CHAPTER FOUR

LANDON:

“Mr. Kurt, the papers. Review them.” One of my business associates motioned towards the stack of papers in front of me.

I gave a sharp nod, adjusting my suit as I began skimming through the pages. The more I pondered, the more perplexed I became. Never did I imagine a day when I'd be engulfed in frustration over an inexplicable situation. I wrestled with it all night, analyzing every possibility, but the puzzle pieces refused to fit.

A child isn't conjured out of thin air. It's the result of intimacy between a person with eggs and another with sperm. So, how did I end up with one?

"Mr. Kurt?" Peter called for my attention.

"It seems Mr. Kurt isn't focused on this meeting," Anthony chimed in.

Slamming my hand on the conference table, startling everyone, I spoke calmly. "Anthony, do you want to tell me how to do my job? Please, be my guest." Anthony was one of the snakes on the board who couldn't wait to drive me out of my position, so he could take over. If there was a way for this guy to kill me and erase traces of me, he would. He was always eager to plant a sense of incompetence in situations when he could.

"Not at all. I was…"

Interrupting him, I cut to the chase. "Just showcasing how you've let a disastrous project slip through, costing us twenty million dollars. And now, you're proposing another one that'll burn an extra thirty million. All a waste of human and natural resources. Do you think I haven't been paying attention? I have. I took a moment to fathom how you're still here instead of answering customer service calls."

He went pale and red, squirming in his seat. Satisfaction washed over me. No matter what battles I faced, being present at a business conference was mandatory; otherwise, I risked signing a detrimental contract. That's how I'd remained a wealthy and powerful billionaire over the years. Everyone at this table with their fake smiles harbored ill intentions towards me. They'd kiss up to the next CEO, sipping wine and giggling at my funeral if anything happened to me. I could smell their deceit, fear, and incompetence. Unlike my kind, they didn't possess the audacity to feign loyalty. Their throats would be clawed out by true loyalty.

"Mr. Kurt, what do you suggest?" another board member asked.

"That this entire project is trash and isn't worth my time." I stood, buttoning my suit. Maintaining eye contact, I continued, "I want a stellar presentation by Friday. Bigger. Better. A redemption for wasting my time today. If that doesn't happen…" I let the sentence hang, then exited the conference room.

Images of her, her unique scent, and the mystery of her being occupied my thoughts, making me oblivious to my surroundings. Clearly human, yet with an unmistakable fragrance. I felt a strange pull towards her due to her scent. It was uniquely that of... a mate?

Then there was the child, a memory that always brought a smile to my face whenever I thought of her, right down to the tiniest details.

"Cross!" I called out as my Beta picked up at the first ring. The watchful eye of our pack, always ready to unravel any mystery and report back.

"Yes, Alpha Landon," he respectfully answered.

"I need you to track someone down for me. I want every detail you can find. From her morning routine to the last five companies she worked for. Leave no stone unturned—family, relationships, hobbies, everything."

"Okay," he responded, fully attentive. "Who is she?" he asked.

"I'll guide you on where to begin, and you'll uncover who she is for me."

"Understood, Alpha. Is there anything else?"

Pausing, I asked hesitantly, "How's the pack?" Leaving them was a sacrifice I had to make after their betrayal that night. Still, they were family, and I needed updates. Perhaps, there might come a time when I'd want to return. As long as I lived, no one else could take on the Alpha role, for the Alpha glow would pass only with my death. Many wolves wished for my demise, yet they knew better than to show their displeasure to my face.

"There are ongoing concerns about your absence. The Omegas have joined the training, as you instructed. Also, your Luna, Luna Mirage, visited this morning. She seemed angry about something."

"That's all," I said, ending the call. Mirage and her emotions were the least of my worries. She was an occurrence I needed to take care of a problem. When I started developing feelings for her with the intent of giving us a chance, she went ahead and pulled her pants down for the Alpha of the rival pack. She had no clue I already knew about that. I never forever, and I was going to torture her in ways unimaginable until all that was left of her were pieces of her shadow.

In my chair, my heart thumping and feeling restless, I couldn't stand the frustration building up inside me. The stench from the flower vase on my desk only added to the irritation.

Fuming, I yanked the darn thing off the table, letting it crash to the floor. I stomped on the petals, needing an outlet for all this pent-up energy. It was like a tornado, threatening to explode. It made me acutely aware of things I usually blocked out. This was a push for me to revisit and reevaluate my past. Going down that path will unravel buried secrets that should be left alone.

A faint knock on the door rang so loud that it pierced my ears.

"Come in," I growled. The sound of Peter's footsteps was equally loud. My hearing sense was picking up and elaborating sounds. I could hear his heartbeat, smell the cheap cologne he was wearing, and could even see the little pen mark on his cheek which humans wouldn't even notice was there.

"What do you want?"

"Sir, you have a meeting by…"

"Scrap it out," I ordered, not bothering to hear the rest of what he had to say.

"But, it's important. We have been fighting for months to get the audience of the…"

I turned in my chair until I was now facing the ceiling-to-floor window, having my back to Peter, "Who signs the paycheck, Peter?"

"You, sir."

"That will be all then."

"Okay, sir."

I didn't move until I heard the door close behind him.

On impulse, I snatched my jacket and car keys and made my way out. I had no destination in mind, but I ended up at a kids' café, ordering a bit of everything. Then, stepping on the gas, I drove until I found myself outside a school. That's when it hit me: I had come to see her. Isn't this the behavior of a stalker?