Prologue
Zayden Fox stood in his office, his icy glare fixed on the man before him—the father of the woman now destined to be his mate. The words echoed in his ears, grating against his nerves.
“Alpha, this is a good thing,” Celeste Shen’s father said.
Good thing? Zayden’s jaw tightened. Celeste Shen being his mate was anything but good.
She had only just turned eighteen. A child. This was the reward fate had dealt him—a mate far too young, far too unprepared to stand by his side.
No. This wasn’t happening.
The air shifted slightly, carrying her scent to him. She was in his home. His wolf stirred, eager and restless, but Zayden clenched his fists, asserting control. He was forty years old, a seasoned alpha, and he refused to give in to the primal urges clawing at him. He was the one in charge, not the beast within.
His father lingered in the corner of the room, a silent observer. Zayden knew the old man wasn’t pleased, but he didn’t voice his thoughts—not yet.
“Do not tell me this is a good thing,” Zayden bit out, his tone sharp.
“You and I both know this is anything but good.” His eyes burned with conviction. Celeste was a child, a girl with no place as his mate or by his side. “I want her gone.”
“Gone?” Celeste’s father echoed, his voice heavy with disbelief.
“Yes. Celeste Shen, from this day forth, is banished from the pack.” Zayden’s decision was final, his tone leaving no room for argument. It was the only solution he could see to maintain his sanity. Whoever or whatever assigned mates had made a great mistake. There was nothing funny about this cruel twist of fate.
“But, Alpha,” the man protested, “she’s … my daughter.”
“Then I suggest you find a family elsewhere who will take her,” Zayden said coldly. “I don’t want her. Get out, and take her with you.”
Zayden didn’t bother to summon Celeste or explain his decision to her directly. He was certain she’d heard everything from where she stood. It didn’t matter. His choice was made.
The sound of the door closing signaled their departure. Silence settled in the room, heavy and oppressive, before his father finally spoke.
“You’re making a big mistake,” Zayden Snr. said, his voice low but resolute.
“What do you expect me to do? Mate with an eighteen-year-old?” Zayden retorted, his frustration bubbling to the surface.
“You didn’t have to mate with her immediately,” his father said, his tone calm but firm.
“But you cannot deny what she is to you. She’s your mate.”
“I’m not denying it,” Zayden snapped. “I’m removing the problem.” His hand swept across his desk, scattering papers in a rare show of anger.
“Do you think this is funny?”
“I’m not laughing, son,” his father replied evenly. “You’ve been a fine alpha up until now, but mark my words—you will regret this decision.”
With that, the elder Fox turned and walked away, leaving Zayden alone in the suffocating silence of his office. His father had rarely interfered since handing over the pack leadership, never questioning his decisions. Until now.
Zayden knew, deep down, that his actions were drastic, even irrational. But what was he supposed to do? Celeste was a child. She had no understanding of what it meant to stand beside him, to be a queen in his pack.
This was mercy, he told himself. Kindness, even. By removing her from the pack, he was giving her a chance to live her life far from the burden of being tied to him. He wouldn’t have to contend with his wolf’s demands, and in time, peace would settle within him.
But his wolf was far from appeased. Restlessness churned within him, a constant reminder of the bond he was trying to sever. It would take time—time and discipline—for him to reconcile his decision with the instincts that urged him to claim what was his.
