"Morning, Luna. Coffee?" asked Jenna, holding out the cup with a bright smile.
"Thanks, Jenna. Just black, please," Luna replied, taking it.
She inhaled the rich aroma and felt a shiver of alertness run through her.
Something about the quiet loudness of the office always made her senses sharper.
"You're late," Jenna teased, staring at the clock.
"Again.
"I wasn't late.
Traffic was just unusually aggressive today, "Luna said.
Her eyes scanned the hallway as if she could sense movement before it happened.
Her hand brushed her laptop as she set it down, and she caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye.
A security guard adjusting his papers, nothing more, but her instincts picked her attention.
"You and your instincts," Jenna laughed, shaking her head.
"One day you'll start barking at people.
"Not funny," Luna said, smiling quietly.
She felt the tingle in her senses again, a reminder that there was more to her awareness than mere observation.
Her office was quiet, early morning light spilling across the polished floors.
She set her coffee down and booted up her computer.
Emails filled the inbox, most routine, but one caught her attention.
A client had changed a contract without notifying her team.
Luna frowned, reading carefully, every word and timestamp alerting her to the delicate irregularities.
"Who would do this?" she muttered, leaning back in her chair.
Her instincts punctual again.
Someone was testing her attention to detail, seeing if she would miss it.
She noted the name, a junior associate who had been too eager lately.
Not a threat, not yet, but worth watching.
"Luna.
The Carrington presentation is in thirty minutes,"Jenna reminded her.
"Are you ready for it?
"As ready as I can be," Luna replied.
She adjusted her skirt and also straightened her posture, feeling her pulse hurry, not with fear but with anticipation.
Her senses seemed sharper when she focused, Every whisper in the office.
Every soft footstep, every hum of a computer was part of a pattern she could feel instinctively.
The conference room filled fast .
Damien Karsen walked in, his presence commanding as always.
Luna felt the nice pull in her chest, that mixture of admiration and nerves that never went away.
Damien gave her a respectful nod, and she returned it carefully to keep her expression professional.
"Good morning, everyone, "Damien began with a smooth voice.
"Let's take a look at the Carrington proposal.
"Luna, why don't you start with the overview?
Luna stood and clicked through her slides, explaining every detail bit by bit and also with a good understanding summary.
She noticed Damien's eyes on her, thoughtful and measuring.
She knew he wasn't just listening to the presentation,he was reading her, evaluating her focus and confidence.
It made her senses flare, that combination of intuition and instinct that she tried to keep under control.
Midway through, a knock at the door drew her attention.
A young intern, flushed with urgency, stepped in.
"Sorry to interrupt, Ms. Alaric.
There's a minor issue with the Johnson account.
The client sent an email late last night, and.
Luna held up a hand, signaling the intern to continue.
She read the message, noting discrepancies immediately. "Thank you.
I'll handle it after the meeting," she said.
But she felt the spike again, that precise warning in the back of her mind.
The client's email was too polite, too deliberate.
Someone was trying to distract her during the presentation.
"Is everything okay?" Damien asked, noticing the pause.
"Yes, just a minor distraction," Luna replied.
She smiled, maintaining composure, though inside her instincts were alert.
She could feel the rhythm of the office, the patterns of movement and speech.
The interruption felt deliberate, and she would find out who was behind it soon.
The presentation continued without further incident.
Luna answered questions with clarity and precision, every answer calculated to maintain authority and professionalism.
When it was over, Damien nodded.
"Excellent work, Luna. Your attention to detail keeps this team sharp.
"Thank you, Damien," she said, feeling a small surge of pride.
Her senses still buzzed, but the adrenaline was settling.
She knew the office had eyes, always watching, always measuring.
She liked it that way, even if it was exhausting.
After the meeting, Luna returned to her desk.
Jenna leaned over, whispering conspiratorially.
"Did you notice Mark in accounting staring at you all meeting?
"Which one?" Luna asked, sipping her coffee, though her gaze swept the office instinctively.
"The one with the dark hair, he looks… uneasy.
Luna's head tilted slightly.
Her instincts prickled again, Uneasy wasn't the word she would have chosen.
Curious, maybe, or cautious.
She made a mental note.
People revealed themselves in small ways if you were paying attention.
Her phone buzzed,a message from an unknown number.
"We need to talk, it's urgent.
Her stomach tightened.
Her instincts roared louder now.
Every instinct in her body screamed that this was more than a routine message.
Someone had taken note of her, someone aware of her routines, her patterns, maybe even her habits.
"Jenna, can you cover for me for a few minutes?" Luna asked.
"Of course," Jenna replied, though she raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?
Luna smiled. "Just some business I need to attend privately.
She slipped out of the office, feeling the shift immediately.
Her senses sharpened, noticing footsteps, the soft hum of the elevator, the narrow scent of someone approaching.
It was an instinct she had always felt but never fully understood, a predatory awareness that went beyond normal perception.
Her pulse was steady, but her body was primed, ready.
Reaching a quiet hallway, she paused, listening.
The steps slowed as someone passed.
Luna caught the faintest scent of perfume she did not recognize.
Someone had been here, observing, waiting.
Her wolf instincts whispered caution, awareness, and a promise, she would find out who it was.
Returning to her desk after a few minutes, she sat down with renewed focus.
Everything in the office now seemed sharper, clearer, every movement, every glance, every word a piece of a puzzle.
Luna knew today had started like any other, but she also knew her life was about to change.
Her instincts, elusive though they were, had already sensed the shift.
Something was coming, and she would be ready.
"Luna, lunch?" Jenna asked, holding her usual sandwich.
"Not today.
I need to catch up," Luna replied, eyes scanning the office again.
Something in the air had changed, and her senses told her this was only the beginning.