Page 18 of Craved By the Werewolf
"All true, I assure you." His smile was charm incarnate. "Though I prefer to think of them as skills rather than mere talents."
To demonstrate, he gestured slightly, and the overhead lights brightened to perfect meeting illumination while the coffee maker hummed to life, producing a fresh pot without anyone touching it.
"Impressive," Vala said, and I didn't like how genuine her interest sounded. "Is that how you'll handle crowd control at House Party?"
"Among other methods." Malrik leaned back in his chair, the picture of confidence. "I find people respond well to subtle demonstrations of capability."
"Subtle," Kai snorted. "Right. Remember last year when you made every speaker in the venue play that Beethoven piece simultaneously?"
"It was effective," Malrik said mildly. "And educational. Not everyone appreciates classical music."
"It was terrifying," Lana laughed. "But it worked. I've never seen a crowd disperse so quickly."
Vala finally took her seat—directly across from me, close enough that I could see the flecks of amber in her eyes, close enough that when she leaned forward to review the papers Lana slid toward her, I caught another hint of her scent.
"So," she said, looking around the table, "what's our game plan for not letting this turn into complete madhouse?"
"Define 'complete,'" Mika said dryly. "Because if we're being realistic, some level of madness is inevitable when you put us all together in one place with live music and drink stands that serve everything from love potions to curses."
"We always manage," Liam said, consulting his notes. "The permits specify noise ordinances, occupancy limits, and incident response protocols. As long as we stay within those parameters?—"
"Nothing will go according to plan anyway," Raina finished, pulling up a map on her tablet. "That's why we have contingencies. And Malrik."
The demon's smile was sharp as his suit was elegant. "I do so enjoy being useful."
"Let's start with the basics," I said, trying to regain control of the meeting and ignore how Vala's attention seemed to ping-pong between everyone's contributions with genuine interest. "Security perimeters, staging areas, emergency exits..."
For the next hour, we managed to have a productive discussion. Lana outlined Haven House's expectations and special accommodations needed for their younger attendees. Liam covered council requirements with his usual thorough precision. Raina and I went through security protocols while Kai handled technical logistics.
And through it all, I was hyperaware of Vala—the way she asked pointed questions that showed she'd done her homework, how she took notes in quick, efficient shorthand, the small smile that appeared when Lana talked about the kids who would benefit from the fundraiser.
But I was also aware of how Malrik's attention kept drifting to her, how his smiles became more genuine when directed her way.
"The real question," Vala said, reviewing the timeline Mika had prepared, "is how we handle the promotional events leading up to House Party. The radio promos, interviews, meet-and-greets, social media content..." She glanced up at me. "We're going to be spending a lot of time together."
The understatement of the century. "We'll make it work."
"Of course you will," Malrik said smoothly. "Though if you need any assistance with crowd management during the promotional events, I'd be happy to provide support. Particularly for the more... intimate venues."
The way he said "intimate" made the temperature in the room seem to drop and rise simultaneously.
"That's generous," Vala said, "but I think we can handle a few radio segments without intervention."
"Can you?" Malrik's dark eyes held hers. "Because if memory serves, your last radio piece together caused quite the... surge in public interest."
Kai coughed to cover a laugh. Mika didn't bother hiding her grin. Lana looked between us all with growing amusement.
I felt my control slip another notch. "I think we've covered the essential points for today."
"Actually," Raina said, consulting her notes with a perfectly straight face, "we still need to discuss the coordination between security and media. Making sure Vala and Thorne can do their hosting duties without compromising crowd control."
"That's the real challenge," Lana agreed. "Balancing the entertainment value with keeping everyone safe."
"I have complete faith in our Alpha's ability to multitask," Malrik said, his tone deceptively mild. "Though if either of you need any personal assistance during the actual event, just call my name."
The offer was directed at both of us, but his eyes lingered on Vala when he said it.
"We appreciate the backup," Vala said diplomatically, though I caught the slight tightness around her eyes. She was picking up on the undercurrents, even if she wasn't sure what to do about them.
