Page 38 of Mated To My Boss

There's something deliberate in the way she resumes her work—not flustered or awkward but making a conscious choice to maintain the professional boundaries we just crossed.

It's a subtle reminder that she's no longer pursuing me blindly, but making thoughtful decisions about our interactions.Should I ask about the pack?

I toy with the thought for a while, but eventually decided against it.

Chapter 14

MADELINE

There's a buzz in the air at work. Excitement builds as I ascend through the office floors. Every shifter feels it too on the verge of bursting through their skin at any moment.

Even though the sun is well positioned in the sky, it feels like a precursor to how the night will unfold.

Since it's a half-day, most of the people at work start to leave around lunch. When I arrive, Nate isn't in his office. I go right to my supplies and continue knitting in silence as I wait for him.

Twenty minutes later, Nate walks in. “Did you get everything you need?”

“It's a one-day trip,” I chuckle. “There's not much to pack.”

“I know, but it's best to stay prepared. You'd obviously want to be comfortable while we're on IronFangs’ land.”

“I'm alright. I'm more worried about my aunt.”

Nate sighs and sits in his chair. He rubs his temples as if trying to ease a headache. “I know you care about her, but don't worry. We have plans in place for situations like this. She's already being taken care of.”

“Why won't she let me see her then?” I ask, frowning. “I want to stay with her.”

“It's not my choice or yours,” my mate explains. “Cora said she wants you to come with us to the land. Right now, she may be too weak to transform, but if she does, she'll have the space for it.”

I wrack my brain trying to figure out where they could've taken her to transform within the city. There are a bunch of places large enough for one wolf at least, but it still bums me out that I'm not being let in on some company secrets.

“Fine,” I concede. “As long as she's okay.”

There's no signal, yet everyone seems to know when it's time to leave. Nate gets up wordlessly and I rush to gather my tools.

He leaves the office first, and I follow a few feet behind him. The shifters on our floor smile and chatter happily on their way to the elevator.

A bunch of us enter, our scents trapped in such a small space. This almost makes us go crazy, as our noses are assaulted by the lust everyone gives off.

Nate's body presses into me, making me crave him. I bite my lips and dig my fingers into my palms to distract myself until the elevator doors open again. I rush outside to the fresh air before we head to the parking lot.

Nate heads to an empty car. He’s confused when I walk past him to another vehicle. “It's this one,” he calls out. “Rose and Graham will be out soon.”

“I'm not going with you,” I respond casually.

Nate's confusion transitions to impatience. “Very funny. Come on, we'll be leaving soon.”

I stubbornly lift my chin as I wait for the people I’m supposed to meet. I had planned this with Olivia a while ago and even though she didn't think it was a good idea, she wasn't going to stop me.

"No, thank you. I'll see you when we get there." I need to establish my independence, even if it makes him uncomfortable.

I get in the car and close the door. Part of me expects Nate to try to put up a fight, and that's the part that gets disappointed.

Graham and Rose arrive before Olivia and the others. They zoom off, leaving me sitting in an empty car. Minutes later, Olivia arrives with her friends.

She gasps when she sees me in the car. “You were serious, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I was,” I insist. “I don’t cancel plans with friends just like that. We planned this together. It's going to be great. We'll enjoy the road trip and get to know each other better.”

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