REJECTED LUNA, BILLIONAIRE ALPHA'S OBSESSION

The music died the second she walked in. Ava Carter. The name whispered through the Grand Ballroom of Blackwood Tower like a curse. Five years ago this pack threw her out. Five years ago Alpha Damian Blackwood stood on that very stage and said: "I, Damian Blackwood, reject you, Ava Miller, as my mate." She was 18. Pregnant. Alone. Tonight she was 23. And she owned the damn tower. Her red gown moved like liquid fire. Diamonds dripped from her ears. A 3-carat ring sat on her finger - worth more than most wolves made in a lifetime. She was no longer the omega they stepped on. She was Ava Carter. CEO. Billionaire. 4.3 billion dollars to her name. Her heels hit the marble. Click. Click. Click. And then she saw him. Damian. He was at the bar, laughing with his beta. Taller. Colder. That black suit couldn’t hide the Alpha power rolling off him. The same power that used to call to her soul. His golden eyes lifted. And froze on her. The whiskey glass in his hand shattered. "What the hell—" his beta started. Damian didn’t hear him. Because Ava was already walking. Straight to him. Her heart was a war drum in her chest, but her face was stone. Five years of practice. He moved to meet her. The crowd parted. He stopped in front of her. Close. She could smell pine and winter. Home. The mate bond in her chest ached. "Ava," His voice was gravel. "You’re alive." She tilted her head. "Alpha Blackwood." Her smile was sharp. "Surprised to see me?" "Ava Miller—" "Carter," she cut him off. "CEO Carter. And you’re trespassing. I bought this building in January." Rage and shock flickered in his eyes. Then tiny footsteps echoed. "Mommy! Wait!" Three boys burst from the crowd. Identical. Five years old. Black tuxedos. Dark hair. And Damian’s golden eyes. The entire ballroom gasped. Damian’s gaze dropped to them. Back to her. Back to them. His jaw clenched. His wolf was screaming. "Who are they?" his beta choked out. Ava rested a hand on each boy’s shoulder. "My sons." Her voice was sweet. Deadly. "Boys, this is Alpha Damian Blackwood." The oldest stared up at Damian and frowned. "You look like us." Dead silence. Damian looked like he’d been shot. "What did you just say?" Ava took champagne from a tray. Sipped it slowly. "I said hello, Damian. Did you miss me?" "You kept my children from me!" He growled, low enough only she could hear. She smiled wider. "No. I protected them from you." She turned to go. His hand shot out and caught her wrist. "Ava, wait. We need to talk." She finally looked at him. Ice cold. "Remove your hand, Alpha. Before my security drags you out of MY building." She pulled free and walked away with her sons, leaving him standing in the middle of 300 people. Behind her, his whisper followed: "You’re still mine, Ava." She didn’t turn around. After five years of being broken by him... Now it was his turn to break.