Chapter 6 - Rose

A delayed flight then a dump of a hotel is the last thing I need before a meeting. But clearly, things do not seem to be going my way.

But I promised my father I would go and get this business deal completed and that is what I intend to do. It should not be too difficult, most of the deal has been discussed and dealt with online and over the telephone, so just the finalisations have to be done in person. And it meant I got to do a little bit of travelling, at the expense of my Dad, so I was most definitely not going to complain at that!

Though he could have at least booked me a better seat on the plane. Sitting next to a screaming kid the whole way was not my idea of fun. Jeez I hate kids. Sick to death of that fucking baby by the time we got to the airport. Surely she could have just put a fucking bottle in it’s mouth or something to shut it up. Or just choose not to fly with it. Instead of torturing everyone else on the plane, having to listen to it wail incessantly for the entirety of the flight.

And then the dive of a hotel my Dad had booked me into was truly disgusting! It is not somewhere he would stay, so I planned to find somewhere else to stay after this meeting. Find some recommendations from the staff here. I am sure they could help with that. You would like to think they would have some idea.

The building for the business looks pretty nice, though from what I can gather Winters Business Associates are a pretty successful company, so I would expect nothing less. Their property company is beginning to do pretty well now too. Quite impressive from some young guys choosing to set up a business on the side while waiting to go into their roles in pack.

I am met in the foyer of the building by a receptionist, who leads me up to the conference rooms, and as we walk toward the conference room I am getting a sense of nervousness. I have no clue why. I am never nervous with regards to business or meetings. I am usually confident and sure of myself. So why did this feel so different? I feel on edge. Like something did not feel right.

My wolf, Mina, was unsettled in my mind too, which was unusual. So this was truly making me feel on edge. Yet I have no choice. I can’t walk away. This meeting has been planned for months. They are expecting me. This business deal is something my family are relying on for our future success. I cannot fail them.

I continue to follow the receptionist. The long corridor feels like I am walking to a torture chamber not a conference room, yet I can’t place a reason as to why. Then a door down at the bottom of the corridor opens and a scent hits me. A musky, strong scent of pine and coconut. No. This cannot happen. Not here. Surely not.

We walked into the room and my eyes were drawn instantly to the source of the tempting scent. It is drawing me in, making me want to go to him. I need to resist. I do not want this. I am here for a meeting. That is all.

‘Mate! Mate!’ Mina is screaming in my mind. “Look how handsome he is!’

She isn’t wrong to be fair. He is tall, muscular. With a headful of dark hair, short at the sides, but flopping into his face. His eyes are a piercing grey. And such a strong jaw, defined further by the stubble dotted along it.

“Jake this Rose Cartwright” the woman next to him smiles “Rose, this is our Beta and business partner, Jake Joseph. I am Lilah Winters. My husband Knox is back at the pack at the moment, but is able to come along if you should need him to attend”

He has not stopped staring at me, which, to be honest I am finding it quite hard to tear my eyes away from him too, yet him staring is making me quite uncomfortable. And I have not travelled across the world to meet my mate. I am here to finalise this deal for my Dad, and go home. I do not have plans for a mate. No, not at all. This can't be happening!

Oh shit, he has offered me his hand, all puppy dog eyes at me too. Not a fucking chance. He will know for definite then. Because I am guessing that is why he is all soppy eyed at me, because he can smell me like I can smell him? Knew I should have worn my de-scenting spray. Fuck it! I should have been better prepared. I was too tired and disorganised after the flight, so I just wasn't with it, or else I would have been wearing it. Dammit! Not a chance in hell am I touching him.

Mina is whimpering, desperate for me to touch him, to have me confirm he is ours. But I am not doing that. I have a life back home in England. I am not turning that upside down for this. I am not here for a mate. I am here for business. Like planned. So I simply nod coldly and walk past, finding a seat at the desk they have set up for us.

Praying this meeting is done as quickly as possible and I can get the hell out of here. I do not need to be around him too long. The longer I am with him, the harder this will be. His scent is already becoming unbearable! Why do things like this happen to me?!