Chapter 4 Unsuitable Date

Johnson’s POV

The female sitting across from me in the dim, blood-orange light of the upscale lounge was perfectly groomed, wearing a designer dress that highlighted her curves in all the right places. 

She was built to turn the heads of high-ranking wolves, and she knew it. 

But for the last ten minutes, all she had done was chatter endlessly about her charity galas, her family’s pureblood pack standing, and how much good she did for the upper-crust wolves in the city.

It was utterly nauseating.

I sat there with my black baseball cap pulled low and my dark shades firmly in place, making sure no rogue or rival pack spy could recognize my face in this neutral territory bar. 

I didn’t care about her charity work or how she spent her summers preening at pack resorts. 

I certainly cared even less about the fact that she had checked her reflection in the darkened screen of her phone four times since she sat down.

"So, Mr...?" she purred, leaning forward across the table to flash a flirtatious smile. "Are you always this quiet, or am I just that intimidating?"

"It’s a contract," I corrected, my voice dropping an octave, low and tight. I didn't bother meeting her eyes behind the tinted lenses. "Let's be clear about the arrangement. 

“A one-year business marriage with a clear expiration date and a very generous compensation package at the end. 

“There will be no romantic pretense. There will be no shared quarters, no pack ceremonies, and no public appearances unless the Board of Directors or Council demands it. And above all, there is no 'us'. Just pure, cold business."

She giggled, a high-pitched, fake sound that grated against my heightened werewolf senses like nails on a chalkboard. 

"Oh, stop it! You're making me so nervous! But... I do love a man who knows what he wants. I thought a year was long enough, but..." 

She bit her lower lip, clicking her tongue softly as her eyes roamed over my chest.

Before I could stand up and terminate the interview right then and there, a sharp commotion near the back lounge caught my attention.

A group of loud, drunken males were crowding around a waitress near the bar. 

Their raised, aggressive voices rose above the thumping music. 

They were border enforcers from a neighboring territory, using their heavy pack aura to bully her.

I narrowed my eyes beneath my shades. I despised males who used their physical size or pack status to intimidate women. 

I made to stand up to crush the altercation before it ruined the establishment's peace, but before I could move an inch, a sharp, familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Keep your hands to yourself!"

The entire back end of the bar went quiet. The men stumbled back slightly, surprised by the sudden confrontation.

I froze, looking closer through the dim lighting.

Standing right in the middle of those giant, aggressive wolves was a young woman with a fierce glare and trembling shoulders. 

It was Sarah.

My mind raced. 

What was she doing here? 

She had been the best intern our architectural design department ever had at the firm. 

She was smart, dedicated, and ridiculously talented. 

But more than that, she was the only female in the entire building who had never looked at me with fake flirtation or fear. 

She had treated me like a human being, looking at me with pure, unadulterated dedication to her craft rather than terror of my Alpha bloodline.

And now, here she was, standing toe-to-toe with three intoxicated, heavy-set enforcers.

"Look, sweet cheeks," one of the men sneered, reaching out with a heavy hand to grab her shoulder roughly. "We're just trying to have a good time. Don't be a buzzkill."

Before his hand could even touch her jacket, I moved.

Using my supernatural speed, I crossed the room in a blur, stepping directly between Sarah and the men. 

My shadow fell over them, towering and cold. The men recoiled, forced back by the sheer force of the dominant Alpha pressure radiating off me.

"What the hell is your problem, pal?" one of them growled, trying to act tough over the music, though his eyes darted nervously.

I didn't utter a single word. I simply pulled out my phone, raised it, and pointed the camera directly at their faces.

"Do you think the Pack Council and the local police will be interested in seeing this video of you harassing workers?" I asked, my voice dangerously low and commanding. "I’m sure the board of directors at your pack territory would love to see how you spend your off-duty hours."

The men froze. 

Panic flickered across their faces as they recognized the authority in my tone. 

They looked at each other, then back at my covered face, fear pooling in their eyes. 

Without another word, they backed away into the crowd, vanishing toward the exit.

I lowered the phone and turned slightly toward her.

"Thank you," Sarah said, her voice slightly breathless from the lingering adrenaline. "I had it under control, but... thank you for helping me."

I scoffed beneath my breath, typical of her fierce pride. Without saying a single word, I turned on my heel and walked straight out of the bar.

One thing was for sure, she was clearly facing severe financial trouble if she was working night shifts in a dangerous place like this. 

She was far too talented to be wasting her life here. 

On top of that, she looked noticeably slimmer and exhausted compared to when I last saw her.

As soon as I stepped out into the night air, I pulled out my phone and dialed my executive secretary, Gina.

"Pull up every piece of information on our past intern, Sarah," I ordered, my tone absolute. "I need a full report on her f

inancial situation, her current housing, and her background. I need it on my desk by tomorrow morning.”