Fifteen minutes later,we stepped off the ridiculously-slow elevator and into Darkwood Investment.
I inhaled subtly, and goosebumps broke out on my arms. The whole floor reeked of vanilla. It definitely hadn’t smelled like that the last time I was there.
We turned the corner, and I stopped abruptly when I found Maverick sitting casually on the edge of Susan’s desk with his eyes narrowed directly at us.
I had no idea where Susan had gone, but I didn’t blame her for vacating the premises when the Alpha showed up.
“Hey, Sugar.” There was something dangerous in Maverick’s voice.
“Where’s my office?” I stepped past him, Harper walking beside me.
“Where’s yourdate?” the Alpha’s voice was sharp. I didn’t miss the way he sniffed as he fell into step with me, not that he tried to be discreet about seeing if I smelled like Velour.
I didn’t.
Everyone stared at us as we walked.
I tried not to shrink under their attention. They were my coworkers, but many of them were my friends. I knew them all by name, and had talked and laughed with most of them.
I knew what they were thinking when they looked at me now.
Monster.
What everyone thought of me didn’t matter. Not when my best friend’s life was at stake and I was going to be moving soon anyway.
I forced myself to focus on my conversation with Maverick.
“Harper’s ex probably has things to do, but I’m glad to hear that your enforcers called you to report something that didn’t put me in any danger,” I said.
“How long had you been dating him?” Maverick asked Harper.
“Not long.” She didn’t bat an eye at the question.
They’d never actually been dating.
Maverick studied her.
She straightened her blazer. “I assume you haven’t filled my job yet. No one would want to be Celeste’s assistant, and anyone who did wouldn’t do it right.”
“You assume correctly. We’ve been trying to get you to come back since last week, if you recall,” Maverick said.
“I’ve been emotionally scarred since my boss was murdered.”
“Clearly,” Maverick looked severely unconvinced. “Send the temp at your desk home. He’ll be relieved.”
She gave the Alpha a sarcastic salute before turning away. Our eyes met for the smallest moment, and she nodded at me. The meaning was clear.
Good luck, badass.
I may have taken liberties with thebadasspart.
“The temp’s a werewolf?” I asked.
“One of my enforcers. Ryker.”
“He probably hates you right now. Celeste is a complete bitch.”
“He understood that it was necessary and was willing to do it. Wolf packs function on respect, Bloom. If my wolves didn’t respect me, I would be challenged constantly until someone managed to dethrone me.”
