Page 7 of Billionaire Wolf Needs a Maid

I grabbed my phone, scrolling to Levi's name. He answered on the second ring.

"Dean. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I need to talk," I said, my voice rough.

A pause, then his knowing chuckle. "This about the housekeeper?"

I gritted my teeth. "How did you? Nevermind."

Levi's voice carried years of friendship and mockery. "What's the problem? She's not cleaning to your standards? Messing up your piles of junk?"

"She's too... her," I muttered, the words escaping before I could stop them.

"Too her?" His tone sharpened with interest. "Elaborate."

My jaw tightened as I stared at the monitor to my right, as the security feed showed Nina organizing my library. She moved with a quiet grace, her hands gentle as they brushed against the spines of my books. Her fingers traced the titles, as if she were learning my collection by touch. The soft rustle of pages and the faint hum of her voice filled the room, a melody that seemed to resonate in my very soul. Each movement was purposeful, as though she were trying to bring order not just to my library but to the chaos inside me. "She's everywhere. Her scent, her voice, her light. It's like she's invaded every corner of my life."

The silence stretched before Levi spoke, unusually serious. "Dean, you're a wolf shifter. You know what this means."

My heart slammed against my ribs. "No."

"Yes," he said firmly. "Your wolf's recognized her as your mate. Fighting it is pointless."

"I'm not some animal," I snarled, my voice dropping to a dangerous register. "I control my instincts, not the other way around."

"You're not just a man either," Levi countered. "I fought it too, with Krista. Trying to ignore it only made things worse. Your wolf knows what it wants."

I watched Nina through the feed, my fingers hovering over the screen as if I could reach through and touch her. She moved with that maddening grace of hers. The soft yellow cardigan she wore made her glow like a ray of light.

"She's my employee, Levi," I growled, but the words tasted like ash in my mouth. "It's inappropriate."

His laugh cut sharply. "Inappropriate? You're a billionaire wolf shifter from a crime family. Since when do you care about proper?"

Nina reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, the simple gesture sending a jolt through my system. My claws dug into my palm, drawing pinpricks of blood. "Since everything about her makes me lose control."

His voice softened. "Look, I get it. But fighting your nature will only hurt you both in the end. Trust me on this."

"And what happens when she finds out what I am?" I growled. "When she learns about the family business, about the blood on my hands?"

"You mean when she discovers you're a brooding billionaire wolf with a hero complex who turned his family's criminal empire into a legitimate business? Yeah, sounds terrifying."

"This isn't a joke, Levi."

"No, it's not. But neither is denying your mate. You think you're protecting her, but all you're doing is torturing yourself. And her."

I ended the call, his words echoing in my mind. The penthouse walls seemed to contract with each breath I took, the familiar scents of leather and mahogany now suffocating. My shirt collar felt too tight, each inhale bringing her scent deeper into my lungs. Sweat beaded at my temples as I paced, my footsteps echoing off the wooden floorboards.

"Sir," Jenkins interrupted. "Your heart rate has increased by thirty percent in the last minute."

"Shut. Up." I yanked at my collar, the top buttons flying off and hitting my desk with a satisfying plink.

But as I stepped into the hallway, her humming stopped me cold. The sound drew me to the kitchen, where she stood at the sink with her sleeves rolled to her elbows as she worked. Freckles dusted her cheeks like constellations, and her lips curved in that eternal smile that made my wolf pace restlessly.

"Your vital signs suggest elevated stress levels, sir. Shall I adjust the room temperature?"

I growled. "Stay out of it, Jenkins."

"Of course, sir. Though I feel compelled to point out that Ms. Sorenson has improved the organizational efficiency of the penthouse by 47% in just these few days. Perhaps your discomfort stems from other factors?"

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