Destined for My Rival

Seventeen years of carefully constructed solitude crumbles when a past she desperately tried to bury claws its way back into Ryley Halliwell's life. Ryley, a fiercely independent lone wolf, has carved out a quiet existence, prioritizing the safety and well-being of her son, Channing. But her carefully balanced world is thrown into turmoil when her boss, the imposing Mr. Isaac Miller, presents her with an offer she can't refuse—a proposition that forces her to confront the very pack life she fled so long ago. This thrilling **paranormal romance** plunges Ryley into a maelstrom of pack politics and hidden agendas. Tasked with investigating potential fraud within the enigmatic Orion pack, Ryley is instantly wary. Her instincts scream at her to remain distant, to protect the fragile peace she has built. But the lucrative bonus dangled before her, a sum that would secure Channing's future, proves too tempting to ignore. Reluctantly, Ryley agrees to the mission, laying down strict conditions: her own home, her own rules, and above all, no forced submission to pack authority. She refuses to relinquish the hard-won independence that defines her. As she steps back into the world of werewolves and pack dynamics, old wounds resurface. The memories of a life left behind, the reasons for her desperate escape, haunt her every step. The Orion pack is not what she expects. Beneath the veneer of order and tradition lies a simmering tension, a palpable unrest that Ryley can sense from the moment she crosses the pack's border. Whispers of forbidden practices and clandestine meetings reach her ears, fueling her suspicions that the fraud she's investigating is merely the tip of a much larger, more dangerous iceberg. Amidst the intrigue and deception, Ryley encounters the alluring and enigmatic Alpha of the Orion pack. His presence is both captivating and unsettling, stirring emotions she thought long dead. Their connection is undeniable, a magnetic pull that threatens to unravel her carefully constructed defenses. But can she trust him? Is he an ally, or is he part of the very conspiracy she is trying to uncover? Ryley soon discovers that the fate of the Orion pack, and perhaps her own, rests on her shoulders. As she delves deeper into the investigation, she unearths secrets that some would kill to keep buried. With danger lurking around every corner and her heart caught between duty and desire, Ryley must decide how much she is willing to risk to protect her son and expose the truth. But will confronting her past ultimately cost her everything she holds dear, including her heart?