Evaline:
The chill of early morning was clinging to the air as I stepped outside the Academy gates at exactly eight.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in a crisp uniform was standing by a sleek black vehicle, arms crossed and posture like steel. The moment his eyes met mine, he nodded in acknowledgment.
"You are Ms. Evaline?" he asked curtly.
"Yes."
"Get in."
I didn’t waste time with small talk. The moment I slid into the back seat, he started the engine, and we drove in silence through winding roads that cut through the thick forest and then opened up into a wide valley where a colossal stone structure was looming in the distance.
The Council Headquarters.
I had heard about it. It was a place of legends and power. The building looked like a fortress with towers stretching high into the clouds. The glass and the dark stone was giving it an aura of permanence and authority. I tried to steel myself as we drove through the main gates and parked in a large courtyard.
"Reception’s through there," the man said while pointing at a pair of ornate double doors. "Good luck."
I nodded and climbed out, smoothing down my clothes as I approached the building.
Inside, the air was cool and clean. The reception area was vast, with floors of polished black marble and banners depicting various packs and their territories hanging from the vaulted ceilings.
A curved desk was standing in the center where I noticed a woman in her thirties who seemed busy as she scrolled through something on the monitor sitting in front of her.
I approached hesitantly.
"Name?" She asked without looking up.
"Evaline," I replied and handed over my student ID. "First-year from the Silver Moon Academy. I’m here for the internship."
She scanned the card and typed something into her computer before smiling at me. "Welcome, Ms. Evaline. You’ll be working directly under one of the Council’s Alphas."
My heart stuttered at the words. "An Alpha?"
"Yes," she said brightly. "An assistant position. It’s rare for a student, let alone a first-year, but you have come with a privilege award and glowing recommendations from your professors."
I opened my mouth to protest - I wasn’t ready for this, not for such a big position- but she cut me off with a knowing look.
"Consider it an opportunity. Alphas don’t usually take interns unless they see potential. Or have plans."
Plans?
I didn’t like the sound of that.
"Which Alpha?" I asked cautiously.
She blinked at me, then smiled as if it were some sort of inside joke. "You’ll see soon enough. Just head to the elevator at the end of the hallway. Take it to the top floor. His office is at the very end."
"Any tips?" I asked before I could stop myself.
She paused, then leaned in slightly. "He’s powerful, important, and... intense. Doesn’t tolerate mistakes. But if you are smart, and careful, you might just survive. Lucky girl, working under someone like him."
My stomach dropped.
This wasn’t luck. It felt like a trap.
Still, I nodded stiffly and turned, walking to the elevator with stiff legs. My boots were echoing across the marble like warning bells as I made my way to whatever disaster was awaiting me,
The elevator opened with a soft chime, and I stepped in before pressing the button for the top floor. The ride was smooth and silent, but my heart wasn’t. It was pounding against my ribs like a caged beast.
When the doors finally opened, I stepped out into a quieter hallway. Thick carpet muffled my footsteps as I moved toward the large, dark wooden door at the very end.
Once there, I knocked.
A voice called out from within - low, bored, and unmistakably familiar.
"Enter."
I froze.
No. No, no, no.
There was no way it could be him. But I already knew that I hadn’t recognized the wrong person.
My hands were nearly shaking as I pushed the door open, and my nightmare greeted me with a slow, amused smirk.
"Ah. Look what the wolves dragged in."
River Thorne.
The eldest of the Rogue Alpha brothers. The one whose glare could freeze lava. The one who hated me most of them all.
And the one I had gone to extreme lengths to avoid.
He was lounging behind a massive blackwood desk, dressed in tailored charcoal-gray with silver cufflinks. He looked like power personified. His dark hair was styled neatly, sharp features were hard and calculating, and his eyes were fixed on me with the precision of a predator who knew exactly where to strike.
I stood frozen just inside the door, refusing to believe that I could be this unlucky when I knew that luck had never been on my side through these eighteen years of my life.
"What... what is this?" I managed, but my voice was barely audible.
Yet, he heard me loud and clear because of his enhanced hearing. He leaned back in his chair and then laced his fingers behind his head. "Your internship. Congratulations, assistant."
My mouth went dry and I stared at him. "This is some kind of joke."
"No joke," he said. "You are mine for the duration of your internship. I have let the council known." He then glanced at his wrist watch before adding, "... by now, those at Academy would have learned about it too. Everything’s by the book."
Panic surged through me, sharp and unforgiving. I should have known. He was the Rogue Alpha King. He not only ruled the Rogue community, but was also the most powerful figure in the Council. There’s nothing he couldn’t do.
My hands curled into fists, and despite knowing better, I demanded. "I want a different placement."
He stood slowly. His each movement was deliberate, calculated. He walked around the desk and came to stand just a few feet from me.
"You don’t get to want things, Evaline," he said, his voice soft but razor-edged. "Not here. Not with me."
I glared at him. I refused to back away even as my instincts screamed. "This is personal," I said. "You are doing this to punish me."