My Boss Is A Werewolf

Chapter 12

Clara Bennett

Lydia and I stepped into the elevator together after leaving the cafeteria. I was still dabbing at the huge coffee and dressing stains on my white blouse with a wad of napkins, but it wasn’t doing much good.

The sticky mess had soaked through to my skin, making my clothes cling uncomfortably.

Lydia pressed the button for the top floor and turned to me with a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry about Amelia. She’s been like that since she started working here. Thinks she owns the place because she’s dating some rich guy.”

I let out a tired laugh. “Yeah… something like that.” I didn’t want to explain the full Victor situation. Not yet.

As the elevator climbed, Lydia leaned against the wall, her fluffy hair bouncing slightly with the movement. “Anyway, since we’re becoming friends, let me give you the real office gossip. There are actually some fine men working here if you know where to look.”

I raised an eyebrow, adjusting the moonstone necklace that had stayed perfectly in place despite the mess. “Oh really? Tell me more.”

Lydia grinned, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “Okay, first there’s Marcus in Marketing. Tall, dark skin, always in fitted suits. He smiles at everyone and has this deep voice that makes girls in the break room giggle. Then there’s Tyler from Finance ....blonde, blue eyes, athletic build. He runs marathons on weekends. But the real catch…” She paused dramatically. “Ryder’s best friend, Rick Michaels.”

“Rick Michaels?” I repeated, curious.

“Yeah. He’s the Chief Operations Officer. Comes in a few times a week. He's almost tall like Ryder, with Dark hair, green eyes, always joking around. The two of them together are dangerous. Women lose their minds when they’re in the same room. Rick is single too, from what I hear. I have a huge crush on him, but I can always introduce you...”

I shook my head quickly, smiling despite myself. “No, no. I’m good. I already have enough chaos dealing with Mr. West every day.”

Lydia laughed, a bright, genuine sound that filled the elevator. “Fair enough. But seriously, if you need a break from the stress, we should grab coffee sometime outside this building. Away from Amelia’s drama.”

“I’d like that,” I said softly, meaning it.

The elevator doors opened on the top floor. Lydia walked with me down the hallway toward my desk. When we reached it, she pulled me into a quick, warm hug. Her arms were surprisingly strong and comforting.

“Take care of yourself, Clara,” she whispered before pulling back. “And don’t let bullies like Amelia get to you. Text me if you need anything ..... I gave you my number earlier.”

I hugged her back tightly for a second. “Thank you, Lydia. Really. For everything.”

She waved and headed back toward the IT department. I watched her go for a moment, feeling a small spark of hope. Maybe I could have one normal thing in this mess.

I turned toward my desk, still holding the damp napkins. My blouse was ruined, and the smell of coffee clung to me. I tried to sit down carefully so I wouldn’t stain the chair.

“Clara?”

Ryder’s deep voice came from his office doorway. I froze.

He stepped out, his eyes narrowing the second he saw the big wet stains all over my front. His jaw tightened. “What happened to you?”

I looked down at my clothes, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. “It’s nothing. Just an accident in the cafeteria.”

Ryder walked closer, stopping right in front of me. He was so tall that I had to tilt my head up to meet his eyes. His expression was serious, but his voice stayed gentle. “That doesn’t look like nothing. Who did this?”

I hesitated, biting my lip. I didn’t want to cause more drama by naming Amelia. Not when Victor was involved. “It was just clumsy. Someone bumped into me. I’m fine, really.”

Ryder didn’t look convinced. He studied me for a long moment, then reached out and gently touched my arm. “You’re not fine. You can’t work like this all day. Wait here.”

He pulled out his phone and made a quick call. “Yes. Go to the boutique two blocks down. Pick up a simple knee-length dress in black or navy. Size…?” He glanced at me.

“Small,” I whispered, feeling completely overwhelmed.

“Small,” he repeated into the phone. “Bring it up immediately. Charge it to my account.” He hung up and turned back to me. “Someone will bring it in fifteen minutes.”

My hands twisted together in front of me. “Mr. West, you really don’t have to do this. I can go home and change...”

“No,” he said firmly but kindly. “You’re staying. And you’re not walking around uncomfortable because of someone’s ‘accident’.”

He disappeared into his office for a moment and came back with one of his own clean dress shirts. “Here. Put this on for now so you’re not stuck in wet clothes.”

I took the shirt from him. It smelled like him ...that rich, masculine scent mixed with something wild. My fingers trembled as I held it. “Thank you.”

Ryder nodded toward the small private bathroom attached to his office. “Go change. I’ll wait out here.”

I slipped inside, closed the door, and quickly took off my ruined blouse. Ryder’s shirt was huge on me, reaching almost to my knees. I rolled up the sleeves and buttoned it as best I could. When I stepped back out, Ryder was leaning against my desk, arms crossed.

He looked at me in his shirt and something flickered in his eyes were dark and intense. “It looks better on you than it does on me.”

I blushed hard, pulling at the hem self-consciously. “I feel ridiculous.”

“You look good,” he said simply. “Sit down. The new dress will be here soon.”

I sat carefully at my desk. Ryder didn’t go back to his office right away. Instead, he stayed nearby, asking me small questions about the morning reports while occasionally glancing at me with concern. Every time he spoke, his voice was calm and patient.

Fifteen minutes later, a delivery person arrived with a garment bag. Ryder took it and handed it to me.

“Try it on. If it doesn’t fit, we’ll get another one.”

I changed again in the bathroom. The simple navy dress fit perfectly .. modest but professional, with a slight flare at the knees. When I came out, Ryder gave me an approving nod.

“Much better,” he said. “If anyone gives you trouble again, tell me. I don’t tolerate that here.”

I nodded, my throat tight with guilt. He was being so kind, so protective, and I was still planning to betray him. “Thank you, Mr. West. For everything.”

He stepped closer, his hand lightly touching my shoulder. “You don’t have to thank me, Clara. I take care of my people.”

My heart beat faster. I looked up at him, caught in his intense gaze. For a second, I forgot about Victor, about the documents, about everything except how safe I felt standing this close to him.

But the guilt came crashing back the moment he walked back into his office.

I sat down at my desk and touched the moonstone necklace. Tonight was the gala. I needed to find a way to get closer… and find those secrets.

Even if it was breaking me inside.