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1439 Words
I don’t even remember when I took off my jumper. One minute it was on, and the next I was using it to help cover Greg while I pressed down on the wound as hard as I could.
My hands were shaking, but I forced myself to focus on him and kept pressure on the injury. I tried not to think about the blood soaking through the fabric. I didn’t know much about werewolves beyond what I had seen in movies, but they always healed fast. Almost instantly.
That was what I expected.
I waited for Maximus to come, holding onto that thought like it was the only thing keeping me steady. I told myself Greg would be fine any second now. But instead of healing, all he did was groan in pain, his body tense and rigid beneath my hands.
Not long after, I heard the faint sound of an engine, and then footsteps followed. My heart jumped because it had to be him. We weren’t that far from the road.
The footsteps grew louder as they came closer. I felt a presence behind me, and my stomach twisted hard. Slowly, I lifted my eyes.
They met an unfamiliar face first.
And then he appeared behind him.
I quickly got up from my knees, my gaze never leaving his. He was dressed all in black, from his cap to the round neck shirt and the baggy pants hanging low on his hips. His hands stayed tucked into his pockets, and he looked completely unfazed, even at the sight of Greg lying there bleeding.
I stared at him, my heart pounding and unease settling deep in my chest under the weight of his presence.
The other man beside him moved quickly toward Greg, but he stopped and looked to Maximus first. Maximus gave him a slight nod. Only then did the man crouch beside Greg and begin examining him.
Maximus stepped closer too, stopping just an inch away from me. The closeness made my nerves spike, and I took a small step back without meaning to.
“They were two men. Humans.” I heard Greg say. He groaned and winced as the other guy examined him.
“I did exactly as instructed, Alpha. She was almost attacked by them,” he continued.
Hearing him say the word Alpha made me gulp as I remembered what Celeste had told me earlier about Alphas being powerful and leaders of the pack.
I wasn’t even surprised he was one, with the terrifying and intimidating presence he carried so effortlessly.
He turned toward me, and his eyes roamed over my body the same way they had in the boardroom. The attention made my nerves tighten. Without thinking, my hands moved up to cover my chest when I realized I was standing there in nothing but a tank top.
“Why do you walk all alone at such time of the night?” His question caught me off guard.
I tried to speak, but nothing came out. I couldn’t find my voice under his hard stare.
“Let’s go,” he said, and it sounded more like a command than a suggestion.
“Handle it,” he added, turning slightly toward the other man.
“Yes, Alpha,” the guy replied, giving a slight bow.
Maximus glanced at me once, just long enough to make my stomach tighten, before he turned and started walking away.
I hurried to follow behind him.
I shivered as the cold breeze brushed against my skin while I stayed close to him.
When we reached the road, he opened the trunk of his car and took out what looked like a cardigan. He held it out to me without a word. I hesitated for a second before taking it and muttered a soft thank you under my breath.
Even before I pulled it on, his scent wrapped around me. It hit me all at once, familiar and overwhelming, and my body reacted far too eagerly for my comfort.
He opened the front door for me, and I slid into the seat. My heart raced the moment I settled inside. I didn’t know how I was supposed to survive being this close to him in such a small space when I was genuinely terrified of him.
And worse, I had no idea where he was taking me.
The car ride passed in silence. He didn’t say a word, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. Even without looking at him directly, I could see the way his hands gripped the steering wheel a little too tightly, his jaw clenching like he was fighting something inside himself.
I noticed then that he had taken a different route from my house, and unease slowly crept into my chest.
I needed to ask.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
He didn’t answer right away.
“Miss Jenkins,” he finally said, calling my name.
I looked at him and let out a quiet hum.
“What did I tell you today in the office?” he asked.
The memories rushed back all at once. The boardroom. The kiss. Him revealing that he was a wolf. My thoughts tangled before I could sort through them.
Before I could respond, he continued.
“Clearly you can’t stay away from me. So I might as well let—” He paused, the rest of the words hanging heavy in the air. I knew exactly what he was implying.
“…your wolf take me…” I repeated what he had said to me. My voice came out steadier than I felt.
He turned to look at me then, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips.
“Precisely,” he said. His eyes darkened, and something uneasy twisted in my stomach as we stared at each other.
Moments later, the car slowed.
I realized we had pulled up in front of a massive mansion, and my heart began to thud painfully in my chest.
The gates opened, and he drove through before bringing the car to a smooth stop.
I couldn’t form any words. I didn’t fully understand what it meant for his wolf to want to take me. But one thought slipped in anyway, uninvited. Maybe this was part of the plan to make him fall in love with me. The idea made me smile softly to myself, even though it scared me.
“You will stay with me tonight,” he said, snapping me out of my thoughts.
He turned fully toward me, his expression unreadable but intense.
“I need to know what you are,” he said quietly. “Why you suddenly feel different. Why you smell different. The secretary I knew just days ago isn’t the same.”
His words settled deep in my chest as he stared at me like he was searching for something he might not be ready to find.
Just like in my dreams, I felt the pull again.
My phone vibrated in the back of my pocket and I pulled it out to see Celeste’s name on the screen. Ten missed calls. I didn’t answer.
We got out of the car, and I paused to take in his house. It was large and intimidating, standing quiet and imposing in the darkness.
I followed closely behind him as he led us inside. The place felt exactly like him. Minimalistic and controlled, with carefully chosen art lining the walls. Everything felt deliberate.
I stayed quiet, too afraid to speak.
Suddenly, he caught my arm and pushed me gently back against the wall. The movement startled me, and my heart slammed hard in my chest as the space between us disappeared.
“I can sense your fear, Miss Jenkins,” he said softly.
He leaned in and drew in a slow breath, his nose brushing my neck and sending sharp bolts of sensation through me.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” he continued, his voice closer now, near my lips. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
I nodded, unable to find my voice.
He pulled back before anything else could happen, the moment snapping apart as quickly as it formed.
“I will be with you shortly,” he said. “This is your room for the night.”
He opened a door beside us and walked away, leaving me standing there alone.
I stayed still for a moment, forcing myself to breathe and pull myself together.
My phone vibrated again.
Celeste.
This time, alone and away from him, I answered.
- Writer
