The Alpha’s Temptation

CHAPTER4

JARED

"So you're seriously not going to let her go?" Phoenix questioned, trailing behind me as we made our way to the garage.

Stopping in my tracks, I turned to face him, a hint of frustration creeping into my voice. "I don't understand what your issue is," I deadpanned. "If you want me to dismiss the young lady, you'll need to provide a valid reason."

"She will make me uncomfortable whenever I stop by your office," Phoenix explained, his discomfort evident.

Slipping my hands into my pockets, I regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "But isn't she supposed to be your mate?" I pointed out, puzzled by his opposition to her employment.

Phoenix's response caught me off guard. "She isn't my mate anymore," he declared, his words causing me to freeze in surprise

“What?" I blurted out, my gaze fixed on him, searching for an explanation. His discomfort was evident as he struggled to meet my eyes.

"You don't have a mate either, so don't act like rejecting mine is such a big deal," he added defensively.

For a brief moment, I toyed with the idea of probing Phoenix for more information, but ultimately decided against it. "Rejecting her as your mate isn't my concern, Phoenix. It's yours," I asserted firmly. "I won't terminate her employment just because you've rejected her."

He seemed poised to argue further, perhaps in an attempt to sway me to his viewpoint. "Just stop," I cut in sharply, my patience wearing thin. "Focus on being productive with your life, and if you can't manage that, then at least have the decency to spend my money in silence." With that, I climbed into my car and headed to the office.

*****

As I stepped into my office, I froze at the sight of Kate, my former secretary, and Amira, my new secretary. I had completely forgotten that today was Amira's first day on the job.

"Good morning, Alpha," Amira greeted respectfully, offering a slight bow.

"Good morning, Mr. Snider," Kate chimed in, her tone polite.

I acknowledged Kate with a nod before turning my attention to Amira. "In meetings and gatherings where it's appropriate, you can address me as Alpha. But in my office, I prefer to be called Mr. Snider."

"Yes, Alpha," she blurted out, quickly correcting herself, "I mean Mr. Snider."

Disregarding her slip, I entered my main office, with both of them trailing behind. "Have you briefed her on everything she needs to know about the job?" I inquired as Kate handed me my schedule for the day.

"Yes, sir," Kate replied promptly.

"Brief me," I instructed.

“you have a meeting with Mr. La_”

Directing my gaze to the file in my hand, I moved it to Kate, however, before Kate could respond further, I interjected, "Not you," and shifted my focus back to Amira. "Brief me," I repeated firmly.

Nervously, Amira glanced at Kate, irritating me slightly. "Kate won't be here starting next week. When I ask you to brief me, who will you look to for permission?"

She cleared her throat nervously, her gaze shifting between Kate and me as if searching for reassurance. "I am sorry, Mr. Sni—"

I cut her off again. "Brief me," I demanded, my tone leaving no room for argument. "And just so we're clear, if I have to repeat myself again, you'll find yourself walking out that door without a job."

Taking a deep breath, she began to recite my schedule, her voice trembling slightly with apprehension. "You have a meeting scheduled with Mr. Landon at eight this morning, followed by another meeting with Mrs. Jonathan at ten. Additionally, you have a lunch meeting planned with Mr. Orlando at twelve and an afternoon meeting with Mr. Thomas at three."

"Cancel it," I instructed sharply.

Once more, she cleared her throat, visibly flustered. "May I inquire as to the reason for the cancellation, sir?" she asked cautiously, her eyes darting nervously between Kate and me.

Kate, sensing the tension, interjected smoothly, "When Mr. Snider requests a meeting to be canceled without providing a reason, it's understood that you should come up with an excuse yourself."

"We'll make sure to inform him accordingly, sir," Kate assured, attempting to diffuse the situation with a reassuring smile.

Ignoring Kate's presence, I focused my attention solely on Amira. The way she visibly fidgeted almost amused me. "Leave us," I instructed Kate firmly. It was clear she wouldn't learn if she continued hovering around Amira.

"Yes, sir," Kate responded, casting a glance at Amira before exiting the room, her departure serving as both a warning and encouragement for Amira to step up her game and avoid termination.

As the door clicked shut behind Kate, I leaned back in my chair and gestured towards the empty seat opposite me. "Have a seat."

Amira blinked rapidly, clearly taken aback, before tentatively perching on the leather surface. Studying her closely, I took note of her straight hair cascading down to her waist, her minimal makeup, and her conservative attire.

It was evident from her appearance that she was eager for this job. "Why are you so distracted?" I questioned, cutting through the tension with a direct inquiry.

"I'm sorry, what?!" she blurted out, then winced at her own tone. "I mean... I'm sorry, Alpha... Mr. Snider."

"We've interacted at family events, you've spent holidays at my place with my son, and you've even helped my staff prepare dinner. So why the sudden tension?" I inquired, probing for an explanation.

"You don't wear suits at home," she blurted out before quickly retracting her words. "I mean... I'm sorry, sir, that came out wrong."

Raising an eyebrow, I regarded her carefully. "I don't think so, Ms. Walton," I responded evenly. Leaning back, I observed her closely, noting the subtle tension in her posture. I caught her gaze lingering on the strain of my arm muscles against the fabric of my sleeve.

"Do you suggest I wear a sweatshirt to work so you can be more comfortable?" I questioned, a hint of amusement lacing my words.

She chuckled nervously, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "That's ridiculous, sir," she stammered, and I couldn't help but wonder where her sudden boldness stemmed from. "I apologize if my behavior is causing you stress. I promise to do my best," she added, her tone sincere.

I understand that Amira may be dealing with personal struggles, likely related to the rejection of the mating bond, but as a businessman, I have a company to run. I've given her ample time to process her emotions, but now it's crucial for her to focus on her responsibilities.

When I found her lying in Phoenix's apartment during a visit, the lingering scent of s*x indicated what had transpired, although the identity of the woman involved remained unknown to me. Taking her home, I expected both her and her wolf to sleep off their troubles. However, when her friend called, prompting me to send my doctor to ensure her well-being, I realized the situation was more serious than I initially thought.

"You better put in your best, Ms. Walton," I cautioned her sternly, knowing that there were many contenders eyeing her position, including those who wished for her downfall, like Phoenix. "Do not give me any reason to consider them."

"Yes, sir," she responded obediently, her tone indicating her understanding of the gravity of the situation.

I acknowledged her with a terse nod before directing my attention back to my laptop, the click of keys punctuating the silence in the room. "Get back to your tasks for the morning," I instructed, my tone clipped, "but keep in mind that you'll be accompanying me to the lunch meeting."

"Yes, sir," she responded promptly, her footsteps brisk as she exited my office.

******

As lunchtime approached, I prepared to leave, only to discover that she had ventured to the third floor to retrieve a document for the meeting, a task that should have been completed beforehand. Impatience gnawed at me as I waited in the car, tapping my fingers against the armrest in frustration until she finally emerged and took her seat beside me, her apologies falling on deaf ears.

Ignoring her attempts at reconciliation, I maintained my focus on my tablet, scrolling through emails and reports as the car pulled out of the parking lot.

Upon our arrival at the restaurant, I noted with a touch of annoyance that Mr. Orlando was already seated, his gaze expectant as I took my place at the table.

"You're thirty minutes late," Orlando pointed out, his tone tinged with irritation.

"Thank you for waiting," I responded curtly, dropping my tablet onto the table. My eyes narrowed as I noticed his attention drifting elsewhere, and when I followed his gaze, I found him admiring Amira.

My jaw clenched with frustration as I cleared my throat, drawing his attention back to me. "Who is the beautiful lady?" Orlando inquired with a smile that I was certain was intended for Amira.

I could already sense the direction this meeting was heading. Disastrous. "Wait in the car," I growled at Amira, my wolf snarling at the perceived disrespect from the man seated in front of me.

Orlando caught wind of the Alpha aura emanating from me and instantly mellowed, bowing his head slightly in deference to avoid my wrath. However, the petite young lady standing beside me seemed to think it appropriate to question my command.

"Why should I leave, sir?"

"Go wait in the car!" I snapped, my patience wearing thin as frustration simmered beneath the surface.