Christian’s POV

Walking into the Knight Industries boardroom felt like entering a battlefield where only half the combatants could see the real war.

The mahogany table stretched before me, surrounded by human executives in expensive suits who had no idea they were sitting in a room full of predators. Johnson from Meridian Corp. was already flipping through his quarterly reports, while Williams from Apex Industries checked his phone for the third time in five minutes.

Dad commanded the room from his position at the head of the table, his steel-gray eyes surveying everyone with the kind of authority that made even humans unconsciously straighten their shoulders. Twenty-five years as Alpha had taught him how to dominate any space he entered.

"Gentlemen," Dad’s voice carried that subtle Alpha undertone that made everyone pay attention, "thank you for joining us today."

I took my seat halfway down the table, nodding at the human executives while cataloging the pack members scattered throughout the room. Rebecca Hayes sat with her notepad ready, her brown eyes sharp and calculating. Thomas Beck hovered near the presentation equipment, his jaw tight with the kind of tension that meant pack business was on his mind. Elena Reeves distributed financial reports with mechanical precision, but I caught her exchanging meaningful glances with other pack members.

Dad had positioned wolves in every key role. Nothing happened in this room without pack knowledge.

"Before we begin," Dad continued, his smile perfectly crafted for human consumption, "I’d like to introduce our newest employee."

That’s when her scent hit me.

Vanilla and jasmine, with those underlying notes of strength and defiance that made my wolf sit up and take notice. Sophie walked into the boardroom carrying her laptop and a stack of files, her auburn hair catching the fluorescent lights. She looked professional, confident, and completely unaware of the supernatural tension that immediately flooded the room.

My wolf wanted to stand up, to acknowledge her presence, to claim her right there in front of everyone. I forced myself to remain seated, but every instinct I had was screaming *mate*.

Rebecca’s nostrils flared like she’d smelled something rotten. Thomas actually turned his back when Sophie smiled at him. Elena’s eyes went cold as arctic ice.

The pack was rejecting her before she’d even spoken.

"Sophie Martinez," Dad said, his voice carrying false warmth that would fool humans but not supernatural observers. "Sophie has prepared an analysis of our primary competitor that should prove... enlightening."

Sophie moved to the front of the room, connecting her laptop to the projector with steady hands. I could smell her nervousness underneath the vanilla and jasmine, but she didn’t let it show.

"Good morning, everyone," she began, her voice clear and professional. "I’ve spent the past week analyzing Blackstone Industries’ expansion strategy, and what I’ve found should concern us all."

The presentation screen lit up with charts and graphs that immediately caught Johnson’s attention. Williams leaned forward, his businessman instincts engaged. Even the other human executives stopped checking their phones.

"Blackstone isn’t just expanding," Sophie continued, clicking to the next slide. "They’re hunting. Every acquisition they’ve made in the past six months has been strategically designed to corner specific market segments."

She was good. Better than good. She commanded the room with the kind of natural authority that made even the hostile pack members pay attention despite themselves.

"Their CEO, Marcus Blackstone, has been personally involved in every major deal," Sophie explained, bringing up a timeline that showed the company’s aggressive tactics. "This isn’t standard corporate growth. This is corporate warfare."

Johnson from Meridian Corp. sat forward. "What kind of timeline are we looking at?"

"Based on their current trajectory, they’ll control sixty percent of our primary market within eighteen months," Sophie answered without hesitation. "Unless we act now."

Williams from Apex Industries nodded approvingly. "What do you recommend?"

Sophie’s scent shifted, taking on notes of confidence and determination. My wolf practically purred with pride. She was magnificent, standing there commanding a room full of powerful men like she was born to it.

"We need to move faster than they expect," Sophie said, clicking to her recommendations. "If we can secure the Denver and Phoenix markets before they do, we cut off their western expansion entirely."

That’s when our eyes met.

Across the boardroom, over the heads of human executives and hostile pack members, Sophie’s green eyes locked with mine. For a moment, the presentation faded into background noise. The mate bond crackled between us like live electricity, and I saw recognition flicker in her gaze.

She knew. On some level, she understood what was happening between us.

Rebecca’s eyes narrowed as she caught the exchange. Thomas’s supernatural senses were sharp enough to detect the mate bond energy flooding the room. Elena made a mental note that I knew would reach Vanessa within the hour.

I was screwed.

"Excellent work, Sophie," Johnson said, pulling my attention back to the presentation. "This is exactly the kind of strategic thinking we need."

"I’d like to hire you for consulting work with Apex Industries," Williams added. "Your analysis is incredibly thorough."