Chapter 5 · The Rival Alpha Claimed Me

Chapter 5

Another one said, "I heard she's been shorting the Carlyle family's stocks lately. That's just petty revenge. She doesn't even know the rules of the game on Raywell Street."

I set my champagne glass down.

The sharp clink of glass against marble made all three of them turn around.

"Sorry." I smiled, my voice dripping with sweetness, like poison. "Is someone talking about me?"

They were stunned. No one expected me to walk right up to them.

Marcus Gardner, the heir to a real estate empire, gave me a forced smile. "Claire, we were just..."

"Sizing up my chances of survival?" I cut him off, stepping forward. "Betting 300 thousand dollars that I won't make it three months? Is that all you can muster?"

I pulled out my phone, opened a trading app, and showed them my live positions.

"How about this?" I turned the screen toward them. "I just shorted stocks from all three of your family businesses using my own account. Total position? 1.5 million dollars on the line."

Marcus's face went ghostly pale.

He snapped, "You're out of your mind! Those companies..."

I rattled off the numbers like it was nothing. "Over 80% debt ratio, negative cash flow, and last year's report is suspected of fraud. The SEC's notice should hit your dads' desk next week."

The other two Alphas instinctively stepped back.

I slipped my phone away, my smile still sweet and sharp, "Now, the bet's different. I'm putting it all on your three companies crashing and burning in six months. If I win..."

I leaned in so only Marcus could hear me.

I said, "You'll kneel before Drake and admit your family's been bootlicking the Carlyles for three generations. Because that's the only reason you're still around."

His aura flared. Rage, fear, and the bitter taste of a crushed Alpha pride.

But he was frozen, unable to make a move.

Because right then, Finn stepped up behind me.

He stayed silent, simply standing at my side. That small gesture made the whole room tense, the atmosphere turning icy.

The aura of a top Alpha was like an invisible wall, pressing down on the three so hard they could barely breathe. Marcus's knees shook under the instinct of a lesser wolf facing a true Alpha.

But what slammed into me even harder was the surge of Finn's scent as he drew closer.

Bourbon. Amber. The wild edge of a desert storm.

And possessiveness. Unapologetic, raw possessiveness rolled off him like a heatwave, wrapping me up completely.

"My body betrayed me. My legs went weak, my heart was racing, and that familiar warmth deep in my lower abdomen grew hotter and more damp.

My inner wolf growled within, hungry to unleash my own scent, to answer his, to wrap around him, to mark him as mine.

But I bit down on my lip, using the sting to keep myself grounded.

"Game's over, boys," Finn said, his voice lazy but his eyes sharp as a wolf's, locked on his prey. "Get lost. Before I decide, I need a little... exercise tonight."

They practically bolted.

Finn turned to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "1.5 million dollars on a short? You're serious?"

I shrugged, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Just had some spare cash lying around. And I meant every word. Those companies are toast."

"That's not what I meant," Finn said, closing the gap between us. He tilted my chin up with a possessive touch. "I'm talking about how you challenged them."

His thumb swept across my lower lip, erasing a trace of lipstick.

"Your eyes are turning gold, little wolf," Finn murmured, his breath warm against my cheek, carrying that bourbon scent. "The hunt really gets your blood pumping, huh?"

I wanted to step back, but the floor-to-ceiling windows were right behind me. I was trapped, with nowhere to go.

And, embarrassingly enough, my body had no intention of running away.

I said, "Finn..."

"Shh." But he planted his other hand on the glass right by my ear, trapping me between him and the window.

His body heat radiated through his shirt, hot as sunbaked stone. "Let me ask you something."

I asked, "What?"

His lips were just an inch from mine. His voice was low like a trap. "If I kissed you right now, would you slap me, or..."

His gaze dropped to my lips, then slid down to my heaving chest, my clenched fists.

He asked, "Would you kiss me back?"

The party buzzed in the distance. Outside, Luxoria glittered like a river of stars. But between us, there were just a few inches, and enough electricity to set the whole city ablaze.

I could smell the shift in his scent. It was richer, more intoxicating, a blatant invitation. It was the scent of an Alpha in pursuit, hitting my instincts like a punch.

My body was betraying me.

Chapter 5

Another one said, "I heard she's been shorting the Carlyle family's stocks lately. That's just petty revenge. She doesn't even know the rules of the game on Raywell Street."

I set my champagne glass down.

The sharp clink of glass against marble made all three of them turn around.

"Sorry." I smiled, my voice dripping with sweetness, like poison. "Is someone talking about me?"

They were stunned. No one expected me to walk right up to them.

Marcus Gardner, the heir to a real estate empire, gave me a forced smile. "Claire, we were just..."

"Sizing up my chances of survival?" I cut him off, stepping forward. "Betting 300 thousand dollars that I won't make it three months? Is that all you can muster?"

I pulled out my phone, opened a trading app, and showed them my live positions.

"How about this?" I turned the screen toward them. "I just shorted stocks from all three of your family businesses using my own account. Total position? 1.5 million dollars on the line."

Marcus's face went ghostly pale.

He snapped, "You're out of your mind! Those companies..."

I rattled off the numbers like it was nothing. "Over 80% debt ratio, negative cash flow, and last year's report is suspected of fraud. The SEC's notice should hit your dads' desk next week."

The other two Alphas instinctively stepped back.

I slipped my phone away, my smile still sweet and sharp, "Now, the bet's different. I'm putting it all on your three companies crashing and burning in six months. If I win..."

I leaned in so only Marcus could hear me.

I said, "You'll kneel before Drake and admit your family's been bootlicking the Carlyles for three generations. Because that's the only reason you're still around."

His aura flared. Rage, fear, and the bitter taste of a crushed Alpha pride.

But he was frozen, unable to make a move.

Because right then, Finn stepped up behind me.

He stayed silent, simply standing at my side. That small gesture made the whole room tense, the atmosphere turning icy.

The aura of a top Alpha was like an invisible wall, pressing down on the three so hard they could barely breathe. Marcus's knees shook under the instinct of a lesser wolf facing a true Alpha.

But what slammed into me even harder was the surge of Finn's scent as he drew closer.

Bourbon. Amber. The wild edge of a desert storm.

And possessiveness. Unapologetic, raw possessiveness rolled off him like a heatwave, wrapping me up completely.

"My body betrayed me. My legs went weak, my heart was racing, and that familiar warmth deep in my lower abdomen grew hotter and more damp.

My inner wolf growled within, hungry to unleash my own scent, to answer his, to wrap around him, to mark him as mine.

But I bit down on my lip, using the sting to keep myself grounded.

"Game's over, boys," Finn said, his voice lazy but his eyes sharp as a wolf's, locked on his prey. "Get lost. Before I decide, I need a little... exercise tonight."

They practically bolted.

Finn turned to me, a smirk playing on his lips. "1.5 million dollars on a short? You're serious?"

I shrugged, forcing my voice to stay steady. "Just had some spare cash lying around. And I meant every word. Those companies are toast."

"That's not what I meant," Finn said, closing the gap between us. He tilted my chin up with a possessive touch. "I'm talking about how you challenged them."

His thumb swept across my lower lip, erasing a trace of lipstick.

"Your eyes are turning gold, little wolf," Finn murmured, his breath warm against my cheek, carrying that bourbon scent. "The hunt really gets your blood pumping, huh?"

I wanted to step back, but the floor-to-ceiling windows were right behind me. I was trapped, with nowhere to go.

And, embarrassingly enough, my body had no intention of running away.

I said, "Finn..."

"Shh." But he planted his other hand on the glass right by my ear, trapping me between him and the window.

His body heat radiated through his shirt, hot as sunbaked stone. "Let me ask you something."

I asked, "What?"

His lips were just an inch from mine. His voice was low like a trap. "If I kissed you right now, would you slap me, or..."

His gaze dropped to my lips, then slid down to my heaving chest, my clenched fists.

He asked, "Would you kiss me back?"

The party buzzed in the distance. Outside, Luxoria glittered like a river of stars. But between us, there were just a few inches, and enough electricity to set the whole city ablaze.

I could smell the shift in his scent. It was richer, more intoxicating, a blatant invitation. It was the scent of an Alpha in pursuit, hitting my instincts like a punch.

My body was betraying me.