Chapter 173 Shadow Alpha

Chapter 173 Shadow Alpha
Amelia's POV

"Just someone I used to know," I replied vaguely, uncomfortable with how intensely he was studying me.

As he leaned forward, the passing streetlights illuminated his face in a way I hadn't noticed before. His aristocratic features—the high cheekbones, the sharp jawline, even the slight arrogant tilt of his head—triggered something in my memory. There was something hauntingly familiar about him, like a face from a half-forgotten dream.

I studied him more carefully. Those eyes... the distinctive way his brow arched when he asked questions. It reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite place who. Maybe someone from Alexander's social circle? Someone from one of those formal pack gatherings I'd glimpsed from afar before my life got tangled with Alexander's?

I looked away, focusing instead on the good news I'd just received. I couldn't help humming to myself, a small smile playing on my lips as I stared out the car window. Nathan was coming home tomorrow. After everything we'd been through—all the separation, the worry, the nights I'd spent wondering if I'd ever see my brother again—he was finally coming home.

"You seem happy," Caius observed, his voice cutting through my thoughts. "Care to share why?"

I turned to him, momentarily forgetting I wasn't alone. "Not really. It's none of your business."

His lips quirked into what appeared to be an unnatural smile, like someone who didn't do it often. "Fair enough."

I studied him while pretending to look out the window again. Another Alpha. Another businessman. But where Alexander radiated cold authority that could freeze your blood, Caius had a different kind of danger—something more coiled, more patient. A snake versus a wolf.

"It's just... personal stuff," I added, feeling a strange need to soften my bluntness. "Family matters."

"I see."

The car suddenly jerked forward as the driver slammed on the brakes. I pitched forward, but before my head could hit the seat in front, Caius's arm shot out, his palm flat against my forehead, stopping my momentum.

"Thanks," I muttered, straightening myself.

"What the hell was that?" Caius snapped, his voice transforming into something harsh and commanding that made my wolf shrink back. "Are you trying to kill us?"

The driver's shoulders hunched. "I-I'm sorry, sir. A cat ran—"

"I don't give a damn about some stray cat! You—"

"Please," I interrupted, startled by how quickly his demeanor had changed. "Don't yell at him. It was just an accident."

Caius's eyes flicked to mine, and I watched as something in them shifted—the rage receding like a tide going out. He inhaled deeply, then settled back into his seat.

"Be more careful," he said to the driver, his voice controlled again.

The car started moving, and I shifted uncomfortably. "I can just walk from here. My place isn't far."

"We're already moving," he pointed out.

Silence fell between us. I could feel his wolf's presence now—that distinctive Alpha energy that seemed to fill the space around him. Something about it felt... off. Not wrong, exactly, but different from what I was used to with Alexander or even Daniel.

"Thank you," I said finally. "For helping me. Twice now."

He turned those piercing eyes on me. "We'll meet again, Amelia."

"That's... probably not a good idea," I reminded him. "I have a mate. You know that."

"So?" One eyebrow arched perfectly.

"So... he doesn't exactly like me chatting with other men. Especially Alphas."

Caius chuckled, a sound that was both warm and somehow threatening. "Your mate sounds possessive."

I didn't answer. What could I say? That Alexander had every right to be possessive when I was his destined mate? That explaining werewolf dynamics to another werewolf was pointless?

The car slowed as we approached my neighborhood. I leaned forward. "You can drop me here, please."

The driver pulled over, and I reached into my purse, pulling out a simple business card with my number on it.

"If you ever need anything—" I handed it to Caius "—you can reach me here. “And if you want to meet the Head Alpha, I can arrange something. Though I should warn you, meetings with the Head Alpha typically require an appointment."

His fingers brushed against mine as he took the card. "Do you want to know who I am, Amelia?"

I met his gaze steadily. "I do. But I understand if you'd rather keep that to yourself."

"Impressive. Most people would be dying to know."

"I'm not most people."

"No," he agreed, studying me. "You're not. I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you who I am if you tell me who your mate is."

I gave him a tight smile and reached for the door handle. "I appreciate the offer, but I don't play games with strangers."

His eyes flashed with something dangerous as I pushed the door open. "We're hardly strangers now, Amelia. And trust me, the game has already begun."

"Goodnight, Caius," I said firmly, stepping onto the sidewalk. I shut the door with more force than necessary and walked away without a backward glance, trying to ignore the chill that ran down my spine at his words.

Caius's POV

I watched through the tinted window as Amelia disappeared around a corner, her hair catching the streetlight before she vanished from view. Interesting creature.

"I apologize for the sudden stop earlier, Alpha," my driver said, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror.

I waved it away, my mind still fixed on the woman who'd just left. There was something about her—a defiance wrapped in vulnerability that I found... intriguing.

I pulled out my phone, dialing a number from memory. My Second answered immediately.

"I need information on someone named Daniel," I said without preamble. "Connected to Amelia Throne."

While I waited, I turned the business card over in my fingers. Simple, tasteful, with just her name and number. No indication of her connection to a pack. Clever girl.

Daniel Westbrook. Younger brother of Alexander Westbrook, Head Alpha of Shadow Moon Pack. Former relationship with Amelia Throne before she was recognized as his brother's true mate.

My lips curved into a smile. Well, well. The plot thickens.

"So the spoiled Alpha who doesn't dare raise his head around his brother was your ex?" I murmured, though Amelia was long gone. "Your taste was terrible, Amelia Throne."

I slipped the card into my pocket, feeling a familiar thrill of anticipation. I hadn't expected to find such a valuable piece so early in the game. Alexander Westbrook's mate—his weakness, his Achilles' heel—had practically fallen into my lap.

"Take me back to the hotel," I ordered. "And reschedule tomorrow's meetings. I need time to reconsider my approach."

As the car pulled away, I gazed out at the streets of Morganville with new eyes. I'd come here for business, to scout new territory for expansion. But now I'd found something far more valuable—a potential crack in the foundation of the mighty Shadow Moon Pack.

"Alexander Westbrook," I whispered to myself. "I wonder if you know what a treasure you have. And how easily it could be taken from you."

I'd been planning to introduce myself formally to the local Alpha, as protocol demanded. But now? Now I think I'll let him come to me. After all, the best games are those where your opponent doesn't even know they're playing.