LUCIAN'S P.O.V.
I sat in my office, staring at the stacks of papers that seemed to multiply by the minute. Pack business—my least favorite thing. I preferred being out there running any of my numerous businesses instead of dealing with pack issues. Somehow, it always found a way to circle back to me providing them with a Luna and heirs. It was a frustrating cycle eating slowly away at my sanity. I could feel Ares pacing restlessly inside me. He was always ready for action, while I was left to deal with the bureaucracy of running the pack.
Rylan, stood across from me, scribbling away on some documents, looking far too relaxed than I wanted him to. The scent of fresh coffee and leather filled the room—my personal blend of peace and dominance. But none of it was calming Ares.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Alex, my butler, entered. His usual calm demeanor didn't betray the fact that he had some interesting news.
"Mr. Williams has arrived, Alpha," Alex said with a slight bow.
Ares practically leapt inside my mind. "Teresa!" he barked, full of excitement. That over-enthusiastic mutt. The fact that Williams thought he could swap his precious daughter Jennifer with Teresa was almost laughable. Did he honestly believe I hadn't figured out his little plan? Or I was dumb enough not to investigate his family?
"Calm down, Ares," I muttered internally, though I was feeling the exact same way. Teresa. My mate. The moon goddess clearly had a twisted sense of humor, sending her into my life at the most inconvenient time. To be honest, no time would have been convenient considering what I've been through in the hands of 'love.' But even I, as stoic as I liked to appear, couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. Unfortunately, I wasn't as good at hiding it from myself as I wanted to be.
Pushing away from my desk, I straightened my jacket and headed toward the living room. A practiced smile slid across my face—the one I reserved especially for Gregory Williams. It was a smile that said, I'm pretending to like you but I'd rather throw you out of my window.
"Hello, Gregory," I greeted him with fake warmth.
My eyes quickly found Teresa. She looked like a deer caught in headlights. Her wide eyes and slightly parted lips as she stared at me made it incredibly difficult not to smirk. Poor thing. She had no idea that I knew everything already.
"Is this Jennifer?" I asked, turning to Teresa with an unreadable expression.
She was about to respond, but her father jumped in. Of course. The man was as subtle as a truck.
"Yes, yes, this is Jennifer," Gregory said hurriedly, practically shoving his daughter forward. "She'll be your maid for the next five months, as we agreed."
Teresa's eyes screamed everything she couldn't say aloud. Confused, sad, scared. Exactly the words she had used when we met in the park two days ago. She'd said she felt like an animal brought to the slaughter.
Inside my head, Ares was fuming. "Let me at him! I'll snap that old man's neck for making our mate feel like this!"
I kept my face calm, though Ares was clawing to break free. "Stick to the plan," I told him. The last thing we needed was a scene.
Smiling sweetly, I turned to Gregory. "Thank you for bringing her. She'll be safe with me."
The old man puffed out his chest as if he had just delivered a parcel. His lack of care for Teresa was infuriating. "You can do whatever you want with her, as long as you're happy, Mr. Blackwood."
I heard it. Teresa's heart skipped a beat, her fear visible. Her hands trembled slightly in her lap. My smile tightened, and I forced myself to shake Gregory's hand, even though I wanted to smash his face into the nearest wall.
As Gregory stood to leave, he barked at Teresa to see him out. I watched them through the window, my senses picking up everything—the nervous glance she shot him, the cruel grip he placed on her neck, her pleading whispers for him not to leave her behind and his threats for her not to mess up his business deal. If Gregory knew what I was, he'd think twice about laying a hand on her. But for now, I waited, letting him think he still had control.
When the car finally drove off, I stepped outside, leaning casually against the porch with my hands in my pockets. Teresa stood frozen, staring into the distance, clearly still reeling from her father's threats.
"So, what are you waiting for?" I said with a lazy drawl, my sarcasm dripping. "Hoping he'll come back and whisk you away?"
She practically jumped out of her skin, spinning around to face me. Her cheeks flushed, and I could see the brief flicker of fear and embarrassment in her eyes.
"Relax," I said with a grin. "You're acting like I'm a stranger." I nodded towards the house. "Come on, back inside before you catch a cold. Can't have my new 'maid' falling ill on her first day."
Her shock deepened as she stared at me, wide-eyed. Ares, of course, was practically wagging his imaginary tail. "Perfect. She's perfect."
Once inside, she finally spoke, her voice a combination of confusion and frustration. "What is going on? Why did you pretend not to know me in front of my father? And why do you even need a maid when this place looks… spotless?" She gestured around, and I had to give her credit for trying to piece it together.
I smiled, more genuinely this time. "I'll explain everything later, Teresa. For now, follow Alex. He'll show you to your room. Unpack and settle in." I gave her a once-over, noticing the confusion still clouding her face. "Trust me, you're in good hands."
With a sigh, she obediently followed Alex out of the room, though the bewilderment never left her eyes.
The moment she was out of sight, I called Rylan through the mind link. "If you have left my office, get back there now." I could feel Rylan's confusion through the mind-link but I didn't let him ask any questions before I cut the link.
As soon as that was done, I pulled out my phone from my pocket and dialed Kenneth. "I need that report on Gregory Williams's businesses on my desk ASAP."
By the time I reached my office, Rylan was already there, looking curious. I didn't waste time.
"I found my mate," I said flatly, sitting behind my desk already feeling exhausted.
Rylan blinked, his mouth hanging open. "Wait… what?"
I shrugged. "She's in her room right now. In the house."
Rylan lost his balance, practically falling into the chair behind him. "In this house?"
******
I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, watching Rylan's face light up like a kid who'd just discovered a mountain of candy. I nodded, confirming that yes, Teresa—my mate—was in my house. Rylan practically launched himself out of his chair, jumping up and down like a lunatic. I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at his ridiculous display. Inside my head, though, Ares was joining in the celebration, he was practically doing backflips. I could feel his excitement rattling through me like a sugar rush.
"Calm down," I grumbled to both of them, fighting to keep my voice steady, but Rylan was too far gone.
"Is she a wolf?" Rylan asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
"No," I replied, deadpan. "She's human."
"Human?!" he screamed, as if I'd just told him I'd found the Holy Grail sitting on my kitchen counter. I cringed inwardly, rubbing my temples.
"Rylan, for the love of the moon, calm down."
He paused his little celebratory jig, finally taking in my completely unenthusiastic vibe. "Why aren't you as excited as I am? This is huge, man!"
I stared at him, my face blank. "Because I'm not interested in letting a woman ruin my life like my father did," I said flatly. "I'm not about to lose my mind just because the Moon Goddess thinks it's funny to tie me to some random stranger."
Rylan's expression softened into something that almost resembled sympathy, which immediately annoyed me. He walked over to my desk, leaning against it like he was trying to talk some sense into a wild animal. "Lucian, I have said this a thousand times and I will say it again: you're not your father. Trust me, you'll be happy with your mate. You're not going to end up like him."
I wasn't convinced. I let out a low growl, which echoed slightly in the spacious office. The calming smell of my forgotten coffee and the earthly faint scent of the woods wafting in from the open windows was sharp in the air. It was peaceful here, but the conversation was anything but. I cursed under my breath, something colorful and loud enough that even the Moon Goddess herself might blush if she heard.
"What is it with her tying me to some random human and forcing me to have feelings of all things?" I grimaced. "It's absurd."
Rylan just grinned at me, clearly enjoying my misery. "You're finally having feelings for someone? That's progress, Lucian. I'm so proud." He actually had the nerve to clap.
I shot him a look so dirty it could've buried him six feet under. He chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.
I leaned forward, serious now, because enough was enough. "The reason I called you here, Rylan, is because I want security around the entire pack on high alert. Grade-A. Now that Teresa is in my house, I don't want anything happening to her."
He blinked, then his face lit up all over again. "Teresa? Is that her name? Is that our new Luna?"
Why did he sound so pleased by just hearing her name? And most importantly why was I as well? "Yes," I muttered, feeling an uncomfortable warmth creep up my neck. Of course, he noticed.
Something about saying her name made my chest tighten in a way that was deeply annoying. Rylan, however, seemed absolutely thrilled. He stood up straight, adopting this ridiculous stance, hands behind his back like he was addressing royalty or something.
"Yes, Alpha!" he said with this over-the-top enthusiasm. "I promise I'll personally oversee her security. We'll treat her like the queen she is to the pack, I swear it."
I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of my mouth. As much as I hated to admit it, Rylan was the best Beta I could ask for. But then, because he's Rylan, he kept going, too excited to shut up. "She'll be safe with us. I swear, nothing will happen to her."
"Good. But don't tell anyone in the pack about her yet. I'm not ready for that."
Rylan, of course, agreed immediately, practically bouncing on his toes. I held up a hand to stop him from blurting out another dozen promises. "She doesn't know about… anything. Not about me being a werewolf, or the Alpha, or the pack. I'll tell her myself, when I'm ready. Just make sure no one shifts in front of her, okay? We can't afford to scare her off."
Rylan nodded vigorously, then, in a move I absolutely didn't see coming, he rounded my desk and wrapped me in a hug. A hug! Me, Lucian Blackwood, Alpha of the Moonpeak Pack. Hugged.
I stood there, arms stiff at my sides, wondering when I'd lost control of my own life. Ares was laughing in the back of my mind, thoroughly entertained by my discomfort. Secretly, though, I couldn't help but find it a little funny too. Just a little.
"Get off me," I muttered, he let go but only after a solid five seconds of squeezing the life out of me. "You know I'm excited for you, right?" he said, practically bouncing on his heels again as he made his way to the door. "I'm going to get everything ready! You won't have to worry about a thing. I'll protect Teresa with my life if I have to!"
Ares, of course, piped up in my head, his voice warm and satisfied. "We're lucky to have him as our best friend and Beta."
I sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get all sentimental on me too, Ares."
But I couldn't help the small smile that lingered as I turned back to my desk. It was good to have someone like Rylan by my side. Even if he was an absolute idiot sometimes.