The Wolf Who Loved Me

Crush

The staff pace to and fro the rectangular room with its huge sliding windows and comfortable leather chairs. Maybe I should have slept here last night instead. Last night; it seems like a lifetime ago when I walked into this building down, out and completely alone. I’ve quickly become acquainted with 5 people, if you count Aiden. But I don’t think it’s wise to count him because it seems he’s persona non grata around here. For good reason. I just got here and he’s about to turn me homeless and jobless. He’s really committed to being my opposition, I’ll give him that. "Everyone, sit down!" Ashton slams his coffee mug on the table. "We need ideas. Now." I hover uncertainly by the door, not sure if I should join them. I only started working here an hour ago. But Ruby waves me over with a warm smile. "Sit with me, new girl," she says, pulling out a chair. The enforcement team's boots echo through the hallway as they continue putting up yellow tape. My stomach churns. I just found this place, and now I might lose it too.

"Can't we sue them?" Tony asks, pushing his glasses up.

Sarah shakes her head. "No time. Courts take weeks."

"What about the media?" Ruby suggests. "My friend works at Channel 5."

"They won't air it fast enough," Tony says. "We only have four hours."

Ashton paces the room, his silver hair messy from running his hands through it. "The Chairman needs to sign off on this shutdown. If we could just talk to him..."

"He's at Blackrock Construction," Tony says, checking his phone. "Some big press conference."

Ruby's face goes white. "Blackrock? As in Aiden Blackrock?"

My heart skips at the name. The man from this morning. The one I can't remember from that night.

"Everyone knows him," Tony explains to me. "Richest man in Silvercrest. Total ruthless."

"He bought half the city last year," Sarah adds. "People say he never shows mercy in business."

Ashton stops pacing. "I'm going to talk to the Chairman. Maybe if he sees how many people depend on us..."

"I'll come with you," I say quickly. When everyone looks surprised, I add, "I mean, if that's okay. I could help carry files or something."

Ashton studies me for a moment, then nods. "We need all the help we can get."

"Take my press pass," Sarah says, handing Ashton a lanyard. "It's expired but might help you get in." The Blackrock building makes me feel small. Glass and steel stretch up forever into the sky. Inside, reporters crowd the fancy lobby, checking cameras and fixing makeup.

"Stay close," Ashton whispers. We follow the crowd into a giant elevator. The conference room is packed. TV cameras line the back wall. Important-looking people in suits stand everywhere. Ashton guides me to stand near the wall. There I hear whispers of conversation from all sides; my ears train on one. Then I see him. Aiden. He looks powerful in his dark suit. His blue eyes sweep the room like he owns it. Which he does. Our eyes meet for just a second, and my wolf stirs.

"Ladies and gentlemen," someone announces. "Mr. Blackrock will now take questions." While reporters shout questions, Ashton touches my arm. "The Chairman's leaving. Come on." We slip out after him. Ashton catches the Chairman's sleeve. "Sir, please. About the CAG..."

"Not now." The Chairman barely looks at us.

"Do you want to hear about Harrison Heights instead?" I blurt out. The words I overheard this morning tumble out before I can stop them.

The Chairman freezes. Ashton looks confused.

"What did you say?" The Chairman's face goes red.

"The failed deal," I say, my voice shaking. "The one Aiden was arguing about this morning. About the money that disappeared?"

Ashton catches on fast. "Maybe the press would be interested in that story?"

“You’re bluffing,” the chairman says.

“Try me,” Ashton replies.

"My office. Now." The Chairman's face is white.

His office is huge, with windows everywhere. He slams the door. "Who told you about Harrison Heights?" he demands.

"Does it matter?" Ashton steps forward. "What matters is the Advocacy Group. These people need help."

"You're trying to blackmail me?"

"We're trying to save lives," I say softly.

The door opens. Aiden struts in. The room feels tiny with him there. His eyes lock on mine.

"Everything okay here?" he asks.

The Chairman forces a smile. "These urchins think they can blackmail me."

“A little to the left,” Ashton is holding up a phone, recording the chairman.

He grabs a form and scribbles fast. "Here. Repossession postponed. Indefinitely."

He throws the paper at Ashton and storms out. Ashton squeezes my shoulder. "Let's go, Lina."

But Aiden moves between us and the door. "How did you know about Harrison Heights?"

"Mr. Blackrock," Ashton says firmly. "We have what we came for. Excuse us."

Aiden steps aside, but his eyes follow me. "Be careful, little wolf. You're playing with fire." I freeze. How does he know?

"Lina?" Ashton calls from the hallway. I hurry after him. My head spins with questions.

In the lobby, Ashton hugs me. "That was amazing! However you knew about that deal..."

"I didn't," I say quietly. "I just got lucky hearing things." But Aiden's words keep coming back to me. Little wolf. He knows what I am. But how?

Back at the Advocacy Group, everyone is happy. Ruby opens a bottle of sparkling cider, and Tony orders pizza. The men in uniforms left quickly, leaving only bits of yellow tape behind. "To our newest team member!" Sarah lifts her glass. "Who seems to be really good at getting information!" I laugh, but I can't stop thinking about Aiden. About how his eyes seemed to look right through me. About that strange thing he said.

"Lina! Are you there?" Tony waves his hand in front of me. "Want to see the city?"

"What?"

"Sarah and I can show you around," he smiles. "You know, since you're staying."

The word 'staying' makes me feel warm inside. When was the last time I felt like I belonged?

Silvercrest looks even better in the sun. Sarah and Tony take me everywhere - the big Central Park with elevators going up between trees, the new museum with moving pictures in the air, the clean streets where quiet electric cars drive past. "And that," Sarah points to a tall black building, "is where Blackrock works." I look up at it. "It looks like it's made of dark glass."

"They say nothing can break it," Tony adds. "It cost a lot of money to build."

"Everything here is so new," I say, watching people ride up and down the outdoor escalators.

"That's what makes Silvercrest special," Sarah smiles. "It's the most modern city around. But some old neighborhoods are still the same as before."

We walk past schools with sun-catching roofs and windows that change color. Everything looks clean and bright. "You need somewhere to live," Tony says suddenly.

I bite my lip. "Yeah, I can't sleep on the office couch forever."

"Hey," Sarah's face lights up, "we have an empty room upstairs in the attic! Where we used to keep old papers - we cleaned it out last month."

"Above the office?" My heart beats faster. "Really?"

"It's not big," Tony warns. "But you can have it if you want."

I try not to cry. These people just met me, but they're giving me a home. "Thank you," is all I can say.

"Where did you come from?" Sarah asks kindly.

I look away. "A place I can't go back to."

They look at each other but don't ask more. I'm happy about that. When we get back to the office, the sun is going down. Ruby and Ashton are in the conference room with someone - a woman in a long dress with patterns all over it. But as I look closer, my body goes cold. The patterns on her dress... they're moving. They glow with a strange light that pulses like a heartbeat. They're not patterns at all - they're ancient magic marks, like the ones in my pack's old books. I look at the others. They're acting normal, talking and smiling. They can't see what I see. My wolf instincts tell me to run. Because while everyone else sees a normal woman in a pretty dress, I see an Augustine Witch.