On my grandfather's farm, I met Arthur - a kind, good-hearted, and handsome guy. Blond, with light brown eyes - "whiskey-colored," as they say - he had a natural way with animals and was studying to become a veterinarian. He was a bit skinny and had only recently started working for his grandfather. He was the same age as Eli.

We quickly became friends. Arthur always knew how to keep a conversation interesting, and his sense of humor was spot on.

One day, when Eli came to visit us on the farm, I whispered shyly,

"Eli, I think... I have a not-so-friendly kind of crush on Arthur."

We were standing in the garden, and I couldn't take my eyes off Arthur, who was fussing over a mare about a hundred meters away.

"He has such hands... And his gaze? It goes straight into a woman's soul. Here's a secret - I think I'm in love," I confessed softly.

Eli snorted and laughed - not very ladylike.

"You just realized this today? What about yesterday?"

"Well, yesterday I didn't have those thoughts. But today... I realized I can't breathe properly when he's around," I admitted, still not used to sharing my feelings.

Eli laughed even harder.

"Oh, you silly greenhorn! It's a full moon tonight! Werewolves have what you might politely call heightened libido for twenty-four hours. Your female instincts need male attention. And since Arthur's young and handsome, guess who caught the spotlight? He's definitely into you too. Don't confuse physical urges with real feelings," she said more gently.

I thought about it - and she was right. Mostly, it was just strong physical excitement.

"Do you get like that too? How do you handle it?" I asked, then added quietly and a bit embarrassed, "Have you... well, experienced THAT yet?"

Eli's expression suddenly grew sad.

"No. Not yet. My parents are 'saving me for my carefree future.'"

I raised my eyebrows, confused.

"That's why they lock me in my room on full moon nights. During the day, it's just desire, but at night, it becomes a need - one not everyone can resist."

"What do you mean by 'my carefree future'?"

"They're not true mates," Eli explained. "Their marriage is one of convenience. My mother wasn't eager to marry my father, and he didn't care who he married. Now they claim they're happy and tell me to find my mate. But I think they just settled and got used to it. They're trying to find a suitable purebred mate for me to keep the family's status and wealth. That's my fate too."

I was shocked. I looked at Eli and couldn't imagine living with a man you didn't love. What if he was awful? It felt so unfair. I felt sorry for her - she's such a bright, cheerful person, and they want to force this on her.

"But last full moon, you were in the woods!" I recalled, frowning.

"Yes. My parents went to visit relatives - probably my cousin was looking for a fiancé. They had a family council. The maid forgot to lock me up since my parents usually do it themselves. I slipped out for a walk," Eli said cheerfully, then added, "Don't worry. I've got a plan. If my fiancé turns out ugly or old or just wrong for me, I'll run. I'm even learning to pick locks - saving my pocket money," she winked.

My eyes widened. God, I wish I had her courage and optimism sometimes.

That night, I asked my grandfather to lock me in my room. He was surprised but did as I asked.

The night was horrible. A burning heat low in my belly, I thought I'd climb the walls. I'd never felt desire so intensely. My she-wolf didn't understand my reclusive behavior - she wanted to roam free, not act like a noble lady. I won't admit it openly, but I had to... take care of myself.

How long could I keep this up?

____

Six years passed.

What changed? Almost everything.

Eli found her true mate - Robert Vesnitsky. He's also a werewolf, though not originally meant for her. Fate, it seems, is a magician - they found each other.

I'm so happy for her. Now they're raising their son, Nicholas, who's four. I adore that little boy - those sweet cheeks just begging to be kissed.

Mia grew into a beautiful girl. I can't really call her "Cucumber" anymore - well, only when I want to tease her. But I still love her madly.

Her favorite pastime is reading - especially romance novels. And she's obsessed with a popular boy band, like most girls her age. Apparently, at this age, everyone sees the world through rose-colored glasses, waiting for their prince on a white horse.

I finished my studies in the city a couple of years ago but never stayed.

I came back to care for my grandfather, who had sacrificed so much for me. Age and the loss of my grandmother have taken a toll on him. Werewolves can live over a century - but not without their mate.

It's been a month since he passed away.

I still live on his farm. Somehow, it makes me feel closer to him - I miss him deeply. He was not just my grandfather but my life mentor. We buried him next to my grandmother, so they're finally reunited.

I have never met my mate, and probably never will.

I'm almost twenty-five, and still no suitable candidate for family life.

There were suitors, dates, courtships - but nothing ever felt right. The honeymoon phase is lovely, but I can't imagine any of them as my lifelong partner.

So I stopped looking. Finding your mate is a gift of fate - and maybe it's just not meant for me.

One afternoon, sitting on the porch of my grandfather's house, sipping aromatic tea and watching the workers around the farm, my phone rang.

Damn. I'd just gotten comfortable, and the phone was inside the house.

Reluctantly, I got up and trudged to answer. Who could disturb my siesta?

I answered without looking:

"Hello?"

"Danka, hi!" Eli's voice was warm. "How are you?"

"As usual. Nothing new," I answered, lacking enthusiasm.

"That's no good!" I could hear her frown - then excitement crept into her voice.

"Listen, Robert's good friend needs an assistant - well, technically a secretary's assistant. Apparently, the secretary 'works after hours' so much she never finishes her tasks. Grandpa's gone now, so why stay in that village? A change of scenery might help you find a groom. It's good for women's health."

I rolled my eyes. Everyone wants to set me up. First Mom, then Dad, now Eli.

"I don't have problems with 'women's health,'" I replied dryly.

"Oh, right. You have Arthur - your 'female helper'!" she teased, irritated.

"Oh God! Don't call him that! You know he's a good guy," I muttered.

"All right. He loves you, so he'll do anything. Why don't you give him a chance?"

"I love him - as a friend. A special friend, yes, but nothing more. What chance? It wouldn't be fair to him. I don't have deeper feelings, and he deserves someone who loves him completely."

Arthur matured a lot over the years. He started going to the gym and got strong. Not a skinny boy anymore - a handsome man popular with women.

We were, are, and I hope, will remain good friends. Arthur and Eli are my best friends.

It would be foolish to deny that I know about his feelings. It's obvious to anyone paying attention.

I endured every full moon, hoping for my soulmate, then grew desperate. The she-wolf demanded her due.

And at one of those moments, Arthur was simply there.

Abstinence wasn't just unpleasant anymore - it was painful. I thought the she-wolf would one day take full control, so better to give my innocence to someone I know and who loves me, rather than to the first person my horny she-wolf gazed at.

That's how our friendship became friends with benefits. When it gets really bad, Arthur helps. Never refused.

It's funny - who can say no? Maybe he still hopes I'll love him, though I've been clear from the start so he has no illusions.

We probably should end it before he never finds someone else. Arthur deserves happiness. God, how selfish I am! Maybe Eli's right - I need a change of scenery.

"Yeah, he's a good guy," Eli agreed. "Think about the job. It's a great chance to settle in the city, and the pay's good. But the boss is, let's say, lovey-dovey - which keeps the secretary from getting work done. I bet there's a blonde with a size five bust and saucer lips," she laughed. "Don't think too long - a place like that won't stay empty."

"You know what? I'm in. What do I have to lose?" I shrugged. "But one condition - just for you."

"What's that?"

"Don't tell Robert to help me get the job. I want to do the interview myself. No pretty eyes or connections."

I heard Eli sigh and probably roll her eyes. Then she said,

"All right. You're smart and responsible. I trust you'll manage. I promise not to interfere."

"Deal."

"But pack your things. The interview's the day after tomorrow. You'll stay in our old apartment - not far from the firm. We haven't sold it since buying the new house."

"Thank you so much, Eli. What would I do without you?"

"Did Eli say it was an apartment?" I muttered to myself, stunned as I stepped inside. No way. This was no apartment-it was a freaking mansion in a luxury high-rise! A massive kitchen with high-end appliances in dark tones, a gigantic living room with a flat-screen mounted on the wall, two bathrooms, and four bedrooms. All for me? I didn't need that much space. But hey, who was I to complain? Thank you, Eli, for the royal treatment.

I unpacked my things, stocked up on groceries, made dinner, and decided to get to bed early. Tomorrow will be the big day-my interview-and I needed to be in top shape. The closer it got, the more my nerves acted up.

The next morning, I woke up before my alarm. After a quick shower, I applied a light day makeup and styled my hair into a neat bun. I chose a dark blue pantsuit that flattered my figure without screaming for attention. A pale blue blouse with a subtle neckline completed the look. Tasteful. Elegant. Professional. Eli and I had spent hours poring over fashion magazines, and thanks to her, I knew how to dress to impress.

As I approached the address of the company, I spotted a towering building with mirrored windows and the name "MoTech" displayed in sleek letters. I stepped into the enormous loft-style lobby, where a security checkpoint loomed ahead. A nervous shiver ran down my spine. I looked down and spotted a faint strip of fur flicker on the back of my hand-it vanished seconds later. My inner wolf wasn't sleeping. Great.

Calm down, Dana. Just don't embarrass yourself.

What was I thinking, accepting this interview without even knowing what the company did? Too late to back out now. Deep breaths. You've got this.

I took the elevator to the right floor and walked toward the director's reception. The moment I stepped inside, a fresh wave of anxiety crashed over me. Six women were already seated on the couches-groomed to perfection, all legs, curves, and gloss. Seriously, were they scouted from a modeling agency? Tight dresses, heavy perfume that made my nose twitch, and not a single outfit that said "professional."

I stood there, unsure, then finally asked, "Excuse me, is the secretary-?"

"She's stepped out. You can leave the mail on the desk," one overly-enhanced lady interrupted with a pouty mouth.

"I'm not here with mail. I'm here for the interview."

Six pairs of eyes turned to scan me from head to toe, but none responded. Fine. Only one of us was going to be hired anyway, and I wasn't here to make friends.

A few minutes later, a woman in her fifties walked into the room. Fit, polished, and commanding. I caught the scent immediately-wolf. Her neatly styled blond hair, tailored dark-gray suit, and sharp brown eyes left no doubt she was a professional.

"Good morning. My name is Margarita, personal secretary to Konstantin Molotovsky, the CEO of MoTech. You've been invited to interview for the position of my assistant," she announced firmly.

Wait, what?! Oh, how I wished Eli could see this. So much for her "big-boobed bimbo secretary" theory.

"I will be conducting the interview myself and making the final decision," she continued. The girls visibly slumped.

She handed out questionnaires. "You have thirty minutes to complete the test. Then I'll speak with you individually."

I dove into the form. The questions weren't too hard but required basic knowledge and logic. When time was up, we handed them in. Margarita sat at her desk reviewing the answers, occasionally raising or lowering her eyebrows in surprise or doubt.

Finally, she removed her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Victoria and Dana, stay. The rest of you may leave."

The other girls pouted and strutted out. Victoria practically glowed with self-satisfaction, tossing her jet-black hair and shooting us a smug look.

"You both did well on the theoretical portion," Margarita said. "I'd like to work with each of you for two days to determine who is the best fit."

Okay, that was progress. Now I just had to impress her and edge out Victoria. Lost in thought, I tucked a stray lock behind my ear and my earring popped off. Great. I bent to retrieve it-it had rolled under the desk.

As I reached for it, the reception door opened. And just like a whiff of ammonia makes your head jerk away, a shockingly pleasant scent hit me. Not pungent-divine. Like ocean breeze and something sweet I couldn't even name. My head snapped up-and hit the underside of the desk. Perfect.

I heard Victoria giggle under her breath. Witch.

I crawled out, rubbing my head, and saw him.

The world stopped.

Tall, dark-blond hair, intense green eyes. Maybe thirty years old. He was looking straight at me. My wolf stirred inside me, letting out a soft growl of recognition.

He was my mate.

How bizarre, to instantly know someone you've never met. I was overwhelmed-joy, longing, fulfillment. I stood there glowing like a Christmas tree until he broke the silence:

"Margarita, what's going on here?"

"Good afternoon, Konstantin. This is the interview for my assistant. This is-"

"I'm Victoria," the vixen interrupted, thrusting her hand toward my mate. Her whole body screamed flirtation.

And mine screamed to rip her throat out. My wolf was fully on board.

"Yes, that's Victoria," Margarita said with a hint of disapproval. "And this is Dana," she added, gesturing to me.

Our eyes met again-and I understood. He was human. He didn't know. He didn't feel the bond. And he had no idea who I was to him.

Then I noticed he wasn't alone. A stunning redhead with aristocratic features stood behind him, raising a single eyebrow in silent judgment.

Ouch. That hurt. But I wasn't jumping to conclusions.

They nodded politely and disappeared into the director's office.

I wanted to chase after them and claw both Victoria and that redhead to pieces. My instincts wrestled with common sense. Thankfully, Grandpa had taught me how to tame my beast.

Disappointment washed over me. He hadn't recognized me. I was right here. So close. And he just... walked past.

Margarita kept us busy with minor tasks throughout the day. I managed to survive until closing time. The redhead finally left, not even sparing us a glance. I didn't want to know what they were doing.

Turns out MoTech developed cutting-edge technology-everything from micro-cameras to high-end gadgets. R&D, production, the works. Their engineers were top-tier.

Around two hours before the end of the day, Margarita dismissed us. She said she'd work with each of us for two days, then announce her decision at the end of the week. Tomorrow was Victoria's turn, which meant I had two days off.

As I left the building, the emotions I'd held back all day finally broke loose. Tears welled up as I walked home. Once inside, I collapsed by the front door and sobbed.

I had waited all my life for that meeting. And when it happened... he didn't even see me. Now, every other man was meaningless. My wolf wouldn't let anyone else near. She knew he was our mate.

Maybe it would've been better never to meet him. I could've fallen in love with someone else. But not now. Still... maybe there was hope. Why was I already spiraling into depression?

Eventually, I got up, washed, changed, and crawled into bed. I wasn't even hungry-just sick from the stress.

Then my phone rang.

"Dana! How did it go? I chewed off all my nails waiting!" Eli's voice chirped on the other end.

"It was fine. They picked me and one other girl for a trial period. We'll each work two days, then they'll decide."

"You sound... off. Are you upset?"

"I'm fine," I lied.

"I know you, Dana. You've got this! They'd be crazy not to pick you."

If only she knew what was tearing me up inside. But I wasn't ready to talk yet.

"By the way," I changed the subject, "the secretary wasn't some office bimbo. She was this sophisticated woman in her fifties. A real pro. And also a wolf."

"No way!" I imagined her eyes widening. "Molotovsky? That guy's known for his passionate lifestyle," she teased.

Oof. Another dagger to my heart. My wolf bristled.

"Crazy he hired someone who doesn't want to jump into his bed," she laughed.

I wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"Then again, who knows. Rumors are rumors. You'll find out soon enough."

To change the topic again, I asked about her son, Nicolas. That little troublemaker always brightened my mood.

Today, he had decided to "help" in their garden by yanking out a whole batch of flower stems that were actually meant for seed collecting. Their maid nearly fainted.

I laughed, imagining if he had done that to my mom's flowerbed. She'd have a full-blown heart attack.

We chatted for a while longer before hanging up. Despite everything, my heart felt a little lighter.

Konstantin:

The morning began, as usual, with a light breakfast and a cup of coffee prepared by my chef.

My mood was lifted by a recent major deal-one that wasn't just profitable, but truly interesting to me. Our firm had finalized it only a couple of days ago, and it involved some very influential people.

As an inventor, I thrived on complex tasks and challenges. My mind was constantly buzzing with projects and ideas for such assignments.

While mulling over yet another invention that could be improved, I drove myself to MoTech-my brainchild. I had a personal driver and security detail, of course, but whenever I needed time to think, I preferred to get behind the wheel myself. My men always followed in another car and had long since grown used to my quirks. Though, why call them quirks? I bought expensive, sometimes exclusive cars, and I enjoyed driving them myself, feeling the raw power of the machines.

Driving helped me think. In fact, whenever ideas came to me, I could fixate on almost any action just to hold on to the thought and work through every detail. Once, I stood frozen for an hour in a shopping mall in front of a glass waterfall installation. That was when the idea struck me on how to enhance smartphone camera resolution at night.

Those close to me-both family and trusted employees-knew about this trait of mine. Nothing surprised them anymore, and they had also learned that it was best not to disturb me in those moments.

Pulling into the company's underground parking lot, I spotted my longtime colleague, Nicole. She waited until I parked the car, and together we headed to my office to discuss the recent contract. Not many employees know the kind of agreements we sometimes sign, or the sort of people we deal with. Only a few are privy to such things-and Nicole is one of them.

Strange as it may sound, this redheaded beauty is one of my best developers. She was practically one of the very first I started working with many years ago, back when everything was just taking shape.

Naturally, at the beginning, I even tried to make a move on her, but she turned me down-politely. And I'm glad she did. Surprisingly, her refusal never affected our relationship; instead, we grew to be very close friends. In hindsight, it's for the best that nothing happened between us. She's far too valuable as an employee, and together we've brought many projects to life.

Walking through the sleek corridors, we took the elevator up to the top floor. Exchanging only a few words along the way, we entered my reception area.

And that's when I was greeted with an utterly unexpected sight.

Before me was the very tempting view of someone's shapely backside! At that moment, all the blood from the upper half of my body rushed downward so quickly that my pants became unbearably tight.

Whoa. That was a first. It seemed today I had broken the record for fastest arousal-reacting like a teenager stumbling upon a lingerie magazine.

The owner of that elegant backside must have heard the door open and tried to jump up quickly, but instead she banged her head rather loudly against the desk. Despite that, she managed to spring to her feet and turn around.

For a moment, I was completely captivated. Her chestnut hair, styled in a simple manner, highlighted her light-gray eyes, in which I caught flickers of golden sparks. Her small, slightly full lips gave her face an almost angelic look. And the way she looked at me... I instantly imagined those lips, only on another part of my body.

Damn.

To shake off the sudden vision, I turned to Margo and asked,

"Margaret, what exactly is going on here?"

"Good afternoon, Konstantin. This is an interview for the position of my assistant. This is-" But before she could finish, she was interrupted.

"My name is Victoria," another voice chimed in, and that's when I realized there was a second young woman in the room. She eagerly stretched out her hand toward me in greeting.

This girl wasn't shy in the least. With her body language alone, she was already flirting with me. I might not have minded spending some pleasant time with this Victoria under other circumstances, but now she was practically about to become my employee. And I had one rule: no intimate relationships with subordinates.

Knowing Margarita, I could tell that the little curtsy from the girl had clearly annoyed her.

"Yes, this is Victoria," Margarita said, glancing at Vika with obvious displeasure. "And this is Dana," she added, pointing toward the first girl.

Our eyes met again, and maybe it was just my imagination, but for a brief moment I thought I saw sadness flicker in hers.

I couldn't linger long in the reception area-not with the urgent need to calm down my "friend." And Dana's tempting neckline, though not even that deep, certainly wasn't helping the situation.

Nicole and I headed into my office, where we quickly immersed ourselves in discussing our project. Still, from time to time, the image of the new employee's perfect backside would pop back into my mind. Strange. As if I hadn't seen beautiful women before? I'd seen curves far juicier, but for some reason this one stuck in my head. I should have at least touched it-pinched it maybe. The thought made a foolish grin spread across my face as I pictured the reactions of everyone in the room if I had actually done that.

"Kos, are you daydreaming again?" Nicole asked with a smile. "New ideas?"

"Something like that," I replied, trying to change the subject. "What was it you wanted to talk about? We still need to go over a few points from the contract."

"Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to discuss. I think we could offer our client more advanced options for some of the positions. I sketched out a few possible improvements, and I need your opinion." Nicole pulled a folder with drawings from her bag and handed them to me.

"Perfect, let me take a look."

And just like that, our workday began.

Nicole left my office closer to noon, while I remained at my desk, completely absorbed in work. I was so focused that I had to order food delivered straight to the office.

All day long, I kept catching myself thinking about Dana. Her image lingered in my mind, distracting me from work.

My eyes grew tired, my back and neck stiff. Glancing at the clock, I saw the workday was nearly over. I packed up and stepped into the reception area. Scanning the office, I found only Margo there. A faint pang of disappointment hit me. Really? Was I hoping to see someone else? Curiosity got the better of me.

"Are you alone? Where are your assistants?"

"I let them go early today. Enough for the first day. Why, did you need something?" Margo asked, narrowing her eyes with curiosity.

"Tomorrow we need to get in touch with our client and arrange a meeting. We managed to improve several positions in the contract, and I think they'll be interested."

"Yes, this contract is a real step up, isn't it?" Margarita said with a smile. "I'll make sure to inform them tomorrow."

After saying goodbye, I headed home.

Two nights in a row, I dreamed of Dana. My imagination ran wild, and the things that happened in those dreams messed with my head all day long. Getting rid of that morning hardness became a real struggle. Since that day, I hadn't seen her in the office, but it didn't make things any easier.

I needed to release the tension in my pants. Time to call Olivia. She was excellent at dealing with that kind of problem. I didn't have a girlfriend, and I never built serious relationships. I was too busy for that kind of nonsense, and honestly, I had never met a woman who made me even consider it. People called me a die-hard bachelor-or, in some cases, a womanizer. But that wasn't quite true. I simply wasn't interested in relationships, and I saw no reason to refuse when a very attractive woman offered herself to me on a silver platter.

I always set my boundaries clearly: after intimacy, there would be no romance. Women knew what they were signing up for. And there were plenty who were perfectly happy just spending some pleasant time together without obligations. Olivia was one of them. A nymphomaniac by nature, she was always quick to answer the call of my body. Encounters like that left everyone satisfied-and everyone happy.