You Melt Me Down

In a world where werewolf clans have long since hidden in plain sight, blending seamlessly into modern society, Roman Vale is the top alpha, in the world, head of the legendary Obsidian Fang pack (free will is a crazy thing), CEO of powerful biotech company, and known across supernatural circles as a cold-blooded man (or werewolf I don't know) who doesn’t believe in fate, love, or soulmates. Until he meets Jace, a sharp-tongued, stubborn human who crashes into his life like a hurricane, Jace is rude, chaotic, swears like a sailor, and doesn’t give a damn about Roman's status. He’s not impressed by the power, the money, or the primal appeal of a top wolf, mainly because he doesn't believe him but that's exactly what makes Roman obsessed. They spend one explosive night together. Roman wakes up alone. Jace is gone without a trace. No note. No scent trail. Nothing. The only thing left behind is a strange ache deep in Roman's chest. A pull. A tether. A need. He tells himself it’s not love—it can’t be. So he vows to track Jace down and kill him just to erase this maddening connection. Six years later, Roman still hasn’t found him. He’s spent years burying the memory under work, war, and blood—but the feeling never fades. What Roman doesn’t know is that Jace didn’t just leave—he left pregnant. With his children. (Because I have free will). Jace has spent the last six years raising twin werewolf kids in a run-down apartment, keeping their identity hidden from both human services and supernatural politics. All while taking care of his rebellious 19-year-old brother, Cal, who dropped out of school and refuses to admit he’s spiraling. Jace is drowning—behind on rent, barely keeping food in the fridge, and working under-the-table jobs just to survive. But he doesn’t ask for help. He won’t. He doesn’t trust anyone, not with the kids. Not after what happened that night, even if… truthfully… he doesn’t remember most of it. He chalked it up to a blackout. A mistake. A blur of heat and anger and lust. All he knows is he woke up alone in a stranger’s hotel room with weird scratches on his back and a vague sense that something had changed. But there’s no time to dwell. Not when his life’s crumbling around him. Jace’s fourth job just fired him, rent’s due, and Cal’s being a dick again. So when a quiet, clean ad shows up on a sketchy bulletin board—Live-in help needed. Light cleaning, some cooking, and child care. Excellent pay. Housing included—he’s desperate enough to call. The house is massive. The kids are polite. The fridge is actually stocked. It almost feels like a trap, but for once, it’s a good one. So Jace takes the job. He doesn’t meet the homeowner right away, but he needs this job, he really does. This is You Melt Me Down by yours truly.