The second I stepped into Noah Lander's office, I knew something wasn't quite right.

And no, it wasn't because I'd walked in on him and a woman who looked like she'd stepped straight out of a swimsuit catalog. Though, yeah, that was pretty awkward. Still, it was my first day, and whatever my boss did on his own time was none of my business. He could be the richest, most charming guy in the city, but to me, he was just another stranger.

Well, a stranger who also wasn't exactly... human.

I, Aria Brooks, come from a long line of supernatural hunters, so trust me when I say this—Noah Lander was definitely something otherworldly. And by the way he kept cool, calmly buttoning up his shirt after being caught mid-hookup, I could only guess: Fox spirit?

There was something about him that just oozed charm in a way that seemed unnatural.

The woman, still muttering under her breath, grabbed her things and stormed out of the office. But Noah? Not even fazed. He took his sweet time, each button closing up that chiseled body, all while watching me like I was the most entertaining thing he'd seen all day.

Which, to be fair, I probably was.

Now, I'd heard the stories about fox spirits—their… talents with seduction. It made sense. No wonder women seemed to go weak in the knees around him.

But if they knew the guy they were fawning over was a literal fox in a suit? Yeah, I'd pay good money to see that reaction.

"Had your fill?" Noah's deep voice snapped me out of my thoughts. There was a teasing edge to it.

I met his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. "Have you?"

He chuckled—a low, smooth sound that was annoyingly attractive. He clearly knew the effect he had on people, and he was enjoying this way too much.

I squared my shoulders, trying to mimic the confident posture of the woman who'd just left. No way was I going to let him think he had me all flustered.

Noah just kept smiling as he finished buttoning up his shirt. Damn it, there went my view of those abs. Another second and I might've asked my grandma if she had a spell to give me x-ray vision.

In no time, the half-naked playboy was gone, replaced by the sharp, polished CEO. You'd never guess that a few minutes ago, he was half-dressed and very much not a professional.

"You were imagining me naked, weren't you?" His voice was suddenly closer, his breath warm on my ear.

A shiver ran down my spine before I could even react.

And like a complete idiot, I nodded. Seriously?

Noah chuckled softly, the kind of sound that made my pulse quicken. "I could make that happen, you know."

Logic told me to back off, to keep my distance from whatever magical hold he had over me. But emotionally? Yeah, I was starting to lose that battle. He was way too close, and my brain was definitely not working.

"One piece of clothing for every month's salary," he added, his grin growing wider.

This fox knew exactly what he was doing.

But I wasn't about to fall for it. "Fine by me," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Just start with the shirt—the inside one."

For a moment, genuine surprise flickered across his face, but it was gone just as fast, replaced with that same cocky smirk. He reached out, and—was he touching my face?!

Before I could process that, his hand slid around to the back of my head, tugging me a little closer as he toyed with his belt.

"You really want to see what's underneath?" His voice had dropped, going from playful to something darker. "Don't blink."

My heart was hammering in my chest, but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

"Less talking, more action," I shot back, my tone sharper than I felt inside.

But just as quickly as he'd started, Noah stopped. His eyes narrowed as they locked onto mine, studying me in a way that suddenly felt a lot less flirty and a lot more… dangerous.

"What are you?" he asked, his voice low, sending a chill down my spine.

My stomach dropped.

Oh no. He knows.

"What… what exactly do you mean by that?" I swallowed hard, trying to hold onto whatever scrap of composure I had left while facing Noah Lander.

I wasn't about to let this fox spirit shake me up. I had mental toughness—always have. Even though my heart was pounding, I wasn't going to let it show. We were in broad daylight, in a modern, law-abiding world. What could he really do to me?

Right?

Still… Noah's scent was something else. It wasn't just cologne—it was subtle, fresh, with an edge of something undeniably magnetic. The kind of scent that wrapped around you and pulled you in like a fog. Honestly, if this weren't such a tense situation, I'd ask him what brand it was. Heck, I'd buy it for my boyfriend in a heartbeat. Who wouldn't want to be wrapped in that every day?

That is, assuming I make it out of this encounter alive.

I stole a glance at Noah's face, trying to gauge his next move. But he was a blank slate. No tells, no signs of anything. His eyes, though—deep and dark—flickered with something I couldn't quite read. Whatever it was, it wasn't good for me.

"Who… or what… are you?" he murmured again, but this time, it was more like he was talking to himself.

His hand, which had been resting under my chin, started moving down the side of my face. His fingers brushed my skin with a gentleness that felt almost… unsettling. They traced a line down my neck and stopped on my shoulder. His thumb was making slow, lazy circles along my collarbone, and my face felt like it was on fire.

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. This was definitely the most intimate moment I'd ever been in, and we were in the middle of his office for crying out loud. The quiet hum of the room somehow made everything feel more intense.

But then, just as I was losing myself in the moment, his fingers brushed against the chain around my neck. That yanked me straight back into reality.

No, no, no—don't touch that!

The necklace looked ordinary—just a simple silver chain. But the pendant hanging from it? That was a whole different story. It was old, worn from years of being passed down. A mix of a lotus flower and a mystical symbol, it had hung around my neck for as long as I could remember. My grandmother made sure I understood the importance of it. Never take it off, she'd told me. And when I was a kid, she even tied it on with a rope, just to make sure I wouldn't lose it.

At first, I thought it was just an old family relic. But after some close calls with a few supernatural creatures, I realized this wasn't just jewelry. This pendant was a shield—a powerful one. It protected me from anything that might sense me or worse, harm me.

I was born into a family of hunters, but I never really got into the business. This pendant, though? It's saved my skin more times than I could count.

And now Noah was this close to discovering it.

"Nice collarbone," Noah suddenly said, breaking the silence. "But I have to say… you're a bit lacking in the charm department."

Excuse me? My blood boiled. Sure, I wasn't winning any beauty pageants, but that was none of his business!

"You still haven't answered my question," he continued, his voice back to its cool, businesslike tone. "Who are you, and why are you in my office? I don't remember seeing you in the company before today. Where's your ID badge?"

Just like that, the moment shattered. He pulled back, hands in his pockets, suddenly every bit the serious CEO, as if we hadn't just been walking the edge of wildly inappropriate.

"Oh." I blinked, processing his words. He wasn't onto me. He didn't realize what I was. He just didn't recognize me as an employee. My shoulders relaxed a little.

"Mr. Lander, I'm Aria Brooks, your new executive assistant. Today's my first day," I said, forcing a bright, professional smile. "Looking forward to working with you."

What a switch-up. One minute I thought I was toast, the next, it was back to business as usual.

"Looking forward to it, huh?" His lips quirked into a small, almost arrogant smile. "Well, let's hope you last longer than the last six assistants. You've heard about that, right? I go through about six a year. Let's hope you're not number seven."

Six assistants in one year?

He paused, then added, "You've got two days to get familiar with the company's operations. After that, I'll test you. If you pass, we'll talk about the future. If not…" He left the rest unsaid, but the message was clear.

And just like that, I was dismissed from his office.

This fox spirit sure knew how to keep me on my toes. Now I had two days to prove myself or get the boot. Not only was I working for some ancient, powerful creature, but I was also on a countdown.

Still, this was what I wanted—a job as Noah Lander's assistant at Lander Enterprises. This was my shot, and I wasn't about to blow it. If I could stick around, maybe I'd be able to keep an eye on him. Maybe I could stop him from doing something dangerous.

As I walked out into the hallway, a familiar voice called my name, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Well, well, Aria Brooks. Long time, no see…"