Page 30 of Fated to the Enemy Alpha

“This isn’t a decision to enter into lightly, Alpha,” Stephen added, his voice steady as he fought to rein in the anger I knew was simmering just beneath the surface. “We need to consider the implications this will have going forward.”

“The implications?” Magnus echoed, his voice dangerously low. “The implications are clear cut. Packmates that haven’t been pulling their weight will give strength to our pack by increasing our pack’s size and strength.”

A chill swept through the room at Magnus’s words, my stomach knotting at the thought. I pictured young women from our pack being reduced to mere breeding vessels, stripped of all they contributed beyond that.

“I just don’t believe a packmate’s value should be measured by the offspring they bear,” Stephen asserted, his tone unwavering, projecting an iron control that made it clear he was fighting against his rising indignation.

For a moment, a heavy silence loomed, and it took everything in me once again to keep my breathing calm and measured.

I heard movement. Magnus’s low voice sounded, feeling even more insidious after his misogynistic suggestion. “I didn’t think you could disappoint me more today, Stephen, but once again, you’ve proved me wrong.” With that, I heard Magnus’s footsteps retreating from the hall.

I steadied my breathing, feigning calm while allowing the heaviness I’d battled all afternoon to pull me into slumber. More than anything, it became painfully clear that Stephen was not aligned with Magnus as I had once believed. The memory of Magnus’s cruel rebuke of him clashed sharply with the fierce defiance Stephen had just shown, igniting a troubling longing within me. I ached to comfort Stephen, to lay my hand on his arm and whisper that he was right—that he was a far better man than his father.

But even as this urge surged, I was confronted with a harsh reality. Embracing that desire would threaten everything I had painstakingly crafted. Besides, the memory of Stephen’s past rejection still festered. I was teetering on a tightrope, desperately maintaining this façade of loyalty to Magnus. Any misstep could spell disaster—not just for me, but for my mother’s freedom. I had to ignore my heart.

Chapter 12

Lina

By midweek, I was well enough to return to the office. Magnus had deemed it best to keep me safely tucked away at Blackthorn with Stephen after the attack. He flew to California for the pitch instead. Back in our shared office, Stephen and I worked along as if Monday’s events had never happened—almost.

Except although I hadn’t believed it possible, I was even more aware of him now. Each time I caught his earthy, spicy scent, it evoked the memory of how he’d shielded me, while the sound of his voice set off a warmth as I remembered the moment he’d rushed me to the hospital, his tone making me believe I was the only thing that mattered to him: “We’re almost there, Lina.”

But as Wednesday drew to a close, and Stephen remained absorbed in his work, my thoughts shifted from the past to the palpable tension radiating from him. I knew, even though he hadn’t said anything, he was fixated on the Omega Concord Program, fingers striking the keyboard with renewed urgency.

“Is there anything else I can help with?” I asked, pushing back my chair from my desk so I could see him properly without the wall of plants, hoping he might confide in me about Magnus’s plans.

He blinked, momentarily surprised, then shook his head. “No, thanks. You should go home and rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He returned to his relentless typing.

A pang of frustration shot through me. I knew I shouldn’t confess that I’d eavesdropped on his and Magnus’s conversation at the hospital, but the thought of the Omega Concord Program and the harm it could do filled me with determination. “You’re working on the Omega Concord Program, aren’t you?”

Stephen’s fingers halted. He looked up, his green gaze piercing me. My heart thumped as I wondered whether I’d made a massive mistake in admitting I’d overheard. But I couldn’t keep silent. What if my helping made the difference in protecting Blackthorn omega wolves from being reduced to nothing but breeders?

“I am,” Stephen finally said. He added, “I can’t allow such an unethical practice to happen in this company and pack.” He gritted his strong jaw, sweeping his hands through his ebony hair, making it distractingly tousled. “The fact that it violates shifter rights should be enough to stop it from happening but…” He trailed off, his bright eyes burning with sparks of anger; I’d seen rage in his stare before, like when he’d stood off against the gunmen, but this light in his eyes was a different kind. It burned with righteous fury, and God help me, he’d never looked so hot.

“But only facts and figures will speak to Magnus,” I finished for him, forcing myself to focus on the serious matter we were discussing. I felt the weight of our conversation deepen as I implied I knew exactly what kind of man Magnus was. Trepidation swirled through me. What if he began questioning why I’d ever consider marrying someone like Magnus?

Stephen’s gaze bore into me, and I could see him battling with his own thoughts. “I need enough evidence by Friday morning to persuade Magnus the Omega Concord Program will hurt our company.”

I knew Magnus was back in on Friday, and despite having other things I’d planned to do while the alpha was gone, determination seared through me. “Send me what you’ve got.”

As the week wore on, our days turned into nights, and we combed through data and prepped arguments against the program.

I still couldn’t pass up the opportunity that Magnus’s absence presented to search the Blackthorn offices for possible places where my mother was being held. Two floors were closed for renovation, and late on Wednesday and Thursday night, after Stephen had left, I doubled back, checking for any hidden rooms or signs of comings and goings. But other than evidence of workmen, I came up empty.

Friday morning and our meeting with Magnus came too swiftly. The alpha’s surprise at my presence was overshadowed by the hardness in his eyes as they flicked to Stephen. From that one look, I garnered Stephen hadn’t told his father I was in the loop about the program.

Magnus schooled his features as he said, “I didn’t realize I’d have the pleasure of your company, too, Lina?”

I waited a beat, wondering if Stephen was going to say that I’d overheard their conversation in the hospital.

“As future luna of our pack, I thought it only right for Lina to be brought in on this,” Stephen said.

Magnus nodded, but I knew that even as luna, he believed I had as little right to be involved in this decision as he believed the omegas had in general.

As we presented to Magnus, Stephen and I both took different topics, exhibiting how the Omega Concord would prove inefficient and detrimental to Blackthorn Corp.

“I thought we’d start with employee morale and company culture,” I said as I opened the various case studies, presenting shifter companies treating their employees fairly and with respect. “You can see Ashford, Glen Cove, and Woodhaven’s productivity and retention rates for their employees are parallel to our own. These three New York packs offer good comparatives with which to measure our own percentages.”

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