Chapter 4 SECRETS AND PROMOTIONS

Allen

By the time I returned to the office, I had already replayed the events of the morning more times than I cared to admit. Each time making less sense than before.

Lucas was waiting in my office when I arrived. He was sitting in one of the chairs opposite my desk, but the moment I walked in, he rose to his feet. The concern in his eyes was impossible to miss.

“Alpha, what happened?” he asked. “You said it was something we couldn't discuss over the phone.”

I closed the door behind me and walked toward my desk. “I found my mate.”

For a second, Lucas simply stared at me.

Then his face lit up.

“You did?”

I nodded.

Lucas stepped closer, his excitement impossible to hide. “Allen, that's wonderful! Congratulations man. For a moment there you had me worried, I thought…”

He stopped when he noticed my expression.

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

I leaned against the edge of my desk and folded my arms across my chest. “Lucas, she's human…”

His excitement faded slightly.

“Human?”

I sighed loudly.

Lucas was silent for a moment before exhaling slowly. “The pack isn't going to be thrilled about that.”

“Exactly.”

The rules and expectations of our kind had never been simple, especially when it came to mates. A human mate was not what most wolves imagined for their Alpha, and I had no doubt there would be questions and some resistance if the pack found out.

“But that's not the only problem,” I added.

Lucas studied me. “Did you already reject her?”

“What? No, I would never.” I shook my head.

His eyebrows pulled together, “What is it then?”

I let out another sigh, “She is terrified of me.”

I told him what had happened, leaving out nothing. Lucas listened without interrupting.

When I finished, he rubbed a hand over his jaw.

“Her being human could make the first encounter different,” he said thoughtfully. “But that doesn't explain why she was terrified of you.”

“Exactly.”

“What are you going to do?”

I looked toward the window, but the city outside held no answers.

“Nothing yet.”

Lucas frowned.

“She works for you,” he said. “Are you going to tell her the truth?”

“Not yet.” I pushed away from the desk and walked toward the window. “If I tell her she's my mate now, I might frighten her even more. I need to understand where that fear is coming from before I put the weight of a mate bond on her.”

Lucas considered my words before nodding.

“That makes sense.” There was a silent pause before he continued, “And her being human isn’t helping your case either. You can’t just bring up werewolves and mates to her and hope she catches on.”

My jaw tightened as I thought about the way Emily had looked at me. The fear I had smelled on her was like nothing I had ever experienced, even on the rare occasions I had released my alpha pressure. If I told her about my world I might end up stopping her heart for good.

“How is Frost taking it?” Lucas asked.

I almost laughed.

“Not well.”

Lucas gave me a knowing look. “I can imagine.”

Frost had been restless since the moment we saw Emily. My wolf had recognized her before my mind had even caught up, and now he was barely giving me room to think.

“He wants her,” I said. “He doesn't understand why she's afraid of us.”

Lucas nodded. “Poor Frost must be confused why his mate doesn’t want to be with him. It’s primal for him, and he probably doesn’t get why it’s not working out.”

“He’s not the only one who doesn’t get it.” I turned back toward him. “I want you to look into her.”

Lucas's expression became serious.

“I want to know everything that might explain her reaction. Her background, her family, her history. Anything unusual.”

“You want me to investigate your mate?”

“I want answers.”

He nodded. “I'll handle it discreetly.”

“There is one more thing.”

Lucas waited.

“I don't want the pack to know about her yet.”

His expression hardened slightly.

“Why?”

“There is already too much happening.”

Revealing that the Alpha had found a human mate, one who was apparently terrified of him, would invite questions, speculation, and pressure I wasn't prepared to deal with.

“With the disappearances still unresolved, introducing another unknown into the situation isn't wise,” I said. “For now, this stays between us.”

Lucas held my gaze for a moment before nodding.

“Understood.”

The office door opened before I could say anything else. Micah walked in carrying a folder.

“Boss.” His gaze shifted to Lucas, and he gave him a respectful bow. “Detective Lucas.”

Lucas acknowledged him with a brief nod.

Micah turned toward me and held up the folder. “I got Miss Emily's file from HR.”

“Give it to Lucas.”

Micah looked at me, then at the folder. Lucas stepped forward and took it from him.

“I'll get started right away,” he said. “I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”

He gave me one last look before leaving the office with the file. The door had barely closed behind him when Micah turned back to me.

“Boss, about the accident…”

I looked at him.

His expression had changed. He looked almost uncomfortable.

“I know it was Emily’s fault,” he continued, “but if you're planning to press charges, maybe you could let it go this once.”

I stared at him.

“Press charges?”

Micah nodded quickly. “She was already shaken. It was her first day, and she clearly didn't mean to cause it. If the repairs are the problem, I'll cover them myself. Just drop the charges.”

For a moment, I couldn't understand how he had arrived at that conclusion.

“Why do you think I want to report her?”

Micah glanced toward the door through which Lucas had just left.

“You asked for her HR file and handed it to Detective Lucas.”

I almost smiled.

“That isn't why I asked for it.”

Micah looked confused.

I walked back toward my desk and sat down.

“Transfer Emily from the general administrative assistant's office to my office.”

Micah blinked, “Your office?”

“Sorry, I meant your office, as my personal secretary.” I corrected myself, “You’ll be sharing the office with her.”

Micah stared at me for several seconds.

“Boss, are you okay?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“You're promoting her after everything that happened? I expected you to fire her, not to promote her on her first day.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, “Is that what you want Micah?”

“No, of course not! It’s just unlike you to react like this under such circumstances.” Judging by his expression, I could see my question had only made him more suspicious.

I placed the file on my desk, “Yes, Voss. I'm promoting her.” I responded, ignoring his obvious concerns.

“Now hurry up and get the paperwork started. I want her to report to this office when she's discharged from the hospital.”