I’d just been played, but there was nothing I could say. It was for my own good. I needed that little push.
“Fine. Give me the phone.”
Chapter 3
When I’d last spoken to Aiden, I said “we needed to talk,” but hadn’t let on about my decision. I wanted to make it a big surprise.
About noon the following day, I returned to the wolf preserve, a small out-of-the-way section of woodland near Ipswich, Massachusetts. This wildlife sanctuary and preserve served as the Olde Town Pack’s main den; a safe gathering place away from prying eyes for the wolves of the northeastern US territories.
The wolves manned this functioning wild life preserve to keep up appearances, and the primary building was busy with people performing their day-to-day tasks when I arrived. I entered through the large glass doors and walked past the reception desk where the wolf lady from the night before, Diana, was sitting. She wasn’t the normal receptionist, a redhead by the name of Jessica. I wondered what had happened to her. She’d never missed a day as long as I’d been around. Those thoughts would have to wait for later, though; the glare Diana tossed my way was setting off all kinds of red flags in my head.
Remembering that I needed to act like an Alpha if I wanted to be treated like one, I pretended to ignore her and continued past.
“Hey,” she shouted at me. “The boss is in a meeting. You’re going to have to wait.”
I kept pace and continued toward Aiden’s office door. “Don’t get your hackles up. He won’t mind me peeking in.” Aiden had never kept me from pack business. As potential mate, it was my duty to familiarize myself with the way the pack operated. That often meant sitting in on meetings.
“Maybe you didn’t hear me. I said you’re not going in there.” Diana stood and in a graceful whirl of motion, managed to get in front of me and block my way into Aiden’s office.
She was beginning to get on my nerves. I had to look up to meet her eyes. She had at least five inches on me, but, I wasn’t going to let her size intimidate me. It’s not the size of the dog, it’s the fight within that matters most, and if I wanted to be respected as the Alpha Female, I’d better start showing it now. I lowered my voice to a dangerous whisper. “I’m not sure if you’re just new to the receptionist position and don’t know how things work, or if you’ve got some kind of problem here, but you need to back down.”
Diana stared down at me, daring me, her hazel eyes locked onto mine almost as if she was trying to see through me. “You may be Aiden’s little plaything, but you’re not pack. And from what I hear, you’ll never be pack. Once he’s realized this, he’ll toss you aside and pick up a real woman.”
If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation I would die of laughter. The audacity of this woman to think she had a chance with my Aiden. But laughter would have to wait.
“Aww, you think you have a shot with him? That’s so cute.” I narrowed my eyes but did not break contact with her. I knew better than to break eye contact with a wolf. I was the dominant here, even as a human, and she needed to know it. “Let me save you the trouble of getting your hopes up. He’s mine, bitch. And even if he weren’t, he’d never shack up with a skank like you.”
“Big words for such a small girl.” She leaned in, coming nose to nose with me. “Let’s see you back that up.”
The knob on the door turned with a slight creak. Diana straightened up and plastered a fake smile across her face just as the door opened.
“Babe?” Aiden pushed straight past Diana as if she hadn’t been standing there. He pulled me into his arms. “Why didn’t you come in when you got here?”
Over Aiden’s shoulder I spotted Diana sneering at me. I smiled in return. “I was just having a friendly little chat with your secretary. She’s new, right? You might want to keep her on a shorter leash until she’s trained a little better. She’s so unprofessional.”
“Forget her. You get in here.” He pulled me straight past a fuming Diana, into his office, and kicked the door closed behind him.
“So, we need to talk—” I tried to say, but he captured my mouth before I could finish the sentence. Aiden’s kisses had all the intensity of a man who’d finally found what he’d been sorely deprived of. His lips begged for more contact as he backed me up against the bookshelves.
“Go ahead, talk. I’m listening.” He left my lips only to taste new delights as he worked his mouth down to the crook of my neck. His hands came up and cupped my breasts through my t-shirt.
Aiden was all heat and need and pent up aggression. He nipped possessively at the hollow of my neck, making me squirm with delight. That man knew exactly how to get my motor running! My body throbbed with need for him and warmth pooled between my thighs.