The elevator doors slid open with a quiet chime.
Mei Lin stepped out, her braid brushing against her shoulder like a defiant flag. Her plain clothes looked out of place among the glittering shoes and sharp suits that filled the 80th floor.
Secretaries froze mid-typing. Interns dropped pens.
Because next to her walked Adrian Li, alpha CEO, the man who rarely brought anyone up here—let alone a girl who looked like she'd walked straight out of a countryside drama.
The silence was deafening.
One whisper broke it.
"Who is she?"
Another hissed.
"She's… with him?!"
Vivian Zhou, already waiting in the office lounge, clenched her fist so tightly her diamond bracelet cut into her skin.
---
The Alpha's Office
Adrian pushed open the glass doors and gestured. "In."
Mei Lin raised a brow. "What am I, a stray dog?"
"More like a stray wolf cub," he murmured with a smirk.
Her eyes narrowed, but she stepped inside anyway.
The office was massive—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, a desk carved from black oak, shelves lined with rare books. Yet it wasn't the wealth that caught Mei Lin's attention.
It was the aura.
The room breathed dominance, like entering the heart of a wolf's den.
Adrian loosened his tie slightly and leaned against his desk. "You intrigue me, Mei Lin."
She blinked. "Wow. Should I clap? That's the most dramatic confession I've heard all week."
---
The Job Offer
He chuckled, ignoring her sarcasm. "I don't let mysteries slip past me. So here's my offer: work for me."
Her jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Work for you? Doing what—teaching you new roast lines?"
Adrian's smirk widened. "Tempting. But no. I want you close, where I can study you. Consider it… an assistant role. Flexible hours, good pay."
She laughed. "So basically, you're hiring me to spy on me?"
"Think of it as… mutual observation." His wolf flickered in his eyes. "I want to know who you are, Mei Lin. Every layer."
She crossed her arms. "And if I say no?"
"Then I'll keep following you. Watching. Until I get answers."
Her lips twitched. "Stalker."
"Persistent," he corrected smoothly.
---
Vivian Explodes
Before Mei Lin could answer, the door slammed open.
Vivian stormed in, heels stabbing the floor. "Adrian! You cannot be serious—bringing her here, offering her a position?! She's nothing! I've been by your side for years—"
"Vivian," Adrian interrupted, voice sharp. "You forget your place."
Her face went pale.
But Mei Lin stepped forward, eyes blazing. "You're mad at me for being here? Girl, I didn't even want to come. Your CEO wolf dragged me up here like I'm some shiny toy he found at a market."
Vivian's jaw dropped. "You—!"
"And for the record," Mei Lin added sweetly, "if loyalty was currency, you'd still be broke."
The secretaries outside tried—and failed—to stifle their laughter.
Vivian trembled with rage. "Adrian, how can you—"
"Enough," he growled, his alpha aura surging. Even Vivian staggered back.
But Mei Lin stood tall. Unmoved.
Adrian noticed—and so did his wolf.
---
Testing the Healer
Adrian exhaled, his aura fading. "Prove yourself, Mei Lin. Right now."
Her brows shot up. "Prove myself? What is this, a martial arts tournament?"
"In a way," he said, pressing a button on his desk.
Moments later, Ethan the assistant entered, holding his arm stiffly. A faint bandage wrapped around his wrist.
"Sprained it during training," Adrian explained. His eyes gleamed. "Heal him. Here. Now."
Mei Lin's eyes flickered. Her secret—her healing skills. She'd kept them hidden, using only in the village when necessary.
If she revealed them here…
But she smirked. "Fine. Hope your assistant doesn't mind being a guinea pig."
She gently unwrapped Ethan's wrist, her fingers pressing pressure points with practiced ease. Her touch glowed faintly—subtle, almost invisible, unless one looked closely.
Ethan blinked. His pain faded like smoke in the wind.
Adrian's wolf stirred violently. He saw it. That flicker of light. That power.
She wasn't ordinary. She was extraordinary.
---
The Aftermath
Mei Lin stepped back. "Done. Try moving it."
Ethan flexed his wrist, eyes wide. "It… doesn't hurt at all. How—"
Adrian's gaze locked on Mei Lin. "You're full of surprises."
She smirked. "I told you. Village girls aren't weak."
Vivian gaped. "She's—she's a witch!"
Mei Lin shot her a glare. "Call me that again, and I'll heal you just enough to survive my fist."
Vivian stumbled back.
Adrian almost laughed. Almost. But instead, he leaned closer, his voice low, dangerous, intimate.
"You've just made a mistake, Mei Lin."
She tilted her head. "Oh? And what mistake is that?"
"Revealing yourself." His wolf eyes glowed faintly. "Now I'll never let you go."
Her heart skipped—but she smirked, hiding it. "Big talk for a man who still can't roast me properly."
---
Teaser for Next Chapter
> Next time:
Mei Lin reluctantly accepts the job, stepping into a world of luxury, wolves, and secrets.
But in the shadows, rivals plot against her.
And Adrian Li—the alpha CEO—starts to blur the line between business and primal instinct.