Chapter 2 The Alpha's gaze

"Are you absolutely sure about this?"

Petra, my best friend since childhood, stared at me from across her kitchen table. Her brown eyes were wide with concern, and maybe a little bit of fear.

I took a sip of the coffee she'd made me. It was too hot and burned my tongue, but I didn't care. I welcomed the pain. It was nothing compared to the emptiness where my mate bond used to be.

"Yes," I said firmly. "I'm sure."

"Hailey, this is crazy. Do you even hear yourself right now? Seduce Alpha Lucian? The Alpha? Jude's father?"

"That's exactly the point, Petra. It has to be him."

She shook her head, her short brown hair swaying. "But why? Why not just... I don't know, move on? Find someone else? There are plenty of unmated males in the pack-"

"I don't want someone else!" The words came out harsher than I intended. I took a breath, trying to calm down. "I need Jude to pay. I need him to understand what he did to me."

"And sleeping with his father will accomplish that?"

"Yes."

Petra was quiet for a long moment. Then she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper even though we were alone in her small house.

"Do you really think the Alpha would even look at you that way? I mean, you're twenty years old, Hailey. He's forty-five. He's been alone since his Luna left fifteen years ago. He hasn't shown interest in any she-wolf since then. What makes you think-"

"I'll make him interested," I interrupted. "I have to try, Petra. I can't just... I can't just let this go. The bond is broken, but the pain isn't. My wolf isn't. She's screaming for revenge every second of every day."

That was true. Since the rejection three days ago, my wolf had been nearly feral with rage. The only thing keeping her calm was the promise of vengeance.

Petra sighed and reached across the table to take my hand. "I'm worried about you. This isn't like you."

"The old me is gone," I said flatly. "She died the moment I walked into that bedroom."

Before Petra could respond, there was a knock at the door. We both froze.

"Petra? You home?" a male voice called.

"It's Dave," Petra whispered. "My brother. I forgot he was coming by."

"Let him in. It's fine."

Petra went to the door and opened it. Dave walked in, tall and broad-shouldered, with the same brown hair as his sister. His eyes found me immediately, and his expression darkened.

"Hailey. I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I lied.

"No, you're not. None of us would be." Dave pulled out a chair and sat down. "Jude's an idiot. What he did... it's unforgivable."

"Yes, it is."

"Lucy, too. How could she do that to her own sister?" Dave shook his head in disgust. "The whole pack is talking about it. Everyone's on your side, you know. Jude and Lucy are being shunned."

Good, I thought viciously. But it wasn't enough. It would never be enough.

"Where are you staying?" Dave asked. "I heard Jude moved back in with the Alpha."

My hands clenched around my coffee mug. "I'm still in my cabin. It's mine. My parents left it to me, not him."

"And Lucy?"

"I don't know and I don't care."

That was a lie, too. I knew exactly where Lucy was. She'd gone back to live with our parents. Our mother had called me seventeen times since the rejection. I hadn't answered once.

"Listen," Dave said, leaning forward. "If you need anything, I'm here. Petra's here. You don't have to go through this alone."

"Thank you," I said, and I meant it. But they couldn't help me with what I needed to do.

After Dave left, Petra turned back to me. "When are you planning to... you know. Make your move on the Alpha?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight? But how? You can't just walk up to him-"

"There's a pack meeting tonight. All adults are required to attend. He'll be there."

Petra's mouth opened, then closed. "Hailey, please think about this. Once you start down this path, there's no going back."

"I don't want to go back," I said, standing up. "I only want to move forward. And if I have to destroy Jude to do it, then that's exactly what I'll do."

I left Petra's house and walked through the pack lands. It was midday, and wolves were everywhere. Some were in human form, going about their daily business. Others were in wolf form, running through the woods.

Several people stopped to stare at me as I passed. Word had definitely spread about the rejection. I could see pity in some eyes, disgust in others. A few she-wolves even gave me sympathetic smiles.

I hated it. All of it.

"Hailey, wait!"

I turned to see Tricia jogging toward me. She was one of the pack's warriors, strong and fierce, with short blonde hair and sharp blue eyes.

"Hey," she said, slightly breathless. "I've been looking for you."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to tell you that what Jude did was shit. Complete shit. And if you need someone to accidentally kick his ass during training, I'm your girl."

Despite everything, I felt my lips twitch into an almost-smile. "Thanks, Tricia."

"I'm serious. Just say the word." She paused, then added more quietly, "I also wanted to warn you. Lucy's been telling people that you overreacted. That the rejection was too harsh."

White-hot rage flared through me. "She said what?"

"Yeah. She's playing the victim. Saying that you and Jude were having problems anyway, and she and Jude are actually in love. It's disgusting."

My wolf snarled inside me. In love? They were in love?

"Where is she?" I asked, my voice deadly calm.

"I don't know, and honestly, you shouldn't go looking for her. It's not worth it."

Maybe Tricia was right. Maybe confronting Lucy would accomplish nothing.

But making her watch as I seduced Jude's father? That would accomplish everything.

"I have to go," I told Tricia. "But thank you. For everything."

"Anytime. And Hailey? For what it's worth, you deserve so much better than Jude. You always did."

I went back to my cabin and started preparing. The pack meeting was at eight o'clock. That gave me five hours.

I showered, taking my time, letting the hot water wash away three days of pain and tears. Then I stood in front of my closet, trying to decide what to wear.

What did one wear to seduce an Alpha?

I settled on a simple black dress. It was fitted, showing off my curves without being too obvious. The neckline was just low enough to be interesting. I paired it with heels-something I rarely wore-and let my long black hair fall loose down my back.

When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. My blue eyes looked different. Harder. Colder.

Good.

I arrived at the pack house just before eight. The meeting was being held in the great hall, a massive room that could hold the entire pack. Wolves were already filing in, talking in low voices.

I walked in with my head held high, ignoring the stares and whispers. I found a seat near the front. Not too close, but close enough that the Alpha would see me.

"Hailey?"

I turned to see Teddy, one of the pack's enforcers. He was looking at me with concern.

"Are you sure you want to be here?" he asked quietly. "Jude will be here. Lucy, too, probably."

"I know."

"Okay. Just... if you need anything, I'm right here."

The hall filled up quickly. I kept my eyes forward, but I was hyper-aware of everything around me. When Jude walked in, I felt it. Not through the mate bond-that was gone forever-but through the shift in the room's energy.

I turned, unable to help myself.

Jude stood near the back, looking uncomfortable. When his eyes met mine, he looked away quickly. Coward.

Lucy walked in a moment later. She saw me and her face went pale. She moved to stand next to Jude, and I saw him take her hand.

My wolf growled, low and dangerous.

Then the side door opened, and Alpha Lucian walked in.

The entire room fell silent.

He was massive, even in human form. Tall and broad, with dark hair that was just starting to gray at the temples. His face was hard, all sharp angles and authority. But it was his eyes that caught me.

Silver. Like moonlight.

And they were looking directly at me.

I couldn't breathe. For a moment, I forgot about my plan, forgot about revenge, forgot about everything except those silver eyes fixed on mine.

Then he looked away, moving to the front of the room, and I could breathe again.

"Thank you all for coming," Alpha Lucian said, his voice deep and commanding. "We have several matters to discuss tonight."

But I didn't hear what he said next. I was too busy noticing the way his eyes kept drifting back to me.

He was watching me.

And suddenly, I realized something that made my heart race.

Maybe seducing the Alpha wouldn't be as difficult as I thought.