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- Herausgeber: Moonlight Publishing
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
She was cast aside for being too weak—until she returned as the most powerful Luna in centuries.
Dr. Sophia Hayes thought she'd left her werewolf past behind forever. Three years ago, Alpha Marcus Blackwood publicly rejected her as his mate, declaring her too weak to be Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack. Heartbroken and humiliated, she fled to the human world and built a new life as a successful veterinarian.
But when her adoptive mother's cancer diagnosis forces Sophia to return to Crescent Falls, she discovers that Marcus needs her expertise to save his pack—and that the mate bond between them was never truly severed.
Perfect for readers who love:
- Second chance romance with high emotional stakes
- Strong heroines who discover hidden power
- Alpha heroes who must prove they're worthy
- Steamy paranormal romance with pack politics
- Enemies-to-lovers dynamics with fated mate bonds
Inside this heart-pounding romance, you'll find:
- A rejected omega who transforms into an unstoppable Luna
- Sizzling chemistry that defies three years of separation
- Dangerous pack politics and ancient bloodline secrets
- Epic supernatural battles and Luna challenges
- A love story that proves some bonds can't be broken
Will their love survive the secrets that tore them apart? Can Sophia forgive the man who broke her heart? And when ancient enemies emerge from the shadows, will their reunited bond be strong enough to save them all?
If you crave paranormal romance with powerful heroines, swoon-worthy alphas, and love that conquers all, one-click now and lose yourself in this unforgettable tale of second chances and supernatural destiny.
Das E-Book können Sie in Legimi-Apps oder einer beliebigen App lesen, die das folgende Format unterstützen:
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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The Alpha’s Rejected Luna
A Second Chance Werewolf Romance
Mia Blackwood
Copyright © 2025 by Mia Blackwood
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
First Edition: 2025
Publisher: Moonlight Publishing
Content Warning: This book contains mature themes including sexual content, mild violence, and themes of rejection and emotional trauma. Intended for readers 18 years and older.
Author's Note: This book features a happily ever after ending with no cheating between the main couple.
If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Reviews help readers discover new books and support independent authors.
Table of Content
Chapter 1: Coming Home
Chapter 2: Forced Proximity
Chapter 3: The Professional Facade
Chapter 4: Meeting the Competition
Chapter 5: The Heat Awakens
Chapter 6: Aftermath and Suspicion
Chapter 7: Working Under Pressure
Chapter 8: Partial Truths
Chapter 9: The Spy Revealed
Chapter 10: Training Montage
Chapter 11: The Luna Challenge
Chapter 12: Captured
Chapter 13: The Rescue Mission
Chapter 14: United We Stand
Chapter 15: The True Luna
Chapter 16: The Claiming
Epilogue: New Beginnings
Chapter 1: Coming Home
The ancient Honda Civic chose the worst possible moment to die.
Steam hissed from under the hood as Sophia Hayes coasted to a stop directly beneath the weathered "Welcome to Crescent Falls - Population 2,847" sign. The irony wasn't lost on her. Three years of successfully avoiding this place, and her car had to break down at the literal threshold of her past.
She turned off the engine and sat in the sudden silence, her hands gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles went white. The late afternoon sun slanted through the windshield, highlighting the stress lines she'd developed since Margaret's diagnosis two weeks ago. At twenty-six, she shouldn't have lines like these. But then again, most people didn't have their entire world shattered at twenty-three, either.
The drive from Seattle had taken eight hours, eight hours of white-knuckling the steering wheel and fighting the urge to turn around at every mile marker. She'd made it through Spokane, through the countless small towns that dotted the route back to her past, telling herself the entire time that this was temporary. A few weeks, maybe a month at most, and then she'd be back to her real life. Her safe life.
But looking at that sign now, with its faded paint and the bullet hole someone had put through the second 'L' in Falls, she felt like that scared twenty-three-year-old girl all over again. The one who'd believed in fairy tales and fated mates and happily ever after, right up until the moment her world had come crashing down around her.
You're not her anymore, she reminded herself firmly. You're Dr. Sophia Hayes. You have your own practice, your own life, your own identity that has nothing to do with this place or anyone in it.
The affirmation helped, but only marginally. Her inner wolf, dormant for so long she sometimes forgot it existed, stirred restlessly at being back on pack territory. Even though she was technically outside the official boundaries, this whole region belonged to the Crescent Moon Pack. Had belonged to them for over a century, according to the local folklore that most humans dismissed as quaint mountain legends.
The phone buzzed on her passenger seat. Another text from her adoptive mother.
Safe travels, sweetheart. Don't let the past hold you back from coming home. I need you.
Sophia's chest tightened. Margaret Chen had saved her life when she'd shown up on the woman's doorstep three years ago, broken and bleeding from a rejection that had nearly killed her. The least she could do was return the favor now that Margaret was fighting stage three breast cancer.
Margaret had never asked questions when Sophia had arrived in Seattle, soaked to the bone from walking in the rain and shaking so hard she could barely speak. She'd simply opened her door, wrapped Sophia in a warm blanket, and fed her soup until she stopped looking like a ghost. It had taken weeks before Sophia could even explain what had happened, and Margaret had listened without judgment, holding her hand while she sobbed through the story of her rejection.
"Honey," Margaret had said when Sophia finished, "I don't know much about werewolves or mates or any of that supernatural business. But I know a thing or two about men who are too stupid to recognize a good thing when they see it. And I know even more about women who are stronger than they think they are."
Margaret had been right about both things. It had taken time, therapy, and more than a few nights of crying herself to sleep, but Sophia had eventually rebuilt herself from the ground up. She'd finished her veterinary degree on scholarship, started her own practice, and created a life that had nothing to do with pack dynamics or mate bonds or any of the things that had once defined her entire existence.
She popped the hood and climbed out, immediately regretting the decision to wear her good jeans for the drive. The October air carried the familiar scents of pine, wood smoke, and something else that made her stomach clench with unwanted memory. Home. This place still smelled like home, despite everything.
The mountains rose around the valley like protective walls, their peaks already dusted with early snow. She'd grown up hiking those trails, learning the territory like the back of her hand under the patient guidance of her pack. Before she'd learned that being an omega meant she was considered expendable by the people who were supposed to protect her.
"Need help?"
The voice came from behind her, and Sophia nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around to find an elderly man with kind eyes and grease-stained coveralls approaching from a small auto shop she hadn't noticed. The building was practically hidden behind an overgrown hedge, its hand-painted sign so faded she could barely make out "Morrison's Garage."
"Oh, thank you," she said, forcing a smile. "It just started overheating about a mile back."
"Let me take a look." He peered under the hood, poking at various components with the practiced ease of someone who'd been fixing cars longer than Sophia had been alive. "Yep, your radiator's shot. Been leaking for a while, I'd guess. You're lucky you made it this far."
Lucky. Right. "How long would it take to fix?"
"Need to order the part. Two, maybe three days." He straightened, wiping his hands on a rag that had seen better decades. "Not much call for Honda parts around here. Most folks drive trucks."
Three days. In Crescent Falls. With no way to leave.
"There's a bed and breakfast just up Main Street," the mechanic continued, oblivious to her internal panic. "Martha runs a clean place. Good breakfast too, if you're not in a hurry to get anywhere. And if you need anything else, most everything's within walking distance."
Walking distance. In a town where everyone knew everyone, and where her presence would be noticed within the hour. Where he lived. Where the entire pack would smell her scent on the wind and know she'd returned.
"Thank you," she managed. "I'll... I'll figure something out."
The mechanic, whose name tag read 'Bill', gave her a business card that was as weathered as everything else in this town. "I'm Bill Morrison. Been running Morrison's Garage for thirty years. I'll call you when the part comes in."
Morrison. The name tugged at something in her memory, dragging up images of study groups and school dances and the normal teenage life she'd had before everything went to hell. "Any relation to Jenny Morrison?"
"My daughter-in-law. Sweet girl. You know her?"
Sophia's smile turned genuine for the first time in hours. Jenny had been one of the few pack members who'd stayed neutral during the disaster that had ended with Sophia's exile. Not supportive, exactly, but not actively hostile either. "We went to high school together. Tell her Sophia Hayes says hello."
Bill's expression shifted, recognition dawning slowly as he really looked at her for the first time. "Sophia Hayes. Well, I'll be damned. You're Margaret's girl."
The warmth in his voice nearly undid her. Margaret had lived here for fifteen years before Sophia had arrived on her doorstep, working as the town's only veterinarian and earning the respect of both the human and supernatural communities. The woman had apparently claimed her as family to anyone who would listen.
"Yes, sir. I'm here to help take care of her."
"Heard about the cancer. Damn shame. Margaret's good people." He patted her shoulder with a gentle familiarity that reminded her why she'd once loved this town, back when she'd been young enough to believe that good people would always do the right thing. "Don't you worry about the car. I'll take good care of it. And I'll give you the family discount."
Family. The word hit harder than it should have. The Crescent Moon Pack had been her family once, until they'd made it clear that some family members were more expendable than others.
"Thank you, Mr. Morrison. I really appreciate it."
She gathered her luggage from the trunk, shouldering her duffel bag and pulling her small suitcase behind her. Everything she'd brought fit into two bags, which said something about either her packing skills or her commitment to making this trip as short as possible. The wheels caught on every crack in the sidewalk as she made her way toward Main Street, each step taking her deeper into the heart of a place she'd sworn never to return to.
Crescent Falls looked exactly the same. The same Victorian storefronts lined Main Street, their painted facades cheerfully bright despite the fading light. Murphy's Hardware still had the same crooked awning, and the old movie theater still advertised films from two months ago on its marquee. Even the same old-fashioned street lamps were already beginning to flicker on, casting pools of golden light on sidewalks that had probably seen more supernatural drama than most people could imagine.
The same potted mums decorated the sidewalks, orange and burgundy bursts of autumn color that reminded her of high school homecoming and Friday night football games and all the normal teenage experiences she'd had before her world had turned upside down. Before she'd learned that fairy tales and fated mates were just pretty stories that covered up ugly realities.
It was like stepping back in time, except she was a different person now. Dr. Sophia Hayes, DVM, with her own practice in Seattle and a life she'd built from nothing. She wasn't the broken, abandoned omega who'd fled this place with her tail between her legs and nothing but the clothes on her back and seventeen dollars in her checking account.
The thought of tails made her inner wolf stir restlessly, and Sophia immediately clamped down on the sensation. She'd gotten very good at suppressing that part of herself over the past three years. Her wolf had been dormant for so long that sometimes she could almost pretend it didn't exist at all. In Seattle, surrounded by humans who knew nothing about pack dynamics or shifting or any of the supernatural world that existed alongside theirs, she could almost be normal.
Almost.
The wolf had never been happy about the suppression, but it had been necessary for survival. Rejected wolves didn't last long if they couldn't learn to cope with the severed mate bond. The lucky ones went feral and were put down quickly. The unlucky ones went slowly insane, unable to function in either human or wolf form.
Sophia had been determined to be neither lucky nor unlucky. She'd been determined to survive, and if that meant locking away half of her nature, then that's what she'd do.
She was so focused on keeping her wolf contained that she almost missed it. The scent hit her like a physical blow, stopping her dead in her tracks outside Rosie's Diner. The neon sign flickered overhead, casting red and pink light across the sidewalk, but Sophia barely noticed. Every cell in her body had gone on high alert, her wolf suddenly surging to awareness for the first time in months.
Pine and leather and something uniquely masculine that made her knees go weak with recognition.
No.
Her heart started racing, adrenaline flooding her system as her wolf suddenly surged to awareness for the first time in months. The luggage handle slipped from her numb fingers, and she had to grab the nearest lamppost to keep from staggering. Her skin felt like it was on fire, heat pooling in places that had no business responding to a man who'd rejected her so thoroughly that she'd nearly died from it.
Marcus.
He was here. Close. The mate bond she'd thought was completely severed apparently still had enough juice to send her body into complete chaos at his proximity. Three years of careful control, three years of therapy and meditation and sheer stubborn will, and it all crumbled the moment his scent hit her nostrils.
This can't be happening, she thought desperately. The bond was broken. I felt it break.
But even as she tried to convince herself, her wolf was whining and pushing against the barriers she'd built, desperate to find him. To be near him. The stupid, loyal creature had apparently learned nothing from their last encounter, when he'd looked her in the eye and told her she wasn't worthy of being his mate.
The memory hit her like a slap, and she used the pain of it to shore up her defenses. She would not fall apart. Not here, not now, not when she'd worked so hard to become someone who didn't need him or anyone else.
Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe. You're not that girl anymore.
But her body wasn't listening to logic. Three years of careful control unraveled in seconds as her wolf whined and pushed against the barriers she'd built, desperate to find him. To be near him. The stupid, loyal creature had apparently learned nothing from their last encounter.
Sophia forced herself to straighten, to pick up her luggage, to keep walking. She could do this. She was only here for Margaret. She'd avoid him, take care of her adoptive mother, and leave as soon as possible. Simple.
Except nothing about Marcus Blackwood had ever been simple.
She made it exactly three more steps before she saw him.
Marcus Blackwood stood across the street, partially hidden in the shadow of the hardware store, but she'd know that silhouette anywhere. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair that always looked like he'd been running his hands through it. Even at this distance, even in the growing dusk, she could feel the intensity of his stare.
He looked exactly the same and completely different all at once. The same strong jaw and broad shoulders that had once made her feel safe and protected. But there was something in his posture now, a tension that hadn't been there before. He looked like a man who hadn't been sleeping well.
Good, her wolf thought with vicious satisfaction. If she'd suffered, at least she hadn't suffered alone.
Their eyes met across the width of Main Street, and the world narrowed to just that connection. Time seemed to stop, her heart hammering so hard she was sure everyone in a three-block radius could hear it. His posture was rigid, every line of his body screaming tension, and she realized he was just as affected by her presence as she was by his.
The mate bond, damaged but apparently not as dead as she'd thought, hummed to life between them. She could feel his shock, his confusion, and underneath it all, a longing that matched her own. It was like touching a live wire, that connection, and she jerked back from it instinctively.
For a moment, neither of them moved. They simply stared at each other across the divide that had opened between them three years ago, the weight of everything unsaid hanging heavy in the autumn air. She could see the exact moment he made up his mind about something, his shoulders squaring with the kind of determination that had once made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.
Then Marcus stepped out of the shadows and started walking toward her.
Panic shot through Sophia's system like ice water. She wasn't ready for this. Not here, not now, not when she could barely keep her wolf under control and her carefully constructed defenses were crumbling with every step he took. She spun around, looking desperately for an escape route, but the street was too open, too exposed.
She was trapped, and he was getting closer with every second.
The familiar scent grew stronger, and her wolf went absolutely wild, clawing at her control with a desperation that made her hands shake. This was exactly what she'd been afraid of. Three years of healing, of building a new life, and it all crumbled the moment she was in the same zip code as Marcus Blackwood.
Just keep walking, she told herself, forcing her feet to move toward the bed and breakfast. Don't look back. Don't engage. You're stronger than this.
But even as she hurried down the sidewalk, dragging her suitcase behind her like some kind of awkward shield, she could feel him behind her, closing the distance between them with the determined stride of a man who'd made up his mind about something.
And Sophia had the terrible feeling that whatever he'd decided, it was going to destroy the carefully constructed life she'd built without him.
Chapter 2: Forced Proximity
Sophia had managed to avoid Marcus for exactly eighteen hours.
She'd made it to Martha's Bed and Breakfast without further incident the night before, checking in under the curious but kind gaze of a woman who'd clearly known her since childhood but was too polite to pry. Martha Henley had been the town's unofficial mother figure for as long as anyone could remember, and her bed and breakfast was the kind of place where she remembered how you liked your coffee and always had fresh cookies in the lobby.
"Sophia Hayes," Martha had said with a warm smile that didn't quite hide her surprise. "I heard you might be coming back to town. How's Margaret doing, sweetheart?"
The fact that news of her potential return had already made it through the town grapevine shouldn't have surprised her, but it did. Small towns were like that, especially small towns with supernatural populations. Information traveled fast when half the residents could literally smell drama on the wind.
She'd spent the evening in her small but comfortable room, with its floral wallpaper and antique furniture that somehow managed to be charming rather than dated. The room overlooked Main Street, and she'd found herself standing at the window far too often, watching the few pedestrians below and wondering if one of them might be Marcus.
She'd video-called Margaret to discuss treatment options and tried not to think about the fact that Marcus Blackwood was somewhere in this same town, probably sleeping in the same bed where she'd once thought she'd spend the rest of her life. The bed where she'd imagined having lazy Sunday mornings and quiet conversations about their future. The bed where she'd dreamed of waking up as his wife, his mate, his equal partner in leading the pack.
That train of thought had led nowhere good, so she'd forced herself to focus on practical matters instead. Like the fact that Margaret's insurance had denied coverage for the experimental immunotherapy treatment that might give her the best chance of survival.
The treatment was available at Seattle Cancer Care Center, one of the top research facilities on the West Coast. Dr. Patel, Margaret's oncologist, had explained that the immunotherapy had shown remarkable results in clinical trials, with a seventy-three percent remission rate for Margaret's specific type of breast cancer. But because it was still considered experimental, insurance companies were balking at the cost.
"Sixty thousand dollars," Sophia had said aloud to her reflection in the bathroom mirror that morning, still trying to process the number. "They want sixty thousand dollars for a chance to save her life."
Margaret had been characteristically optimistic about it during their call. "Don't worry about the money, sweetheart. We'll figure something out. Maybe there are clinical trials, or payment plans, or—"
"No," Sophia had interrupted, her voice firm despite the tears threatening to spill over. "I'm figuring this out. You took care of me when I had nothing. Now it's my turn."
Margaret had gone quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was soft with the kind of love that had saved Sophia's life three years ago. "You don't owe me anything, honey. I didn't help you because I expected payback. I helped you because you needed help, and because I could see the strength in you even when you couldn't see it yourself."
"I know," Sophia had whispered. "But I'm still going to take care of you. Whatever it takes."
The problem was, her veterinary practice in Seattle was barely breaking even. She'd put every penny back into equipment and building her client base, living off ramen noodles and stubbornness for the past two years. She had maybe three thousand in savings, which wouldn't even cover a week of Margaret's treatment. Her student loans were manageable but still ate up a significant chunk of her monthly income, and the rent on her clinic space in Seattle wasn't cheap.
She'd considered taking out a loan, but banks weren't exactly eager to lend sixty thousand dollars to someone with minimal assets and a business that was still finding its footing. She'd even looked into fundraising options, but the idea of starting a GoFundMe for Margaret felt too much like giving up, like admitting she couldn't take care of the woman who'd saved her.
Which was how she found herself standing outside the Crescent Falls Veterinary Clinic at eight o'clock on a Tuesday morning, clutching a resume she'd hastily updated and trying to convince herself that this was just business. That the fact that this clinic served the pack community was irrelevant. That she absolutely was not hoping to catch a glimpse of Marcus, because that would be pathetic and counterproductive and completely at odds with the independent, successful woman she'd worked so hard to become.
The clinic was new since she'd left town, a modern building of glass and timber that somehow managed to look both professional and welcoming. The architecture was distinctly Pacific Northwest, with clean lines and natural materials that blended seamlessly with the forested landscape around it. Someone had invested serious money in this place, far more than a small mountain town should have been able to afford.
A discrete plaque beside the entrance read "Crescent Falls Veterinary Clinic - Serving All Creatures Great and Small." The 'all creatures' part was pack code for 'we treat shifters too,' and Sophia felt her stomach twist with familiar anxiety. She'd known this moment would come eventually. She couldn't practice veterinary medicine in a supernatural community without dealing with shifter physiology, and Crescent Falls was definitely a supernatural community, even if most of the humans didn't know it.
The question was whether she could handle it professionally, or whether being around injured wolves would trigger memories she'd spent three years trying to bury. Memories of pack runs through moonlit forests, of the sense of belonging that came with being part of something larger than yourself, of the way Marcus had looked at her the first time she'd shifted in front of him and he'd realized they were mates.
Stop it, she told herself firmly. That's over. It's been over for three years. You're here for Margaret, nothing else.
The front door chimed as she entered, and Sophia was immediately struck by how bright and clean everything was. The waiting area had comfortable seating arranged around a natural stone fireplace, floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of natural light, and the kind of calming color scheme that put both animals and their humans at ease. Soft classical music played from hidden speakers, and the air smelled faintly of lavender and cedar rather than the antiseptic scent that dominated most veterinary clinics.
Whoever had designed this place knew what they were doing. This wasn't just a medical facility; it was a space designed to reduce stress for both patients and their humans. The kind of place that cost serious money to build and maintain.
"Can I help you?" The receptionist was a young woman with strawberry blonde hair and a friendly smile that didn't quite hide the fact that she was sizing Sophia up. Pack member, definitely, though Sophia couldn't place her.
"I'm here about the job posting," Sophia said, handing over her resume. "For the veterinarian position?"
The girl's eyes widened as she read the name at the top of the page, and Sophia watched recognition dawn across her features. "Oh! You're Sophia Hayes. Dr. Margaret's... I mean, Margaret Chen's—"
"Adoptive daughter," Sophia supplied, keeping her voice neutral. She'd learned over the years that people often didn't know how to react to her unusual family situation. Margaret was human, Sophia was a werewolf, and their relationship didn't fit into neat categories that most people understood.
"I'm Rebecca Foster," the girl said, standing up quickly and extending her hand. "I've heard so much about you. Margaret talks about you all the time when she brings her cat in for checkups."
Sophia shook the offered hand, noting the firm grip and the slight calluses that suggested Rebecca did more than just answer phones. "And yes, I'm a veterinarian too."
"That's so cool! I'm actually pre-vet at WSU," Rebecca said with genuine enthusiasm. "I'm working here part-time to get experience before I apply to vet school. Dr. Williams has been amazing about letting me observe procedures and learn hands-on stuff."
The girl's excitement was infectious, and Sophia found herself genuinely smiling for the first time since she'd arrived in town. "Dr. Williams is the current veterinarian?"
"Yeah, but he's been talking about retiring for years. This job posting has been up for months, but finding someone willing to work in a small town is harder than you'd think. Especially someone with your qualifications." Rebecca glanced down at the resume again, clearly impressed. "Seattle Animal Hospital is supposed to be one of the best practices in the state."
"It is," Sophia agreed. "Dr. Richardson runs an excellent facility."
"I should tell you, Dr. Williams is out sick this week with pneumonia, but the... um... the person who's been overseeing the hiring process is here. Let me just..." She picked up the phone and dialed an extension, her professional demeanor slipping back into place. "Mr. Blackwood? The applicant for the veterinary position is here. Should I...? Oh. Okay. Yes, sir."
Sophia's blood turned to ice. "Mr. Blackwood?"
Rebecca hung up and gave her an apologetic look that suggested she'd picked up on Sophia's sudden tension. "He'll be right out. He's been handling the administrative side of things while we look for a permanent veterinarian. The pack... I mean, the clinic's board of directors asked him to oversee the hiring process."
Of course they had. Because apparently, the universe had a sense of humor, and that sense of humor involved trapping Sophia in increasingly small spaces with the man who'd destroyed her life. She should have known that any major business venture in Crescent Falls would have pack involvement. The Crescent Moon Pack had been the unofficial rulers of this area for over a century, and nothing significant happened without their approval.
She barely had time to process this development before a door marked 'Private' opened and Marcus stepped into the waiting area. Three years hadn't been kind to him, she realized with a mixture of satisfaction and unwanted concern. He looked tired, with lines around his eyes that hadn't been there before and a tension in his shoulders that spoke of burdens carried too long. His dark hair was longer than she remembered, slightly unkempt as if he'd been running his hands through it, and there was a shadow of stubble along his jaw that suggested he'd been too busy or too distracted to shave properly.
He was still devastatingly handsome, still carried himself with the quiet authority that came naturally to alphas, but there was something different about him. Something that reminded her of herself in those first few weeks after the rejection, when she'd been going through the motions of living without actually feeling alive.
Something broken.
The thought should have given her satisfaction. Instead, it made her chest tighten with an emotion she didn't want to examine too closely.
"Sophia." His voice was carefully neutral, but she caught the slight roughness that meant he was fighting for control. His scent hit her a moment later, pine and leather and something uniquely him that made her wolf sit up and take notice despite three years of conditioning to ignore it. "Thank you for coming in."
"Marcus." She kept her own voice equally professional, even though her wolf was doing backflips at his proximity and her heart was racing like she'd just run a marathon. "I wasn't aware you were involved with the clinic."
"The pack funded the construction," he said, which wasn't really an answer but explained a lot about the clinic's high-end facilities. "Why don't we talk in my office?"
It wasn't really a request, delivered in that tone that alphas used when they expected immediate compliance. Sophia bristled at it, the same way she'd bristled at alpha commands for the past three years. She'd learned to stand up for herself in a world that didn't automatically defer to supernatural authority, and she wasn't about to start backing down now.
But she needed this job, needed the money for Margaret's treatment, so she simply nodded and followed him down a hallway lined with examination rooms. The clinic was even more impressive from the inside, with state-of-the-art equipment that would make any veterinarian's mouth water. Digital x-ray machines, ultrasound equipment, a fully equipped surgical suite visible through large windows, and what looked like isolation facilities for infectious cases.
This wasn't just a small-town clinic. This was the kind of facility you'd find in a major metropolitan area, the kind of place that cost millions of dollars to build and maintain. The pack must have seriously deep pockets, or seriously compelling reasons for wanting top-tier veterinary care in Crescent Falls.
Marcus's temporary office was clearly meant for administrative work rather than medical practice, with a desk covered in construction documents, financial reports, and what appeared to be architectural plans for additional buildings. He gestured for her to take the chair across from his desk, and Sophia tried not to notice how his scent filled the small space, making her wolf whine with longing.
The office was spartanly furnished, with none of the personal touches that would suggest permanent occupancy. No photos, no personal items, just functional furniture and work documents. It struck her as lonely, somehow, though she immediately pushed that thought away. Marcus Blackwood's emotional state was not her concern.
"Your resume is impressive," he said, scanning the document Rebecca had given him. His tone was professional, but she caught him glancing up at her more than necessary. "Seattle Animal Hospital is a good practice. Dr. Richardson has an excellent reputation in the field."
"You know Dr. Richardson?" Sophia asked, surprised. Seattle was a big city, and the chances of Marcus knowing her boss seemed slim.
