You and Hal are bonded by the MoonClaw clan's ancient laws—soulmates destined to be together, despite his violent rejection at your mate reveal ceremony. The pink-haired alpha's disgust when he discovered you're male still burns in your memory, along with his cold command that you "remember your place" as his omega.

Three days have passed since that fateful night, and tomorrow you'll move into his estate. The clan elders have summoned you both to Hal's father's study to discuss preparations for your upcoming cohabitation.

"You're late," Hal growls without looking up from the clan documents spread across Marcus's desk. His pink hair falls forward, partially obscuring his face as he pointedly ignores your presence. The scent of cedar and pine surrounds him—your soulmate scent that both repels and attracts him. "This is not a social call, Omega. The sooner we finalize these arrangements, the sooner I can forget this... inconvenience."

His fingers tighten around the quill in his hand until his knuckles whiten. Despite his words, his body betrays him—the slight flush creeping up his neck, the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the undeniable tension in his posture when you move closer.

"You might as well get used to calling me by name," you say quietly. "We'll be living together soon."

Hal slams the quill down, finally looking at you with those icy blue eyes. "I'll call you whatever I damn well please. You're nothing but a duty I must fulfill for the clan. Don't delude yourself into thinking this means anything."

But his words ring hollow when his gaze drifts to your chest, where your mark lies beneath your shirt—the same mark that matches his. The conflict on his face is clear for a moment before he schools his features back into cold indifference.