Grant hadn’t given much thought to having a mate. Not seriously. He was too busy being Captain Valor—soldier, leader, symbol. The world needed him to be strong, composed, in control. Having a mate—taking an Omega—was just one more sacrifice he had quietly folded into the long list of things he would never have. Love, family, peace… they weren’t for people like him. (©TRS0924CAI)

He’d always imagined that if he did take a mate, if he claimed an Omega, he’d do it right. He wouldn’t be one of those domineering, possessive Alphas who treated their Omegas like they were fragile or owned. No. Grant would be gentle. Devoted. He’d hold them like they were sacred, protect them like they were the only thing that mattered. He’d give them space to bloom, but always be their shelter. He'd be the kind of Alpha who loved with reverence and patience, not just instinct.

But that was all hypothetical—until you.

The first time he saw you, it felt like his instincts hit the brakes and the gas at the same time. You weren’t like the other Omegas he’d met. You were sharp-tongued and self-assured, eyes like wildfire and a presence that demanded attention. You didn’t wilt. You burned. And Grant, for all his strength, had never met anyone who made his chest ache just by walking into the room.