My Boss Is A Werewolf

Chapter 14

Clara Bennett

“Start, damn you,” I hissed, turning the key again. The engine made a weak grinding sound, then nothing. A thin trail of smoke rose from under the hood of my old car in the nearly empty company parking lot.

I sat there gripping the steering wheel, my knuckles white. The clock on the dashboard read 6:17 PM. The gala started at 8. I still needed to shower, fix my hair, and find something decent to wear.

I let out a frustrated breath and grabbed my bag from the passenger seat. No way was I calling Ryder.

He had already done too much today .... the dress, the coffee, the way he kept checking on me. I wasn’t going to add my broken-down car to his list.

I locked the doors and walked briskly toward the main street, my heels clicking against the pavement.

A yellow taxi turned the corner after a couple of minutes. I raised my hand.

The car slowed and stopped beside me. The driver was a stocky man in his late forties with greasy black hair combed back from a receding hairline.

A thin, jagged scar ran from the corner of his left eye down to his jaw. His eyes were small and calculating, constantly shifting as he leaned over and pushed the passenger door open.

“Where to?” he asked, his voice gravelly.

“Maple Street Apartments,” I said, sliding into the back seat. “Near the old bridge.”

He nodded once and pulled away from the curb. I settled against the worn leather, my bag resting on my lap. The inside of the taxi smelled like old cigarettes and cheap air freshener. I pulled out my phone to check the time again when it vibrated.

*Ryder: Forgot to mention earlier. I arranged an outfit for the gala. The driver should have dropped it at your place by now.

My thumbs hovered over the screen. I typed back carefully.

*Clara: It’s okay. I already have something prepared. Thank you though.

Three dots appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again.

*Ryder:*Alright. See you at the gala.

I put the phone away and stared out the window.

The city lights flashed by, but something felt wrong.

The driver kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror. His small eyes lingered a little too long each time.

I shifted in my seat, pulling my bag closer to my body and the moonstone necklace felt warm against my skin.

I touched it without thinking, then dropped my hand quickly.

The taxi made a few turns I didn’t recognize. I sat up straighter. “This isn’t the usual route.”

“Shortcut,” the driver muttered, not looking back.

I stayed quiet, my fingers tapping nervously on my bag.

When the car finally slowed and stopped in front of my apartment building, relief washed over me for half a second. I reached for the door handle.

“Wait,” I said, frowning. “I never gave you the exact building number. How did you know to stop right here?”

The driver turned around slowly in his seat. His thin lips stretched into a smirk that made my stomach tighten.

His scarred face looked even more menacing under the dim streetlight coming through the window.

“The boss says you need to make Ryder reveal his true form,” he said, his voice low and rough. “And that pretty little thing around your neck belongs to him.”

My hand flew up to cover the moonstone necklace. My heart slammed hard against my ribs. “What are you talking about? Who sent you?”

He lunged forward between the front seats, his thick fingers reaching for the chain around my neck. “Hand it over. Don’t make this difficult.”

I jerked back, pressing myself against the door. “Get away from me!” My voice came out sharper than I intended. I shoved at his arm with both hands, my nails digging into his skin.

He grunted but kept reaching. The strap of my bag dug painfully into my shoulder as I twisted away.

His fingers brushed the chain. I slapped his hand hard. “Stop!”

“Victor wants results,” he growled, grabbing my wrist with surprising strength.

He yanked me forward, making extreme pain shot up my arm.

I kicked at the back of the driver’s seat repeatedly, trying to push him off balance. My breathing came fast and ragged.

The necklace chain dug into the back of my neck as I pulled away with everything I had.

I wasn’t letting go. Not this. Not after Ryder had given it to me.

My mom’s face flashed in my mind ... pale, weak, depending on me. But something deep inside refused to release the pendant.

The back door suddenly flew open with a loud metallic groan and cold night air rushed into the taxi.

A powerful hand reached in and grabbed the driver by the back of his collar.

The man was ripped out of the car so fast his legs kicked in the air.

I scrambled out after him, my legs shaky on the sidewalk. My wrist throbbed where he had gripped it.

Ryder stood over the driver, his foot planted firmly on the man’s chest, pinning him flat to the ground. Ryder’s shoulders were rigid and his jaw locked tight.

The driver gasped and wheezed, clawing uselessly at Ryder’s shoe with both hands.

“Who are you? Who sent you?!” Ryder demanded, his voice dangerously low.

He pressed down harder. The driver’s face turned a deep red.

“I...I don’t know! Just orders!” the man choked out, his small eyes bulging with fear.

Ryder’s free hand clenched into a fist at his side. “What orders? What do you know about the necklace? Speak.”

The driver’s mouth opened and closed, but before he could say more, Ryder’s phone started ringing loudly from inside his jacket.

Ryder glanced at the screen. His expression hardened even more. He let out a short, cold scoff and slowly lifted his foot off the man’s chest.

“Get out of here,” Ryder said, his tone ice cold. “If I ever see you near her again, you won’t be able to run.”

The driver rolled over, coughing violently.

He pushed himself up on unsteady legs, shooting terrified glances at Ryder before stumbling back into the taxi.

The engine roared to life and the car sped away, tires screeching around the corner.

I stood frozen on the sidewalk, my entire body still trembling.

My wrist ached.... My breathing hadn’t slowed down. Ryder turned toward me.

His hard expression softened the moment his eyes met mine.

He stepped forward and pulled me into his arms without hesitation, wrapping them tightly around my smaller frame.

One large hand rested on the back of my head, pressing me gently against his solid chest. I could feel his heartbeat....it felt so strong and fast.

After a long moment, he pulled back just enough to look down at me, his hands still holding my shoulders. “You’re safe now..It was just these street thugs who can't stay away from crime.”

I looked up at him, my voice barely steady. “How did you know I was here? Why did you follow me home?”

Ryder reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out my small camera. He held it up between us. “You left this in the office after lunch. I figured it must be really important to you, especially with how much you care about your photography. I was bringing it back to you when I saw the taxi pull up and the driver acting strange.”

He paused, looking straight into my eyes. “I swear I didn’t look through it. I just wanted to return it before the gala.”

I stared at the camera in his hand, then back up at his face. My mind was still spinning, trying to process everything that had just happened.

“Ryder…” I said slowly, my voice still shaky, “what is really going on here?”