3

RAYNE

By the time I opened my eyes, I was reminded that it hadn't been a dream. His face was all I could see. His lips on mine and his hands holding my waist were all I could feel. And his scent was right there to choke me softly. 

His firm hands were getting even more audacious as they slipped further down my waist to take in the curves of my ass. He gave it a gentle squeeze as he drew me even closer.

I didn't want to imagine where all of that was going to lead. If we hit it off right there in his office, the mission was as good as over.

The thought of it made me quickly withdraw from him, putting off the sparks instantly. It was a really hard battle fighting every urge to get back in his arms. 

He stared for a few seconds before he gave a brief smile and made for his desk. It was hard to understand what was going through his head as he gave mixed signals. I could only hope he wasn't one who would want to take his mate back to his pack. 

"This can't work..." I mumbled. 

"I am fully aware of that." He replied, taking up what looked like two golden dice with diamond engravings. "And the risk to reward ratio is fairly the same."

"Then why don't we just go ahead and reject each other. We can put an end to the sparks before they become a roaring flame for all to see."

"I can't let that happen." He contradicted himself without sounding silly. And for some reason, he looked cool while doing it. 

I felt like pushing it further would be counterproductive. "Fine, but you will get tired of it anyway and you'd reject me yourself."

"Oh would I?" He sounded like we were in a competition of who was more immune to the mate pull. He could clearly see how I had been teetering a few moments ago. 

"Whatever..." I took a deep breath and was almost about walking out till I remembered he was still my boss as much as he was my mate. I just hated having to think of the word mate, knowing he was the one.

"You will keep this a secret between the both of us." He kept throwing and catching one of the dice. "And in exchange you'll get an easier promotion through the ranks than every other entry level staff. Do we have a—"

"Deal." I agreed before he could finish. I had to get out of there to think clearly about my next move. 

"Wow... you're just as materialistic as they come. You can go."

With that, I made for the door without looking back. Once I was outside, I felt like I had been underwater, holding my breath for the past couple of minutes.

I headed to the bathroom, as it would take a while for my body to return to normal. Lexa kept screaming her crazy suggestions in my head, painting all the wildest pictures in my head.

"Just stop it Lexa..." I mumbled under my breath as I put my hand on the doorknob. "You're going to get me in trouble."

I was about to open the door when I heard some indistinct chatters on the other side of the door. 

"The Alpha is here now... this is our chance. We can kill him and proceed with the plan..." A female voice spoke with a whisper which was audible to me. 

"How do we do that right here? The office is too public to do that and get away with it. The whole place is teeming with Kades..." Another female voice responded in like manner. 

"I have a plan to end it here and now..."

Now they had my attention. It seemed like someone was about to make my work even easier. 

***

ROMAN 

My heartbeat normalized as I tried to fixate my mind on something else that wasn't her. 

I failed at that as I only ended up thinking about how a girl with no scent had almost caused me to make out in my own office. That was against every single thing I stood for. But then, I had lost it immediately I had her in my arms. 

"Take it easy..." I had to speak to myself out loud to keep my thoughts in check.

"You're the alpha and you can surely get away with just one steamy session in your office..." Max, my wolf couldn't stop blabbering. 

"How are we even this agitated when she doesn't even scent at all? Our first mate had the most palatable smell, but she's just—"

"Special. She's special. And that's the reason that steamy session has to happen as soon as possible so we can find out exactly what she's all about. I love me a little mystery..."

"Nice try. But that's not going to happen." I had to remind him and myself I was fully in charge of my emotions. "Royal blood isn't meant to be spilled everywhere. I'm not about to be sex machine like my great grandfather."

"You're no fun at all. All you do after Selene is just work and juggle dice—"

"Don't remind me of her." I had been looking for something else to put my mind to, and my wolf had just given me one I wasn't willing to think about.

A tap on the door put my mind a bit at rest. The scent of my beta, Finn spilled through the keyhole and the hinges 

"Come in, Finn. You don't need to knock." I said tiredly as I put my dice on the table to see they had rolled up a double six. I usually took that as my good luck charm. 

"I just wanted to be sure you're alone." Finn kept his voice down like someone was eavesdropping on our conversation. "Is she really your mate?" 

"Fuck... yes..." I knew he wouldn't be deceived by the misdirection earlier on. 

"Oh come on. You wouldn't fool me. I knew there was nothing wrong with the matrix. I just decided to cover your ass up." He said as he took a seat on the other side of my desk. "So what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea. There's just a lot going on right now. I've already been betrothed to Ava..." I heaved a sigh as I kept wondering why the heck I had been the first born in the first place. "My life would have been a lot easier if I hadn't been in such a hurry to hop out of my father's nutsack before Axel."

"Well I'm glad you did hop out of your dad's nutsack first. Your brother, Axel would have run this whole place to the ground if he had been the one in charge. He's a freaking wrecking ball." 

Another knock on the door followed.

"Damn it." I exhaled. "Speaking of the devil, Axel is here. I'm sure he heard it all." 

Axel stepped in without waiting for me to let him in. "Hello, brother." He said with his usual mischievous smile which I could always see through for what it was— envy and the desire to be alpha by all means. 

He was like the roughened version of me. His long curly hair wasn't slicked like mine was. And his beard had grown thick, making him look a bit older than I was.

"The board meeting is over and you weren't there." I replied coldly. "So, to what occasion do I owe this visit?"

"Oh come on. I don't need to be in a board meeting to know that we are always in the greens." He laughed. "Besides, I'm a wrecking ball like your friend Finn says. I go wherever I want to without permission."

I was quiet for a while as I had no idea what to do with him. "What do you want?"

"I just came to say hi to my ever hardworking brother. The Ghost of Kade himself." He smiled again. "You and your beta seem to be having quite a conversation. I will just leave the both of you to it. Might be a long while before you both get to have this convo again. Things are bound to get really busy.”

With that he walked away. His last words were just as suspicious as the visit itself had been. As he opened the door, I saw Rayne standing right there.

“May I help you?” I pretended to act like my heart wasn't racing when I saw her right there.

“Sir… there's something I need to tell you…” the desperation on her face made it clear she wasn't bluffing.