by T. S. Ryder
It took all she had to convince herself that she was just crazy.
Jeremy was the least of her worries at that point. If she wanted to get out of work before midnight she had quite a bit to get done. Her plan was just to keep working until the files were all digitalized, but unfortunately, she hadn’t eaten all day and her stomach was starting to sound like a war zone.
Grimacing as her stomach rumbled, Clara let out a grumble and pushed back her chair. She could at least go around the corner and find herself something to eat. Snagging her purse where it was hidden away under her desk, she quickly exited the workspace and headed for the elevator.
It was getting dark by the time that she exited the building, the sun dropping down behind the buildings. Waving at the security guard and explaining that she would be right back, she rushed to the nearest fast food restaurant she could find before making her way back.
The moon had risen completely behind her, and a cool breeze moved through the street, making Clara wish she had thought to bring her coat. Grimacing, Clara made her way up to the front doors, only to hesitate when she thought she could make out a shape trotting through the halls inside.
Moving closer, she felt her eyes go wide when she saw the shape disappearing down another hall. It looked like a dog of some sort, probably a stray, but how had it gotten past the fences and into the building?
“What in the world?” she whispered, slowly pressing open the doors. Holding her bags close to her chest, she moved into the deserted building once more. “Hello?” she called, making her way down the hall where she had seen the dog disappear.
Maybe she was just seeing things. After all, if there was a dog in the building that would mean that someone would have had to let it in. Otherwise, there was no way that it could manage to not only sneak past the guard but also pull open the doors and move inside without anyone noticing.
Maybe it was somebody’s pet that they snuck into the building, but somehow got loose? She doubted it, though. The only time she’d ever seen an animal brought into the building was a kitten that had been too small to be left at home alone. The woman who had brought it in had even gotten special permission to keep the kitten at her desk.
A sudden crash left Clara whirling.
Gasping as she quickly located the room that it came from, she bit her lip and slowly moved towards the open door. Peering inside, she felt her eyes widen as she spotted a massive, wolf-like dog pulling open one of the filing cabinets with his teeth before starting to paw through the papers inside.
That wasn’t normal. Something was going on here and she didn’t like it one bit. She had to go tell the security guard that there was some sort of demon dog going through their files. Her eyes wide, Clara reached out and pulled the door shut, locking it just as the beast whirled around in confusion.
Rushing away as the dog leaped for the door and started to shake at the lock, she quickly moved to go find the security guard. He would be able to do something about the beast.
Chapter Two
“Did you see what kind of dog it was?” the security guard questioned, moving into the building with Clara at his heels.
“I didn’t really stick around to find out. It looked like some sort of wolf it was so big!” the woman grumbled, moving over to the door that the dog was behind and waiting for the security guard to pull out his keys to unlock it.
“Well, whatever kind of dog it is, I hope it’s friendly. I really don’t want to have to call animal control,” the guard explained, peeking in through the glass to try and spot the beast. “I mean, they’re not as fun to talk to as you think they would be. Last time I called one they gave me a lecture on raccoons because I had to have one removed from an air duct,” he pointed out dramatically, unlocking the door and peering inside.
“Do you see it?” Clara whispered, only to squeak when the door swung open and a man was revealed standing in the doorframe. Both of them stumbled back in confusion, their eyes locked onto the amused-looking form.
“I’m sorry, did I startle you?” the man asked, flicking on the light in the room with a smile. “I was looking around in here for some files, and the next thing I knew I was locked inside.” He sighed, his dark chocolate eyes sparkling with amusement at the shock on both Clara and the guard’s face.
“M-Mr. Snyder!” the guard gasped, his eyes huge as he seemed to recognize the man in front of him. Instantly Clara felt her heart sink in her chest. Not only had she apparently mistaken a man for a dog, but she had also managed to lock her boss in a storage room.
The CEO of the company was standing in front of her, and she was pretty sure that she was either going to throw up or faint.
“You…there was a dog in here,” Clara stuttered, her eyes huge as Mr. Snyder and the guard exchanged glances.
“I believe you might have just seen my back while I was crouched over,” Mr. Snyder pointed out, his eyes slowly sliding over Clara’s form with a discerning look. “Of course, I’m not upset. If I thought I saw a dog I wouldn’t want it running around the building.” He laughed, smiling at the guard and waving him off. “Have a good night, Charlie. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He winked.
“Of course, Mr. Snyder!” The guard nodded, rushing away and leaving Clara alone with the CEO.
“Listen, Mr. Snyder, I didn’t…” Clara started, flushing when the man lifted up a hand to silence her.
“Please, my name is Nathaniel, but you can call me Nate,” Nate insisted gently, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement as he moved into the hall. “Now, Ms.-,”
“Maddison, Clara Maddison,” Clara managed to squeak out, biting her lip as she was led towards the back exit. “I am so sorry that I locked you in the closet! I had no idea that you were in there, I swear I saw a wolf. I must just be exhausted,” she stuttered out, terrified that she had just cost herself her job.
“Clara, calm down. You aren’t crazy, and though I have no way of knowing if you are exhausted or not, I can say that you did, in fact, see a dog in that room,” Nate pointed out, chuckling when she looked up at him in confusion. “Listen, it would be too much for me to explain right now.” He sighed softly, gesturing towards his car with a smile. “Would you like to join me for drinks?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.
“I would love to, but I have a lot of work that needs to be done by tomorrow,” she whispered, biting her lip as he let out a soft hum of disappointment.
“Well, I suppose that is unfortunate, but fortunately for you, I am your boss,” he reminded her, his eyes sparkling with amusement when she blushed and looked away. “Now, I’ll ask again, would you like to join me for a drink, Clara?” he asked sweetly.
Biting her lip as she looked up at the man, Clara felt her heart flutter in her chest at the sweet, flirtatious look on the man’s handsome face. How could she say no to a chance at drinks with the CEO of her company? Besides, she needed to figure out what he was talking about when he said that she had seen a dog.
“Alright, Mr. Sny…Nate.” She caught herself, smiling when he took her arm and led her towards his car. “But you have to promise that you’re going to explain to me exactly what’s going on,” she said, earning a laugh from Nate as he nodded.
“I swear, Clara, you will be completely filled in by the end of the night.” He winked, helping her into the car before settling in himself. As their car slid away from the curb, Clara felt her heart flutter in her chest nervously. She was hoping that by the end of the night, the confusion that was bubbling in her chest would be resolved.
Chapter Three
She had been expecting the man to bring her to a bar, so when they pulled up in front of his home she felt a strange feeling of apprehension roll through her. Moving out of the car as he did, she bit her lip and allowed him to lead her up to the door.
“I hope this is alright. As much as I enjoy bars, I do find that my favorite place to drink is in my own home,” he explained, taking her coat and hanging it up with a smile as he undid his tie with a re
lieved sigh.
“It’s perfectly alright,” she smiled shakily, moving with him into his sitting room and finding herself amazed at the full bar that he had set up there. “I still would like to know what you meant when you said I had seen a dog. There was very clearly no dog in that room when we opened it,” she reminded the man, accepting the glass of wine he handed to her with a frown.
“You are absolutely right to be confused, Clara.” Nate smiled, sipping his wine and humming softly. “You see, things are not always what they seem at first glance. When you saw the dog in the first time you peered in, what you failed to realize is that this dog was not a normal run of the mill dog. It was a wolf.”
“A wolf? That makes even less sense. There haven’t been wolves in this area in hundreds of years!” Clara pointed out, watching as the man moved around the room, taking note of his rich, musky scent that filled the air as he moved past her.
“You’re wrong on that account,” he said, sitting down across from her in one of the plush chairs and gesturing for her to join him. “You see, many years ago there were hundreds of wolves roaming through these forests, and the legends claim that when man started to hunt them and chase them from their land, they developed the ability to mimic the shape of mankind,” he explained, earning a frown from Clara.
It was obvious to her that the eccentric billionaire in front of her had lost his mind completely. Either that or he was mocking her for calling the guard on him and locking him in a storage room. Either way, she knew that she had no desire to remain in his home.
“I think I’ll stand.” Clara attempted to sound nonchalant in the way she spoke, hoping that she didn’t come off as ready to jump ship. She had heard one too many horror stories about men luring people into their homes and killing them when they got them alone. Maybe he thought she had seen something that would incriminate him. That would be just her luck.
“I understand your reluctance to accept the truth. Most people don’t.” Nate smiled, taking a sip from his wine and humming at the anxiety obvious in the woman’s stance. “Relax, Clara. I won’t hurt you, I promise. Honestly, I’m very interested in you, Clara. You’ve been rising up the ladder so quickly. I’d like to be able to get to know you a little more personally,” he assured her, tapping his fingers against his glass.
“I’d love to, honestly, I would, but maybe we could do it some other time? It’s very late.” She laughed nervously, her gaze flickering towards the door. She was so close, all she would need to do was run and he’d have to stand up to catch her. Why did she have to choose that day to wear heels?
“But if you leave, how on earth am I supposed to tell you about the dog you saw?” he asked, looking more amused than anything at her eagerness to sprint out of the building. Chuckling when she hesitated, obviously tempted to hear what he had to say, he hummed softly. “There was a dog, Clara,” he pointed out.
“Yes, I know. I’m not blind, I’m just apparently a bit stupid,” Clara grumbled, reluctantly sitting down across from Nate and eyeing him cautiously. “Are you going to tell me that you’re some sort of werewolf and that I should be careful because you’re dangerous and you might hurt me? Listen, I’ve read the books, and I wasn’t impressed. If this is some way to seduce me, you’re going to be horribly disappointed,” she pointed out bluntly earning a stunned look from Nate as he looked back at her.
“I-I didn’t mean to…” He seemed to struggle for a minute to comprehend what she had said, his eyes filling with mirth as he threw back his head and roared with laughed. Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his hair and looked up at the woman.
“Can you blame a guy for wanting to play a little mysterious?” he asked, his soft eyes filling with amusement when she eyed him slowly. “Fair enough, no more games. You want me to get straight to the point? I’ll get straight to the point,” he mumbled, sliding his fingers through his tousled hair and standing.
“Like I said before, I appreciate your forwardness, but I’m really not looking for a relationship with my boss at this moment. I am attempting to rise through the ranks and the last thing I need are nasty rumors going around that you and I are dating,” she mumbled, moving to stand herself and hesitating when the man in front of her seemed to slowly shift in place. “Are you alright Mr…” She shut up with a screech as the man doubled over, sinking onto all fours while his body shifted slightly.
Instantly, as his body changed in front of her, his eyes went from chocolate brown to bright yellow. His skin shifted from tanned flesh into gray, nearly black fur. He was larger than a normal dog, but she recognized him almost immediately from the room.
He wasn’t lying. He was the dog.
Letting out a shriek as she fell backward into her chair, Clara scrambled away from the massive beast and whimpered when he trotted forward and let out a little playful growl. Her heart pounded in her chest. Looking up at the man with terrified eyes, she whimpered and immediately snapped her eyes closed when the wolf leaned in, growling menacingly in her ear.
“No, no, no…please don’t kill me!” she sobbed, covering her face with her hands. Just as she was about to scream in fear, she felt her breath hitch when his tongue lightly trailed over her cheek. The feeling not that of a dog’s, but instead like a man’s.
Trembling as she felt a hand slide up to rest on the side of her face, she slowly allowed her eyes to open and whimpered when she recognized Nate’s dark chocolate eyes staring back at her.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you so badly,” Nate whispered, his forehead resting against hers as her vision swam with fear. “Are you alright?” he whispered, trailing his fingers over her cheek.
Clara couldn’t find words. Her breath was still caught in her throat as she stared back at the man with huge eyes. Shuddering at the amused look on his face, she glared at him and her hand snaked out and slapped him across the face harshly.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded, scooting back as he looked startled and lifted a hand up to his stinging cheek. “You can’t just turn into a dog and expect me not to freak out!” she snapped, wiping at her still streaming eyes as he looked sheepishly back at her.
“Clara, I’m so sorry,” he grimaced, sitting down with a sigh and waiting for her to calm down a bit before speaking. “I normally wouldn’t have just shown you, but there’s something about you that makes me want to trust you.” He blushed, looking up at her with sad eyes when she continued to glare at him.
Sighing, Clara ran her shaking fingers through her tangled hair, closing her eyes a moment before looking back up at Nate.
“I’ll take that wine now,” Clara insisted, moving to her feet and slumping onto the couch with a groan. After everything she had been through that night, she was going to need more than a glass of wine to calm her nerves, but at least for now it didn’t look like he had any intentions of killing her.
Chapter Four
It took a couple of glasses of wine to calm the shaking in Clara’s hands, but the truly apologetic look on Nate’s face helped to soothe her pounding heart. Despite his dangerous appearance as a wolf, his human self was far from threatening. He had some power to him, yes, but nothing that Clara couldn’t handle and hadn’t dealt with in the past working for such a powerful company.
“Alright, so let me get this straight,” she began, setting her glass down on the table once it was empty while she regarded her boss with sharp, blue eyes. “You’re some sort of werewolf?” she asked, tapping her fingers against her knee while she stared back at Nate patiently.
“Werewolf? No, that would insinuate that I don’t have control of my other form. I don’t work for the wolf, the wolf is me,” Nate pointed out with a hum, reaching out a hand to show her how his claws could grow out at will before letting them retract back into himself. “I prefer the term shapeshifter. It’s far more accurate to my condition.”
“So you’re a shape shifter, alright. Are there other people like you?” Clara asked, still trying to get thi
s new information straight in her head. Nate nodded, glancing up at her and smiling softly.
“There’s entire communities of people like me who can become different creatures. Some of them wolves, others cats. I’ve even run into a group that can turn into some sort of deer,” Nate explained. “The shifters in this area, though, are mostly wolves, and they all work under me.” He grinned wickedly, a familiar, smug look crawling onto his features.
“Work for you? Why?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at his cocky look.
“Because I’m their alpha.” He laughed, leaning closer and eyeing the woman slowly. “I’m a CEO, a billionaire and I run the biggest wolf pack in the Americas.” He hummed, beaming at the startled look that the woman gave him.
“And…why are you telling me this?” she asked, her eyes locked onto him as he moved over to the couch and sat beside her. Lifting up her hands in his, Nate smiled as he looked her in the eye.
“Because you and I are meant to be,” he breathed softly, squeezing her fingers as she looked back at him as though he had lost his mind. “You’re meant to be my mate! I know you don’t realize it, but you were drawn to work at my company because I was there. It was your destiny to stay late tonight and see me in my true form,” he insisted.
“You’re crazy,” she snapped, trying to pull his hands free and squeaking as he pulled her arm forward lightly and rolled back her sleeve, revealing the birthmark that lightly stretched from her sternum down her arm and to her wrist.
The mark that had marred her skin for years was slightly darker than her own skin and moved down her forearm in one slender line. It was nothing special as far as she was concerned, but she had never really liked showing it off so more often than not she preferred to keep it covered.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, when he rolled up his own sleeve, letting her see the mark that stretched up his own arm. Her eyes went wide when he pressed their arms together. She bit her lip and watched as he slid out of his shirt, smiling when she realized his own mark stretched as far as hers did.