Chapter 28

TWENTY-EIGHT

T he centrifuge whirred in the corner of Marcus’s private lab in his penthouse as Natalie peered through her microscope, studying the latest test sample of her mutated formula. Early morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting rainbow prisms across her pristine white lab coat. The space smelled of antiseptic and coffee - her third cup sat cooling beside a stack of data printouts.

“What are you hiding?” she murmured to the sample. Under magnification, the molecular structure displayed unusual patterns, nothing like her original matchmaking serum. The accident had created something entirely new.

The thought sent a chill down her spine. She’d entered this field to help people find love, not create a potential weapon. The ethical implications weighed heavy on her conscience.

A knock at the lab door made her jump. Marcus stood in the doorway, filling the frame with his impressive height. He’d shed his usual suit jacket, and his crisp white shirt stretched enticingly across his broad shoulders. The sight of him sparked an immediate rush of heat through her body.

“You’ve been up for hours,” he said, crossing to her workstation. His cologne - something woodsy and expensive - teased her senses. “Did you sleep at all?”

“Sleep is for people who don’t have breakthrough formulas to analyze.” She straightened, wincing as her stiff muscles protested. “Though I’m not sure ‘breakthrough’ is the right word when I still don’t know exactly what I created.”

Marcus’s hands landed on her shoulders, his thumbs working the knots at the base of her neck. Natalie bit back a moan as pleasure radiated from his touch.

“Any progress?” His voice rumbled close to her ear.

“Some.” She gestured to her laptop screen, trying to focus despite his distracting proximity. “The molecular structure is fascinating - it seems to enhance certain natural abilities, almost like a catalyst for latent genetic potential. In theory, it could-“ She broke off as his fingers hit a particularly sensitive spot. “God, that feels good.”

“You’re too tense.” His hands slid lower, working her shoulder blades. “When’s the last time you took a break?”

“I don’t need a break. I need answers.” But she melted back against him, her body betraying her words. “Someone tried to kill me for this formula, Marcus. I have to understand why.”

“And you will.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “But not if you work yourself into exhaustion.”

He was right. He was always thinking about her well-being. She thought about how quickly he’d responded to her, how gentle his hands had been even in the midst of danger. The way he made her feel both protected and capable, never diminishing her strength while offering his own.

The realization hit her like a physical blow: she’d fallen in love with him.

Not just surface-level attraction or chemical reaction, but something deeper, more profound. She loved his protective instincts and his dry humor, his fierce loyalty and hidden softness. She loved how he challenged her while supporting her dreams, how he saw her brilliance as an asset rather than a threat.

The truth of it settled in her chest like a warm weight. She, Natalie Grant, woman of science and logic, had completely, irrevocably fallen for a growly alpha werewolf with a hero complex and devastating smile.

Her life had become a paranormal romance novel, and she couldn’t bring herself to care.

She slid her fingers into his hair, loving how the thick strands felt against her skin. “ I should probably get back to work. Those samples won’t analyze themselves, and-“

“No.” His hands settled on her hips, grip possessive. “You need rest.”

“I need results. The molecular structure of the modified formula shows fascinating properties that could-“

“Natalie.” He stepped between her legs, effectively derailing her train of thought. “The lab can wait.”

“That’s not fair.” She squirmed as his thumbs traced circles on her hipbones. “You can’t just use your... your everything to distract me from science.”

“My everything?” His smile turned predatory. “Please, elaborate.”

“You know exactly what I mean.” But her hands slid to his shoulders of their own accord. “Your whole tall, dark, and demanding routine.”

“Demanding?” He raised an eyebrow. “I prefer authoritative.”

“Bossy.”

“Protective.”

“Overprotective.”

“Concerned for your safety.”

“Control freak.”

“Says the woman who color-codes her lab notes.”

“That’s different,” Natalie spluttered. “That’s organizational efficiency, not-“

Marcus cut off her protest with a kiss that curled her toes. His mouth moved against hers with devastating precision, tongue teasing until she opened for him with a soft moan. One large hand tangled in her hair while the other splayed across her lower back, pulling her closer to the edge of the counter.

Heat pooled low in her belly as he deepened the kiss. She stepped closer. The move aligned their bodies perfectly, drawing a growl from deep in his chest.

“Natalie,” he breathed against her lips. “We should stop.”

“We should definitely not stop.” She nipped at his bottom lip. “In fact, from a purely scientific perspective, we should-“

A sharp knock at the lab door made them both freeze.

“Boss?” Jax’s voice called through the wood. “I’m here and I have those security reports you wanted. Also, your sister’s here. Something about lab results?”

Marcus dropped his forehead to Natalie’s shoulder with a groan. “Your timing is terrible, Jax.”

“It’s a gift.” Jax’s grin came through in his voice. “Should I tell Emily you’re... indisposed?”

“We’ll be right out,” Natalie called, trying to sound professional despite her racing pulse and swollen lips.

Marcus straightened reluctantly, helping her down from the counter. His eyes still smoldered as they fixed on her mouth. “This isn’t over.”

“Promise?” She smoothed her hair, grateful the mirror showed only mild dishevelment.

His answering smile sent shivers down her spine. “Count on it.”

They found Emily in Marcus’s home office, surrounded by stacks of papers. Her dark curls bounced as she looked up, blue eyes sparkling with mischief at their slightly rumpled appearance.

“Well, well.” She grinned. “Don’t let me interrupt.”

“You already did,” Marcus growled, but there was no heat in it. “What did you find?”

“Besides your inability to hide a kiss-induced blush?” Emily dodged the pen Marcus threw at her. “Actually, it’s pretty interesting. Natalie, those molecular samples you sent me, they’re showing some wild properties...”

“Define ‘wild properties.’” Natalie leaned forward, scientific curiosity overtaking her lingering physical awareness of Marcus. Emily spread several printouts across the desk, pointing to a series of complex molecular diagrams.

“See these protein chains? They’re unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The formula appears to target specific genetic markers, almost like it’s searching for dormant traits to enhance.”

Natalie’s mind raced with implications. “Like a catalyst for latent abilities?”

“Exactly.” Emily’s eyes lit up with the same enthusiasm Natalie felt. “But here’s where it gets crazy. The enhancement isn’t random - it seems to adapt based on the subject’s existing genetic structure.”

Marcus moved closer, his hand settling on the small of Natalie’s back. “In English?”