Page 10 of Howl About That

Her lips parted slightly, and he found himself memorizing their shape, the way they looked impossibly soft and perfectly suited for claiming. His wolf pushed harder against his control, flooding his system with the need to wrap her in his arms, to taste her mouth, to mark her throat and make sure every other shifter in the city knew exactly who she belonged to.

Kiss her. Claim her. Mark her. Make her understand.

But then reality crashed back in as Poppy jerked her arm away from his grip like she'd been burned. The loss of contact felt like losing a limb, and Keiro had to lock his knees to keep himself from reaching for her again.

"I don't see how we can make this work." Her voice was breathless but determined, and there was a vulnerability in her expression that made his chest ache. "And now I have to go back to my pride and tell them we have ninety days before we lose all our land, not just the parcel you bought last night."

The words hit him like ice water, cutting through the mate bond's intoxicating haze with brutal clarity.

Ninety days. She's not just fighting for one piece of property—she's fighting for survival.

"Let me fix this." The words came out rougher than intended, his voice still affected by the bond's activation and his wolf's continued demands for action. "Whatever it takes, let me?—"

"I'm not just letting you throw money at me." Poppy's chin lifted with stubborn pride, and despite everything, Keiro felt a surge of admiration for her refusal to be rescued. Most people would have jumped at the offer of financial salvation from a billionaire, but she stood there like a warrior queen declining charity from a foreign court.

His mind raced through possibilities, discarding options as quickly as they formed. Direct payment would insult her pride. A loan would create an unequal power dynamic. But a partnership—a real partnership with mutual benefits and shared risks—might appeal to her business instincts.

"What if we make some sort of deal?" The words came out faster as the idea took shape. "A negotiation, not charity. I put you as co-owner of the land I bought, and we develop something together that benefits us both. And when it starts generating revenue, you repay me that way."

Poppy's expression shifted, and he caught a flicker of interest beneath her defensive armor. Her lioness was probably running the same calculations his wolf was—this could work, this could save everything without sacrificing her dignity.

"That will take a long time to pay back," she said slowly, but the fact that she was considering it instead of immediately rejecting it felt like a victory.

"Not if we develop something that generates revenue quickly." Keiro kept his voice level, professional, even though his wolf was practically vibrating with the need to solve all her problems immediately. "There are plenty of options—luxury retreats, event venues, sustainable housing developments. The Hudson Valley market is perfect for high-end projects with quick turnaround times."

He watched her process the information, and could practically see the wheels turning as she evaluated the proposal from every angle. This was the Alpha who'd kept her pride afloat despite impossible odds—she knew how to spot opportunity even when it came wrapped in complications.

"It could take years to build whatever we decide on, and I'd have to convince my pride this whole deal is worthwhile," she said finally, but her tone had shifted from outright rejection to cautious consideration. "I don't know... it's a lot to think about."

"You don't have to decide right now." Keiro reached into his jacket pocket, withdrawing one of his business cards with movements that were probably too careful. "Just think it over. Call me when you decide."

Poppy took the card, her fingers brushing his for just a moment—long enough for another jolt of recognition to arc between them, and short enough that she could pretend it didn't happen. She studied the embossed lettering like it might contain hidden messages, and he found himself memorizing the way she looked when she was thinking, the slight furrow between her brows and the way her teeth bit her lower lip.

"Sorry to interrupt this negotiation moment," Gerri's voice cut through the charged atmosphere as she popped her head out of his office, "but I really must get to my next appointment."

Before Keiro could thank the matchmaker for orchestrating this meeting, Gerri was already clicking down the hallway in her designer heels.

"I have faith in you two to work this out," she called over her shoulder, and then she disappeared around the corner like she'd never been there at all, leaving behind only the faint scent of vanilla and ozone.

Poppy looked back at Keiro, and for a moment, he caught a glimpse of the exhaustion she'd been hiding beneath layers of pride and determination. She looked like someone who'dbeen carrying the world on her shoulders for so long that she'd forgotten what it felt like to stand up straight.

"I need some time to think things through," she said quietly. "But I'll call you when I decide."

"That's all I ask." The words came out much steadier than he felt, and he managed to keep his hands at his sides instead of reaching for her again.

She turned away, and Keiro watched her walk down the hallway. The mate bond pulled taut as the distance between them increased, his wolf pacing restlessly and demanding pursuit.

Follow her. Don't let her leave. Tell her to stay.

But he forced himself to remain motionless, watching until she disappeared into the elevator and the doors closed between them. Only then did he allow himself to slump against the wall, running a hand through his hair and trying to process what had just happened.

He'd found his fated mate. She was in financial crisis. He'd accidentally made everything worse. And now their entire future hinged on whether she could swallow her pride enough to accept help from the man who'd humiliated her in front of hundreds of powerful shifters.

Brilliant job, Keiro. Really smooth.

The elevator dinged softly in the distance, carrying his mate away from him and back to a pride that was counting on her to solve problems he'd inadvertently made worse. Keiro pushed off the wall and headed back toward his office, already mentally cataloging development options and revenue projections.

If Poppy Mintz was going to give him a chance to fix this mess, he was going to make damn sure he had solutions ready.