Page 9 of Billionaire Wolf Needs an Assistant

“Why not?” The question slipped out before I could stop it, and I immediately regretted it. His eyes snapped back to mine, making my heart skip a beat.

“Because I’m not human, Katie,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “And you don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“Then tell me,” I pleaded, my voice trembling. “Help me understand.”

He hesitated, his gaze searching mine as though weighing the risks of letting me in. Finally, he sighed and sat down on the couch beside me. His body was tense, as though he was ready to bolt at any moment. “It’s not just about what I am,” he began, his voice barely audible over the storm. “It’s about what my kind has done. The dangers that come with being with a wolf. There's blood on our hands. You think you know me, but you don’t. You can’t.”

His words hung heavy in the air.

“I don’t care,” I said finally, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “Whatever you are, it doesn’t change how I feel.”

Reeve’s eyes darkened, and he leaned closer, his breath warm against my skin. “You don’t know what you’re saying,” he growled, his voice thick with emotion. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

“Then show me,” I challenged, my heart pounding in my chest. “Stop hiding from me.”

For a moment, I thought he might retreat back behind the walls he’d built so carefully. But then something shifted in his expression, and before I could react, he closed the distance between us, his lips crashing against mine in a kiss that was equal parts desperation and desire. It was nothing like the hesitant almost-kiss on New Year’s Eve. This was raw, unfiltered, and utterly consuming. His hands tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, as though he couldn’t get enough of me.

I surrendered myself to the heat of his touch, the taste of his lips, the way he made me feel alive in a way I never had before.

But just as quickly as it began, it ended. Reeve pulled away, his chest heaving, his eyes blazing with a mixture of longing and regret. “This is a mistake,” he said hoarsely, running a hand through his hair. “I won’t let you get hurt because of me.”

“You don’t get to decide that,” I shot back, my voice trembling with emotion. “I’m not afraid of you, Reeve. And I’m not going anywhere.”

He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he stood and walked to the window, his back to me. The storm raged outside, the wind howling like a living thing, but the silence inside the cabin was deafening.

“Get some rest,” he said finally, his voice barely audible. “We’ll talk more in the morning.”

I wanted to argue, to demand that he stop pushing me away, but the exhaustion was too much. My body ached, my mind was spinning, and the warmth of the fire was finally starting to lull me into a sense of calm. I curled up on the couch, pulling the blanket tighter around me, and closed my eyes.

Chapter 5

REEVE

It did not take long for a rescue team to find us. Once the snowfall let up, a passing police cruiser stumbled across the scene of our car crash. The plume of black smoke rising from the cabin's wood stove had guided them to our location.

When they arrived, I felt a strange mix of relief and regret. Relief, because Katie was safe, and the ordeal was over. Regret, because our time alone in that little cabin had felt like a stolen moment, a fragile bubble where the outside world didn’t exist. In that little cabin, it was just the two of us. There were no wolf pack politics or worries about business, nor were there any overwhelming family expectations. With the crackling of the fire, the soft sound of her breathing as she slept, a part of my heart was healed as I saw a vision of a life I never dreamed was possible.

The meeting with Alpine Tech had to be rescheduled, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Business deals and alliances all felt trivial compared to her. The only thing that was on my mind was the look of pure acceptance on Katie's face as I told her about my family and the blessing and curse of being a wolf shifter.

She had listened with an openness that left me breathless, her questions curious but never judgmental. My wolf melted into a panting puddle at the way she had run her soft fingers down my cheek. When she stroked my hair and scratched behind my ears, my wolf had reacted to her in ways I couldn’t control. Her touch was electric, sending sparks flying down my spine and filling me with longing for more. I wanted to lay my head in her lap and beg her for more. Beg her to never stop. It took all of my strength to avoid voicing my desires, afraid of overwhelming her with the intensity of my need.

After our rescue, Katie was whisked away immediately to the hospital for a thorough examination. The doctors assured me she was fine, only suffering a few scratches and bruises. Still, I insisted that she take the week off to recover at home, though every day without her in the office was torture.

Even after so many days without her presence in the office, her scent still lingered. Both the man and wolf in me yearned for her. Something about this human called to my most primitive instincts to protect and possess her. There was no doubt of it in my mind. She was my mate. The way she embraced my wolf without fear or disgust only reinforced my belief.

But the human side of me was filled with guilt. Katie deserved a safe and normal life. A life free of pack politics and the constant threat from other wolves who dared to challenge me. She deserved an accepting family who welcomed her with open arms instead of the judgmental expectations of my backstabbing family.

"Mr. Song?" Katie's voice pulled me from my brooding. I nearly fell out of my chair as I twisted around to face her. She stood in the doorway with the light behind her giving her an angelic glow. Her chestnut hair was tied in a loose bun. A few tendrils escaped at her temples and framed her face. My fingers clutched the edge of my desk. How I itched to run my fingers through those silky locks and tuck those stray strands behind her ears.

It was her first day back to work. The office, which had felt so drab and lifeless without her, now pulsed with energy. Her presence was like a beam of warm sunlight breaking through a thick cover of gray clouds.

"Yes, Kat--Ms. Clark?" My voice cracked, revealing the storm of emotions brewing inside of me. I cleared my throat and tugged at the collar of my shirt as I struggled to maintain my professionalism.

"Alpine Tech just called. They want to reschedule the meeting for next Monday, here." Her tone was polite and formal, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes, as if she was uncertain what my response would be after all that we had shared.

I forced myself to focus on her words, not the way her scent wrapped around me like an intoxicating caress. "Good. Confirm the meeting."

Before she could respond, my mother's voice cut through the air like a blade. "Reeve, darling!" She ignored Katie as she brushed past her and swept into my office like she owned the place. Sophia trailed behind her like a loyal lapdog.

---