The Contrary Mate

Jack

I walked into the airport and the combined scents of hundreds of humans and a handful of supernaturals assaulted my nose. I was used to air travel, so I'd expected and already steeled myself against the overwhelming stimulus. I hoisted my bags and was met at the gate by Lenora.

"Welcome back, Jack. Have I got a list for you." Her full lips turned up in a smile that could send a shiver down any intelligent man’s back.

The gorgeous but incredibly sadistic werewolf was my secretary. Some people assumed she had been hired for her appearance, but it was truly her terrifying efficiency I craved. I must be a masochist, because I couldn't live without her.

She fell into step beside me as we walked out to the waiting car manned by my driver, Paul. As we drove, Lenora brought a number of items to my attention, one of which was the board of investors meeting in two hours. Her list of my tasks after my week long absence was as clipped as her patience. And pure deception, since it didn't sound that bad. I would have long hours with my slave driver hounding me until I was able to escape to meet my guests this evening. I wouldn't stop at home first. I'd rather get to the office and get everything done.

The car pulled up in front of the company building. It looked modern and slightly artsy, having only been built a few years ago after my and Vander's tech security company had really taken off. We filled a niche role, incredibly efficient security directly marketed towards werewolf and vampire use, although we also openly had unknowing human customers as well, since humans could also recognize quality when they saw it just as much as the supernatural kinds could. After we gained some lucrative contracts from both vampire royalty and the Alpha Assembly, we'd gone on to combine tech with magic to make our own high-tech magic antivirus software which was all the rage amongst supernatural creatures.

Because it was an innovative new concept, our company sky rocketed with unprecedented growth, leaving our competition miles behind. I glanced once more at the building before we went inside, my eyes lingering on the name: Meteor Security Inc. Pride filled me. Vander and I had worked hard and had been rewarded beyond our wildest dreams.

We rode the elevator up. My office was as modern as the building. I had other concerns so I'd let Lenora handle all the details with the designer, and I'd ended up with an area that somehow seamlessly combined flowing lines and the solid furnishings I preferred. Over Lenora's desk in the foyer the company logo was displayed in shining gold, a stylistic Meteor.

It was nice to be back, even if my trip hadn't had the result I had been hoping for every time I went to new places and met new wolves. I didn't really have time to think about that before I was back buried in my work. I preferred to keep busy, otherwise I would wallow in my wolf's renewed disappointment, and life was too short for that.

Maybe I should quit searching since it got my wolf's hopes up only to be dashed again every time, but he didn't want me to.

As I entered the meeting room where the board of directors was assembled, I nodded my head to acknowledge their presence. Once everyone was settled in the sleek and simple room, I opened the meeting and it moved along efficiently. Afterwards I had another meeting with the CFO, and then I was back behind my desk again.

I worked through lunch, eating at my desk, and didn't leave my office again until four.

Lenora nodded at me as I passed her on my way to the elevator. "See you tonight," she said simply before continuing with her work.

"You too," I said, giving her my best charming smile. She didn't melt like most women, but she did crook one side of her generous lips in my general direction, which was positively beaming as far as she was concerned. She'd been serious long before she became my secretary.

Giving her no further thought, I rode the elevator down to the ground, and went to the car that was waiting outside. With a quick greeting to Paul, I got into the back and pulled out my phone to make my way through more emails that had built up in my few days' absence.

My home of the last year was a sprawling mansion about twenty minutes on the outskirts of town, but I probably spent more waking time at my office than I did there. The building wasn't a waste though, because dozens of my pack members and their families also lived and worked for me. It was outside of the official Greyclaw pack territory, but as one of the few urban packs on the continent, our alpha was extremely flexible compared to most about the living situation of his pack members. About half the pack lived outside the territory, although the majority regrouped every month for the full moon.

Living in such close proximity to hundreds of thousands of humans who could accidentally discover our secrets had its downsides, but we managed to make it work.

I walked inside and a few pack members greeted me as I went by and I returned it. I didn't have an official ranking position in the pack, and wouldn't have had time to do a good job of it if I had since I'd sunk years into my business. Unlike me, my partner Vander held the position of delta of Lightwood. On top of that, he was now preoccupied with his second-chance mate, and had stepped back even more since she had gotten pregnant and given birth to their first child. I didn't begrudge him taking time for his happiness, even though I felt a twinge of envy for his good fortune.

Still, my life was going well. My company was thriving, profits were soaring, and I was sought after by enough beautiful women to make any man jealous. I had it all, but where was she?

This story will be updated Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and maybe bonus Saturdays starting once Rejecting the Alpha is complete.