid of emotion. "But I am not interested in you."

She sucked in a sharp breath, but I continued, my tone like ice.

"And besides... I don't eat the same meal twice."

---

TEN MONTHS LATER

I sat behind my desk, fingers drumming against the polished wood as I stared blankly at the pile of paperwork before me. A frustrated sigh left my lips, and I turned, looking out the massive glass window behind me.

The lake outside shimmered under the afternoon sun, peaceful. Unlike the storm brewing inside me.

I hadn't seen Iris since that night.

Yet she still lingered in my mind-like a ghost that refused to fade. It wasn't love. It couldn't be. I had simply needed a night with someone who wouldn't try to make a spectacle of it, unlike the women who usually threw themselves at me.

"She's our mate," my wolf, Gray, growled lazily in my mind. "You didn't even bother breaking the bond."

"It doesn't matter," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "I don't believe in that mate bond crap anyway."

Gray let out a dramatic huff. "You're just stubborn. You run an entire pack and still refuse to acknowledge what's right in front of you? Despite the months apart, she still haunts your thoughts."

I ignored him, heading to the bar in my office and pouring myself a drink. The burn of whiskey down my throat did little to drown out the irritation clawing at my chest.

Why do I care?

I didn't. I refused to.

Besides, she was gone. My assistant, Jerry, had told me she left the company not long after our night together. She had vanished without a trace, leaving nothing but an empty space in my thoughts that I had tried-and failed-to ignore.

A chime from my iPad snapped me from my thoughts.

I glanced at the screen.

A video call.

My mother's face appeared, her expression immediately disapproving.

"Gavin Russell," she seethed.

I leaned back in my chair, unfazed. "Luna Russell. What a surprise."

"You do not, by any chance, think I am growing younger, do you?" she huffed. "I should at least have a grandchild by now with the way you sleep around."

I scoffed, already bored of the conversation. "Impossible."

"Gavin-"

A sudden noise cut through our conversation as my office door swung open.

Jerry stood there, his face pale with something close to panic.

I frowned. "What is it?"

A maid followed him inside, holding a small wicker basket.

Without a word, Jerry reached in and pulled out a note, handing it to me.

My fingers tightened around the paper as I read the words scrawled across it:

"Here's your dessert."

A sinking feeling settled in my chest.

I slowly looked down into the basket.

And there, wrapped in soft blankets, was a baby.

A baby with my piercing blue eyes.

My breath caught. My pulse thundered.

Who the hell was insane enough to leave a baby on my doorstep?