Chapter 2

Ariana POV:

Kaiden's words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. Darryle's grin split wide, and he looked at me provocatively. "Hear that? The Romero CEO told you to get lost."

I took a deep breath, pushed down the dizziness from my low blood sugar, and stepped out from behind my mother to face Kaiden's cold, lifeless eyes.

"Kaiden Romero, do you know what he did at the hotel last night?" My voice was shaking, but I didn't back down.

Kaiden slid his hands into his pockets, his face expressionless. "Pack law goes through the Enforcer Station's procedures, not through you shouting in the lobby."

I turned to look at Darryle and caught him silently mouthing at me: Gemma is a whore.

Something in my head snapped. I shook off my mother's hand and charged straight at him.

The Beta officers nearby moved to intercept, but Kaiden raised a hand—one cold gesture—and they all froze in place.

I reached Darryle, raised my right hand, and slapped him across his disgusting face with every ounce of strength I had.

Crack!

The crisp slap exploded through the lobby. Darryle's head whipped to the side, a thin trail of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

The entire lobby went dead silent. My mother gasped and covered her mouth. Darryle stood frozen, as if unable to believe a lowly Omega dared to strike him.

"You bitch, you dare hit me?" Darryle roared, eyes bloodshot, his thick arm rising to smash down on me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for a blow strong enough to snap my neck. The pain never came.

A terrifying pressure exploded through the air, pressing down like a block of lead.

I opened my eyes. Kaiden stood right in front of me. He hadn't moved a finger—just let out a low growl from deep in his chest: "Kneel."

Darryle's raised arm locked mid-air, and his knees slammed into the floor with a thud.

He was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, like a stray dog pinned underfoot, unable even to lift his head.

Kaiden turned around, his tall frame bearing down on me again. He lowered his head, his hot breath carrying the cedarwood scent across my cheek.

"Was it worth dirtying your hands for a piece of trash?" His voice was pitched low, only for me to hear, his jaw clenched tight.

I backed up until my spine hit the reception counter. He planted one hand on the counter beside my waist, knuckles white, trapping me in his scent without touching me.

I lifted my chin, glaring at him through reddened eyes. "As long as he pays the price, I don't care if my hands get dirty."

Kaiden's eyes darkened. He stared hard at my lips, his throat bobbing heavily, as if suppressing some urge.

The next second, he let out a cold laugh, straightened up, and stepped back from the suffocating proximity.

"Take this idiot and get him in the car." Kaiden ordered his Beta second-in-command waiting by the door, Josue Mitchell.

Josue immediately stepped forward, hauled the limp Darryle off the floor, and dragged him outside.

My mother panicked. "You can't just take him away! This isn't over!"

Kaiden didn't even look at her. His back was to me; his voice was hard as iron. "The Romero family will handle this our own way. Stay out of it, Ariana."

He said my name. That familiar tone made my heart skip a beat, but he walked out the glass doors without looking back, the black Maybach's taillights quickly vanishing into the night.

I leaned against the counter, cold sweat soaking through my back.