Page 3 of Billionaire Wolf Needs an Assistant (My Grumpy Werewolf Boss #2)

REEVE

I was going mad.

The holidays were always the worst time of the year for me. Employees expected to use their vacation days, ruining our project deadlines. Happy families all around reminded me of the backstabbing den of wolves I descended from. This year, I couldn't even hide away from it all with my best friend, Blake, since he was too busy making googly eyes with his new nanny.

On top of all this, I had to deal with her .

Her scent was riling up the wolf inside of me, driving me crazy. I paced my office like a caged animal, fighting the urge to rip through the door separating us. Katie's sweet vanilla-honey aroma tempted me through the cracks of the door.

My wolf raged at me for not taking her like it demanded. She was everything tempting and comforting that my beast craved. It roared in my chest for me to go out there and claim what was mine, consequences be damned. My wolf's intense desire to possess her set my nerves on edge. The human part of me knew too well how dangerous it was to give into uncontrolled passion.

It took me three years to build the walls around my heart after Celeste ripped it to shreds with her betrayal on Valentine's Day. Three years of suffocating the weak part of myself until I operated with ruthless, cold efficiency and detachment. Now, this sweetly fragranced human from some rinky-dink town in the middle of nowhere threatened to destroy my defenses with nothing more than a smile and a couple cookies.

The phone on my desk flashed. I pressed the button to take the call.

"This is the fourth call you've ignored today, Reeve Alexander Song."

I swore under my breath. Sophia was going to hear from me later. She knew better than to put my mother's calls through unless I was expecting her.

A growl rumbled in my chest. "I'm running a billion-dollar company, Mother. What do you want?"

"Don't take that tone with me, young man." My mother, Victoria Song, had perfected the art of maternal disapproval over five decades as matriarch of the Song pack. "The New Year's gala is in a couple of days."

"I told you I'm not coming." My fangs lengthened at the thought of what awaited me there. The suffocating pheromone-laden perfumes of the eligible she-wolves, the calculating stares from allied and rival wolf packs. Even after Celeste had humiliated me in front of wolf-shifter society by choosing to mate with a more powerful alpha, my mother still insisted on playing matchmaker.

"You are heir to the Song pack, Reeve." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "When you were younger, we indulged in your fantasy of staying a bachelor wolf like your friend, but times have changed. Your father's barely cold in his grave, and you're neglecting your duties. The pack needs to see you taking your role seriously. Especially now that you've hired a human assistant."

I snarled. My mother had spies in every corner of Huntington Harbor, even in my office. Someone was leaking information to her.

"My assistant is exceptional at her job." More than exceptional. Brilliant, innovative, infuriatingly optimistic. Every task I set to drive her away, she conquered with a cheerful smile and enthusiasm. "The board will be pleased with her work."

"The board agrees with me that bringing a human into a wolf-run business is a reckless decision. Sophia Roberts comes from excellent breeding. Her father's pack would make powerful allies."

"Enough!"

"Fine. But you're coming to the gala." Mother's voice held steel beneath the silk. "Bring your human assistant if you must. The pack should see what they're dealing with. Don't embarrass us, Reeve."

The line went dead. I inhaled deeply, trying to center myself. Red molten hot anger churned in my chest, but Katie's scent filled my lungs. Sweet. Pure. Mate. The word whispered through my consciousness before I could stop it.

"No. No, fucking way," I muttered under my breath. There was no way I could allow myself to be vulnerable again. No way I could let another woman close enough to destroy me. Especially not a fragile human.

I stabbed the intercom. "Ms. Clark. My office. Now."

She entered with a soft smile. That infuriatingly sweet scent filled my office, covering me and lulling me into a false comfort.

"Yes, Mr. Song?"

"The company is hosting a New Year's gala. You'll attend as my assistant. Formal attire required." I kept my voice cold, professional, ignoring how my wolf tried to reach for her. "All of the board members will be there as well as our most important clients. Don't embarrass me."

She looked at me with surprise. "Of course! I'd be honored. Should I prepare anything specific?"

You should run far away from me and my complicated life, I thought. Instead, I said, "Just be professional. Ask Sophia for where to shop. You can charge the expenses to the company's account. And try to contain your excessive cheerfulness." My tone held more growl than I intended.

She actually laughed at my words. "I'll do my best to be appropriately stern, sir." Her eyes sparkled with mischief that made my beast want to play. "Though I can't promise not to smile. It's a party, after all."

"It's a business function," I corrected sharply, fighting the urge to bare my teeth. "With traditional guests who expect certain behavior. This isn't one of your small-town festivals."

"I understand." But her smile didn't dim. "Will there be dancing?"

An image flashed in my mind, of myself ripping off her fancy dress as I tossed her onto my bed before I mounted her. I shook my head. Insanity. A low growl escaped before I could stop it. "Not if I can help it."

She seemed unaffected by the sound that made most humans instinctively back away. Instead, she tilted her head curiously, like she found my reaction fascinating.

"Just be ready at eight on New Year's Eve. A car will collect you."

She nodded and turned to leave, her scent swirling around me like a caress.

I dropped my head into my hands and groaned. This was going to be a disaster.

The gala was every bit as painful as I'd expected. Crystal chandeliers dripped light across the ballroom of my family's estate, while pack members and business associates circled like sharks in evening wear. I could smell the politics in the air, thick as the blood that threatened to spill out if a rival pack offended another.

"Your human is late," Mother hissed. Her long dark hair was twisted in an elegant hairstyle. A heavy diamond and sapphire necklace encircled her neck. As always, she was immaculate in midnight blue silk that matched her calculating eyes. They flashed amber in warning. "Sophia looks lovely tonight."

She did. My secretary wore a designer gown that probably cost more than Katie's entire annual salary. Her movements were precisely calculated to display grace and breeding. But while Sophia was the perfect wolf mate for any eligible alpha, her scent held none of the warmth I craved.

"If you say so," I replied dismissively.

Then Katie walked in, and my world tilted sideways.

She wore a simple emerald dress that hugged modest curves, her hair falling in soft waves around shoulders bared by the neckline of her dress. She wasn't wearing an obvious designer piece, nor did she have any expensive jewelry, but she glowed with an inner light that drew every eye. My wolf surged forward, desperate to claim her in front of all the other wolves.

"Mr. Song!" She hurried over, stumbling slightly in heels that she was not used to wearing. I caught her elbow automatically and then had to fight the urge to pull her closer as her scent enveloped me. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The taxi got lost."

"Reeve." Sophia appeared at my side. Like a snake, she slinked close to me and placed her hand possessively on my arm. The touch made my wolf bristle. "You promised me the first dance."

I hadn't, but pack politics required certain courtesies. As much as I wanted to shake her off, I could not do so without offending her pack and bringing shame to the Song pack.

Reluctantly, I led Sophia to the dance floor. Trapped with a woman I wanted nothing to do with, I turned my head and saw Katie watching us with an odd expression. Then Denver, Sophia's older brother, came up to Katie and swept her onto the dance floor.

My wolf did not like that. Not at all. A possessive growl built in my chest as I watched them move across the floor. My jaw clenched as I watched Denver lean down to whisper in Katie's ear. She broke out into a tinkling laugh that drifted across the room. I was not the only one keeping an eye on her. Katie moved with natural grace, already drawing admirers. Even some of the older wolves seemed charmed by her genuine warmth.

"Your mother tells me the board has been concerned with your recent performance," Sophia purred, pressing closer than strictly necessary. Her carefully crafted scent, a mixture of expensive perfume layered over wolf, made my nose itch. "My father's pack has extensive Asian contacts. A merger of our interests would be advantageous."

I spun my dance partner through the dance steps on autopilot. My attention was on Katie, who was once again on the sidelines. After her dance with Denver, she was now working her magic on the other party guests. Despite the cold nature of the shifter in the room, they couldn't help but be drawn in to her warmth. She was an innocent lamb surrounded by a den of wolves.

"Reeve? Are you listening?"

"No," I said honestly. Sophia's perfectly painted lips thinned with displeasure.

Unable to put up with the charade any longer, I guided her off of the dance floor. "Thank you for the dance, Ms. Roberts." She started to say something, but I was already across the room and on my way to Katie.

All I could see was her. She was impossible to ignore. Her laugh, her scent, the way she handled the judgmental bastards in this room with ease. She was a ray of sunshine in this world of sinister shadows.

My mother intercepted me before I could get to Katie. She grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the bar. "This is unacceptable. That human is making a scene. As have you." Her voice dripped with disgust. "You've been drooling over her like a lovesick pup."

I shook off her arm and signaled for the bartender to get me a gin and tonic. "She's my assistant. I'm ensuring she doesn't embarrass the company." The lie tasted bitter on my tongue.

"She's inappropriate. I've already announced your dance with Sophia for midnight."

The bartender handed me my drink and I downed it in one go. I slammed my glass down. "Then you can expect to be disappointed. I will choose my own partner." My voice held a growl that would have sent lesser wolves running. Mother's eyes widened at my defiance.

"You're the Song heir," she hissed. "The pack must come first. After Celeste, I expect you to put aside your foolish whims."

"Do not mention her name." Through the crowd, I saw Katie slip onto a moonlit balcony. Alone. My wolf urged me to follow.

"You will dance with Sophia," Mother insisted. "The pack needs this alliance. Your father--"

"Father is dead." I cut her off coldly, letting my eyes flash amber. "And I am not him."

Tired of the conversation, I followed Katie out onto the balcony. I found her leaning against the stone railing, shivering slightly in the winter air. Without thinking, I shrugged off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She jumped, then relaxed as she recognized me. The sight of her wrapped in my scent made my wolf purr in satisfaction.

"Oh! Thank you, Mr. Song. It's a beautiful party." She inhaled deeply, and something primal in me preened at her unconscious acceptance of my scent. "Your mother has exquisite taste."

"She has expectations," I corrected, moving closer than I should. "For everything and everyone."

Katie turned, studying me with those clear eyes that saw so much despite her innocence. "Is that why you look so sad? The expectations?"

"I'm not sad."

"You're lonely," she finished softly. Her hand touched my arm, her warmth soaking through my silk shirt. I leaned into the contact. "Surrounded by all these people who care about status and alliances, but not a bit about you."

She understood too well, this interloper, who despite her background, was far too good for my world. "You don't belong here," I said roughly.

"Maybe not." Her smile held a hint of mischief that made my heart stutter. "But I'm having fun anyway. Life's too short for arbitrary barriers, don't you think?"

Inside, the countdown to midnight began. If I was a good son, I would have gone inside for the traditional midnight dance with Sophia.

Katie shivered again, and I found myself stepping closer, drawn by the honey-sweet scent of her. She tipped her face up, moonlight catching in her eyes. "Mr. Song--"

"Reeve," I corrected hoarsely. My wolf pushed forward, wanting her to know me, all of me. "My name is Reeve."

Ten... nine... eight...

Her eyes widened, but then her heavy gaze drifted to my lips. Her little hands came up to rest on my chest. She swayed slightly.

"Reeve," she breathed. The tip of her tongue came out to wet her lips.

Seven... six... five...

My hand landed on the small of her back, drawn to it like it was the most natural place in the world. With my other hand, I stroked her cheek, running the back of my hand down her throat. Her pulse jumped under my touch, a siren call to my beast.

Four... three... two...

My lips drifted closer to hers.

"Reeve!" Mother's voice shattered the moment. "Sophia is waiting!"

Katie stepped back quickly, face flushing. "You should go. Everyone is expecting you to dance with Ms. Roberts."

Before I could protest, she twisted out of my arms and retreated into the ballroom and the safety of the crowd.

One...

I growled in frustration as she slipped away, taking her warmth and that maddening scent with her. My wolf howled in protest, but I forced myself to return to the ballroom. To duty. To expectations.

All eyes were on me, their gazes burning with hunger for me to create a scene that they could gossip about for the rest of the year. But I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction. Even as I took Sophia's hand for the traditional dance, my eyes found Katie across the room. She was watching us with an expression I couldn't read, still wearing my jacket like a claim.

My wolf knew what it wanted. The question was, how long could I keep denying the truth?

I had finally found my fated mate, but it was in the very last person I should want.