THE SITE VISIT
1482 Words
*Chapter 6 Part 1:
The car ride to the site was silent.
Damien stared out the window. I stared at my laptop. But I could feel him. Every breath he took, my wolf counted it.
“Kemi, take the next call,” he said finally. Driver nodded.
Then it was just us. Mate bond buzzing like a live wire.
“You didn’t eat lunch,” he said without turning.
“I’m not—”
“I ordered suya and plantain. In the back.” He nodded at the heated compartment between us. “Your favorite. From that stand near Yaba. I remembered.”
My throat closed. 3 years ago I told him once. Once. That I loved suya extra spicy with plantain after night patrols.
“You don’t get to remember things about me,” I whispered. But I opened the box anyway. The smell hit me and suddenly I was 18 again, sharing food with him on the pack rooftop.
“Eat,” he said softly. “Please.”
I ate. Because I was hungry. Because fighting him took energy.
He watched me out the corner of his eye. Like it was his job to make sure I didn’t disappear.
The site was Blackwood Industries’ new media tower in Lekki. Half-built glass and steel. Workers everywhere. Drones flying overhead.
“Alpha Blackwood,” the site manager bowed deep. “Investors from Dubai arrived 10 minutes ago.”
Damien switched instantly. CEO mask on. “Show me.”
We walked through the construction zone. Hard hats on. Damien explained load-bearing structures, AI integration, timeline. Like he built the place himself.
The Dubai investors were 3 men in white robes. Rich. Old. Eyes like vultures.
“Mr. Blackwood,” the lead one said. “We heard rumors. You rejected the Al-Amin pack alliance. For a secretary?”
The word hit like a slap.
Damien stopped walking. “Miss Cole is my executive secretary. And she’s the reason this tower will make you 5x your investment.”
“Is she?” The investor looked me up and down. “She doesn’t look like much.”
My wolf growled. I stepped forward before I could stop myself. “With respect, sir, look at the projections, not at me.”
He laughed. “Spirited. I like—”
“Don’t.” Damien’s voice cut through the air. One word. But every worker stopped moving. Every bird went silent. Alpha command.
The investor paled. “I meant no disrespect.”
“Good.” Damien put his body slightly in front of me. Shielding me. “Because disrespecting my secretary means disrespecting Blackwood Industries. And that means no deal.”
5 billion dollars on the line. He said it like it was nothing.
The investor stammered apologies. Damien nodded once, cold. Then continued the tour.
But his hand… his hand brushed mine when he handed me the tablet. Just for a second. Warm. Steady.
My wolf whined.
We climbed to the 30th floor. Still open. No walls yet. Wind whipped my hair.
“This will be the broadcast studio,” Damien explained to the investors. “Floor-to-ceiling glass. 360 view of Lagos.”
One investor stepped too close to the edge. Concrete was uneven. His foot slipped.
Time slowed.
He was falling backward, 30 floors down—
Damien moved faster than thought. He shoved the investor back to safety. But his own boot hit the broken concrete.
It cracked.
Damien stumbled. Arms windmilling. No wall. No railing. Just air.
My heart stopped.
“Damien!”
I lunged. Grabbed his suit jacket with both hands. Pulled with everything I had. My boots skidded on concrete.
For 2 seconds we hung there. Me holding 6’3 of Alpha over a 30-floor drop. My shoulders screamed. My wolf surged, giving me strength I didn’t have.
Security ran. Grabbed Damien’s belt. Pulled him back.
He landed on the floor hard. I landed on top of him.
Silence. Then chaos. Shouting. Sirens.
Damien’s eyes snapped open. Silver, shocked. Staring up at me.
“Favour?” His hands came up to my face. “Are you hurt? Did you—”
“I’m fine,” I gasped. Still straddling him. Heart pounding against his chest. “You i***t. You could’ve died.”
“You jumped,” he said, like he couldn’t believe it. “After everything I did… you still jumped for me.”
The investors were being escorted away. Security forming a circle. But right then it was just us. Him on the concrete, me on his lap, both breathing hard.
His hands were still on my face. Thumb stroking my cheek like he did in the boardroom.
“Why?” he whispered. “Why save me?”
“Because I’m not a monster,” I snapped. But my voice shook. “Even if you are.”
“Favour—”
The moment shattered. Kemi ran up. “Alpha! Medic! Someone call—”
Damien sat up with me still in his lap. Didn’t let go. “I’m fine. She saved me.”
He looked at the site manager. Gold eyes now. Deadly. “Fire whoever approved that concrete. Tonight. And double the safety rails on every floor. Starting now.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
Only then did he look down at me. Still in his arms.
“You’re shaking,” he murmured.
“I’m not—”
“You are.” He stood, lifting me with him like I weighed nothing. Carried me to the elevator. Didn’t put me down even when the doors closed.
“Kemi, meeting’s cancelled. Take me home.”
“Alpha, the Dubai—”
“Cancelled,” he repeated. Voice brooking no argument. “My secretary just saved my life. I’m taking her home.”
The elevator started moving. 30 floors down.
I should’ve struggled. Should’ve told him to put me down. But his arms were solid. Warm. And for the first time in 3 years, I felt safe.
“Put me down,” I whispered finally.
“No.” His chin rested on top of my head. “Not yet. Let me hold you for 30 more seconds. Please.”
30 seconds became the whole ride down.
When the car doors opened, he still didn’t let go. Carried me past workers, past security, past everyone staring.
Set me gently in the back seat. Buckled my seatbelt himself. Fingers lingering on the strap near my collarbone.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He searched my face like he could see injuries I didn’t feel.
“I’m fine.” But my hands were still shaking. Adrenaline crash.
“Good.” He got in beside me. Door closed. “Because if you weren’t, I would’ve burned the whole tower down.”
The car pulled away.
Silence again. But different now. Heavy. Full.
Damien reached across. Took my hand. Didn’t ask permission this time. Just held it.
His palm was calloused. Warm. Real.
“Thank you,” he said quietly. “For choosing me. Even after I didn’t choose you.”
Tears burned my eyes. I yanked my hand back. “Don’t make this a thing. I just… reacted.”
“I know.” He didn’t fight me. Just set his hand on the seat between us. Close enough I could touch it if I wanted. “But I saw your face, Favour. For 2 seconds up there, you weren’t the girl I rejected. You were the girl who loved me enough to die for me.”
My chest cracked open.
“That girl died 3 years ago,” I said. Voice hollow.
“Then who are you now?” He turned to face me fully. “Because the woman who pulled me back from death… I want to know her.”
I had no answer.
The car stopped at Blackwood Tower. But neither of us moved to get out.
“Guest room is still yours,” Damien said finally. “1 month deal still stands. But Favour…” He paused. “Stay for dinner. Please. Not as my secretary. As… you.”
I stared at my hands. At the faint red marks on my palms from his jacket.
1 month. He’d said 1 month.
“Fine,” I whispered. “Dinner.”
His whole body relaxed like I’d given him the world.
“Thank you,” he said again.
We got out. He walked me to the elevator. Pressed 45 for me. Stepped back before the doors closed.
But his eyes… they followed me up. Like if he looked away, I’d fall again.
The doors closed.
I leaned against the elevator wall. Pressed my palm where he’d touched me.
My wolf wasn’t whining anymore.
She was purring.
And that scared me more than the 30-floor drop.
Because if I saved him once… could I save myself from him again?
_[End of Chapter 6 Part 1 - To be continued…]_
- Writer
