The club was packed with bodies gyrating to the throbbing bass. Neon lights flashed across the dance floor, highlighting the glint of sweat on skin. At the bar, a stunning brunette sipped her drink, her eyes darting around the room. She was clearly restless, eager to break free from the limp noodle of a man who kept trying to make awkward conversation with her.

Asher caught sight of her from across the room. His predatory gaze zeroed in on her, taking in the way her tight dress clung to every curve of her body. She was the most beautiful woman here, and he knew she was looking for something more than the wimp who called himself her date could give her.

With a confident stride, Asher made his way over to her. He slid into the empty stool beside her, his broad shoulders eclipsing her boyfriend’s scrawny frame. “Can I buy you a drink?” he asked, his deep voice cutting through the noise.

The woman turned to him, her green eyes flashing with interest. “Sure,” she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “I’m Jenna.”

“Asher,” he replied, signaling the bartender. As they waited for their drinks, he dominated the conversation, his piercing blue eyes holding hers captive. He spoke of his travels, his successful business, his adventurous lifestyle. Jenna hung on every word, her body shifting closer to his.

Asher could see the way she responded to him, the flush on her cheeks, the quickening of her breath. She was putty in his hands, just waiting for him to mold her. But he sensed her hesitation, the lingering loyalty to the pathetic excuse for a man at her side.

Asher leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear. “You’re too good for him,” he murmured. “You need a real man, one who can satisfy your every desire.”

Jenna shivered, biting her lip. She wanted to believe him, wanted to feel the power of a true alpha inside her. But she held back, torn between loyalty and desire.

Seeing her indecision, Asher came up with a plan. He turned to Jenna’s boyfriend, fixing him with a challenging stare. “You play pool?” he asked.

The boyfriend, overestimating his own abilities, agreed. Asher led him to the back room, where a pool table sat unused. They chose their cues, Asher’s confident and commanding compared to the boyfriend’s clumsy grip.

The game was quick and one-sided. Asher sank shot after shot while the boyfriend fumbled and missed. Within minutes, Asher had won decisively. He grinned at the other man, relishing his look of defeat.

“You’re pathetic,” Asher growled. “I hope you realize that you don’t deserve a woman like Jenna.”