Fated to My Alpha Boss

It was true what Cathy had said. Charles was my high school crush. But it was also true that it was so much more than that.Years had passed since high school, but the feelings I had during that period of my life were as strong as if they'd happened yesterday. Back then, no one in my high school didn’t like Charles Rafe. He was the only student, except Cathy, that would smile to me and say hi. He even said my name correctly every time. Gradually, he became the reason I got out of bed and went to class in the morning, just so I could sit silently behind him. His casual smile was the factor that made or broke my day. There was no way he would remember me even if he was my new boss. Still, the idea of it made me smile into the night sky and wait for the screen to loop the interview so I could see his face one more time. I gazed up at the screen, watching the commercials tick by. The programs usually looped at least a half-dozen times before they moved on to the next thing, giving peo

I hardly slept and I looked it. Despite my efforts with the concealer, the bags under my eyes were evident and the stress was manifesting in overly frizzy hair. Still, I did my best. I wanted to look good for my execution, but had to settle for being on time and not looking like a puppy caught out in the rain. My hands shook on the lobby door handle. I needed to get some tension out and decided to take the stairs up the four flights to our division. It was a popular choice. My colleagues liked to stretch their bodies before and during a day sitting at desks, and I could hear a few people a few floors above me. Getting the blood flowing and my legs pumping helped my nerves. I began to breathe deeply and felt it relax my muscles. Then I heard my name echo down through the concrete stairwell. "I don't think Elena would do that," came the first voice. "She's kind of a sheep." "That's what she wants you to think. She plays all demure, but underneath all that mildness she's sharp. Sh

I was uncomfortable. I could feel the eyes of Charles' assistants on my back as I gestured and talked about the departments.Equally awkward were the stares of colleagues that quickly dropped when we neared and then came back as soon as I'd looked the other direction. I tried to point out as many people as I could, forcing them to look up and smile. Some waved or dipped their heads deferentially to the new boss.I knew they were all wondering the same thing that I was.What the heck was I doing there?The penthouse was reserved for upper management and Charles had his own smaller conference room. The assistant's desks sat out in the open floor in front of his office, a barrier of gatekeepers.I'd never been up this high in the building before, and the view of the city below was vast and dizzying. I put my box down on my empty desk and followed them into the glass-walled conference room.Jessica and Amy stood on either side of Charles as he sat at the head of the dark, polished wood ta

I'd made sure to bring an insulated bag with me, so when the doors opened to the penthouse offices, I was sure the coffee was still piping hot.I'd hoped to beat Charles there, but he was already standing in front of the window, answering a phone call. The city skyline was visible out the windows to his right."The fact that you're short-staffed is not my problem..."I was taken aback. I'd never heard him talk like that before.He was intense and dominating, the voice of the Alpha I always knew he was but hadn't seen flexed like this."You will do it this way and move Saturday's staff to Thursday... What?... I don't care. You need to figure that out."He paced back and forth, gesturing as his spoke. His posture radiated power, and I felt my heart begin to race. This side of him was totally new to me."You will call me in ninety minutes to report," he finished. He hung up his cell and stopped, his arms folded. I could feel the energy rolling off from him as he stood still, starting into

My breathing seemed to stick in my chest. What was he doing here?I put a hand to my messy bun and looked down at my sweats. I cracked the door and put on the most croaking voice I could. I was, after all, supposed to be sick."Hi," I said, giving him a weak smile."Hey. I was just in the neighborhood. Walking. You know how I love to take solitary walks."I nodded, thinking I'd only seen him stride around in the office building, but knew it was best not to argue."Can you just give me a minute?" I asked. "I'm not terribly presentable."This made him smile and he leaned casually against my doorframe. "Take your time."I gently shut the door and rushed to my bedroom, throwing open my closet and digging furiously until I found a cute, casual cotton dress and threw it on. I yanked down the messy bun and retwisted it so the mass of hair that had fallen was now tucked back up.I ran on tiptoes to the medicine cabinet, took out some cold medicine, and placed it strategically on the kitchen co