Chapter 4 Business, Not Mate

Hayden's pov

The gala was a success. Deals were sealed. Hands were shaken.

But I couldn't shake what had just happened.

Abby.

My mate.

Twenty-seven years, and nothing. While most werewolves sensed their mates at eighteen, I'd come to terms with the silence. No bond. No spark. No destiny. Just business. Just blood.

I'd thought the Moon Goddess had turned her back on me. I was fine with that.

But now....

She gave me a mate. And not just any mate. Her.

A fragile thing. Too soft, too quiet, too weak.

"Shit," I muttered, dragging a hand through my hair. Her scent still lingered on my skin. Wildflowers and honey. It wrapped around me, tightening like a noose.

"This is business, Hayden," I growled to myself in the empty room. "Mate or not, she means nothing."

The arrangement had been clear. Marry Alpha Thorn's daughter, gain access to their assets, expand my reach. Territory. Power. Control.

I didn't need love. I needed leverage.

A knock broke through my spiraling thoughts.

"Come in," I called, already tugging at my tie, popping open the top buttons of my shirt. I didn't need a mirror to know who it was. Alex must've told her I was here.

Mabel.

"Hello, Hayden," she said smoothly as she stepped inside.

My jaw clenched. My wolf snarled beneath my skin.

"Try again," I snapped, voice low.

She paused, caught the warning in my eyes. "Sorry. Alpha Hayden."

Better.

I didn't bother responding. I didn't need words. Mabel knew why she was here. I needed to forget the mate bond, the fire crawling under my skin, the pull I never asked for.

A cold shower could cool my head.

Or a warm she-wolf.

Mabel was familiar, easy. One of many I'd toyed with and tossed aside. But unlike the others, she'd lasted longer. I'd even considered making her my chosen mate once. Back when I thought I didn't have a real one. Before Alpha Thorn dropped his proposal, and before I saw Abby.

But feelings? No. Not for Mabel. Not for anyone.

For me, it was always business first.

I turned my back on her and walked to the wine shelf, fingers trailing over the imported bottles until I found the one I wanted, a brand worth more than most wolves' homes. I uncorked it and poured a glass to the brim. No savoring. I downed it in one gulp.

The burn was sharp. Perfect.

It scorched away whatever emotions might've been stirring, that this damn mate bond might have caused.

Behind me, I heard Mabel shift on the bed. Silk rustled. She always wore too much perfume.

"You're quiet tonight," she purred.

I didn't answer. I didn't have to.

Moments later, her hands were on me, lips at my neck. And I let her.

She knew how to move. Knew how to keep her mouth shut. And that's exacty what I needed right now.

Clothes hit the floor. My shirt. Her blouse. No words. No promises. Just the kind of distraction I'd been craving all day.

And when it was over, I exhaled sharply and rolled to the edge of the bed.

"Shower's yours," I said flatly.

Mabel hesitated, then slipped off the sheets and padded toward the bathroom, still naked. She knew better than to ask if she could stay.

No she-wolf ever spent the night in my bed. Not even her. That was the rule. I had guest rooms. Let them play house in there if they needed to.

The door clicked shut behind her.

I lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, the scent of her already starting to irritate me.

My wolf stirred under my skin, restless.

Not her, he growled.

I didn't need reminding.

The mate bond had spoken. And it wasn't Mabel.

But that didn't mean I was ready to give in.

Not yet. Not anytime soon. Not forever.

The first golden ray of dawn began to break through the glass wall, stretching across the cold floor.

The first golden ray of dawn sliced through the glass wall, crawling across the cold marble floor.

My phone started ringing. Loud, sharp, and insistent.

I groaned, dragging a hand over my face as I reached for it.

Alex.

I picked it up.

Alpha, we've got a problem," he said. "Someone just leaked false news about you funding rogue movements in the East."

"What?" My eyes snapped open.

It's everywhere. Making headlines and causing chaos. And the board's freaking out.

I sat up straight, blood thrumming. "Find out who leaked it. Lock down our press team. And get me every single platform that's sharing the story. I want it gone in ten minutes."

"Yes, Alpha."

I ended the call and shot out of bed, the sheets barely falling away before I was halfway to the bathroom.

I needed to get to the office. Now.

The cold water barely registered as I rushed through my routine. Fifteen minutes later, I was behind the wheel, suit on, jaw clenched, and ready to crush whoever dared cross me, Hayden Roche.

In the office, Alex and Lucius were already on it. The two men were my most trusted, my right hands, the only ones I could count on when the stakes were high.

"We traced the leak to the Verdant Moon Pack," Alex said, holding up his phone with the information.

I shot him a look, every muscle tense. "Verdant Moon? That's Alpha Damian's pack. Why would he go after me?"

Alex met my gaze. "They've got a new Alpha. A hungry one."

My teeth ground together. "Damian's son?"

"No. His successor," Alex confirmed. "He's been out of touch for a while. Just got back."

I exhaled sharply, the frustration building. "Dammit. I can't let them drag my name through the mud with a lie and get away with it."

Pacing, I raked a hand through my hair. "What's the move?"

Lucius stepped forward. "Our legal team's already on it. We'll issue a public statement and manage their response. But we need to keep the pressure on."

I didn't answer. The wheels in my head were already turning, the storm inside me brewing.

Within hours, the media frenzy began to die down. The tide shifted in our favor as the false accusations started to unravel, but not without some of the platforms that had shared the story suffering massive backlash. Still, I wasn't satisfied.

Alex and Lucius knew better than to wait for more orders. I needed every scrap of intel on the new Alpha of Verdant Moon.

His name? Derek Hawke.

The name rang a bell, too loud to ignore. I didn't know why, but something told me this wasn't just business. This was personal.

And I never lose when it gets personal.