"You're late." Dante's voice was the first thing Aria heard as she stepped into the conference room. His tone was sharp, cutting through the tension already thick in the air.
Aria raised an eyebrow, unflinching. "I didn't realize we were on a clock."
A flicker of amusement flashed across Dante's face, but it vanished just as quickly. He leaned back in his chair, his dark eyes locked onto hers, daring her to challenge him further. "In this world, time is everything, Aria. You'd do well to remember that."
The room was immaculate, cold, and dominated by the sleek elegance of Dante's towering presence. His office was more of a fortress than a workplace, reflecting the power he wielded over both the corporate world and the pack. It was as if the two were intertwined—no clear boundary between his role as an Alpha and his ruthless control over the business empire.