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Chapter 1
RILEY
Five years ago, I discovered I was pregnant with a stranger's child.
It had been the only reckless one-night stand of my life, following a painful breakup. I had found out that the boyfriend I’d loved for a year was actually already married. Heartbroken and disillusioned, I went to a bar to drown my sorrows. In that dazed, emotionally turbulent state, I cast aside all caution and slept with a stranger.
When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, leaving behind only a business card with the name "Killian Bryce" printed on it.
Two weeks later, staring at the two distinct red lines on the pregnancy test, I couldn't believe it was happening.
I was a junior in college and an orphan with no one to turn to; I had no choice but to dial the number on the card.
A woman’s voice answered. "Hello? Who is this?"
I gripped the phone tightly, struggling to steady my trembling voice. "Hello... is this Killian's number? I need to speak with him about something important."
There was a moment of silence on the other end. "Who are you? What do you want with him?"
"I... I'm Riley. Could I speak to him directly? It's a private matter."
"A private matter?" the woman asked bluntly. "Oh—so you slept with him?"
Overwhelmed by a mix of shame and indignation, I froze.
"I don't care who you are," her tone sharpened, "or how you got this number. He isn't interested. Do you want money, or something else?"
"No, it's not like that... I'm pregnant."
"Pregnant?" The woman gave a cold laugh. "Do you expect me to believe that? If every girl who called claiming she’d slept with Killian and gotten pregnant were telling the truth, he’d have enough kids to field a football team by now."
"No, it's true—" I tried to explain, but she cut me off without mercy.
"Listen, whatever this is, just forget about it. Don't think sleeping with him changes anything." She muttered, "Another slut," under her breath before hanging up.
When I tried to call back, I found my number had been blocked.
***
"Miss, are you sure this is the right address?"
The taxi driver stared at me through the rearview mirror, his brow furrowed. "This... uh... doesn't look right."
I snapped out of my memories and looked out the window.
Without my realizing it, the cityscape had vanished. We had long since left the highway and were now driving deeper into the mountains, surrounded by dense, towering forest.
The driver slowed down and pointed to the dashboard screen.
"The GPS signal is completely gone. How could anyone possibly live or work out here in the middle of nowhere?"
"Could you please keep driving?" I leaned forward, my voice tight with anxiety. "It should be somewhere around here."
"Miss, this is a waste of time," the driver said impatiently. "There's no way a major corporate office exists out in this valley."
"Fine, I'll walk the rest of the way." I quickly gathered my things and pulled cash from my bag. "Just pull over up ahead."
The driver sighed and pulled off onto the gravel shoulder. "If you insist. But be careful—there are wild animals out here, and there's zero signal if you get into trouble."
Despite his warning, I stepped out onto the damp dirt path leading into the forest. Having come this far, I couldn't turn back.
I hadn't come here on a romantic whim. Two days ago, my four-year-old son, Dominic, had suddenly collapsed with an unremitting fever.
"Ms. Clarkson, it's acute leukemia." Dr. Ward's words echoed in my head, sending a chill through my blood. "He may need a bone marrow transplant. His biological father is his best chance for a match. Without a donor... it's a matter of life and death."
So this morning—while my best friend Hannah watched Dominic at the hospital—I followed the address on that old business card.
Although I had sworn to raise Dominic alone, I was now completely out of options. I would do anything for my child—even swallow my pride and confront the man who had ignored me.
As I ventured deeper into the valley, the woods grew darker and unnaturally quiet.
Just as doubt began to creep in, I caught a glimpse of something through the canopy ahead.
A striking, modern compound appeared out of nowhere: a sleek structure featuring expansive glass walls, heavy stone accents, and a private courtyard filled with high-end luxury vehicles.
I smoothed my hair, adjusted my jacket, and stepped through the front entrance.
The lobby was pristine and silent.
Behind a marble reception desk sat a young woman beneath a metallic emblem reading "Bryce Corporation."
"How can I help you?" she asked, her eyes sweeping over my plain attire with immediate skepticism.
"Hi... I'm here to see someone," I said, forcing a polite tone.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but I'm looking for Killian Bryce."
At the mention of his name, the receptionist flinched, her posture instantly stiffening.
"I can't help you without an appointment."
"Please, it's urgent—"
"No appointment, no meeting," she cut me off firmly.
"I'm not leaving until I speak with him!"
The receptionist's face contorted into sudden hostility. "Are you giving me orders, human?" she demanded, her eyes flashing with a cold, predatory glint.
I froze, stepping back. The weird, biting venom in the word human sent a sudden chill down my spine—as if she was referring to a completely different species.
Before I could process her strange reaction, the sharp click of high heels echoed across the marble floor.
A striking woman with flowing auburn hair and flawless skin strode into the lobby, her cold hazel eyes fixing on me before turning to the front desk.
"Lisa, what's going on out here?" she demanded. "Didn't I tell you to keep quiet? Alpha is in the middle of an important council meeting."
Lisa cowered slightly. “Gamma Sophia, this woman is causing trouble. I told her to leave—”
Alpha? Gamma?
Alpha? Gamma? The strange titles made no sense to me, but as Sophia turned her attention back to my face, my heart plummeted.
I recognized that haughty, condescending tone instantly. It was the exact voice from the phone five years ago.
“How did you get this address?” Sophia demanded, lifting her chin.
My nails dug into my palms. “K-Killian gave it to me—”
She cursed under her breath. “I don’t know what you think he promised you, but you’re wasting your breath. He doesn’t have time to be harassed by some random conquest. Run back to wherever you came from. He’s not interested.”
Humiliation burned hot in my chest, but the memory of my son's pale face in that hospital bed burned hotter. Five years ago, I ran away. Today, I couldn't afford to be weak.
"Look, I'm not what you think I am," I said firmly, holding her gaze. "I have a serious matter to discuss with Killian, and I am not leaving."
Annoyance sharpened Sophia's features, and she scoffed.
“Fine. Wait here as long as you want, but I’m telling you, you won’t get a word from him.”
With that, she strode away, the sound of her heels gradually fading down the hall.
Left alone, Lisa ignored me completely and turned back to her computer. My body was still trembling from the confrontation, and I stepped toward the glass entrance doors to gather my thoughts.
Before I could even take a deep breath, my phone buzzed.
It was Hannah.
"Hannah?" I answered quickly. "Is everything okay?"
"Riles, it's Domi." Hannah's voice trembled over the weak connection. "His condition just took a turn for the worse. His fever spiked again, and the doctors are preparing him for emergency stabilization."
Cold horror washed over me. I gripped the phone so hard my knuckles turned white.
"Can I talk to him?" I choked out.
A moment later, Domi's faint, raspy voice came through the speaker.
"Mommy...? Where are you?"
Tears pricked my eyes, but I pressed my hand over my mouth to smother the sob. "I'm coming back very soon, baby. Mommy just has to finish something really important. Be brave for me, okay?"
"Okay..." he breathed weakly before the line rustled and Hannah took the phone back.
"Get back here as fast as you can, Riley," Hannah urged before hanging up.
I stared at the black screen of my phone, tears slipping down my cheeks. Every instinct told me to run back to the hospital, but if I left without finding Killian, I might be giving up my son's only chance.
I turned back toward the desk. Lisa was watching me with a smug, mocking smirk, clearly expecting me to give up and walk out like a defeated dog.
"Are you finally leaving now?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Her words dripped with so much condescension that my fear instantly turned into blinding, white-hot fury.
Without saying a word, I turned and marched straight past the desk, down the hall where Sophia had disappeared.
Lisa's eyes widened in shock. "Wait! What are you doing? You can't go back there!"
I ignored her completely, picking up my pace as my shoes squeaked against the polished marble floor.
Unmarked, heavy wooden doors lined both sides of the hallway. I had no idea which room held Killian, but I didn't care. I was going to open every single door until I found him.
"Stop! Have you lost your mind?" Lisa yelled, her footsteps racing behind me. "If you disrupt this meeting, he will literally tear you apart!"
At the end of the hall stood a set of grand mahogany double doors. Faint, deep voices echoed from within.
I didn't hesitate. I reached out and slammed both palms against the push bars.
Lisa gasped behind me in sheer terror.
"No, don't—!"
The doors swung open with a heavy thud, crashing against the interior walls.
Chapter 2
RILEY
Inside was an expansive, high-ceilinged boardroom bathed in natural sunlight from floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the mountain forest.
At the center sat a massive conference table surrounded by nearly two dozen towering, broad-shouldered men. They looked less like corporate executives and more like hardened soldiers, radiating an oppressive, suffocating energy that made the air heavy to breathe.
Every single head snapped toward the door.
“Who the hell are you?” a broad-shouldered man near the head of the table demanded, his voice dangerously low as his eyes flashed amber.
Sophia stood up from her seat near the side wall, her face pale with rage. “Lisa, get this human out of here right now—"
“I’m here to speak with Killian Bryce,” I shouted hurriedly. “Where is he?”
The room fell silent. All eyes turned toward the man seated at the end of the table, whose wide-backed chair was facing the opposite direction.
When the chair slowly spun around, my breath hitched.
Even after five long years, I recognized him immediately.
He was just as breathtakingly handsome as I’d remembered—more so, if that was even possible.
All sharp angles—high cheekbones, a jaw that could cut glass, and a straight, noble nose. Broad shoulders tapered into a lean, powerful frame.
His hair was the exact shade of snowy white as Dominic’s, artfully disheveled and shaggy in a way that should have looked out of place in a corporate setting, but only made him look ridiculously magnetic.
But above all, it was his eyes.
They were a striking, startling emerald green—framed by thick, silvery lashes. As my gaze locked with his, the rest of the world faded into white noise.
My heart skipped a beat.
A low whistle shattered the fragile silence.
“Well, well, well. Who is this lovely lady?” the handsome man seated next to Killian asked, leaning back with an amused tilt of his head.
When Killian didn’t answer, the man pressed on, his tone smooth and patronizing. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
I swallowed past the lump of shame in my throat, forcing myself to ignore the way he looked at me—like I was just another mistress showing up at the wrong time.
“My name is Riley Clarkson,” I said, keeping my chin up.
A flash of recognition flickered in Killian’s green eyes, but he schooled his features into a neutral mask so quickly I almost missed it.
The man beside him smirked, glancing between us. “Must have been some night if she’s hunting you down at work. You sly dog—”
“Shut up, Dale,” Sophia hissed, her eyes darting nervously toward the doors. She turned her glare onto the receptionist, who was practically sweating. “And what are you waiting for, Lisa? Get her out of here—”
“Sophia, let her speak,” Killian commanded. His tone was smooth, detached, and absolute.
His dark emerald gaze pinned me to the spot. “What do you want to talk to me about?”
The entire room stared at me expectantly. I felt like prey surrounded by a pack of ruthless predators.
“Could we speak in private?” I asked, my voice barely holding steady.
Killian shook his head with cool indifference. “I don’t have time for that,” he replied, crossing his massive arms over his chest. “As you can see, we’re in the middle of something. Speak here or not at all. Your choice.”
A few snickers bounced off the mahogany walls. I squeezed my hands into fists and straightened my spine.
“Clearly, you don’t remember me,” I began, heat crawling up my neck as every pair of eyes bored into me. “Five years ago, we met at the Black Stallion pub—”
Dale whistled again, thoroughly entertained.
Killian shot him a lethal glare, making the man instantly shut his mouth. Then he turned back to me, a deep crease forming between his silvery brows.
“I don’t have time to reminisce,” Killian said, his voice dropping an octave, cold and dismissive. “If that’s all you came for, leave. Lisa, escort Miss Clarkson out.”
As the receptionist stepped forward, panic and white-hot anger flared inside me.
“No!” I blurted out, stepping right past Lisa and marching straight up to the head of the table.
“You’re right,” I snapped, my voice ringing clear across the silent room. “I shouldn’t have come here! This is the last place I wanted to be, and you’re the last person on earth I wanted to see. But this isn’t about me—it’s about our son!”
The entire room went dead silent.
It felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the space. Men sat frozen in their chairs, their eyes wide with quiet alarm. Nobody dared to breathe.
Then, the harsh screech of a leather chair scraping against the floor broke the stillness.
Killian stood up. He walked around the table toward me, his movements dangerously fluid and predatory. Towering over me, he completely invaded my personal space, his sheer physical presence overwhelming.
“Our son?” he asked, a mixture of shock and harsh disbelief lacing his deep voice.
I couldn't speak. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I simply nodded.
“This has to be a joke,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. “We were together for one night. And you’re hu—”
He cut himself off mid-word, catching himself before continuing. “There’s no way.”
“It’s not a joke,” I choked out. “And I’m not lying.”
Killian stared into my eyes, a whirlwind of turbulent emotions warring across his sharp features.
“So... you were pregnant,” he said through gritted teeth. A muscle in his jaw flexed violently as he took another step forward. “Fuck... Why didn’t you tell me?! Why didn’t you contact me?!”
Intimidated by his sudden fury, I instinctively took a step back.
He was too fast. His large, calloused hands clamped around my shoulders, trapping me in place.
“D-does it matter now?” I stammered, wincing. “H-he’s—”
“Answer me, Riley!” Killian barked.
His grip tightened, and a gasp of pain escaped my lips.
“Calm down, Killian. You’re scaring her,” Dale interrupted, pushing his chair back to step between us.
“This is none of your fucking business!” Killian growled, turning a lethal glare toward him. The deep, guttural tone of his voice sounded almost non-human. “Stand down.”
Dale opened his mouth to argue, but the overwhelming authority in Killian’s gaze made him freeze. Sparing me a brief, sympathetic look, Dale bowed his head.
“Yes, Alpha.”
Alpha. The strange title echoed in my mind again, but I was too overwhelmed by Killian’s crushing grip to process it.
“If you could track me down now, why couldn’t you find me then?!” Killian pressed, his green eyes burning into mine. “Why in the hell would you keep my child from me?! Do you think you had the right—”
“I don’t owe you anything!” I finally screamed back, shoving against his chest.
My voice trembled with five years of buried heartache, but I forced myself to hold his furious gaze.
“He’s my child! I chose to keep him, and I raised him alone for four years without asking you for a single cent! We were fine on our own! If he didn’t need you right now, I would have never come here!”
Killian’s lips drew into a tight, white line. A dark vein throbbed at his temple, and his hands trembled on my shoulders with an intensity that threatened to explode.
I prepared myself for him to blow up.
Instead, he closed his eyes, took a long, harsh breath, and released me. His heavy chest heaved as he forced his composure back into place.
“What do you mean he needs me now?” he asked, his voice low and tight.
I let my shoulders drop.
“He’s been diagnosed with acute leukemia,” I said, forcing the heavy words past my dry lips. “Blood cancer. He needs a bone marrow transplant.”
My throat tightened, and hot tears prickled behind my eyes, but I blinked hard to force them back. I refused to let these hostile strangers see me cry.
“The doctors said close relatives are the best chance for a match,” I continued, holding Killian’s gaze. “They told me to find his biological father to get tested.”
Silence descended on the boardroom once more. Nobody moved. Nobody made a sound.
Killian stood frozen, his eyes dark as he struggled to process the gravity of my words. When he finally spoke, his deep voice was rough and commanding.
“Where is he?”
“Bayview General Hospital,” I whispered.
He didn't hesitate for a second. He turned toward the room, his voice booming over his men.
“Meeting is over.” Then his dark green eyes locked back onto mine. “Take me to my son. Now.”
Chapter 3
RILEY
“Wait!”
Sophia bolted across the polished floor, placing herself directly in front of the double doors. Her hazel eyes flashed with pure venom as she glared at me before turning her pleading gaze to Killian.
“You can’t be serious, Killian,” she protested, her voice rising in panic. “She’s obviously lying to you! You can’t just take a human's word for it!”
“This has nothing to do with you, Sophia,” Killian said, his voice dropping into a dangerous register. “Get out of my way.”
She didn't budge. “I’m trying to protect you! You can’t just run off with some random stranger! How do you even know if she’s telling the truth? She’s probably just looking for money!”
“I am not!” I snapped, stepping forward. “I told you, I’m here for my son and my son only! I don't want a dime from any of you!”
Sophia sneered, rolling her eyes. “Right. Likely story. You’re all the same—”
“Enough,” Killian cut her off coolly. “Move, Sophia. I won't ask again.”
“Please,” she begged, taking a step closer to him. “You’re making a mistake.”
“Are you challenging my authority?”
His voice shifted—dropping into a deep, resonant rumble that vibrated straight through the floorboards and rattled my chest.
An invisible weight descended upon the room, so sudden and heavy it made me gasp. The air felt thin, suffocating, and terrifyingly cold.
Sophia went dead pale. Her lower lip trembled as if she were about to burst into tears. Her knees buckled slightly, and she shrank back as if hit by a physical force.
“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Killian warned, his green eyes glowing with an eerie, lethal intensity. “Move.”
Sophia wavered, visibly trembling. But before she could speak, a raspy voice called out from the conference table.
“I’m sure that’s not what she meant, Alpha.”
An elderly man rose slowly from his seat, leaning heavily on an ornate wooden cane. As he limped toward us, I noticed his right leg had been amputated. Yet despite his age and disability, his presence was calm, steady, and strangely commanding.
Unlike everyone else in the room, he showed no fear under Killian’s oppressive aura.
“Then what did she mean?” Killian asked, turning his steely gaze onto him. “Enlighten me, Bram.”
The old man offered me a gentle smile, his gray eyes crinkling at the corners. “I think everyone here just wants to exercise... reasonable caution. Which is understandable, wouldn't you agree, Miss Clarkson?”
I narrowed my eyes slightly, keeping my guard up.
“I mean no disrespect, my dear,” Bram continued smoothly, “but are you absolutely certain the child belongs to Killian? One-night stands can be... a complicated matter in situations like this.”
The question was wrapped in polite silk, but the edge beneath it was razor-sharp.
“I wasn’t with any other men at that time, if that’s what you’re asking,” I said flatly.
Bram gave a slow, meaningful nod. “I hear you, child. But memory can be a fragile thing. Do you happen to have any documentation with you? Any proof?”
I pressed my lips together. Documentation? Did he expect me to carry a paternity test in my purse? I could show him a photo of Dominic, but if this pack was set on doubting me, they would just call it a fake.
When I remained silent, Bram cleared his throat and turned to Killian. “Sophia was only thinking about what’s best for the... company. Perhaps we shouldn't be hasty. Miss Clarkson could leave an address, and we could send a team—”
“Bram,” Killian interrupted, his voice deep and absolute. “I know what I’m doing.”
The older man studied Killian for a long moment before bowing his head in quiet submission. “Of course, Alpha.”
Bram shot a stern look at Sophia and stepped aside.
Sophia’s shoulders slumped in defeat. She ducked her head, unable to look Killian in the eye. “I-I’m sorry, Alpha,” she whispered meekly.
Killian ignored her completely. He turned toward a broad-shouldered man at the table. “Jason, get the SUV ready. We leave now.”
The ride to Bayview General Hospital was suffocatingly quiet.
Sophia had begged to come along, but Killian shut her down instantly. I couldn't figure out what they were to each other, but the hostility she radiated toward me was palpable.
Instead, Killian brought along Dale and the stern-faced man named Jason.
With Jason behind the wheel and Dale in the front passenger seat, Killian and I sat together in the back of a luxury, blacked-out SUV.
The interior smelled of rich leather and something uniquely intoxicating—a subtle, crisp scent drifting off Killian that smelled like spearmint and pine after rain. It was strangely grounding amidst my spiraling panic.
I stole a quiet glance at him. Five years ago, I hadn't been able to find a single trace of him online. No social media, no news articles—nothing. All I knew was that he ran Bryce Corporation, and that these terrifying, mountain-sized people treated his every word like divine law.
“What’s his name?” Killian asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
I blinked, startled out of my thoughts, before answering softly. “Dominic. Dominic Clarkson.”
Killian repeated the name under his breath, turning his gaze toward the tinted window.
From the front seat, Dale glanced at me through the rearview mirror, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
“Dominic,” Dale echoed. “That’s a strong name. Did you choose it yourself, or...” He tilted his head, his eyes glittering with mischief. “...did your boyfriend help? Husband, maybe? Surely a gorgeous woman like you has someone back home?”
My cheeks burned hot. “No. There's no one.”
The truth was, I hadn't been on a single date since that night five years ago. Between working two jobs, taking night classes, and raising Domi alone, romance was a luxury I couldn't afford.
Besides, I’d learned my lesson: no more beautiful strangers.
“Seriously?” Dale gasped dramatically. “No way. A beauty like you—”
“Knock it off, Dale,” Killian growled softly from beside me. His tone was low, but it instantly cut Dale off. “Leave her alone.”
Dale put his hands up in mock surrender, a sly grin still plastered on his face. “Yes, Alpha.”
I frowned, glancing between the two of them.
Why did everyone flinch whenever Killian spoke? Was it just corporate fear, or was there something far stranger going on in this company? And why did they keep using that word—Alpha—like a military rank?
Before I could summon the courage to ask, the SUV pulled up to the main entrance of Bayview General Hospital.
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