Chapter 12 - Cyrus

A montage of tonight's events plays out like a projection in my mind as I sprint toward the north border. My resolve is strengthened, and my will is determined to keep the pack safe.

To keep Cassandra safe.

All I see is the brown depths of her eyes, the pathways to the soul I touched tonight, etched into my mind and serving as my purpose. The image of her serves as the driving force of my wolf paws as I speed through the forest, navigating the path to our border with finesse and determination.

I must keep her safe. That aching need to protect her, to keep her safe, has turned into the sole purpose of my soul. Every heartbeat and every breath becomes attuned to this purpose, and it fuels my power, adding adrenaline to the already powerful Alpha blood in my veins.

I'm faster on my paws now, sprinting forward until I see my werewolves giving chase toward the river. A handful of alien wolves are faster and more agile as they're being chased, leaping over the river toward the edge of the Moon Shine border.

“ They're outnumbered!” I call out mentally to my wolves as I approach the group hastily. The rogue wolves on our territory aren't stopping to fight. Their group is too small for the likes of the Moon Shine border patrol that chases them.

I sprint even faster, my paws feather-light and powerful as I break away from my group and make for the pack of rogues.

Leaping over a log, my sharp nails distend from my front paws as I swipe through the air, slicing through the back of a greasy-furred gray rogue. It whimpers from the pain, the impact of my claw throwing it off-course as its knees buckle and it skitters to the ground.

“ Gotcha! ” I mentally chide, slowing down and looming over the rogue. Up ahead, the other rogues stop and turn while my wolves slow down.

It all happens in a split second, a ghastly fight ensuing when the rogue I knocked down rises to his feet and lunges at me. Chaos filled with slashing claws and snapping teeth follows, but I nimbly dodge the rogue's attack while the rest of Moon Shine takes on the other rogues.

A thunderous roar leaves my chest, my tongue lapping over my muzzle as I sink back on my hind legs before powerfully thrusting forward. The rogue swiftly dodges my sharp canines; its reflexes are smooth as if it wields some kind of supernatural power that makes it faster.

I understand now, facing off with the rogues firsthand, how they'd been able to capture an Alpha as strong as Dorian Walker. Our only advantage is our numbers when more Moon Shine wolves join the fight.

“ Watch out, Alpha!” Jarrod warns when I see him emerging from the shadows. The gray wolf is down, but I'm not fast enough to intercept a sneak attack that comes from the left.

Yelping when I'm knocked in the ribs, it's the Beta who pounces forward and plants himself between the rogue and where I kick my hind legs back to standing. My Beta glances at me, my nod signaling our joint attack when we spring forward and each slice through the ribcage of the rogue. It cries out in pain but barely seems fazed when it regains steadiness in its paws and howls at the others.

They fall back, hastily crossing the river in a unified group.

“ Fall back, Moon Shine,” I instruct my wolves through the mind link. “ They're leaving. ”

My wolf heart pounds in my chest as I stand at the river's edge, watching the rogues disappear beyond the woods. That was a close call, but thanks to the expertise of our skilled fighters, no one was harmed.

Still, it's alarming to have encountered the rogues, who'd been missing in action for months until now. I hand out more orders to my wolves, making sure that we're on high alert now that the rogues have discovered a way to infiltrate our borders.

It's the first time since we were informed about the threat of the rogues that we've come face to face with them. Tensions are high amongst my wolves as we double up on security and ensure that they've left the perimeter.

For now.

It won't be long until they try attacking again.

The night drags on with each of us on our nerves. Double-checking the north border, Jarrod comes by near the stroke of midnight to inform me that the west border is secured.

“ Thanks for having my back out there,” I tell him, nodding my wolf head just as exhaustion floods over my being.

Jarrod's wolf eyes are wary as he nods back.

“ We will have to inform the Council about this. I've already sent word to Alpha Flynn.”

“We're gonna need to find their location ASAP.” The stress of the night hangs heavy on my shoulders, along with the anguish of not making any progress in terms of locating the whereabouts of the rogues.

Jarrod assures me that he'll speak to Asuka's assistant first thing tomorrow morning. It does little to ease my trepidations, but there's nothing more we can do right now.

While the stresses and worries weigh me down, I glance toward the town, and my heart skips a beat, knowing that there's only one thing that would ease these worries of mine.

I'd glimpsed that comfort in the mere presence of a particular she-wolf and felt it soothe my being when I found myself in her arms. Desperate for the peace she brings, I turn back to my Beta and say, “ Call an urgent meeting with the Council. We'll figure out a way to locate Dorian and the rogues. For now, we need to secure our safety before someone else is nabbed.”

“ Yes, Alpha.” Jarrod looks up when I begin walking away. “ Where are you going, Cyrus?”

“Are the borders on lockdown?”

When he nods, I continue, “ Good. Don't skip out on patrols tonight. I need you to cover for me.”

The sternness in my voice is like a command that Jarrod doesn't question as I head back through the woods and enter the small town of Mysthaven in Rosethorn Valley. As if my paws move of their own accord, compelled to find a resting place after tonight's events, I find myself in front of Cassandra's cottage.

I shift into human form just outside the porch, my being fuelled by desperation to feel comfort again. After taking her virginity as a prized possession of my own, I can't let the night end without seeing her.

It's an honor I need to uphold; a gift she'd given me without me being deserving of such a prize. My heartbeat slowed when I opened the front door, unlocked as if she'd been expecting my return.

As soon as I enter her cottage, I sniff the air full of her distinctly sweet scent, filling my lungs with the relief that washes over me at that moment. This is what I denied myself for far too long, always refusing to accept that my attraction to her was valid.

Tonight proved me wrong. Right now, all I can focus on is the breadcrumbs of her scent that leads me to her bedroom, where she's curled up on her bed, hands folded under her sleeping face.

Beautiful… I conclude. She's the type of beauty that has me forgetting all about my troubles as the leader of the pack, wanting nothing more than to be precisely where I find myself now. Stealthily kicking off my shoes behind the door, I pad across the room and pull a blanket over Cassandra's legs.

Smiling to myself, I marvel at her sleeping face, the peace she radiates filling me with calm. Honored by the gift bestowed on me, I know we have a lot to speak about. Until then, I slide onto the bed, my arm folding over her body as I rest my head on the pillow behind her and allow my eyes to close.

A sigh of relief falls from my lips as sleep washes over me.

***

I groan and turn onto my back, my arms stretching above my head long before I've found the will to open my eyes.

“Good morning…” Cassandra's soft, lilting voice is the whisper that coaxes me to open my eyes, realizing where I am as the memories of the night before come flooding into my mind.

I turn my face and meet the radiant eyes of the she-wolf with whom I'd shared a different kind of intimacy.

I've never woken up beside a female the next morning, not in my many quests outside the Moon Shine Pack or within.

This is a first for me, and the realization is strangely pleasant.

“Good morning, beautiful,” I reply, leaning in to press a chaste kiss on her fragrant lips. When I pull back, she wears a sheepish smile that brightens her cheeks with a rosy blush. Again, demure in her acceptance of the compliment, I'm mentally kicking my feet and squealing like a nervous teenager.

Good Goddess! She brings out something so pure in me, a deeply buried softness to my usually tough nature as the Alpha.

“What happened last night?” Cassandra asks, propping her head on one arm as she gazes at me intently.

I sigh, turning to stare at the ceiling while folding an arm behind my head. Oddly enough, I feel so comfortable, like we didn't just spend the night together for the first time. It feels comfortable, like we've been doing this for years, and I'm able to open up and talk about all that's been happening over the past couple of months.

“... Our last hope of finding Alpha Dorian is with the help of this hacker,” I blow out an agitated sigh as I turn to Cassandra. Her eyes are thoughtful and contemplative as she stares at me, her lips pursed.

“Are you going to the office today?” she asks, completely changing the subject and confusing me. I'd just given her the rundown of the looming threat of the rogues and told her how tough the fight had been against them last night.

All she has to say to that is a question about me leaving for work.

I blink fervently at her, disarmed by the softness of her eyes but still confused.

“Y-yes,” I concede with a wary nod. “Work must go on.”

“I'm coming with you,” she declares, flipping over and kicking her legs off the bed. She hops onto her feet, spinning around to throw me a wide, excited grin.

Chuckling, I sit upright and cock my head to one side. “What do you mean you're coming with me?”

“Well… This time, my life won't be in danger in your office,” Cassandra quips with a wink.

“Agreed. But what are you gonna do there?”

Cassandra shrugs before she begins to remove her sweater. “I am a graphic designer without a job right now,” she says, standing in nothing but her panties when she places her hands on her hips. “Maybe I could pressure the boss into giving me one.”

Smirking as I climb off the bed and pull her toward me by her waist. “You might have to seduce the boss…” I said, brushing my nose across her cheek and delighting in the way her body shudders against mine.

She reaches between us, pressing her palm on the outline of my growing bulge at the front of my pants. “I'm so bored out here; I'll do anything to get that job.”

Licking my lips in anticipation, I let Cassandra lead me to the bathroom. “Anything?” I ask, to which she turns to me and nods.

“Anything,” she grants in a faint, mischievous whisper meant to seduce me.

I take a step back and rake my eyes over her, Goddess-like curves, plump in all the right places. Mentally, I'm drooling when I'm reminded of how exhilarating it was to be balls deep inside her, feeling those supple curves beneath my palms like the prize she is.

What's more thrilling is that she'd been a virgin when I made love to her last night under the canopy of stars.

There are so many things she doesn't know, so many things that she still has to discover, things I'm about to teach her.

With my bottom lip tucked between my teeth, I step back further and drop my pants to the floor, where they pool at my ankles along with my boxers.

My cock is already hard with the thought of her plump pink lips wrapped around the head.

“Get on your knees,” I order her, my voice dropping an octave lower with the pent-up desire coiling in my core. When she does as she's told, her eyes fixed on my erection as her cheeks fill with color. I smirk and reach out to stroke my thumb across her parted lips. Her eyes are seductively innocent as she stares at me through the veil of dark, wanton lashes. “Good girl…” I praise, taking my cock in one hand and lining the tip with her luscious lips. “... Now, show me how badly you want that job.”

***

Watching Cassandra walk around my office, I can't help but feel enraptured by how pleased she seems, wearing a smile as she reads the certificates hanging on the wall behind my desk.

On our way to the office building, I'd learned more about Cassandra and how she pursued her dreams of making a name for herself as a graphic designer for a marketing company in Japan. Saying I was impressed by her ambition would be an understatement.

Right now, her ambition to find a job in my company has perks of its own, like the one I experienced in the shower this morning.

Chuckling with self-satisfaction to myself, I draw Cassandra's attention to me, a finger clasped on her chin and a thoughtful look in her eyes. She glances at the computer at my desk and then points to it.

“May I?” she asks, rolling out the chair behind the desk without waiting for my response.

“By all means,” I give the go-ahead, though it seems she doesn't need my invitation when she sits at the desk and opens up an incognito page on the internet home screen.

Watching keenly, my interest is piqued when she enters a portal I have never seen before.

“What are you doing, Cassie?”

She turns around, a steadfast look of discernment pulling taut at her usually soft, pretty features.

“I need coffee.” She swivels back to the computer, cracking her knuckles with interlaced fingers. “Strong. Two sugars.”

Stunned by her stern demeanor, I hang back and wait for her to cut the act and tell me that she's just joking. But when she doesn't and instead goes back to rapidly tapping keys on the keyboard with her tongue pressed to her cheek, I realize how serious she is.

I pick up the receiver and call the receptionist on my floor, ordering a double-shot espresso to be sent to my office. I can hardly fathom what Cassandra's up to until the screen loads and then opens to an unmistakable page.

“Government…” I murmur in shock. “Cassie… What are you doing…?”

A long, drawn-out breath leaves Cassandra's lips as she swivels to face me. “I'm hacking into the government satellite.”

A deep frown whispers across my face as I stare at her in horror. “That's…” I pause with a gulp. “... That's impossible, Cassie. What—”

I blink in disbelief, snapping my attention from Cassandra to the screen and then back to her.

She chuckles under her breath, completely oblivious to my very valid concern as she heads to the door and thanks my receptionist for the coffee. Coolly taking a sip, I can't wrap my head around her calmness.

“How is this possible?”

Cassandra swallows her sip of espresso, sets the cup down, and throws me a wide grin.

“You know that hacker whose help you were trying to get? Asuka?”

“Yeah… Asuka… Wait.” I shake my head. “How do you know her? I didn't tell you her name.”

“Well…” Cassandra walks up to me, placing a palm on my chest as she gazes deeply into my eyes, a glint of mischief flashing by. “You're looking right at her,” she says, arms opening up at her sides as a wide smile spreads across her face.

“What?” My frown draws my eyes into a narrowed stare. “ You're Asuka?”

“Uh-huh!” she hums with a delighted grin.

Freezing on the spot, my eyes flicker to the computer screen, then back to Cassandra.

She's the hacker we'd been trying to hire?

How did I not see that coming?

“Now, if you'll excuse me…” She stoutly taps her hand on my chest before going back to the desk. “I'm about to break through the firewall.” Cassandra rolls the seat behind the computer and takes a deep breath. “Wish me luck.”

You don't need luck… I internalize, too stunned to speak the words when she begins typing in codes that allow her to bypass each layer of security. If I had been impressed before, then I'm mind-blown now, watching her in awe as she does the work only the smartest mind can accomplish.

All those times, I caught her in the Mysthaven library behind the computer and accused her of being a nerd…

This is what she was doing?

It all makes sense now as I watch her with amazement, rendering me speechless. I'd really underestimated her, and all I can do now is be mesmerized by this woman.

My Goddess… She's something else, tongue pressed to her cheek, and smoldering eyes narrowed at the computer screen as she hits keys rapidly to enter codes that take her further and further into government systems.

“Got it!” She exclaims, clapping her hands together and spinning around. “I'm in!”

Thrilled but not in the least bit surprised, I don't even bother checking the screen before I grab her off the chair and swoop her onto the desk. “You fucking brilliant woman!” I hoot, cradling her cheeks. “I don't believe it.” I shake my head in disbelief. “It's been you all this time?”

Cassandra bites her bottom lip bashfully and nods, her demure nature right now a stark contrast to the witty hacker who just broke through the toughest firewall in the world.

“Fuck…” I rumble, pulling her close until our foreheads connect. “... That's so hot.”

When Cassandra begins to shyly giggle, I cut her off by crushing my lips to hers, as I'm turned on by the discovery that she's the hacker, Asuka. Ravenous kisses consume my being, igniting a passion so deep within me that I pull away only to regain my sense of reality.

Looking at her face, her flushed cheeks, and swollen, moist lips while she stares at me through sultry eyes, the reality in front of me is inevitable.

“I'm gonna fuck you on this desk right now,” I rasp against her neck, planting open-mouthed kisses underneath her earlobe.

She moans, throwing her head back and giving me the full liberty of her neck. I place my hand on her calf, sliding my palm beneath her skirt in search of the sweet treasure at the apex of her thighs.

“Shit…” I groan, dropping my head on her shoulder when a knock raps on the office door. I know who's out there without having to ask.

I can smell him from here—the scent of disturbance.

“Jarrod…” I grouch, stepping back and staring apologetically into Cassandra's eyes. “I should—” I point over my shoulder when she hops down from the desk and straightens her skirt.

“Maybe I should do what I came to do,” she offers with a light giggle. “What do you need?”

I take a deep breath to regain my composure, then open up the drawer on the side of my desk to sift out the sketch that Alpha Flynn and Luna Lila provided. I explain what I need from the government satellite, and Cassandra steps up on her tiptoes to press a reassuring kiss on my lips.

“You take care of what you need to. I'll handle this,” she assures me.

I haven't quite snapped out of the daze of finding out that she's the infamous hacker, Asuka. I had so many questions and so many things to discover about the woman when I thought I would be her teacher.

For the sake of everything else that's going on, I leave to speak with Jarrod outside.