Chapter 2: I'm so getting fired

Knight West went back to his office on the top floor and shut the door behind him, ignoring his secretary as she tried to talk to him about something. He walked over to the large window behind his desk and stared out at the view of the city. With his hands on his hips, pushing back his suit jacket, he took several deep breaths and tried to rein in his wolf.

Knight was someone who prided himself on his control. The West pack had drummed into him that being in complete control of his baser instincts was what made him strong. As a boy, he had struggled more than the others, finding it hard not to lose his temper or act on his instincts.

So it annoyed him that some random woman could walk into the room and rattle his wolf so badly. It didn’t make any sense to him. Well, he would admit the girl was kind of cute with her glasses and dimples, but she wasn’t in the same league as the other women Knight had dated.

It just at the moment that woman walked into the room, Knight’s nostrils were assaulted with her scent. It was a weird combination of sex and freshly baked donuts. It had made Knight want to fuck her and lick her.

He ran his hand over his face, breathing deeply until his body calmed down. He remembered hating how out-of-control he used to be and the stupid breathing exercises his grandfather had made him do. They had the image of being modern-day werewolves. They did brunch and wore fancy suits, but deep down, they were wild things that could never really be tamed.

He could hear all the noises outside on his floor. His secretary was talking to someone on the phone and a guy from the mailroom was riffling through letters. Underneath the hum, he could hear the familiar click-clack of his cousin’s designer heels as she got closer to his office.

He sighed and turned, resigning himself to what was about to happen. Without even knocking, Leslie let herself into his office and gave him a highly amused look.

“Hey cousin,” she practically sang. “You doing okay?”

He glared at her and pulled off his jacket before draping over the back of his chair. “Shut up. We’re not talking about it.”

“Taking about what?” she asked with mock innocence. “Oh, you mean the fact that you had to stop yourself from flying across the board table and devouring the new girl?” She cackled at him. She's way too gleeful at his misfortune. Sometimes he hated his family.

“Well, I’m glad I could amuse you,” he said as he sat behind his desk. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

Leslie rolled her eyes and perched on the edge of his desk. “Come on, Knight. You know I’m just messing with you. What’s going on? You okay? Do you know that woman?”

“No,” Knight insisted. “I mean, I know that she’s a friend of Sarah, but other than that...”

Sarah had become a member of their pack a year ago after getting engaged to Leslie’s brother, Jared. She had mentioned that her friend was joining the magazine over a West pack brunch last Sunday.

“Maybe you’re sick,” she suggested before whacking the back of her hand onto his forehead.

He batted her hand away quickly.

“Look, can we just drop it, please?”

“Sure,” she said, her face suddenly the picture of sympathy. “Until the next pack event, where we will all mock you relentlessly.”

He grimaced at her and opened up his laptop. “You’re all heart, Leslie.”

She slid off his desk and saw herself out of his office, cackling all the way.

............

To: [e-mail]

From: [e-mail]

OMG it’s my first day here and the boss already hates me. When I walked into the staff meeting, he full-on glared at me the entire time. He looked so grumpy, I think he wants to eat me...

But girl...that's beside the point why didn’t you warn me how hot Knight West is in person???!

I hope you’re having fun in NY. Wish you could have been here for my first day.

I’m hiding behind my computer now, hoping no one realizes I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing.

xxxx

Sue Andrew hit send on the email and leaned back in her chair. It was her first day at work, and she really could have used the support of her friend. She was glad though, that she had now a regularly paying job, but she did feel like she had been thrown into the deep end.

After the staff meeting, Bored Asian Chick had dropped her off at her desk and left her there to fend for herself.

She let out a long breath and swiveled side-to-side on her chair. There were fifteen desks in the room, all filled with people who seemed to be working. She considered doing some online window-shopping. She did need some new handlebars for her bike, after all. The rubber had corroded over time and they were nearly falling off.

An email alert pinged on her computer and she smiled. It was either a really detailed description of what she was supposed to do, courtesy of the woman who had abandoned her there, or it was her friend Sarah emailing her back.

To: [e-mail]

From: [e-mail]

Sue, you know that they monitor all internal emails right?

***

“Shit.”

If someone in HR brought the email to Knight West’s attention, her life at Prowl magazine would be over.

“I’m so getting fired,” she said to herself.

She saw movement from the desk closest to her and she turned to look at the guy there. He was in his mid twenties, and had a tattoo on his wrist, disappearing up the sleeve.

“Why are you getting fired?” the guy asked him. “You just got here. What could you have possibly done?”

“Sent an email to my friend about how hot the boss is, using my work email,” Sue confessed. He saw the guy cringe and shake his head.

“Yeah, you’re screwed.”

.............