Cecilia
Harper had just returned with groceries when her phone rang.
She shifted the bags to one arm and answered with a quick, distracted “Hello?”
After a short conversation, she turned to , her eyebrows pulled together in concern.
"My mom pulled her back. I need to go help her," she said, already setting the grocery bags on the counter .
I waved her off from my spot on the couch.
“It’s okay, really,” I said with a small smile.
"I’ll be fine. I’ll just order takeout. Go take care of your mom."
She hesitated, her eyes scanning like she wasn’t quite convinced.
"Text if you so much as sneeze, okay?" she insisted, half in her shoes, bag dangling off her arm like she couldn’t decide between and her mom.
"I will," I nodded.
But the mont the door clicked shut behind her, the apartnt felt just a little too quiet.
I could tell she was reluctant to leave alone, but what could I do? Her mom needed her more than I did. After all, I was a grown woman who could handle being alone for one evening, injured or not.
As it turned out, the Moon Goddess had other plans for my night.
Not fifteen minutes later, my phone rang. When I saw Liam’s na on the screen.
Why would Liam call at this hour? A flicker of doubt flashed through my brain.
I answered with caution. "Hello?"
"Miss Cecilia ," Liam’s cheerful voice ca through, "your friend Harper ran into Beta Sawyer in the elevator. She ntioned you’d be alone tonight and asked if we might look in on you."
My body went rigid. Oh my god, SHE DID WHAT?I can’t decide if I should be impressed... or mildly concerned.
"Alpha Sebastian wanted to check if you’d be comfortable with that arrangent," Liam continued, "Considering we’re all males, he thought you might prefer to decline."
I stared at the ceiling, trapped in social quicksand. What was I supposed to say? [Yes, I’m terrified of spending ti with three male wolves, especially when one of them is my boss whose thighs I accidentally groped today?]
"I don’t mind," I said, forcing a cheerful tone I didn’t quite feel.
I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and glanced nervously at the door.
"But isn’t it too much trouble? Actually—"
"No trouble at all!" Liam cut off, his voice bright and enthusiastic.
"I’ve made butternut squash soup. I’ll bring so down for you."
My eyes widened as panic bubbled up.
"No, no! That’s for Alpha Sebastian. I can’t drink his soup!"
Liam gave a dramatic gasp, as if I’d just insulted the soup itself.
"Easy solution—he can join you. Or better yet, you can co up and dine together."
"WHAT? No!" I blurted, practically jumping off the couch.
My heart slamd against my ribs like it was trying to escape.
The re thought of sitting across from Alpha Sebastian at a dinner table was enough to short-circuit my brain.
"Liam, please! I’ve already ordered takeout!"
He actually winced at the word.
"Takeout? While you’re at ho recovering from the infusion. Absolutely not."
His voice turned firm, almost offended, like I’d suggested eating cardboard.
"Your body needs proper nourishnt to recover. I’ll co down to get you, and you’ll have dinner with Alpha Sebastian. It’s decided!"
"Liam, wait—"
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone in horror.
Going upstairs. Dinner. With Alpha Sebastian.
Each concept was more terrifying than the last.
I gave Liam the door code, planning to negotiate when he arrived. Surely I could talk him out of this ridiculous dinner plan.
But when the door opened, it wasn’t Liam who stepped into my apartnt.
And then—Alpha Sebastian himself stepped through the door.
My breath snagged like a zipper caught on fabric.He wore casual beige lounge wear that sohow made him look even more elegant than his usual suits. The fabric draped perfectly over his tall, lean fra, and without his usual formal attire, I could better appreciate the strong line of his shoulders and the elegant curve of his neck.
All my carefully prepared argunts evaporated like morning dew.
"Alpha Sebastian," I squeaked, trying desperately to maintain a normal smile while my fingers dug into the couch cushions. "Why are you here instead of Liam?"
He shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Soup. Liam needed to watch the fire."
"Oh."
He glanced around my living room briefly before approaching. Without asking permission, he bent down to help into my wheelchair. The sudden proximity brought his scent—sandalwood and sothing distinctly HIM—washing over .
I went completely rigid, my body as stiff as a mummified corpse.
The elevator ride was even worse. Trapped in that small space with him, all I could think about was how I’d grabbed his thighs earlier that day. I stared fixedly at the floor numbers, praying for the ride to end before I died of embarrassnt.
His penthouse was at least three tis the size of my apartnt. He wheeled through the spacious, tastefully decorated rooms until we reached his study.
"Dinner’s not ready yet," he said, parking near his desk. "While we wait, why don’t we do sothing together?"
"Um... what?" My brain short-circuited.
[Do sothing together.] Those three innocent words sent my imagination spiraling in decidedly inappropriate directions.
Shit,Cecilia.Get your mind out of the gutter!!!
Alpha Sebastian, oblivious to my internal ltdown, positioned at his desk and placed a stack of docunts in front of .
Oh. WORK. He wants to do work together.
Relief washed over , followed imdiately by embarrassnt at where my thoughts had gone. A small laugh escaped before I could stop it.
Alpha Sebastian glanced up, one perfect eyebrow arched. "Does working make you this happy?"
With no way to explain my actual thoughts, I doubled down on the awkward laughter. "Yep. Born to work. It’s my calling."
The corner of his mouth quirked up, and I realized with a jolt that I’d made him smile—actually smile.
We sat across from each other at his desk. I focused on the docunts he’d given , determined not to make a fool of myself again. The only sounds in the study were pages turning and keyboards clicking. It felt strangely... comfortable.
When I finished organizing the files as he’d requested, I looked up to tell him, only to find him completely absorbed in whatever he was reading on his screen. His brow was furrowed slightly, and I wondered if it had anything to do with his mood on the plane earlier.
I’d noticed his displeasure after we landed. When I suggested he go ahead without , he hadn’t even acknowledged . I suspected Xavier’s appearance at the airport was to bla. What Alpha would want to get involved in their employee’s ssy personal life?
I took the opportunity to study him unobserved. The silver-rimd glasses he wore for reading slid slightly down his nose. His dark hair fell across his forehead in a way that made my fingers itch to brush it back. His jawline could cut glass, and his lips...
Without warning, he looked up, catching staring.
Our eyes locked.
"I... I finished organizing everything," I stamred, my heart rate spiking so dramatically I was sure his wolf could hear it.
Oh, fantastic. Staring at your boss like he’s a GQ model—smooth move, Cecilia.I thought to myself,trying desperately to maintain my composure under Alpha Sebastian’s intense gaze.
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