Rejecting My Shifter Boss by Skye Alder

Four

Roman

I standand stare dumbfounded at the closed elevator doors. I can’t believe any of that just happened.

She was surprised I was asking her out, and worried I would fire her. She laughed at me. As the alpha, no one ever dares laugh or disrespect me, but she did. And I just let her get away with it.

Kiera turned me down and then stormed out of here. How did she walk away from me? Doesn’t she feel this connection between us? I could barely stay a foot away from her, but she left like it was nothing. Meanwhile, there’s a hole inside my chest; a gaping wound that makes it hard to breathe.

Sitting next to her, God, resting my hand on top of hers...even that brief touch sparked a flame deep in my bones, making them rattle with awareness of my mate’s closeness. Her soft, delicate skin felt so fragile beneath my rougher, darker skin.

I was reminded that I’d have to be careful with my human mate. Not too careful, because I know now she’s sassy and has a mind of her own. I can’t wait for us to work out our frustrations in bed until we both come so hard that we forget what we were even arguing about.

But she’s gone.

She left.

Walked out.

How is that possible?

My wolf is pacing inside of me, annoyed and restless. He wants me to go after her, to claim her and drag her home with me where we can spend all night wrapped up in each other. Mates are only ever attracted to each other, so I’ve never been with another woman. However, none of that matters. I know instinct will take over when the time comes. The driving need to please my mate and satisfy her every craving will be my only goal. I can’t wait to discover everything with her.

It doesn’t look like that will be happening anytime soon.

I’m still in shock at her rejection. I was so sure once we were in the same room, sitting close, she’d just...know. I thought she’d feel this overwhelming connection on a cellular level like I do. Instead, she laughed at me.

And not just a nervous or polite laugh.

Her entire body shook as if the idea of going on a date with me was ridiculous. I won’t lie, my pride took a bit of a hit. This is the one person who is supposed to accept me, flaws and all. Mother Nature fated us to be. And Kiera laughed.

I shoved aside my initial hurt, however, and refocused. I’m nothing if not charming when I want to be. It’s how I got so far, so fast in the business world. Turns out, my mate isn’t just resistant to being asked out, she also doesn’t care much for my charm.

Kiera took one look at my confident, if not a bit cocky grin, and severed whatever moment we were having. I saw the fire light in those green eyes. It made her wild red hair that much more vibrant. God help me, but I almost came in pants when she narrowed her eyes at me.

Reality slapped me in the face when she stood up and hightailed it out of my office. I couldn’t form words as I watched her storm onto the elevator and glare at me while the doors shut.

Maybe Archer was right. Maybe I should just bite her and mate her. All of this would be a whole lot easier, then.

But no. If my mate hated me telling her I wanted to take her out, she certainly wouldn’t like me forcing the mating bond on her. Besides, even though I’m already obsessively, irrevocably in love with her, Kiera should have a choice. She’s not my prisoner, nor do I want her to be. I’ll have to find a way to get back into her good graces or face the very real threat of being rejected.

My wolf roars at that thought and I grit my teeth to hold him back.

I know, I don’t like it either, I tell him. Patience. She will be ours soon.

This has to be a human thing. The problem is, I have no idea what’s the best way to go about this. But I know someone who does.

I do my best to calm my wolf as I head back into my office and take a seat behind my desk. My friend, Slate, is alpha of the Ash Mountain Pack and is mated to a human. Maybe he’ll have some insight.

He doesn’t have a phone since he lives deep in the woods in Montana, but he does have a radio. I grab the one I keep in my bottom desk drawer and turn it on, turning the dial until I find the right frequency.

“Slate, it’s Roman. You there?” I start and he answers a minute later.

“Hey, it’s been a while. Everything alright?”

“Yeah, I keep meaning to come up and see you and the other Montana packs, but I’ve been busy here. I’m calling because I have a problem.”

“What’s wrong?” he asks, his tone firm and commanding. I can tell he’s shifted into alpha mode.

“I found my mate.”

“Congrats! Wait, how is that a problem?”

“She’s human. I thought she could feel the connection between us, but she just left me without a backward glance.” I rub the heel of my palm over my chest where a dull ache has taken up residence. My wolf whines, but I don’t have the strength to soothe him. I’m feeling the same way. “Since you’re mated to Grier,” I continue, “I thought you might have some tips or knowledge to share with me.”

Slate takes a deep breath, considering my situation. “Well, from what I can tell, humans feel the mating pull, too. It may not always be as strong as we feel it, but it’s there. I’ve heard sometimes it grows over time, and of course, the closer to the mating moon, the stronger the pull. They don’t really know what to compare it to, though, since they don’t know about shifters and fated mates.”

“So, I should tell her about us?”

“You’ll have to eventually. Grier says if the girl already has feelings for you, it might be easier to wrap her head around everything.”

“Yeah, maybe she won’t think I’m batshit crazy when I tell her that I’m also a wolf shifter along with most of my company.”

“Exactly. You’ve got to woo her, man. Take her out, get to know her and let her get to know you. Then you tell her about shifters and fated mates and all of that.”

“Got any tips for how to go about explaining shifters to humans?” I ask and there’s a beat.

“Not really. Grier lived with us, so she knew before we learned that we were fated to be together. Let me ask her, though.”

I wait while he talks to his wife, my mind racing with ideas on how to romance her and get her to see that we’re meant to be.

“Grier says show her. She said no sane human is just going to take your word for it. You need to shift for her and show her that you’re still the same person, you can just also be a wolf sometimes.”

“Thanks, Slate.”

“Anytime. Bring your mate by once you’ve got everything figured out. It’s been too long since I saw you or Stryker and Archer.”

“I will,” I promise, and I turn the radio off, sliding it back into the bottom desk drawer.

I stay late in my office, trying to figure out the best way to get her to spend time with me since she won’t go out with me. At least I know where she works. Maybe I can use that to my advantage.

When I finally get home and flop down into bed, my mind is racing as hard as my pulse. How the hell do I win Kiera over? I still don’t know if she was pissed off, offended, or just in shock. Either way, I need a fresh start. Some way for her to see me in a different light. And in order to do that, I have to keep my eye on her at all times. My eyes droop closed, but my mind is still working out the details.

Hours later, the sun peeks through my curtains, letting me know my restless sleep is finally over. I tossed and turned all night trying to figure out a way to win my mate over. When my heart wasn’t aching, my dick was. Everything in me pulses at the thought of sinking inside her wet heat. But we’ve still got a long way to go before that happens.

By the time I step out of the shower, I’ve got my plan worked out. When she shows up to work today, she’ll be told to come up to the top floor where she’ll now be working as my assistant. Stacey, my current assistant, will be transferred to a different department to work until I have things settled with Kiera.

We’ll spend a week working together and I’ll learn everything I can about her while I woo her. By the time of the full moon next week, she’ll already be in love with me.

If what Slate says is true, I need to spend as much time with her as possible, and by next week, when the mating moon is approaching, she won’t be able to resist me.

At least, I hope so.