Page 87 of Dangerous Temptation
The titan of industry couldn’t have looked happier.
The medical team went on to do a thorough check of both babies’ health. They looked at their teeth and their vitals. Soon it was time to put them back in the box with their triplet. In the den, the alpha female was getting anxious to see her litter.
‘Just one last thing,’ the doctor said, snapping off her gloves. She tossed them into the trash and turned with a clipboard in her grip.
‘What’s that?’ Elena asked.
The veterinarian looked at Alex, but he nodded his head, smiling. ‘Go ahead.’
‘We had a public contest for the two males, but the female needs a name.’
Elena’s breath caught. ‘Alex,’ she said softly. ‘Really?’
‘Really.’
She melted on the inside. He’d wined and dined her, bought her an entire wardrobe, but this was a gift. It almost felt too important to accept. She knelt beside the box and stroked her little friend. The wolf rolled onto her side and offered up her stomach.
‘What do you think?’ he asked. He offered up the red ball. Finally feeling playful, the little girl batted at it with all four paws.
‘You name her,’ Elena insisted.
His grey gaze swung up to meet hers. ‘It’s why I brought you here.’
‘But she’s yours.’ He’d funded the exhibit. He was the one who’d given the wolves a home.
His grey gaze turned soft and intimate. ‘Her coat is the same colour as your hair.’
‘Not Elena,’ she whispered.
‘No,’ he agreed. He stroked his big hand over the small pup and twirled his finger around its tail. ‘How about Siren?’
Elena tilted her head. ‘I like it.’
Dr Hoff chuckled. ‘That’s perfect.’
They both looked at her, confused.
The woman rolled her eyes. ‘You should hear her howl.’
From there, the evening turned more sophisticated. A reception was held in the den viewing area. It was a cool underground space where the public could look in on the den through glass windows without bothering the mother and her litter. All the pups, including Siren, had been returned to the pack and seemed none the worse for their experience.
All around, champagne was served along with appetisers. Elena enjoyed herself immensely. She’d known Alex had a philanthropic bent, but she hadn’t known he’d contributed to something like this. From what she was able to learn, he’d funded the project years ago and it was finally coming to fruition.
It was nice to see the good that money could do, even if the zoo had had to deal with investigators.
She set her empty wine glass down on a passing waiter’s tray and waited for a break in the discussion Alex was having with a researcher before touching his arm. ‘I’ll be right back.’
Wandering down the path, she searched for the ladies’ room. The designers and construction team had really outdone themselves. She felt like she was in a cave out in the woods. She finally saw the familiar sign.
She used the facilities and freshened up. A smile was on her face as she smoothed her hair. There was a flush to her cheeks and a lightness in her mood.
‘Siren,’ she whispered.
Her heart squeezed. That man might have just taken it.
Eager to rejoin him, she left the restroom. She nearly bumped into a woman standing outside the door. ‘Oh, excuse me.’
‘Elena? Elena Bardot?’
