My Boss Is A Werewolf

Chapter 11

Clara Bennett

I sat at my desk outside Ryder’s office, staring at the same spreadsheet for the fifth time.

The moonstone necklace felt warm against my skin, and every time I shifted in my chair, it brushed my collarbone and reminded me of his fingers on the back of my neck.

My cheeks heated up again. I shook my head hard and forced myself to type the next line of the report.

The clock on my computer read 12:15 PM.

My stomach growled loudly. I hadn’t eaten since yesterday, and the stress was making me feel lightheaded. I saved my document, stood up, and straightened my black pencil skirt.

My hands were still a little shaky from the morning.

I poked my head into Ryder’s office. “Mr. West, I’m stepping out for lunch.”

He looked up from his laptop, his dark eyes meeting mine. “Alright. Don’t rush. You’ve been working non-stop.”

I nodded quickly and walked away, my heels clicking down the hallway toward the elevator.

My mind was racing the whole way down to the third floor cafeteria.

*I need to find those documents soon. The ones in his car. Friendship is the way in. But why does he have to make it so hard?*

The cafeteria was busy but not overcrowded.

The smell of fresh food made my mouth water. I picked up a tray and loaded it with grilled chicken, rice, mixed vegetables, and a bottle of water.

Then I looked around for an empty seat.

Most tables were filled with groups of employees chatting and laughing. I felt out of place until I spotted a woman sitting alone by the large window.

She had beautiful dark skin that seemed to glow, big fluffy natural hair styled in a perfect halo, and striking blue eyes that caught the light. She was quietly eating a salad while scrolling on her phone.

I took a deep breath and walked over.

“Hi,” I said, my voice a little nervous. “Is this seat taken?”

The woman looked up and her face lit up with a warm smile. “Not at all! Please, sit down.”

I sat across from her and placed my tray on the table. “Thanks. I’m Clara Bennett. I just started as Mr. West’s personal assistant a few days ago.”

Her blue eyes widened with interest. “Oh wow, the boss’s assistant? That’s a big job. I’m Lydia Rush. I work in the IT department ....mostly coding, fixing system bugs, and managing the company database. Nice to meet you, Clara.”

She extended her hand across the table. I shook it, and her grip was firm and friendly. Something about her made me feel like I can trust her. I knew that on such a mission, I should focus but, I had not had a good friend in years...And Lydia felt like someone I could talk to if my mind was flooded.

“Nice to meet you too,” I said, smiling for the first time that day. “I haven’t really had time to talk to anyone since I started. Everyone seems so busy.”

Lydia laughed lightly, letting out a warm, bubbly sound. “Girl, tell me about it. This place is full of cliques and people trying to climb the ladder. So how is it working directly for Ryder West? Be honest. Is he as terrifying as everyone says?”

I poked at my chicken with my fork, thinking carefully. “He’s… intense. Everyone warned me he’s cold and ruthless, but with me he’s been different. He actually asked how I was doing and everything. It’s confusing.”

Lydia leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “Interesting. Most people here avoid eye contact with him. I’ve only seen him in meetings a few times. He walks in, everyone shuts up, and he just commands the room. You must be special.”

I felt my face warm. “I don’t know about special. It’s only been a few days.” I touched the moonstone necklace without thinking. “He even gave me this today. Said it would protect me.”

Lydia’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the pendant. “That’s beautiful! And thoughtful. Most bosses don’t give gifts like that. Are you two…?”

“No!” I said quickly, waving my hands. “Nothing like that. He just said he wants to be friends. Even though he’s my boss.”

Lydia grinned and took a bite of her salad. “Friends with the big boss? That could be dangerous… or very interesting. So tell me about you, Clara. What did you do before this job?”

I relaxed a little as we talked. “I’m a photographer. Or at least I try to be. I had a small blog and took pictures for events, but money was tight. My mom got really sick with cancer, so I needed a stable job with good pay. This came up and… here I am.”

Lydia’s expression softened with genuine sympathy. “I’m so sorry about your mom. That’s really tough. My aunt went through something similar last year. If you ever need to talk or even just someone to bring you coffee on bad days, I’m around. Us girls need to stick together in this shark tank.”

I laughed softly, feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders. “Thank you, Lydia. I really needed to hear that. I’ve been so stressed I haven’t even had a proper conversation with anyone in days.”

We continued talking easily. Lydia told me funny stories about IT disasters ....like the time the entire system crashed during a board meeting and she had to fix it while the executives panicked.

I laughed genuinely when she described how one manager almost cried over lost PowerPoint slides.

“You’re hilarious,” I said, still chuckling. “I’m glad I sat here.”

“Me too,” Lydia replied with a bright smile.

That’s when the sound of expensive heels approached our table.

Amelia stopped right beside me, arms crossed, looking down with pure venom in her eyes. Her designer dress hugged her figure perfectly, and her makeup was flawless.

“Well, well,” Amelia said loudly enough for nearby tables to hear. “Look at this. The desperate ex trying to make friends with the help.”

Lydia’s smile faded. “Excuse me?”

Amelia ignored her and focused on me. “Victor told me all about your little sob story, Clara. How you’re using this job to get close to Mr. West now that he’s dumped you. Pathetic. You really think you can compete?”

My grip tightened on my fork. “Amelia, I’m just trying to eat lunch. Can you leave me alone?”

Amelia smirked. “Of course. Let me help you with that.”

She “accidentally” swung her arm, knocking her full cup of iced coffee and the container of salad dressing directly onto my white blouse and lap. The cold, sticky liquid soaked through my clothes instantly.

I gasped and jumped up, the mess dripping down my skirt. “What the hell?!”

Amelia covered her mouth with fake shock. “Oops! My bad. So clumsy today.”

People around us started whispering and staring.

Before I could say anything, Lydia shot up from her seat. She stepped right in front of Amelia, shorter but standing tall with confidence.

“That was on purpose,” Lydia said firmly, her voice loud and clear. “Everyone saw it. You did that deliberately. What kind of grown woman acts like a jealous child in the workplace?”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed. “Stay out of this, whoever you are. This is between me and the trash who doesn’t know her place.”

Lydia didn’t back down. “Her name is Clara, and she’s done nothing to you. If you have a problem, take it somewhere else. This is harassment.”

Amelia looked stunned that someone was actually challenging her. Her face turned red with anger. “You two nobodies deserve each other. Enjoy your little friendship while it lasts. Mr. West will see what a liar Clara is soon enough.”

She flipped her hair dramatically and stormed off.

I stood there, soaked and humiliated, staring at Lydia in complete shock. Coffee and dressing dripped from my clothes onto the floor. “Lydia… you didn’t have to do that. We literally just met ten minutes ago.”

Lydia turned to me with a gentle smile and grabbed some napkins from the table. “Doesn’t matter. I hate bullies like her. Here, let’s clean you up a bit. I have an extra blouse in my locker upstairs. Come with me.”

I followed her out of the cafeteria, my chest tight with gratitude and lingering embarrassment. For the first time since this nightmare started, I didn’t feel completely alone.

But as we walked toward the elevator, the guilt came rushing back.

Tonight was the gala with Ryder… and I still had a mission to complete.