Chapter 8

• Zayvian POV:
• Today I saw the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes upon in my entire life. Although my father had always instilled in me that our purpose in the human world was to expand the family business empire, not to be distracted by trivial dalliances, I could not help but be utterly transfixed by her ethereal beauty.
• My right-hand man, the one appointed to me by my father to ensure I stayed focused on our mission, furrowed his brow as I continued staring unabashedly through the glass facade of the large office building she had disappeared into.
• "Your Grace, is everything okay?" he asked hesitantly, one eyebrow raised in mild concern at my uncharacteristic behavior.
• "Did you see her?" I murmured absentmindedly, unable to tear my gaze away from where she had vanished from my sight.
• "See who, Your Grace?" he replied, clearly perplexed.
• "That woman who just walked into that building...she is heavenly," I stated in a reverent hush, as if speaking the words too loudly would somehow tarnish her divine radiance.
• My aide cleared his throat awkwardly. "Your Grace, I believe you have a mate waiting for you at home," he gently reminded me.
• I felt a spike of instant irritation at the mere mention of the woman who had been proclaimed as my fated mate. If only I had been allowed to choose my own partner rather than be bound by ancient traditions. The female I had been saddled with was utterly unacceptable - a materialistic, self-absorbed shrew who had foolishly squandered her purity by lying with others in our pack since she was 18 years old. What a cruel trick of fate to couple me, an alpha of the highest noble breeding, with such used goods.
• No, this vision of perfection who had just graced my world could never be tainted by such wanton behavior. She was meant to be cherished, worshipped on a pedestal befitting her immaculate beauty. And I, the heir to my family's powerful legacy, would seize her for myself - consequences be damned. My father's ambitions for our business could never compare to the all-consuming desire that now gripped me.
• Perhaps it was obsession that began bubbling in my veins like a searing fever. Or maybe it was the first tantalizing embraces of something more insidious entirely. Either way, I knew in that moment I would move heaven and earth to make this angel mine.
• The tinted windows of the luxurious black sedan did little to conceal my intense stare, my eyes trained unblinkingly on the office building's entrance like a predator locked on its prey. I could still envision her lithe form, the gentle sway of her hips as she walked, her raven tresses cascading like liquid silk down her back.
• "Your Grace..." My aide's tone held a measured edge of warning as he cleared his throat once more. "I must advise against this...obsession. She is merely a human female. Surely she could never be a suitable mate for one of your immense stature and lineage."
• I slowly turned to face him then, allowing my unique bi-racial features to emerge from the shadows - the almond shape of my eyes courtesy of my Japanese mother's bloodline, my smooth tawny skin equally balanced between her eastern heritage and my African father's rich complexion. Even in the dim lighting, I could see the slightest tremor run through him as our gazes met.
• "You presume to judge what is suitable for me, Theron?" My deep voice was laced with a deceptive quiet that barely masked the dominant power simmering beneath. "I am Zayvian Kaysho, heir to the most domineering alpha bloodline our kind has ever known. And I will have what I desire without question or objection. From anyone."
• Theron swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with the motion. As my father's most devoted beta, he understood the hierarchy well. But he was also a fool for thinking he could sway me from my course when my mind had become razored in on a target.
• "O-Of course, Your Grace. Forgive me," he stammered out quickly, letting his eyes drop in a show of deference. "I meant no disrespect."
• A feral growl rumbled up from the depths of my chest at the thought of being denied my pursuit. How I longed to possess this enigmatic beauty, to unravel the secrets that seemed to shroud her very existence.
• "My father's reign grows feeble with each passing year," I stated with a lethal calm. "Soon, I will take my rightful place at the helm as this region's ruling alpha...and she will be by my side, whether she desires it or not."
• Theron risked a sidelong glance in my direction, seeming to weigh his next words carefully. "You cannot simply take a human to be your mate, Your Grace. The consequences..."
• "Do not theorize to test the limits of what I am capable of," I cut him off with callous indifference. "I have bided my time far too long, appeasing my father's misguided attempts to mold me into his vision. No more. I will seize my fate with this woman as my harbinger of power."
• Perhaps sensing the perilous finality in my tone, Theron gave a terse nod. "As you command, Your Grace. Just...take care with how you proceed. For all our sakes."
• His cryptic warning hung thick in the tense silence that followed as I turned my molten gaze back towards the entrance where my obsession had disappeared. Yes, proceeding cautiously would be wise - for now. I could ill afford for my desire to jeopardize my ascent to the alpha throne. Once I had claimed that unparalleled dominance, however, my manner of claiming this mystery woman could be...adjusted as needed.
• I could tell Theron was already working on his phone finding deatils about this woman. One thing I liked about Theron was his efficiency. I knew once he taped into the tech world, he could find anything and anyone.
• The corner of my mouth curved upward in a slow, predatory smirk. "Tell me again what you were able to uncover about her..."
• Theron shuffled through his file once more. "Beyond her working at that design firm until its recent closure, the details on her background are quite scarce, Your Grace. No family listed, no definitive age or place of origin."
• I absorbed the scant information like a succulent morsel, committing every facet to memory. My smirk deepened at the prospect of unraveling the enigmas surrounding this woman's very existence.
• "I want you to shadow her," I finally stated in a tone that brokered no argument. "Learn her routines, her preferences, her secrets. Uncover whatever skeletons may be lying in wait to undermine my ambitions. Leave no strand of her reality unexplored or untangled."
• Theron gave a sober nod of understanding. "It will be done, Your Grace. Although..." He hesitated briefly. "This course may prove more difficult to uphold than it appears. If what I suspect about her is true..."
• "Which is?" I prompted, arching an inquisitive brow.
• "That she is...an abnormality. Potentially operating outside the natural order as we know it. If that is the case...pursuing her could jeopardize everything."
• Rather than be deterred by his ominous words, I felt a mounting sense of perverse delight tightening my abdomen. If this mystery woman did indeed possess extraordinary and inexplicable attributes, then claiming her as my own would solidify my supremacy all the more.
• "Have no fears, Theron," I purred, the anticipation practically dripping from my words like venom. "I will summon every resource at my disposal to make her mine. No matter what...or who...stands in my way."