My hands froze the moment I saw him. Elliot's eyes, dark and sharp like twin obsidian blades, fixed on me with a mixture of displeasure and dominance. The pen I had been twirling rolled to his feet, and before I could react, he picked it up and placed it in front of him deliberately out of reach, a silent claim marking his territory.
My cheeks burned hot with embarrassment. I needed that pen to take notes, to do my work, yet standing there, I felt exposed under the weight of his Alpha presence. Swallowing hard, I stood and reached forward, snatching the pen back forcibly. His gaze followed me, unblinking, but he didn't comment or scowl. The power in that silence was suffocating.
Felicia cleared her throat awkwardly. "Okay… let's continue the meeting," she stammered, as if to distract us both from the tension that crackled like static between Elliot and me. My face burned even hotter. Why did it always feel like trouble followed him like a shadow?
"Anastasia, you and May will be grouped together for Friday's event," Felicia announced, dividing the designers into teams. May's fake enthusiasm made me twitch, but I nodded politely, masking my irritation.
The rest of the meeting passed in a blur. Elliot remained silent, but I could feel the weight of his gaze like a physical pressure. Every few minutes, his eyes would lock on me, dark and unwavering, like a wolf scenting its mate or perhaps a rival it refused to let go of. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, aware of the heat crawling up my neck.
When the meeting finally ended, relief surged through me. I was ready to gather my things and escape, but a cold, commanding voice froze me mid-step.
"Anastasia, I need you to stay back for a while."
I stopped dead. My heart thumped against my ribs as I turned to face him, all his Alpha energy radiating off him. "Is there something you need, President Presgrave?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He didn't answer. His presence alone cleared the room other designers would have loved to eavesdrop, but Elliot's aura pressed down like a territorial claim. They quickly scuttled out, leaving just the two of us.
Alice and May lingered just outside, their jealousy practically visible, coiled like snakes ready to strike. It was clear no one here had the pull over Elliot that I did. I was the center of his attention, the one he focused on, and it made me both uneasy and infuriated.
Once the door clicked shut, I slammed my hand on the table, letting the frustration rise. "What the hell are you trying to do, Elliot?" My voice was sharp, carrying more bite than I intended.
"I want to take you back to see my grandmother next Monday," he said suddenly, calm yet undeniable in its command.
Shock froze me. His grandmother the matriarch of the Presgrave pack? That was sacred territory, untouchable to outsiders. My instincts screamed no before my mind could even process the words.
"I refuse," I said, my voice cold. "I don't want to have anything to do with your Presgrave family."
His eyes darkened, coals glowing in the dim conference room light. "Is that so?" he murmured, his gaze snapping to mine with the force of a predator cornering its mate. "Then you are not allowed to meet with Nigel, and you are not allowed to flirt with him."
I froze under the weight of his dominance. His claim wasn't just words it was instinct, power, and intent wrapped around me like a tightening leash. My body reacted without permission, my blood thrumming with the old, primal recognition of his Alpha authority.
I wanted to resist, to snap back, but the burn of his stare left me rooted in place, aware that in the pack, defiance came at a price.
Elliot had drawn a line, staking his claim with quiet ferocity, and I could feel the tug of it deep in my chest. I was trapped between the life I tried to control and the Alpha who insisted on controlling me.
I stared at him, my chest tightening under the weight of his presence. "He's my friend," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
Elliot's gaze sharpened, his eyes gleaming with that cold, predatory light only an Alpha could carry. "He's also a member of our Presgrave pack, Anastasia. You can't keep running from us forever." His sneer cut like claws.
I let out a frustrated sigh. "President Presgrave, you have an entire pack and empire to manage. Why waste time hovering over a small company like this? You should be back at the Presgrave Group, tending to real matters!"
"I don't need your concern about where I choose to be," he snapped, his tone low and dangerous, vibrating with the control of an Alpha marking his territory.
I gritted my teeth, my own instincts bristling in response to the way he always seemed to invade my space. "Even so, you're disrupting my work," I shot back, unable to keep the irritation from my words.
His expression hardened, eyes smoldering with dominance. "Even if you don't want to, you will meet my grandmother on Monday," he said, final and unyielding, as if the Alpha word alone could bend reality.
I glared at him, furious, my wolf instincts bristling in defiance. "No. I won't," I hissed, pushing the office door open and storming out, leaving him standing there, dark and furious, his aura heavy with Alpha anger.
Back in my office, May waited, fawning as always. "Anastasia, the shop tour report will count toward the half-year pack award! We mustn't be sloppy!"
I forced a smile, shaking off the tension from Elliot's intrusion. "Yeah. It's my first time writing this kind of report. Let's make it count."
May blinked at me, her expression all sweetness and adoration. "You're the only one sent back from headquarters by the pack to help here. You must be exceptional. I'll follow your lead in the future."
I smiled faintly, inwardly amused. I was confident in my talent, yes, but this paperwork… it was tedious, not my strength. I had no idea that May's fawning smile masked teeth sharp with envy, a wolf in sheep's clothing waiting for the right moment.
"Okay, let's get to work," I said, brushing off her flattery, focusing on the tasks at hand.
Because of the project, I had to arrange for someone to watch over my son. I called my father, Francis, and his deep, warm voice immediately lifted a weight off my shoulders. "I have time. Carry on with your work. I'll take Jared out for a proper meal."
Relief settled over me. Knowing my son was safe allowed me to focus fully on my duties. Soon after, Nigel called. He was waiting at the company entrance, offering to take me and my son to a lavish dinner. I didn't refuse. Friends or allies were rare, and Nigel's presence felt like a protective bond, the kind you relied on when the world felt heavy.
Meanwhile, Elliot was in his office, processing emails, his presence always felt even when he wasn't physically near. Rey appeared with a stack of documents, smiling as he spoke. "I just saw Young Master Nigel's car, President Presgrave."
Elliot's eyes narrowed, instincts alert. "Where is he?"
"Downstairs. I think he's waiting for someone probably Miss Tillman."
Even without seeing him, I felt the shift in the air. Elliot's Alpha instincts were already stirring, protective, territorial. Somewhere deep inside, a warning flickered, subtle but insistent. He didn't trust, he didn't relinquish, and though I refused to submit, my pulse was caught in the tension between his dominance and my own desire for freedom.
I inhaled, steadying myself. Monday with his grandmother, Nigel's dinner tonight… My life had become a battlefield of pack instincts and human desires, and Elliot was always at the center, pulling at me, claiming me, daring me to resist.