Chapter 2
Rafael
The sun was just starting to set as I paced the length of my study, my mind preoccupied with the day's events. A lot was going to happen today.
The meeting with the pack elders had been tense, as usual, but I had managed to keep things under control for the most part. Not sure if it was going to work the next time, but it was a constant struggle to maintain order and keep everyone in line, and I was used to it by now.
I paused by the window, gazing out at the sprawling estate that stretched before me. The manicured lawns and carefully tended gardens were a stark contrast to the rough and tumble world of the cartel, but I took pride in maintaining this facade of civility. It was important for the pack to see that we could be civilized when we wanted to be, even as we dealt with the more... unsavory aspects of our business. It was important to me, too.
As I stood there, lost in thought, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen and frowned at the unfamiliar number. Probably another supplier trying to cut a deal or some low-level enforcer looking for favors. I almost ignored it, but something made me swipe to answer instead. It might be a mistake, but it was too late to think about that right now.
"Nightshade," I growled into the receiver, not bothering with pleasantries. There was no need.
There was a pause on the other end before a gruff voice came through. "Boss, we've got a problem, and it's a big one."
I stiffened, instantly alert. "What is it?"
"We just got word from the border. The fentanyl shipment... it's gone missing."
The words hit me like a physical blow and I gripped the phone tighter, my knuckles turning white. "What do you mean, gone missing?" I demanded. "How the fuck does a million dollars' worth of product just disappear?"
"I don't know, boss," the man on the other end replied, sounding shaken. "But we're looking into it. We'll find out what happened."
Well, he'd better find out. Otherwise, he wouldn't live for much longer.
"Not good enough," I snarled. "I want answers now. And when you find out who's responsible, I want them brought to me. Alive."
Alive, yes, because I wanted to make them regret what they did. And then, I'd end their lives.
I slammed the phone down before he could respond, my mind already racing with the implications of this news. A missing shipment meant a huge loss of revenue and potential retaliation from the other cartels who expected their cut. Not good, not good at all.
And more than that, it was a challenge to my authority. Someone had dared to steal from me, and that was a line that could not be tolerated. I would make an example out of them, that much was certain.
Striding out of the study, my jaw clenched with barely contained fury, I knew that the coming night was going to be long. There were calls to make, men to mobilize, and a traitor to hunt down.
But first, there was a wedding to attend. My wedding, to an omega I had never met. It was my choice, so there was nothing to think about.
The marriage was also a political move, one meant to solidify our alliance with another pack, and I had been putting it off for weeks. But now, as I headed out into the gathering dusk, I found myself looking forward to it even more than before.
And that was because I wanted that omega all for myself.
Striding through the darkened corridors of my estate, my mind was awhirl with thoughts of the upcoming wedding and the implications it held.
The marriage to this omega, Anan Ravenore, really was more than just a union of two individuals—it was a strategic move, one that would solidify my position within the cartel and forge a powerful alliance with his aunt's family. Maybe the omega didn't know this, but Mara Ravenore was a formidable figure in her own right, with connections and influence that stretched far beyond our borders. His parents had also had a lot of clout, but they were dead.
I had initially been hesitant to agree to this match, not wanting to be tied down by political maneuverings or familial obligations. But as the days passed and I considered the potential benefits, I realized that marrying Anan could be the key to securing my dominance over the cartel for years to come. Not to mention, I had grown obsessed with the omega. There was something about him that kept drawing me to him.
Mara's family was old money, with a pedigree that stretched back generations. By tying myself to them through marriage, I would not only gain access to their vast resources but also cement my status as an alpha of the highest caliber. No one would dare challenge me then, knowing that I had the backing of such a powerful clan.
Something like the disappearance of the fentanyl order would never happen again. People would fear even the thought of doing something I didn't like.
At the same time, again, there was no denying the magnetism that kept drawing me to Anan. I had seen a photo of him once, a quick glance at an image on Mara's phone. He was young, years younger than me, with a delicate beauty that caught me off guard. I hadn't expected to feel a spark of interest, but there it was nonetheless.
It made me wonder if maybe he wasn't the one, but how would I know for sure? Not without talking to him face-to-face first. Until then, only a remote possibility remained.
Of course, I knew nothing about his personality or temperament. For all I knew, he could be a brat or a bore. But again, there was something about him that drew me in, a vulnerability in his eyes that made me want to protect him even as I wanted to claim him for my own. Both thoughts warred within me for control.
I shook my head, dispelling the wandering thoughts. This marriage was not about my personal desires but about power and prestige. I would do what needed to be done, just like always.
Still, as I entered the grand foyer where the wedding ceremony was set to take place, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of anticipation. Soon, I would meet Anan face-to-face and begin the process of making him mine in every way possible.
He possibly didn't like that was going to happen, but the marriage wasn't up to him. It was my decision.
Imagining him pinned beneath me made my dick twitch, and I straightened my shoulders, not thinking about the words I would say to him. It was nothing complicated. The marriage was just a formality. Once we were alone, what was truly important would begin.
But first, I had to deal with this fentanyl shipment problem. And it was going to be dealt with brutally, as always. That was my way of doing things, and no one could question that. It was the reason why everyone respected me so much.
Waiting outside now, my eyes narrowed as I watched the car pull up the drive, drawing to a halt in front of the steps that led up to the house's grand entrance.
A moment later, Aunt Mara emerged from the vehicle first, her head held high and shoulders squared. She looked just like I imagined—elegant with an undercurrent of coldness, as if she could cut you down to size just by looking at you a certain way.
My attention, however, wasn't really on her. It was already zeroed in on the occupant still in the car: Anan, my future mate and husband-to-be who I would be claiming here soon, for good.
Everything slowed as he got out of the sedan, rising up and turning to face me for the first time. And every thought inside of my head fled away immediately when I saw him properly for the first time, too.
He was exquisite—a delicate, otherworldly beauty who didn't seem like he should actually exist in real life. Fine features and soft curves that made me want to map his body out with my fingers—and later on with something else too. Delicate hands that would be perfect as they clung to me while I made love to him or struggled beneath them.
The sight of the omega stirred an unfamiliar ache inside of me, a hunger for something more than mere physical possession or political gain. There was just an inexplicable pull toward this beautiful creature in front of me.
I found myself unable to move from my spot, as if my feet had taken root into the earth beneath them. My chest felt tight and hot all at once like my whole being reacted instinctively with pleasure, possessiveness, and urgency rolled up in one ball inside it for this omega I only now saw.
As I said, I'd seen him before in some pictures, but nothing equaled seeing him in person, even from a distance.
He was even more breathtaking in person, his youthful innocence clashing perfectly with what we both knew awaited him on our wedding night. The slight hesitation before he climbed out of the car showed how nervous he felt. I wished I could do something about that, but it wasn't the right time to talk to him yet.
Those grey eyes had a way of boring right into one's being in a second, his gaze softening as it clashed with mine. The slight furrow of his eyebrows gave a silent question I wanted to answer by any means, but couldn't.
Still standing in the same place, my gaze locked with Anan's, a commotion broke out behind me. My second-in-command, Diego, came running up, his face etched with urgency.
"Boss, we've got a problem," he said, coming to a stop beside me and lowering his voice. "It's about the missing shipment."
I tore my eyes away from Anan, annoyance flickering through me at the interruption. But I knew I had to deal with this, no matter how much I wanted to focus on the omega in the distance.
"What's going on with it?" I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries.
"We've tracked it down," he said grimly. "But we don't know who took it yet. We're still working on that."
I swore under my breath, frustration boiling up inside me. "And what about the men in charge of transporting it? Where are they?"
"They're gone, boss," Diego replied, looking uneasy. He knew that disappointment wasn't something I usually tolerated. "Disappeared without a trace."
Without a trace? He really wanted me to believe that? My eyes narrowed dangerously and I stepped closer to him, looming over his smaller frame.
"You mean to tell me that not only did someone steal a million dollars' worth of our product, but they also managed to take out the men guarding it? And you don't have any leads on who's responsible? Are you really that unreliable?"
"No," Diego said quickly, holding up his hands. "But we're close. I swear it, boss. We'll find them and bring them to you. Alive."
He emphasized that last word, knowing full well what my intentions were for the traitors responsible for this fiasco. And the other people would meet my wrath soon, too.
I stared at him for a long moment, my mind racing with possibilities and implications. If someone had the guts and resources to pull off something like this, it meant they were a formidable opponent. And that was a challenge I couldn't ignore.
"We'll talk more about this later," I said finally, straightening up and smoothing down my suit jacket. There was something else more important I needed to deal with, after all. "For now, get back to work on tracking them down. And Diego?"
"Yes, boss?"
"Bring me the men you think are responsible first, before you do anything else," I ordered. "I want to deal with this myself."
Diego nodded, his expression grim as he turned to hurry away and follow my orders. I watched him go for a moment before turning back toward the house, my jaw clenched tight.
Stalking up the steps, with my mind already jumping ahead to the interrogation that would follow, I couldn't help but think of Anan and the way he had looked at me with those wide, innocent eyes. There would be time enough for that too, I promised myself.
I'd make him mine, in every way possible. And no one, not even a traitor, would get in my way of doing so. They'd all pay if they tried to do that. It was a certainty.