Chapter 19

Charles

As we finally wrapped up our work, I realized how late it had become, and I was grateful for the chance to spend more time with her. The offer to stay with her had turned out to be more meaningful than I could have imagined, and I knew that this was just the beginning of our journey together. The desire to have her hadn’t dulled at all, but it was starting to change from something purely sexual to something more tender.

I wanted to take care of her.

Her phone chimed as we left her office. A bit of light returned to her eyes as she looked at her phone. It was probably the notification of the resumption of service. She looked a bit like she had when I gave her the deed to her house. She clutched the package to her chest after putting all the other documents into her briefcase before leading me out of the building and downstairs.

Gregory pulled the car to a stop in front of the building, and I opened the door for her. The air had turned colder. The sun had already set, and the sky was dark. The moon hung in the sky over the city, filling me with a warm, tingling rush of power.

Grace practically melted into the buttery leather seats. I climbed in behind her and took in the exhaustion etched on her face. A sense of satisfaction washed over me, knowing that I could ease some of her burdens. My alpha lycan instincts stirred, compelling me to provide for her and protect her. The draw I felt towards her was intense, driving me slightly crazy, yet I relished it. I hadn’t felt so alive in years.

As Gregory drove us toward her family home, I couldn't help but appreciate the opportunity to spend more time with her. Before I could start a conversation, her phone rang. She answered.

“Hi, Kelly… Yes. I’m on the way back home. It wasn’t too much today, was it?... Oh?” She glanced at me, and her face turned bright red. “It must have been a blip on the grid. I’ll look into it. Thanks. See you soon.”

She hung up and let out a deep sigh.

Curious about her children, I smiled.

“Tell me about them,” I said. “Your children. You have a little boy and…?”

Grace’s face softened. “A daughter too.”

"Cecil is my eldest," Grace started, a fond smile gracing her lips. "She’s four years old, and she's such a curious little explorer. Always asking questions and eager to learn about the world around him. She has this infectious laughter that can brighten up even the darkest of days."

Her description of Cecil made me picture a vibrant, adventurous little girl with eyes full of wonder. I found myself feeling a strange sense of warmth as if I could almost hear her laughter in my mind.

"And then there's Richard," Grace continued, her smile growing even wider. "He's my baby boy. Though he’s not responding to his name just yet.” She laughed. “He's such a peaceful soul, always content and observant. I can see so much of myself in him, and I can't wait to watch him grow and discover his own path in life."

She smiled. Her love for them was evident in her voice.

"I'm sure they're both wonderful," I said sincerely. "You're lucky to have such a loving family, Grace."

Her eyes softened with gratitude, and she nodded appreciatively. "I really am. They're my motivation for everything I do. I went into pharmaceuticals because of them. I hadn’t had either of them at the time. I hadn’t even been dating, but I knew that when I had kids, I’d want to give them a chance to live long and healthy lives… When my dad died, I just knew that I was on the right track. If I could spare just one person, even if it wasn’t my own kids, the pain of losing a parent so soon, I would be happy.”

Her dedication to her children warmed my heart, and I admired her even more for her selflessness and determination. It was clear that she would go to great lengths to protect and provide for her family, much like my own lycan instincts urged me to do for her.

"You're an amazing mother," I said sincerely, my voice soft as I praised her. My gaze was fixed on her face as she spoke. "It's truly admirable that you wanted to give your children the best chance at a long and healthy life."

Grace smiled, her weariness momentarily replaced by a glimmer of pride.

"Thank you," she replied, a tender smile playing on her lips. "They mean everything to me, Charles. Being a mother has been the most rewarding and challenging role I've ever had. I want to make sure they have every opportunity to thrive and be happy."

“I’m sure they know,” I said. “How have they taken you being out of the house more?”

She chuckled. “Cecil is happy to go out and explore with Kelly. Richard isn’t taking it as easy, though. He’ll settle down. It’s just been us since he was born. It was different when Cecil was born. I was still stepping away from the lab. Richard’s only known me.”

“And you? How are you handling it?”

She shrugged. “I’m dealing. It’s kind of like I’ve flipped completely the opposite way now that I know what those years of being a stay-at-home mom has ultimately cost us.”

She looked down. “Too much. I can’t say that I regret it, but I know that I would have done everything differently given the chance.”

“You can’t blame yourself for trusting someone you should have been able to trust.”

She nodded. “I keep trying to tell myself that, but the more of this we delve into, the more guilty I feel.”

“Don’t blame yourself for his lack of integrity. If anything, you should be blaming me.”

Her lips twitched. “You can’t control who your kids grow up to be.”

“No, you can’t.” I smiled and considered her words. “I gleaned that you had a head for the science aspect of Wolfe Medical. Did you work for the company for a time? Before Cecil was born?”

Her smile was warm as she beamed with pride.

"I led the research team for the werewolf longevity project.”

My jaw dropped open. I felt a swell of admiration for Grace. I had never imagined that she was integral to the project. But something about that bit of information waved a red flag through my mind.

Who had she left in charge when she withdrew from the lab?

“I… had no idea.”

She shrugged. "It was going to be the subject of dissertation.”

Her passion for her work was evident in the way her eyes lit up as she spoke, and I couldn't help but be captivated by her dedication to the cause.

“When I came up with the idea, my dad swore it was a groundbreaking endeavor.”

“It is. No one else has even attempted it.”

“Well, they won’t have to. Now that it’s in the patent stage, all it needs is a few clinical trials before we try to make it cheaper.”

I blinked. My heart sank as I realized that she had no idea.

She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s not in the patent stage yet, Grace.”

“What?” Grace shook her head, her expression clouded with confusion. "That doesn’t make any sense. It was well on its way when I left…”

She blinked and looked down. “Maybe the patent just hasn’t been approved yet, but I didn’t see any information about adjustments needing to be made in all the documents.”

I bit my lip and took a deep breath. This was going to be a hard conversation, but the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't shake the feeling that fate had brought us together for a reason.

Maybe because it knew that Grace had no idea.

“It hasn’t made it to patent.”

She shook her head. The panic and frustration was clear on her face.

“Listen, Grace,” I said slowly. “I wasn’t always the majority owner of Sharpe Medical.”

“What?” She gasped, looking shocked. “But… that meeting was on the calendar before I got divorced…”

I nodded. “The former owner had been pushing for a meeting while we were still discussing the deal, but I’m the one who wanted to meet with you. I saw the potential in Wolfe Medical's research and its potential to revolutionize the industry."

“But if it hasn’t made it to patent, how did you even know about it?” She asked. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

I sighed. “People talk. There was a lot of talk a few years ago about this project. It took all this time for me to get enough of a stake in Sharpe Medical to get a chance to connect with Wolfe Medical. My entire plan was to invest in the patent and initiate production for clinical trials.”