Zara

My mood remained sour all day, and I didn’t check on Alpha Kane, nor did he call me with his thousands of requests. The caring side of me that I’d received over the weekend seemed to have migrated to Neptune.

Maybe that’s where Alpha Kane comes from: from there, from the cold and the darkness.

’Astronomers spent trillions searching for aliens; they only needed to study our Alpha boss. I was sure they’d find him to be an alien from a distant, cold planet,’ Nova suggested.

"You are damn right, my dear wolf." I giggled.

I had a relaxed lunch with Miranda, though I was the only one relaxed. Miranda’s phone was ringing off the hook from every department, demanding news. They weren’t allowed to call me; I only handled external clients and Alpha Kane’s personal errands.

She was worried that sales would drop if this particular order wasn’t fulfilled and delivered.

"He’ll scold me again," she muttered sadly, trying not to play with her food.

I calmly enjoyed my dumplings; they were delicious.

"He hasn’t eaten anything, not even coffee. That’s worrying," Miranda worried. "I need to talk to Mr. Ranold; only he can make him eat."

Forgetting about food, Miranda picked up her phone and called Ranold to talk to Alpha Kane.

After lunch, I headed to the office.

I put the phone down, and the elevator dinged. Ranold emerged from the glass cabin with what looked like takeout.

Seeing me, he waved, flashing his pearly whites. I gave him a professional smile and focused on the task at hand.

An hour later, Ranold left, waving at me like I was a child.

What’s wrong with this man? He treats me like a little child, even though I was sure we were the same age.

The day ended tediously, and I decided to go home. My work for the day was done, which wasn’t much, considering Alpha Kane hadn’t given me the usual thousand assignments.

I was getting ready when my phone rang.

When I picked it up, I heard Alpha Kane.

"Come into my office before you leave for the day."

"Click."

That was the end of the conversation.

’You see, an alien from Neptune or something. Descent wolves usually use greetings and names at the beginning of a conversation.’ Nova mumbled.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself for more of Alpha Kane’s bad mood and stood up. But there was no way I was going to let him walk all over me. He’d get a scolding if I heard even a hint of mockery in his voice.

When I entered, Alpha Kane was waiting for me, his huge arms folded across his chest, as if preparing for another fight.

I felt them on my skin, and now I knew what it felt like.

Comforting, soothing, and, most importantly, safe. Despite asshole Alpha’s terrible mood, there was a sense of calm and deep trust in his embrace.

"Did you call me?" I asked, looking him boldly in the face, and Alpha Kane took his time answering. The authority that always lingered on the tip of his nose hung in the air.

Alpha Kane stepped forward silently, lowering his hands and tucking them into his pockets. As always, his feet made no sound on the floor.

There was less hostility in his dark eyes now, and the sternness on his face seemed to dissolve.

"A very interesting man called me today. They offered to sell us Swanzi Land Cotton."

One more dangerous step closer, and now the wolf was almost invading my personal space. I kept my eyes fixed on him, and he barely blinked. Although I had to crane my neck to look at this giraffe, a very muscular giraffe. "So tell me honestly, did you have anything to do with this?"

Did he suspect my involvement?

There was no way he could have known I was trying to broker this deal. Asshole Alpha was too smart and would have easily pieced it all together.

"I don’t understand what you’re talking about, but I had nothing to do with it." My heart pounded at the lie I’d just told him, but I tried to maintain a neutral demeanor.

Alpha Kane couldn’t know; he shouldn’t have known.

Wolf’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his lips twitched, as if he wanted to say something. I kept a serious expression, not backing down. Even when his scent pierced my senses and reminded me of our kiss.

"It meant nothing," I reminded myself, and continued repeating this mantra silently, trying not to breathe through my nose.

"I shouldn’t have yelled at you, but that’s what happens when I don’t have time to drink my coffee. Don’t be late tomorrow."

My icy boss had a nasty way of apologizing. He found a way to turn it back on me. I wanted revenge. I think Miranda brought you coffee, but you were rude and too stubborn to take it away from her, the woman who’d been serving him coffee for the last year. But I tried at my level best to shut my big mouth.

Seriously, Alpha Kane baffled me at times, but on the other hand, he was so multifaceted, and I could barely grasp his essence. His father’s absence from his life seemed to be another factor that shaped him this way.

"I won’t. Do you need anything before I go?" I asked, knowing he’d been tense all day.

"No, I’ll see you tomorrow." With that, he stepped back, and I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding.

"Good evening, sir," I nodded and turned to leave the office. He was unnerving me, and his intense gaze was unsettling.

Reaching the car, I opened the door and climbed behind the wheel. Throwing everything on the passenger seat, I buckled my seatbelt and left for the apartment.

When I walked in, the house was dark and eerily quiet. I trudged to the bedroom and pulled off my dress. I jumped in the shower.

I managed to undress, shower, and dress again before I noticed familiar brown eyes.

I swear my heart stopped at that moment. The blood ran cold in my veins, and a thin sweat broke out on every inch of my skin.

"Just like last time..." Nova was speechless.

A large wolf was sitting right next to my bedroom window.

His brown eyes shone brightly in the bright light of the full moon. His gaze was directed straight at my window, at my frightened and fearful body.

When I opened my window, there was no wolf, but a piece of paper.

"How is it possible?" Nova was surprised.

"What the hell, write in this paper?" I was surprised too.

"Then go downstairs and check the paper," Nova told me.

I followed Nova’s suggestions and checked the paper. Curiously, I opened it to read, and with a yelp, my hands trembled, and the paper fell from my hands to the floor.

Written in blood-red letters, it was most likely dried blood.

"Which problems will arrive in your pack that you can’t imagine? Zara."