Page 17 of His White Moonlight (Dominant CEO Shifter Romance #1)

Mom tried calling me a million times. So did Grandma and Dad. Apparently, they hadn’t involved Aiden and Karter yet because they didn’t call. Not even once. Bennett knocked on my door countless times, though. Thankfully, he never came in, even when I didn’t respond to him.

Was I sulking? No. I was plotting.

They thought they could keep me caged…controlled…but I was done living like that.

I spent the remainder of Sunday making plans to meet up with Sophia for lunch on Tuesday. It was the only guaranteed time I would be able to get away without someone noticing I was gone.

Since I had no bed, I slept in Karter’s. It didn’t smell like the person I remembered, which made me sad and made me wonder if that part of my life was gone for good.

A soft repetitive sound brought me out of my sleep enough to recognize someone pacing. The low murmur of Bennett’s voice assured me who it was and lulled me back to sleep.

In the morning, Karter’s door was open, but the hall was empty.

I quietly crept back into my room and started to get ready for work. When I emerged from my room, I interrupted Bennett’s pacing in the hallway.

He was impeccably dressed as always, but the look in his eyes was unsettling. Not angry exactly. Definitely a little off kilter—understandable since he’d been pacing in the middle of the night and was probably only running on a few hours of sleep.

Which was why, when he took a step toward me, I retreated one and grabbed my door.

He held up his hands and took a step back.

“I just wanted to ask if we should stop to get something to eat on the way to work, and if you wanted to drive.”

“I can drive?” I asked, surprised.

“Of course.”

“You say ‘of course’ as if things are a given, but we both know they’re not. They literally have to be given to me.”

He bared his teeth for a second. I didn’t think it was at me, but more at what I was saying. I didn’t know why it mattered to him so much. Had Mom and Dad bribed him? Were they paying him to make nice with me or something? Make Wrenly happy so she’ll stay? It wasn’t going to work.

“I know you’re disappointed,” he said slowly. “I swear I’m trying to find ways to make things better. Please give me a chance.”

I wasn’t exactly sure what he was talking about, but I nodded anyway because he looked like he was two seconds from throwing something again. Since I was the nearest object not attached to the house in some way, I figured it’d be wise not to provoke him further.

“I’ll pass on driving to work, and I’m not really that hungry yet.”

“You didn’t eat much yesterday.”

“I’m aware. Are you telling me I have to eat?”

“No,” he said quickly. “If you change your mind, let me know.”

“Okay.”

The ride to work seemed more tense than it had the week before. The silence was the same, but his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel wasn’t. We rode up the elevator together, and Walt happened to join us again on the lobby elevator.

When he said good morning, I smiled and nodded, very aware of Bennett’s disapproving presence.

On our floor, Bennett motioned for me to go first. The women we passed eyed me and said good morning to him. He didn’t say anything back.

It felt like I was walking to my execution instead of my desk. The note and breakfast croissant that waited for me didn’t ease the feeling.

Sighing, I crumpled the note after reading it, tossed it in the garbage, and grabbed the bag to take with me. It looked like food wasn’t optional anymore either. I felt Bennett’s gaze as I headed off to Mom’s office.

Her door was closed when I arrived, and through her office blinds, I saw she was on the phone. She saw me and motioned for me to come in.

“I understand,” I heard her say as I opened the door. “Stop worrying. Goodbye.”

She hung up and stood, coming around the desk to hug me.

“I apologize for yesterday, sweetheart. I didn’t understand what was happening.”

“Oh? And what do you think was happening?”

Mom pulled back to look at me, probably surprised at my tone and that I hadn’t said everything was okay.

“You want to live independently, and we’re stifling you,” she said immediately.

That she understood almost brought tears to my eyes. She saw and hugged me again.

“My poor girl,” she said soothingly. “I know this isn’t easy on you, and I’m sorry for that. I promise it will get better soon. It’s hard to let go and give you the freedom you need when we worry so much. If anything happened to you…”

She hugged me harder, and I finally hugged her back. It was hard to stay mad when I knew they weren’t restricting me to be mean. They truly loved me.

“Life is meant to be lived, Mom. You’re worried something will happen to me, so you’re ensuring nothing happens. That’s the same as being dead to me.”

She sniffled, and I rubbed her back.

“Please don’t cry, Mom. I’m not asking to join a gang or get a tattoo on my face. I just want to be able to come and go as I please, like everyone else in the house.”

“I know. Please give us a little more patience. You’ve only been home a few days.”

The comment reminded me of something else bothering me, and I eased out of her embrace to look into her teary eyes.

“I’ve been home for five days, Mom. But you and Dad haven’t. Neither have Aiden or Karter. Why not?”

“Dad and I have a place in the city to make entertaining a little easier. And you’ve already guessed that Aiden and Karter are visiting other packs to find their mates.”

Which meant they probably wouldn’t be back for a long time, and once they were, they wouldn’t have time for me. Knowing that hurt. That unwanted, abandoned kid feeling roared forward again.

“Can I stay with you and Dad?”

“Why? Don’t you like your new room?”

“I love it. But the whole point of coming home was to be with my family, wasn’t it?”

She didn’t look away or change her expression, but I still saw a subtle shift that let me know the question made her uncomfortable.

“Of course it is. And you are with family. Bennett’s there.”

“He’s never seen himself as my family.”

“That’s absolutely not true, Wrenly. Bennett loves you.”

I snorted and turned to take a seat on the couch as I opened the bag.

“How long do I need to work here? And when are you and Dad free to have a conversation about college? I found several that I like with the programs I’m interested in.”

Her silence spoke volumes, but I didn’t verbally backtrack as I opened my sandwich and took a bite. As I chewed, I waited her out.

“We’re doing a lot of entertaining in the evenings and meetings during the day,” she said finally. “I’ll check our schedules and let you know.”

“Okay. I’ve gotten acceptance from all the universities I applied to. Before I make my selection and send the first payment, I’d hoped for your opinion.”

I took a bite as she digested that bit of shocking news. And it was shocking. I didn’t need a shifter nose to tell me that. Mom sat next to me and stole the sandwich from my hands to claim my attention.

“Where did you apply, Wrenly?” Worry laced her tone.

“Me going off to college isn’t something you should be afraid of, Mom.

And your reaction right now is why I want to have a real conversation about it.

Let’s wait until Dad can be here, too, that way I won’t interrupt your already busy day.

” I removed my hands from hers and grabbed my sandwich. “Thank you for breakfast. It’s good.”

She didn’t stop me from leaving her office.

When I closed the door, I saw she was already reaching for her phone. Probably to tell Dad I was veering from whatever plans they’d set for me.

When I returned to my desk, Bennett’s door was closed, but the blinds were open. I could see he was on the phone. He wasn’t talking. He was listening to what looked like bad news.

Internally sighing, I sat at my desk, finished my breakfast, and waited for whatever hellstorm Bennett would unleash today.

“It makes no sense that they picked you for his secretary,” Milena said.

I didn’t bother looking at her as I responded, “Didn’t we already go over this? He finds your desperation annoying.”

She growled.

I looked her in the eye and shrugged.

Her pupils dilated. “Watch your back, Charity.”

“Wipe your drool, Bin.”

“Bin?”

“Bitch In Need.”

She was over the desk before I knew she was coming and had me pinned against the wall by my throat. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bennett move. The door banged open, and she was ripped away from me a second later.

I crumpled to the floor, holding my neck, and as I wheezed for air, I watched Bennett pin her to the wall like she had done to me.

“She is a Wulf. You will extend her the same respect you extend me, or you and your family can find another pack. Am I clear?”

“She—”

He slammed her against the wall. The drywall indented with a snap.

“Am I clear?”

People gathered at the opening of the office suite, watching the drama unfold. No one spoke, but I could feel their accusing gazes as Bennett waited for her answer.

“Clear,” she rasped.

He dropped her like a hot stone and turned toward me. He offered his hand, which I ignored as I got to my feet.

“In my office. Now,” he said.

Without looking at any of them, I marched into his office. He was right on my heels and closed the door behind us. Then he closed the blinds so they couldn’t see.

He grabbed my shoulders and tipped my chin up to look at my neck.

“Does it hurt to swallow? Can you speak?”

“I quit.”

He released my chin and looked into my eyes. “It won’t happen again.”

Was he an idiot? It might not happen where he would see it, but it most definitely would happen again.

“You’re right…because I quit.”

“You can’t.”

“Are you going to drag me into the office every day?”

“We made a deal. You said you’d eat lunch with me if I didn’t tell Mom and Dad you were eating next to a man last week.”

I stared at him, knowing damn well what would happen if he told them that before I had a chance to talk to them about college.

“I hate you.”

“Then hate me. But you’re not quitting.”