He lets me go.But we both know I’ll be back.
Chapter Four
Mine to Keep
Acheron
I stand in the center of my office long after she’s gone, breathing her in.Her scent clings to everything.My desk.The leather couch.The air itself.I could drown in it and die a satisfied man.
I don’t go home, and soon enough the sun is rising and people start filling the empty building once more, ready to get on with the day’s work.
But my thoughts are still consumed by Zaraha.She’s an omega.Unclaimed and raw.Her heat’s building under the surface, but it’s the bond that’s unraveling her.Unmarked.Untouched.But already mine.
I felt it the moment she collapsed at my door.My scent hit her too hard and her body couldn’t handle it.I could see it in her eyes—glassy, wild, and desperate.Every instinct in her screamed to submit to me, even if her mind didn’t understand what the hell was happening.
I fought every natural instinct I have not to touch her.All I wanted to do was throw her to the floor and fuck her until she admitted she belonged to me.My dragon raged, wanting to claim our mate, but I held us back.She is already terrified.She’s still fighting it.Still running from the truth, but she won’t be for long.
I sit behind my desk and pull up her personnel file.The one I’ve read a hundred times since Samson sent it to me yesterday afternoon.Her background is clean.Suspiciously so.She grew up in foster care and had a spotty school attendance.A long list of temporary jobs.There isn’t much information outside those little tidbits but it’s enough.For now.
I press the button intercom for my assistant.“Greta.”
“Yes, sir?”her voice, sickly and sweet, floats across the airwaves.
“Your services are no longer required.”The words are flat and dismissive as they fall from my lips.
Silence.Then a brittle, “Excuse me?”Funny, how fast her attitude changes.
“You’ve been reassigned,” I continue, not caring that she is clearly unhappy with my decision.“Pack your things.Someone from human resources will be in touch.”
“But...”
I release the button before she can say another word.I don’t owe her an explanation, and I don’t have to listen to her try to talk me out of my decision.Greta was efficient, loyal, and completely fucking obsessed with me.I don’t tolerate emotional instability in my staff.
And I have no room for any distractions right now.Only Zahara.
I call down to security.“Have the cleaner, Zahara Matthews, report to my office at nine sharp.No excuses.”
