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Chapter Three
Ga-in kicked off her heels the moment she stepped through the front door, muttering under her breath about alphas and their oversized egos. Clara, sitting cross-legged on the couch with a cup of tea, raised an eyebrow.
"Back already?" Clara asked, glancing at the clock. "I thought you'd stay longer. Flirting marathon cut short tonight?"
Ga-in flopped onto the sofa beside her, burying her face in a cushion. "Don't even get me started," she groaned. "It was a disaster. Absolute waste of makeup."
Clara hid a smirk behind her teacup. "What happened this time?"
Ga-in turned her head to glare at her friend. "Same old story. Alphas acting like the world revolves around them. One of them actually asked me how I'm still single. Can you believe that? Like it's a crime or something." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "Honestly, the only highlight of the night was the cake. Hana outdid herself on that part."
"Uh-huh," Clara said, unimpressed. "And the part where you stormed off in the middle of the party?"
Ga-in sat up, narrowing her eyes. "How do you know about that?"
Clara shrugged. "You always do. You flirt, get bored, then ghost. I could set a clock to it."
Ga-in groaned again, collapsing back onto the couch. "I can't help it. They're all just… so predictable. I try to make it fun, but they always ruin it with their posturing and arrogance."
Clara sipped her tea, watching her friend with a mix of amusement and concern. "One day, Ga-in, you're going to meet an alpha who won't let you walk away so easily."
Ga-in scoffed. "Yeah, right. And when that day comes, I'll be sure to thank him for the entertainment."
Clara shook her head, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Goodnight, Ga-in."
"Night," Ga-in mumbled, already sinking into the cushions.
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Han Yeon-jun's POV
Han Yeon-jun leaned back in his chair, the skyline of Seoul glittering beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse. The faint hum of his laptop filled the room as he scanned through reports from his hotel chain. Work had always been his solace, the one thing that made sense in a world full of complications.
And omegas.
His jaw tightened at the thought. Omegas were weak, needy, and entirely too dependent for his liking. He'd avoided them his entire life, brushing off advances from both omegas and betas with practiced ease. At almost thirty, Yeon-jun had everything he could want—wealth, power, and the freedom to live on his own terms. The idea of being tied to someone, especially a mate, was laughable.
Yet, somehow, he had found himself at that birthday party.
It wasn't by choice. Park Hana's father, a long-time business associate, had personally invited him, insisting it would be a "great networking opportunity." Yeon-jun wasn't in the habit of attending social events, but the elder Park had been a key player in the expansion of his hotel empire. Declining wasn't an option.
He'd arrived late, slipping through the crowd with minimal interaction. He'd planned to stay just long enough to make his appearance, exchange a few pleasantries, and leave.
But then she appeared.
The collision had been unexpected. One moment, he was heading toward the exit; the next, he was catching a woman who had practically barreled into him.
For a brief second, their eyes met, and something inside him shifted. Her scent—warm, alluring, utterly intoxicating—wrapped around him like a vice. His wolf stirred, growling low in his chest, a primal instinct he hadn't felt in years roaring to life.
And then she was gone, storming off before he could even ask her name.
Yeon-jun hadn't thought much of it at first, dismissing the encounter as a passing annoyance. But as the night wore on, her face kept flashing in his mind—the fire in her eyes, the sharpness of her tone, the way her scent lingered in the air even after she'd left.
It was maddening.
He tossed and turned in bed, the alpha within him restless. He didn't want to think about her, but he couldn't stop.
"Who are you?" he murmured into the darkness, his fists clenched against the sheets. His wolf growled again, demanding answers, demanding her.
Damn it.
For the first time in years, Han Yeon-jun found himself truly unsettled. And he hated it.
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