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“… a little young …”
“… should be trusted?”
“… hotheaded just like …”
It didn’t bother him, though. To be in charge of what was essentially the wolf empire was an honor and a privilege that most men younger than thirty wouldn’t be able to handle. But Lucas was built for a position like this despite his age.
Fierce and independent, he ruled with an iron fist. There were no doubts about who he was. His life was uncomplicated, and his days uniform.
Boring… his wolf whined.
Controlled,he countered.
He checked his phone again before ascending the stairs. Hurriedly, he texted his brother that he would be in city hall today and invited him to stop by and say hi. His brother was the sheriff with an office of his own in this very building.
Too bad that the next floor was no less chaotic.
“Mr. Doyle!” A secretary, not even his own, jumped up as he rounded the corner. “We didn’t expect you today. Should I get you a coffee?”
Before he could get a word out, another woman cut in. “Or place you an order? I am about to do a breakfast run.”
He smiled politely at each statement that pummeled him, trying to stifle his rising frustration. He didn’t have time to waste on such nonsense, even if they were just trying to help.
“Well, look who it is,” one of the lawyers whose profession was really loitering in the hall said as he passed. “I’m surprised you took enough of a break to make the trek down here.”
Lucas snorted at the poor joke. His coworkers, both shifter and human alike, called him a workaholic. In his mind, that wasn’t an insult. He enjoyed what he did. Enjoyed it so much that he didn’t have anything else: no wife, no kids, not even a pet. He liked it that way.
He’d just made it into his office when the sound of footsteps announced another interruption on its way. And with his shifter scenting, he knew exactly who it was the moment she hit the floor. Gerri Wilder.
World famous for her matchmaking skills, she had the tendency to stick her nose into other people’s business. While stylish and sophisticated, she could also be brutally honest, and she didn’t mind pushing people to fit her agenda.
This woman was on his last nerve already. She had been in and out of here, pushing the idea of finding and shoving a mate up Lucas’s nose for far too long. He just had no interest. He didn’t want to be spirited away to fall in love with some stranger.
He didn’t need any change in his life. Especially not a woman.
“Lucas.” Gerri Wilder, in all her sass and confidence, strolled into his office.
He didn’t get a chance to get a word in before Gerri slapped down a brochure on the desk in front of him. Standing like an Amazonian warrior on the opposite side of the desk, she jabbed the trifold with a slender finger.
“You, my lucky friend, have won an all-expense-paid trip to a beachfront golf course resort in gorgeous Kauai, Hawaii. Sun and shore, golf and fine dining, all yours. Absolutely free.” She was flashing one of those million-dollar smiles she was famous for.
“No thanks.” He didn’t even bother to look up.This wouldn’t have happened if I had just worked from home,he thought glumly.
Lucas pushed the brochure to the side and continued looking at the paperwork in front of him. Gerri didn’t miss a beat. She picked up the brochure and started thumbing through it.
“Plenty of room to run in those stunning hills … look at these spectacular gardens. Oh, wouldn’t surfing be fun?”
“Gerri, stop. Thanks, but I am not interested.”
Gerri raised an eyebrow at him, plotting her next move. “Are you so opposed to a vacation? You work so much. Do you not trust Vincent to step up and run things while you are gone?” Gerri was taunting him.
“You know I wholeheartedly trust my brother. I just don’t want to go anywhere. I am happy right here,” Lucas said sharply. Still, he couldn’t resist letting his eye flicker just once to the brochure. And that was the only sign of weakness Gerri needed to continue.
She sighed heavily and lowered herself into a chair. “Look, Lucas, I am going to be straight with you. The vacation is a cover and a kind of bribe for the reality of the situation. I have a favor to ask of you.”
Lucas dropped what he was looking at and panned his head up to meet Gerri’s eyes. She was asking him for help, a low blow that would be hard for him to refuse. Her eyes relayed no tricks, just truth. He folded his hands on the desk in front of him and held her gaze.
“I just got back from Hawaii, from paying my respects. A good friend of mine and the alpha of the Kauai wolf pack has passed away, and their pack is left without leadership. What I am asking of you is that you go and meet with the pack, help them organize, figure out who the next leader should be ….”
