Olivia leaves me in the office. I would've run after her if Nate and Graham hadn't introduced themselves.
Their presence makes being around Grant less intimidating. The intensity he exudes without even needing words is mind-blowing.
“Leena, how are you? Are you cold?” Graham inquires.
I shake my head. “Just drenched, but I'll be fine.”
“Head to the closet and look for something to wear,” Grant says, pointing in the direction of a huge walk-in. “There are towels there as well if you need them.”
The man doesn't sound thrilled to help. Instead, the words come off like it's an inconvenience to talk to me.
“Thank you.” I move to his closet, closing the door behind me. I switch out of my clothes and quickly put on a nice brown sweater that's much bigger than I am. Thankfully, I find a pair of sweatpants that I can slip into.
I walk back out to find the men chatting. Their discussion pauses when they see me. “Would you like something to eat?” Nate asks.
“No,” I reply, even though I wouldn't mind a hot meal. I feel my eyes change color as I speak. Grant does the same thing, almost like a warning, and the sudden rush of fear nearly sends me cowering to the floor.
After what he just did, there's a severe look on the alpha's face.
Nate and Graham laugh. “The alpha isn't going to hurt you,” Graham says. “Although, it's hard not to think that when you see how viciously he fights.”
“You can relax, Leena,” Nate assures me. “You have nothing to worry about.”
Grant finally steps forward, stopping just before me. His presence almost makes me want to flee the room and disappear.
“My name is Grant,” he says. “I'm the alpha of this pack and the CEO of the IronFang's Law Firm.” My eyes almost bulge out of my head when he introduces himself.
He's the CEO, too? So he's the one I'm going to be working for?
The thought of working for this intense man almost makes me want to jump out the window. I had assumed I’d be working for Graham or Nate, just based on their appearance.
Grant doesn't have any sort of corporate vibe to him. He seems like the kind of guy who’d choke on any sort of official lifestyle. That sort of life would probably feel like a noose around his neck.
“Welcome, Leena,” Grant continues. “I hear you're going to be my new assistant.”
The more he speaks, the clearer the picture becomes. This guy is a natural leader. That's what his aura states. Even if he wasn't the one in charge of this law firm, I can't imagine anyone giving him orders. Still, Nate and Graham seem so free around him.
“Yes, I am.”
This isn't what I signed up for. If I'm being honest, I didn't exactly sign up for any of this. I'm here because I hardly have a choice. This new life placed on me feels like a curse I can't shake. All I can do now is live with it.
My mind takes me back to the night when all of this started. I'm thrust back to the trail in the woods, where I remember walking aimlessly.
“Hello?” I call out into the night. The thick trees seem to steal my voice. The others in my hiking party are long gone now. Even if they're looking for me, I've stumbled too far off the main trail for them to find me.
The air feels heavy, and all I can be grateful for is the full moon above. It acts as my only light source, seeing as my flashlight is dead.
“I should stay still,” I say. “I need to stay in one place so they can find me.”
Keeping that thought in mind, I try to maintain some hope that I'll be found and reunited with everyone soon.
I stroll up to a large tree and crouch down, sitting against the bark. It's not the best, but it's all I can do.
My legs hurt from all the hiking, and my clothes feel so uncomfortable on my skin. I lean my head back and try to close my eyes.
It'll be morning soon. Then I'll be out of the woods. I just need to get through the night.
The noise around me is the sound of the wind moving through the leaves above. Crickets chirp in the distance. Suddenly, I hear a gunshot.
