“So,” she began lightly, closing the office door behind her, “to what do I owe the honor of your company today?” She gestured toward the chairs in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”
The situation wasn’t lost on her. Both of these men outranked her in the pack hierarchy, but here in her domain—the human world—she held the reins. She was the one in charge, seated comfortably behind her desk while they were relegated to sitting like obedient warriors before her. Oh, how sweet this was. Bella intended to savor every second of it.
Her smile was warm and her posture relaxed as she propped her chin on one hand, exuding confidence. There was no fear here, and she wanted them to see it.
Benzy wasted no time. “Bella,” he said flatly, “you cannot entertain the idea of going to another pack.”
Straight to the point. Classic Benzy.
“Can’t I?” she replied, her tone deliberately playful. “And why not?”
“You know why,” he shot back, his voice firm, his light gray eyes narrowing as if daring her to deny it.
Bella leaned back in her chair, taking him in fully. Benzy hadn’t changed much since their younger days, though he was undeniably more defined now. His jawline was sharper, his skin kissed by years under the open sun, and his physique had filled out in all the right places. His broad shoulders and muscular chest spoke of relentless training, and his V-line was even more pronounced than she remembered. His light brown hair, a touch longer now, suited him perfectly, giving him an almost rugged charm. His stormy gray eyes were still direct and penetrating, but now they carried a flicker of green—Apollo, his wolf, watching her intently.
Bella smiled knowingly, her lips curving into a teasing grin. She winked deliberately at Apollo. “Hey, Apollo,” she said softly, her tone playful, laced with a seductive edge.
A low growl rumbled in response, unmistakably coming from Apollo. Benzy, flustered, thumped his chest lightly and cleared his throat, pulling his wolf back into submission. Bella chuckled at the exchange, her green eyes shifting to Macky as she heard him snap Benzy’s name in reprimand.
Her attention turned to Macky, and her smile remained the same—playful, teasing, and just a touch flirtatious. Yet, Macky’s demeanor was the polar opposite of Benzy’s. His caramel-brown eyes were hard and unyielding, his expression firmly set, showing no interest in her antics. He was more defined than she remembered, though not as broad-shouldered as Benzy. Still, his lean frame carried a quiet power, with a tan that suggested a life spent outdoors and a sharp jawline that made him every bit as striking. His jet-black hair was shaved short on the sides, with the longer top neatly styled and swept to the right, giving him a polished yet rugged appearance.
Yet, it was clear Macky wasn’t here to play. There was no flirting in his gaze, no lingering attention, no wolf near the surface to react to her presence. Rafe, his wolf, remained deeply tucked away, and Macky’s stoic demeanor made it clear that he wasn’t here for games.
Intriguing, Bella thought, her smile never wavering. If Benzy was an open door, Macky was a locked vault, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would take to crack it. For now, though, she would let it lie—there were other games to play.
“I can, actually,” Bella replied, her tone calm but resolute. “Any wolf can leave one pack for another, provided the other pack is willing to take them in.” She picked up the stack of messages Jordan had handed her earlier and waved them at Benzy. “And it seems there are plenty of packs willing to offer me a place.”
“You don’t know how dangerous it will be for you and your pups, Bella,” Benzy said, his voice taking on a grave note.
“I have a fair idea,” she acknowledged with a nod, “but it’s better than the alternative, considering how much my current Alpha hates me.”
Macky sighed, his tone dripping with a practiced, almost saccharine warmth. “Bella… honey,” he began, his voice suddenly rich with Gamma charm. Bella’s hackles rose instantly. She hated it. “He doesn’t hate you, I assure you.” He leaned forward, his caramel eyes locking onto hers. “Take the opportunity to mediate with him.”
His tone shifted, adopting a faint southern lilt that seemed to hum through the room. It wasn’t just words—it was power, the kind only a Gamma possessed, gifted by the goddess herself. Bella could feel its effects instantly. Tyler, her wolf, practically melted in response, lying down submissively in her mind, ready to yield to every honeyed syllable. Bella’s entire being yearned to listen, to nod, to agree. Every fiber of her wolf’s instincts pushed her to obey.
“Stop that crap,” she snapped, her annoyance cutting through the haze. She knew exactly what he was doing—manipulating her with his gift, the charm designed to soothe and guide a Luna in times of chaos. Gamma charm was a double-edged sword: an invaluable tool to calm and lead during crises but also an infuriatingly effective way to sway even the most resistant she-wolf. It could compel them to move, to run, to trust. And Tyler, it seemed, was no exception to its allure.
Macky’s knowing smile confirmed it—he was doing this deliberately, and it enraged her further. Of course, this was why he had been sent. Not to protect his own Luna but to coax Bella into compliance, using the very gift the goddess had bestowed upon him. A*****e.
“Bella, honey,” he drawled again, leaning into his accent and deepening his tone, a master of his craft. “What harm could it do? Just one meeting—on your terms.”
Tyler whined softly in Bella’s mind, utterly subdued and willing to comply. We should, Tyler whispered, calm and submissive.
But Bella’s stubbornness burned brighter than ever. With tremendous effort, she forced Tyler to the farthest reaches of her mind, shutting her wolf out to regain control. Glaring at Macky, she took a deep, steadying breath, her focus shifting to steel herself against the unrelenting tide of his charm. She turned away from him deliberately, breaking eye contact, desperate to anchor herself. She focused instead on Benzy, willing herself to push through the haze Macky’s presence created.
“I will hear all offers and make a decision myself,” she bit out, her voice sharp and unyielding. “You will have no say or influence on my decision.” The final words came through gritted teeth as she fought to wrestle back her composure.
Avoiding Macky’s gaze proved effective, and slowly, Bella felt herself returning to normal. Her resolve hardened as the last traces of his charm faded. She clenched her fists under the desk, letting the sting of her nails biting into her palms ground her further. This wasn’t over, but for now, she’d managed to regain control.
