5. A Moment of Normalcy.

Victoria's words still echoed in my head.

"We have a mole." I stood there, trying to process the weight of what she'd just laid on us. Someone inside the Silver Order was betraying us. Hunters had died because of it. And now, like some cosmic joke, I was stuck working with Sarah Lambert to root them out.

Victoria's sharp gaze cut between us one last time before she turned, her boots echoing across the cold metal floor. Her cybernetic arm flexed at her side, humming softly as the mechanical joints shifted with every movement. She paused at the door, throwing one final warning over her shoulder.

"I'm sure you two will figure it out, and fast".

And with that, she was gone. I exhaled, tension bleeding from my muscles as the heavy steel door hissed shut behind her. The room felt colder without her in it or maybe that was just the weight of what she'd left behind.

A spy among us. Sarah didn't say a word as she pushed off the wall, brushing invisible dust from her sleek black tactical suit. "This is going to be fun," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Try to keep up, Sullivan."

I suppressed the impulse to yell at her since I had more important concerns than Sarah's pride.

Victor was waiting for me outside the command office, leaning casually against the wall like he had nothing better to do but I knew him better than that. He pushed off the wall as soon as he saw me. "Well?"

I kept walking. "Not here." He fell into step beside me. "Come on, Lex. I've been working hear for years and Monroe as never called me into her office so I know this must be important, You've got to give me something." His tone a little desperate than usual.

"She partnered me with Sarah," I muttered, barely able to keep the disgust out of my voice.

Victor let out a low whistle. "Damn. Did you piss her off, or is she just feeling cruel?"

"Feels personal," I said dryly, scanning the corridor for anyone who might be listening. In the Silver Order, you never knew who might be watching.

His humor faded, green eyes narrowing. "It's bad, isn't it?"

I didn't answer. Couldn't. Not without revealing more than I was supposed to.

Instead, I just shot him a look, the kind of look that said everything was worse than he thought.

Victor's jaw tightened, but he didn't push me. He never did. "Watch your back," he murmured, the teasing edge gone from his voice. 

"Here," Victor said while handing me a pouch with some small vials. "I've been working on these personally, they have not been fully tested yet but with the hunters dying take them". He spoke with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Thanks," With a hug and I was on my way. 

The drive home felt longer than usual. My mind was a tangled mess. Trying to figure out if Gabriel and Dante Salvador was the same person, the werewolf ambush,

the mole inside the Order. Everything felt connected somehow, but the pieces wouldn't fit and the worst part is I couldn't tell anyone. Not even James. Especially not James. He was the only normal thing in this entire situation.

I pulled into the driveway just as his sleek silver car turned the corner onto our street. I sighed, pressing my hands against the steering wheel to ground myself before stepping out.

He parked beside me, stepping out in a crisp navy-blue suit, his dark hair still perfectly styled from whatever client meeting he'd had that day. His face softened into a smile the second he saw me.

"Hey, beautiful," he called, making his way to me with that easy confidence he always had.

I smiled, because that's what I was supposed to do. "Hey, yourself." 

He leaned in, brushing a kiss against my cheek. "How was your day? Interview go okay?"

I was about to answer when my phone buzzed in my bag. I fished it out and glanced at the screen, email from Vidor Industries.

 I opened it, skimming the sleek, professional text.

'Congratulations, Mrs. Sullivan. You've been officially selected for the Executive Assistant position at Vidor Industries. Your start date is...'

I got the job.

Gabriel Salvador or whoever the hell he really was wanted me in his company and now, I was in. James raised a brow as I stared at my screen. "Good news?" he asked while making a step closer to me.

I nodded slowly, still processing. "I got the job." His face lit up with pride. "Lex, that's amazing! I told you they'd be crazy not to hire you." I forced a smile, because that's what he wanted a wife with a perfect life, a normal job, and no secrets.

"Yeah," I murmured, tucking my phone away. "Guess they couldn't resist me." James laughed, wrapping an arm around my waist. "I'd hire you in a heartbeat." He kissed my forehead, warm and familiar. "Let's celebrate." I blinked up at him. "Celebrate?"

"Dinner," he said, already steering me toward the front door. "Someplace nice. You deserve it." I wanted to say no, I wanted to crawl into bed, shut the world out, and untangle the storm in my head. But the look on his face, so happy, so proud, and so innocent.

James didn't know the things I did. He didn't know that while he worried about legal briefs and client calls, I was killing monsters and lying to his face every single day. And after everything, the least I could do was give him one good night. I sighed, leaning into his touch. "Dinner sounds perfect." His smile widened.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself breathe.

Getting ready had been a quiet affair. I had chosen a sleek, off-the-shoulder black dress that hugged my figure just right, my hair in soft waves that cascaded down my back. James had given me an appreciative look as I walked down the stairs, a teasing whistle. "Damn, Lex. You're really trying to kill me tonight." I smirked, adjusting the thin strap of my dress. "Well, we are celebrating, aren't we?"

He laughed, shaking his head as he reached for his car keys. "Let's get going before I change my mind about taking you out and just keep you here instead."

The drive to the restaurant was comfortable, the city lights blurring past as James kept one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my thigh. For once, I allowed myself to enjoy the simplicity of being a wife, a woman, not a hunter.

When we arrived, the restaurant was stunning, an upscale, intimate setting with dimmed chandeliers that cast a golden glow over the dark mahogany tables. The scent of rich spices and freshly baked bread filled the air, mingling with the soft notes of a jazz piano playing in the background. Waiters in crisp black uniforms weaved between tables, their movements elegant and practiced.

James had reserved a private corner booth, away from the bustling crowd, where the flickering candlelight danced between us. It felt warm, inviting a moment of normalcy that I desperately needed. James looked at me from across the table, "I'm really proud of you, Lex. I knew you'd get the job."

I smiled, swirling my wine in its glass. "Well, you were right. Start date is Monday." He nodded approvingly. "Vidor Industries is a huge company. This could be a great step for you, for us." I took a sip of my wine, feeling the smooth bitterness coat my tongue. "Yeah, let's see how it goes." Vidor industries always made me think about Gabriel Salvador and if he and Dante was the same person, but tonight I was determine to not let it bother me.

"You don't sound excited," he observed, tilting his head slightly. "Cold feet?" I exhaled through my nose. "No, not really. I just... I guess I wasn't expecting to get it." 

James laughed, shaking his head. "Lex, you underestimate yourself." I stared at him for a moment, feeling guilt coil in my stomach. He thought I was nervous about a job interview, about stepping into a new corporate world, he had no idea that my real concerns lay in hunting werewolves and uncovering traitors. I wasn't just walking into an office job, I was possibly stepping into enemy territory.

But tonight wasn't about that. "You're right," I said, giving him a genuine smile. "I need to have more confidence in myself." 

James grinned. "That's the spirit. Now, enough about work. Let's talk about me."

I chuckled, raising a brow. "Oh, so we're making it all about you now?" He smirked, setting down his fork. "I mean, I did just come back from a hellish business trip. At least pretend to be interested."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Fine, fine. How was it? Tell me everything."

James launched into a story about difficult clients, delayed flights, and how he nearly lost a deal because his assistant booked him in a hotel that "smelled like old gym socks." I found myself laughing, really laughing, and for a little while, everything felt normal. No werewolves, no secret organizations, no betrayals, just me and my husband, two people in love, enjoying dinner.

"God, I missed you," James said suddenly, reaching across the table to take my hand in his. His touch was warm, familiar. "These trips always feel longer when you're not with me."

I squeezed his hand, something warm settling in my chest. "I missed you too." His smile was soft, filled with nothing but love.

For tonight, that was enough.

We got home a little past eleven, the night air cool against my skin as James unlocked the front door. The house was dimly lit, quiet, and as soon as we stepped inside, I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind.

"Mmm," he murmured, lips brushing against my neck. "I don't think I'm ready for this night to end just yet."

A shiver ran down my spine. His touch was comforting, but for the first time, I felt a slight hesitation within myself.

I pushed it down, turning in his arms to face him. "Then don't let it."

That was all it took.

His lips crashed against mine, and I melted into the kiss, letting myself be taken by the moment. His hands traced the curve of my waist, pulling me closer, his warmth seeping into me. We moved together, breathless and eager, as if trying to make up for the lost time.

By the time we made it to the bedroom, our clothes had become a forgotten trail leading from the hallway. James guided me onto the bed, his hands exploring my body with the same reverence they always did, as if memorizing every inch of me all over again.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered against my skin, his lips trailing down my collarbone,

I arched into him, losing myself in the sensation, in him. For tonight, there was no danger, no secret missions, no enemies lurking in the shadows. There was only us two lovers tangled in sheets, wrapped up in passion and whispered promises.

Time blurred between kisses and soft moans, between the heat of our bodies and the electric pull between us. And when we finally collapsed against the mattress, breathless and sated, I wished I could freeze this moment.

Because as I lay there, my head resting on James' chest, listening to the slow, steady beat of his heart. For some reason he wasn't the one I was thinking about. The memory of piercing golden eyes flashed in my mind.

The way Dante Salvador had looked at me in that abandoned building. The way he'd saved me.

The way his voice had sent shivers through me when he whispered his name before disappearing into the night.

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to push him away, trying to ground myself in the warmth of the man beside me.

But Dante's presence was still there, lingering in the corners of my mind like a shadow I couldn't escape and deep down, I wasn't sure I wanted to escape.