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He knows.
I grit my teeth, fighting my panic. My wolf is clawing out of me, roaring, ready to burst out of me. For the first time since I was a teen, he’s out of control.
No. There’s no way he can know.
Stay focused. Protect Madi.
“Obsessed not only with me but with my assistant of the week,” I drawl. “This is a new low, Aiden, even for you.”
“Careful, Brick. You sit in your high tower, hiding behind your pack. You’re growing weak. The wolves are at your door, and one misstep, they will eat you alive.”
I hang up.
The elevator dings, and my wolf nearly breaks his bonds. The room blurs. Half a second later, I’m by the elevator, hovering there in human form, but my wolf is ready to pounce.
With Aiden’s threats lingering in the air, I half expect to see his vulpine face smirking at me when the elevator doors open. Instead, they open up to a custodial worker, Jerry.
“Sir?” I’ve scared him half to death.
His cart and equipment are coated with the harsh bleach scent–chemicals so strong, it covers up his scent. He’s a wolf and a pack member, which should mean I can trust him, but I suddenly realize that he would’ve smelled Madi’s and my combined scents that day I fucked her in the conference room.
Why didn’t I think of it before?
A growl bursts out of me, so loud it shakes the walls. Jerry averts his gaze, angling his head to expose his neck.
“Sorry, sir.” He trembles, vibrating as if he wishes he could dive and hide behind his cart. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“Leave. Now.” I order, and he nods, keeping his eyes downcast as he presses the button to descend.
“Wait.” I slap the side of the door to make it roll back and fix Jerry with an alpha glare. “You never talk about what goes on here, right?”
“No, Alpha.”
“No colleagues. Not even an executive.”
“Never, sir,” Jerry rasps, sounding close to hyperventilating.
“Good.” I let the doors close.
Fuck. I’ve been stupid. I’ve lost my mind over a human.
Just to be extra sure, I call down to security. Within minutes, I have the best cleaning crew in the city on their way to deep clean the entire fifty-fifth floor. The cleaning company prides themselves on discretion, and what’s more, they’re all human. After they blast this place with industrial strength chemicals, they’ll destroy any trace of our combined scents. No one will be able to smell what went on here.
But I’d be a fool not to realize how obvious my interest is in Madi. I’ve used the stress of closing the deal as a cover. I haven’t outright lied to my pack, but I’ve lied to myself, telling myself my interest in Madi is because she’s smart and capable and smells incredible.
I need to work her out of my system.
Madi is unlike anyone, shifter or human, I’ve ever known. When she sways into the room, my senses come alive. Every day has been gray and unending, a relentless climb to the summit to achieve dominance and safety for my pack. My family. It doesn’t matter how hard I work, how high I climb. Every morning, I’m back at the bottom of the mountain, and I start the ascent again. That is my job as an alpha, my inheritance and my right. But until Madi came along, I didn’t realize how much I craved a moment to stop, to breathe, to take in the view.
Time with her isn’t gray and unrelenting. It is in technicolor. But she’s a weakness I can’t afford.
I call Billy. “I’m flying to California.” I need to be out of this office, away from the temptation of Madison Evans.
“Thank fuck,” he says. “I just found out things have gone sideways. Benson Junior is missing. They’ve searched all his usual party spots from here to Cancun and none of his friends have seen him. Benson Senior is distraught. He’s ready to throw his company away. Give it all to Adalwulf Associates and call it a day.”
“I’m coming. I’ll fix it,” I say. It’s a worst case scenario, but I’m grateful for the emergency. When my father died, focusing on business kept me going. Stay focused, close the deal, protect our pack. Nothing else matters.
Nothing else can matter.
