Chapter 4

Nicholas grinned as he sent the pictures to his friend, Tyson. For some reason, he wanted to rub it in that he would be spending the evening with Olivia and Tyson would not. Nicholas had been with women who were prettier than Olivia. Still, something about her made him want her, and his desire kept growing as he watched her work.

“Why are you grinning like the cat that ate the canary?” Jacob asked Nicholas as he handed him a drink.

“Just watching our little fairy,” Nicholas replied.

He nodded toward where Olivia was taking pictures of a small group that had coordinated their costumes to come as characters from their favorite movie. Nicholas downed his drink in one gulp.

“I also got a call from Tyson Emery, and he will not be able to make it to the party. Something about fog in Chicago grounding their plane.” Nick laughed, “I had to send him a few pics of that little beauty so he knows what he is missing out on tonight.”

“You, my friend, can be downright mean.”

“That comes with being an Alpha. So do good looks, charm, and getting what I want, and tonight I want her.”

“I don’t think Olivia is interested in you like that. Getting her in your bed might take more than your charm.”

“I am well aware of that. That is why I have been having a drink put in her hand every time I see it empty.”

“You are going to get her drunk and do what you want to her? I don’t like that idea.”

“It isn’t like I will make her pass out and force myself on her. I only need her to be a little more suggestible. She needs to let her guard down for once. You can’t tell me you haven’t felt the chemistry the two of us have.”

“I have felt the tension between you two if that is what you mean.”

“It is not tension,” Nicholas spat.

“Alright, I will admit the two of you work well together, but that doesn’t mean you need to bed her like everyone else.”

Nicholas turned and smirked at his Beta. “Are you jealous?”

“No, I am not jealous. I have known Olivia her entire life, and I don’t want to see you hurt her. That is all.”

“Jake, I can give you my word. I will not do anything she does not want me to do to her.”

“Maybe tonight, but what about after tonight? She works for you, and she does a great job here. She isn’t like the other girls you have had, then tossed aside. So I am begging you to think about this very carefully before you do anything.”

Nicholas clasped his friend’s shoulder and told him, “Don’t worry. I have been thinking about this since the day I met her. I won’t disappoint her.”

Olivia had just finished taking group photos of employees who had come dressed as characters from the same movie. As she flipped through the pictures on her camera, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see a waiter holding a drink out to her. Without having her wolf with her, she was feeling the effects of the alcohol. Her head was already a bit fuzzy, and she was giggling more than usual.

Olivia politely declined, “Oh, thank you, but no. I feel a bit tipsy and still have work to do.”

“Just following orders, Ms. Olivia,” the waiter smiled. “The boss has instructed me to ensure everyone has a drink in their hands at all times and is having a good time.”

“Oh, well,” Olivia weakly smiled as she accepted the drink. “We can’t go against the boss, can we?”

The man stood watching Olivia until she took a sip of the drink. When she had, he smiled at her and nodded before moving on. Olivia glanced around the room until her eyes fell on Nicholas. He was standing to the side with Jacob. When he saw her gaze on him, he raised his glass to her and nodded. Olivia smiled at him as she took another sip from her glass. She took a few steps toward him and felt herself sway. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself.

“Are you alright, Olivia?” a deep voice rumbled in front of her as a strong hand grasped her arm. She opened her eyes to see Nicholas’ ocean-blue eyes filled with concern.

“Oh, yeah. Just a bit too much to drink,” Olivia giggled. “You have to quit sending me drinks before you make me pass out, and you have to carry me home.”

“I’m sorry. I should have realized that the drinks would affect you more than others.” He smiled at her. “Come on, my little fairy. Let’s go up to my office and get you some coffee.”

“I like that idea,” Olivia told him as she took a staggering step.

“I have a better idea,” Nicholas whispered in her ear. “Why don’t I take you home? I would be crushed if anything happened to you.”

Olivia’s eyes met his, and she saw something in them that she had never seen him direct at her: lust. Her breath caught in her throat. Unable to form words, she nodded to him, her approval of the idea.

“Good,” Nicholas cooed as he brushed her hair away from her face.

Olivia watched him as his eyes glazed over. She had no doubt that it was to let his Beta Jacob know they were leaving and to have a car ready for them. After a moment, he looked down at her and smiled. She smiled back at him as he wrapped his arm around her waist. She took comfort in his support and leaned into him. While they worked closely, they rarely had any physical contact. She felt her cheeks flush as she enjoyed his arm around her.

She took in his scent of pine and lilies as he guided her out of the crowded room and into the quiet hallway leading to where the car would be waiting. When they stepped outside, Olivia shivered. Her fairy costume was no match for the cold New England night. Before she could process what he was doing, Nicholas pulled her back to his chest and wrapped both of his muscular arms around her.

“I promise I will keep you warm, my little fairy,” Nicholas whispered into her neck as the car stopped in front of them.

He waited for the driver to get out and hurry to their side of the car, opening the door for them with a nod. Nicholas ushered Olivia into the backseat of the car before sliding in behind her. As soon as he was in the car, he detached her wings from her costume, pulled her onto his lap, and wrapped his arms around her again.

“What are you doing?” she whispered as she blushed a deeper shade.

“Something I have wanted to do since the moment I laid eyes on you,” Nicholas told her.

In an instant, his lips crashed into hers. It was a kiss like none she had ever had before. It was filled with lust, passion, and want that she had never felt from anyone. She allowed his tongue to slip past her lips as his hand found its way to tangle in her hair. Finally, she pulled away, gasping for air.

“Stop,” she breathed. “We shouldn’t do this.”

“Why not?” Nicholas asked as his eyes drifted from her lips down to her neck, where the marking spot was.

“Because you are my boss and my Alpha.”

“So? It isn’t against the rules for us to be together. It could interfere with destined mates if I made it a rule against fraternization. That wouldn’t be fair, would it?’

“Well, no. I guess not.”

“I am thirty-five and have looked all over the world for my mate, and I still haven’t found her. So I am now looking at taking a chosen mate.”

“A chosen mate?”

“Yes, my little fairy. A chosen mate,” Nicholas told her as he nuzzled her neck. A soft groan escaped Olivia’s lips, making him chuckle into the nape of her neck. “How would you feel about that?”

Olivia looked at him, confused. The alcohol was making her brain fuddled, and she didn’t understand if he was asking her to be his chosen mate or if he was simply thinking of the idea of one. Before she could ask what he meant, the car door opened. They had arrived at the apartment building Dark Moon owned and allowed all its employees to live in while working.

Nicholas stole a kiss from her before he slipped her off his lap, got out of the car, and offered her his hand to help her out. She slid across the seat, and the world spun around her as soon as she stood. Olivia felt Nicholas scoop her up and carry her inside the building as if she were his bride. She briefly worried about what her short costume was revealing but forgot about that when she felt his hot breath on her face as he kissed her forehead.

“I can walk,” she slurred when they entered the elevator, and the doors closed.

“Maybe you can, but maybe you can’t, and you would fall and break something. That isn’t a risk I am willing for you to take.”

When the elevator doors opened, she was stunned. She expected to see the hallway on her floor leading to her apartment. Instead, she saw they were in the penthouse where Nicholas lived when he was not at the pack house. She must have tensed as his arms tightened around her possessively.

“Are you thinking about running from me?” Nickolas chuckled.

“No, I’m just surprised. I thought you were taking me home,” Olivia said as she tried to relax.

“I did. I took you to my home. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, I guess not. I just wasn’t expecting this.”

Nicholas gently laid her on the sofa before he sat beside her. He gave her a warm smile as he pushed her dark gold locks away from her face.

“It is my fault you are in this condition, and I feel guilty. Let me take care of you until you’re sober again. Would you like some water and some coffee?”

“Thank you, that would be nice.”

Nicholas leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips as he cupped her cheek. When he pulled back, his eyes danced over her face, taking in everything. He gave her a sly smile before standing and entering the kitchen.

Olivia tried to watch what he was doing and focus, but couldn’t. The alcohol still affected her far more than it should for a wolf. She silently cursed herself for being so weak that her wolf did not want to be a part of her. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes even though she fought them. By the time Nicholas returned with her water and coffee, tears flowed down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” Nicholas questioned. He placed everything on the coffee table before scooping her up in his arms and cradling her as she cried.

“Why do you want me?” she sobbed. “My wolf doesn’t even want me. Why else would she not be with me? I am twenty-six. If she was going to be with me, she should have already done it.”

“Oh, my sweet little fairy,” Nicholas tried to soothe her. “I don’t care about any of that. I care about you. You are sweet, funny, kind, talented, and beautiful. I am happy when I am around you. That is what matters to me.”

“Really?”

“Really. And if part of this is because you had too much to drink at my insistence, not realizing what effect it would have on you, I will grab a bottle of my finest tequila and get just as drunk as you are. That way, you can point and laugh at me. But, I beg of you, no pictures. I am happy to make a fool of myself in front of you, just not all of Dark Moon.”

Olivia laughed, “Deal. But if you are serious about the tequila, would you mind sharing a bit with me? I know I shouldn’t on top of everything I had at the party, but I love it.”

“I think that can be arranged,” Nicholas said as he moved to the bar in the corner and returned with two glasses and the bottle.