Chapter 5

Cora

My mouth went dry.

And just like that, my world changed all over again.

I don’t know what I expected when I looked up—but it wasn’t him.

The new CEO everyone had been buzzing about. The one with the chiseled jaw and impossible presence. The one who just casually mentioned finding the woman who used his sperm.

And that was the moment my brain stopped working.

The coffee I had been holding—my lifeline—slipped between my numb fingers and crashed to the floor. The mug broke and coffee splashed across my feet and ankles.

The man was looking at me with a frown, like he was displeased. He raised a brow at the shattered mug, and I felt heat creep into my face.

Then he turned and walked into his office like he hadn’t just shattered my reality.

I stood there in the silence that followed, the heat creeping up my neck. My fingers tingled. My knees were suddenly made of spaghetti.

I bent down to clean up the mess I made, grateful for something to do while I sorted through my flurrying thoughts.

That was him.

The escort I thought I’d hired. The werewolf who’d caught Riley mid-fall like some kind of supernatural dad of the year. And now—my new boss.

Why couldn’t I escape him?

If I had known the new CEO was the man I’d slept with, I would’ve never applied to be his secretary. Hell, I might’ve just quit the company and fled the country.

Panic thundered in my chest. I rushed back to my desk and practically slammed into my keyboard. My hands flew over the keys as I logged into the company portal.

Find application—yes. Click “Cancel”—yes. Confirm—absolutely.

But the second I hit enter, the company group chat exploded.

“Cora is trying to cancel.”

“LMFAO Cora, what happened??”

“Cold feet already?”

I stared at the screen in horror. Why didn’t anyone tell me cancellation attempts were public?

I wanted to die. Or vanish. Even getting eaten up by a werewolf sounded more pleasant.

“Maybe this is a dream,” I muttered, tugging at my hair in frantic disbelief.

A second later, a notification popped up.

“Kingston Ashford has rejected your cancellation.”

I blinked. Rejected… the cancellation?

So not only had I outed myself as a panicked mess in front of the entire company, but now the one man I absolutely couldn’t face had basically said no, you're staying in the running.

And there it was. His name in writing.

Kingston Ashford.

I couldn’t help but feel like his name was strangely beautiful. Deeply masculine and proud like the man who used it. Maybe I could pretend that withdrawing my application was a ruse to learn his name.

It felt like another version of myself was speaking in my head. Clearly, I was losing it.

Before I could even find a dark closet to hide in, a voice rang out from Kingston’s office.

“Secretary candidates, come to my office.”

My feet felt like lead as I stood. I followed the other three junior assistants in, trying not to make eye contact with anyone or anything. I kept my eyes glued to the carpet—plush, expensive, and definitely too good for my bargain shoes.

Kingston stood behind his massive desk, his gaze piercing and unreadable. His sharp eyes washed over everyone as they stood, fidgeting nervously and waiting for him to speak.

“Pick a birthday gift for my son,” he said without preamble. “That’s your interview question.”

I blinked. That was it?

The first candidate—Amelia—straightened her blazer. “A shapeshifting manual,” she said with a confident smile. “To help him master his transformation early.”

“Shift necklace,” said the second. I thought her name might be Karen.“Helps regulate moon phases.”

“A hunter’s starter kit,” said the third, unfamiliar one. “For defense.”

My mind spun. As a mere human, I had no idea what a werewolf child would want for his birthday.

But then it dawned on me: perhaps that was the perfect angle to work. If I did something different and chose a gift that was abnormal and not tailored to werewolves, maybe I would be eliminated from the running.

Then, I wouldn’t have to deal with this humiliation any longer. It was brilliant.

So I went with the most non-werewolf answer I could think of.

“Roller skates,” I said.

The room went silent. A long moment stretched out where no one so much as moved.

Kingston’s brow furrowed slightly. He studied me like I was a puzzle he couldn’t make sense of.

“Why?” he asked.

I swallowed. “Because… not everything in his life has to be about being a werewolf. Maybe he just wants to have fun. Be a kid.”

He stared at me for one long, uncomfortable second.

Then he said, “You got the job. Ex— your name?”

“Cora,” I replied, heart pounding. “Cora Evans.”

I was in shock. That answer got me hired? Was it really this easy?

I didn’t even stay to hear the other girls' reactions. I grabbed my folder and practically ran back to my desk.

A promotion. A big one. I should’ve been thrilled, except I felt like I was standing on a cliff, staring down at a disaster waiting to happen.

But I needed this. In the face of all of the recent turmoil in my life, this was my buoy. This would help save Riley and me.

I went home that evening wanting to celebrate with Daisy and the kids. I thought maybe I could take them out for dinner. Just something simple to mark the win, even if my stomach was still in knots.

But when I opened the door, the apartment was… empty. The halls seemed hollow without Daisy and her son. I felt the vacancy prickle at me as I searched for signs of them.

Then I found it. A note sat on the kitchen table.

Cora,

Ben’s father came to claim him today. I’m going with them. I’ll call when I can.

Don’t worry about us. Take care of Riley.

— Daisy

I dropped the note. For a second, I just stood there, stunned.

Daisy had never mentioned Ben’s father before. She’d been fiercely private about it. And now, she was just… gone?

My only sister had left me so easily for someone who was basically a stranger.

Riley noticed my shocked expression and tugged at my hand. “Where’s Ben and Aunty Daisy?” he asked.

“I think they’re going to spend some time away,” I managed, finding my voice rather tight.

“Are we still going out, Mommy?”

I forced a smile. “Of course we are.”

We went to a quiet diner across town, one with red booths and drawing sheets that Riley liked to doodle on. He was busy coloring a picture of a dinosaur eating a cake while I tried—unsuccessfully—to call Daisy.

Voicemail. Again.

I stepped outside, needing air. I walked a few feet away, tried her number a few more times. Each attempt was as unsuccessful as the last.

I pocketed my phone with a huff. How could she just leave like that and ignore my calls?

But then my phone buzzed. I expected it to be Daisy, but an unknown number lit up my screen.

“Hello?” I answered it.

I listened mutely as they explained everything on the other line. I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

When I hung up, I took a moment to catch my breath. A new sense of determination drove me back into the restaurant.

Then I heard crying.

Riley.

I ran back deeper into the restaurant, searching for him.

A group of kids had surrounded our booth.

“Riley has no daddy—”

“Riley’s a bastard—”

“He’s a mutt—”

My heart stopped.

“Hey. Watch your manners,” said a calm, firm voice behind them.

The kids turned and immediately quieted.

And there he was.

Kingston.

Sitting at a nearby table, suit jacket folded beside him, sleeves rolled up like he belonged there. Like he hadn’t just flipped my world upside down.

He stood, ready to leave—until Riley looked up, his cheeks blotchy from crying.

And said, “Dad?”

Kingston froze.

And slowly—slowly—he turned back.