Alpha's Shadow

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Working as an Alpha’s secretary was already the boldest risk I’d ever taken as a mere human… let alone dealing with his drop-dead gorgeous Beta. So when that very Beta pinned me against the desk, trailing hot kisses down my neck, my heart nearly stopped. But before I could even catch my breath, the Alpha walked in. His eyes darkened as he looked at us, "Choose—him, me… or you want both?" --- 'When I said move in, I didn't mean use the whole house as a storage unit. Seriously, you have so much stuff,' my brother, Nate, grumbles behind me as we carry the last of my boxes up to my new room. 'Oh, shut up, there really isn't that much.' I nudge the door open with my foot and set the box down on the floor. Nate follows me in and drops his box down, causing me to glare at his carelessness. 'So, do you need help unpacking?' He asks sardonically, gesturing at the numerous boxes stacked around my room. 'Fine. You get out clothes, just put them in a pile. I'll hang them up later,' I order him as I get to work on putting my bedding on the mattress. 'Fking hel, my eyes!' Nate shouts, making me jump and put my hand over my heart. 'What is it?' I ask. I spin around to see him leaning against the wall. He pinches the bridge of his nose between two fingers whilst he exhales loudly. 'Unpack the rest of your shet on your own, if I ever see anything like that again, I'm telling Mum and Dad,' he complains and stomps out of the room, mumbling about his eyes as he goes. I frown and go over to the box he has opened. Lying on top of my clothes is Kevin, my 6"5—inch glittery pink v1brator. Oops. I burst out laughing and quickly put him in the chest of drawers Nate has put up for me. Well, what does he expect? I'm single! About three hours later, the room is finally looking like my own. Only a couple of boxes left and I can finish unpacking those tonight. 'Nate, I'm sorry alright, I –' he cuts me off by holding up his hand. 'I don't want to talk about it, Myra, it's freaking me out enough already. Now, what do you want for dinner?' He asks as he opens the fridge. I roll my eyes and look over his shoulder at the empty shelves. 'We need to go shopping, you have no food.’ I sigh and grab my handbag and car keys. 'Come on, diickhead,' I shout and open the front door. I unlock my VW beetle as I step onto the drive. My brother is twenty—four years old, and, despite him only being two years older than me, he has been protective over me my whole life. I rather like it, though. We have always been close, but recently, he went through a tough time. His girlfriend broke up with him and it really hurt him. My parents offered him one of their rental houses about two hours away from our city. A new town and a new start. They thought it would be a great idea for us to live together. I agreed because Nate has recently got a job working nights at a highway maintenance company, so I won't see him much. It's not that I don't love him, but I doubt many women want to live with their immature brother. Nate is special in a lot of ways, but what is particularly special about him, is that he's a shifter. My mother is a shifter, and my father was a human, until Mum marked him and he shifted. Nate was born with the wolf genes and gets to shift and have a mate and stuff, and I'm stuck being a boring human. Unless my mate comes along. However, humans are 50% less likely to have a mate than shifters are. It really bothered me as a kid that I wasn't the special one, but I'm happy to say I'm over it now. I've accepted it (sort of). - 'I have good news and bad news,' Nate tells me as I pour my cereal. No 'good morning' or 'how are you', just straight to it. 'Oh, really? Bad news first please,' I reply and stir in the milk. I have never understood people who ask for the good news first. 'Well, I can't explain it without good news first. I got you a job interview,’ he announces with a grin and I nearly spit my cereal out. I hurriedly swallow and smile at him. 'No way!' I can't believe he's done this, I've been applying for jobs in this area for the past few weeks and I haven't heard anything. 'I know. I spoke to him this morning and he wants to meet you for an interview this afternoon,' he explains and I look at him in shock. 'This afternoon? But, I've not prepared anything! What do I need to do?' 'He says that you don't need to bring anything, only yourself. Basically, and here's the bad news...the position is as a personal assistant for an Alpha,' ###Chapter 2 He fills me in and I just stare at him. He must be joking. 'Look, before you say no, he's serious about potentially giving you the job. No shifters have applied and they can't employ humans who don't know about us, so, you're perfect! And it pays well,' he says. I sigh, leaning back against the counter. I realize my cereal is just sat there, getting soggy, so I pick up the bowl and start eating again. 'Just think about it. I wrote his phone number down, let him know if you're coming or not. The interview is at 1 pm.' Nate pushes the piece of paper towards me and I eye it suspiciously. Why would I want to work at a packhouse? I'm going to look like such an outsider. 'Thanks for trying Nate,' I tell him gratefully and he nods. 'Right, I've got to go to sleep for my shift. I probably won't see you unless we cross over tomorrow. Good luck and don't be loud and wake me up,' he jokes and I roll my eyes at him. He leaves the kitchen and I glance down at the paper again. Any job is a job, I guess. I take a long shower and then call Alpha Damien. He seems nice enough and I agree to meet him at 1 PM. I take my time getting ready. I straighten my long, brown hair and make sure my make—up is attractive, but professional. I choose a pencil skirt with a silk blouse, finishing my look with a blazer. At half 12, I get into my car and put the postcode in my SatNav. It only takes me ten minutes to arrive at the large, metal gates protecting the forest of the Eastern Mountain Pack. I pull up to them and press the button on the control pad. 'Identification?' A gruff voice sounds out and I clear my throat. 'Um, I have an interview with Alpha Damien at 1 PM.' 'Name?' 'Myra Archer.' I wait patiently for a moment and the gate starts to open. Guess that's the end of our conversation. I slowly drive along the road that weaves through the trees. It stretches for about a mile before the trees thin and a huge clearing appears. Dozens of buildings are nestled inside, hidden by the trees' canopy. I park under a sign labeled 'Visitors' and grab my handbag. Walking over to the Pack Hall, I take a deep breath and knock on one of the double doors. I'm surprised to see a very tall, very muscular man answer. He looks in his mid—twenties, with short black hair and warm green eyes that stand out beautifully against his dark chocolate skin. He's gorgeous. 'You must be Myra,' he says. His voice is friendly and I relax a bit. 'Yes, I am. I'm here to see Alpha Damien,' I say and the man in front of me smirks and steps to the side to let me in. 'I'm Alpha Damien, it's a pleasure to meet you,' he replies. I panic and quickly lower my head in respect. 'I'm so sorry, Alpha, had I known I wouldn't have been so rude,' I apologize, cursing myself for not figuring it out. He's huge, he must be Alpha! I've been taught that you must always bow your head when you see a high—ranking wolf. If I were a shifter, I would have been able to smell it on him. However, being the idiot human I am, I can't smell a dam thing. 'Don't apologize, come into my office.’ He opens a door for me and I quickly step inside. He gestures to the chairs in front of his desk and I cautiously sit down on one of them, placing my handbag on the floor by my feet. 'Thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice.’ He leans forwards on the desk and I smile at him. 'Well, thank you for asking to see me.' I smile at him. The Alphas sighs and runs his hands through his hair. 'Right, let me explain everything. I basically need an assistant who can help me keep track of my pack's finances.’ He pauses and sighs again, leaning back in his chair. 'The middle of this country is divided into five packs, we stay in communication to ensure the safety of our packs, we all help each other,' he continues explaining. He reaches over for a piece of paper and I recognize it as my CV. Nate must have emailed it to him. 'I see here that you are good with statistical analysis. You could sort out my finances and budgets? I just need you to create some spreadsheets, take phone calls, just sort my life out basically,' he tells me and I smile at him. 'I would love to help,' I offer. He sighs in relief and puts my CV back down on the table. 'My father recently passed away, leaving the pack to me. Apparently, he's left everything in quite a mess. I'm twenty—one years old and a lot of people are skeptical about whether such a young Alpha is suitable, so I need to prove myself. Things certainly need some organizing. The sooner you could start, the better, really,' he says and my eyes widen as I take in his words. 'You're giving me the job?' I ask in shock and he nods enthusiastically. 'Of course. When can you start?' He asks and I shake my head in bewilderment. 'Um, when do you need me to start?' 'Tomorrow?' 'That's great,' I reply. I can't stop the grin that appears on my face, I've got the job! 'Perfect. Come round tomorrow at 9 o'clock and I'll go through everything with you. I imagine once time goes on you won't have to come in every day, but for the beginning it would be really helpful if you could come in as much as possible.’ He stands up and shakes my hand. 'That's fine with me. Thank you for this opportunity.' I call my mum on my way back to the house to tell her the good news. Of course she already knew about the interview, Mum is always getting involved in our lives. 'It was my idea you know! Nathan had to get permission from Alpha Damien to move onto his territory, so I told him to call him and ask him if he knew of any openings and that's when Damien explained he was needing a secretary. Oh, isn't it wonderful timing!' I roll my eyes at my mum's energy. She's so excitable, bless her. - My alarm goes off at 8:05 am and I groan internally. I don't like early mornings. But, it's my first day of work! I take my time getting ready and I'm glad I decided to wash and straighten my hair last night, saving me time this morning. I do my make—up and choose a skirt and a polo neck. I slip on my boots as I come downstairs and make some toast. Nathan is in bed asleep, but I smile as I see the good luck note he has left me on the kitchen counter. After getting ready, I hop in my car and arrive at work ten minutes early. The first hour of my shift is spent going through everything with Alpha Damien. He shows me my desk, which is right outside his office. He explains all of the files and documents to me as I hurriedly take notes. By 10 o'clock, he has left me on my own to sort through the mess his father left him with. A loud buzz comes from my desk and I quickly press the intercom button. 'Yes, Alpha?' ###Chapter 3 'Myra, please print out more application forms and bring them to my desk. About twenty will do, thanks.' 'Of course, Alpha.' I turn back to the computer and send twenty copies of the form to the printer. I tap my foot impatiently as each piece of paper comes out, until finally, I can grab the pile. I walk down the corridor to Alpha Damien's office and knock on his door. 'Here are the forms you requested, Sir,' I tell him, I come over and place the copies on his desk. 'Great, thanks Myra. If you could please take a look at these papers, they're copies of my father's old bank transfers. Please could you see where most of his money went or if he was making any stupid mistakes?' Alpha Damien asks and holds out a large pile of papers. 'Of course,' I reply. I take the papers into my hands and shift them so I can hold them comfortably, there's a lot. 'Thanks, Myra, you're a lifesaver,' he calls out as I leave his office. As I round the corner, I slam straight into what can only be described as a wall of muscle. 'Oof!' I stumble backward and drop the papers everywhere. Two very large hands reach out and grab my forearms, holding me upright. My eyes start at the floor, where his big black boots are stood in front of me. I trail my eyes up his body, to his thick thighs straining against his jeans, up his wide muscular chest, to his broad shoulders and large biceps. I pause briefly on his beautiful jawline, and then I force my eyes to continue up from his tempting pink lips until finally, I meet his striking blue eyes. Well, fk me. I have no words for the attractiveness of the man who stood before me, all I can do is blink rapidly, trying to make my brain catch up. Sweet Jesus, it should be illegal to be this gorgeous, he could cause accidents or something. His dark black hair is sexily tousled and he has quite a few piercings in his ears. I suddenly notice the seemingly never—ending stream of tattoos flowing over his arms and up his neck. Is he trying to kill me? 'I'm sorry,' I manage to mumble as I kneel down to collect the dropped papers. The man doesn't say anything, nor makes any attempt to help me as I form a pile with the transfers and straighten back up. His bright blue eyes stare intently at me, and I feel my resting betch face slip back on, because he's not only hot, but rude. I don't say another word as I step around him and walk back to my desk. I spend the next eight hours of my shift sorting through the numerous filing cabinets pressed against the walls around my desk. It seems Alpha Damien's father was a big fan of keeping records, just not so good at organizing them. 'Great first day, Myra. I'll see you tomorrow,' Alpha Damien calls out as I head to my car. When I arrive home, Nathan is asleep in his room but has left another note on the countertop asking me to leave a message about how today went. I write out a short reply and start making dinner. That night as I lie in bed, my mind drifts again to the rude guy from this morning, it's about the fiftieth time today I've thought of him. I'm very picky, I don't find many guys attractive. I'm always quick to see their flaws, but him, wow. He is the living embodiment of my type. It's just a shame he's an ashole. ###Chapter 4 Myra's POV. I push my glasses back up my nose as they repeatedly slide down it. Squinting at the computer screen, I try and finish the spreadsheet I started an hour ago. Sighing, I push away from the desk, stand up and go over to one of the filing cabinets. I need to find the folders from last year to be able to complete the spreadsheet. I pull open the bottom drawer and bend over, leafing through the folders, trying to find the ones I need. 'Need a hand?' An incredibly deep, husky voice calls out from behind me and I jump in shock. I straighten up and turn around to see the ashole from yesterday, leaning against the wall with a stupid smirk on his gorgeous face. 'No, thank you,' I reply quietly, turning around and collecting the folders. I ignore him as I place them on my desk and begin sorting through them. He walks over, his big boots sounding heavily on the floor. My breath catches in my throat as he stops in front of my desk. I wait for him to say something, but he doesn't. I look up to see him staring down at me, his face impassive. 'Can I help you with something?' I ask, raising an eyebrow at him. He smirks and opens his mouth to say something, but the intercom on my desk buzzes and cuts him off. I lean over and press the button. 'Yes, Alpha?' 'Hi, Myra. Is my Beta around?' He asks and I frown in confusion. I've never met his Beta before, how am I supposed to know? 'I'm here,' the gorgeous man in front of me directs his words to the intercom and then crosses his arms over his huge chest. 'Good, come into my office. You too, Myra,' Alpha Damien says and I blink in surprise. That's his Beta? 'Yes, Alpha,' I mumble as I stand up and straighten my skirt. I follow the Beta silently as we walk to Alpha's office. He opens the door for me and gestures for me to go in first. He's remembered his manners this time. I smile politely and take a seat in front of Alpha Damien's desk. I try to control my breathing as the Beta sits down next to me, he's so close that I can feel the heat radiating off his magnificent body. 'Right, I need you to accompany Myra to the Eastern coast pack. I need Alpha Eli to sign a contract and I'd like you to ensure everything goes smoothly,' Alpha Damien orders and I see the Beta clench his fists next to me. Obviously, he's not very happy about this. To be honest, a road trip with him doesn't exactly thrill me either. He's not much of a talker. 'It'll only be an hour's drive; you don't mind driving Myra, do you?' Alpha asks and the Beta shakes his head next to me. 'Good. You can leave now and you'll be back by five,' Alpha states. The Beta stands up and storms out of the room before I've even left my chair. I look at the empty doorway and then back at the Alpha with confusion. The Alpha's eyes soften and he sighs. 'He takes a while to get used to, I know, but I promise he's a good guy.’ He shrugs and I simply nod in response. I slide on my coat and take the contract from my desk and put it in my handbag. When I come outside, a sleek black Mercedes is parked and waiting. The Beta is in the driving seat, looking ahead, obviously ignoring me. I almost feel like I should be sitting in the back seat. I open the door and awkwardly slide into the passenger seat, the Beta doesn't say a word as he pulls away from the house onto the road. I put on my seatbelt and prepare myself for a long, silent journey. We are only ten minutes in when my phone rings in my bag, I lean forwards and retrieve it, smiling as I see my brother’s name. 'Hey, you,' I answer and I see the Beta's eyes briefly flick over to look at me before returning to the road. 'Hey, sis. How's work? It's not a bad time is it?' 'No, it's not a bad time.’ I glance over at the Beta to see him gripping the steering wheel tightly. What is his problem? 'Good, so, how is your job?' 'It's amazing! Honestly, I love it. Alpha Damien is so nice.' We talk for another few minutes before Nathan goes back to sleep. I slip my phone into my pocket and wait a few minutes before I can't bear the silence anymore. 'So... I'm Myra by the way,' I say, feeling stupid, I know he knows my name but I want to know his. 'I know,' he replies bluntly, keeping his eyes ahead. Diick. ###Chapter 5 'That was meant to be an invitation for you to tell me your name,' I coax him, raising my eyebrow too. His tempting lips press into a grim line and he sighs. 'Jayce,' he states firmly and I nod. I decide to leave the car in silence now, he obviously doesn't want to talk. I look out the window and try not to breathe in his mouth—watering scent. How does he smell so good? I focus on the trees whizzing past in a green blur but all I can smell is him, all I can see are his large hands gripping the wheel, gripping me. I squeeze my thighs together and push him from my mind. What feels like hours later, we pull up a long drive in front of a very large manor house. Jayce doesn't say a word, he just parks the car and gets out. I sigh and grab my bag, he is so unpleasant to be around. We walk across the gravel to the front door and Jayce rings the bell. The door opens and, a minute later, a tall woman in her thirties greets us with a distrusting glare. 'Can I help you?' She asks, eyeing us both up and down. Her eyes linger disapprovingly on Jayce's inked arms which are wonderfully revealed by his t—shirt. 'We have an appointment with Alpha Elijah? We have been sent by Alpha Damien from the East Mountains pack?' I tell her but my statements come out like questions due to my nerves. 'Follow me,' she replies. Her eyes glance over at Jayce one more time before she turns on her heel and leads us inside the modern mansion. We follow her silently down a corridor. I look over at Jayce to see he is staring ahead, his fists clenched again. Does he have anger issues? We wait outside one of the doors whilst the woman goes in and lets Alpha Elijah know of our presence. 'You can go in now,' she tells us and struts off down the corridor. I anxiously turn the handle and step inside the large office. Alpha Elijah is sat behind a large black desk, he leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind his head. He must be in his twenties, he has golden, tanned skin and dirty blond curls. He greets us with a beautiful smile, his eyes are deep navy but have dark bags underneath them, something is troubling him. I imagine he gets a lot of attention, it's a shame he's not my type. I don't fancy him at all. 'Alpha,' I greet him and bow my head in respect. I sneak a glance sideways to see Jayce hasn't lowered his head. What a prick. 'It's lovely to meet you...' He trails off and I realize I'm meant to be introducing myself. 'Myra,' I tell him and reach out my hand. He shakes it and grins at me. We all sit down and he leans his elbows on the table. He is completely relaxed, unlike Jayce who sits rigidly next to me with his arms folded across his chest. 'How can I help you?' 'We have brought a contract that Alpha Damien would like you to sign. It's a renewal of the unity agreement,' I explain as I take the forms out of my bag and slide them across the table to him. He picks them up and briefly skims over them. 'Damien got you doing his dirty work then? Are you his secretary or something?' He asks, but it's not rude, in fact his tone is playful. 'Something like that,' I reply, feeling uncomfortable under his bold gaze. 'Well, I'm sorry you've had to come all this way for a signature. Would you like anything to drink? We're having a BBQ tonight if you'd like to stay,' he offers and winks at me over the paper. I swear I hear Jayce growl next to me before he muffles it with a cough. 'Um, that's very kind of you, Alpha Elijah, but we must be getting back,' I reply awkwardly, forcing a smile at him. 'Of course, and please, call me Eli,' he replies warmly as he signs the bottom of the contract. I smile tightly and take the form off of him. As our hands touch, he reaches over and holds my left hand between both of his large ones. 'It was lovely to meet you Myra, feel free to visit my pack anytime, we don't bite,' he flirts and grins at me. He really is very attractive, but blondes don't do it for me. Tall, dark haired, inked guys however... 'That's very nice of you, Elijah. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.' I put the papers back in my handbag and hurriedly leave the room. Jayce and I get in the car in silence and it isn't until we are back on the main road home that I lean back and relax in the seat. 'He's...friendly,' I comment sarcastically and look over at Jayce whose knuckles turn white on the wheel. 'I don't like him,' he replies through gritted teeth and I raise an eyebrow at him. 'Neither do I,' I agree with him and this time it's Jayce who raises his eyebrow at me. 'Why?' 'I'm not a fan of cocky blondes,' I say and look out the window. I'm secretly really happy he's talking to me. 'Oh, really? What are you a fan of then?' He asks me and I look at him in surprise. His tone is friendly, almost flirty...very un—Jayce. 'Hmmm good question,' I reply and smirk at him. I turn my attention back to the window and hope that he drops it. He does. 'So, how does a human know about our kind?' He asks and the small, hidden part of me winces at the question. It's never not going to hurt when I'm reminded of my weakness compared to my family. Even Dad who was a human isn't anymore, it's just little old me. 'My family are wolves,' I tell him, still concentrating on the view outside. 'Really? Are you adopted or something?' 'No, my dad was human until Mum marked him,' I explain. I see him glance over at me out of the corner of my eye. 'Are you an only child?' He asks and I resist rolling my eyes. Typical that he'll barely say two words to me, but on this topic, he's bloody chatty Cathy. 'No, I have an older brother.' 'Is he human too?' 'No.' 'That must have been hard to grow up with,' he replies and I can hear the sympathy in his voice. Fk sake. ###Chapter 6 'Yeah, it was,' I reply and get out my phone, checking my notifications so he'll get the hint I don't want to talk about it. The rest of the car journey is silent and for the first time, I'm grateful for that. Jayce asking me those questions has me digging up a past I'd rather forget. 'Thank you for driving me,' I say as I get out of the car. I shut the door before he can potentially reply. I go inside and knock on Alpha Damien's door, I enter when he asks me to. 'Hi, Alpha. It all went smoothly. Here's the contract.' I place the paper on his desk and he smiles at me. 'Thanks, Myra, that's great. You should go home now,' he offers and I feel relieved. 'Are you sure?' 'Yes, of course! Have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow,' he replies and I smile at him. 'Thank you, Alpha, you too.' Fifteen minutes later, I'm in my kitchen cooking dinner. My mind travels to Jayce as I stir the pasta, it seems he's all I think about. It's really not good. It would be me to think about a guy that barely talks to me. He's so moody and brooding it drives me insane but it makes me so curious about him, he's so mysterious. After dinner, I decide to have a shower to relax. I stand underneath the powerful stream of hot water, allowing it to soothe my tense muscles. I slip on a tank top and pajama shorts. I feel exhausted and it's not even 8 o'clock. It's not like I'm doing a physically taxing job either. Maybe I'm just mentally tired? I don't know. I unlock one of the French double doors that leads out onto my balcony. The cool night air swirls around me as I step barefoot onto the paving stones. The sky looks amazing, a dark inky black completely littered with stars. I sit on the little stone wall around the edge of the balcony, leaning my back against the wall of the house. To my right is the steep drop down to the garden. I don't know how people sneak down balconies in movies, I would never be able to, heights really aren't my thing. I run my hands through my wet hair, shivering as the wetness soaks through my top. I should probably go inside, but instead I sit and watch the huge expanse of forest in front of me. I look out at the trees that seem to go on for miles, the forest is incomprehensibly large. For a moment, I allow myself to imagine what it must be like to shift into a wolf and run through the trees. To feel that free must be wonderful, my brother has no idea how lucky he is. I will never get to feel that way, to understand what is like to read another's mind, to be so strong. A part of me used to feel angry at the thought that I would never be like the rest of my family. My parents never kept it a secret from me, I eagerly anticipated my brother's first shift as much as he did. I loved it at first, being able to brag that my brother was a wolf. Until it finally sunk in that I never was going to shift as well, I had always secretly hoped I would miraculously shift and surprise everyone. Although, I think what hurt me more than not shifting, was the idea that I would most likely never have a mate. I have grown up watching my parents madly in love, even now, it seems like they only met yesterday. It was amazing growing up in a household so full of love, but at the same time, as my brother turned sixteen and could potentially meet his mate, it was a constant, painful reminder that I would probably never experience that kind of love. My poor brother is now twenty—four and has waited eight years for his mate, he puts on a façade that he doesn't care, but I know deep down it kills him, he's told me enough times when he's drunk. I honestly feel for him, at least I'm not expecting a mate, Nate on the other hand, he expected to meet her years ago. I look up at the bright white stars blinking above me and I silently wish for me to have a mate. It would be perfect. I have been forced to date other human males, I know when I get married, I will still have a part of me wondering whether we will work out or we're meant to be. I lean my head back against the wall and allow a single tear to fall. I quickly wipe my face and slip down off the wall onto the balcony. I glance over my shoulder one last time at the mass of trees behind the house before heading inside. ###Chapter 7 Jayce's POV (from the beginning) I march down the corridor to Damien's office. I'm pissed that he's called me into his office this early, he knows I hate getting up early. I walk around the corner and collide with someone much shorter than me. She stumbles backward and drops paper everywhere. I reach out instinctively and grab her arms to catch her. Tingles flow through my hands and along my arms as I touch her. Her scent hits me and I'm transfixed. I watch, frozen, as she checks me out. I can't think properly. All I can think is, I've found my mate. I take in her long chestnut hair and wide hazel eyes, she's stunning. She's human. Now that's something I wasn't expecting. I watch amusedly as she continues to check me out, her eyes trailing over my inked arms. 'I'm sorry, I didn't see you there,' she mumbles and kneels down to collect the paper. I decide it's best I don't say anything. I can't think straight and I'll probably say something I'll regret later. Instead, I just watch her silently. She straightens back up and her eyes harden. I know I should have helped her pick up the paper but I don't want to risk touching her again or being nice to her. I let out a sigh of relief as she steps around me and struts off down the corridor. I take a moment to collect myself and then walk into Damien's office. 'You hired a human?' I ask incredulously and make myself comfortable on one of the chairs, Damien looks at me over a piece of paper and smiles. 'So, you met Myra?' 'Myra...' I look away and resist hitting something. Why did I have to meet my mate? I've been doing just fine without her. She's human no less, she'll be useless with me. But at least because she's human, she won't feel the bond like I do. With any luck, she won't even notice me. I storm out of Damien's office and drive down to my favorite bar, as soon as I sit down on one of the stools, the bartender places a glass of whiskey in front of me. I know I come here more often than I probably should, but I have a lot on my mind. I down the drink and tap the empty glass, gesturing to the bartender to refill it. I groan and put my head in my hands. What am I going to do? - 'You're a mess.' Damien's voice cuts through my sleep and drags me back to being conscious. 'Fk you,' I growl and roll over in bed, but Damien pulls the duvet off me. I growl louder this time and he just ignores me. 'If you don't get up I will pour this on you,' he threatens me, holding up a bottle of water. I scowl and grab it out of his hand, chugging the liquid greedily. 'How much did you drink last night?' Damien questions me and sits down next to my bed. I sit up and clutch my throbbing head. 'Enough,' I mutter, I wish he would just leave. 'Enough to what? Forget everything? You can't keep doing this to yourself, Jayce. I've told you, you don't have to do the assignments. Someone else can,' he tells me and puts his hand on my shoulder. I shake it off and glare at him, I really don't want his sympathy. 'They're the only thing I'm good at Damien, I enjoy them,' I tell him and stand up, I stretch and decide I need to go on a run. 'Alright, but have a shower, you stink.’ He laughs at me and leaves the room. I watch as he leaves and silently thank him. He knows I won't say it, but I do appreciate him. - I walk into the pack hall and resist groaning as the wonderful, sweet scent of my mate hits me. Is this what I'm going to have to deal with every day now? I can't resist wanting to see her and I make my way down the corridor, turning left at the end. The door to her office is open, and the sight that greets me almost takes my breath away. My beautiful mate is bent over a drawer, giving me the most incredible view of her ass in a tight skirt. Kill me now. It's like she's trying to make this harder for me. 'Need a hand?' I offer, laughing as I see her jump. She straightens up and turns around to glare at me. 'No, thank you,' she replies and ignores me as she goes over to her desk. I walk over and wait for her to look up at me. I think I'm prepared to see her so close, but it turns out I'm not. She looks up and her hazel eyes meet mine, they're accentuated by her large black—rimmed glasses. She looks like a naughty secretary, and I've got a lot of ideas of what I want to do to her. 'Can I help you with something?' She asks me and raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. ###Chapter 8 I smirk, ready to reply with a sarcastic comment, but the intercom cuts me off. 'Yes, Alpha Damien?' She asks in that breathy voice of hers and my c0ck twitches in response. 'Hi, Myra, is my Beta around?' He asks and she frowns. 'I'm here,' I lean over and reply for her. 'Ah, good, come into my office. You too, Myra,' Damien says and I turn on my heel. I open the door for her and she smiles and takes a seat in front of Damien's desk. I clench my fists and sit down next to her. Damien tells us to go to some pack and I glare at him. Is he trying to test my patience? I scowl and storm out of the room before he can say anything else. I wait silently in the car for her, an hour in the car, smelling her scent, this is really going to test me. I grip the steering and focus on the road, trying to ignore her. Her phone rings and I keep my eyes on the road, trying to ignore the jealousy burning inside of me as I hear a man's muffled voice on the other end of the line. 'So... I'm Myra by the way,' she says. I want to tell her that I don't want to talk to her. Lie. 'I know,' I reply. I fight not to look at her. 'That was meant to be an invitation for you to tell me your name,' she retorts and I sigh. 'Jayce,' I tell her and she nods. Luckily, she gives up on the conversation. She must think I'm an asshole. Good. The less she likes me, the easier this will be. We arrive on Alpha Elijah's territory and I thank the Moon Goddess I got through the car journey without marking her. She smells too sweet for her own good. We meet some betchy lady at the door, who obviously isn't a fan of my tattoos. 'Follow me,' she tells us. She drags her eyes over me one more time before she turns on her heel and leads us inside the house. I can feel Myra's eyes on me but I ignore her. 'Alpha.' Myra bows her head in respect, I don't. I don't respect this Alpha one bit. I cross my arms and look at him. I see him nod subtly, he knows not to challenge me. I sit in silence as the two of them talk. I'm not here to get involved, I'm here as a bodyguard. However, I can't stop the growl that escapes as he blatantly flirts with my mate. I calm myself down by imagining myself ripping him to shreds. I'm relieved when the meeting finishes and I can drive us home. I'm surprised when she says she didn't like Eli. 'I'm not a fan of cocky blondes,' she says cryptically and turns away to look out the window. 'Oh, really? What are you a fan of then?' I ask her, cursing myself as I realize I sound too eager. 'Hmm, good question.’ She smirks at me and turns her attention back to the window. I look at her curiously but don't question her further in case she gets the wrong idea that I'm interested, I'm not. Lie. I can't control my curiosity so I ask her about her family, but I can tell I've hit a nerve. She doesn't say another word until we reach the pack house, she thanks me and gets out of the car before I can respond. I feel slightly annoyed I didn't get to talk to her more, but I remind myself that it's best this way. I train at the gym for a couple of hours, needing to exert my frustration onto something, like Jake. Jake is a friend of mine who works out with me, he's the only guy who will, seeing as not many can keep up with me. Jake can't, but he tries. I skip dinner and head straight for the trees, I strip off my sweat—soaked clothes and leap into the air. I shift mid—air and land on four paws. Taking off through the trees, I dodge low branches and tree roots. The brisk night air surrounds me as I run in no particular direction, or at least, that's what I tell myself. Before I can stop or talk myself out of it, I'm stood behind her house. I stand on the cover of the trees, panting heavily as I get my breath back. My breath catches in my throat as I see her emerge onto her balcony. A low growl escapes my lips as my eyes run over her long, tanned legs as she lifts herself onto the wall and sits down. I lower my body to the ground to watch her as she absentmindedly runs her fingers through her hair, it's obvious her mind is on other things. If only I could hear her thoughts. I frown as I see her wipe her face, why is she crying? I want to know why, so I can hurt whoever is the cause. I sigh heavily as she finally goes back inside. What am I doing here? I'm taking stalking to a whole new level. I curse myself as I turn away and sprint back through the forest. I have known this girl only a few days and already I have feelings towards her, and this stupid bond is only going to get stronger. I'm screwed, basically. - Myra's POV. 'Good morning! This is a nice surprise.' I grin and hug my brother as I see him standing in front of the oven. 'I know! My boss let me go early this morning, so I got a few hours’ sleep and then set my alarm so I'd be awake to see you for breakfast,' Nate explains and puts two eggs and some rashers of bacon on a plate and hands it to me. My eyes soften as I look down at the plate of food and then back up at him. 'Nathan...that's so lovely of you, thank you,' I reply, feeling incredibly lucky to have a brother like him. 'No worries.’ He shrugs and serves up food for himself. We sit and eat together, I tell him more about my job, he is very pleased to find out my Alpha is both gay and taken. I might be twenty—two but he's still very protective over me. 'Right, I've got to go, see you this evening,' I call out and collect my handbag. - 'I swear to God, I'm gonna kill this thing....' I grumble loudly as I empty the entire contents of my handbag onto my desk. 'What are you going to kill?' An amused voice cuts through my ramblings and I look up to glare at Jayce. ###Chapter 9 Myra's POV. He stands in front of me, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. I really wish he wouldn't do that, it makes his muscles look even bigger and flaunts his lovely tattoos. 'This!' I cry triumphantly and hold up the bobble (hair tie) I have spent the past five minutes looking for. Jayce raises an eyebrow but doesn't say a word, when does he ever? I sigh with relief and bend over, flicking my mass of curls forward so I can tie the mane up on my head. I knew I should have straightened my hair again, it makes it so much more manageable, these curls are a nightmare. When I straighten up, Jayce is watching me and I blush under his dark gaze. This man just exudes raw sexual chemistry. 'Damien sent me, he says you need help with getting into some accounts or something?' He asks and I smile at him. 'Yes please, I can't seem to log in to this system Alpha Damien was telling me about, he said he'd send help... you're good with computers then?' I ask and Jayce's lips press into a grim line. He sits down at the desk and I hurriedly put my things back into my handbag. 'Yes,' he replies bluntly and starts typing away at the keyboard. I watch in awe as he logs into the system's mainframe and within minutes has granted me entry. 'Wow, so you're like a computer geek?' I ask over his shoulder, still amazed by what I've seen. He glares at me and stands up. 'From what I hear, you're a Maths geek,' he responds, his eyes cool and analyzing. I smile at him and slip into my now—vacated seat. 'More of a stats geek, I can only write computer scripts not hack into them, that's impressive,' I reply and he nods at me before turning and walking away. 'Thank you!' I call after him, but he ignores me and disappears around the corner. What is that man's problem with me? He hates me! My phone rings and I glance around before sliding to accept the call. 'Tell me you are free tonight?' My best friend asks excitedly and I resist rolling my eyes. 'Hmm, maybe. Why?' I ask curiously and I hear Jasper squeal on the other end of the phone. 'There is a special event on at Infinity and I'm coming up!' Jasper screams and I instinctively pull the phone away from my ear. 'Wow, that's great!' 'What time do you finish work?' 'Six, want me to collect you from the station?' 'Yeah, sounds great, thank you!' 'I'll invite Aria over as well,' I tell him. Aria went to school with us and lives nearby with her mate, Seb. 'Great!' 'Oh, and one more thing, what is this special event?' I ask, knowing that it's going to be something extreme because it's Jasper. He pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath. Jesus, please let it be something normal. 'Fetish night!' He yells and the smile drops from my face. 'Are you serious?' I ask, trying to hold back my laugh. Oh, this is going to be interesting. 'Of course! I'm wearing my latex playsuit it's going to be amazing!' He cries and I cringe as I remember the shiny black outfit. So tight. So shiny. 'Okay, I'll have a think about what I'll wear and I'll text you okay? I have to go now, I'm at work!' We say our goodbyes and I hang up the phone. I put my head in my hands and groan, what I am going to wear? And suddenly, I remember an accessory I bought a year ago because I liked the lace bra that came with it, it will be perfect for tonight. --- I fumble around in my handbag for the final time and curse loudly. I've left my house keys at work, probably when I emptied everything out of my handbag. It's six o'clock, Nathan is still asleep. He is not going to be happy about this. I grimace and gently press the door bell, as if my light pressure is going to make it easier to wake him up. There is no movement for a few moments so I press it again, longer this time. A minute later and Nathan opens the door and glares at me, still in his sweats and a t—shirt. 'Why didn't you use your keys?' He demands grumpily and stomps back down the corridor. I sigh and shut the door behind me. 'I'm sorry, I left them at work. I thought you might be asleep, you would be getting up soon anyways, right?' I ask and he scowls before pouring himself a bowl of cereal. I raise an eyebrow but don't say anything. I guess with him being on the night shift this is breakfast time to him. 'Yeah, in an hour or so,' he mumbles, shoving big spoonful's of cornflakes into his mouth. 'I'm sorry, I needed to get in. I have to go pick Jasper up from the station in.' I glance at the clock on the wall. 'Fifteen minutes. We're going out tonight,' I explain and set my handbag down on the kitchen island. He groans and I roll my eyes and pour myself a glass of water. 'Has Jasper still got a crush on me?' He asks and I laugh at him. 'No, he's moved on. God knows what he saw in you anyway,' I tease. I regret saying anything as he flicks his milk—drenched spoon at me. 'Sod off, that Aria is fit though,' he comments and smirks at me. I crumple my nose in disgust. 'She's found her mate so stay away from her, you little shet.' I eye him warningly and then jog upstairs to my room to change. I slip into a hoodie and some comfy jeans and drive over to the station to collect Jasper. I know as soon as his train has arrived due to the piercing squeal that echoes throughout the foyer. I sigh and shake my head as I see Jasper running towards me, everyone around us is looking, he's so embarrassing sometimes. I grin and open my arms for him to leap into. 'Look at you! You look beautiful,' he says, cupping my face in his hands. 'Thanks, sweetie. You look gorgeous as always,' I reply and he nudges my shoulder playfully. I drive back to my house. Aria arrives soon after and we spend the next couple of hours catching up on everything that's happened in our lives. After I come down the stairs and enter the lounge. 'Holy shet,' Jasper drawls. Aria grins and hugs me, Nathan grimaces and leaves the room. I look down at my outfit. Personally, I think I look well—suited for Fetish night. I have chosen my thigh—high black swede boots, a small black skirt, a harness style bracelet, and my finishing accessory; a black lace choker with two long silver chains attached that hang down my body and attach to the lace cuffs on my wrists. Basically chaining my wrists to my neck so I can't fully extend my arms on either side of my body. This is the great thing about going to a gay club, you can be basically half—neked and no one will judge you or grope you. 'Shet girl, you look hot,' Aria compliments me as she runs her fingers through my long, straight brown hair. 'Thanks honey, so do you,' I reply and gesture at her bright red dress which contrasts perfectly with her flawless tanned skin. It's only eight o'clock but we're already ready, we like to have a long time to pre—drink. The doorbell rings and I look around the room to see Nathan has not returned, probably sulking in his room, he doesn't have work until ten. I walk into the hallway and open the door. To say I'm shocked, is a huge understatement. I freeze and stand completely immobile as I stare wide—eyed at Jayce, who is standing on my front doorstep. Even if I were not dressed as I am, I would be surprised to see Jayce here, he's practically the size of the front door anyway and he looms over me. We both stare at each other in shock, horror takes over as I watch his eyes go up and down, taking in my sultry outfit. My cheeks burn with embarrassment and I realize I'm never going to be able to see him again after this, I'll just die. My heart begins beating rapidly as I see his eyes darken considerably, with desire? Hel no, it can't be. 'Um, hi, Jayce.' I look him up and down, relishing in the beautiful sight of his tattoos wrapping around his arm