Chapter Two

Seren's POV

"Miss Halliwell! You're just in time for coffee!"

I cringed inwardly the moment I heard Evelyn’s singsong voice echo from across the lobby. My boss stood beside her, beaming like it was the highlight of his day to hand me that steaming latte. I forced a polite smile and kept walking toward my office like I hadn’t heard either of them.

Too early. Too tired. Too much emotional residue from last night’s dream.

“Good morning,” I muttered, giving them both a nod before reaching for my office door like it was a lifeline.

No such luck.

Before I could even settle into my chair, the door creaked open again and in strolled Mr. Miller, latte in one hand and expectation written all over his face.

“Seren,” he said with that too-friendly tone, “I need a favor.”

I didn’t even sit down. That phrase—I need a favor—never came without strings. And judging by his hopeful expression, this one was going to come with chains.

“I haven’t even had a sip of my caffeine yet,” I warned, shrugging off my coat and tossing it over the back of my chair. “So unless this favor involves silence, come back later.”

He chuckled and helped himself to the guest seat across from my desk. Of course.

“Do you remember the Aspen case I tossed on your plate last quarter?” he asked.

I paused, eyebrow raised. “The one where I saved a multi-million-dollar company from internal fraud within twenty-four hours?”

“That’s the one.”

I sighed, finally taking my seat. “What’s happening?”

“There’s been another breach. This time, Mr. Aspen wants you on-site.”

I froze.

“Absolutely not,” I said flatly. “I don’t do packs.”

“I know that, but—”

“No,” I cut him off again. “I’ve managed to keep my life—and Dorian’s—outside the madness for a reason. I’m not stepping foot into another pack’s territory. Especially not one as powerful as the Aspen wolves.”

Mr. Miller shifted uncomfortably, fingers lacing together on my desk. “He requested the one who uncovered the initial fraud. You. He trusts no one else.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“He’s one of our most lucrative clients, Seren. This isn't just about numbers. If there’s another leak, it could bring down the entire enterprise. And frankly, you’re the best.”

Flattery.

I took a long sip of my coffee, letting the silence stretch before answering. “I have a son. A seventeen-year-old with school and hockey. I don’t have time for pack politics.”

“I thought school was wrapping up?”

“Still not a good enough reason to throw him into a pack environment. You know why we stay out of that world.”

“But he’s a wolf. Wouldn’t it be good for him to—”

“No,” I snapped, then softened. “Look, Isaac. I get it. But my priority is Dorian. Not your client.”

He looked at me with careful calculation. “What if it’s just for the summer? No more. You get a bonus now and another when the contract ends. And I’ll meet every condition you set.”

I leaned back, arms crossed. “Any condition?”

“Within reason.”

“Fine. I’ll need a house—separate from the pack house. Two bedrooms. I want my own office. I answer to you and only you. My weekends are mine, and I want flexible time off. You make sure that Alpha knows I’m not there to bow and scrape. I’ll respect his rules, but I won’t submit.”

His mouth quirked into a grin. “Done.”

I raised a brow. “And I’ll take my bonus in the form of a teal green sports car.”

Isaac laughed, standing. “Send me the specs.”

He walked toward the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. “I’ll forward you everything Aspen sent over. You’ll have time to prep before the school year ends.”

“Isaac,” I called out before he closed the door. “If anything gets uncomfortable—Dorian and I leave. No questions.”

His smile faded into sincerity. “Understood. Thank you, Seren.”

When the door shut behind him, I sagged into my chair, groaning.

A whole summer inside a pack.

What the hell am I doing?

“This could be good for him,” Lily murmured in my mind—my wolf, always the voice of reason and recklessness at once. “He needs to know his kind.”

“I need him safe.”

“He’ll never be safe if he doesn’t learn what he is. He’s a Luna-blooded wolf. That’s not something you can hide forever.”

“I’m not hiding it. I’m protecting him.”

“You’re running,” she said simply.

I clenched my jaw. “I’m surviving.”

A beat of silence.

“I’ll protect him,” she said, her voice like a cold wind. “I’ll rip the throat from any Alpha who tries to take him from us.”

“I know you will,” I whispered, pressing a hand over my heart. “But if they ever find out who I really am…”

“They won’t.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

The past needed to stay buried. The future?

Well, it looked a lot like a teal green sports car.