ELVIE
Elvie stormed into her father’s office at the university, her fists clenched and her heart racing with anger. She couldn't accept it. She wouldn’t accept it. The idea that Alyssa could be Jake’s mate—it was infuriating, humiliating even. How could fate be so cruel?
Her father, Beta Arnold, sat behind his large desk, the office cold and imposing. As vice president of the university and Beta of the pack, he was a man who commanded respect and wielded power effortlessly. But right now, his expression mirrored Elvie’s fury.
Elvie paced back and forth, her heels clicking sharply on the polished floor. “I can’t believe this, Dad!” she burst out. “Alyssa? Jake’s mate? It’s ridiculous! I should be his mate, not her! How can this happen?”
Beta Arnold leaned back in his chair, his hands
