Chosen by the Beast Alpha

Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Seeing the name flashing on my screen—Ethan—I couldn’t help furrowing my brows for a second.

Ethan Thorne, the Alpha heir of the Silvercrest Pack.

He was calling to invite me to some department get-together. I hadn’t even officially gone to the new workplace yet, and I hadn’t talked to Dominic about the job either. Everything had been such a mess lately that I hadn’t found a single chance to bring it up.

I wasn’t planning to quit, so I had no real reason to turn Ethan down. After the Blueridge Pack threw me out, it was his pack that took me in. He’d treated me well—too well even, maybe a little obsessed. But back then, my heart held only my partner—Luke.

And I was absolutely certain I had no feelings for Ethan at all. So even if my father sold me off, I still wouldn’t go to him for help.

I’d rather face hell itself than be trapped by emotions again.

But he was a good guy, so I showed up at the restaurant he told me about.

The private room was at the end of the hall, door half open, people already filling the table. Ethan had been leaning back, talking to the person beside him, but the moment he saw me standing there, he pushed up from his chair almost instantly and walked toward me. His movement made everyone else look over.

He was wearing a deep-navy casual suit today, no tie, the collar of his shirt slightly open. The ceiling light spilled over his light blond hair, giving him this soft, natural glow—an effortless Alpha aura.

"Lena." He stopped right in front of me, lips curved just right—warm but not overdoing it. "You made it. We thought something held you up." His arm hovered near my back for half a second, protective without actually touching.

A classic Alpha gesture. I could feel a few Omegas around the table shift their gaze, subtle but noticeable. I smiled generously and stepped fully into the room. "Sorry I’m late. Caught a bit of a cold and overslept."

"You okay?" Ethan’s tone tightened with concern as he guided me to the only empty seat beside the head of the table. Only when he sat down and tapped his fork lightly against his plate did everyone else start moving again.

"Just a small cold, nothing serious," I said, shaking my head.

Dinner went on mostly with Ethan leading the conversation. He talked about some tricky pack negotiation from last month, not loud, but every word clear. Every now and then, he glanced my way, as if checking whether I was following the topic.

When dinner wrapped up and people were still chatting, Ethan suddenly excused himself. When he came back, he was holding a large bouquet of champagne roses—elegant and refined.

The room went dead quiet for a beat, then soft teasing and whispers broke out, all eyes bouncing between him and me. Even a passing waiter paused at the door to watch.

"Lena." His voice was steady, gentle, every syllable landing just right for everyone to hear. "I heard you and Luke ended things for good. Give me a chance—let me stay by your side, take care of you. We’ve known each other for years, and my feelings have never changed. I swear on the Thorne name, I will be the most loyal partner you could ask for."

A chorus of gasps and soft murmurs followed. The whole scene looked like it fell straight out of some romance movie.

I stood, meeting his gaze under the weight of the room’s expectations. His blue eyes were almost glowing under the warm light, filled with steady affection and a confidence that felt unshakeable.

"Ethan, the flowers are beautiful, and I appreciate how sincere you are. But I can’t accept them. Because I already have a partner."

The private room went dead quiet. Ethan’s smile froze in place, and even the roses in his arms seemed to lose their glow. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me—surprised, disappointed, curious, all mixed together like needles on my skin.

Ethan recovered fast. His polite smile reappeared, but there was something sharper behind it now, a quiet doubt. "Lena, you already have a partner?" His tone stayed gentle, but there was a stubborn edge underneath. "To turn me down, did you really need to make up a story... one without any real details?"

A wave of helplessness hit me. What was I supposed to do, drag Dominic—the emotionally unstable Alpha who could explode on a dime—into a casual dinner gathering just to prove a point? Just picturing that disaster made a chill crawl down my spine.

"I’m not making anything up, Ethan." I tried to steady my voice. "I really do have a partner. It happened recently."

"Then may I meet him?" Ethan tilted his head slightly, every movement still polite and elegant, though his tone left no room for escape. "If he’s your partner, shouldn’t he be willing to meet your friends and coworkers?"

My lips pressed together on instinct. "He... his schedule’s packed. And he’s not into social events..."

"Lena." Ethan cut me off gently and stepped in a little, those blue eyes locked on me with a sincerity that filled the room. "I came from the Silvercrest Pack to establish a branch near the Blueridge Pack because of you. If you’ve truly found your fated partner, I’ll be happy for you. But if you’re only inventing someone to keep your distance from me... that’s not just disrespectful to me—it’s selling yourself short."

His gaze swept across the room, steady and open. "All I’m asking for is a fair chance to understand the situation. Is that so unreasonable? As the heir of the Silvercrest Pack, I swear my intentions toward you are serious."

A few coworkers looked visibly moved. One colleague I was fairly close to leaned in and whispered, "Lena, maybe just give him a chance to know the truth? It won’t hurt."

Right then, my phone vibrated. The name flashing on the screen made my pupils tighten—Dominic Voss.

I didn’t even hesitate. I answered instantly, cutting off whatever he might have said, and let a touch of soft dependence slip into my voice. "Hey, love?"

That one word wiped the faint smile off Ethan’s face completely. The room got so quiet I could even hear the rain starting outside the window.

I didn’t care if the temperature on Dominic’s end of the call dropped below freezing. I pushed on, keeping my tone warm and natural. "You’re done with work? I’m at the Oakheart Restaurant... no big deal, just a team dinner... okay, I’ll wait for you."

I didn’t expect Dominic to actually show up. I didn’t even bother asking why he called—maybe he dialed the wrong number. But right now, this call was like a lifeline tossed to someone drowning.

When I hung up, I looked at Ethan’s now-darkened expression and gave a helpless smile. "That was my partner. He just finished up."

"You... you really have a partner?" a female coworker asked, sounding like she could hardly believe it.

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