Olivia was stunned, her hand darting toward the letter. She could not muster the courage to open it. Everything felt mysterious. The Alpha despised her and her father with every fiber of his being—why would he invite her now?

He had forced them to live on the edge of the pack’s territory, forbidding them from mingling with other members. Their lives were so hard that simply putting food on the table was a daily struggle.

So why was he inviting her into his office?

Her mind raced with possibilities. Carefully, Olivia examined the envelope, trying to gather the courage to reveal its contents.

Her hands shook with anxiety as she began to read. On the piece of paper, to her disbelief, she saw an acceptance letter to the M.C. College of Management and Administration.

She could hardly believe she had been chosen for a scholarship. She remembered the day her father had begged Uncle Carter for help with her education, despite her impressive grades—still the Alpha never recognized.

Tears welled in her eyes as she thought about her father, about how proud and excited he would have been—if only he were still alive. One of his greatest wishes had been for her to study hard, to climb higher within the pack.

Because she was an Omega, with no talent for fighting, she had always dreamed of earning respect through intellect and diligence. Examining the letter again and again, Olivia searched for signs of a cruel prank. But there, beneath the words, was the pack’s emblem imprinted in wax.

Attached to the acceptance letter was another document—an official form that would require the Alpha’s signature. Once it was signed and submitted, her admission would be secured.

She checked the appointment letter for the meeting time: nine a.m. tomorrow. Her heart swelled with equal parts anticipation and fear.

That day, Olivia busied herself with chores, her face forever touched by a hesitant smile. She didn’t understand why even Nina, her wolf, seemed so exuberant, but she knew this moment could change everything.

The next morning…She completed her morning routine and traced the path to the Alpha’s office as the sun barely crested the horizon. Olivia and Nina, her wolf, were caught in a storm of emotion—worry for Olivia, exhilaration for Nina.

An hour’s walk brought Olivia to the imposing structure of the Alpha’s headquarters. She stood on the patio, head tilted back, trying in vain to gauge the building's soaring height. Her neck ached from the strain, and she massaged it absently before entering the reception area.

“Excuse me, umm… I have an appointment with Mr. Marcus Campbell,” she said, her voice trembling as she approached a striking woman seated behind a massive glass desk.

The woman, professionally dressed and perfectly made-up, looked at Olivia with obvious disdain—though she immediately cloaked it with a practiced, empty smile.

Olivia felt out of place in her faded white dress and worn sneakers. Her thin, malnourished appearance embarrassed her further, but she managed to hand over the appointment letter before any questions could be asked.

The receptionist skimmed the letter and then studied Olivia, maintaining her silence as she picked up an intercom and announced Olivia’s arrival.

Moments later, another beautiful woman approached Olivia.

“Good day, Ms. Hart. My name is Lillian, and I’ll be escorting you to the Alpha’s office. Please follow my lead and refrain from touching anything along the way,” she instructed, offering her hand in greeting—and a smile that never touched her venomous eyes.

Olivia shook her hand and, despite the polite gesture, could feel the coldness beneath Lillian’s surface.

Instead of heading to the top floor, Lillian led Olivia to an elevator that descended to the basement.

“Wait here until the Alpha calls for you,” Lillian ordered, pointing to a simple wooden bench beside a large dog cage.

The meaning was all too clear—Olivia was being treated as little more than a pet or a slave. Still, she gritted her teeth and endured the humiliation, desperate for the Alpha's signature.

Sitting at the edge of the bench, she watched as Lillian hurried away. Olivia waited there all day, but no message ever came. The dogs in the cages fixed her with looks she couldn’t interpret—contempt, curiosity, suspicion.

That evening...

Two men entered the basement and began freeing the dogs.

“What are you doing here? The whole building is empty, everyone’s gone home. Are you here to steal something, girl?” demanded one, his questions sharp and accusing.

“No! I came to meet the Alpha—I have an appointment letter. A woman named Lillian told me to wait here. Can I see him now?” Olivia explained, her voice quivering. The men exchanged knowing glances.

“I think you should just go home, girl. The Alpha left long ago. Maybe you should come back tomorrow,” said the other, his tone gentle, laced with pity. The injustice burned in Olivia’s chest, but she realized there was nothing she could do.

Defeated, she left the building and trudged back to her tiny hut on the edge of the pack’s land.

Halfway home, Olivia felt the prickling sensation of being watched. She turned, but no one was there. Fear compelled her to hurry the rest of the way and lock the door tight behind her. Life for a lone girl was never easy, especially in a pack where protection was just a distant dream.

Over the next days, Olivia returned several times to the Alpha’s office—but the routine humiliation persisted. Finally, she decided to stop coming. She left the building with her head down, only to be called out from across the driveway.

“Olivia! Wait—what are you doing here?” A familiar, astonished, and excited voice cut through her despair. She turned to see Uncle Carter in the backseat of his arriving car. He hopped out, hurrying toward her.

“Hello, Uncle Carter. I came to get the Alpha’s signature on my college admission documents, but… he’s been too busy to see me for an entire week.”

Uncle Carter frowned, understanding her situation without needing further explanation. He had always protected her, her unofficial godfather—a pillar during so many hardships.

“Come, follow me,” he said gently, leading her into a private elevator that whisked them to the building’s most luxurious floor.

Olivia’s nerves threatened to undo her, her mouth suddenly dry as she walked close behind the man who seemed to command the entire space.

“Good morning, sir. The Alpha is waiting for you,” Lillian said, nearly running toward them with a false smile that faltered when she saw Olivia. Before Lillian could say anything disparaging, Uncle Carter’s stern glance silenced her.

“Take her to the VIP waiting lounge,” he ordered, striding away towards the Alpha’s office.

Lillian’s glare said everything she dared not speak, but she obeyed and led Olivia onward.

Stepping into the VIP lounge felt like entering another world—white-and-gold leather furniture, a massive fish aquarium, and gleaming tables that screamed affluence.

Olivia was entranced by the beauty, so much that she didn’t immediately recognize the intoxicating scent enveloping her. Nina, her wolf, surged with excitement, and before Olivia could orient herself, her gaze met a pair of blue eyes rimmed with gold.

“MATE!” Nina whispered fiercely in the back of her mind, as Olivia’s heart came to a sudden, thunderous halt.