The scent of fear permeates my glass-walled office like a toxic cloud. My assistant Sarah's heartbeat thunders in my ears—the third time this morning I've caught her staring at me with barely concealed concern. The morning light streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows feels like needles against my sensitive skin, every sound amplified to excruciating levels. The gentle hum of laptops. The click of heels against marble floors. The thundering heartbeats of my subordinates.Two weeks. That's how long I've been trying to maintain this façade of normalcy since my world imploded. Since the night Callum Wolfe—billionaire CEO, alpha werewolf, and the man who turned my life upside down—saved me from certain death and awakened something primal inside me.I grip my Mont Blanc pen tighter, focusing on the feel of cool metal against my skin. *Control*. That's what Callum preached during our brief training sessions before I fled back to the safety of Blackwood Financial. Control your emotions. C
My heels clicked against ancient marble floors as I entered the Great Hall of the Wolfe Pack mansion, each step echoing like a drumbeat of doom. The weight of dozens of predatory gazes pressed against my skin. Werewolves. All of them. And here I was, the human who dared to catch their Alpha's eye.*Keep your chin up. Show no fear.* My INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging) brain cataloged every detail - the crystal chandeliers casting dancing shadows, the whispered conversations that my human ears couldn't quite catch, the subtle shifting of bodies as pack members positioned themselves. Strategic analysis was my comfort zone. Numbers, probabilities, risk assessments - those I could handle. Pack politics? That was another story entirely.A flash of red caught my eye as Fiona materialized beside me, her petite frame radiating protective energy. "Remember what we practiced," she murmured, guiding me forward. "You've got this, Olivia."We passed Alistair Blackthorn, his massive
My heels sank into the damp earth of Hampstead Heath as I followed Callum deeper into the woods, my newly enhanced senses overwhelmed by the symphony of night sounds. Every crunch of leaves beneath his feet sent shivers down my spine. The scent of pine and leather that clung to him made my wolf stir, despite my determination to keep my distance."Just a bit further," Callum's deep voice carried back to me. Even those simple words held too much power over me. I hated how my body responded to him – the way my heart raced, how my skin tingled with awareness. After James's betrayal, I'd sworn never to let another man affect me this way.The moon hung full and heavy above us, its silver light filtering through the ancient oaks. My fingertips tingled with the urge to shift, the wolf inside me responding to its pull. Fighting the change was like trying to hold back a tide with my bare hands."This clearing should work." Callum turned to face me, his amber eyes gleaming in the darkness. The m
Moonlight silvered my blood-stained hands as I stared at them in horror. Even my heightened werewolf senses couldn't comprehend how this had happened—how a moment of peace with Callum had shattered into chaos and suspicion."Show me your hands!" Callum's voice cracked with Alpha authority, sending shivers down my spine. The pack's heavy presence closed in around us, their judgment as thick as the fog rolling through Richmond Park.My heart thundered as I slowly raised my trembling fingers. The dried blood beneath my nails gleamed accusingly in the moonlight. *My* blood, from scaling that fence earlier. But how could I prove it?"Olivia Blackwood." Callum's words carried the weight of an executioner's axe. Each syllable seemed to physically pain him as his amber eyes burned into mine. "By pack law, you are confined to the sanctuary until this incident can be investigated."*An hour earlier...*The forest fight's aftermath had left visible marks—a tear in Callum's henley, mud streaking
My heels clicked against the marble floor of James's office building, each step echoing like a countdown in my head. The familiar scent of his cologne lingered in the air - bergamot and cedar, now tainted with something metallic. Blood.Security footage of his crumpled form played on loop in my mind. My ex-husband, the man who'd shattered my trust, now lay in a hospital bed because of what everyone thought I'd done. My newly heightened senses picked up whispers from the cubicles I passed. *Monster. Animal. Murderer.*If only they knew how right they were about the animal part.The glass walls of the executive floor loomed before me, a sterile fortress against London's rain-darkened sky. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, reading the tension in my muscles. Callum's training sessions echoed in my thoughts: "Control the beast, or it controls you." Easy for him to say. He wasn't the one being hunted by his own pack.I slipped into the security room, my corporate access card still valid. Eit
Rain lashed against the windows of VentureTech's corporate headquarters as I crouched behind a filing cabinet, my heightened werewolf senses picking up the steady hum of servers. The familiar scent of James's cologne lingered in the air, a ghostly reminder of my past life. My fingers trembled slightly as I typed in his old password—a combination of our wedding date and his mother's maiden name. Some habits die hard, even after betrayal.The monitor's glow illuminated my face as encrypted files populated the screen. Each click felt like a countdown timer, knowing security could discover my presence any moment. But I had to know the truth. The image of James's mutilated body flashed through my mind, driving me forward despite the risk."Level 3 security breach detected," a robotic voice announced overhead.My heart rate spiked, but I forced myself to remain focused. Being a werewolf had its perks—enhanced speed, strength, and senses. But right now, I needed my old skills: the razor-shar
Lightning flashed outside Callum's office window, illuminating his rigid posture as he faced Amelia. I pressed myself against the wall beside the partially open door, my heart thundering in my chest. After weeks of investigating, the trail had led me here—to a confrontation I never expected to witness."Care to explain this?" Callum's voice carried the dangerous edge I'd come to recognize—the Alpha barely containing his rage. Papers slapped against his desk. "Unauthorized experiments on werewolf DNA? You've been working with humans behind the pack's back."I caught my breath, pieces clicking into place. The missing research files from my old company, James's strange behavior before his attack—it all connected to Amelia."My, my." Amelia's laugh held no warmth. "The mighty Alpha finally caught up. Though you're missing the most delicious part of the story." Her heels clicked against the hardwood as she moved closer to his desk. "Did you never wonder why I took such... special interest
Silver moonlight pierced through the ancient oaks of Hampstead Heath, casting long shadows across my face as I tracked the hunters' movements. My newfound werewolf senses picked up their acrid scent - gun oil and silver, a deadly combination that made my stomach churn. Three months ago, I'd been nothing more than a corporate executive nursing a broken heart. Now, I stood at the edge of a centuries-old clearing, helping coordinate the defense of a werewolf pack against trained killers."They're moving into position along the eastern perimeter," I whispered to Callum, my voice barely audible even in the stillness of the night. Despite everything between us - the betrayal, the lies, the pain - we fell into an easy rhythm of cooperation. His massive frame shifted slightly, unconsciously shielding me from the bitter autumn wind."How many?" His low voice sent an involuntary shiver down my spine, reminding me of easier times. Of passionate nights and whispered promises that now lay in ruins