3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Luna

I t had been days since I last saw him, yet his face lingered in my thoughts, like a dream I couldn’t wake from. His piercing gaze, the rough edge to his voice, the way he made me feel as though I was standing on the edge of something dangerous—all of it stayed with me, no matter how hard I tried to shake it off. The pull was magnetic, and the more I fought it, the stronger it became.

But I had bigger problems than my obsessive thoughts about a man I barely knew. My rent was overdue, and my dwindling savings weren’t going to last much longer. I needed a job—fast.

The phone sent a tingling vibration that raced across my brain and pulled me back to the reality of where I was. I moved my gaze toward the screen and read Miranda’s name.

“Hi baby girl …”

“Luna!” I heard her say, but this time she was slow and agitated “Thank God you picked up. Please, I really need a huge favor!”

I held my breath as my pulse raced. “What’s going on?”

“It’s dad’s assistant. She just quit because her mom is sick. We’re in the middle of a crisis, and it's chaos because of the fire. I’m sure you’ve heard about it because it’s all over the news, and dad needs someone he can trust to fill in for the summer. Please, Luna. You’re the only person I can think of.”

I raised an eyebrow in astonishment. “Miranda, I don’t know why you expect me to work in the corporate sector! Yes, I have been in corporate places in the past, but this ... is a little too much for me.”

“You’ll be fine! Luna, please, I wouldn’t ask you if I knew that you were not able to do it. My dad can be ... well, demanding, but you are bright. You'll manage it, and I will be right there helping you. You are just what we need – a reliable person.”

Reliability stood out to me. I was looking for a job, and Miranda was looking for a person she could rely on. It was like destiny was once more coming into the picture and giving me a chance that was too good to pass up.

“Fine,” I said, already fidgeting. “I’ll do it. But don’t expect me to pull it off easily. I might screw things up.”

“You won’t!” she said, the stress in her words gone.

“You'll be great, Luna. I will send you all the details as soon as I can”

As soon as I hung up, I had to clear my head. This was going to happen. I had to realize the fact that I was about to walk into a place that I was completely blind to, just because of helping out a friend. And if it made me nervous, it also made me happy. Perhaps this was the healthy change that I was looking for, a new challenge to tackle.

The very next day, I found myself standing in front of the sleek and stylish corporate headquarters of Blackwood Corporation. The building was a skyscraper, all glass and steel, that glared brightly in the blue sky. I inhaled deeply, straightened my blazer, and pushed through the rotating doors into the spotless entrance lobby of the building.

There was someone waiting at the reception desk, and she flashed a courteous smile towards me. “Good day, how may I assist you?” she stated.

“Hi, I’m Luna Everhart. I’m filling in as the executive secretary for Mr. Blackwood,” I said, hoping that my voice would not break with the nerves dancing in my tummy.

“Take those elevators to the top floor, and you'll see one of the other assistants as you get off the elevator. She'll direct you to his office," she said.

As the elevator doors opened on the top floor, I stepped into a spacious office space that was all sleek lines and minimalist decor.

I saw another receptionist and she directed me to the CEO's office.

Okay Luna, you've got this . I knocked on the door.

"Come in ..."

My eyes swept across the room and immediately landed on a tall figure standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back turned to me. His posture, the broad shoulders, the way he commanded the space even from a distance—it all seemed familiar. Too familiar.

He turned around, and our eyes met. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. I stood there, frozen in place, as the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

“ Y-you’re Mr. Blackwood ... Miranda’s dad?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

His expression mirrored my shock, but he recovered quickly, his face shifting into a mask of cool professionalism. “And I'm guessing you’re Miranda’s friend ... my new assistant.” His voice was steady, but I could hear the undercurrent of surprise.

"This is … unexpected. Pleasure to meet you once again ... Orion Blackwood"

I couldn’t believe it. How had I not known? Miranda had never mentioned her father’s name, and I had never asked. But now, standing here face-to-face with him, the reality of the situation hit me like a tidal wave. This was the man who had haunted my dreams. The man I couldn’t stop thinking about. And now, I was going to be working for him.

“I didn’t know,” I said, finally finding my voice. “Miranda didn’t mention …”

“Neither did I,” he replied, his tone measured. “But it seems we’ll have to make the best of it”

My heart was racing, and I couldn’t shake the strange tension that hung between us. This was going to be harder than I thought.

Orion and I stood for some seconds, drowning in each other’s eyes. He tried holding my hands, but stopped when Miranda walked in.

“Luna! You made it!” She rushed over and hugged me tightly. “Thank you so much for doing this.”

“No problem,” I said, though my voice wavered a bit. “I’m happy to help.”

Miranda pulled back and gave me an encouraging smile. “I see you’ve finally met my dad”

“Yeah …” I said, clearing my throat.

“Dad, do you know that Luna and I have been friends for over ten years?”

“Oh wow! How come I’ve never met her?”

“Well … you were never around …”

“I’m so happy that you are here Luna, so let me give you a quick tour and show you where you’ll be working,” Miranda said.

As we walked, she pointed out different departments and introduced me to a few key people. Everyone seemed friendly enough, though I noticed a few curious glances. It wasn’t every day that a new assistant showed up so suddenly, I supposed.

“And this,” Miranda said, stopping in front of a sleek wooden desk, “will be your workspace. It’s right next to dad’s office, so you’ll be close by if he needs anything.”

I nodded, trying to seem calm, though my heart was pounding in my chest. “Thanks, Miranda.”

“No problem.” She glanced at her watch. “Okay, I need to run to a meeting. Just make yourself comfortable”

She gave me one last smile before hurrying off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

“Okay,” I said quietly, sitting down at the desk. I was grateful for the distraction of work. Anything to keep me from thinking too much about the situation I had just found myself in.

As the day went on, I threw myself into the tasks at hand. Answering calls, organizing files, scheduling meetings—it was overwhelming, but it kept me busy.

Every time Orion walked past me, I could feel the tension crackle between us, and it took every ounce of self-control not to let it show. I didn’t know how he was managing to keep his composure, but I was struggling. The fact that he was Miranda's father only made it more complicated.

Minutes blurred into hours, and before I knew it, days had passed.

Every time I glanced at Orion's door, my pulse quickened. He had that effect on me—an unsettling combination of attraction and mystery.

I sighed, trying to shake off the thoughts. Work, Luna. Focus on work.

But just as I tried to dive back into the spreadsheet in front of me, Orion's office door swung open. He stepped out, and our eyes locked instantly.

The air between us seemed to thicken. He held my gaze for a moment, then started toward me, his expression unreadable.

"Luna," he said, his voice low and commanding. "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

I nodded, swallowing hard, as I followed him into his office. The door clicked shut behind me, and suddenly the room felt too small. The tension crackled in the air.

He stood behind me and whispered in my ears “Mmm … I’ve missed your scent”

Using his index finger, he moved my hair and slowly kissed my neck. He went a step further licking my ear with tip of his tongue, just the way I liked it.

“Mmmm,” I moaned, lightly.

“Why have you been avoiding me these past few days?” he asked, as he turned me around.

Did he just arouse me and leave me hanging? I thought.

“Uh … Uh …”

“Are you going to keep stammering?” he asked, looking into my eyes, making it difficult for me to process a sentence.

“I’m not avoiding you … sir”

“Sir? To you, I’m Orion. Understood?”

“But …”

“When we are with other workers, you can call me sir, but when we are alone, you can only call me Orion.”

At that moment, nothing else mattered. I just wanted to have his lips brushed on mine. He pulled me close and caressed my lower lip with his thumb.

“Oh … the things I want to do to you … having you so close … and …”

Before he could finish his statement, a knock on the door interrupted, and drew me back to reality.

“Come in!”

“Oh Jake! Why do you have such wrong timing?” he added.

“I came to drop off the report regarding the investigation on the South Point seaport” Jake said.

“Uh … I have to … umm … I’ll be outside,” I said, feeling embarrassed.

Unable to bear the embarrassment, I decided to go to the restroom to pull myself together, but on my way, I overheard a conversation I wasn’t supposed to.

I was passing by one of the conference rooms, when I heard voices speaking in hushed tones. Something about the way they were speaking made me stop in my tracks.

“... we can’t let this get out. If anyone finds out about the deal, it’s over.”

“Relax. No one knows. We just have to make sure everything goes smoothly, just like last time.”

My heart raced as I pressed myself against the wall, listening intently. I didn’t recognize the voices, but the urgency in their tone sent a chill down my spine.

“This isn’t just about the money. If the others find out, there’ll be hell to pay.”

The others? What are they talking about? I thought.

I had to know more, but before I could make a move, the door to the conference room opened, and two men walked out. I quickly ducked around the corner, holding my breath as they passed by.

Once they were gone, I hurried back to my desk, my mind racing. Whatever that conversation had been about, it wasn’t good. And my instincts were screaming at me that something dangerous was happening right under Orion’s nose.

The weight of what I’d overheard hung over me like a dark cloud. I had to tell Orion.

My nerves buzzed under my skin as I made my way to Orion’s office. My steps were brisk, and I rehearsed what I would say in my mind.

When I reached his office, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Orion’s voice called from inside, strong and steady, as always.

I opened the door and stepped inside. He was standing behind his desk, adjusting his cufflinks. He looked up at me, and for a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes—something that told me he felt the same connection I did. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by his usual composed expression.

“Luna,” he said, a small, polite smile on his lips. “What can I do for you?”

I hesitated for a moment, suddenly feeling unsure. How could I just blurt out what I’d heard?

“I … I need to talk to you about something,” I said, stepping closer to his desk.

Orion raised an eyebrow, glancing at the clock on the wall. “Can it wait? I have a meeting in a few minutes.”

“Uh … sure,” I replied.

I have to gather enough evidence first. I need to find out their identity, I thought.

“Okay then … you don’t have to wait for me because the meeting is going to take a long time.”

“Uh … that’s fine … we can just talk about it tomorrow.”

As he walked past me, our hands touched and I immediately fell into a trance.

I was standing in a dark forest, the trees looming overhead like silent sentinels. The air was thick with fog, and I could barely see a few feet in front of me. But I wasn’t alone. Vaguely, in the distance, I saw Orion, his back to me, as he faced something hidden in the shadows.

And then I saw them—the wolves. Dozens of them, their eyes glowing a sinister red as they surrounded him. They moved silently, circling closer and closer, their teeth bared.

I tried to call out to him, to warn him, but no sound came from my lips. I was frozen, helpless, as the wolves closed in. One of them leaped, jaws snapping, and—

I jolted back to reality, my heart pounding in my chest. The vision had felt so real, so vivid. I could still feel the cold of the forest. Hear the growls of the wolves.

I knew, without a doubt, that Orion was in danger. Something was coming for him. Something dark and deadly.

“Luna … Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

Is Orion a werewolf? I thought.