Page 12 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Maid

"Oh, but she's already in it. The moment you let her cross your threshold, she became part of our world. Whether you wanted her to or not."

I kept my distance, knowing she'd read any physical contact as submission. My wolf remembered too well the brutal lessons of pack hierarchy. "What do you want?"

"Such hostility." She settled into my chair and studied me with the focus of an apex predator. The scent of her designer perfume couldn't mask the underlying wolf musk.

"Can't a mother check on her son?"

"You never just check on anyone." The wolf in me bristled at her presence in my territory. "Rafe was here earlier. I assume that wasn't a coincidence."

"Nothing is coincidence with this family, as you well know. The Nightfang empire needs its heir."

"I have my own empire."

"Ah, yes. Your little tech company." Her lip curled. "Playing with computers and doo-dads while real power slips through your fingers. Your grandfather would be ashamed."

"My legitimate tech company helps people." The words came out sharp, defensive.

"Help people?" She laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "The Nightfang name was built on taking what we want. Your father—"

"My father is in prison." The words tasted like acid. "Along with half the family pack. Because they deserve to be."

"Details." She waved a hand dismissively, the gesture at odds with the steel in her voice. "The point is, darling, you can't run forever. The blood in your veins is Nightfang blood."

A soft gasp from the doorway made us both turn. Nina stood frozen, cleaning supplies in hand, eyes wide as a doe in headlights. The subtle tremor in her fingers made the bottle she was holding quiver, and I could hear her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. A flush crept up her neck, staining her cheeks pink as her green eyes darted between us, trying to process the predatory tableau before her. My heartstopped. She looked so vulnerable in the doorway. Nina was everything my mother would see as prey.

The fear in her eyes cut deeper than any wound. Not just fear of interrupting, but a deeper unease of prey sensing predators in their midst. I wanted to rush over and comfort her. But my mother was waiting on her haunches, watching for the first moment she could strike. I couldn't risk showing any sign of weakness. Any hint of my feelings for Nina would paint a target on her back.

"I'm sorry," she stammered. "I didn't know. I'll come back later."

"No need to leave on my account." Violet's smile was razor-sharp as she scented the air. "I was just having a chat with my son about family matters."

Nina's gaze darted between us, and I saw the moment understanding clicked. The way Violet sat in my chair. The tension crackling through the air. The predatory gleam in my mother's eyes. I could hear Nina's pulse race from across the room.

"Actually," I said as I moved to put myself between them. "My mother was just leaving."

"Think about what I said, darling." Violet rose with fluid grace. "Blood calls to blood. You can't deny what you are forever."

She brushed past Nina, pausing to inhale deeply. My wolf snarled at the threat implicit in the gesture.

"Interesting choice," Violet murmured, just loud enough for my enhanced hearing to catch. "She smells pure. Innocent. Like prey."

I held my breath until the elevator doors closed behind her, but her stench still lingered in the penthouse.

The elevator doors closed behind her, but the air still crackled with tension. Nina's fingers were white from gripping the bottle. The sharp metallic smell of adrenaline and fear rolled off her in waves, making my wolf claw at my chest restlessly.

"I didn't mean to," she whispered, taking a half-step back. The rapid flutter of her pulse echoed in my ears.

My wolf whined, desperate to comfort her, to nuzzle the spot behind her ear where her scent was strongest. But the predator my mother had awakened in me made that impossible.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I should have knocked."

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. The message made my blood run cold.

SECURITY BREACH DETECTED. FIREWALL COMPROMISED.

"Damn it." I dashed to my desk and pulled up terminal windows, my fingers flying over the keyboard. Lines of code scrolled past as I traced the intrusion, my enhanced vision catching every detail of the malicious attempts that battered our primary firewall while a more subtle attack probed our backend servers.

"What's wrong?" Nina stepped closer, concern overriding caution. Her presence behind me made it hard to focus.

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