Nathan saw that she was trying to resist the urge to pack up all her things and run away. After a moment's hesitation, Serena threw back her blonde braid and sat back down.

His keen senses caught her scent, an unusual mixture that he hadn't expected. She smelled more like a human than a strange wolf, permeated with a hint of lavender and citrus, mixed with a sweet, unknown note. Outside of transformation, his wolf rarely contacted him, but today he heard it growling inside.

"This is ridiculous," he thought, ignoring the growl.

He leaned forward, slowly, deliberately. "The rules for entering foreign territory are clearly defined," he explained quietly.

"I don't understand...? What do you mean by territories? I'm Canadian..." she explained hesitantly.

"Don't act dumber than you are," he said slowly. "I can feel your wolf."

Serena felt the weight of his authority and swallowed hard. Who was this guy? Aside from being more attractive than anyone else in the room, he had authoritative vibes that would surely bring any member of his pack to their knees. Of all the wolves she was bound to meet, it had to be one who was in the Alpha's inner circle.

When he said this, her eyes initially showed genuine surprise, as if she hadn't expected him to say anything. But then determination appeared in her eyes. "I haven't hurt anyone, I just want to live in peace," she explained, hissing.

"Why don't you live with your pack?" he asked calmly.

"We have differences," she admitted dismissively.

"Differences..." Nathan repeated. "So you are banished..."

"None of your business."

"Of course it's my business," he objected seriously, "You live as a renegade in the middle of our territory. Without the Alpha's permission, you are fair game. Any wolf in transformation can kill you without batting an eye... or worse."

She shivered at his words.

"I can manage very well on my own."

"You were just damn lucky."

"What do you care if I'm lucky or not?" Her voice was dark and steeped in years of bitterness. For years she had been on her own. As an Omega, she had little support, was often ignored and treated like an outcast. Her descent was deep after her family gave up hope that their wolf would ever make the transition. Instead, she began to smell more and more like the people she surrounded herself with.

With his arms folded over his broad chest, he looked at her thoughtfully. "I like to keep it simple and uncomplicated. And the last thing we need here is another pack looking for the dead daughter of a Delta." He challenged her with a look.

"You know who I am," she stated. How else would he know her father was a Delta?

He silently took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and put it on the table. Serena reached for it and opened it. Her eyes widened. "How did you get my application?"

"It wasn't particularly difficult. You applied to me. I recognized your name. I know the names of the high-ranking families and their children..." he explained, without revealing how he knew them personally. "It suits me very well that I know someone from the Fitzgerald Pack. There are some transactions taking place soon in which the Fitzgeralds are involved. I want to know more about them before I do business with them. In return, you will be well paid and under my protection. Be my shadow, use the information you received about your father."

"That's out of the question." She grabbed the scarf hanging from the bar stool and pulled it over her shoulder. She wasn't sure if he would let her go, but there was no way she could accept his offer.

His voice was calm but firm as he replied, "I don't think you have a choice. You entered our territory without permission and hunted in it. The pack will not let you go unpunished."

"I wasn't hunting," Serena protested, "My wolf never woke up. My rank is too low to help you. As a wolf, I'm useless to you."

He looked at her with narrowed eyes. Not sure if she was telling the truth or lying. He played the scenario. "So much the worse for you if you refuse the offer," he stated. "You are weak and powerless. I offer you my protection from the pack."

What did this guy think he was doing, Serena thought. She wasn't a weak princess waiting in her tower to be rescued. "I've managed without the protection of a pack for three years. Better yet, I stay away from any wolves and their business and have a perfect, quiet, relaxed life." She pulled on her jacket and stood up.

He pushed the chair back and stood up with her. "You've had a quiet life," he corrected, "How long will it take until the next wolf finds you? There are several hundred of us in this town." Nathan smiled, a grim smile that didn't reach his eyes. "The next one will leave you to the judgement of the pack. And believe me, that's not a position you want to be in."

He pushed his business card towards her. "You can start tomorrow. I'll have your things brought to the office building. We have apartments for the assistants..."

"No way," Serena refused, "I'll think about it, but I'm staying in my apartment." She took his business card.

"As you wish," he replied, confident of victory. "I'll see you tomorrow, at nine sharp. Be on time and bring coffee. I'm not very sociable without it." He was about to leave... "Oh, and Serena, don't think about running away. I've picked up your scent. You won't have a chance to hide from me."

♥

Shocked by the unexpected meeting, she remained standing in the cafe for several minutes after the man put the money on the table and left. "What the hell was that?" she asked herself as she stared at his name on the business card. Nathan Harper. She remembered applying to Harper Industries. So the company was in the hands of the Hawthorne pack?

Her heart began to beat faster as she imagined what that could mean. How many other companies did they own? What was the extent of their power? Serena didn't know the pack alpha personally and had no idea how benevolent or dominant he was in leading his pack. It wasn't like she could find out anything about it on Google. All she knew was internal information about her pack. And she was happy enough to have to deal with pack politics as little as possible.

In fact, she could almost call it luck that someone like Harper had discovered her and not immediately dragged her to the Alpha. Better a terrible end than a terrible end, she couldn't help but think. She had to keep a clear head and come up with a plan to face this new threat. Was he even high enough to protect her from other wolves? Serena needed to find out more about him. And a job with the Hawthorne pack? After all, she could finally afford electricity and internet again, she thought. There were worse things than working for some corporate owner. His request to give him more information about the Fitzgerald pack worried her more.

But what choice did she have? She thought of Nathan Harper's words. "You won't have a chance to hide from me." He had said the words with such seriousness that she had no doubt that he would put those words into action if she packed her things and left.