5. Poppy #2
And now she'd agreed to partner with that same wolf.
To invite him into her territory, her home, her life.
The mate bond pulsed between her ribs like a second heartbeat, reminding her that Keiro Izell would be here in a few hours.
That she'd have to sit across from her fated mate and pretend this was purely business while every cell in her body screamed for his touch.
She pushed away from the door and climbed the grand staircase, her heels clicking against the marble steps in a rhythm that matched her racing pulse.
The portraits of previous Mintz Alphas watched her ascent—generations of strong leaders who'd never had to make the impossible choices she faced daily.
Minutes later, her private chambers felt like a sanctuary after Sander's poisonous presence. She headed straight for the walk-in closet, then stopped in the doorway, staring at the rows of clothing like they might provide answers to all her problems.
What did one wear to a business dinner with a billionaire wolf Alpha who happened to be their fated mate? Something that projected competence without screaming desperation? Professional enough to maintain boundaries, but not so severe that she looked like she was trying too hard?
I need help. Lots of it.
The admission burned, but not as much as the prospect of facing Keiro alone and unprepared. She pulled out her phone and dialed Neve's number.
"Come over immediately."
"Is everything okay?" Neve's voice carried that note of concern reserved for true emergencies.
"Not really. Just hurry. I need you."
Ten minutes later, Poppy's enhanced hearing detected Neve's key turning in the front lock, followed by the sound of efficient footsteps crossing the marble foyer and up the grand staircase.
Then she appeared in the bedroom doorway like a guardian angel dressed in tailored black, taking in Poppy's position in the closet with one sweeping glance.
"Why are you standing in your closet looking like you did before senior prom? All nervous energy and suppressed panic?"
Poppy turned to face her best friend, her Beta, the one person who'd stood by her through every crisis and catastrophe of the past eleven years. "I might have just made the worst decision of my life."
Neve's eyebrows rose. "That sounds dramatic, even for you. I'm sure it's not that serious."
"I just agreed to become business partners with Keiro Izell." The words tumbled out in a rush. "The powerful wolf Alpha and billionaire CEO who outbid me last night. The man who—" She took a shaky breath. "The man who also happens to be my fated mate."
Neve's eyes went wide, her usual composure cracking just enough to show genuine shock. "Oh, Poppy. That is a really bad decision."
"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Poppy's voice cracked with frustration as she spun away from the closet to face Neve.
"Just let him build on our land and push us out?
Have the five million dollars in outstanding loans come due in ninety days and lose everything—lose all our land, lose my Alpha title, lose my very identity? "
The words tumbled out, each one carrying the weight of eleven years' worth of accumulated pressure. Her lioness paced, feeding off the emotional turmoil and making her want to shift and run until her paws bled.
Five million dollars. Ninety days. Everything gone.
The numbers had been haunting her dreams for months, turning sleep into a luxury she couldn't afford.
Neve's expression softened with understanding, but her voice remained practical. "I don't understand how this partnership is going to stop the ninety-day countdown. Is he offering you five million dollars as well?"
"No." Poppy sank onto the edge of her four-poster bed, the antique frame creaking. Her hands twisted in her lap as she stared at the Persian rug beneath her feet. "But maybe I can work out some kind of arrangement with him. Ask for a loan. I hate to do it, but I don't know what else to do."
The admission tasted bitter. Asking for help went against every instinct she'd cultivated since becoming Alpha. Leaders solved problems on their own; they didn't beg for bailouts.
"Can you trust the guy?" Neve's question cut straight to the heart of Poppy's fears.
"That's what I don't know yet." Poppy stood and began pacing the length of her bedroom. "So, I think I'm going to wait before I ask for anything from him. I can't appear desperate or weak."
Too late for that. You already look desperate.
The thought made her stomach clench with familiar dread. How many people had witnessed her public humiliation at the auction? How many were already whispering about the Alpha who couldn't even afford to buy back her own family's land?
"Well, you better figure out something soon." Neve's voice carried that edge of concern. "You're running out of time. And Sander is making more moves to prove you're unfit."
"I know. He stopped by here today and made some idle threats.
" Poppy waved a dismissive hand, trying to project confidence she didn't feel.
"But that's the least of my concerns right at the moment.
Right now, I need to find something to wear for tonight.
I may have invited Keiro over for dinner to discuss our partnership. "
Neve's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into her hairline. "You invited him to dinner at your place? Your fated mate? Alone in your den?" She shook her head with the expression of someone watching a train wreck in slow motion. "Poppy, that's just asking for trouble."
Heat flooded Poppy's cheeks, and she could feel her lioness stirring with interest. The mate bond hummed with anticipation, sending little electric shocks through her nervous system every time she thought about seeing him again.
"Nothing's going to happen." The words came out more defensive than she'd intended. "Just help me find something to wear."
For the next hour, Poppy's bedroom transformed into a battlefield of discarded clothing.
Silk blouses landed on the antique chair, tailored blazers draped over the vanity bench, and elegant dresses pooled on the floor like fallen petals.
Each outfit told a different story—too formal, too casual, too obvious, too severe.
"Try this one." Neve held up a light blue dress that had been hanging forgotten in the back of the closet.
The fabric was softer than silk, the color reminiscent of summer skies and deeper waters.
When Poppy slipped it on, the dress hugged her curves like it had been designed specifically for her body.
The neckline dipped just enough to remind anyone looking that she was undeniably female, while the cut remained sophisticated enough for business.
"Perfect." Neve stepped back to admire her handiwork, satisfaction evident in her voice. "The right combination of business and casual and slightly alluring. It says, 'I'm a competent Alpha who happens to be a beautiful woman,' without screaming desperate."
Poppy studied her reflection in the full-length mirror, turning slightly to catch the way the fabric moved with her body. The dress made her feel powerful and feminine simultaneously—a combination she rarely allowed herself to embrace.
He's going to take one look at you and forget this is supposed to be about business.
The traitorous thought sent heat spiraling through her core, and she ruthlessly suppressed it. Tonight would be productive and professional. Nothing more.
But as she smoothed the fabric over her hips, Poppy couldn't shake the feeling that this dinner might just make everything infinitely more complicated.