The final bell rang, heralding the end of another long school day, and I trudged towards my locker, the familiar cacophony of students fading into the background. Today, Jason was my ride—his week to navigate the twisty roads to our school. I began the process of organizing my books for homework when a sudden shadow cast itself over me. I glanced up to find myself face-to-face with Alpha Rik, his glacial blue eyes piercing through the evening air. Wonderful. What could my future alpha possibly want now? I took a moment to temper the impatience and irritation bubbling inside me. No sense in riling up the very person I might be tethered to for life. With a steadying breath, I summoned my best polite tone. “Alpha, how can I assist you?” I was proud of how convincingly uninterested I managed to sound. “Hey there, beautiful,” he began, flashing a grin that was all charm and no substance. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you around before.” Seriously? This was his pickup line? Like we hadn’t shared the same classrooms for years on end? I tilted my head, donning a facade of faux innocence. “I guess you haven’t. It’s hard to see past your legion of adoring fans.” Closing my locker, I leaned against it, adopting a casual posture. Feeling a bit mischievous, I batted my eyelashes at him. “You ARE an alpha, right?" I emphasized the ‘are,’ giving him my most innocent, starry-eyed look. “I am, sweetheart,” he replied, a smirk dancing on his lips. “But don’t let my aura intimidate you. I hear it can be a bit overwhelming.” Wow, he had a serious opinion of himself. Even Artemis, my guardian spirit, snickered in my mind. This guy was underestimating me. Guardians were immune to that supposed ‘alpha command,’ a product of history where alphas grew overly fond of their guardians, sometimes commanding them to stand down even at the cost of their lives. Over time, our resistance had become a fact. As for Rik, he seemed blissfully unaware of my heritage—or the sacrifices my family had made for his pack. Feeling his aura wash over me like a warm wave, I suppressed a smirk. He had no clue who I was, and I had every intention of keeping it that way. “Oh wow,” I proclaimed, placing my hand over my heart as if I were about to swoon. “It’s really nice to meet you.” Artemis chimed in with a teasing tone, ‘Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?’ Maybe I was. But honestly, an alpha should recognize his own pack members. It felt almost criminal that he stood there, oblivious to my existence, especially given my family's loyalty to his. He extended his hand, the smirk still plastered across his face. “I’m Rik, Alpha heir of the Canyon Ridge Pack. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?” I gave my best imitation of an awestruck gasp. “Oh my, it’s nice to meet you!” I replied, forcing a sense of excitement into my voice as I clasped his hand. To my utter surprise, a curious spark jolted through me, an unexpected shock that made the hair on my arms stand at attention. The sensation was strangely pleasant, but it caught me off guard. Rik’s eyes widened for just a moment, mirroring my own shock, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he felt it too. Maybe it was just static from the locker. Staring into my eyes, he finally spoke again, refusing to release my hand. “It’s customary in my culture to introduce yourself in return when someone introduces themselves.” His charming smile suggested that mesmerizing women was merely another one of his many skills. Perhaps it was—with his entourage of brainless admirers, making an impression was probably a walk in the park. However, I was not among those hapless souls. Just as I was about to introduce myself, a familiar voice broke the tension. “Hey, Ca—” Jason called out. I swiftly interrupted him. “Hey Jason, do you know Alpha Rik?” I shot him a glare, hoping he would read my mind. Jason’s confusion was evident as he glanced between us. “Of course. Alpha Rik is from my pack and is my future alpha.” A wave of relief washed over me; Jason was a lifesaver, unwittingly playing along with my charade. “Alpha,” he acknowledged, bowing his head in respectful submission. “Jason,” Rik nodded back. “I was just introducing myself to your friend here.” He turned back to me, an air of faux charming authority about him. “So, sweetheart, what’s your name and what pack are you from?” At this point, I felt my temper flare. He genuinely didn’t know who I was? A corner of my eye caught Jason flinch slightly at Rik’s dismissive tone. It was time to take action. “What makes you think I’m not from your pack?” I shot back, raising an eyebrow and adopting a tone that was leaning far more toward snarky than innocent. Rik regarded me with that typical condescending alpha gaze, arching his brow in return. “Well, sweetheart, I know every member of my pack, and I don’t know you.” Arrogance dripped from his voice. I could feel it rising within me, swirling along the lines of my patience. In a sudden burst of confidence, I leaned closer, placing my hand against his chest—a chiselled, warm surface that felt almost made of stone. Seriously, were all alphas this solid? I had to stifle the urge to explore more of his physique. Come on, focus, Car. Rising on my tiptoes, I leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Well, obviously, you don’t know EVERY member. And my name isn’t Sweetheart.” I swore I heard his breath hitch before I pulled away and started to walk off. “Let’s go, Jay. I need to get home.” Once we were in Jason’s car, he glanced at me with concern. “Okay, what was that all about? Why are you allowing Alpha Rik to think you're from some other pack?” “I’m not,” I insisted, shaking my head. “Rik initiated that little chat. He clearly has no idea who I am, and now he’s going to act like he knows every member of his pack?” My frustration bubbled over. “I can’t just let that slide, Jay. He’s the future Alpha, for crying out loud! If he’s going to strut around with that much arrogance, he should have the knowledge to back it up.” “Why not just tell him who you are?” Jason countered, incredulity etched across his features. I gaped at him, my jaw practically hitting the floor. “Are you kidding me right now?” “I’m just saying, be careful, Car,” he replied earnestly, his eyes pleading. “Of what, Jay? That reality might dawn on him and he’ll turn hostile? I’m in the right here! And let’s be honest, in a straight-up fight, I could probably take him. Not that Alpha Anders would ever let me get that close to a showdown.” As we followed the winding road towards my house, Jason’s brows furrowed with thought. “You will probably be connected to him at some point, so it’s best not to make an enemy of him before that happens. He might find a way to complicate your life.” He had a point. When Rik ascended to alpha, if I remained without a mate, my duty as his guardian would begin. The prospect of spending endless hours alongside the self-important alpha and his entourage filled me with dread. “Okay, Jason, fine. If he approaches me again, I’ll try to be nice.” The skeptical look on my best friend’s face told me he didn’t believe my half-hearted pledge. “What? I can be nice in the sandbox,” I defended. Jason snorted. “Yeah, but only if it’s your sandbox and you have all the toys.” I shrugged, smirking at him. “What’s your point?” He rolled his eyes as he pulled up to my house. “See you tomorrow.” I waved goodbye, heading inside to prepare for my afternoon training with my dad, my mind still buzzing with the encounter I'd just had.