Chapter 50
The following morning, Chloe and Gabriel went to school as usual. At least, that was what everyone else believed.
After hours of careful planning and countless whispered discussions, the twins finally put their operation into motion.
Slipping away from the school grounds required absolute precision, but fortunately, they worked together like two halves of the same mind.
Neither teachers nor staff noticed their disappearance, and by the time attendance was taken for the next period, the twins were already riding in a taxi across the city.
Chloe sat by the window, nervously twisting a strand of blonde hair around her finger. Unlike her brother, she wasn’t entirely convinced their plan was foolproof.
“Gabs,” she whispered, “how are we even going to get inside p>
The towering headquarters of Wayne Enterprises came into view in the distance, a massive monument of glass and steel that looked intimidating enough to make most adults think twice.
“They won’t just let kids walk into a multi-billion-dollar company p>
Gabriel remained completely calm. Glancing into the side mirror, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
A familiar black SUV was trailing them, just as he expected. His sharp eyes gleamed with understanding. “They’ll let us in p>
Chloe blinked. “How do you know p>
“Because they’ve known we’re coming since the moment we left school p>
Her eyes widened, but before she could press for more questions, the taxi pulled up to the curb. The sleek skyscraper stretched impossibly high into the sky, radiating raw wealth and power. Chloe swallowed hard, her young wolf stirring uneasily beneath her skin. Everything about this place screamed dominant Alpha territory.
Yet, what happened next completely defied her expectations.
No one stopped them. No one questioned their presence. The security guards in the lobby simply exchanged knowing looks before speaking quietly into their earpieces. Moments later, a beautiful woman stepped out of a private elevator and approached them with a warm, welcoming smile.
“Chloe and Gabriel Swann p>
The twins exchanged a quick glance. “Yes,” Gabriel answered cautiously.
“I’m Lisa.” She extended a hand. “Mr. Wayne is expecting you p>
Chloe’s mouth fell open. Expecting them? That definitely hadn’t been part of the plan.
“Please, follow me p>
As they stepped into the private elevator, a prickle of genuine nervousness finally crept into their hearts.
Everything was unfolding far too easily—almost as though Christian Wayne had anticipated their arrival from the very beginning. Gabriel subtly tightened his grip around Chloe’s hand, and she immediately squeezed back.
Whatever happened next, they would face it together.
The elevator doors slid open to a luxurious top-floor hallway. Lisa led them down the corridor, stopping outside a pair of massive mahogany double doors, and knocked softly.
A deep, commanding voice answered from within. “Come in p>
The twins stepped inside. Christian Wayne sat behind an enormous executive desk that overlooked the sprawling city skyline.
The moment the doors opened, his wolf stirred violently in his chest. The beast recognized them long before his conscious mind was willing to accept why—those piercing blue eyes, a scent that felt impossibly familiar, and the striking resemblance that had haunted his thoughts for days.
Christian rose from his chair, a rare, soft smile taking the edge off his usually intimidating features. “Hello, little wolves p>
His voice was warm and gentle, entirely different from the ruthless persona of the Alpha known throughout the territory.
Chloe instinctively smiled back; for some reason, she had never felt an ounce of fear around him. Gabriel, however, immediately pinched her hand. Hard.
Behave, his look warned.
Chloe pouted, pulling her hand away.
“Mr. Wayne,” Gabriel said, narrowing his eyes as he took a step forward. “Aren’t you surprised to see us p>
Christian chuckled, the sound deep, genuine, and incredibly rare. It was so rare, in fact, that Lisa nearly dropped the tablet she was holding. She had worked for Christian for years; she had seen him furious, cold, merciless, and terrifying. But laughing? Never.
“Please,” Christian said, gesturing toward a plush seating area. “Make yourselves comfortable.” He then turned a brief glance toward his secretary. “Lisa, arrange lunch p>
Lisa blinked, glancing at her watch. “It’s ten in the morning, sir p>
Christian didn’t even look back at her. “Lunch p>
“Yes, sir p>
As Lisa hurried out, Chloe leaned toward Gabriel and whispered excitedly, “See? I told you he was nice p>
Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Quiet p>
His instincts remained on high alert. Christian might look harmless right now, but powerful Alphas were dangerous precisely because they knew exactly how to hide their claws.
“Mr. Wayne,” Gabriel pressed, folding his arms. “You still haven’t answered my question p>
Christian’s amusement only deepened. The boy had real courage; most grown adults couldn’t look him in the eye, let alone challenge him this directly.
“I wasn’t surprised because I already knew who sent the email,” Christian explained calmly. “I knew the company was fake p>
A sudden, tense silence settled over the room. Chloe looked between them nervously, while Gabriel’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“You traced my IP address,” Gabriel stated.
Christian raised an eyebrow. “And you illegally breached my corporate security systems p>
For the first time in his life, Gabriel was genuinely shocked. No one had ever caught him before. No one. Yet this man had not only intercepted him, but traced him all the way back to their apartment.
Christian watched the boy’s expressions change, finding the similarities impossible to ignore. The sharp intelligence, the stubborn defiance, the fierce protectiveness over his sister—his wolf paced restlessly at the sight.
Chloe, meanwhile, looked absolutely horrified.
“What happens now?” she asked, clutching her brother’s arm. “Are you going to call the police p>
Her eyes went impossibly wide as another realization struck. “Oh God… we skipped school, too p>
Christian blinked, and then let out another genuine laugh. “Relax, little wolf,” he said, his voice softening. “I’m not calling the police p>
Chloe visibly deflated, letting out a massive sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness p>
Gabriel, however, remained fiercely suspicious. “Why not p>
Christian studied the boy, his gaze moving between the two twins. “Because I know what a threat looks like,” he said quietly, a warm, instinctively protective flicker entering his eyes. “And neither of you are threats. Now sit down. Let’s talk properly p>
After a moment of hesitation, the twins finally settled onto the leather sofa. A few minutes later, the double doors opened again, and several uniformed catering staff entered, pushing glimmering carts loaded to the brim with food.
Chloe’s jaw dropped, and even Gabriel forgot to pretend he wasn’t impressed.
The spread was astronomical. There was pepperoni pizza, steaming spaghetti carbonara, fresh sushi, mini sliders, chicken nuggets, and golden french fries. Alongside the comfort food lay platters of imported cheeses, cured meats, and exotic fruits, followed by an entire cart of desserts: chocolate cake, frosted cupcakes, artisanal ice cream, milkshakes, and strawberry smoothies.
And sitting directly in front of Gabriel was his exact favorite brand of cola.
The twins stared at the feast in utter disbelief. Christian tried to fight back a smile and failed miserably.
Chloe looked at the food, then up at Christian, her blue eyes shining. “How did you know p>
The pure admiration in her voice made Christian’s wolf preen shamelessly. He opened his mouth to answer, but Gabriel cut him off, his voice cutting through the warmth like a knife.
“Because he has people spying on us twenty-four hours a day p>
The accusation sliced through the air, and instantly, the atmosphere in the room shattered. The warmth vanished. Christian’s expression hardened, and in a fraction of a second, the indulgent host disappeared, and the true Alpha emerged.
An oppressive wave of raw power rolled through the office like an invisible tide, making the very air feel heavy and suffocating. Chloe felt her inner instincts instantly shrink back in submission. Gabriel immediately regretted his sharp tone, but it was too late to recall the words.
Christian’s icy blue eyes locked onto the boy—cold, sharp, and utterly dangerous. These were the same eyes that had forced rival Alphas to drop to their knees without a single blow being struck. For the first time since walking into the building, the twins understood exactly why Christian Wayne ruled an empire.
Chloe instinctively gripped her brother’s arm, her knuckles turning white. Gabriel swallowed hard, his bravado entirely gone. Neither child dared to speak.
In the heavy, terrifying silence that followed, Christian slowly lowered himself into the leather chair directly opposite them. The look in his eyes made one thing abundantly clear: the game was over, and the real conversation was about to begin.