The woman who dared
1287 Words
KAEL'S POV
Silence.
The conference room remained frozen long after the red-haired woman had been escorted out and no one spoke because they didn't dare to
Yet my attention remained fixed on the door she had disappeared through.
She is veryy Interesting Very...
I had expected fear or panic but I didn't smell any of that on her
I began to wonder if my sense of smell had somehow diminished. Those were the reactions I had grown accustomed to over the years.
Respect could be earned but fear… Fear was inevitable.
Yet that damn woman...
She had looked me straight in the eye and called me a ”stupid ass coward”.
The corner of my mouth twitched, not in anger but in curiosity.
It had been a very long time since anyone had spoken to me that way.Over two centuries, to be exact.
Not since I became Alpha had any female possessed the courage or recklessness to challenge my authority so openly.
Yet she had done it without hesitation.Not because she hated me but because she believed I deserved it.
A rare quality.
I love honesty even when it comes wrapped in defiance.
I glanced toward my Head of Human Resources.
"The woman's file."
He blinked. "Sir?"
"The redhead."He immediately nodded."Right away."
Minutes later, a thick personnel file rested on the conference table.
AVA MONROE.
Twenty-three years old.
Marketing Executive.
Employee of the Month.
Three consecutive years.
Highest campaign success rate.
Excellent client retention.
Perfect attendance.
No disciplinary record.
Worked overtime voluntarily.
Never requested special treatment.
I continued reading.
Current emergency contact...
Mrs. Eleanor monroe
Outstanding medical bills.
So...that explained her outburst.She hadn't been protecting herself.She had been protecting the only family she had left.
I closed the file."Impressive."
The HR Director smiled nervously. "She's actually one of our best employees."
"I know.Which department is she assigned to?"
"Marketing."
"Transfer her."
His eyes widened"Transfer... sir?"
"To Executive Operations."
He stared"Your office?"
"Yes."
"B-but sir..."He swallowed"Executive Operations reports directly to you."
"I am aware."
He hesitated."She openly insulted you in front of the company."
"I heard every word."
"You still want her?"
I leaned back in my chair"Keep your enemies close."
His expression suggested he wasn't entirely convinced.
"I want to know whether that fire burns every day or…. only when she's desperate."
He nodded quickly, "I'll prepare the paperwork immediately."
"And release payroll."
His head snapped up "Sir?"
“I want the salaries to be processed today."
He looked confused. "I thought we were delaying them."
"I changed my mind."There was no point punishing an entire company.
Besides...If Ava Monroe’s mother truly needed those medications...I wasn't about to be responsible for her suffering.
He hurried from the room.
Once the door shut, I looked out over the city through the floor-to-ceiling windows.Humans fascinated me.So fragile.Yet capable of astonishing courage.
A knock interrupted my train of thoughts.
"Come in."The door swung open without hesitation. Only two people ignored the formalities around me.
Caleb and Azriel.
Caleb walked in first, grinning as always."You bought another company. Damn bro you really need a hobby."
Behind him, Azriel adjusted his glasses before sitting opposite my desk. Unlike Caleb, he never smiled without reason.
"We heard there was entertainment."Caleb dropped into the chair. "I haven't seen you interested in a human for..."He pretended to calculate. "...ever."
"I'm not interested."
Caleb laughed. "You've been staring out that window for ten minutes."
"I was thinking."
"Worse." Azriel folded his arms "What happened?"
I picked up Ava's personnel file and tossed it onto the desk. Caleb opened it. His eyebrows rose. "A human female? She's soooo pretty."
I ignored him. "She challenged me."
Both men looked up at once.Caleb burst into laughter."No."
"Yes."
"In front of everyone?"
"Yes."
He laughed even harder. "I already like her."
Azriel skimmed the file quietly. "Excellent performance, Loyal, Hardworking and financially desperate." He closed the folder. "So what's your plan?"
A faint smile crossed my face. "I hired her."
Caleb blinked. "You what?"
"She now reports directly to me."
"Oh..." Caleb leaned back."I know that look….you intend to break her."
"Not break."I corrected calmly. "Test. If she's truly as capable as this file suggests...she'll survive."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then she never belonged in Blackwood Enterprises."
Caleb shook his head."You're impossible.She's going to hate you."
"She already does."That almost amused me.
Almost. I stood and buttoned my jacket.
"Prepare a workstation outside my office. I want every major project on her desk."
"Every one?" Azriel asked.
"Everything ."
"Even the Singapore account?"
"Yes."
"The London acquisition?"
"Yes."
"The merger presentation due next week?"
"Yes."
Caleb whistled. "You're trying to bury her alive."
"If she wants to challenge me...she'll prove she's worthy of standing in my presence."
Hours later...
I watched through the glass wall as Ava sat at her new desk. Her expression shifted from confusion...
...to disbelief...
...to absolute horror.
Stack after stack of files landed on her desk.
By evening, the pile was taller than her laptop. She rubbed her temples. Checked the clock.
Then continued working. No complaints at all
Interesting.
At exactly 7:30 p.m., she finally gathered her things and left the building. Most employees would have collapsed after the workload I'd assigned. I picked up my office phone.
"Get me Miss Monroe."
My assistant hesitated. "Sir... she just left."
"I know. Call her."
Thirty seconds later...
Her tired voice answered. "This is Ava."
I spoke calmly. "Miss Monroe. This is Kael Blackwood. I've emailed three additional reports and I need them on my desk by eight tomorrow morning."
Silence. Then… "...Are you serious?"
A slow smile touched my lips. "Very." I ended the call before she could argue.
For the first time in years...I found myself looking forward to tomorrow. Because Ava Monroe had no idea...
The office had been empty for nearly an hour.
Yet I hadn't gone home.
I stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring at the city lights below. Something wasn't right. My chest felt really tight.
My senses were sharper than usual.
Every sound irritated me.
Every scent seemed stronger.
My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin.
It had been doing so all day.
Annoying.
Unusual. I disliked unusual.
A knock interrupted my thoughts. "Come in."
Caleb entered first.
Azriel followed close behind.
Caleb studied me for a moment. "You've been standing there for ten minutes."
"So?"
"So..." He folded his arms. "Your eyes keep flashing."
I remained silent.
Azriel's expression became thoughtful. "Your wolf?"
"Restless."
"For no reason?"
I frowned. "I don't need a reason."
Caleb exchanged a glance with Azriel.
Neither of them spoke. They knew me well enough to recognize something was different.
I loosened my tie. "I need air."
Without another word, I walked past them.
Past the elevators.
Past the underground garage.
Past the city.
Forty minutes later, I arrived at my private estate, surrounded by acres of untouched forest.
The moon hung high above the trees.
Bright.
Full.
Calling.
I removed my jacket and my watch and then the rest of my clothes.
The familiar heat spread through every muscle in my body.
Bones shifted.
Muscles expanded.
Raw power surged beneath my skin.
I hadn't felt like this in a while
The feeling of my beast clawing at my soul
For a while it felt amazing
Seconds later...
A massive white wolf stood beneath the moonlight.
My thick white fur shimmered like fresh snow.
Black eyes scanned the dark forest.
He lifted his head and released a deep, powerful howl that echoed for miles.
But even as I ran through the trees...
Fast enough to become nothing more than a white blur… The restless feeling refused to leave.
For the first time in centuries...
Neither my wolf...
Nor I...
Could understand why.
- Writer
