I just had to assure myself that nothing was wrong. The house looked really old school but nothing a little decorating couldn't fix. My mom, my sister and I used to do it all the time whenever we moved.God, I missed them so much. 

They were my only family. My dad left not long after I was born, he didn't want another burden. So my mom became both our mother and father then. And now, the universe has taken them away for me.

Six months ago my sister and mom were involved in a car accident, a drunk truck driver smashed them on the highway. They both didn't make it.

The walls of the cottage suddenly felt smaller. Quieter. Too quiet. 

I needed a distraction- a job. Something to stop me from spiraling.

So, I opened my laptop and searched for jobs nearby. The internet was slow as hell, but after a minutes, something popped up- Wolfe Enterprises. The name alone screamed and power. They handled exports, logistics, some weird forestry projects.

This wasn't my line of work but I needed to survive.

The next morning, I dressed up in a crimson fitted dress that felt too tight and too serious. I was more of a baggy tee kind of girl. My hair was tied up in a bun. I looked like a corporate version of my worst nightmare. I hated it.

"Good morning, I'm here for the Marketing assistant post." I said to the receptionist 

"Did you make an appointment?' she said bluntly.

"Hmmm, no ma'am. I was wondering if I could speak to the manager or something"

"No, you have to book an appointment"

"Please I really need this-"

"Who dares come to my company without an appointment?" 

I turned back to see what seems to be the CEO of the company. An extremely handsome man, which looked like sin carved in a suit. Dark brown hair and light brown eyes that could pierce through me. He looked extremely gorgeous, I didn't know when my jaw dropped. 

He looked.....familiar.

"Ohh, I'm sorry sir, my name is Tessa Morgan. I'm here on a job hunt sir. I can do anything sir, anything. But I work well in the marketing department." I said quickly before he orders to have me kicked out.

"Tessa?" he said with a look of familiarity. The way he said it made something in my stomach twist. 

The next words he said shocked me. "You'll be my new PA"

My mouth fell open "Are you serious?" 

"You want the job or not?" 

"Yes!Yes I do!"

"Good, then don't be late tomorrow." he left with only the scent of his cologne as proof of his presence.

The receptionist and I looked shocked, because it's not everyday the CEO of a freaking company offers you a job without any qualifications. That's so unbelievable.

I headed to my car and went to the grocery store to get a few things. I met Eli there, speaking to an extremely hot guy.

"Hi Eli" I walked up to him a nice catch look.

"Ohh,Tessa, look at you all dried up today" He turned, smiling. "This is my friend Jonah, Jonah...., Tessa" he said as he introduced us before the guy left.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to ruin your flirting session" I said sarcastically.

"Oh, I wish! He's way out of my league"

"Have you seen yourself?"

" Forget about me, where are you coming from looking all snatched?

"Actually..." I smirked. "You're looking at the new PA to the CEO of Wolfe Enterprises."

Eli's eyes widened. "You're lying."

"I wish I was. He practically hired me on the spot."

He blinked, stunned. "Wait-you mean Lucian Vale? The Lucian Vale?"

I shrugged. "I don't know his first name, but yeah, tall, rich, and looks like he'd ruin your life in a really expensive way."

Eli let out a low whistle. "Girl, that man's aura alone could make stock prices rise. You sure you didn't accidentally cast a spell on him?"

I chuckled. "Please. If I had powers, I'd magic myself a yacht by now."

But his words stuck with me for a second.

That aura thing... it was true. The moment Lucian walked into the room, it was like the air thickened-commanding, heavy, like gravity itself leaned toward him. He didn't need to raise his voice to make people obey. He just existed, and the world listened.

"You're quiet," Eli said, snapping me back to reality.

"I was just thinking. He's got this... presence. Like a-"

"-like an Alpha?" Eli finished for me, too quickly.

I frowned. "Yeah, exactly. How'd you know?"

He smiled, a little too easily. "Wild guess."

Something in his tone made me pause. But before I could ask, he grinned and clapped his hands. "Anyway! You just scored a job at Wolfe freaking enterprises. We have to celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

"Yeah. Drinks, music, bad decisions-the holy trinity of fun. There's a club down on Main that opens late. Don't even think about saying no."

"I don't really do parties anymore," I muttered.

Eli gasped dramatically. "Then tonight, you start again. Come on, Tessa, what's the worst that could happen?"

If only I knew.

We stopped at the mall to grab a sexy, badass dress - Eli practically dragged me in.

I liked him. He was so easy to talk to - bright, radiant, and full of life. He could easily pass as the gay best friend I never had, and the thought made me smile. My last best friend? Yeah, I caught her screwing my boyfriend. And instead of apologizing, she spread a stupid rumor about me.

"You look gorg, Tessa!" Eli said, eyes running down my dress but not in a creepy way. "Girl, you could pull a man or two if you tried."

I laughed, dry and sarcastic. "Haha. Sure."

We got to the club around 8 p.m. - probably not my smartest move, considering I had work tomorrow. But I told myself, YOLO. I needed this. I just wasn't going to drink... no matter how tempting. No fun there, but hey - we've got a job to keep. 

The disco lights flashed, bass thumped through the floor, and the air reeked of smoke, sweat, and expensive perfume. It was wild. Loud. Alive.

Pretty impressive for a small-town club.

The crowd was wild - bodies moving to the beat, laughter blending with bass. I was just starting to relax when Eli froze beside me, his glass halfway to his lips.

"What?" I asked, leaning closer.

He didn't answer at first. His eyes were fixed on the entrance. Then he leaned toward me, voice almost a whisper.

"That's him. He never comes out-especially not here."

I followed his gaze.

The moment our eyes met, everything around me seemed to fade. The music dulled, the crowd blurred, and for a brief second, it felt like the air between us shifted - heavy, electric, familiar.

His gaze locked on mine for a second-long enough for my breath to hitch. Then he looked away, speaking to someone at his side, and the spell broke.

"Relax," Eli said, "you're fine. He's not even looking at-"

"Miss Morgan," a deep voice cut through the music.

Eli's mouth dropped. "Oh my God, he is."

I froze.

That voice.

Low. Commanding. Impossible to ignore.

I turned around slowly-and there he was. Lucian Vale. The man I was supposed to work for tomorrow. Standing inches away from me, his dark eyes unreadable under the flickering club lights.

"Mr... Mr. Vale," I stammered.

His expression didn't change. "Interesting place for my new PA to be spending the night before her first day."

"I-uh-I was just-"

"Celebrating? You think Wolfe Enterprises hires assistants to party before work?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

Eli cleared his throat awkwardly. "She wasn't even drinking-"

"I didn't ask for your contribution, Eli." Lucian's gaze shifted to him for barely a second, and that was enough to make Eli stop talking.

"Get some rest, Miss Morgan," Lucian said finally. "You'll need it."

He leaned closer-not to flirt, but to make sure I heard him over the bass. His breath brushed my ear, calm but cold.

"Tomorrow, I expect you on time. And dressed like someone who works for me, not someone I found in a nightclub."

Lucian turned to leave, and just like that, the air shifted again - lighter, colder. He disappeared into the crowd before I could even blink, swallowed by the sea of bodies and flashing lights.

"What the actual hell was that?" Eli hissed, grabbing my arm. "Do you realize you just got caught clubbing by your boss?"

"I didn't plan this!" I said defensively, still staring at where Lucian had vanished. My heart was racing so fast it hurt. "He wasn't even supposed to be here!"

Eli shook his head, muttering something about bad luck and hot men with authority issues.

I tried to laugh it off, but I couldn't. Because even as I danced halfheartedly to the next song, even as Eli pulled me toward the bar for one last drink, I could still feel him.

His eyes.

His voice.

That calm authority that made my pulse do things it shouldn't.

By the time I got home, my heels in one hand and regret in the other, I couldn't stop replaying it in my head. The way he said Miss Morgan-like it meant something.

I kicked off my shoes and fell onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.

I should've felt embarrassed. Terrified even.

But what I felt was... something else.

A pull.

Unexplainable. Dangerous.

Like the moment our eyes met, something deep inside me woke up.

"Get a grip, Tessa," I whispered to myself. 

I'd met him twice. Twice. 

So why the hell couldn't I stop thinking about him? His voice echoed in my head, deep and calm, every word cutting through the music.

"Dressed like someone who works for me." I mimicked him. Arrogant bastard. And yet...my chest tightened just at the thought of seeing him again tomorrow.

The wind outside howled against the window, almost like a warning.

But in the woods beyond the cottage, something moved.

And if I'd looked outside just then, I might've seen them - those same golden eyes watching from the dark.

I could barely get any sleep last night, but that didn't stop me fro waking up early to get ready for my first day. After what happened last night, I had to impress Mr Vale today.

 I stared at my reflection for the tenth time that morning, tugging at the hem of my skirt. It was tighter than I remembered, too tight. Now I was wondering if it was actually professional at all or it just says "hire me daddy." I should have gotten new corporate wears too.

I sighed and reached for the blazer draped on the bed, hoping it covers my butt a little bit. Not wasting anymore time, I headed to my car and drove straight to Wolfe Enterprises.

By the time I reached the compamy's glass door, my palms were already sweaty, my confidence was thining. I made my way to his office, but he was already there when I walked in. He didn't look at me immediately but the atmosphere had already changed the moment I stepped in.

"You're late" he said flatly.

"But it's 8:59-"

He finally looked up. One look. That's what it took to make my throat dry up God, his eyes did something to me and I couldn't just understand it..

"I said 8;45. Early means prepared." he replied.

Right. Great start, Tessa.

"I'm sorry sir." 

"There's a file from accounting I need on my desk in 30 minutes. Third floor. Ask for Mr Jasper, get the file sorted."

"Right away sir." I said and left immediately.

My heels clicked gently on the marbled floor as I made my way to accounting department. I colleted what I was sent to get and sorted the file. Just as I was about to head back I heard laughters by the corner. I didn't mean to eavesdrop.

"-honestly, I don't get it," one voice saud, feminine and amused. "His last PA was flawless, effecient. Never a single complaint."

"Exactly," another voice replied. "And then he fred her and brings a Bimbo with zero experience. Have you seen her? Looks like she wandered in from a modelling gig."

"Maybe that's the point."

"Or maybe she's is new entertainment."

I froze. My chest tightening. Their words hurt but they were true. Why would he just hire me, a nobody that came out of nowhere? Was it because of my looks and body? 

I tried to shake the thoughts off. None of that mattered now. I have the job now. I have to prove to all of them that I am just as efficient or more because I am Tessa freaking Morgan!

By the time I got back to his office, my palms were slick with sweat again - though I blamed that on the elevator, not the whispers I'd just overheard.

I pushed the door open quietly. Lucian was still behind his desk, head bent over some documents like the world outside didn't exist. I hated that he looked so calm, like nothing ever got to him.

"Sir, the file from accounting," I said, setting it down carefully on his desk.

He didn't even glance up. "Leave it there."

I should've just dropped it and left, but for some reason, I wanted it to look neat - wanted him to see that I could do something right. So I leaned forward, aligning the folder edges with the others. The faint click of my bracelet echoed in the silence.

That's when I felt it. The weight of his stare.

I froze, my pulse stumbling. His pen had stopped moving. His hand, the one holding it, flexed once against the desk.

"Sir?" I asked quietly, glancing up.

"Don't."

The word came out sharp, rough - not loud, but it hit like a slap.

I blinked. "Don't what?"

His jaw tightened. He still wasn't looking at me. "Just... give me a minute."

I frowned, straightening up. "I'm sorry if I did something wrong-"

"Wrong?" he muttered under his breath, finally looking at me. For a second, I almost forgot to breathe. His eyes were darker than I remembered - like there was something fierce burning just beneath the surface.

"I'll just..." I took a small step back, trying not to sound nervous. "I'll sort the files on the side table instead."

I reached forward again, and my sleeve brushed his arm - just barely, but it was enough.

A low sound rumbled from his chest.

A growl.

I froze, heart leaping to my throat. "Did you just-growl at me?"

He didn't answer. He was staring at me like I was something he couldn't quite name - or maybe something he shouldn't want.

"Oh my God," I blurted, backing up a little. "You're one of those creepy, dominant boss types, aren't you? Look, I really need this job, but if you think-"

"Tessa."

My name rolled out of him like thunder - deep, low, and not humanly calm.

I swallowed hard. "What?"

His chest rose and fell once, like he was fighting to hold himself together. Then:

"Go home."

I blinked. "Sir, I haven't even spent up to two hours-"

"Go. Home."

This time it wasn't a request. It was a warning.

I opened my mouth to argue, but the look in his eyes made my words die instantly. Something about him scared me - not in a danger way, but in that weird, spine-prickling, heart-racing way I couldn't explain.

So I nodded, grabbed my bag, and slipped out.

As the elevator doors closed behind me, I finally let out the breath I'd been holding.

"What the hell was that?" I whispered under my breath, pressing a hand to my chest. My heart was still racing. My skin still tingled where my sleeve had brushed him.

And for the life of me, I couldn't tell if I was terrified...

or drawn to him.

Lucian's POV

The door slammed behind her, and the silence that followed was deafening.

Tessa Morgan.

Of all the damn people..... it had to be her.

I'd recognized her the second she stepped that morning - those eyes, that voice. Older now, more guarded, but still her. The girl I used to know. The one I ruined everything with.

But she didn't recognize me.

Not even a flicker of memory.

And maybe that should've been a relief.

It wasn't.

The wolf in me had gone wild the moment she entered the room. I'd told myself it was just attraction - human, simple, controllable. But when she leaned over my desk, when her scent hit me, when her heartbeat synced with mine...

It wasn't attraction. It was recognition.

My chest tightened painfully. The wolf stirred, whispering one word that chilled me to the bone.

Mate.

No. It couldn't be. Not her. Not after everything.

I slammed my hand against the desk, cracking the wood. "Get out," I'd told her - not because I was angry at her, but because I was angry at myself. Because the sound of her breathing, the way her lips parted when she was nervous, was enough to make me lose every ounce of control I'd built over the years.

She left in a hurry, confusion written across her face.

Now, standing there, I could still feel her in the room - her scent, her presence, the ghost of her laughter from years ago echoing somewhere deep inside me.

I'd promised myself I'd never go back to who I was back then. I'd keep to that promise.

"Tessa," I whispered to the empty office.

"Why did you have to come back?"

Tessa's POV

The diner looked brighter tonight - or maybe I was just desperate for something that didn't scream "total disaster."

I sank into a booth by the window, hair still slightly frizzy from the rain, and stirred the melting ice in my soda. The day had been a trainwreck. I'd been scolded, humiliated, and-God help me-growled at by my boss.

Growled.

What kind of man does that?

"Rough day?"

I looked up to see Eli sliding into the seat across from me, wearing his usual grin and a plaid shirt that made him look annoyingly comfortable.

"You have no idea," I sighed.

"Try me. You look like you're about to murder someone with that straw."

I gave a small laugh despite myself. "My boss. He's... ugh. He's impossible."

"Hmm?" His brow arched. "You know, people around here talk about him like he's the damn Pope and the devil rolled into one."

"Yeah, well, today he was definitely the devil." I leaned closer. "You won't believe what happened. He literally-growled. At me. That's so disgusting and perverted."

Eli froze, his easy smile faltering for a second.

I caught it. That flicker of something-fear? shock?-before he forced a laugh. "Growled? Like, actually grrr?"

"Yes!" I said, frustrated. "I was reaching for a file, and he just-snapped. I don't know what's wrong with him."

Eli cleared his throat and glanced around the diner before leaning in. "And what were you wearing when Mr. Ice King lost his mind?"

I frowned. "A pencil skirt and a blouse. Why?"

He smirked, eyes twinkling. "Because if you walked into his office looking like that," he gestured vaguely toward my hips, "I don't blame the man for forgetting how to act human."

I threw a napkin at him. "Eli!"

"What? I'm gay, not blind." He laughed, then his voice softened. "But seriously, be careful, Tess. He's not like other guys in this town."

I rolled my eyes. "You mean rich, arrogant, and allergic to fun?"

He hesitated, his expression briefly serious. "No. I mean different. Just-trust me, okay?"

 "You sound like you actually know him."

"Maybe I do." He forced a grin again, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Anyway! Forget him. Tomorrow's a new day. You'll kill it."

"Yeah," I muttered, taking a sip of my soda. "If he doesn't fire me first."

When Eli left to take another order, I glanced out the window. Across the street, a sleek black car was parked - engine running, lights off. For a second, I could've sworn I saw someone watching.

But when I blinked, it was gone.