Chapter 64
Ethan’s POV
The glass doors of V&A Corporation gleamed in the morning sun like a fortress I had no hope of breaching.
I stood in the lobby, my fists clenched at my sides, trying to keep my wolf from surfacing. The urge to snarl at the smug-faced receptionist was almost overwhelming.
“I’m sorry, Alpha Holt,” she said again, her tone anything but apologetic. “But without an appointment, I can’t let you through p>
“I just need five minutes,” I said, forcing myself to sound calm. Reasonable. “Tell Vincent Smith’s heir that Ethan Holt from Silver Creek Pack is here. I’m sure they’ll p>
“Alpha Holt.” She looked at me like I was a stray dog trying to wander into a five-star restaurant. “I’ve already told you. V&A Corporation does not take walk-ins. If you’d like to schedule an appointment, you can submit a request through our online portal p>
“I’ve tried that,” I snapped. “Three times. No response p>
Her smile didn’t falter. “Then I suggest you try again p>
My wolf growled low in my chest. I could feel my canines starting to elongate, the urge to show dominance clawing its way up my throat.
Not here. Not now.
I took a breath and forced myself to step back. “Fine. Is there anyone else I can speak to? A manager? Anyone p>
“I’m afraid not.” She turned her attention back to her computer screen, dismissing me entirely.
I stood there for another moment, feeling the weight of failure pressing down on my shoulders. Security guards watched me from the corners, their hands hovering near their radios.
I was nobody here. Just another desperate Alpha trying to save a sinking Pack.
Finally, I turned and walked toward the doors, my jaw clenched so tight it ached.
The morning air hit me as I stepped outside, but it did nothing to cool the frustration burning through my veins.
I moved away from the entrance and leaned against the building’s exterior wall, running both hands through my hair.
This was a disaster.
Silver Creek Pack was hemorrhaging money. The Stoneheart Pack deal had fallen through last week—they’d outright refused to even meet with us.
Before that, it was Ironwood Pack. Before that, Riverside.
Every door was slamming shut in my face.
And now this. V&A Corporation—the one company that could actually save us—had us on some kind of blacklist. We couldn’t even get a foot in the door.
I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the wall.
The memory of yesterday’s meeting with my father crashed over me like a wave.
“Are you telling me you have no idea how this happened?” My father’s voice had been like thunder, shaking the walls of his office.
I’d stood in front of his desk, my shoulders rigid, trying not to let him see how much his words cut. “No, Dad. I don’t know why V&A blacklisted us p>
“You don’t know.” He’d slammed his fist on the desk, making me flinch. “You’re the Alpha, Ethan. You’re supposed to know everything that affects this Pack p>
“I’ve been trying to figure it out p>
“Trying isn’t good enough!” He’d risen from his chair, his wolf flashing in his eyes.
At sixty-three, Alpha Gerald Holt was still an imposing man—broad-shouldered, silver-haired, with a gaze that could make grown wolves cower.
“Do you understand what this means? V&A controls half the supply chains in this region. Without their cooperation, we’re finished p>
I’d swallowed hard. “I’ll fix it p>
“You’ll fix it?” He’d laughed, bitter and sharp. “How? You can’t even get a meeting with them. And now Stoneheart Pack is backing out of the alliance. “
“Do you know what Alpha Stoneheart told me? He said he doesn’t want to associate with a Pack that’s ’economically unstable p>
The words had hit like a physical blow. Stoneheart was supposed to be our lifeline—a merger that would have brought new resources, new territory.
“It’s not just business anymore, Ethan.” My father had leaned forward, his knuckles white against the desk.
“It’s our reputation. Every Pack in the region is watching us collapse. And they’re laughing p>
“How am I supposed to p>
“Figure it out.” He’d turned away from me, staring out the window at the Pack lands beyond. “Vincent Smith’s heir is the one who controls that company now. Find them. Apologize for whatever the hell you did to piss them off. And get us off that blacklist p>
“I don’t even know who the heir is p>
“Then find out!” He’d spun back around, his wolf fully present now, his eyes glowing amber. “You’re an Alpha, Ethan. Start acting like one. Because if this Pack falls, it’s on you p>
I’d left his office feeling like I’d been gutted.
Now, standing outside V&A Corporation’s headquarters, I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes.
Vincent Smith’s heir.
I didn’t know her name. Didn’t know her face.
Hell,all I knew was that she had the power to destroy my Pack with a single decision.And she was a human.
I dropped my hands and stared at the building’s gleaming facade. Somewhere inside, behind all that glass and steel, was the person who held my Pack’s future in their hands.
And I couldn’t even get past the damn lobby.
My wolf snarled in frustration, pacing restlessly beneath my skin. I wanted to shift. To run. To do something other than stand here feeling useless.
I rubbed my face with both hands, trying to think.
There had to be a way. Some angle I hadn’t considered. Some connection I could leverage—
The familiar scent caught my attention.I looked up, and my breath stopped.
Aria.
She wore a navy sheath dress that hugged every curve, her light brown hair twisted up in a messy bun. She looked polished. Professional. Confident.
And she was carrying a container of food, her purse slung over one shoulder.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
God, I’d missed her.
It had been weeks since she’d walked out of the Pack house. Weeks since I’d seen her face, heard her voice.
Every instinct in me screamed to go to her, to pull her into my arms, to beg her to come home.
But something felt wrong.
She wasn’t just walking past V&A Corporation.
She was heading straight for the entrance.
What the hell?
Before I could think better of it, I called out. “Aria p>
She froze mid-step, her body going rigid. For a heartbeat, she didn’t move.
Then she looked up, her eyes finding mine across the distance.
Those green eyes locked on mine, and I saw it—surprise flickering across her features before being quickly masked.
Then her expression went completely cold.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, stepping toward her.