The low murmur of conversation and clinking of glasses in the pub faded into a dull hum in the background as Seline wiped down the counter, her thoughts preoccupied by the strange encounter outside. Her mind kept returning to the man—the Alpha—his presence unsettling her more than she cared to admit. She didn’t want to feel this way. She didn’t want to feel anything when it came to him or his pack. Wolves were trouble, and she had enough of that already.
 She tried to push him out of her mind, focusing on the task at hand. It was closing time, and she needed to make enough money tonight to pay off her rent. She’d been scraping by for weeks, barely making ends meet as her landlord hounded her for payments she couldn’t afford. If she didn’t come up with something tonight, she’d be on the street tomorrow, and she couldn’t let that happen. Not again.
 The tip jar was fuller than usual, a silver lining in the storm that had been her life lately. She could already imagine how she’d spend the money—half for rent, the other half to cover her debts. Maybe she’d even treat herself to something small—a decent meal, a hot bath. Things she didn’t allow herself often enough.
 But no matter how much she tried to concentrate on the work, the Alpha’s face kept creeping into her thoughts. His amber eyes, sharp and intense, seemed to see right through her. She’d felt that power from the moment she’d laid eyes on him, an electricity in the air that made her pulse race despite her best efforts to ignore it. She hated that she couldn’t shake the feeling, that despite her own wariness, she felt a strange pull toward him. There was something about him, something magnetic, that she couldn’t explain.
 “Get it together, Seline,” she muttered under her breath, scrubbing at the counter with more force than necessary. She was letting her imagination run wild. He was just another shifter—another problem that didn’t need to exist in her world.
 As the night wound down, the last few patrons filtered out, leaving Seline alone in the bar with the quiet hum of the refrigerators and the soft clink of her cleaning supplies. She made quick work of wiping down tables, stacking chairs, and sweeping the floor. Her movements were automatic, practiced, as she tried to shake off the lingering unease from her earlier interaction with the Alpha and his pack.
 By the time she had finished cleaning, only the trash was left. She sighed, grabbing the garbage bags and heading toward the back door. The cool night air hit her immediately, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the pub. She shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold.
 As she stepped into the alley, the familiar scent of the city’s trash hit her first, mingling with the stale air of the alley. She paused, eyes scanning the shadows. Something didn’t feel right. The hair on the back of her neck prickled, her witch senses tingling with warning.
 Before she could move toward the dumpster, a voice called out from the darkness.
 “Well, well, well… look who it is.”
 Seline’s heart skipped a beat as she recognized the voice—the same one from earlier. The panther shifters.
 Three of them stepped forward from the shadows, their forms lit by the dim glow of the alleyway streetlight. The wiry one she’d seen earlier was there, along with two others—taller, more muscular, and all of them with their eyes glowing a dangerous shade of green. The air around them was thick with malice.
 Seline didn’t flinch. She stood her ground, trying to keep her breathing steady as she assessed the situation. She was outnumbered, but she wasn’t unarmed. She didn’t need to be.
 “What do you want?” she asked, her voice low but steady. She could feel the magic swirling inside her, coiling like a serpent in her chest, waiting for her command.
 “You’ve got a mouth on you, don’t you?” the wiry one sneered, his fangs flashing as he took a step closer. “We don’t like being humiliated, witch.”
 Seline felt a surge of anger, but she held it back. She knew better than to let her emotions control her when it came to fights like this. The panther shifters were dangerous, but she had her own tricks up her sleeve.
 “I’m not in the mood for this,” she said, her voice hard, even as her mind raced. The alley was too narrow, too isolated. If this turned into a real fight, there would be no one around to stop it. She could use her magic to defend herself, but panther shifters were fast, and they didn’t play fair.
 The wiry one let out a low laugh, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “You don’t get to decide when you’re in the mood, witch.”
 Without warning, he lunged at her, his claws extended, but Seline was faster. She raised her hand, her fingers flicking as she whispered a soft incantation. A blast of energy shot from her palm, sending the wiry shifter crashing into the nearby wall. He slumped to the ground, dazed but not out.
 The other two hesitated for a moment, then charged in together, aiming to flank her. Seline’s heart raced, but she kept her focus, her magic crackling to life in her veins. She ducked as the larger of the two lunged at her, narrowly avoiding his claws. She spun, her hand outstretched, and a wall of flame erupted from the ground, forcing the second shifter to leap back to avoid being burned.
 But they were too quick, and she was too tired. The fire wouldn’t hold them for long, and they had the advantage of numbers.
 The wiry one was back on his feet now, his eyes glowing with fury. “You think your magic’s going to save you?” he sneered.
 Seline gritted her teeth, her muscles aching from the strain of using so much power at once. She needed to finish this—now—but they were closing in on her, the two other shifters stalking her from either side.
 It was then that she heard it—the sound of footsteps in the distance, rapid and heavy, like thunder in the still night air. Her heart skipped in her chest as she recognized the scent in the air, the unmistakable musk of wolves.
 Before she could react, the Alpha appeared in the alley, his tall, imposing figure a sharp contrast against the darkness. His amber eyes locked onto the panther shifters, and he didn’t waste a moment. With a growl that rattled the windows of nearby buildings, he launched himself into the fray.
 The panther shifters faltered for just a moment, but it was enough. The Alpha was a force to be reckoned with. With swift, brutal movements, he tore into the first of the larger shifters, his claws raking through the panther’s flesh with terrifying ease. The sound of bones snapping echoed through the alley, and the second panther collapsed in a heap, blood spilling across the concrete.
 The wiry one was the last to stand. He tried to scramble back, but the Alpha was on him in an instant, snapping his neck with a single, lethal motion.
 The fight was over in seconds, but Seline’s vision was already beginning to blur. The adrenaline from the fight had kept her going, but now that the immediate danger was gone, the pain from the wounds the panthers had inflicted on her began to set in. Her chest heaved as she tried to steady herself, but her limbs felt like lead, and her body was a battlefield of pain.
 The Alpha turned toward her, his amber eyes softening for the first time since he’d appeared. He took a step toward her, but Seline’s knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
 Before everything went black, she heard his voice, low and urgent.
 “You’re going to be alright,” he said, though she wasn’t sure she believed him.