Page 4 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Maid (My Grumpy Werewolf Boss #6)

DEAN

The hum of my computer was the only sound in the room, a steady, mechanical white noise that usually grounded me. But tonight, it wasn't enough. I leaned back in my chair, the glow of five monitors casting blue shadows across my office. Lines of code blurred before my eyes, useless against the storm in my mind.

Nina.

Her name whispered in my thoughts, an echo I couldn't silence. Her presence invaded every corner of my penthouse. From her scent in the air, to her constant cheerful humming as she worked. It was an intoxicating, heady mix that made my lungs tighten and my wolf growl in approval. The faintest trace of her scent drifted into my office, wrapping around me like a warm embrace I couldn't escape. My enhanced senses picked up the soft pad of her feet against the wooden floor, the whisper of fabric as she moved, the steady rhythm of her heartbeat two rooms away. She was everywhere, and yet nowhere near close enough.

My wolf stirred, restless and insistent, its presence a burning ache beneath my skin. It paced behind my ribs, claws scraping against the cage of my control. A low growl rumbled in my chest, a sound I barely managed to suppress. Mate, it whispered, the word a primal command that reverberated through my bones, demanding surrender.

She's just a housekeeper, I reminded myself. But my wolf didn't listen. It prowled beneath my skin, its instincts urging me to claim her, to mark her as mine. The thought sent shockwaves down my spine, desire warring with iron control.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard, trembling slightly before I slammed them down, the harsh clack echoing through the room. Lines of encryption code filled the screen. My code. My legacy. Not the blood money my father had built his empire on, but something I'd created with my own hands. The latest security patch for the Department of Defense glowed on the monitor, a testament to how far I'd come from the dark corners of my family's world. Let them keep their threats and violence. I'd found power in ones and zeros, in firewalls that could withstand armies of hackers. The wolfish smile that curved my lips had nothing to do with my nature and everything to do with pride. I'd done this alone. I'd always been alone. And that was exactly how it should stay.

But in the library, she hummed while she worked, soft and carefree. It pulled at something buried deep inside me. Something I'd locked away years ago.

I grabbed my phone, scrolling to Levi's name. He answered on the second ring.

"Dean. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I need to talk," I said, my voice rough.

A pause, then his knowing chuckle. "This about the housekeeper?"

I gritted my teeth. "How did you? Nevermind."

Levi's voice carried years of friendship and mockery. "What's the problem? She's not cleaning to your standards? Messing up your piles of junk?"

"She's too... her," I muttered, the words escaping before I could stop them.

"Too her?" His tone sharpened with interest. "Elaborate."

My jaw tightened as I stared at the monitor to my right, as the security feed showed Nina organizing my library. She moved with a quiet grace, her hands gentle as they brushed against the spines of my books. Her fingers traced the titles, as if she were learning my collection by touch. The soft rustle of pages and the faint hum of her voice filled the room, a melody that seemed to resonate in my very soul. Each movement was purposeful, as though she were trying to bring order not just to my library but to the chaos inside me. "She's everywhere. Her scent, her voice, her light. It's like she's invaded every corner of my life."

The silence stretched before Levi spoke, unusually serious. "Dean, you're a wolf shifter. You know what this means."

My heart slammed against my ribs. "No."

"Yes," he said firmly. "Your wolf's recognized her as your mate. Fighting it is pointless."

"I'm not some animal," I snarled, my voice dropping to a dangerous register. "I control my instincts, not the other way around."

"You're not just a man either," Levi countered. "I fought it too, with Krista. Trying to ignore it only made things worse. Your wolf knows what it wants."

I watched Nina through the feed, my fingers hovering over the screen as if I could reach through and touch her. She moved with that maddening grace of hers. The soft yellow cardigan she wore made her glow like a ray of light.

"She's my employee, Levi," I growled, but the words tasted like ash in my mouth. "It's inappropriate."

His laugh cut sharply. "Inappropriate? You're a billionaire wolf shifter from a crime family. Since when do you care about proper?"

Nina reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the simple gesture sending a jolt through my system. My claws dug into my palm, drawing pinpricks of blood. "Since everything about her makes me lose control."

His voice softened. "Look, I get it. But fighting your nature will only hurt you both in the end. Trust me on this."

"And what happens when she finds out what I am?" I growled. "When she learns about the family business, about the blood on my hands?"

"You mean when she discovers you're a brooding billionaire wolf with a hero complex who turned his family's criminal empire into a legitimate business? Yeah, sounds terrifying."

"This isn't a joke, Levi."

"No, it's not. But neither is denying your mate. You think you're protecting her, but all you're doing is torturing yourself. And her."

I ended the call, his words echoing in my mind. The penthouse walls seemed to contract with each breath I took, the familiar scents of leather and mahogany now suffocating. My shirt collar felt too tight, each inhale bringing her scent deeper into my lungs. Sweat beaded at my temples as I paced, my footsteps echoing off the wooden floorboards.

"Sir," Jenkins interrupted. "Your heart rate has increased by thirty percent in the last minute."

"Shut. Up." I yanked at my collar, the top buttons flying off and hitting my desk with a satisfying plink.

But as I stepped into the hallway, her humming stopped me cold. The sound drew me to the kitchen, where she stood at the sink with her sleeves rolled to her elbows as she worked. Freckles dusted her cheeks like constellations, and her lips curved in that eternal smile that made my wolf pace restlessly.

"Your vital signs suggest elevated stress levels, sir. Shall I adjust the room temperature?"

I growled. "Stay out of it, Jenkins."

"Of course, sir. Though I feel compelled to point out that Ms. Sorenson has improved the organizational efficiency of the penthouse by 47% in just these few days. Perhaps your discomfort stems from other factors?"

"Mute," I snarled, stalking back to my office. The door slammed behind me with a satisfying bang, but it did nothing to block her scent. I dropped into my chair, pulling up the code for my latest project. The cursor blinked accusingly.

"Initiate debug sequence," I muttered, trying to focus. But the letters swam before my eyes, transforming into her smile, her laugh, the way her hand had brushed against mine when she'd handed me coffee yesterday. A growl of frustration ripped from my throat as I deleted an entire block of perfectly good code.

"Dammit," I hissed, running both hands through my hair. "Get it together, Nightfang."

A soft knock shattered my resolve. "Mr. Nightfang? I made some coffee, if you'd like some."

Her voice was gentle and warm, wrapping around me like a caress. I pressed my forehead against the cool wood of my desk.

"I'm busy," I managed, hating the way my voice cracked.

"Oh." A pause. "Well, I'll just leave it here then. It's the special blend you keep in the top cabinet. I noticed it was your favorite."

Of course she had. She noticed everything, this maddening woman who'd invaded my life with her cheerful smile. Who'd somehow managed to find my favorite coffee beans when even I couldn't remember where I'd stored it.

"Fine. Leave it," I bit out, not trusting myself to say more.

I listened to her retreat, counting her steps until they faded. When I finally opened the door, the coffee waited on a small tray, arranged with precise care. The rich aroma hit me the moment I stepped closer, dark and earthy with hints of chocolate and spice. Next to the cup lay a small sticky note, its edges slightly curled, her handwriting neat and precise:

"Even grumpy bosses need caffeine. - Nina"

In the corner, she'd drawn a little angry face, its expression a caricature of my perpetual scowl. The absurdity of it made something in my chest tighten, a strange warmth spreading through me despite my best efforts to resist.

I stared at the note, the stupid little doodle mocking me with its accuracy. Her care was infuriating. Why did she have to be so thoughtful? So observant? She'd noticed my coffee, prepared it perfectly, and left it here with a note that somehow managed to be both playful and kind. Her handwriting was like her, precise yet somehow playful, each letter carefully formed but flowing with natural grace. The little doodle should have been insulting. Instead, it awakened a strange sensation, so foreign that it took me a moment to recognize it. Joy. When was the last time anyone had dared to tease me? To see past the power and the money and the carefully maintained facade of control? My wolf huffed in satisfaction. She saw us, truly saw us, and wasn't afraid.

I took a sip, closing my eyes as the familiar taste rolled over my tongue. Perfect. Of course it was perfect. Everything she did was infuriatingly, wonderfully perfect.

I glanced at the security feed one last time. My wolf stilled, wholly focused on her, its intensity a fire that threatened to consume me. My heart pounded, a relentless drumbeat that drowned out the hum of the monitors. My skin felt too tight, my breaths coming in shallow bursts. I was in serious trouble.

The realization hit me like a punch in the stomach. When had I become so weak? Years of carefully constructed walls, of keeping everyone at arm's length, and this slip of a woman had managed to crack my defenses with nothing more than a coffee and a drawing. My father wasted no time in teaching me that feelings were a vulnerability that needed to be squashed. But for the first time, I wondered if he'd been wrong. If this ache in my chest wasn't weakness at all, but something else entirely.