Chapter 4 Unexpected Encounters and New Beginnings

Mark followed my gaze to the figure emerging from the car. The man, my mate, radiated sophistication and carried an intoxicating scent, a blend of the finest perfumes and the freshness of the forest. It overwhelmed my senses, making my stomach churn with excitement.

Kia, my wolf, was breathless with exhilaration, her energy threatening to trigger my shift. "I think we found our mate," she cried in my mind.

As he stepped out, a spark ignited within me. My eyes locked onto his, and I couldn't look away. Every nerve ending in my body came alive with chaotic energy, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe. My entire being responded to his presence, and I drank in the sight of him.

He was unbelievably handsome and young, with a flawless and ethereal appearance. He was the missing piece of my puzzle, my soulmate. But the bond was absurd; our kinds didn't mix.

"Danger, Kia. This is forbidden," I warned my wolf.

But my body didn't listen. Mustering courage, I met his gaze. He had jet-black hair styled neatly and bright blue eyes, but those eyes were cold and indifferent, like the eyes of a tortoise.

Rooted to my spot, I begged Kia to remain calm. 'Behave. Don't make a mess out of this.'

But an intense sexual craving took hold of my body, and Kia urged me to devour the magnificent man. Silly me-he was human and couldn't feel the mating bond, of course.

"Mark, what's the meaning of this?" he snapped coldly. "Why would you stop the car and hop out to help some chick and her deranged boyfriend?"

Some chick? How rude. My heart sank. He didn't even spare me a glance. His first impression was cold, unforgiving, and uninviting. It stung.

"Is this really the one?" I lamented to Kia. "How can a human who couldn't be bothered to look at me be our mate?"

It seemed absurd, almost laughable.

"C'mon, Lucian. Be nice," Mark interjected, glaring at my mate.

Lucian... I liked the sound of that. His name lay on the tip of my tongue, but I remained mute. He was pissed.

"Whatever. Babysit a stranger if you want. I'm out of here," Lucian's retort echoed through the air. Mark muttered a quick apology, handed me his card, then headed back to the car and drove off.

---

Exhausted, I collapsed onto the two-seater couch in the living room. Kaden and Raven flanked me on either side, worry etched on Harrison's face and panic on Raven's after I recounted my encounter with Alec.

Kaden went into protective mode. "That slime should thank his stars that I wasn't there. I'd have knocked a tooth loose," he fumed, shaking his fist. "No bastard has the right to walk in here and make you feel unsafe."

"We need to file a restraining order," Raven said firmly.

Sighing, I tossed a pillow up. "It's scary how he found me. I haven't spoken to him in over two months."

"That guy is deadly, Aurora. He reminds me of those horror movies where a stalker kills their victims. Imagine if you hadn't run outside and gotten help."

Raven trembled, hugging me. Kia found it amusing, but I kept my thoughts to myself. I could crush that weakling without breaking a sweat.

"Raven, I'm fine," I assured her. "I'm glad he didn't burn down the house."

Kaden leaned forward, curiosity in his eyes. "About your good Samaritan, did you say he lives in the villa down the street?"

That topic made me grin. "Alec turned white as a sheet when my Samaritan brought out a gun. It was camera-worthy."

Drifting into a daydream, I imagined a romance with my grumpy mate. A bonus if he possessed the bedroom skills to satisfy my high sex drive.

Raven's frightened tone pulled me back to reality. "He walks around with a gun?"

"For self-defense, I guess," I shrugged, wondering why she sounded shocked. "I'm curious, though. What do you guys know about them?"

"Nothing," they said in unison.

I blinked in confusion. "How can you know nothing about the people living in the only well-constructed building on the whole street?"

"Well, I've met one of them," Kaden shrugged. "The guy with the dark hair."

Goosebumps prickled my skin. He was talking about my mate.

"What do you know about him?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"Everything I know about him is against my will. From what I've heard, he's loaded and owns a big company, but he gives off odd vibes. And Tim, my friend at the car wash, said he never tips."

Not bad, I thought to myself, chuckling before turning to Raven for more info.

"I've probably seen them once or twice. I wouldn't be surprised if they're a couple. No one really knows much about them because they're so private. You need to be careful about who you get involved with. Stay away from guys for now until you find good ones. Ones who don't stalk you or carry guns."

I brushed off her concern. "Oh, come on. Those guys are super hot and I hope to-"

"Okay, enough about the odd neighbors. I have good news," Kaden announced, changing the subject. "A friend of mine knows someone whose company has a few openings. It's an AI-focused company that needs junior staff. I told my friend you're good with customer relations and bookkeeping."

My heart warmed with gratitude, and I hugged him. "That sounds great. Thank you, Kay. You're the best."

---

Monday came quickly. Raven helped me style my ginger hair into waves and applied simple makeup to brighten my features. I wore a navy blue peplum dress that hugged my curves perfectly, paired with black heels.

"Do I look decent enough?" I asked, checking myself in the mirror and admiring the dress.

"You look different in a good way," Kaden said, glancing at his phone. "The name of the company is Dark Wolf Solutions. I'll see you off."

My heart thundered like a madly bouncing ball. "Dark Wolf?"

"Yeah, it's just a name," Kaden said, unaware of my reaction.

We took an Uber to the office. Kaden wished me luck and left.

My eyes widened at the sight of the fifteen-story ultramodern building with sleek glass panels reflecting the city lights. Inside, the reception area buzzed with activity, employees in sharp suits moving purposefully.

I headed into the building, stumbling upon a realistic werewolf simulation robot, and gasped. It looked so real and sent a chill down my spine. Did these people have connections with werewolves? Even the company logo was a wolf head. But then, humans often used animal symbols for logos. It was probably nothing serious.

The receptionist, a polite woman around my age, gave me directions to the interview room and wished me luck.

Nervous as a child awaiting punishment, I arrived at the office, knocked on the door, and heard a male voice say, "Come in."

"You can do this," I breathed, pushing the door open and stepping into the office.

My mouth gaped open, and I went completely still when I saw Mark, my savior, sitting behind the desk. Holy shit! There was a huge possibility that my mate worked here.

Now I needed this job more than ever. Dressed in a crisp white shirt and black tie, Mark looked even more handsome than I remembered.

Mark quickly got over his surprise and grinned. "Aurora! We meet again."

He shut his laptop and stretched out his hand. My heart raced with excitement. "Hi, Mark. It's good to see you too. I'm here for the job interview."

"Whoa! What a coincidence. Not a bad idea to see a beautiful face every once in a while, eh? Please sit. Coffee?"

I flushed slightly and sat opposite him. "Thanks. I'm not trying to take advantage of the fact that we've met before. I just..." I trailed off, and his smile faded, his grey eyes studying mine.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, it's just... I don't know if I qualify for the job."

He stared off into mid-distance before returning his gaze to me. "Do you have any qualifications or experience?"

"No qualifications," I lied. "I couldn't finish high school because my mom died, and I lost interest in going to school. I started working as a waitress and cashier. I plan to enroll for night classes for my GED someday."

"I see," he said slowly, scratching his head. "Sorry for your loss."

I nodded, feeling guilty for lying to him. His eyes crinkled with a smile.

"I'm not the one who makes the final decision. That's up to the CEO, my grumpy friend. He's in the next room and will interview you to see if you're a good fit for the company."

My heart sank. I had hoped Mark was the boss and would hire me on the spot.

I decided to pitch myself to Mark. "You know, I've always been fascinated with AI and tech. The advanced algorithms create products and services that improve people's lives and businesses."

Mark smiled, impressed. He leaned forward, staring directly into my eyes. "Maybe you have some hidden talents we can use. I'll put in a word for you and see how it goes. Let me talk to him and see what we can do."