Chapter 178

Grace

I bit my lip as his eyes heated.

"Always." He kissed me again. “I’m sorry to have worried you. Things got hectic, but I’ll do better.”

I dropped my gaze. “It’s okay. I… I know I’m just sort of over-worrying.”

“A bit,” he said. I scowled at him. “But you’re not going to stop over-worrying without having a reason not to.

He chuckled. "For future reference, Margaret hasn't been in my territory or in a witch-made car in years, so she wouldn't know that speeding up the trip isn't as difficult as it once was. You can keep expecting me to come back sooner rather than later, and while phone signals get a little iffy in the Clan territories, I can still get messages."

I eyed him, wondering if he was saying that so I wouldn't worry or not. “What’s the point of sending a message if you don’t answer.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “If I can get a message, I can send one, and eventually, I’ll have to get you a magical phone so you won’t have to worry about it.”

“Like Eason’s laptop?”

He nodded. When we pulled up to Wolfe Medical, I hesitated to get out. I felt better, for the most part, but I was still on edge.

"Just… be careful, okay?" I whispered, the words catching in my throat. "Come back to me, whole and in one piece."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine.

“I promise. I’ll let you know if I can’t make it back tonight.”

I nodded and got out. My stomach twisted into knots as the car pulled away. What sort of favor would he need from me?

I sighed and turned to head in. I would just have to wait and see. I entered the building, and the receptionist, a new man, looked up with wide eyes.

"Good morning. Is something wrong?"

"Amira told me to ask you not to head up to your floor just yet."

I frowned. "Why?"

"There's an unexpected visitor here, and she stashed him in the conference room." He typed something. "She should be down soon."

By the moon, what sort of visitor could it be now?

And what was that smell lingering in the air, like crisp apples and woodsmoke? It wasn’t unpleasant, but it set me on edge all the same.

Amira popped out of the elevator with a wild smile. “Glad Quillan caught you before you headed up.”

She nodded into the first-floor conferred room and pulled out a starched lab coat out. It had the Werewolf Elite Academy’s crest on the chest.

“This is for you.”

I put it over my arm. “What are you up to?”

“Alpha Gareth Fox of the Ironfang Ridge Pack is here to see you,” she said. “He said business, but he looked like the type of asshole to sneer down his nose at a woman.”

I blinked at him. I didn’t recognize the name whatsoever. She pulled out her phone and put it on speaker.

“Eason?”

“Eason?” I asked, looking at the phone. “What—”

“Apparently, he showed up all of a few minutes after you’d left this morning,” Eason said. “I’ve been coaching Amira on how to handle these moments. She’s a sly thing.”

Amira beamed. “I’m the de facto beta of the first female Senator-to-be. I’ve got a reputation to build.”

My lips twitched. “Thanks. Who is this Gareth Fox? Is he useful?”

Amira snorted, and Eason laughed. “Oh, he’s useful. He’s got a lot of ties to people on the Senate, under-the-table kind of ties. His pack is more like a large resort that’s got a reputation for catering to people’s eccentric tastes.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Slimy?”

“Definitely,” Amira said, pursing her lips. “He’s got creep written all over him. He’s dressed like he’s trying to show how much money he has in a very werewolf way. I looked up the brand he said he was wearing. Eason’s suits are nicer.”

“I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not,” Eason laughed.

“You wear a brand that His Majesty wears, so yeah.”

I blinked. “Really? But I thought…” I frowned. Maybe Eason had access to his trust fund, or he really did make a lot of money advising people on their public image.

Money he wasn’t making necessarily helping me.

“Eason, I’ve been meaning to ask about… paying you.”

Eason went quiet. Then, he chuckled. “We’ll talk about it. Let’s deal with Fox first, yeah?”

I sighed. Amira handed me a device. I had no idea what it was, but I took it and placed the earbud in my ear, as he said.

“Can you hear me?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Shoulders back. Keep the phone in hand and lab coat over your arm. Look busy, not harried. Glide, like a seasoned fencer.”

I smiled at his tone. “Like dealing with Carson?”

“Exactly like dealing with Carson. It’s a magical phone, Amira’s. I’ll have George call you on it.”

“And I should address him formally.”

“Ambassador Snowfall, indeed. He’ll be calling about Ethan.”

I nodded, lifted my chin, checked my reflection, and headed out. Amira followed quickly behind me quickly to the elevator. We headed up. She went to her desk, and I headed down the hall to the conference room.

He was standing by the window, looking out on the city. The suit he wore was nice, but the obsidian fur coat thrown on the back of the chair at the head of the table felt tacky, even as it gleamed in the early morning. What was he doing putting his coat on my seat?

It felt insulting.

“The files you wanted,” Amira murmured as she came up behind me.

“Thank you, Amira.” I took the files.

“They’re important,” Eason said. “Reports about Duncan and a few other things. The second file is on the Ironfang Ridge Pack’s exports.”

He rattled off a summary of the information, and I had a feeling I was going to figure out what Gareth wanted long before he said it. His scent had already filled the room, making my nose itch. It was too sweet. Was it his cologne or just the scent of whatever women he usually hung around clinging to him?

He seemed to be the type to come here after having been with a woman. She might have even been waiting in his car.

“Alpha Fox,” I greeted. “Had I known you were coming, I might have made better arrangements.”

He turned to me. His gaze dragged over me, and I could see that he was caught off guard. He wasn't an unpleasant-looking man, with broad shoulders and piercing amber eyes. But the air around him hummed with a subtle arrogance, a sense of entitlement that grated on my nerves. For some reason, I thought of Devin.

“Miss Wolfe, no need for apologies.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “I didn’t apologize, Gareth.”

His eye twitched.

“Brilliant,” Eason said, sounding giddy in my ear. “Don’t let him talk down to you, and don’t let him even think this visit is appropriate.”

“I’m accustomed to people who want to do business with Mooncrest at least calling ahead, perhaps even waiting in the foyer. You’re in luck. I’ve asked Amira to be nice.”

I pushed the seat with his coat on it out of my way and leaned on the edge of the table. He went stiff as I opened the file on Ironfang Ridge.

“But since you are already here, what is it that you’re hoping to gain out of this visit? I’m waiting for a call. I’d guess… ten minutes from now.”

His eyes narrowed, and he adjusted his tie. “I’m sure you’ve heard of Ironfang Ridge.”

“Not before… about five minutes ago.”

He lifted his nose. “I suppose not, as you would have no need of my pack’s services, and I’m sure your father never spoke about my pack for reasons.”

“Dad never went,” Eason said. “I’ve checked.”

I eyed him. “What exactly are you trying to insinuate?”

“That while a valiant attempt to lead Mooncrest, it’s obvious that you are ill-equipped to navigate the world you're trying to enter.” He extended his hand. “I’m offering an alliance.”

He dragged his gaze over me again and pulled out an envelope, sliding it across the table. It was gilded and embossed with the Ironfang Ridge crest.

“Of marriage,” he said. “I have connections within the Senate that would be of use to Mooncrest. It would be beneficial and easy for me to convince the Senate to open a spot for me.”

I cocked my eyebrow. “As I am certain you’ve more than heard of Mooncrest, I see no reason why I would bother.”

“While Mooncrest has an infamy, that is not the same as influence. Consider it as… leveraging advantages you don’t have.”

I blinked at him, keeping the irritation off my face. Gareth was obviously a pawn of someone in the Senate, maybe even a pawn of the president directly. Why send Gareth now was the question? Someone had to be fearful about me getting out of this case with little problem. I snapped the file closed.

“How romantic,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “What I always wanted: another man trying to use me for his own ends.”