Page 5 of Billionaire Wolf Needs an Assistant

The line went dead. I inhaled deeply, trying to center myself. Red molten hot anger churned in my chest, but Katie's scent filled my lungs. Sweet. Pure. Mate. The word whispered through my consciousness before I could stop it.

"No. No, fucking way," I muttered under my breath. There was no way I could allow myself to be vulnerable again. No way I could let another woman close enough to destroy me. Especially not a fragile human.

I stabbed the intercom. "Ms. Clark. My office. Now."

She entered with a soft smile. That infuriatingly sweet scent filled my office, covering me and lulling me into a false comfort.

"Yes, Mr. Song?"

"The company is hosting a New Year's gala. You'll attend as my assistant. Formal attire required." I kept my voice cold, professional, ignoring how my wolf tried to reach for her. "All of the board members will be there as well as our most important clients. Don't embarrass me."

She looked at me with surprise. "Of course! I'd be honored. Should I prepare anything specific?"

You should run far away from me and my complicated life, I thought. Instead, I said, "Just be professional. Ask Sophia for where to shop. You can charge the expenses to the company's account. And try to contain your excessive cheerfulness." My tone held more growl than I intended.

She actually laughed at my words. "I'll do my best to be appropriately stern, sir." Her eyes sparkled with mischief that made my beast want to play. "Though I can't promise not to smile. It's a party, after all."

"It's a business function," I corrected sharply, fighting the urge to bare my teeth. "With traditional guests who expect certain behavior. This isn't one of your small-town festivals."

"I understand." But her smile didn't dim. "Will there be dancing?"

An image flashed in my mind, of myself ripping off her fancy dress as I tossed her onto my bed before I mounted her. I shook my head. Insanity. A low growl escaped before I could stop it. "Not if I can help it."

She seemed unaffected by the sound that made most humans instinctively back away. Instead, she tilted her head curiously, like she found my reaction fascinating.

"Just be ready at eight on New Year's Eve. A car will collect you."

She nodded and turned to leave, her scent swirling around me like a caress.

I dropped my head into my hands and groaned. This was going to be a disaster.

The gala was every bit as painful as I'd expected. Crystal chandeliers dripped light across the ballroom of my family's estate, while pack members and business associates circled like sharks in evening wear. I could smell the politics in the air, thick as the blood that threatened to spill out if a rival pack offended another.

"Your human is late," Mother hissed. Her long dark hair was twisted in an elegant hairstyle. A heavy diamond and sapphire necklace encircled her neck. As always, she was immaculate in midnight blue silk that matched her calculating eyes. They flashed amber in warning. "Sophia looks lovely tonight."

She did. My secretary wore a designer gown that probably cost more than Katie's entire annual salary. Her movements were precisely calculated to display grace and breeding. But while Sophia was the perfect wolf mate for any eligible alpha, her scent held none of the warmth I craved.

"If you say so," I replied dismissively.

Then Katie walked in, and my world tilted sideways.

She wore a simple emerald dress that hugged modest curves, her hair falling in soft waves around shoulders bared by the neckline of her dress. She wasn't wearing an obvious designer piece, nor did she have any expensive jewelry, but she glowed with an inner light that drew every eye. My wolf surged forward, desperate to claim her in front of all the other wolves.

"Mr. Song!" She hurried over, stumbling slightly in heels that she was not used to wearing. I caught her elbow automatically and then had to fight the urge to pull her closer as her scent enveloped me. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The taxi got lost."

"Reeve." Sophia appeared at my side. Like a snake, she slinked close to me and placed her hand possessively on my arm. The touch made my wolf bristle. "You promised me the first dance."

I hadn't, but pack politics required certain courtesies. As much as I wanted to shake her off, I could not do so without offending her pack and bringing shame to the Song pack.

Reluctantly, I led Sophia to the dance floor. Trapped with a woman I wanted nothing to do with, I turned my head and saw Katie watching us with an odd expression. Then Denver, Sophia's older brother, came up to Katie and swept her onto the dance floor.

My wolf did not like that. Not at all. A possessive growl built in my chest as I watched them move across the floor. My jaw clenched as I watched Denver lean down to whisper in Katie's ear. She broke out into a tinkling laugh that drifted across the room. I was not the only one keeping an eye on her. Katie moved with natural grace, already drawing admirers. Even some of the older wolves seemed charmed by her genuine warmth.

"Your mother tells me the board has been concerned with your recent performance," Sophia purred, pressing closer than strictly necessary. Her carefully crafted scent, a mixture of expensive perfume layered over wolf, made my nose itch. "My father's pack has extensive Asian contacts. A merger of our interests would be advantageous."

I spun my dance partner through the dance steps on autopilot. My attention was on Katie, who was once again on the sidelines. After her dance with Denver, she was now working her magic on the other party guests. Despite the cold nature of the shifter in the room, they couldn't help but be drawn in to her warmth. She was an innocent lamb surrounded by a den of wolves.

"Reeve? Are you listening?"

---