Chapter 29 Marking Territory
POV : Eric
Catherine shows up on time, but it’s obvious she barely slept. Dark circles under her eyes, and her bun, usually flawless, is a mess. She walks in with my schedule, gives me a quick glance without really seeing me.
Embarrassed? Awkward? Annoyed?
And why the hell do I care so much about figuring it out?
“Good morning, sir.”
She hands me the agenda, color-coded perfectly like always.
“Sébastien’s people called. They’re asking if we can push the meeting to next week. What should I tell them?”
I glance at the dates without taking anything in.
“Yeah. Reschedule it.”
She nods.
“Should I bring your coffee now, sir? Or would you prefer it at ten, during your meeting with finance?”
I don’t know why, but the “sir” grates on me today.
It was fine before, when it was just sex. But now I’ve been to her place. Seen her apartment.
And my wolf is purring in my head like an idiot who just got what he wanted.
_She smells like home. Ours. Keep her close, Eric._
I ignore him. For now.
My voice is rough when I answer:
“Save it for the meeting.”
“Yes, sir. Anything else?”
“How was your night?”
Her eyebrows shoot up. Her eyes flick over my face but refuse to linger.
“Not great. Insomnia. And calls in the middle of the night.”
I frown.
“You should’ve turned your phone off. You know, it’s a brilliant invention. It’s called the off button.”
Catherine gives me a look that’s half exasperated, half amused.
“I know. But it’s my job.”
She stops herself, cheeks flushing.
“Sorry. Not your problem.”
_She’s wrong. Anything that touches her is my problem._
My wolf isn’t helping. He’s clawing under my skin, impatient.
I want to say something back, but she’s already heading for the door. She turns, hesitates, then turns back to me.
Before I can find the words, she cuts it short.
“Did you need anything else, Mr. Wood?”
Oh yeah. So many things.
I want to know why she shuts down the second Sébastien comes up. I want to know what she’s been through. I want to understand why she reacted like that when she walked in.
Most of all, I want her to stop hiding it from me.
“No. That’s all for now.”
The flush fades from her cheeks as she leaves my office.
I grit my teeth, lean back, and swivel my chair toward the city view.
The question eating at me: why do I even care?
I already know enough about her life. Between what I saw yesterday and what Cael dug up, I’ve got most of the story.
And yet it bothers me that it all came secondhand.
I want her to tell me herself. I want her to _want_ to tell me.
Yeah, I want her body. But there’s something else. A stubborn itch for more.
_You want her trust. Her scent on you. All of her._
_Shut up._
Since when isn’t sex enough?
And if it isn’t… what the hell do I want more?
\---
“Think the owner will tell us who the other buyer is?”
I press my lips together.
“I don’t care if he confirms it or not. It’s Alexandre. I’m sure of it.”
Cael doesn’t look convinced. He stretches in the passenger seat with the elegance of a bored cat.
“I’ve been watching Alexandre since the night he trashed the WSL. Right now he spends more time selling charm than running an actual business.”
“Or that’s exactly what he wants us to think,” I growl.
“First he shows up at my club uninvited. Then a container of B47 substrate goes missing. Now we’re about to lose the plant to someone else. Too clean to be honest.”
_He’s playing with us. And he likes it. Show him your teeth, Eric._
The plant looms on the horizon, about four hundred meters out. A set of concentric rings of white glass buildings and corrugated metal, running with ruthless efficiency.
Cael whistles as we pass the generator turbine. The sound of the massive engine echoes long after we’re past it.
Romero’s waiting in front of the main building when we park. Two men stand behind him, one in a suit, one in a lab coat.
“Mr. Wood, welcome to the plant.”
He smiles wide, arms open.
“Would you like a tour? Mr. Hans would be happy to show you around. He’s the one…”
“Mr. Romero, do I look like a man with time to waste?”
His mouth snaps shut.
“Pardon me, sir?”
I step closer. He’s not small, but I still tower over him. The two employees behind him instinctively back up, leaving their boss to me.
“My team called me this morning. The sale’s being delayed a few weeks because you reopened bidding and met with other buyers.”
He goes pale.
“I… uh… I’m a businessman first. I have to consider other offers, Mr. Wood.”
“And this competing buyer? Did they give you a name?”
Romero’s eyes widen.
“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be ethical to disclose that information. With all due respect, Mr. Wood.”
I roll my eyes and glance at Cael, leaning back casually. He smirks and cracks his neck.
_Look at him shake. Almost cute._
I turn back to Romero.
“Luckily for you, I don’t care about his name. I already know it. What I care about is securing this plant. But if you refuse my offer, I walk. I’ll build my own plant while you fight to save whatever’s left of yours, in the middle of the ash and rubble piling up right where you stand.”
Romero swallows. The guy in the suit and the lab tech take a few steps back. One of them bumps the row of windows and barely holds back a yelp.
“Here’s my offer: you sell to me now, and I’ll add twenty percent.”
His eyes widen even more.
“Twenty percent?”
“You have ten seconds to decide. Starting now…”
“Deal!”
I give a short nod and look at the suit.
“I assume you’re the lawyer?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Draw up the papers. Today’s as good a day as any to sign.”
Romero gestures for his lawyer to get on it, then turns to me with a shaky smile.
“Why don’t you join us inside for a drink? To celebrate your new purchase.”
I narrow my eyes.
“I don’t drink with men who don’t keep their word, Mr. Romero.”
His smile vanishes.
“I’m sorry, but…”
I take one step forward and the words die in his throat.
“If this happens again, our next meeting won’t be so pleasant.”
I hold his gaze. Romero nods, his face turning sickly pale.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Wood?”
“Actually, yes.”
I rip his employee badge off, drop it on the ground, and grind it to dust under my heel.
“Get out of my place!”
_Good. Clean. Decisive. That’s how you mark territory._
My wolf’s happy. So am I.