Chapter Twenty-Five
VANESSA
I HUM, TAPPING my fingers against my desk as Charlie and I review this week’s agenda.
The facility is in much better shape now that she’s back, and we’ve gotten into a good habit of meeting every week. I love it. My proposed changes are approved and implemented within the time it took to get a meeting on Aziel’s calendar. The process is smooth, and I’m proud of how much I can get done.
Charlie is quick, and she has much deeper pockets than Aziel. He always had follow-up questions about cost, but she trusts my decisions. It’s the first time I’ve ever been trusted with authority.
I feel useful, and I hope I’m making a difference to the women here.
“Have you had a chance to look over the meal plans for next quarter?” Charlie asks.
I groan, shaking my head. One of the facilities in the elven lands has some serious structural issues, and they want to send their women here until it’s fixed.
“Not yet,” I say. “The elves have been keeping me busy.”
Charlie laughs and bobs her head. “I’ve seen the messages.”
There are dozens of them. The Wrath facility is small, and it will take a lot of navigation to comfortably accommodate the number of women they wish to send over. I don’t want the females already here to feel cramped, though.
The managers in charge of the shifter and dragon facilities said they have some room, and I think we’ll have to split up the women currently living in the elven facility. It’s not ideal, but we don’t have many other options.
“I plan to look it over this week,” I say.
I scan my desk, looking for the meal plan documents Charlie gave me last week. Creating them falls under my job description, but Charlie enjoys making them and she’s pretty good at it. I doubt I’ll find any issues. I never do, but I still appreciate her asking me to review it for final approval.
I was worried about what working with her would be like, fearful she’d circumvent me because of her title and standing within the Wrath kingdom, but it hasn’t been an issue.
“There’s no rush,” Charlie says. “I know you’re busy.”
Too busy.
Charlie glances at her phone, and even before saying anything, I know she has to leave. Her males tend to get antsy when she isn’t back when she says she’s going to be, and after her incubus came storming in here one afternoon when we’d gotten to chatting, she’s been careful about leaving on time.
I think it’s overly possessive, but I remind myself it isn’t my relationship to judge. Charlie seems happy with her males, and that’s all that matters. I’m not the one married to them, so it doesn’t matter how I feel.
“I should get going,” Charlie says.
I nod. “I’ll see you soon.”
She makes her way out of my office, and I return to work. I have a few messages I’d like to get out before Chev joins me for lunch. I invited him to come here, which I’ve never done before. I’m admittedly quite nervous.
I send out three messages before my office door bursts open and my oversized mate comes storming inside. He doesn’t bother knocking. I wonder how he gets any work done when he’s constantly running between the Wrath manor and the facility, but whenever I ask, he tells me he has it handled before abruptly changing the subject. I think he’s struggling to keep up with everything and is lying for my benefit. He doesn’t want me to worry.
I’m still worried, though.
Thoughts of moving to the shifter realm have crossed my mind, but I’m yet to voice them. I’d hate to get Chev excited about something I’m still unsure of.
He’s been updating his home to my liking, which I appreciate, but the thought of living with him is frightening. The men who owned me covered me in jewelry when we went out in public, but in private, I slept on a wooden pallet in a mouse-infested basement most nights. Men are different in public than they are behind closed doors.
I know Chev isn’t like the ogres. I know that to my very bones, but something still holds me back.
“Can I see your breasts?” Chev asks, kicking my office door shut.
I snort. “What?”
Is he serious?
Chev smirks and toys with his leathers, messing with them just enough that I can see the bottom of his mate mark. He’s always trying to tease me with it, the man acting like a sultry whore whenever we’re alone and he’s in his leathers.
His mark is entirely black now, the thick ring around his thigh fully darkened. I love the look of it, and I find myself leaning forward as it enters my line of sight.
“Your breasts,” Chev says, refusing to lift his skirt any higher.
A part of me wants to play coy and see what he’ll do if I refuse, but the larger part that wants to see his mated mark wins. I reach for the bottom of my shirt. I don’t mind showing him my chest, and Chev rocks back on his heels as I pull the fabric up.
I lock eyes with him as I do the same with my bra, fully exposing myself.
Chev’s attention quickly lowers to my chest, and he stares as if this is the most exciting thing he’s ever seen. It feels good knowing I’m the only female he’ll ever lust after like this. I’m his mate.
Chev finally exposes his mate marking. I scan the black skin, beyond happy with how dark it’s gotten these past few weeks. Mine has grown, too, the thin line now trailing all the way down my spine.
“You’re beautiful,” Chev compliments me.
His cock twitches, his body reacting to me, but he drops his skirt and turns away before we get carried away. He already came in his fist while licking my mark this morning.
I put my bra and shirt back on, and only once my breasts are covered does Chev begin readying the food he brought for lunch. I was so distracted, I didn’t even notice he was carrying a bag. It’s large, and he seems eager as he sets a giant container of cooked meat on my desk. I wait for him to pull out more, and I fight back a laugh as I realize the meat is the entire meal.
Chev beams as he opens the container, showcasing his work.
There doesn’t seem to be much, if any, seasoning on it, but I don’t mind. Given how Chev grins and nudges the container in my direction, I know he caught and cooked this himself. That excitement overshadows any hesitance I might have over eating bland meat.
I’d eat it every day of the week if it made Chev happy.
I peel off a piece and slip it between my lips.
“Do you like it?” Chev asks.
He doesn’t give me time to taste the food, and my lips twitch as I chew. Chev waits impatiently, tapping his foot against the ground until I swallow. The meat indeed doesn’t have any seasoning, but it’s cooked perfectly and is incredibly tender. I like it.
“It’s good,” I say. “I assume you caught it.”
Chev nods. “Just this morning.”
He waits for me to eat several more bites before taking one himself. It’s polite, but I have a feeling the man snuck several bites while catching and cooking the animal. He can eat meat raw, and I’m sure he took advantage of that.
“How’s your day going?” I ask, gesturing for him to sit opposite my desk.
Chev glances nervously at my chairs before taking a seat. The wicker creaks as he lowers himself into it, the material struggling to hold his weight. I should invest in sturdier furniture if he’s going to make a habit of coming here. The items I selected are cute and can easily support the weight of myself and the other women in the facility, but Chev is too big.
Now I understand why the shifters make everything out of sturdy wood.
“It’s good, but busy,” Chev says. “I’m going to the office after lunch to meet with Echo and several others on the leadership team, but I’ll be here in time to take you home.”
I’m not worried about him being late to pick me up. Chev is punctual.
“A meeting in the office…” I say. “Must be important.”
From what I hear, Chev hardly goes to the office. He’s been working out of Wrath for months, probably so he can remain close to me. I imagine it must make things complicated, but he hasn’t complained.
Chev takes another bite of food. “It is. I’m stepping down, and we’re deciding who’s to take my place.”
He speaks so casually, it takes me several seconds to truly understand the weight of his words. He’s stepping down? Since when? I know he’s been stretched thin, but I never imagined it would lead to this.
I shake my head and set my hands in my lap.
“What?” I ask, eager for him to clarify. “Why?”
Is this because of me?
“I’m so sorry,” I blurt out.
Chev shakes his head, immediately shutting down my apology.
“This is expected,” he says. “My role was only ever meant to be temporary. I have an entire pack to manage, and now that I have my mate, I need my time back. I don’t enjoy having to work so much.”
Is he just saying this so I don’t feel guilty? Mammon has been dedicating a lot of time calling Chev’s integrity into question, and I fear that could be impacting his decision. Chev’s been the head of the Seekers’ organization for years, and it’s excelled under his leadership.
He’s done so much good.
“I’m excited to leave,” he continues. “My people need me, and Echo has been training to take my position. She will do good, and I will have time to focus on you and my pack.”
I wipe my palms on my pants, drying the sweat.
“They aren’t firing you?” I ask.
Chev shakes his head. “No. I’ve requested to leave. My father hurt his back while chopping wood for me last week, and I realized it’s unfair of me to continue pushing my alpha responsibilities aside.”
Does this mean he’s going to be returning to the shifter lands? I can’t blame him for wanting to return home, but I’ve selfishly grown accustomed to having him nearby. I’d never ask him to stay, but I’ll be devastated if he leaves. I don’t want to be apart from Chev. There are several portals he can use to visit me, but there’s a comfort in knowing he’s in Wrath.
“Tell me about your day,” he says, changing the subject.
I want to ask more about his decision and what it means for us moving forward, but I want to organize my thoughts before I do. My heart pounds, and I shake my head before giving him a recap of my day.
Chev hangs on to my every word, and my cheeks turn a bright shade of red. The remainder of my lunch passes in a blur, and before I know it, Chev’s getting ready to leave. He doesn’t seem pleased to return to work, and he lingers for as long as possible before making his way to the door.
I drop my head onto my desk the moment he’s gone, already knowing I won’t be getting any more work done today.