Chapter 171
Erin’s POV
“Erin, quick, say something.” I whispered to myself, drumming my fingers nervously against the polished surface of my
desk.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
“Ah, no, nothing special. Just work being a bit draining, I blurted out, answering a question that hadn’t been asked.
A deep, rich chuckle came through the speaker. “Is that so?” Derek’s voice was low and intimate, sending an unexpected shiver down my spine. ‘From what I understand, you’ve only just arrived at the office.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Heat rushed not just to my cheeks but spread down my neck to my chest. My fingers gripped the phone tighter, suddenly aware of how his voice affected me even from a distance. My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, recognizing her mate’s call even through the electronic device. I shifted in my seat, trying to ignore the warmth pooling in my lower abdomen.
“Wait… how do you know when I arrived?” I asked, my heartbeat accelerating.
“Don’t read too much into it, Blackwood,” Derek replied smoothly. “Since you’ve called me, I assume there’s something important you need to discuss.”
I bit my lip unconsciously, a nervous habit I couldn’t seem to break. “Alpha… where are you right now?”
“Handling some personal matters,” he answered, his tone revealing nothing.
Personal matters? Stop pretending. I know you’re at Darkwood Estate. Why can’t you just say you’re visiting your mother? Why act like you’re on some mysterious date?
I scrolled through my tablet, checking the Alpha’s schedule that had meticulously organized. Sure enough, the morning was marked simply as “personal time.”
Clearing my throat, I tried to sound professional. “I just wanted to remind you about the joint meeting confirmed for
tonight.”
There was a rustling sound on the other end of the line, then Derek’s voice returned, dropping to a tone that felt like velvet against my ears. “I’ll pick you up directly after work.”
The way he said “pick you up” made my skin prickle with awareness. I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. My free hand unconsciously moved to my collarbone, fingers tracing the skin where he’d once marked me.
My heart pounded so wildly I wondered if he could hear it through the phone. Heat spread through my body, settling between my thighs. I pressed them together, trying to suppress the sensation.
Damn it, why does my wolf get so agitated every time I hear his voice? The way my body responds is humiliating. He clearly doesn’t care about me, so why won’t my heart–and other parts of me–listen to reason?
After hanging up, I pressed my fingers against my temples, massaging them gently.
“Why is this connection getting stronger every day?” I murmured to the empty office. With a sigh, I turned my attention to
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Chapter 171
my computer, hoping that burying myself in work would drown out these troubling feelings.
At lunchtime, I carefully balanced my tray as I navigated through the bustling corporate café. Several male werewolves in tailored suits straightened their postures as I passed, their nostrils flaring slightly as they caught my scent. I felt their eyes follow me, lingering on the sway of my hips and the curve of my waist.
I was wearing a fitted black dress with intricate silver moon phase patterns embedded in the fabric. The dress hugged my body in all the right places, the neckline just low enough to reveal the elegant line of my collarbone without being inappropriate for work.
The fabric felt cool against my skin as I moved, occasionally brushing against my thighs in a way that reminded me of how Derek’s fingers had once grazed the same spot.
Thomas waved to get my attention as I looked around for a place to sit. I had just started heading in his direction when I overheard the conversation at a nearby table, where several female werewolves were speaking in deliberately hushed tones.
‘Look at that outfit, obviously trying to catch the Alpha’s attention,” one whispered.
“I know, right? And that figure–is it natural?‘ another added with a hint of envy.
“I heard the Alpha pays special attention to her. I guess we know why now.”
“Maybe she spends every night training at Darkwood Estate, just waiting for the day she can catch the Alpha’s eye.”
Thomas’s fork clattered loudly against his plate. He turned to face the gossiping women, his eyes cold. “During lunch hours, ladies, perhaps focus on your own food.”
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