Chapter 26

(Julia’s POV)

I hadn’t realized how much I missed work until it was time to return to the office. I spent the days leading up to my first day back eagerly going through the paperwork Alex sent me to get me up to speed, preparing to hit the ground running.

Ronan watched my preparations quietly, but fondly; he seemed to have truly accepted my desire to go back to work, as well as my professional ambitions. I was glad that we were back on the same page.

“So,” he said the night before I was set to go back. “Are you ready to get back into the thick of things?” I looked up from my plate and smiled at him across the table where we were enjoying dinner.

“Of course.” I rolled my eyes playfully. “When have you ever known me to not be prepared?” Ronan laughed softly and nodded. “Yes, I suppose that’s true.” He paused, then said, with a note of true concern in his voice, “But seriously…you will tell me if things start to become too much? Or if you need anyone to take some things off of your plate?”

“Yes, Ronan.” I caught his eye and held it, making sure he knew I meant every word I said. “I will let you know if I need help.” We shared a smile, then went back to our food. I felt a warm glow in my chest at the idea that, while Ronan was trying to step back and let me rule my life, he still wanted to help me. He still wanted to protect me.

My first day back started at 100 miles an hour; within 20 minutes of getting to PackHouse, my email inbox was exploding with messages and my desk was piled high with paperwork I needed to look over. I was loving every minute of it.

Nothing made me feel better than rolling my sleeves up and getting to work, and any worries I had about returning to work quickly disappeared. Ronan seemed to have gotten over any concerns he had, too. Oftentimes, I looked up from my desk to see him standing in my doorway, a bemused smile on his face.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt,” he would say. “Just making sure you saw those documents accounting sent over.” And then we would get back to work, any tender moments forgotten as we both worked to make sure this merger went off with no problems.

Of course, my return didn’t come without a few awkward moments. I had only been back in the office for a few days when I started to notice people suddenly stopping their conversations when I entered a room.

My suspicions were confirmed when I hesitated in the hallway before going into a meeting with some of the high-up employees working on the merger. “I mean, that whole fainting episode was just crazy,” someone snorted.

Another voice agreed, adding, “I know she’s pregnant, but really, how dramatic! I’ve known plenty of pregnant people, and they’re not falling all over the floor and making a scene. I’m sure she just wanted attention. It’s clear no one will give that plain Jane any. I mean, look at the way she dresses!”

They both snickered. “And now she thinks she can just waltz back in here, after taking weeks off, and just be the boss of everyone again,” the first voice scoffed. “I can’t believe we have to take orders from someone like that.”

To be honest, I found their gossip pretty tame. Considering the way most people treated me around the office, I assumed they’d be saying much worse. I straightened my shoulders and rounded the hall’s corner, where I saw Ronan.

I didn’t even need to ask if he had overheard the same conversation I had. His face looked like a storm cloud and I could see his fists were clenched by his sides. “Ronan,” I said, hoping to calm him down before we headed in. “It’s really not that big a deal. It’s just people talking.”

He ignored me and went into the meeting room. I trailed after him, bracing myself for a blow-up. Instead, Ronan just calmly sat down at the head of the table and looked through the papers in front of him.

Finally, Ronan said, “Before we start this meeting, I just wanted to recognize everyone in this room for their hard work. Each and every one of you has gone above and beyond to make this merger happen.”

He cleared his throat, then said, “And while I know there are many who would want to criticize and tear down others, especially those in positions of power, I want to make it clear that anyone caught speaking poorly about their coworkers will face consequences.”

I tried not to smile at the chastised looks on my coworkers faces. Ronan’s words were perfect: without naming me or making it look like he was giving me any preferential treatment, he had made it clear that no one should be talking about my personal life at the office.

After that, the gossip dried up. No one wanted to risk getting on Ronan’s bad side — except, of course, my sister. I never caught her at it, but others told me that Sandy was doing her best to stir up trouble, asking people why I had kept my pregnancy a secret for so long, or what role Ronan played in the whole situation.

I did my best to shake it all off. My work at PackHouse made that easy enough; my days were taken up with the various meetings I needed to have with every department, while my nights were filled with paperwork to review.

I refused to take my eye off the ball, not at this stage of the merger. It had to be a success, for both my and Ronan’s sakes, and I was determined to make it happen. I needed to prove myself as Acting Beta, but Ronan needed to prove himself to his father.

Ronan never said much about his father, but the comments he had made earlier about trying and failing to earn a parent’s respect and admiration made it clear the pair had a tense relationship. I knew a successful merger would be something Ronan could show his father as proof he was ready to be a strong and capable Alpha to the pack.

I also wanted to pull the merger off to prove to everyone who had ever doubted me, everyone who had ever laughed at my dreams to rise to the top of an influential pack, or who had sneered at my insistence I would have both a career and a family that I could do it.

As the days passed and the merger continued to progress, any rumors swirling about me were put to rest. Even my harshest critics at the office had to admit I was doing a great job running things, and I took pride in knowing I was doing my best.

Nothing could silence Sandy, though. I could sense the frustration coming off of her in waves any time I walked past her desk, and I knew she was furious I had managed to return to PackHouse so easily, with everything — a baby, the rich boyfriend she still thought I had, and Ronan’s full support — I ever wanted in my grasp.