Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Alpha? Reaper started at the sudden mind-link. Madam Vance? I’m sorry to bother you, Alpha, but I have Miss Zara with me. How is she with you? She must have slipped away from your office. She didn’t. She told me she was going to the bathroom, Reaper corrected. She knows where the facilities are on this floor, so I let her go on her own. How did she end up with you? Well, it seems one of our prospective hires ran into her outside the restroom, and now Miss Zara has grown rather attached to the young woman. What do you mean, attached? You’ll see for yourself. We’re on our way up now. Severing the telepathic link with Reaper, Madam Vance stepped back into the lobby with the two girls. Up in his office, Reaper’s eyes cleared as the connection faded. He frowned, glancing over at the door left slightly ajar from when Zara had scampered out to use the restroom. Leaving his desk, he headed down the corridor to meet Madam Vance, his daughter, and this mysterious woman Zara had somehow taken a liking to. He didn't have time for distractions, but his curiosity was piqued. Zara usually loathed strangers, so the idea of her warming up to someone within minutes felt almost impossible. As Reaper approached the elevator bank, his stride suddenly faltered, forcing him to reach out and catch himself against the wall. He had never felt lightheaded in his life, and the sudden dizzy spell caught him completely off guard. Shaking his head to clear the haze, he dismissed it as a momentary lapse and pushed forward. He reached the elevators and waited for one of the four sets of doors to open. A moment later, a quiet chime echoed through the hall, and the doors behind him slid apart. Before his eyes could even focus on who was inside, the scent hit him first. It was sweet, intoxicating, and completely overwhelming. In an instant, his wolf—silent and dormant for over four years—suddenly roared to life, delivering a word Reaper never expected to hear again: Mate. The world seemed to slow to a crawl for Reaper. He turned, and the moment his eyes landed on the petite brunette standing beside his head kitchen omega and his four-year-old daughter, everything else ceased to exist. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected to be gifted a second-chance mate. Yet here she was, standing before him, holding Zara’s small hand. He had once believed no one could ever compare to Aline—the mate he had lost—but looking at the stranger now, he was proven fiercely wrong. "Daddy!" Zara’s happy squeal shattered the trance. Reaper blinked rapidly, shaking his head to clear the fog. "Sir, we found Miss Zara near the ladies' room," Madam Vance explained—stating the obvious for the benefit of their human visitor, who had no idea they had already discussed this through the pack link. Zara, never having let go of Maelle’s hand, practically dragged her out of the elevator and straight toward Reaper. Standing right in front of him, she was even smaller than he had initially realized. When Maelle first caught sight of Reaper, her breath hitched in her throat. She had heard plenty through the rumor mill about Reaper Blackthorne’s striking looks, but the rumors did him no justice. He was far more handsome than anyone could ever describe—tall, powerfully built, with dark, almost black hair, a ruggedly trimmed beard, and an immaculate, tailored suit. As Zara pulled her closer, Maelle’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She had never had her breath stolen away by a man before, but there was a first time for everything. "Zara, where did you go? You said you were going to the restroom," Reaper scolded his daughter, trying to look anywhere but at the captivating woman in front of him. His wolf, Ulric, had other plans, growling in protest at every attempt to avert his eyes. "I did, Daddy! The pretty lady helped me, too!" Zara answered proudly, far too young to read the tension thick in the air. Madam Vance, however, knew instantly why Reaper looked as if he had been punched in the gut. Her eyes darted between her Alpha and the young woman she had just interviewed for a maid position. She fought to keep her composure and control her breathing. The human standing in front of her—wearing modest, thrift-store clothes and so desperate for employment that she was applying for entry-level corporate housecleaning—was her future Luna. "Pretty lady! This is my Daddy!" Zara happily introduced, tugging on Maelle's hand to get her full attention. "Daddy, this is the pretty lady!" "I see that, Zara." Reaper cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "Madam Vance, please take my daughter back to my office." "Of course, sir," Madam Vance replied, bowing her head. However, as she reached for the child, Zara immediately protested, darting behind Maelle's legs and wrapping her arms tightly around them once again. "No! I want to stay with the pretty lady!" Once again, Maelle found herself caught between a rock and a hard place. "Uh..." She looked uncertainly from Madam Vance to Reaper, who seemed to be making an agonizing effort to look anywhere but at her. "Come on, Pretty Lady! I'll show you Daddy's office!" Zara announced cheerfully. Before anyone could even process what was happening, the little girl turned and began hauling Maelle down the hall. "Oh!" Maelle yelped, stumbling slightly as she was dragged along. "Zara!" Reaper called out, taking a swift step to intercept them. He had to stop her. If that woman set foot in his office, her intoxicating scent would soak into the space and linger long after she left—and he knew with absolute certainty that he wouldn't get a single piece of work done for the rest of the day. But unfortunately for him, Zara was remarkably quick on her feet for a four-year-old. Before he could even reach the doorway, the little girl had already pulled Maelle straight into his private office. "Oh, dear..." Madam Vance mumbled, watching from the elevators as the office door swung shut. She knew this was inevitable now. In all likelihood, she would have to find a replacement for Maelle—there was no way Reaper would accept her. Not after the traumatic loss of his first mate, Aline, Zara’s mother. He had sworn to the Moon Goddess herself that he would never love another, yet the Goddess, in her mysterious wisdom, had given him a second chance anyway. And not just to anyone, but to a human. In his office, Reaper fought with all his might not to corner the woman his daughter had taken hostage. Her scent was intoxicating, and every instinct demanded he claim her. He had to use every ounce of self-control to keep from being overwhelmed by raw desire from her scent alone—a sudden, intense pull he hadn’t felt in over four years. A sharp pang of guilt pierced through his longing. Even allowing the call of the mate bond to affect him felt like a quiet betrayal of Aline. He felt as though he were unfaithful to his late wife simply by being attracted to this stranger. Yet who could fight fate? Any wolf foolish enough to try was only met with suffering. "Pretty lady! This is Daddy's office!" "I can see that. But you didn’t tell me your Daddy was the big boss," Maelle playfully replied, bending down to Zara's level. "I don't like telling people that." "Why not?" Maelle furrowed her brows, and Reaper tilted his head, equally curious. "Because people get scared when I tell them. I didn't want to scare you," Zara replied innocently. "Oh. Well, I appreciate you thinking about my feelings, Miss Zara." "Don't call me that," Zara insisted. "But Zara's your name, isn't it?" Maelle looked at the child. "You can call me Zara. Just Zara." "Oh? But Madam Vance called you Miss Zara." "That's because she works for Daddy. Everyone who works for Daddy has to call me Miss Zara." "But... then I have to call you Miss Zara, too. I work for your Daddy now." "Mmmm..." Zara pondered Maelle's response, clearly disliking the idea, though she knew the rules. She turned around. "Daddy?" "Hm?" Reaper looked at his daughter, still in awe of seeing her talk to someone outside their tight inner circle for more than a few seconds. "Can the pretty lady call me Zara?" "Uh..." Reaper blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Please, Daddy! I don't like it when she calls me Miss Zara!" "Okay. If that's what you want," Reaper conceded. She was the only person in the world Zara had ever permitted to drop formalities—and truth be told, even Reaper hated hearing his mate address their daughter so formally. "See! Daddy said it’s okay, Pretty Lady!" "Um..." Maelle was momentarily stunned, but she couldn't help but smile. "Sure. Since you and your Daddy said it’s okay, I will call you Zara from now on." "YAY!" "But only if you call me Maelle," she added gently. "Maelle?" "Yeah. That’s my name." "That’s a pretty name!" Zara exclaimed, clapping her hands happily. Maelle smiled warmly, finding the little girl’s bright innocence remarkably refreshing. "Maelle..." Reaper whispered under his breath. Her name was unique; he had never heard it before. He made a mental note to ask Madam Vance for her full profile, but right now, he needed her out of his office before her scent completely saturated the room. "Zara, I’m sure Miss Maelle needs to get to work. Madam Vance is waiting for her," Reaper said, stepping in. "No!" Zara immediately stomped her tiny foot in protest. "Um..." Maelle had to think quickly. She was eager to escape as well—Reaper’s imposing aura and striking looks were making her increasingly nervous. "Zara, I really do have to go. But since I’ll be working here, we’ll see each other a lot." "Really?" "Of course. I would never lie to you. I’ll talk to Madam Vance and see if we can find time to play whenever I'm not busy and you're visiting your Daddy. How does that sound?" "Promise?" "Promise." "Pinky swear?" "Pinky swear," Maelle said with a warm smile, extending her pinky. Zara eagerly locked her tiny finger with Maelle's to seal the deal. Watching the exchange, Reaper found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. How was he supposed to avoid his second-chance mate when his daughter was so adamant about spending time with her?