I bit my lower lip and didn't answer. It would be too embarrassing to say that I read the magazine article about him.
When we stopped in front of the grand entrance, he finally spoke. “Get out.”
I bristled at his tone but complied, following him into the house.
The inside was just as impressive as the exterior—high ceilings, ornate chandeliers, and walls lined with art that screamed wealth.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he led me up a winding staircase and down a long corridor.
“To my office,” he said curtly.
When we entered, a young woman rushed over to Harry. Her concern was obvious. “Are you okay? We heard about the rogue attack.”
Harry passed by her before she could even touch his skin, which made me raise an eyebrow.
“What's the news about the rogue attacks in the city?” He asked the other people in the room.
They started discussing packs, territories, and conspiracies that made my head spin.
“Uh, what is happening?” I voiced it out loud instead of just asking my wolf.
Before Harry could answer, several other people in the room turned to look at me. Their conversations stopped, and an uncomfortable silence filled the space.
I offered an awkward smile, feeling completely out of place. “Uh, hi. I'm not sure why I'm here though.”
No one responded. Their eyes flicked between me and Harry.
Harry stepped forward, his voice steady but commanding, like an Alpha. “Everyone, this is Elina Hale.” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
Gasps, murmurs, and a few outright scowls rippled through the room.
I stiffened. Clearly, my father’s reputation had followed me even here.
“Harry,” I said, stepping forward, “maybe this was a mistake. I should go—”
“No,” he cut me off. “You’re staying.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the determined look in his eyes stopped me. He wasn’t going to let this go.
“You all have a job to do,” Harry addressed the room. “Focus on that and leave the rest to me.”
Reluctantly, the group dispersed, though not without a few lingering glances in my direction. The young woman who had rushed to Harry earlier lingered for a moment before giving me a curt nod and leaving.
When the door finally closed behind them, I turned to Harry. “What was that?”
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling deeply. “Necessary. They need to know who you are.”
“Why? So they can hate me like everyone else does?”
“They don’t hate you. They’re cautious, that’s all,” he explained.
“Cautious?” I laughed bitterly. “Harry, I’m the daughter of an Alpha who rules with fear and manipulation. They think I’m just like him.”
“But you’re not,” he said firmly, stepping closer.
I hate how his eyes looked at me intensely.
“That rogue today wasn’t random, Elina,” he said worriedly.
“What do you mean?”
He hesitated as if weighing how much to tell me. “Rogues have been moving through the city for weeks. Organized, and coordinated. They’re not just passing through—they’re looking for someone.”
A cold chill ran down my spine after hearing that. “You think they’re looking for me?”
Before he could answer, the door burst open, and the young woman from earlier rushed in, her face pale.
“Harry,” she said urgently, “we’ve got a situation.”
“What is it?” He asked, his voice immediately sharp.
“Another rogue attack in the city,” she said. “This one’s bigger, meaner. It’s heading straight for the school.”
The twins!
I almost blurted those words out, but I bit my lips so hard not to spill the secret.
Harry’s jaw tightened, and he turned to me. “Stay here.”
“Like hell, I will,” I shot back. Not when there’s a possibility that my twins are in danger.
“Elina—”
“I’m an Alpha’s daughter, Harry. I think you forgot how strong I could be.”
Harry looked at me for a long time and suddenly walked out of the door. I followed him and then he turned back at me.
“I’m sorry Elina. You’re staying here. That’s an order.” After saying that, he pushed me away from the door and locked it.
“Harry! No!!!” I shouted and pounded the door, trying to twist the knob open. But it won’t budge. I kept calling for help, but who would even dare to go against Harry’s orders?
I was packing back and forth when I saw the window across the room. I took a deep breath and adjusted my distance from it.
“I guess I need to pay for another broken window,” I muttered and jumped through the window while I underwent a werewolf transformation.
