Elizabeth

I was lying on my bed, staring at my bracelet. I had tried to take it off before going to work this morning, but somehow I couldn’t get a good grip on the clasp to open it. Eventually, I gave up. Fortunately, no one had noticed—it was the engraving on it that embarrassed me.

Wearing a mark on your neck is something to be proud of, a way to let the world know you're bonded to your mate. But this bracelet just made it look like someone saw me as their property. I knew Mike didn’t mean it like that—of course he didn’t, he’d never mean it that way. But that didn’t change how the message might come across to others.

I started fiddling with the clasp again, but after half an hour, I gave up once more. Maybe I could stop by a jeweler this week to help me get it off—assuming I didn’t have to work until eight every workday.

I knew only my start time was known; my workday didn’t end until Jason Moon—Alpha Jason Moon—left the office.

I couldn’t help but think about Jason. He’d reacted like he already knew me, which was strange since I’d never seen him before. He’d reached out his hand, and when I took it, it felt like his touch filled my body with a warm, comforting sensation. Had he felt that too? Or was it just my physical response to the fact that he’s an Alpha—a very handsome one, at that?

After we let go of each other's hand, Ryan had led me back down to the floor below Jason’s office. I hadn’t exchanged many words with Jason, but everything I did say came out stuttered and unsure. Why was I like that around him?

On the way back down, Ryan had once again tried to convince me that Jason only knew my name because he had passed on my details after hiring me. He didn’t sound convincing, but I let it go. There didn’t seem to be any logical explanation, so I didn’t want to waste my energy on it anymore.

Before I was allowed to start working, Ryan had asked me to read through both my employment contract and the confidentiality agreement again before handing them to Jason. I had already read and signed both at home, but before I could tell Ryan that, he had already returned to Jason’s office. It was obvious he wanted to talk to Jason about something I wasn’t meant to hear, so I waited a bit before heading upstairs with the signed papers.

On the stairs, I could hear them talking—they had left the door open. They were discussing someone who had passed out and who Jason had helped. Their words shocked me. Could they be talking about me? I had fainted, yes, but there’s no way I was the person they were discussing… right?

Before I could think too much about it, they noticed me standing in the doorway, and suddenly a disagreement erupted between Jason and Ryan. Jason had introduced me to his Beta and Gamma without using their ranks. It was clear that Ryan didn’t care much for hierarchy, but the fact that he didn’t respect our Alpha’s authority stunned me.

Jason had looked furious and increased his aura in an instant—so powerful that the whole room must have felt suffocating. But to me, it felt oddly familiar and comforting. I had looked at him briefly while he did it.

I could clearly sense his energy, and though I could feel the weight it put on the others, it didn’t affect me the same way.

I’d known for a while that I could feel Alpha auras, but that they had little effect on me. According to my grandmother, this was our family’s secret—the only thing I’ve ever been told about my lineage.

I quickly lowered my gaze. No one could know how unaffected I was. I hoped it looked convincing.

The men didn’t mention anything about it for the rest of the day, so it must have been convincing enough—thank goodness.

Jason had asked for the papers, and I’d handed them over as quickly as I could before heading straight back through the hidden bookcase door. Shortly after, the Beta and Gamma came down as well. They simply nodded at me before disappearing into their offices. Ryan didn’t return.

Later in the day, I brought Jason his lunch. He told me Ryan had gone home to continue working from there after the meeting. Just for a moment, I could feel that Mike was nearby. Jason seemed to know too. Before I felt Mike’s presence, Jason had looked relaxed, but the moment I sensed Mike, Jason looked like he was ready to jump into battle. Of course, I had stared at him again, too long and too obviously. My face must have turned bright red when he looked at me curiously.

I quickly excused myself and all but ran out through the bookcase door. I was so embarrassed.

The rest of the day went smoothly.

Jason had said that he, his Beta, and his Gamma wouldn’t be needing dinner in the office, but despite that, they all stayed until well past eight in the evening.

I sighed deeply and looked at the clock—already ten o’clock in the evening. At that exact moment, Luna surged forward. I had to fight hard to push her back so she wouldn’t take over completely. It took me a moment to understand why Luna reacted that way, until I heard the knock on my door… and smelled him.

Mike was here.

My heart leapt with joy, but at the same time, I was suddenly overwhelmed by fear.

Shit. What if he had sensed my presence too, when he’d been near Jason’s office earlier today?

I opened my front door, and before I knew it, Mike pressed his lips to mine, and I lost myself in his kiss. He started out passionate, but his kiss quickly shifted into pure lust. I completely gave in to the moment, nearly turning into a submissive little pup. I pulled away from his kiss and looked at him. He was staring at me with hungry eyes.

“Hey, you,” I said, just before he lifted me into his arms and I wrapped my legs around his waist. “Hey,” he replied, before his lips crashed onto mine again. With me clinging to him, he walked through the room, heading straight for my bedroom door. Before the door closed, I already knew exactly what Mike wanted from me—and I was more than willing to give him everything he desired. He was my true mate, my everything—and everything of me belonged to him.

It was five in the morning when I woke up. I sat up with a yawn and quickly discovered why I had woken up. The bathroom door was open, and the light was on. At that moment, I heard Mike turn on the shower. I stretched and walked over to the bathroom.

"Good morning to you too," I laughed to Mike. For a moment, I thought I saw him tense up in surprise, but when he turned around and smiled at me, I figured I must have been wrong. Mike opened the shower door—an invitation to join him, which I gladly accepted. Inside the shower, Mike wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. "I didn’t want to wake you," he said. I chuckled at his words. "Then maybe don’t leave the bathroom door open, silly." Mike started washing my hair, and I began soaping up his body in return. We spent the rest of our time in the shower washing each other in comfortable silence. Once we’d rinsed all the soap and shampoo off, we stepped out.

"Another long day at work ahead?" I asked. "Yeah," he replied. "I’ve been able to take on some extra tasks now that I don’t have to attend every meeting anymore."

I knew that already—Ryan had taken over that responsibility from Mike for any meetings Jason was part of. But I couldn’t let on that I knew this. Mike couldn’t know I worked for Jason. The secrecy was wearing on me more than I expected. "Oh? Did they find a new note-taker, then?" I asked, curious and feigning surprise. Mike looked slightly irritated and eventually shrugged. "All I know is that this Jason Moon brought in one of his own employees to handle any meetings he attends," he said with a sigh. He clearly felt defeated. Mike had been so eager to join the council, so eager to become an alpha with his own pack. But now, he had to find some other way to prove himself to Jason.

"The extra tasks you’ve taken on... are they things Mr. Moon will see or evaluate?" I asked carefully. Mike gave me a strange look. Crap—I said Mr. Moon—Not alpha, or just Jason Moon I said Mr. Moon . Crap crap crap. Only people who work for him call him Mr. Moon. "Why are you calling him Mr. Moon? He’s not here, so I don’t see the point in being so formal," he said, his tone hard to read.

"I... I just don’t want to risk addressing him incorrectly if I ever meet him," I said quickly as an excuse. Ugh, I really needed to think more carefully about what I said when it came to Jason.

Mike gave me a small smile. "When would you ever meet someone like Jason Moon? That chance seems pretty slim, so why bother?" He stared at me like he was trying to catch me in a lie. I shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe I’ll bump into him at the pub," I said with a wink.

That made him laugh, and thankfully, he dropped the subject.

Once he was dressed, Mike was already getting ready to leave. At my front door, he turned around and looked at me. "You know what was strange yesterday?" he asked. “N-no,” I barely managed to squeak out.

"I wanted to introduce myself to that Jason Moon," he continued, "but on the floor where his office was supposed to be, there were only meeting rooms."

Before I could respond, he went on, "And what was even stranger—I could’ve sworn I caught your scent near the display case with all the photos and memorabilia of the former council heads." As he said this, he narrowed his eyes at me.

“T-that is strange,” I replied cautiously. Crap, I sounded way too nervous. I cleared my throat and straightened my posture as I spoke.

"Maybe one of your colleagues wears the same perfume I do," I said, trying to sound more confident. Mike’s expression softened, and he smiled at me, reassured.

"Yeah, that must be it," he said with a grin. He gave me a quick kiss before disappearing through the front door. Pfew, that was close.

Not long after, I stepped outside, heading to work. I had an uneasy feeling, as though I was being watched. Even with Luna heightening my senses, I couldn’t find anything to justify the sensation. Still, I instinctively took a different route than the one I used yesterday—better safe than sorry.

Thankfully, I had left early and still had plenty of time before I was expected to arrive. I walked through the busy streets with ease, but in the alleyways, I let Luna take over so we could sprint through as fast as possible. After about fifteen minutes of rerouting, the uneasiness faded, and I finally felt safe enough to head toward the correct building.

I now understood better why I had to enter through a building that looked like a laundromat. I reported to the front desk, and the receptionist opened the door leading to the basement stairs. It wasn’t until I stood in the elevator that I let myself catch my breath.

Once I reached my floor, I scanned my surroundings. I was the only one there. Good—this gave me a chance to change in peace. I had intentionally left my uniform at work, reducing the risk of anyone finding out I worked for Jason Moon. While I was still buttoning my blouse, I walked to the kitchen to turn on the coffee machine. After pressing the button to turn on the coffee machine, I turned—and heard someone clear their throat. I looked up and saw Jason Moon sitting at the dining table. I jumped inside, though thankfully I didn’t show it. I finished buttoning the last three buttons and looked him in the eye.

“Do you enjoy scaring your staff like that?” I said, sounding far more confident than I felt. There was no way he hadn’t seen my bra—not that there was much to see. I was one of the rare wolves cursed with a small cup size.

Jason looked surprised by my comment. I didn’t wait for a reply and continued with what I was doing, grabbing two mugs. I could feel Jason’s gaze on me, but he didn’t bother answering my question. I took my time making two cups of coffee, then brought them to the table, sliding one toward him as I sat down across from him. It was only 7:30, so technically still before my working hours.

Jason picked up his mug and took a sip, eyes never leaving me. I sipped my own coffee, acutely aware of his gaze.

“You really need to be more aware of your surroundings, miss,” he said casually before taking another sip. I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself. The growl he let out reminded me instantly of my mistake. “Apologies, Alpha,” I said, putting particular emphasis on the title.

I knew he outranked me—I knew I was playing with fire, especially after yesterday’s dominance display between him and Ryan. Still, I had to challenge him. Jason kept staring at me, and this time, I stared right back into his eyes. His lips curled into a small smile. “Something amusing, Alpha?” I asked. I wanted to bite my tongue off the moment I said it.

Now Luna was laughing. She clearly enjoyed watching us taunt an Alpha without showing a single hint of power. I immediately knew where my impulsiveness was coming from. “Luna, knock it off. You’re going to get us in trouble.” I pushed her back, suppressing the energy she had begun to radiate. The last time she’d done this was when I first met Mike. Back then, I was so shy I couldn’t speak a word to him—until Luna took over, making me flirtatious and bold. But why was she doing it now, with our boss, our Alpha?

As I got lost in thought, still wrestling with Luna, Jason hadn’t taken his eyes off me. My cup was empty, and it was now 8:00—my official start time. I stood and reached for Jason’s mug with my left hand—but he caught my wrist and held it up to his face. Shit. He was looking at my bracelet. He gave a mocking little laugh. “Subtle.” Suddenly, the whole moment felt familiar. Jason holding my wrist, the warmth spreading through my body, the light tingling that ran across my skin—the way he said the word subtle, the way he looked at me, the way he held me. Everything about this felt like déjà vu.

But that couldn’t be.

Jason looked straight at me. He had the most stunning blue eyes I’d ever seen.

“Am I interrupting?” I visibly jumped at Ryan’s sudden voice. Jason didn’t seem fazed.

“No, you’re not interrupting,” Jason answered, releasing me.

“You really need to pay more attention to your surroundings, miss,” he repeated with a wink, then walked toward the stairs that led to his office. I carried the coffee mugs to the kitchen, and Ryan followed behind.

“Did he bother you?” Ryan asked, sounding a little too authoritative. “No, he didn’t bother me.” I said while I turned around to face him.  Ryan looked at me while I spoke. His eyes were the green of a pine forest, his dark brown hair messy in a way that looked almost intentional. Like Jason, he was broad-shouldered and clearly is of Alpha blood—the energy radiating from him made that clear.

Ryan nodded in response. I turned back to the counter and began preparing a tray of mini sandwiches and coffee. I could feel Ryan move closer, invading my personal space.

I turned around abruptly, bumping straight into his chest. “Can I help you, Ryan? Or do you always stand this close to people?” This time, it wasn’t Luna speaking for me—I couldn’t stand pushy men who didn’t respect boundaries. Ryan stepped back slightly, glancing down at the sandwiches. “That’s not in the instruction manual,” he said, looking down at me.

Seriously, what was this guy’s problem? He had been so polite and charming during my interview—and even kind yesterday. Now he was just... off.

I felt him slowly increase his oppressive energy. He wasn’t stable, that much I could feel. Something about him was just wrong, though I couldn’t pinpoint what. I bowed my head, pretending his aura was affecting me. “That’s true, sir. The manual gives a general overview of my duties. I thought these sandwiches would be a thoughtful addition to your and Jason’s meeting.” I tried to sound as submissive as possible. Sometimes I wished Alpha energy actually affected me—it would make faking it much easier. I glanced up cautiously. Strange—his eyes, which had just been a vivid green, were now almost black. Before I could study them further, Ryan abruptly pulled back his energy and took several steps away.

Then I understood why. Hunter, Jason’s Beta, had just stepped out of the elevator. Ryan nodded to me and walked toward the stairs.

I stared after him, confused, before turning back to finish what I was doing. Instinctively, I kept scanning my surroundings, so I noticed immediately when Hunter approached. As I was placing the last mini sandwich on the tray, Hunter reached for one. In a split second, I slapped his hand away. “Hey!?” he cried out. I smiled at him, then picked up a sandwich and held it out. “If you want one, you could just ask,” I teased. Hunter took it with a grin. “I’ll remember that next time,” he said with a wink, before heading off to his office. I shook my head, laughing, and picked up the tray. On the stairs, I ran into Erik. “Want a mini sandwich?” I asked. “Hey! That’s not fair,” Hunter shouted from his office. Erik looked at me curiously.

“He learned the hard way that he needs to ask or wait until I offer,” I said, emphasizing the word ask. Hunter let out a loud growl. Erik laughed. “Good to know I’ve got special treatment,” he said, popping the sandwich into his mouth as he walked down the stairs.

“Hey, that’s not what I meant!” I called after him.

Erik turned and gave me a theatrical bow, walking backward toward Hunter’s office.

I shook my head with a smile. Erik and Hunter were fraternal twins. They didn’t look exactly alike, but it was obvious they were brothers.

I continued upstairs, knocked softly on the office door, then stepped inside with the tray.

I placed Jason’s coffee on a coaster on his desk, and the tray of sandwiches on the coffee table near the lounge couches. Jason followed me with his eyes, and when he saw me completely ignoring Ryan, he raised an eyebrow.

Just before I closed the bookcase door behind me, I heard Jason ask Ryan, “What exactly did you do to not even be worth a glance from her?”

Yeah, Ryan—do explain that.