“Will you stop that child from crying? ” The elderly woman’s voice cut through the supermarket, dripping with judgment. “She’s crying? ” Alex replied, saccharine sweetness masking panic.
“She’s probably expressing existential dread about the rising cost of formula. ”
Baby Mabel wailed against her chest, tiny face red with effort. It had been hours since her last bottle. The formula sat on the top shelf, of course, because the universe held a personal vendetta against single guardians under five-foot-five.
With a borrowed mop handle and what remained of her dignity, Alex secured the can and hurried to checkout. $8. 47 in her account. Formula: $27.
99. Her night cleaning job wouldn’t pay for another three weeks. She hated asking for money, hated the way it confirmed what her parents always said—that she’d never amount to anything. But Mabel’s whimpers cut through her pride like a knife.
“Sorry, dignity,” she muttered, pulling up her contacts. “You’re less important than formula. ”
Her text read: *Emergency. Need $20 for baby’s tummy.
Will totally repay when not destitute. * She added three yellow hearts and the prayer hands emoji, then hit send just as the man behind her cleared his throat pointedly. In retrospect, if not for him, Alex might have noticed she was selecting the wrong contact. But the man did clear his throat, and Alex made a mistake that would change her life forever.
“Some of us have places to be,” the man said. “Your quest for microwaved burritos and loneliness has been duly noted,” Alex retorted, bouncing Mabel with increasing desperation before a ping wrenched her attention back to her phone. “There you go,” the message read. “Haha, success!
” Alex cried in triumph, holding her phone out to pay. That was when she saw her new balance: $88. She dismissed it as an error, paid, gathered Mabel and her bags, and ran out. Then she froze.
Next to the transfer details was a name: James Warden. James Warden was her CEO. The billionaire boss whose office she cleaned at night. The man who made more in a minute than she made in a month, and who she had never once seen smile.
She remembered now. The mandatory companywide emergency contact update last month. She’d saved his work number from the email, thinking it was hilarious to have the CEO in her contacts. What an idiot.
She had sent her cry for help not to James Walls, her best friend, but to James freaking Warden. And in return, he had sent her $80. That night, Alex froze mid-mopstroke as James Warden strode across the lobby of the executive floor. She had spent all morning debating how to approach her accidental benefactor.
A text felt too casual, an email too formal, and showing up at his office seemed like a good way to get escorted out by security. As she approached Warden’s corner office at 1:00 a. m. , light spilled from under the door.
She knocked. No response. She knocked again. Still nothing.
Steeling herself, she pushed the door open. “Mr. Warden, I just wanted to—” The words died in her throat. James Warden, the unapproachable titan of industry, was fast asleep at his desk.
Alex almost backed away. This felt like stumbling upon a unicorn flossing its teeth. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing surprisingly muscular forearms. He had unusually long eyelashes.
“Mr. Warden,” she whispered, approaching cautiously. Nothing. She reached out, gently touching his arm.
The effect was immediate. The man jolted awake, blue eyes flying open, recoiling from her touch. “Who are you? What are you doing in my office?
”
“I’m Alex Baker, the night cleaner. I wanted to thank you for the money. ” She stepped back, hands raised. “But look, sir, if this is some weird power thing where you expect favors, I should clarify.
I don’t do that kind of favors. ”
“For the money,” she clarified. “I appreciate you feeding my kid and all, but I’m not about to climb into your bed if that’s what you were after. ”
“Oh.
” Understanding dawned across his face. “You’re the night cleaner who texted me about a hungry baby. ”
Alex flushed. “It was an accident.
Funny story, actually. But I only asked for $20, not $80. ”
He straightened, composure returned. “The message mentioned a hungry child.
I assumed it was an emergency. Consider it an advance on your salary. ”
“That’s actually quite decent of you,” she admitted. “I’m sorry I assumed the worst.
”
Without thinking, she placed her hand on his forearm. A simple human gesture of connection. The change was instant. Clothes tearing.
Desk items scattering as his form expanded and shifted. A crackling energy that raised the hair on her arms. And then, instead of a man, a massive wolf stood before her. Alex stumbled backward, knocking over a side table.
“What the heck? ” she shrieked, back pressed against the wall. The wolf looked just as startled as she felt, ears flattened against his head. They stared at each other, human and wolf.
“This,” Alex whispered, heart hammering, “is definitely not covered in the employee handbook. ”
—
“Can you understand me? ” Alex whispered. “Blink twice if you can understand what I’m saying.
”
The wolf stared, then blinked. Once, twice. “Holy crap. ”
She was blocking the door.
The windows didn’t open. They were twenty-two floors up. He was trapped. “I’m guessing this isn’t some extreme corporate wellness transformation program,” she managed.
The wolf huffed, offended. “It’s okay,” she said softly, taking a careful step forward. “I’m not going to scream or call animal control. ”
She extended her hand slow and open.
“I’ve never met a werewolf before. ”
He backed up, hackles rising. She crouched, making herself smaller. “I’m not going to hurt you, and I’m not going to tell anyone.
Who would believe me anyway? The CEO turns furry when you touch him? ”
The wolf’s breathing steadied. He approached slowly, nostrils flaring.
His massive head could reach her shoulder if she stood. His fur gleamed silver in the dim light. “You’re beautiful,” she whispered before she could stop herself. “I mean, objectively, as wolves go.
”
The wolf paused. His blue eyes widened slightly. Then, astonishingly, he lowered his head and gently pressed his muzzle to her hand. The touch was electric.
Then, just as suddenly, the wolf jerked back. The transformation reversed. Fur gave way to skin. “Oh my god.
” Alex clapped her hands over her eyes, then peeked through them. James Warden stood there, naked, furious, vulnerable. “You’re naked,” she yelped. “That’s worse than the wolf thing.
”
He stalked to the wall and pressed a wood panel, revealing a closet of identical suits. “You have a secret suit compartment. Of course you do,” Alex said, staring at the ceiling. “I always wondered why you had so many identical outfits.
I thought maybe you were color blind. Are you color blind? Maybe wolves are? ”
James glared.
As he dressed, his hands trembled. The cufflinks gave him trouble. “Here,” she said, stepping forward. “Let me help with that.
”
James froze. “Don’t touch me. ”
She stopped. “Sorry.
”
He sighed. “If you touch me, I’ll transform back. ”
“Wait, what? You mean human contact turns you into a—”
“No,” James cut in, frustrated.
“It’s contact with members of the opposite sex, to be more precise. ”
“Are you saying whenever a girl touches you, you instantly become a wolf? ”
“That about sums it up, yes. ”
“But so how were you born?
” Alex blurted. “Did you come out as a wolf or…? ”
“No,” James snapped. “I wasn’t born with the curse.
I was in my twenties when it was cast. ”
“A curse? But how? When?
Why? ”
James sighed. “I could already change into a wolf at the time. I’m a shifter.
The curse didn’t make me a wolf—it made me transform whenever a woman touches me. ”
“I assume I can trust your discretion regarding what you’ve seen tonight,” he said, composure returning. “You can trust me,” she said softly. “I wouldn’t tell anyone.
”
His expression flickered. Surprise, suspicion, relief. “Most people run. ”
“Most people are boring,” Alex replied with a shrug.
The corner of his mouth twitched barely. Enough to thrill her. “So, who did this to you? This curse?
And why? Can it be broken? ”
“Ms. Baker,” he interrupted.
“I understand this is unusual, but perhaps we could limit the interrogation. ”
“Right. Sorry. ”
The door swung open.
A woman entered. Early forties, impeccable, terrifying. Evelyn Warden, James’s sister. “I thought you’d gone home hours ago,” she said to James.
Her eyes landed on Alex, cool and sharp. “Why is the help in your office while you’re still here? ”
James straightened. “Evelyn, Ms.
Baker was just finishing up a coffee mishap earlier. ”
“Well, don’t let me interrupt. ”
Alex wheeled her cart out fast, heart pounding. Her boring night job had just gotten a lot more interesting.
—
Alex woke to sunlight streaming through crooked blinds, Mabel’s cheerful babbling, and someone knocking on her door. She swung it open. James Warden stood in her doorway, immaculate in a navy suit that probably cost more than her annual rent. At 6:47 a.
m. “How the heck do you know where I live? ” Alex blurted. “May I come in?
” he asked instead of answering. He stepped inside, surveying the cramped one-bedroom. “You sleep on the couch? ”
“It’s a good couch,” Alex shifted uncomfortably.
“Why are you here? ”
“We need to discuss last night. ”
“I’m not laughing,” Alex retorted. “But showing up at my apartment at the crack of dawn feels a little—”
“You were terminated from one of your employments this week,” he said.
“This wasn’t the first time you were fired from a job, though, was it? Six jobs in eight months, all terminated for similar reasons. Doesn’t follow protocol. Challenges authority unnecessarily.
Creative to a disruptive degree. ”
Heat flooded Alex’s face. “So I get bored easily. So what?
”
“You’re impulsive, unpredictable, and you don’t respect boundaries,” he concluded. “I’d like to offer you a job. ”
Alex froze. “A job?
”
“As my personal assistant. ”
Alex barked a laugh. “Right. Very funny.
”
“Your employment history suggests you’re intelligent but chronically understimulated. You require mental challenges and resist arbitrary constraints. You also need financial stability. ”
“This isn’t a job offer, is it?
It’s a bribe. ”
He paused before nodding. “Pretty much, yes. ”
“Well, you’ve got some nerves,” Alex stomped her foot.
“Just because I sleep on a couch doesn’t mean I have no dignity. You think you can just throw money at me? ”
“The position pays $95,000 annually, plus benefits, full health insurance, including pediatric dental. ” His gaze shifted briefly to Mabel.
“And an immediate signing bonus of $10,000. ”
Alex’s jaw dropped. That kind of money would transform their lives. A real apartment.
Quality daycare for Mabel. Maybe even a college fund. “I know you’ve been raising your niece alone since your sister died in childbirth six months ago,” James said, unflinching. “I know you work three jobs to make ends meet.
I know you deserve better than this. ”
Alex looked down at Mabel, blissfully unaware. “Fine,” she forced out. “I accept.
But only because I can’t afford to say no right now. ”
They stared at each other, an odd tension settling between them. “Want to shake hands on it? ” Alex quipped.
James narrowed his eyes. “Since we are going to be working together, I think it would be wise for you to—”
“It was a joke. ” Alex rolled her eyes. “Door’s right over there.
Don’t let me keep you. ”
—
Three weeks into her new job, Alex had come to a startling conclusion: James Warden had hired her to do absolutely nothing. Literally nothing. She had an office with a company laptop she primarily used for online Scrabble.
Not once in fifteen working days had he asked her for anything more complex than fetching coffee. Her six-figure salary was essentially hush money. Until one fateful Friday afternoon. Alex noticed James in the main hallway with a group of executives.
Her attention was caught by an elegant older woman with striking silver hair. Elaine Northstar, the woman James had been trying to woo for months. As Elaine extended her hand toward James for a departing handshake, Alex saw the disaster unfolding. Without thinking, she hurried forward.
“Mr. Warden! ” she called, waving as if he’d been looking for her. “Sorry to interrupt, but Tokyo is online, too.
They’re insistent about that contract specification. ”
She smoothly slid in between James and Elaine, grabbing the woman’s still-extended hand in her own. “Miss Northstar! I’m such an admirer of your work.
Your keynote at the Women in Leadership Summit was revolutionary. Your insights on adaptive leadership strategies were brilliant. ”
Elaine’s stern expression softened slightly. “How kind of you to say.
”
As the Northstar group disappeared into the elevator, Alex stepped away from James, allowing herself a small sigh of relief. “Tokyo isn’t on line two, is it? ” James asked quietly. “Nah.
Line two is actually the pizza place down the street. I have them on speed dial. ”
James glanced around to ensure they were alone. “Thank you for your intervention.
I appreciate it was efficient. ”
“Wow, high praise from the man who’s been treating me like less than a potted plant for three weeks. ”
“Wait. ” James surprised her.
“I mean it. You didn’t have to do this. ”
The genuine gratitude in his voice caught her off guard. “No problem, boss.
Consider it my new secret objective. No-touch bodyguard. Catchy job title, right? ”
As she left, she swore she caught the hint of a smile on his face.
Not just a twitch this time. An actual, honest-to-goodness almost-smile. —
A month into her new assignment, Alex discovered she had a real knack for werewolf protection. When a VP of sales tried to pat James’s shoulder, she accidentally spilled water on him.
When a client enthusiastically extended a hand, Alex intercepted: “Mr. Warden is experimenting with traditional Japanese greetings today. Bow, don’t touch. Cultural sensitivity training.
Very progressive. ”
She was very smooth and discreet, if she did say so herself. By month two, she had a new reputation as the CEO’s right hand. And James started asking for her opinion on things unrelated to werewolf protection.
First the Tokyo proposal, then personnel decisions, marketing plans. Within weeks, she was sitting in on executive meetings. In month three, a folder appeared on her desk—brochures for exclusive daycares, each with a handwritten note on strengths and security. “What’s this?
” she asked, stepping into James’s office. “You mentioned Mabel’s childcare situation was problematic. I made some inquiries. ”
“Some inquiries?
These places have two-year waiting lists. ”
“I was persuasive. ”
It was unexpected, thoughtful, quietly generous. By month four, James relied on her for more than logistics.
One evening, he confided about a board decision that would mean significant layoffs. “I think,” she said slowly, “that sometimes the human cost outweighs the financial benefit. ”
The next day, she learned he had proposed an alternative to preserve jobs. Her voice carried weight.
Then came the most unexpected shift of all: James in her apartment. What started as necessity—a burst pipe, an emergency relocation—became routine. Late-night strategy sessions while Mabel slept. Takeout on the kitchen table.
Spreadsheets on the living room floor. He softened here, removed his tie, leaned into the furniture like he was learning how to belong. One evening, after a grueling budget negotiation, Alex opened a bottle of wine. “You look like you need this.
Even werewolf CEOs deserve to unwind. ”
He sipped once, set it aside. His shoulders remained tense. “They’re idiots,” she declared, flopping beside him.
“That sustainability initiative will save millions. ”
“The board prefers immediate returns. ”
“The board wouldn’t recognize long-term strategy if it bit them on their collective behinds. ”
His mouth twitched.
“An interesting visual. ”
“I’m full of those. Right now, I’m picturing you actually relaxing. It’s wild.
”
“I am perfectly capable of relaxation. ”
“Uh-huh. That’s why you’re sitting like you swallowed a broomstick. Your spine’s crying for help.
”
He sighed, but she watched as he deliberately leaned back into the couch. “Satisfied? ”
“Getting there. Now try moving your face muscles into an expression.
”
And then it happened. Maybe it was the late hour. Maybe it was the months of quiet unraveling. But James Warden smiled.
A real, full smile that reshaped his entire face and softened everything. Alex’s heart skipped. Oh crap. She thought.
I have a crush on my werewolf boss. —
For the next few days, Alex tried Operation No Crush. She avoided the usual coffee break. She suddenly discovered urgent errands whenever James appeared at her door.
The avoidance worked until a delivery arrived: her favorite lunch from the tiny Vietnamese place six blocks away—the one with lemongrass tofu that didn’t deliver. The note card read: *You seemed busy this morning. Don’t forget to eat. — James.
*
Not Mr. Warden. James. God damn it.
—
Two days later, James appeared in her doorway, rigid even by his standards. “Not here,” he said quietly. “My office. ”
Once the door closed, he confessed the Northcrest deal was stalling.
His meetings with Marcus Northcrest kept ending with promises but no progress. Alex did some discreet research and discovered Northcrest signed all his major deals in upscale bars after midnight. He was known for saying business only happens when people get real with each other—which apparently involved tequila shots and karaoke. He was essentially the anti-James Warden.
“You need to change your approach,” Alex announced. “Take him to a bar. Make sure the drinks are flowing. Get on his level.
”
James stared at her, affronted. “Are you joking? ”
“It’s how the guy signs deals. This guy doesn’t do boardrooms and PowerPoints.
He does shots and handshakes. ”
James straightened, looking genuinely offended. “That’s not professional. ”
He was so adorable when he was being stubborn and principled.
The thought ambushed her. “Is something wrong with my face? ” James asked. “Nope,” she said brightly, backing toward the door.
“All good. Nothing unusual happening here. ”
She was halfway back to her desk when Lisa from HR intercepted her, looking grave. “Ms.
Warden wants to see you in her office. Immediately. ”
With a growing sense of dread, Alex made her way to Evelyn’s office. “What’s your angle?
” Evelyn asked, her sculpted eyebrows drawing together. “Right. Well, so I checked how Marcus Northcrest signs his deals,” Alex began. “And it turns out I don’t give a—” Evelyn interrupted.
“I’m talking about James. ”
“James? ”
“Yes, James. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you’re always by his side like some sort of stalker.
”
“I’m his assistant. We work together. ”
“Work? Is that what you call it?
All he ever talks about is you. ‘Alex did this. Alex thinks that. Alex’s niece is so smart for her age.
’”
“Mabel is incredibly advanced,” Alex pointed out automatically. Evelyn continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “‘Alex is mad at me and I don’t know what I did. ’ Did you remember to invite Alex to my birthday dinner party?
”
“Dinner party? What dinner party? ”
“I’m throwing James a birthday dinner at my apartment tomorrow night. ”
“Oh my god,” Alex said, momentarily forgetting herself.
“What should I wear? What should I get him? At what time should I arrive? ”
“You’re not invited, you daft girl,” Evelyn growled.
“This is a private family-only gathering. ”
“Oh. Right. ” Alex deflated, unexpected hurt blooming.
“Family-only shifters, of course. Don’t worry, Miss Warden. I’m used to being very careful around you guys. In all these months, I never once touched James.
I’m always careful not to let anyone touch him. ”
Evelyn’s face went suddenly, alarmingly pale. “Are all your family shifters? ” Alex pressed, curiosity overriding caution.
“Wait, are you a shifter? ”
Evelyn stared at her in frozen silence. Then, very quietly: “He told you. ”
“Okay, no.
But you see, he didn’t actually tell me. It’s more like he showed me. Well, remember when I said I never touch him? It’s because I did once, accidentally.
And then, you know, fur. Lots of fur. Very unexpected. ”
Evelyn’s face was a mask of pure horror.
“Ms. Warden, it’s okay. I promise. I won’t say anything.
I haven’t said anything for months. ”
The office door swung open. James appeared, his expression instantly alert. “What’s going on?
”
“This girl has known about us for months,” Evelyn shrieked, “and it didn’t occur to you to tell me? ”
James paled slightly. “James, I’m sorry,” Alex said quickly. “I thought she knew that I knew.
”
“Please go,” he interrupted, his voice quiet but firm. There was a plea in his eyes. “I need to speak with my sister. ”
She nodded, throat tight.
As she slipped out, Evelyn’s voice rose behind her: “After everything I’ve done for you, for the pack, everything I sacrificed, how can you be so careless? ”
Alex walked faster, chest tight. Whatever delicate balance existed in the Warden siblings’ relationship, she had just upended it completely. —
On James’s birthday, Alex checked her phone approximately seventeen times, debating whether to send a text consisting of two simple words: Happy birthday.
She never sent it. That evening, after dinner and Mabel bathed and tucked in, a knock came at her door. It was James Warden, tie loose, cheeks flushed, wearing a loopy grin so unlike his usual reserved expression. “Deal signed,” he announced, waving a document.
“Your idea worked. Great idea. Very great. ”
“Oh my god.
Are you drunk? ”
“Me? ” He looked affronted. “No, I’m fine.
It’s fine. ”
Alex carefully grabbed his elbow through his jacket and guided him inside. He dropped onto her couch. “Really great idea about signing deals to get drunk,” James said.
“I mean, getting drunk to sign deals, right? ”
“Eyes open, mister. You have a birthday dinner tonight, remember? ”
“Oh, I forgot about that.
”
“I’ll make coffee. ”
“Well, now I can’t go. Evelyn will freak. ”
“I’m sure she’ll just be happy you signed the deal.
”
James snorted. “No, it won’t be fine. Last time I got drunk, she got our entire pack cursed. ”
Alex nearly dropped the coffee pot.
She returned to the living room. “Okay, let’s get you sobered up, birthday boy. ”
When she extended the mug, he gave her a smile—a full, radiant grin that transformed his face. The coffee mug slipped from her fingers, crashing to the floor.
As she knelt to gather the shards, he said softly, “You know, sometimes you look at me and your heart rate increases. Like now. ”
Alex froze. “You can tell when my heart rate increases?
”
Before she could process this, his phone rang. She plucked it from his hand before he could answer. “She did not. I did,” Alex said as James stared blankly.
“What did you mean earlier? ” she asked as she mopped up coffee. “When you said Evelyn cursed your entire pack? ”
James’s expression clouded.
“Oh, no. That wasn’t her fault. She was just trying to protect us because of me, you know? ”
His words trailed off, eyes drifting closed.
“I should lie down. ”
“You’re already lying down,” she pointed out gently. She helped him shift to a more comfortable position. “Happy birthday,” she said softly.
James opened his eyes, his blue gaze finding hers. And then, before she could react, he cradled her face in his hands and kissed her. The world stopped. His lips were warm, soft, gentle but insistent.
He sighed into it—a sound of such profound relief that something inside Alex broke open. She found herself kissing him back. He pulled her on top of him, strong hands guiding her until she was straddling his lap. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the crackle of energy she remembered from that night in his office.
Nothing happened. She opened one eye cautiously. James lay beneath her, cheeks flushed, breathing deep and even. He was fast asleep—but still completely, undeniably human.
“What just happened? ” Alex whispered, staring down at their joined hands in wonder. She gently disentangled her fingers, pacing around the couch. “We touched.
We actually touched skin-to-skin, and nothing happened. ”
She approached the couch cautiously, extended her finger, and poked his exposed wrist. Nothing. She tried again, allowing her fingertip to rest against his skin for a full second.
Still nothing. “This makes no sense. ”
A sharp knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Before she could respond, the door swung open.
Evelyn Warden stood in the doorway, expression thunderous. “Where is he? ”
“Um, who? ” Alex asked reflexively.
Evelyn pushed past her, stopping abruptly at the sight of her brother passed out on the couch. “What did you do? ” she hissed. “Nothing!
He showed up at my door already drunk. But Evelyn, listen. Something happened earlier when James and I touched—”
Evelyn moved to the couch, shaking her brother’s shoulder. “James, wake up.
”
“Evelyn, listen. Something happened. We touched, but he didn’t transform. ”
Evelyn’s head snapped toward Alex.
Alex gasped as the woman’s eyes flashed gold, pupils elongating into something decidedly inhuman. “Get up,” Evelyn ordered James, ignoring Alex completely. “We’re leaving now. ”
“Why are you yelling?
” James protested, allowing himself to be pulled upright. “Everything’s fine. ”
“Fine? Do you see the state you’re in?
On your birthday, of all nights. Have you learned nothing? ”
“Let me help you get him to your car,” Alex offered. Evelyn whirled on her, eyes still glinting gold.
“Get away from my brother. You’ve done enough. ”
“I was just trying to help. ”
“Stay away from us,” Evelyn snarled.
“Stay away from him. ”
She practically dragged James toward the door. He only managed a confused backward glance before Evelyn pulled him out of sight. The door slammed behind them, leaving Alex standing alone in her suddenly too-quiet apartment.
—
The email arrived at 7:47 a. m. Its innocuous subject line—“Department Transfer”—belied the punch it delivered. *Ms.
Baker, effective immediately, you are being transferred to the marketing department as a strategy analyst. This lateral move comes with a 15% salary increase and expanded responsibilities more suited to your analytical abilities. Please report to Director Franklin at your earliest convenience. *
*Regards, James Warden, CEO, Warden Enterprises.
*
No mention of last night. No acknowledgement of the kiss. Just a cold corporate reassignment as if the past months meant nothing. Coward.
By 8:59, Alex was standing outside his office. She pushed through the door without knocking. “So that’s it? ” she demanded, waving her phone.
“After everything, I get a form letter? ”
“It’s not a form letter,” James said. “I wrote it myself. ”
“Oh, well, that’s a very personal touch with the regards at the end,” she snapped.
“Really captures our working relationship. ”
“Please close the door,” he said quietly. She did, but only because this conversation wasn’t for other ears. “Marketing department?
Really? At least have the decency to tell me to my face that you’re getting rid of me. ”
“I’m not getting rid of you,” James protested. “This is a promotion.
Better pay, more autonomy, greater opportunity for advancement. It’s actually quite perfect for someone with your analytical skills. ”
“This is Evelyn’s idea, isn’t it? ”
“We discussed it.
And I agree it’s for the best. You can do better than being my bodyguard. ”
“You discussed it or she ordered it? ”
“I agreed to it,” James repeated.
“What is going on with you two? ”
“Alex, don’t worry about it. None of this is your fault. It’s mine.
”
“Is this about the curse? You mentioned something last night about Evelyn cursing your pack because of you. ”
James was silent for a long moment. Finally, he sighed.
“Fifteen years ago,” he began reluctantly, “I had too much to drink at a pack celebration. I was young, reckless. I had an encounter with another pack member. I don’t even remember most of it.
”
Alex blinked. “And then? ”
“And Evelyn had to clean up my mess. She went to a wish granter named Adrien to protect the pack—to protect me from my own weakness.
She thought she was helping us, but that magician tricked her. And here we are, because of my mistake. ”
“Wait, that’s it? You hooked up at a party, and for that, your sister cursed your entire pack for fifteen years?
”
“You don’t understand pack dynamics. ”
“Then help me understand. Because from where I’m standing, this seems like a massive overreaction. Unless—wait, James, was the encounter non-consensual?
”
“What? No. Nothing like that. We knew each other, liked each other, even.
It was just—I was drunk. She wasn’t. That made me vulnerable. ”
“Being vulnerable isn’t a crime, James.
It’s part of being human. ”
“I’m not human,” he reminded her quietly. “You know what I mean. I just don’t understand why Evelyn would go to such extremes.
Why curse the entire pack just because you had a drunken hookup? ”
“Because she was trying to protect me. Protect all of us. Keep us safe.
”
“Safe from what? ”
“You don’t understand. You’re not one of us. ”
“Then explain it to me.
”
James stood abruptly, turning to face the window. “This conversation is over, Miss Baker. Please report to Director Franklin to begin your new—”
“The curse doesn’t work the way you think it does,” Alex interrupted. James turned back, expression guarded.
“What? ”
“Last night. You touched me skin to skin, and nothing happened. You didn’t transform.
”
James’s eyes widened with shock. “Don’t you remember? You kissed me. You—and nothing happened.
”
A flush crept up James’s neck. “I don’t—” He stopped. He didn’t remember. “The point is, we touched and you stayed human.
Completely human. Which means there’s something different about the curse, or about me, or—”
“Evelyn was right,” James interrupted, his voice strangely distant as he took a deliberate step away. “You have feelings for me. ”
Alex’s heart hammered.
“What does that have to do with anything? ”
“Do you? ” James pressed. “You’re the one who kissed me.
”
James flinched. “It doesn’t matter what either of us might—you should go. ”
“Why? Why are you being like this?
Why do you insist on pushing me away when it’s obvious there’s something? ”
“Because what’s the point? ” he burst out. “What’s the point of these feelings if I can’t even touch you, Alex?
What kind of future is that for us? ”
“But that’s what I’m trying to tell you. You did touch me, and nothing happened. ”
“Enough,” he snapped.
“It was difficult enough to get Evelyn to agree to this arrangement. ”
“Why do you keep listening to her? You’re letting her fear control you. You’ve turned your guilt into a prison.
”
Acting on impulse, she closed the distance between them, placing her hand directly on his exposed wrist. James stared, shock and betrayal written across his face. Then the air seemed to crackle with energy. Before Alex could step back, he transformed.
Where James stood seconds ago, a massive timber wolf now crouched. “Shit,” Alex whispered, stepping back. “I don’t understand. ”
The wolf backed away from her, ears flat, a low whine escaping his throat.
“James, I’m sorry. I really thought—”
He snarled suddenly, making her jump. Not aggressive exactly, but clearly a dismissal. Alex retreated another step.
“I’ll go. I’m sorry. ”
The last thing she saw before closing the door was James in wolf form, sitting amid the ruins of his torn clothing, looking more alone than any creature she’d ever seen. —
A month felt like a year when you were heartbroken.
Alex lay on the couch, cocooned in a blanket despite the summer heat, halfway through her second pint of ice cream. “This is pathetic,” she told the ceiling. The ceiling, like James Warden, said nothing. “I’ve brought reinforcements,” Wally announced, entering with groceries and Mabel on his hip.
Mabel stacked blocks in perfect rainbow order. “How is she more functional than I am? ”
“Lobster. Come on, he wasn’t even that great.
You said so yourself. He was boring. ”
Alex sighed, unable to explain that beneath James Warden’s supposedly boring exterior was a man who could transform into a wolf, who carried a fifteen-year curse, who kissed like he’d been starving for it. “He had his moments.
He laughed at my jokes, Wally. ”
“Damn. No one laughs at your jokes. Your jokes are lame.
”
“I know. ”
“The thing is,” Alex said, pulling her knees to her chest, “I don’t understand how everything could go so wrong. It feels like the only reason we’re apart is his sister. ”
“Yeah, the sister sounds like a piece of work.
Maybe you’re better off without her as your extended family. You know what I mean? ”
Alex thought of Evelyn’s golden eyes, her barely contained fury. “I thought she was going to kill me when she showed up here and James was passed out on my couch.
You should have seen her. She went all white and she was shaking. ”
“Honestly, she sounds a bit like your mom. Remember when she wouldn’t even let you come out to the cinema with me because she thought I was going to grope you?
”
“Yeah, she was controlling. That was before Jenna made her go to therapy. ”
Alex stopped abruptly, a long-buried memory surfacing. Jenna, seventeen and fiery, screaming at their mother in the kitchen while thirteen-year-old Alex huddled on the stairs.
Years later, Jenna had explained their mother’s behavior: how she’d been mugged walking home from work, how the trauma had manifested as paranoia and controlling behavior, how she’d become convinced the same thing would happen to her daughters if she didn’t protect them. The fear, the need for control, the desperate protection that became a prison. *Stay away from him. * Evelyn’s voice echoed in her memory.
The woman’s hand gripping James’s arm with desperate strength. Something clicked into place. Evelyn’s extreme reaction to James’s drunken hookup. Her insistence on protection.
The sacrifice that transferred Alpha status from her to James. What if something had happened to Evelyn? Something traumatic that had made her seek magical protection—not just for James, but for herself? “Earth to Alex?
” Wally waved a hand. “You still in there? ”
“Yeah, just thinking. ”
“Dangerous hobby.
Want to talk about it? ”
Alex shook her head. “No, it’s nothing. ”
Maybe these theories didn’t matter anymore.
It had been a month. James hadn’t called, hadn’t emailed, hadn’t made any attempt to reach out. Some mysteries weren’t meant to be solved. —
Alex stared at the meeting invitation, stomach twisting.
Quarterly marketing review. All department heads and analysts. Required. No avoiding it without risking her job.
She spent the morning in a haze of panic, mentally mapping escape routes. By the time she entered the conference room, she was a bundle of nerves. She felt him before she saw him. A prickle at her neck.
A shift in the air. Don’t look. She grabbed a seat in the far corner. The meeting began.
Director Franklin ran through achievements. Then James spoke: “I’d like to hear from the marketing analyst who developed the Eastern Region Strategy. Miss Baker, could you share your insights? ”
Her legs barely responded as she rose.
Eyes on the back wall, she walked through the data. Not once did she look at James. She finished. Sat down.
Breathe. “I have a question, Ms. Baker. ”
She froze, pen clenched.
“Your analysis suggests 22% growth in suburban markets, but historical data caps at 15%. How do you account for the discrepancy? ”
“As I clearly stated in my presentation,” she replied, voice sharp, “the new transportation infrastructure changes the accessibility metrics. Page four explains the 7.
3% shift. ”
“Ms. Baker, could you look at me while you’re speaking to me, please? ”
Slowly, she looked up.
James looked awful—pale, tense, eyes shadowed yet still piercing. The pain she saw there unraveled her. Tears blurred her vision before she could stop them. “Alex.
”
“Excuse me,” she choked out. “I don’t feel well. ”
She grabbed her materials and bolted into the stairwell. Two flights down, her legs gave out.
She collapsed on the steps. The stairwell door creaked. “Alex. ”
She stumbled blindly down the hall.
The elevators were full. Footsteps close behind. She veered for the service elevator, ducking under the caution tape and pounding the button. “Alex, wait.
That elevator is—”
The doors shut. At first, nothing. Then a jolt. The car dropped too fast, then slammed to a stop.
Lights flickered. “No, no, no. ” She hit the emergency button. Nothing.
Another groan. A second drop. She was thrown to the floor. “Help!
” she screamed. “Alex, can you hear me? ”
“James! The elevator’s stuck.
”
“Are you hurt? ”
“No, but—” The car groaned again. “James, I think it’s going to fall. ”
Shouts from above.
Words like cable failure and override. “Alex, listen to me. Stay completely still. ”
The car dropped again.
She screamed. “Alex! James, get me out of here! ”
“I’m coming down.
”
“What? No, you can’t. ”
But she heard him moving. Minutes passed.
Then a section of the ceiling opened, and his face appeared. “I’m going to get you out. Climb up. ”
“I can’t.
”
“You can. I won’t let you fall. ”
She reached, but it was too far. She tried to jump and collapsed.
Then James dropped into the elevator. “What are you doing? ”
“I’m getting you out. Both of us.
”
He crouched and laced his fingers. “Step here. I’ll boost you. ”
She obeyed.
He lifted her. She scrambled through the opening and grabbed a cable mount, clinging to it as James followed. “Now what? ”
“Now I carry you.
”
Before she could argue, he pulled her close. “Hold on tight. ”
Following his instructions, she clung to a metal fixture on the side of the shaft, heart pounding as she watched James pull himself up through the opening with athletic grace. Then he moved to her side, one arm securely around her waist.
“Hold on to me tight. ”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her body pressed against his. With methodical precision, James began to climb the shaft using maintenance rungs embedded in the wall. When they finally reached the open doors, Alex was trembling uncontrollably.
“Are you okay? ” James asked, cradling her face in his hands. “Are you hurt anywhere? ”
She shook her head.
“What were you thinking, Alex? Getting into that elevator. You could have been killed. Do you realize that?
”
He pulled her against his chest, his heart thundering against her ear. “I almost lost you,” he whispered, raw with pain. Reality cut through her adrenaline haze. “You’re touching me,” she said, pulling back.
James blinked. Confusion replaced fear. “Yes. ”
“See?
I told you. I told you you could. ”
She didn’t finish. James’s mouth crashed down on hers.
Alex responded instinctively, her body melting against his, all the longing she’d suppressed for a month pouring into the connection. When they broke apart, she was vaguely aware of an audience—maintenance workers, security personnel, curious employees. She didn’t care. “I’m still mad at you,” she declared, even as her hands clutched at his lapels.
“I know,” James said, a smile breaking through. Then he was kissing her again, as if he couldn’t help himself, as if now that he was allowed to touch her, he couldn’t stop. “What is going on here? ”
They broke apart to find Evelyn Warden standing at the edge of the gathered crowd, her expression a mixture of shock and fury.
—
“Everyone out,” Evelyn commanded. The crowd dispersed rapidly. Once they were alone, Evelyn turned her full attention to them. “Get away from him,” she ordered Alex.
In response, James tightened his arm around Alex’s waist. “No. ”
Evelyn’s composure cracked. “You’ll change!
”
“I kissed her,” James said, voice steady. “I’ve been touching her for the past fifteen minutes, and I didn’t transform. ”
“You kissed her? Are you insane?
After everything? I think I’m allowed to kiss the woman I love. ”
Alex went still. “The woman you love?
”
Meanwhile, Evelyn continued: “There were people, James. They could have seen. How could you be so reckless? ”
“Excuse me?
” Alex interjected. “Can we go back to the part where he said he loved me? We all heard that, right? ”
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Evelyn snapped.
“Of course he loves you. He’s been absolutely miserable for a month, moping around like some lovesick teenager. That isn’t the point. ”
“Then what is the point?
” James asked. “For some reason, Alex and I can touch. Nobody saw anything unusual. Shouldn’t you be relieved?
Unless—” He gestured toward her, exasperation evident. “You don’t want the curse to be broken. ”
Evelyn’s composure fractured. “The curse can’t be broken!
There are no takebacks. The magician was very clear about the terms. ”
Alex watched the exchange with growing suspicion. “It looks like you don’t want the curse to be broken,” she observed quietly.
Evelyn tensed. “What are you talking about? ”
“Well, do you? ” Alex challenged.
“Are you happy we can do this? ” She deliberately turned to James, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, threading her fingers through his. James visibly melted at the contact. “Get away from my brother,” Evelyn cried, the words tearing from her throat with unexpected violence.
“You don’t want me to touch him,” Alex stated—not a question, but a realization. “You’re afraid. Why? ”
“The curse,” Evelyn began weakly.
“He could change. People could see. ”
“There’s no one around, Evelyn,” James said. “He wants me to touch him,” Alex said softly, the pieces clicking into place.
“That’s why he isn’t changing. Because he wants me to touch him. ”
James frowned. “I don’t understand.
”
“It’s not like I ever wanted to be changed when touched,” Alex said. “But you were afraid. And because you were afraid, you didn’t actually want to be touched. ”
Something flickered in Evelyn’s eyes.
Old pain. “What happened to you? ” Alex asked gently. “You weren’t just trying to protect everyone.
You were trying to protect yourself because you were scared. Because something happened to you. ”
Evelyn’s face crumpled. A sob escaped her, then another, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.
“It was at the regional council meeting,” she said finally, barely above a whisper. “Marcus, the northern pack alpha. He wanted to merge our packs. I refused him.
He put something in my drink. I don’t remember everything. Just fragments. Waking up, the pain, his weight.
”
James went still, face draining of color. “Evelyn. Why didn’t you tell me? ”
“Tell you what?
That your sister, your alpha, was weak? That I couldn’t protect myself? What good would that have done? ”
“I could have helped you.
”
“I handled it,” Evelyn interrupted sharply. “I made sure he lost everything without anyone knowing why. But then, when you got drunk at the pack celebration and I saw history repeating itself—you were so vulnerable. Anyone could have taken advantage.
I couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to you. ”
“So you went to the magician,” Alex said softly. “I asked for protection,” Evelyn confirmed. “I wanted us all to be safe from unwanted touch.
He warned there would be a price, but I didn’t care. ”
“And the price was your alpha status,” James whispered. “It transferred to me. ”
“That was the price,” Evelyn said bitterly.
“But the curse—I didn’t think it would be so extreme. Instead of protecting us from unwanted touch, he made all touch impossible. ”
“But you let me believe it was my fault. All these years, I thought I’d caused this, that you sacrificed everything because I was reckless.
”
“I wasn’t trying to punish you, James. I just wanted to make sure no one could ever hurt either of us again. If no one could touch us, no one could harm us. ”
James took a step toward his sister.
“Evelyn, I would have protected you, helped you. You didn’t have to carry this alone. ”
“I was supposed to protect you,” Evelyn whispered, the words breaking on a sob. “I was the alpha, your big sister.
I failed. ”
“No,” James said quietly. “You survived. ”
Evelyn looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.
“I am so sorry, James. I thought I was protecting you. ”
“I know. But I don’t need protection anymore, Evelyn.
And neither do you. ”
In the silence that followed, Alex felt the weight of fifteen years of secrets, of guilt, of misunderstanding, finally breaking free. —
“Do you think this will work? ” James asked quietly, following Alex’s gaze through the window to her mother’s sunlit garden, where Evelyn sat on a wrought-iron bench beside Mrs.
Baker. “My mom will get it,” Alex said, leaning against James’s side. “She went through something similar and got help. Now she’s better.
She can reach her. ”
They watched as Mrs. Baker nodded, expression thoughtful and empathetic. Then she said something that made Evelyn’s composure finally crumble.
Without hesitation, Mrs. Baker pulled Evelyn into a tight embrace, one hand stroking her hair soothingly. They could faintly hear through the window: “It’s okay. It’s okay now.
”
“Sometimes you just need a hug,” Alex concluded softly, turning to press her face against James’s chest. After Evelyn’s revelation, they had searched for the wish granter who had cursed the pack. The trail led them through obscure occult bookshops, secretive supernatural communities, and finally to a small, unassuming storefront that appeared to be an ordinary used bookstore. Behind the counter stood a young woman with strawberry blonde hair and startlingly clear blue eyes.
“I can hear you, shifter,” she snapped. “Is there a reason you’re here, or are you just planning to stand there and growl at me? ”
“We’re looking for an Adrien,” Alex said. “Do you know him?
”
“He isn’t here. I’m Iris. Perhaps I can help. ”
Iris squinted at them, easily deducing whatever traces of magic were still working on James.
“The mechanics of the curse are exactly as you suspected. Only unwanted touch triggers the transformation. But fear and paranoia had made every touch unwanted. ”
“So the curse can be broken?
” Alex asked. “Since he who granted the wish is no longer present, the curse can be lifted if the wisher—your sister, Evelyn—no longer desires its protection. ”
“But will she get her alpha status back? ” James asked.
“The price is paid. That cannot be undone. ”
“But perhaps if we could speak to he who granted the wish in the first place…” Alex pressed. Something flickered in Iris’s youthful eyes.
Pain, quickly masked. “I told you. He’s gone. ”
The finality in her tone closed that line of questioning.
But at least they had their answer. The curse could be broken—not through magic spells or dramatic rituals, but through the slower, harder work of healing from trauma. “I heard from Evelyn today,” James said, his free hand moving to stroke Alex’s hair. “Her therapist thinks she’s making real progress.
”
“That’s wonderful. ”
“She’s talking about stepping back from the company for a while. Taking some time to focus on herself. ”
“Really?
That doesn’t sound like the Evelyn I met. ”
“She’s changing. We all are. ”
The curse still technically existed.
Pack members still transformed when touched by those they feared or distrusted. But understanding its mechanics had changed everything. They were working on it daily, learning to welcome touch again, to distinguish between real threats and phantom fears. For James and Alex, the curse hadn’t affected their relationship since that day in the elevator.
Alex had noticed, however, James’s constant need for contact. The way he gravitated toward her, how his hand found hers, how he reached for her in sleep with unconscious certainty. She gave freely what he could not bring himself to request. And in return, she received a love so deep and certain it sometimes took her breath away.
“You’re staring again,” James observed, looking up from his book. “Just admiring the view. CEO by day, baby whisperer by night. Very sexy combination.
”
He rolled his eyes, but the pleased smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. Setting his book aside, he shifted closer, wrapping an arm around her waist. “I’m sorry,” he said suddenly. “For hurting you.
For pushing you away when I discovered we could touch. For not fighting for us sooner. For wasting an entire month we could have had together. ”
Alex traced the line of his jaw.
“That’s true. But you did risk your life to rescue me from that elevator, so… ”
“You wouldn’t have been in there if it weren’t for me. I never want to hurt you again, Alex.
If you let me, from now on, I’ll make you happy. ”
“You already make me happy,” she whispered, leaning in to press her lips to his. When they broke apart, she added with a mischievous smile, “Besides, I’m told I’m very good for your heart rate. ”
His eyes snapped open, amusement and desire darkening the blue.
“Is that so? ”
“Mhm. Enhanced senses, remember? I can tell when your heart rate increases.
”
“You’re never going to let me forget that, are you? ”
“Not a chance, Wolfie. ”
He groaned at the nickname, but there was no real irritation behind it. Instead, he pulled her close again, forehead resting against hers.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I love you, too. ”
Whatever challenges they still faced—the remaining effects of the curse, Evelyn’s ongoing recovery—seemed manageable in this moment because they would face them together. A woman who never backed down from a challenge.
A man learning to be vulnerable again. And the transformative power of love in all its forms. Healing, protective, and enduring. Plus an adorable baby who was turning the fearsome CEO into a complete softy.
But that was a story for another day.
