Chapter 25

Patience's POV

I fell silent.

Could it be that he truly meant it?

Is this something a normal person would even think of?

I always heard that Cyrus was a madman. At this moment, I gained a deeper understanding of that sentiment.

"No, thank you," I quickly waved my hands, my tone resolute. "I prefer hands that are still attached to a person, not cold specimens. I appreciate the gesture, though."

"That's a pity," he nodded slightly, his voice betraying neither sincerity nor insincerity. "I had thought that doing so would better express my gratitude to you."

I looked at his calm face and suddenly felt that this meal might be more "interesting" than I had imagined.

I was once again at a loss for words, feeling no regret at all, but rather finding his idea rather eerie. "As I've said before, if you truly want to express your gratitude, just build a public school."

Cyrus raised his hand, and a werewolf guard immediately stepped forward, handing him a document.

I glanced down and saw that it was a donation certificate for the public school.

In such a short span of time, he had already completed all the donation procedures. All that remained was for the local authorities to implement the construction.

"If you would like to rename the school, it can be changed now, perhaps by adding your name," Cyrus said, looking at me as if discussing something mundane.

"No need," I said, my fingers brushing over the "Donor: Cyrus Gross" inscription on the document.

I smiled genuinely and said, "Thank you."

Cyrus was taken aback for a moment, his gaze falling on my face as if he were seeing my expression for the first time.

Perhaps in his eyes, being so moved by a public school was rather inconceivable.

"Ms. Frost, would you be interested in becoming my werewolf guard?" Cyrus suddenly changed the subject, asking.

As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly, his aura of cedar and leather, tinged with the Alpha's natural dominance, washed over my senses like a curtain lifted by the wind.

"What?" I was stunned, thinking I had misheard.

My fingers instinctively tightened on the tablecloth, while the glands at the back of my neck warmed slightly from his scent. "You want me to be your werewolf guard?"

"You've saved me. I believe you would be a good fit," he said calmly, his gaze on my face. Suddenly, a hint of sweet cedar, like melting snow beneath the ice, mingled with his usual scent. "If you're willing, the salary is negotiable."

The moment that faint sweetness reached my nose, my wolf stirred restlessly.

It felt as if my entire body was submerged in lukewarm water, tingling with warmth.

This sensation was unfamiliar yet intense, like a long-buried yearning awakened abruptly, leaving me somewhat flustered.

In the three years I had been mated with Kelsey, his pheromones had never elicited such a reaction from me.

"I'm sorry, but I've already started working at BlueTech and don't plan on changing jobs," I declined outright, my voice lighter than I had intended, though I felt rather amused inside.

Cyrus's ideas were truly inscrutable.

What was more unsettling was that I could feel my pheromones uncontrollably intertwining with his scent, like vines wrapping around a tree.

I quickly soothed my wolf.

"What a pity," Cyrus said indifferently, dropping the subject as if it had been a casual remark.

Yet his presence did not recede. Instead, it enveloped me like an invisible net.

I let out a silent sigh of relief, but the warmth in my fingertips did not subside, instead spreading through my veins to the tips of my ears.

I dared not meet his eyes again, fearing they might see through my thoughts.

Could he sense my unease?

This thought made me inexplicably nervous, eager to escape the space enveloped by his aura.

The meal finally came to an end. I almost immediately rose to leave, my movements a bit too hasty.

But Cyrus suddenly spoke, "Ms. Frost, I don't let just anyone save me, but once someone does, they must see it through to the end."

I froze, meeting his deep gaze.

His presence felt like a magical vortex, causing my body's heat to rise once more, my breathing becoming unstable.

What did he mean by "see it through to the end"?

With so many well-trained werewolf guards around him, even if there was danger, they would protect him first. Why would he need me?

The tug-of-war between desire and reason left me restless, the heat making me uneasy.

I dared not inquire further, fearing that with each passing second, my hidden fluttering would be exposed to him.

Cyrus offered no explanation, merely watching as I left.

I all but fled the restaurant, the cool air finally dispersing the lingering cedar scent and the unsettling warmth, leaving only a faint tingling at the back of my neck, like a gentle bite that quickly vanished.

Not long after parting from Cyrus, my phone rang.

The screen displayed the number for Hoffman Tech—I've blocked Hattie's personal number before, so it seemed she had found another way to reach me.

"Patience, write a new proposal for the project you used to be in charge of at the company," Hattie's voice was laden with the arrogance of entitlement, as if I was naturally supposed to be at her beck and call.

I was almost amused into anger. "Why should I do that?"