Zuerien's POV Even though it was only one floor, it felt like this crap elevator took forever to get from the 19th floor to the 18th one. Why didn't I just take the stairs? My wolf was fidgety, anxious, excited! Me? I was plain annoyed. My Beta, Cole was supposed to meet me in my office this morning but of course, he chose the perfect day to be late. I was already irritable since morning because I hadn't got a wink of sleep last night. I had spent all night tossing and turning in bed, thinking about that alluring scent I had caught a whiff of and whether I had in fact smelt it or had just imagined it. When I got to my office, one of my immediate subordinates, Matree Daddario, had informed me that Cole was with my third in command John Penson. I had been about to mind link him to get his sorry butt up here but my wolf had told me to go downstairs to where he was instead, and he left no scope for argument. So I took the private elevator down while Matree stayed in the office. The familiar ding sounded within the private elevator and the doors slid open. But the minute I stepped into the hallway, the same exquisite scent of arabian perfume assaulted my senses. It hit me with so much intensity that for a minute I thought I would fall backwards. My eyes immediately went wide as my wolf howled loudly inside of me. Every head was bowed respectfully as Cole and John flanked me. Cole was saying something but my mind was elsewhere, clouded by the delicious scent that filled the hallway. I started walking, my eyes desperately searching for the source of the scent. I stopped whenever I felt the scent waver. I slowed my steps trying to focus on the scent till I had a good idea of where it was coming from. I quickened my steps again, walking faster down the hallway. I faintly registered Cole and John hurrying after me. But when John got closer, for a second I thought the scent was somewhat stronger around him, so I stopped and turned around to face him. His face held confusion as I focused on him. Yes the scent was a tiny bit stronger around him, but he definitely wasn't the source of it, for which I was inwardly grateful. But that's when the scent suddenly tripled in intensity, hitting me with enormous force, sending my senses into overdrive. I raised my head and sniffed the enchanting scent. It got stronger. My head jerked to the side and I knew for sure that the source was definitely behind me. My wolf was howling madly within me and my jaw clenched at the thought of what his actions were implying. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, bracing myself for what this scent could possibly be leading up to. My... With my eyes still closed, I slowly turned around, my heart beating faster with every passing second. The minute I turned around, I knew that when I opened my eyes, I would be staring at the source. My ... I felt my heart beating in sync with another. One that stood out of the crowd. Unable to wait any longer my eyes shot open and the sight before me made my heart skip a beat as my wolf's howls of joy resonated throughout my body. In front of me stood a woman so beautiful that she knocked all the air out of my lungs, leaving me breathless. Her long dark brown hair fell down her shoulders in waves, framing her face delicately. Her beautiful brown eyes were filled with surprise, awe and another emotion that I couldn't quite place, but I felt like it called out to me. My m... She was slim, tall and had enticing curves in all the right places. Her upper body was clad in a simple white full-sleeved collared dress shirt but I couldn't see her lower body which was hidden behind the two bowed mammoth sized men standing in front of her blocking my view. But from what I could see, I found only one word to decribe her. She was, in all respects, Perfect! So perfect that I couldn't taint her. Someone like me, with a dark and heavy past and nothing to offer but a cold and broken heart, was not right for her. Besides, she probably didn't want anything to do with me anyway. Everyone knew I was incapable of loving. For all I knew even if she did want to be with me, it would probably be for my money, status and fame. My wolf was whimpering at the back of my mind, trying to convince me that she would never do that to us, but I was too lost to pay heed to his words as my thoughts played on. And in the end she would leave me too, just like everyone else I loved or worse she might betray me and leave me broken again. As all these tumultuous thoughts bombarded my mind, I felt immense pain rise from deep within me. Pain that I hadn't felt in such intensity since the day my family was killed. No! I wouldn't let her hurt me. I promised myself that I would never let anyone get so close to me that I would start to love them again. Love was a pointless emotion, it only brought with it pain and suffering, both of which I had had enough of in my life. I couldn't let her in, I wouldn't. So that left only one option. I had to...reject her. My wolf howled in pain and a fresh wave of hurt washed over me. It was so painful that I was sure the emotion seeped into my eyes as I saw her surprised eyes brim with an emotion that seemed very much like worry. Why would she be worried about you? She doesn't know you. She doesn't need you. She doesn't want you! The same inner voice that had taunted me for years and had caused me to rid myself of the abiltiy to love echoed in my head and I sighed inwardly. That's right. Why would she care? Why would she even give a damn about me?! "Because she is yours!" My mom's voice filled my mind and I felt my heart well at her words. "She is yours as much as you are hers. And she will love you...Unconditionally!" Unconditional love? Did such a thing even exist? How would I know? But I already knew the answer to that last one. It was standing right in front of me. It was her, this woman who was mine. My.... " Mate!..."