The Alpha’s Hidden Mate

Ayla’s POV The elevator doors slid open to a floor so silent it felt like the air itself was listening. Hale Enterprises. The heart of the Ravenwood Pack’s empire. My palms were slightly damp even though I’d rehearsed this moment a hundred times. The plan was simple: stay calm, stay invisible, and get close enough to strike when the time came. Revenge wasn’t supposed to make my heart race. But it did. “Name?” the receptionist asked. “Ayla Reed,” I said softly. The fake name rolled off my tongue like it belonged to me now. She typed something, then smiled. “You’re early. Alpha Hale likes that.” Alpha Hale. Cassian Hale. The man whose shadow ruled this building—and half the city. I had read every article about him, studied his habits, his speech patterns, even his rumored allergy to women’s touch. None of it prepared me for standing here, one floor away from meeting him. The receptionist buzzed at the intercom. “Mr. Hale, your new assistant is here.” A deep voice came through, low and steady. “Send her in.” The glass doors opened. The office was wide, all steel and glass, with a view that cut through the morning fog. He stood by the window, tall and still, like the world outside existed for him alone. His dark hair caught a glint of light, and even from across the room, his presence pressed against me like heat. He turned. Those eyes—cold, gray, unreadable—met mine. For a second, the world tilted. The air thickened. I bowed my head slightly, hoping he wouldn’t notice how my heartbeat faltered. “Good morning, sir.” “Sit,” he said. His voice was calm, but something about it made my pulse skip again. I sat across from him, careful not to meet his gaze too long. “You worked at Orion Tech before this?” he asked, flipping through my file. “Yes, sir.” My voice came out even. Thank the Moon. He didn’t look up. “You majored in computer systems?” “Yes.” “And why apply for a secretarial role when you’re qualified for something higher?” I forced a small smile. “I wanted to learn from someone who runs both worlds—business and pack.” His eyes lifted at that. For a brief moment, I thought he saw through me, saw the real Ayla Rivers behind the mask. I held his gaze, unflinching, even though my wolf stirred nervously inside me. He closed the file. “You’ll start immediately. Your desk is outside my office. You’ll handle all communication and scheduling. Don’t enter my space without permission. Don’t touch anything on my desk.” “I understand.” “And one more thing,” he said, leaning slightly forward. “Never lie to me.” I froze. My breath caught in my throat. “I won’t, Alpha,” I whispered. He nodded. “Dismissed.” I stood quickly, thankful to escape before he noticed the tremor in my hands. But as I turned to leave, something strange happened. His voice stopped me. “Wait.” I turned back. His gaze lingered, sharp and searching, then softened for half a heartbeat. “Your scent,” he said under his breath, almost to himself. “It’s… different.” My wolf stiffened inside me. He could sense me. I masked my fear with a polite nod. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t bother you, sir.” He said nothing, but his eyes followed me until I was out of the room. By noon, I’d learned two things. One: Cassian Hale didn’t tolerate mistakes. Two: He noticed everything. He rarely spoke, but when he did, the entire floor seemed to listen. I caught glimpses of him through the glass—how he carried himself with effortless control, how everyone around him bowed their heads slightly when he passed. He was the kind of man who didn’t need to raise his voice to be obeyed. And yet, I couldn’t stop watching him. It wasn’t attraction, I told myself. It was curiosity. Strategic observation. But every time he called my name, something inside me reacted before I could control it. “Ayla,” he said once, without looking up. “Yes, sir?” He held out a file. Our fingers brushed briefly as I took it from him. The touch should have meant nothing. But the shock that went through me was instant and electric. His hand froze. His eyes lifted to mine, sharp and startled. For a moment, neither of us moved. The air between us crackled, charged with something that wasn’t supposed to exist. He drew his hand back as if he’d touched fire. “You may go,” he said curtly. I left quickly, my heart pounding. Later that night, I stayed behind after everyone had gone home. The office lights had dimmed to a warm amber glow. I needed to finish reviewing his schedule for tomorrow. But my thoughts kept wandering. I sat by the large window, staring at the city lights below. Somewhere down there, Lara Blackthorn was living her perfect life—wealth, fame, and an upcoming marriage to one of Hale Enterprises’ biggest investors. The woman who ruined me had everything. But not for long. I would rise here, slowly and silently, until the moment came to rip her world apart the way she ripped mine. “Still here?” I jumped slightly. Cassian stood a few steps away, his jacket off, his sleeves rolled up, his gaze unreadable. “I was just finishing up, sir,” I said quickly. He walked closer, his presence swallowing the distance. “Most assistants leave when the lights go out.” “I like quiet,” I said. “It helps me think.” He studied me, as if trying to understand why my heartbeat was still so steady in front of him. “You don’t fear me,” he said finally. I met his gaze. “Should I?” For the first time, I saw the corner of his lips twitch, not quite a smile. “Everyone does.” “I’m not everyone.” His eyes darkened, and for a heartbeat, I swore I saw the faint glint of silver in them—his wolf pushing against his restraint. “Go home, Ayla,” he said, voice lower now. “Before I forget that you’re new.” I gathered my things and turned toward the door. But before I could step out, his voice stopped me again. “Ayla.” “Yes?” “Don’t wear that scent tomorrow,” he said quietly. “It makes my wolf restless.” My pulse jumped. “Restless?” He looked at me, his expression unreadable. “Go home.” I nodded, leaving the room as my heart pounded so loudly I could barely hear my own footsteps. When the elevator doors closed, I let out a slow breath. The revenge I came here for was supposed to be clean. Controlled. But now, it felt like I had walked straight into a storm I couldn’t predict. That night, lying in my small apartment, I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his face. Heard his voice. Felt that strange energy that passed between us when our fingers touched. And for the first time since I came back to Silverpine, I was afraid. Not of Lara. Not of being discovered. But of what would happen if Cassian Hale ever learned who I really was.