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“Yep, that’s the size of it.” I popped up from my seat, restless energy coursing through me. “We’re talking about a serious meltdown.”
Niko’s jaw clenched, and for a second, I saw the beast within, the primal force he kept leashed. It was a reminder that under the billionaire exterior beat the heart of a werewolf.
He stood and moved over to his desk, then leaned against it, arms folded across his chest, an imposing figure despite the finely tailored suit. “You’re asking for the wolf,” he stated, his words hanging between us.
“Yep, the big, bad one,” I said, trying to keep it light. “Your senses, your speed—heck, even your growl might come in handy. We need all the firepower we can get.”
I watched the tension ripple through his shoulders, a predator caged by glass and steel. I stepped closer to him, my voice softening. “Cairo and Poppy are running out of time, and Dallas... Hell, everyone is in the crosshairs.” I reached out, hesitating for just a moment before placing a hand on his arm. “I need the wolf, Niko. I need you.”
He turned to face me, our proximity sending a jolt through my system that had nothing to do with the danger outside. “You have a way of making the most reckless plans sound almost reasonable.”
“Is that a yes?”
“It’s a ‘we’d better save their asses and the city while we’re at it.’“
“Good enough for me.” I flashed him a grin that didn’t quite reach my eyes.
The heat was on, literally and figuratively.
“Let’s talk worst-case scenario,” Niko insisted, his expression turning grave. “If things go south?—”
“Don’t worry, I’ve dealt with worse. Remember my ex? Vampire, big fangs, bad attitude?”
Niko snorted, the sound strangely endearing coming from someone who could bench-press a small car. “I remember. But this is serious, Tessa.”
“Isn’t it always?” I leaned in closer, our faces inches apart. “We’ll save them. Cairo and Poppy don’t deserve to be kindling for Zayn’s power trip.”
His hand found the small of my back, steadying me. The touch was brief, but it sparked something that had nothing to do with the danger outside. “For what it’s worth, I trust you, Tessa. More than I’ve trusted anyone in a long time.”
“Guess that makes two of us.” I stepped back, breaking the connection before it could ignite into something more.
“Let’s work out the details,” Niko said, heading toward his desk.
I guess he hadn’t felt what I had.
I wasn't sure why that made me so sad.
CHAPTER 16
An hour later, I nodded, sealing our deal with the finality of two hunters aligned in purpose. Catching Zayne didn’t seem so hard with Niko on my side. I pushed back my chair and rose from where I’d been perched across from his glossy, ebony desk.
“Thanks, Niko. With your help, Zayne’s as good as caught,” I said, the words tasting like victory.
Niko rounded the desk, moving with the predatory grace unique to his kind. Those eyes of his seemed to hold secrets and promises.
Man, werewolves. Could they be any more intense?
“Let me walk you out,” he offered, his tone polite but edged with something I couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was my imagination, stoked by adrenaline and the thrill of our impending hunt.
“Lead the way, boss man,” I quipped, hoping my casual demeanor would mask the sudden awareness prickling over my skin.
We moved towards the door of his office—all sleek lines and cool metals—a space as controlled and immaculate as the man himself. The silence between us wasn’t awkward, exactly. More like charged, a current running just beneath the surface, ready to spark into flame.
Heat, fire, magic... my life had become an endless cycle of chasing monsters and dodging infernos. But with Niko, the heat felt different—less like destruction, more like... anticipation?
Niko’s proximity was a gravity well, pulling me in despite every intention to keep things professional. He was all dark hair and predatory movements, an alpha wolf cloaked in the trappings of a billionaire, making my insides twist with a dangerous cocktail of fear and desire. I should have been thinking about Zayn, about the hunt, but instead, I was hyper-aware of every breath Niko took, of the heat emanating from his body, even in the cool austerity of his office.
“Thanks for—” My words died as he stepped closer, our gazes locking. There was no mistaking the intent behind those piercing blue eyes, and it sparked something reckless within me.
