Part of her was relieved. Part of her was disappointed. The rest of her told both parts to shut up and focus on the job at hand.
She spent most of the morning investigating the horrifying state of the network infrastructure. Adrian never appeared and she eventually made her way to the kitchen, desperate for coffee. The room was empty except for an older woman with silver-streaked dark hair. She was casually dressed in jeans and a white button-down but she wore them with the confidence of someone who expected to be obeyed.
The woman looked her up and down, her expression neutral, before she nodded towards a large pot of coffee. “Help yourself. Adrian ordered your preferred brand.”
She paused, her hand halfway to a mug. “He did?”
“He said you were particular. He also requested you be provided with snacks and meals on a schedule. He seems to believe you forget to eat.”
Her cheeks immediately heated. “I’m fine. Really. Coffee is all I need.”
“We’ll see about that.” The woman pulled a covered plate from a warmer. “Have a muffin.”
She took the muffin, then moaned appreciatively. Blueberry. One of the few things she actually enjoyed besides pizza and energy drinks.
The woman nodded briskly. “I’m Irene. I manage the household.”
“I’m Harper. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I was also Derek’s assistant before I retired,” Irene added, and Harper’s mouth dropped open. Even with her head bent over her computer most of the time, she’d heard about Derek’s formidable former assistant.
“You’re that Irene?” she asked, then blushed even harder. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just that…”
Her hand waved helplessly. Irene let her squirm for a moment longer before shaking her head.
“It’s nice to know I’m still remembered.” Irene studied her with the kind of purposeful gaze that suggested she’d spent decades managing people far more intimidating than one confused cybersecurity specialist. “I also serve as a liaison for visitors overwhelmed by pack dynamics.”
“I’m not overwhelmed.” The protest came out automatically, though she wasn’t entirely sure it was accurate.
Irene shook her head again. “Of course not. You’re merely sitting in a borrowed office, surrounded by network infrastructure that’s as old as the ark, working for an Alpha who has been unusually restless over the past few days.” She paused, tilting her head slightly. “The moon is waxing, you know. Five days until full.”
“I… didn’t know that, actually. Is that significant?”
“To wolves? Always.” Irene joined her at the table. “The lunar cycle affects our moods, our instincts, our… responses. Adrian in particular tends to become more intense as the moon approaches fullness.”
Moreintense?
“He’s pretty intense already,” she ventured.
“Is he?” Irene’s expression remained perfectly composed. “How interesting.”
The non-answer was frustrating, but she recognized a deliberate deflection when she encountered one. She’d grown up in foster care, where survival meant learning to read between the lines of what adults told you versus what they actually meant.
Move on. Get useful information.
“So you’re here to… help me navigate pack dynamics?”
“That’s not my primary job, but Derek asked me to help out if you had any questions.” Irene’s gaze drifted over her again. “Though from what I’ve heard, you seem to be navigating well enough. The young wolves are quite taken with you.”
“Taken with me?” She blinked. “They’ve barely spoken to me. The ones who aren’t actively avoiding me seem to think I’m either a curiosity or a threat.”
“That’s wolves for you. We don’t separate those categories the way humans do.” Irene leaned forward slightly. “A word of advice: when you feel their attention, don’t look away first. They interpret an averted gaze as submission or fear. Neither will serve you here.”
She nodded and filed it away, adding it to her mental database of werewolf behavioral patterns. “Good to know.”
“Now,” Irene said briskly. “What have you discovered about our technological situation?”
The question was a relief—finally, something she actually understood. She opened her laptop to a sprawling network diagram that looked less like planned infrastructure and morelike something a toddler might create with spaghetti and aggressive optimism.
