Office Argument
1285 Words
My heart raced as he stood up from behind his imposing desk and began to saunter toward me, each step deliberate and confident.
He wore a crisp white button-down shirt, several buttons undone at the collar, which gave him a relaxed yet polished look. His tailored black pants hugged him in all the right places—no blazer, no tie, just an effortless style that exuded both professionalism and allure. His jet-black hair appeared effortlessly tousled.
He closed the distance between us. My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard. He smiled, a mix of mischief and confidence. The intensity of his gaze made it hard to think clearly.
Slowly, he lifted his hands to rest just above my waist. As if he was testing my response to his touch. The warmth of his hands sent a jolt of electricity through me. I wanted to turn away, to escape the pull of the moment, but my feet felt anchored to the ground, held in place by an invisible force.
"I'm sorry about last night, about what Asia said," he said softly.
"Well, it's true. You and Zylon have always revolted me," I murmured, trying to take a step back from him. His grip tightened slightly.
Hayes let out a slow breath, regret crossed his eyes . "Everything we did and said was just a performance, a misguided attempt to make you hate us." I opened my mouth, the questions swirling in my mind, but he pressed on before I could voice them. "Never in my life did I see you as anything less than beautiful. Ruby, you've always been captivating, sharp-witted. You never hesitated to fire back at anyone who dared to undermine you." He chuckled softly, the sound laced with admiration, as if reminiscing about a time when I fired back.
"Why did you want me to hate you?" I asked, looking into his eyes.
"Because I suspected you were my mate, and unbeknownst to me, Zylon did as well. We didn't want to believe it. We didn't want you to be our mate because of the dangers that come with it. We just wanted to protect you, love." My heart melted at his confession, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I finally pulled away, somewhat relieved.
"You called me weak and pathetic."
"You were weak," he shrugged. I growled at him, annoyed that he said it so casually, even though it was true.
"You could at least lie," I grumbled. We stood there, locked in a gaze that seemed to stretch into eternity. A whirlwind of emotions surged within me—an overwhelming sense of peace enveloped us, safety washed over me, and an unexplainable warmth filled my heart.
"You wanted to speak to me?" he broke the silence. I nodded and cleared my throat. I needed to tell him.
"I think I have a stalker who knows I'm a chosen warrior wolf, based on the latest note," I told him. His beautiful eyes darkened.
"You received another note?"
"You knew about the notes?" I asked, shocked. I hadn't told anyone. How did he know?
"Yes, Zylon found a note in your room and showed it to me. We've been working on catching the person who sent it with the lab," he explained.
"Zylon was in my room? How? When and why? Who goes into someone's room and snoops around?" I lashed out, angry at the thought that they hadn't told me.
"It's a good thing he went to your room. Why didn't you report it to us yourself when you started receiving these notes, Ruby?" He looked angry... at me.
"I'm reporting it now!" I snapped. "Why wasn't I told about this?"
"Because you'd act like this. We wanted to handle it quietly," Hayes ran a hand through his hair.
I scoffed and glared at him. "React like how?" I asked slowly, dangerously. He smiled and unexpectedly pecked my lips.
"You look for a reason to fight us. Now this is it,"
"Because my privacy was violated in my own home! Why wouldn't I be upset?" I was frustrated. Why did they always make me look like the bad guy?
"It's good that it was violated. If not, we wouldn't have known about the notes," Hayes said, his tone dismissive, showing no hint of concern for his twin brother's actions. I could feel frustration boiling within me. I had to confront Zylon about this myself. "And now I find out that the bastard knows your identity! Do you realize the danger that puts you in, Ruby?"
His words hit me like a punch, but I couldn't bear to listen to him any longer. Without another word, I turned and stormed out of the office. I heard him call my name, but I could only focus on the sound of the door slamming shut behind me.
I went to the reception desk to ask about Zylon, but I was informed that he hadn't come in today. I wondered where he was.
As I was leaving the office building, I spotted Jay's dad, Mr. Heath Barlowe. A cold shiver ran down my spine. I couldn't quite explain it. Two thin, tall men flanked him, all of them dressed in formal suits and appearing very serious. However, Mr. Barlowe smiled when he recognized me. "Ruby Rue, right? Jason's friend,"
"Yes. Hello, Mr. Barlowe," I said as I shook his extended hand. For a moment, we stood in silence. "Ruby, please join us for dinner at our house one of these days. It is important to me that I know all of my children's friends," he said.
"Alright. I'll speak to Jay about it," I replied with a polite smile before leaving. He watched me as I walked away, still smiling. I couldn't help but wonder what Mr. Barlowe was doing in the pack. From what I had heard from Henry, Alphas sometimes collaborated with humans to maintain law and order between the two species. Oh no, Henry! I completely forgot to call him back!
I rushed home and grabbed my phone, calling Henry. He answered on the second ring.
"Ruby..." His voice was breathless.
"Hi, Henry. I apologize for not getting back to you. I've been busy," I explained.
"No problem, love. I'm just happy and relieved to finally speak to you," he said, as understanding as always. Love? He called me "love," but when Hayes said it, it felt like a gentle caress against my skin. Hearing it from Henry just sounded bland, like tasteless food.
"How are you?" I asked.
"I'm alright. I just miss you—your presence and all," his voice softer.
"I miss you too," I admitted. I did.
“Did you read my message?” he asked, his voice tinged with anticipation. “What do you think? When can we sever the bond?” I fell silent, the weight of his words pressing heavily against my chest. I realized in that moment that I no longer wished to end the bond I shared with my mates. Yet, the thought of disappointing him loomed large.
'You can't sever the bond with our mates! I want to be with them... And you do, too,' warned my wolf.
'But they hurt us, Ria,'
'And they have regretted it. You heard what Hayes said. They denied the bond because they wanted to keep you safe,' she snapped.
"Henry... I just can't, at least not right now. I need time to make a decision," I said.
' You're stalling, Rue,' Ria sang. ' Just do it. Rip off the band- aid,'
' Shhh,'
"You've had months, Rue. What changed?" he asked.
"My feelings have," I replied, and then the line went dead.
- Writer
