CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 20

Cynthia

Four years later

"Riya," I call out as I wander through the apartment looking for a three-year-old who enjoys playing hide and seek a little too much.

"Riya, if you don’t come out right now," I begin, "I’m going to eat all your pancakes and drink the entire bottle of maple syrup. Just you wait. And I won’t let Auntie Maya babysit you this weekend."

My sharp ears pick up an outraged gasp from the laundry room, and I head over there, just in time to see a dark-haired little girl duck behind the washing machine. Grabbing her by the back of her dress, I pull her out.

"Not smart, kid. Not smart at all."

"I don’t want to go to school!" Riya looks up at me, her lower lip stuck out in a pout, the gray eyes she inherited from her father, annoyed.

"First of all," I pick her up in my arms, "it’s not school. It’s preschool. And you’re supposed to make friends with kids your age."

"They’re all dumb," Riya complains, her arms around my neck as I carry her to the kitchen table.

"Well," I sit her down in the chair, "maybe if you gave them a chance and didn’t brag about all the books you can read they won’t feel dumb to you."

"Uncle Tony says kids my age should be able to read and write," my daughter parrots.

"Well, Uncle Tony needs a hobby." I pull up a chair next to her and smile. "Give the kids a chance, Riya. They’re not mean to you, are they?"

"No," my daughter admits sulkily.

"Have they tried to be friends with you?"

"Yeah." Her voice grows smaller.

"Then are we being the bully here?"

She looks ashamed of herself now. "Sorry."

I cut up her pancake and feed her a bite. "It’s good to learn all these things about reading and writing, but that doesn’t mean you have to be mean to the other kids. Just as all the things that Uncle Tony is teaching you are fun, so is playing with kids your age."

"Okay, Mommy." Riya nods, giving me a serious look.

"Good, I packed you a lot of cookies today to share. I want you to play and make at least two friends before you come home. And then you’re going to tell me all about that, okay?"

"Okay." My child sighs as if I’ve just placed the weight of the world on her tiny little shoulders.

"Good." I pinch her cheek. "Now finish breakfast while I go get dressed."

For a few minutes, I linger by the doorway of the kitchen, watching the little girl that came from me enjoy her pancakes.

I never thought that this day would come when I would breathe the air as a free woman. My pregnancy was hard, but when I decided to move to Detroit, Tony and Maya decided to move as well. Ever since they got married and mated, I’ve never seen a happier couple. They helped me throughout my pregnancy, and it was Tony who let me stay in this apartment. According to him, this place belonged to his cousin who lived in England and had no intentions of coming back. I was allowed to do whatever I liked with the place as long as I kept it maintained. It wasn’t the worst deal, and in these past four years, this large flat has become a home. I also ended up finding a job a week after I arrived.

I’m the head of marketing in a local firm. The pay is excellent, as are the benefits. Watson’s parting gift came in handy. He didn’t change my name too much. He simply changed the last name. I am no longer Cynthia Rose. Now, my colleagues know me as Cynthia Morrighan. It’s a weird surname, and one that took some getting used to.

After the first year, I stopped looking over my shoulder. Tony was careful not to share any news about the pack with me, and I knew that if Riya or I were ever in danger of being discovered, he would warn us. Even after four years, I still enjoy the small things in life. Taking a walk by myself in the park, sitting in a restaurant, buying clothes for myself, grocery shopping, these are all things that remind me I am a free woman now, that my child is free.

Sometimes I miss Adam. Sometimes I wonder what kind of father he would have turned out to be. I can imagine him doting on Riya, carrying her on his shoulders. But the fondness in my heart turns hard and bitter when I remember what he had been planning to do to me.

I get dressed and gather Riya’s things. As I head to the door, I call out, "Come on, Riya. Let’s go."

Waiting for her, I study myself in the mirror.

My silver hair now reaches my mid back and is styled properly. I’m wearing a sensible blue dress that reaches my knees and covers my arms. I prefer dressing modestly. I don’t like male attention. In all these years, I’ve never once wanted another. I sometimes wonder if Adam and Tina ever got married. However, the thought still hurts me, so I try not to focus too much on it.

"Mommy, let’s go!" Riya runs forward, nearly tripping on her own feet.

I catch her just in time, swinging her into my arms. "My little klutz."

I plant a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I wish you had my silver hair."

"Why?"

"I dunno." I carry her out the door and to the building’s parking lot outside. "Because we would look like twins?"

"Mommy, you’re so silly!" Riya laughs, clapping her hands on my cheeks.

I grin. "Am I now?"

Learning how to drive a car had also been an empowering decision. The moment I mentioned considering learning how to drive to one of my colleagues I learned that the company paid for our driving lessons. It was a weird benefit to have, but one I didn’t want to pass up. I also ended up receiving a company car after I passed my driving test.

Working for Dalton Tech has been life-changing for me. I was certain I would struggle on my own, but joining this company has been nothing short of a godsend.

Dropping Riya off at the preschool, I watch her pause at the entrance and look over her shoulder to shoot me a doubtful look before heading inside. I shake my head in amusement. I really need to tell Tony to ease up her his tutoring lessons. Riya calls him Uncle Tony, but he acts like she’s his granddaughter. I’ve never seen Tony express as much emotion as he did when he first held Riya. He sobbed like a baby.

He and Maya live ten minutes away from me, but Tony is always dropping by to pick her up and take her out. Since Maya decided to get a degree in law and Tony started up his own home security company, he likes to spend time with my daughter when his mate is not home. He enjoys tutoring her and has done a fine job of inflating her head with ego.

If someone kept telling me every day that I am the best of the best, even I would grow into an egomaniac.

My fingers tap on the steering wheel as the music plays on the radio. With Maya expecting as well he’s going to have his hands full soon. I pull into the parking lot of the office and head inside. A smiling man is waiting by my office and I beam, "Kofo. You’re early again."

Kofo is a recent graduate from a well-reputed company, and his work ethic is impeccable. That’s why I hired him on the spot. While his resume was lacking the experience the other candidates had, his interview impressed me. He has the potential to climb much higher up in the company, but for now, he’s my assistant.

"Good morning, Director Morrighan. I got you a coffee."

I blink at the gesture. "Thanks, but I told you that you don’t need to get me my morning coffee."

"It’s a thank you for recommending me for the internship in the analytics department." He looks pleased.

I enter my office, and he trails after me.

"So you got it?"

"It’s on hold because of the CEO’s upcoming visit, but the director said it’s as good as mine. I wouldn’t have gotten it if you hadn’t put in a good word for me."

"You got it because you’re hard-working, Kofo," I remind him. "Hard work always pays off. It is sad that I’ll be losing such an incredible assistant, but I’m happy for you."

"If you are willing," Kofo begins, nervously, "my cousin is looking for a job currently, and he’s worked as an assistant before. I could give you his resume and you could see if he would be a good replacement."

"Email it to me." I nod at him. "And thanks for the coffee."

He looks relieved, and as he walks out, I blink. "Hold up. Did you just say we have the CEO visiting?"

"Oh, yes." Kofo turns around. "The company has been in talks about a change of ownership. I heard a new CEO was decided upon a week ago, but all the details are very hush-hush. None of the other directors know who he is either. He’s coming to the office tomorrow, so Director Beyern said that until his inspection and visit are over, we’re not going to change anything."

I’ve been busy with some promotional work I didn’t hear about the new CEO. But it’s strange. The directors should have been informed.

"Do you know how long he’s coming for?" I ask, curious.

"No." Kofo shakes his head. "But rumors are that he plans to shake things up, especially with the senior and middle management."

My lips press into a thin line.

"I see," I murmur. "Go back to your desk and pull up the files on the Drocker project. I need to review the promotional material for the game’s launch."

Kofo hurries back to his desk, and I lean back in my chair before pulling it forward and checking my email. There’s no mention of a CEO visit. We should have at least been forwarded an email.

I have a bad feeling about this. I don’t know why. I just can’t shake it off.

The feeling intensifies by lunchtime when Gregory Black, one of the senior managers of my department, strolls into my office. Gregory reminds me of Norman, and I always get tense around him. He’s a cocky little bastard, arrogance drilled into his bones. A year ago, when the previous director was about to step down, both Gregory and I were in the running for the Director of Marketing position. Unlike me, Gregory resorted to every means possible to get the title. He even went so far as to sabotage one of my projects, which would have cost the company a loss of two million dollars, something the company could have subsequently sued me for. He had bragged about it in front of me and taunted me as I had been dragged into despair over the ruins of my work. He didn’t care that I had a child to feed. In fact, he had made disparaging comments about what a pity it was that Riya and I would become homeless as a result of the lawsuit.

He’s like a human version of Norman.

However, he underestimated me.

His sabotage was his undoing. I spent nights fixing everything, and the result was much better than the original work. It was on the basis of that, that I ended up getting the position of director.

"Can I help you, Gregory?" I sigh in unveiled irritation.

"Did you hear about the new CEO?" Gregory makes himself at home in my office, sprawling on the couch, his arms spreading over the back.

"Yes." I pick up one of the game character designs for the poster and study it. "It’s hardly news to me. You know, being a director and all."

I sneer at him at the last part and enjoy the way he bristles.

"Yeah, well," he narrows his eyes, "I heard he plans to do some cleaning around here and us managers will be called in to offer our reviews about how our departments are being run."

"Well, that’s a pity," I comment nonchalantly. "The poor man will have to listen to you talk. Oh, well, we all have our crosses to bear."

"You’d better watch your attitude around me, Cynthia!" Gregory jumps to his feet. "You could get fired if I open my mouth."

"Oh, no," I say blandly. "I’m shaking. Now, get out of my office. I have work to do."

Gregory storms out, hissing some expletives under his breath that my wolf ears catch.

I roll my eyes.

However, a few minutes later, I set down the designs, frowning. Gregory is quite an accomplished liar. If he manages to buddy it up with the new CEO and starts spouting garbage, will my job really be in danger?

By the end of the workday, we all get emails that the new CEO will arrive tomorrow so we should all be there to greet him. I still don’t understand all this need for secrecy about him, but maybe he’s some weirdo with a penchant for being mysterious. Aside from Gregory’s nonsense, my department has been flourishing under my leadership, so he should have no reason to fire me. Unless, of course, he doesn’t like my face or something.

I head out to pick up Riya from Tony’s place. He usually picks her up from the preschool and looks after her until I get off work. As I drive to his apartment, grabbing some dinner for the two of us, I find myself musing over the past. Ever since I was freed from the blood debt and was pregnant and alone, my wolf became fiercely protective of the child within me. Now that Tony and Maya have helped me shift a couple of times, we all go on runs on the weekend, late at night. Riya is too young to shift right now, but she enjoys riding on our shoulders. Being able to shift has done wonders for the connection I share with my animal. And it’s also made me realize that, despite the happiness Maya brings us, my wolf is still lonely. It’s the kind of loneliness I can’t understand. It expresses no interest in any male, but there is a grief inside me that I can’t shake off.

Reaching Tony and Maya’s place, I head inside.

To my surprise, Maya is home today, and her stomach bumps into me when she hugs me in greeting.

"You took a day off from university?" I ask, surprised. "You’re not feeling sick, are you?"

"No, no." Maya smiles. "We have the week off. I have a case to present, so I’m working from home. Tony and Riya are in the kitchen. He’s teaching her how to bake a cake."

I set my bag on the floor, rolling my eyes. "He does get that she’s three, right? The fact that she can form full sentences is no small feat."

Maya snickers. "He’s been telling her that she should run for president. Teaching her politics. Half the stuff flies over her head, but you should see how cute she looks trying to understand it all."

"Don’t laugh," I warn her. "When you pop, he’s going to be so much worse."

Maya sighs heavily. "Twins. Can you imagine? I’m going to go crazy."

I laugh. "I’ll help as much as I can."

"Oh, you bet your ass you will." Maya grins.

Her smile fades as we reach the kitchen door, and she lowers her voice. "Hey, has Tony said anything to you?"

"About what?" I ask, taken aback by her shift in attitude.

Maya looks concerned. "I don’t know. He’s just been acting really strange these days. He’s getting phone calls and he’s stepping out of the room to take them. I’m just worried."

I stare at her. "You’re not thinking… He’s not… I mean, he loves you!"

It takes Maya two seconds to grasp my line of thought, and she looks horrified. "Absolutely not! I would never think that. I just feel it’s something else. He always shares everything with me, and it’s just bothering me."

"Have you tried talking to him?" I ask.

"I did," Maya admits, "but he looks really unhappy when I broach the topic, and I don’t want to add to his stress."

"It could be work-related, and perhaps he just doesn’t want to stress you out in the condition that you are in." I pat her arm. "I’m sure it’s nothing. But if you want, I can try and talk to him."

Maya hesitates and then shakes her head. "No. I’ll give him some time. Come on. Let’s go see the disaster inside."

There’s not a lot of mess, but I can sense the tension in Tony’s jaw as he gives me a strained smile.

"Everything okay?" I ask him, scooping Riya up in my arms and smothering her flour-covered face with kisses.

"Yeah, how’s work going?"

I shrug, setting my daughter on the floor. "Go wash up. We’re leaving in five minutes."

Once she rushes away, I look at Tony. "We have a new CEO coming tomorrow. I’m a little skeptical about how that’s going to go."

"It’ll be fine." He looks away from me. "I’ll have a few days off this week, so if you want me to pick up and drop Riya, let me know. She can even sleep over."

I blink.

I don’t have a problem with Riya sleeping over at Maya and Tony’s, but for some reason, his words seem to have a double meaning.

"Sure," I murmur. "I’ll let you know."

Riya comes back just then, and I bundle her up and we begin the journey home. However, throughout dinner and her bathtime, I feel a little distracted. Tony’s offer is itching in the back of my brain. Pair that with how Maya told me he was acting strange, something is definitely up.

I put Riya to bed and pick up one of the books I’ve been reading.

It’s close to midnight when I begin to get ready for bed. However, my phone suddenly beeps, and when I turn to check it, it shows a log-in to my work computer.

I go still.

For a moment, I hesitate, and then I call Kofo. He doesn’t answer the phone.

The new CEO is coming in the morning. I can’t ignore this.

Picking up my phone, I call Tony, "I have to go to the office. It’s an emergency. Riya’s asleep. Can you drop by and stay with her? You have the key, so just let yourself in."

When he tries to ask me what’s wrong, I shrug on my coat. "I can’t talk right now. I’ll tell you when I get back."

I hurry out, letting the doorman know that Tony will be coming by in a bit. Getting into my car, I drive all the way across town to my office. There are two cars in the parking lot. One, I don’t recognize. The other looks familiar, but I can’t place it. I head inside and dart up the steps to the second floor where my office is. The door is open, and as soon as I step in, I recognize the scent.

Gregory!

What the hell is he doing in my office at this hour? My computer is turned on. He must have heard me coming and fled. The coward!

As I try to check the files, I can feel something off. My antivirus has been turned off. I turn it on, and the notifications start pouring in. My computer has been infected with multiple viruses.

My heart beats like a loud, vicious drum.

"No," I mumble. "Even he wouldn’t be that stupid!"

I try to call the entire IT team, but nobody answers at this time of night. To make things worse, the lights suddenly turn off, plunging me into darkness except for the computer, which is plugged into the UPS system. When my phone rings, I pick it up. It’s Tony.

"What happened?"

I sink into my chair, burying my head in my hand. "One of the managers crept in here and downloaded viruses onto my computer. The man will go to any lengths to get me fired!"

Tony doesn’t sound very worried. "You can deal with it in the morning."

"My files are on there, Tony!" I groan. "I have to figure out a way to get them out. Can you just stay with Riya, please? Is she okay?"

"She’s fast asleep," he reassures me. "Don’t worry about her."

"Okay, alright. Thanks, Tony."

As I end the call, I try to look over the damage, but there’s nothing I can do here. I shouldn’t have taken Gregory’s threat so lightly. I should have known he had a crazy streak to him. I don’t even know how to prove that he’s the one behind all this. I can’t exactly go up to a human HR person and tell them that I smelled Gregory in my office.

I hear footsteps suddenly. They’re light and careful, and I grab the closest thing to me, which happens to be a stapler.

The footsteps are approaching my office and even though I’m a wolf shifter, that doesn’t mean I can’t be attacked. Edging toward the door, I lift the stapler in my hand when the footsteps pause. Then, a dark figure enters my office.

I let out a cry and bring the stapler down on the intruder’s head.

However, he catches my wrist before I can hit him, and the other hand goes to my waist to balance me. And just like that, the lights flicker back on, the generator humming in the background.

And I find myself face-to-face with Adam.