BOUND TO THE OMEGA TWINS

Los Angeles, California. Rain drummed steadily against the tinted windows of a sleek black Rolls-Royce as it glided through the morning traffic. Inside, Theo Blackwood sat in silence, his gaze fixed on the city beyond the glass. Three years. That was how long he had stayed away from Los Angeles. Three peaceful years in New York, building businesses instead of burying bodies. He had almost forgotten what this city smelled like. Money. Power. And violence. "Sir?" Theo turned toward the driver. "We're five minutes from Blackwood Tower." He nodded absentmindedly before loosening his tie. Today marked the beginning of his new life. Officially, he was returning as the CEO of Blackwood Group's Los Angeles branch. Unofficially... He was returning to a family he had spent years trying to escape. His phone vibrated. Lucas. Theo sighed before answering. "What?" "That sounds like a terrible way to greet your favorite brother." "I only have one brother." "Exactly." Theo smiled despite himself. "What do you want?" Lucas' playful tone disappeared. "Father knows you've landed." "I assumed he would." "He wants you at the mansion tonight." Theo stared out the rain-speckled window. "I'll think about it." "Theo." "I'm serious." "Don't start another argument with him." Theo let out a quiet laugh. "That depends." "On what?" "Whether he starts one with me." Lucas sighed. "I missed your stubbornness." "I didn't miss this city." Neither spoke for several seconds. Finally, Lucas said softly, "Just... be careful." The call ended. Theo slipped his phone back into his pocket. Outside, skyscrapers stretched toward the gray sky like giants watching over the city. Everything looked exactly the same. Yet somehow... Everything felt different. Suddenly— SCREECH! The Rolls-Royce came to an abrupt stop. Theo instinctively braced himself against the seat. "What happened?" The driver looked ahead. "There seems to be an accident, sir." Theo glanced through the windshield. Not an accident. A confrontation. Two black SUVs blocked the road while nearly a dozen men argued in the pouring rain. One man lay on the pavement, clutching his bleeding arm. Another pointed a pistol at him. Pedestrians had scattered. Traffic had come to a standstill. The driver reached for his phone. "I'll call security." Theo opened the car door instead. "Sir!" Ignoring the protest, Theo stepped into the rain. Cold water soaked through his suit within seconds. One of the armed men noticed him. "Hey!" "This doesn't concern you!" Theo continued walking until he stood several meters away. "It concerns everyone." The man scoffed. "Walk away." Theo's eyes moved calmly from the injured man to the gun in the stranger's hand. "Do you know how many security cameras are watching this intersection?" The man frowned. "What?" Theo pointed toward the surrounding buildings. "There." "And there." "And the traffic lights." Slowly, the man's confidence began to falter. "If you pull that trigger," Theo continued evenly, "your face will be recorded from six different angles." "The police won't arrive immediately..." "...but the footage will." Silence. Theo took another step forward. "The man on the ground can't even defend himself." "If revenge is what you're after, shooting him now won't make you stronger." "It'll make you reckless." The gunman hesitated. "You don't know who you're talking to." "No." Theo's voice remained calm. "And I don't need to." "The law doesn't care about your name." Another man stepped forward. "You've got guts." "I prefer common sense." A few of the men exchanged uncertain looks. The confidence they'd shown moments earlier was gone. Theo turned toward the injured man. "Can you stand?" With difficulty, the man nodded. Theo looked back at the gunman. "You've made your point." "Now leave." For several tense seconds... No one moved. Then, with an irritated click of his tongue, the gunman lowered his weapon. "Let's go." The SUVs roared to life before disappearing into traffic. The remaining men helped their injured companion to his feet. One of them stared at Theo in disbelief. "You don't even know who we are." Theo smiled faintly. "No." "And I'd like to keep it that way." Minutes later, an ambulance arrived. Police officers rushed to secure the area. Theo quietly returned to his car. The driver stared at him through the rearview mirror. "Sir..." "Yes?" "I've worked for the Blackwoods for twenty-two years." Theo raised an eyebrow. "I've never seen someone stop a fight without throwing a single punch." Theo looked back at the rain-covered streets. "My mother used to tell me something." "What was that?" "'Winning a fight doesn't always require violence.'" The driver smiled. "She sounded like a wise woman." "She was." The Rolls-Royce pulled away. Neither man noticed the black sedan parked across the street. Inside, a woman with long black hair lowered a pair of binoculars. Her emerald-green eyes remained fixed on the departing car. "So..." Victoria Moretti murmured. "The peaceful Blackwood really does exist." Beside her, Isabella leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "He's handsome." Victoria rolled her eyes. "That's what you noticed?" "I'm observant." Victoria handed her sister a photograph that one of their informants had taken earlier that morning. Theo Blackwood. Age: Twenty-seven. Occupation: CEO, Blackwood Group—Los Angeles Branch. Personality Profile: Avoids unnecessary violence. Highly intelligent. Never loses his temper. Isabella's grin widened. "I like him already." Victoria folded the file shut. "Arrange a meeting." "A business meeting?" Victoria looked out at the disappearing Rolls-Royce. A faint smile tugged at her lips. "No." "I want to know whether a peaceful alpha can survive in a city built on blood." End of Chapter 1 As the Moretti sisters drove away, neither of them noticed another pair of eyes watching all three of them. Hidden inside a nearby office building, a man pinned three photographs onto a wall. Theo Blackwood. Victoria Moretti. Isabella Moretti. A black marker slowly circled their faces. Then he smiled. "The game begins today."