THE REJECTED FOURFOLD LUNA: FATED TO TWO ALPHA TWINS

Chapter 12—Unexpected Encounters

Celeste's POV

The morning after the ceremony preparations talk felt different from most mornings. Lighter. Like something good was already sitting just around the corner and the week just needed to catch up with it.

Saturday felt close in a way I was not used to things feeling close without also feeling frightening.

I was dressed by eight and downstairs before either of them expected me, which genuinely surprised all three of us and made Jason say something about miracles.

Mason and Jason dropped me off at the front of the building at eight forty-five on the dot, which I appreciated because it meant I did not have to think about parking.

"You look good," Mason said from the driver's seat.

"Thank you." I pulled the seatbelt across.

"Have a good day." He glanced at Jason. "You too."

"I always have a great day," Jason said from the passenger seat without a single trace of humility, and I was still laughing when I walked through the front door.

Jason leaned across from the passenger side. "Don't let anyone stress you out."

"That is quite literally my job description," I said, pulling on my bag.

"Then keep it to a reasonable amount." He kissed me quickly and I did not get to point out that was not how consulting worked because they were already pulling back into morning traffic, headed toward Voltext Technologies on the other side of the city.

I stood on the pavement and watched the car until it disappeared around the corner. Then I took one breath, straightened my blazer, picked up my bag properly and walked into the building with my head up.

Vaelina was waiting in the hallway on my floor like she stationed herself there on purpose.

"He's here," she said the moment she saw me, grabbing my arm and steering me toward the lift.

"Good morning, Vaelina." I barely got the words out.

"Yes, yes, good morning." She was already steering me toward the lift before I finished the sentence.

"Torren Grey is here. He is in the waiting area and Celeste." She stopped walking long enough to look at me with complete seriousness. "He is so hot. Like extremely. Tall, broad, the whole situation."

"Vaelina."

"I am simply reporting what I personally observed with my own two eyes." The lift doors opened and she pulled me inside before I could respond properly.

"He has this face and these shoulders and I genuinely needed three separate moments to remind myself I was a professional and we were at work."

"You need to calm down."

"I am calm. This is my calm." She turned to me as the lift moved. "You didn't react at all. You have literally zero interest."

"I have mates," I said flatly. "Two of them. Who personally drove me here this morning, argued over who got to sit in the front and kissed me goodbye at the door. I am not looking at anyone."

"Right, yes, I know that, obviously." She waved a hand. "I was talking about myself entirely. Do you think he'll be coming here often? As the Carter representative, will he be a regular thing?"

I thought about the file Amaris gave me and the account size attached to those names. "Probably yes. The Carter accounts are significant enough that there will be regular meetings, quarterly reviews, sign offs, updates. He'll be a consistent presence here."

Vaelina made a sound that was dangerously close to a squeal and grabbed both my hands with both of hers.

"Okay." I held up a hand. "You really need to slow down. You have not even spoken to the man yet and you are already this far gone."

"I know that." She pointed at me. "I am building up to it slowly and strategically. There is a difference between obsessed and interested." She released my hands as the lift doors slid open onto our floor. "Do I look fine?"

"You look completely fine, Vaelina, you always do."

"Just fine?"

"Vaelina." I gave her a look. "Go to your desk."

She smoothed her blazer, squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "Professional. Completely professional. Got it." She turned toward her side of the floor and then looked back. "Tell me everything after."

"There is genuinely nothing to tell you, Vaelina."

"Tell me anyway." She gave me one last look, smoothed her blazer a final time and disappeared around the corner with the posture of someone who fully intended to make an impression on a man not yet met.

I shook my head at all of it, still smiling, and went into my office to actually do my job.

I settled into my chair, pulled up the Carter file and spent a good ten minutes going through Torren Grey's contact sheet and the preliminary account history. Everything looked straightforward on paper.

The accounts were large but well documented, the kind of portfolio that ran smoothly when someone competent was managing the relationship on both ends.

I was still reading when the door opened. I looked up expecting Amaris alone. Amaris walked in, posture straight the way it always was, and there was someone with her.

I looked up.

He was tall. Immediately and completely I understood every single sound Vaelina made in that lift. Dark jacket, easy posture, the kind of person who walked into a room without announcing himself because he simply did not need to.

He was around my age, maybe a year or two older, with the kind of calm that read as genuinely composed rather than rehearsed.

I stood up properly and came around to the front of the desk to meet them.

"Celeste." Amaris stepped to the side in the way she did during formal introductions, precise and deliberate.

"This is Torren Grey. He is the official representative for Alphas Aiden and Jayden Carter of Ashen Hollow Pack, acting on their full authority in all matters related to this firm.

All account management, communications and decisions run through him. He will be your primary contact going forward."

Torren looked at me directly and smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Celeste."

Then he extended his hand.