Chapter 3

Isabela POV:

The boutique was an assault on the senses. Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling, and the air smelled of silk and money. This was a shop exclusive to high-ranking wolves, a place where humans weren't allowed unless they were staff.

Dalia was in the changing room, and Kason was sitting on a velvet sofa, scrolling through his phone. I stood in the corner, holding Dalia's purse and three different pairs of shoes she had discarded.

"Isabela!" Dalia screeched from behind the curtain. "Get in here!"

I shuffled forward. She stepped out, wearing a crimson gown that clung to her curves. It was beautiful, but on her, it looked aggressive.

"It's tight," she complained. Then she smirked, picking up a garment from the floor. It was a dull, olive-green dress, cut like a servant's uniform. "Here. Put this on. If you're going to be my maid, you should look like one. That hoodie smells like the basement."

Kason didn't even look up. "Do as she says."

I took the dress and went into the small stall. My hands shook as I changed. The fabric was rough, but as I zipped it up, I looked in the mirror.

The green didn't make me look dull. It brought out the emerald flecks in my hazel eyes. It hugged my waist and flared at my hips. For a second, I didn't look like a downtrodden Omega. I looked... regal. My wolf lifted her head, a spark of pride flickering in the darkness.

I walked out.

The boutique went silent. Two other she-wolves browsing the racks stopped and stared. Even Kason looked up, his phone freezing in his hand. His eyes widened, and for a second, I saw the old Kason-the one who used to look at me with wonder.

Dalia saw it too. Her face twisted in jealousy.

"You look ridiculous," she spat, marching over to me. She was holding a glass of red wine she had been offered by the staff. "It doesn't fit right."

She pretended to trip. It was so obvious, a clumsy stumble. The wine glass tipped, and the dark red liquid splashed across the front of my dress, soaking into the fabric and chilling my skin.

"Oops," Dalia sneered. "Now you smell like cheap alcohol. Fitting."

She raised her phone to take a picture. "Smile for the forum, Rogue-trash."

I braced myself for the flash, for the humiliation.

But the flash never came.

Instead, the bell above the shop door chimed. And then, the scent hit me.

It wasn't just a smell; it was a physical force. It slammed into me like a tidal wave-the crisp, biting scent of pine needles crushed underfoot, mixed with the electric charge of a coming thunderstorm. Ozone and petrichor.

My heart stopped, then hammered against my ribs so hard it hurt. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. The blood in my veins turned to liquid fire.

My wolf, who had been cowering for months, suddenly stood on her hind legs and let out a roar that shook my very soul.

MATE.

The word echoed in my mind, absolute and undeniable.

I turned slowly toward the door.

A man stood there. He was massive, taller even than Kason. He wore a charcoal suit that strained against his muscles. His hair was dark as midnight, and his eyes... his eyes were the color of storm clouds, gray and swirling with power.

Hadley Payne.

He scanned the room, his gaze passing over Dalia, over Kason, as if they were furniture. Then, his eyes locked on mine.

A jolt of electricity arced through the air between us. My knees went weak, but not from fear. It was a magnetic pull, a gravity that anchored me to him. I felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of peace wash over me, silencing the chaos of the last few months.

He took a step forward. The air crackled.

Dalia, oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere, laughed. "Oh, look, the Supreme Alpha is here. Excuse my clumsy servant, Alpha Payne. She's a bit of a mess."

Hadley didn't look at her. He walked straight to me. He stopped inches away. He didn't touch me, but I could feel the heat radiating from him. He inhaled deeply, his eyes fluttering shut for a second as he took in my scent-vanilla and wildflowers, now tainted by wine.

His eyes snapped open, dark and dangerous. He looked at the wine stain on my chest.

"Who did this?" His voice was low, a rumble of thunder that vibrated in the floorboards.

Kason stood up, his own Alpha instincts flaring in defense, though he looked terrified. "Alpha Payne, this is just a domestic dispute within my pack. My... Omega... was clumsy."

Hadley turned his head slowly to look at Kason. The sheer weight of his dominance crashed down on the room. Kason flinched, his neck baring slightly in an involuntary submission reflex.

"I didn't ask you, boy," Hadley said, his voice dripping with contempt.

He turned back to me. He reached out, his large hand hovering near my face. I didn't pull away. I leaned into it. His knuckles brushed my cheek, and sparks-literal, blinding sparks-danced across my skin.

"She is not a servant," Hadley said, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. He pulled a black credit card from his pocket and handed it to the stunned shop manager. "Get her the finest dress you have. Put it on my tab. And burn this green rag."

He looked at Dalia, who was trembling, her glass slipping from her fingers.

"And you," Hadley said, his gray eyes narrowing. "If you ever spill anything on her again, I will ensure you never hold a glass in this city again."

He looked back at me, and for a fleeting second, the storm in his eyes cleared, replaced by a burning intensity.

"Go change," he murmured, his voice soft only for me. "I'll wait."