Ryan’s POV
Aurora. Her name clung to my mind like a stubborn echo I couldn’t shake off. It had been hours since she’d left, but her scent still lingered faintly in the air…a mix of lavender and something uniquely hers. A part of me wanted to call her back, ask her why she looked so vulnerable yet determined all at once. It was infuriating how one woman, no, one human, had managed to weave herself into my thoughts this much.
Her name brought a strange calm to the chaos swirling in my thoughts. Yet, it also set me on edge. She had this…. presence, one that tugged at something primal in me.
You’re thinking about her again, Draven, my wolf, growled in my mind, his voice low and accusing.
“Quiet,” I muttered, pinching the bridge of my nose.
You can’t keep ignoring this, Ryan, he insisted. We should be with her. Protect her. Keep her close.
“She’s human,” I snapped, though my words felt weak even to me.
So? Draven shot back. You feel it too. She’s ours.
I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. Because as much as I wanted to deny it, he was right. There was something about Aurora that I couldn’t shake off. Something that made me want to shield her from the world and pull her into mine.
She needs us, Draven murmured, his tone softening. And we need her.
“Enough,” I growled, standing abruptly and pacing the room. My wolf’s instincts were clouding my judgment, and I couldn’t afford that. Not now.
But as I paced, images of Aurora flashed through my mind-her hesitant smile, the way she fidgeted with her hands when she was nervous, the way her voice wavered when she spoke to me. She was unlike anyone I’d ever met, and that terrified me.
“Ryan, get a grip,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head.
I leaned back in my chair, fingers drumming on the armrest as Caleb stood across the room, studying me with a raised brow.
“That’s new,” Caleb said, crossing his arms. “Hiring a personal assistant when you already have one. Care to explain, Alpha?”
I scoffed at his tone, but I couldn’t deny the weight of his question. Caleb knew me better than most. He knew I didn’t make decisions on impulse. But Aurora wasn’t just any decision. She was something else entirely, though I didn’t have the words to explain it.
“She’s different,” I replied curtly, my voice low. “I want her here. My instincts say it’s the right move.”
Caleb’s brow furrowed as he took a step closer. “Instincts? Or something else? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve got a soft spot for this girl already.”
I shot him a sharp look, but his grin only widened. “She’s not just a girl,” I said, my voice firm. “And you’re forgetting your place, Caleb.”
He raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. But what do you want me to do about your current assistant? Because last I checked, they don’t just magically disappear.”
“Find another position for her,” I said, waving him off. “I don’t care where. Just make it happen.”
Caleb muttered something under his breath but didn’t argue further. He knew better. Instead, he shifted his weight and watched me with a knowing look. “So… are you going to tell her why you’re suddenly acting like a charitable boss? Or are you just going to let her think she got lucky?”
I didn’t answer. Mostly because I didn’t have an answer. Aurora’s presence unnerved me in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Not since…
I shook the thought away and turned my attention back to Caleb. “Just handle it. And don’t make me repeat myself.”
Before Caleb could retort, the door opened, and Karen strolled in like she owned the place. Her heels clicked against the floor, her blonde hair perfectly styled as usual. She looked every bit the picture of elegance, but her presence was always… suffocating.
“Ryan,” she cooed, flashing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“What is it, Karen?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral.
She tilted her head, her smile faltering slightly at my indifference. “My parents are coming for lunch today. They’re eager to see you. I told them you’d be there.”
I resisted the urge to sigh. “You told them I’d be there without asking me first?”
Karen’s expression hardened for a moment before she quickly recovered. “It’s just lunch, Ryan. You can spare an hour or two for your future in-laws, can’t you?”
The word “future” grated on my nerves, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I gave her a curt nod. “Fine. I’ll be there.”
Her smile returned, wider this time, and she stepped closer, placing a hand on my arm. “Thank you,” she said softly, her tone laced with something that almost sounded genuine.
As she turned to leave, Caleb gave me a pointed look, his grin returning. “Good luck with that one,” he muttered before following Karen out of the office.
The moment I was alone, I let out a low growl, running a hand through my hair. She was beautiful, sure, but she wasn’t what I wanted. And the more she pushed, the more I realized I never would.
******
The drive back to the mansion was quiet. Too quiet. Caleb had dropped me off and taken off for whatever he had planned, leaving me with nothing but my thoughts. The events of the day kept replaying in my head, but more than anything, Draven, my wolf, was restless.
“She’s ours,” Draven growled low in my head.
“Enough,” I snapped back. The last thing I needed was my wolf clouding my thoughts about Aurora.
I pushed open the door to my mansion, already feeling the weight of the evening. Karen’s parents were here. They always managed to bring an air of forced civility, making every interaction a game of pleasantries and underlying tensions.
“Alpha Ryan,” the butler greeted me as he opened the door wider.
I nodded curtly, taking in the scene. Karen’s father, Richard, and her mother, Elaine, sat in the main dining area, sipping on glasses of wine like they owned the place. Karen was there too, perched on the edge of her chair, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else.
“Ryan,” Richard greeted me with a tight smile, his tone polite but firm. “We’ve been waiting.”
I forced a smile, though the effort strained me. “Apologies. I just got back.”
Karen looked up at me, her expression unreadable. I felt a pang of guilt for leaving her to deal with them alone, but it wasn’t like I’d invited them here.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll freshen up and join you shortly,” I said, already moving toward the stairs.
“Take your time,” Elaine said sweetly, but her eyes betrayed the same calculating nature I saw in Karen sometimes.
I climbed the stairs, my mind wandering to Aurora again. Her wide, wary eyes, the way her scent clung to the air even after she’d left my office. Draven growled in agreement, and I had to shut him out before his agitation became mine.
Once in my room, I peeled off my shirt, letting it fall to the floor. The mirror reflected my worn expression, the weight of being an Alpha etched into every line of my face. I stepped into the shower, the hot water soothing my tense muscles.
But it didn’t soothe my mind.
“Why do you hold back? She’s what we need,” Draven muttered.
“She’s human,” I reminded him, though the argument felt weak even to me.
“Doesn’t matter. She’s ours.”
I shut him out again, focusing on the task at hand. By the time I returned downstairs, the table was set, and the smell of roasted meat and spices filled the air.
“Dinner’s ready,” Karen said, giving me a small smile. She was trying, I’d give her that.
I took my seat at the head of the table, with Karen to my left and her parents across from me. Plates were passed around, and the sound of clinking utensils soon filled the room.
Conversation was stilted at best. Karen’s parents asked about the pack, the weather, and anything else that didn’t require actual effort. I answered out of courtesy, but my attention kept drifting.
“So, Ryan,” Richard said, his tone shifting to something more pointed. “When are you going to make my daughter your Luna?”
I froze, my fork hovering mid-air. Karen’s eyes darted to mine, panic flashing in them before she quickly looked away.
“Richard,” Elaine hissed, clearly annoyed by his bluntness.
“No,” Richard continued, his voice firm. “It’s a fair question. My daughter has been acting as your ceremonial Luna for years. Don’t you think it’s time to make it official?”
I set my fork down slowly, measuring my words. “I don’t think this is the time for that conversation.”
“It’s never the time,” Richard shot back, his tone sharper now. “You can’t keep stringing her along like this. She deserves better.”
“Dad,” Karen whispered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“I’m serious, Ryan,” Richard pressed on, ignoring her. “When are you going to marry my daughter?”
“I won’t.”
The words were out before I could stop them. The room fell into a stunned silence. Karen’s eyes widened, her expression a mix of hurt and disbelief.