Chapter 7
Lucas King had imagined this moment for six months.
He imagined anger.
Coldness.
Questions.
Maybe even revenge for being abandoned.
What he did not imagine-
Was his mate walking into the conference room thirty minutes late while holding iced coffee and looking half asleep.
Beautiful.
His wolf instantly surged forward possessively.
Mate.
Found him.
Finally.
Lucas stared at the human standing near the door, trying very hard to maintain the terrifying image expected of the Alpha King.
It became difficult when Danny looked so soft beneath the falling snowflakes still melting in his dark hair.
The room remained deathly silent.
No one dared breathe.
Because everyone in Bayleaf City knew Lucas King hated latecomers.
Executives had lost million-dollar contracts for arriving five minutes late.
Yet now-
The very man who walked in half an hour late was still alive.
Not only alive.
Lucas was actively resisting the urge to walk over and pull him into his arms.
Danny yawned softly.
“Why’s everyone staring at me?”
Lucas’s wolf nearly melted.
Cute.
Ethan, standing behind Lucas, looked one second away from a breakdown.
The Alpha King’s aura had changed completely the moment Danny entered.
Warm.
Possessive.
Dangerously attentive.
Lucas slowly sat back down at the head of the table without taking his eyes off Danny.
“Sit.”
Several businessmen looked horrified.
That was it?
No punishment?
No icy lecture?
Danny nodded casually and dropped into the empty chair beside a terrified investor.
Then he immediately placed his coffee down and rested his cheek against his hand lazily.
Lucas watched every movement carefully.
Six months.
His mate had vanished for six entire months.
And somehow-
Lucas wanted him even more now.
Danny looked softer today.
Sleepier.
There were faint dark circles beneath his eyes.
Lucas frowned immediately.
He’s not sleeping properly.
The realization irritated him irrationally.
Danny belonged curled safely inside Lucas’s bed where he could sleep peacefully forever.
The Alpha King’s thoughts paused.
Forever?
His wolf purred happily.
Yes.
Lucas ignored it.
One of the businessmen finally cleared his throat nervously.
“Mr. King… should we continue the meeting?”
Lucas still looked at Danny.
“Yes.”
The presentation resumed shakily.
Charts appeared across screens. Profits were discussed. Hotel expansions across Europe and Asia filled the room.
Lucas heard none of it.
His senses remained completely fixed on Danny.
Mate smelled exactly the same.
Vanilla.
Sugar.
Rain.
Home.
Danny, meanwhile, looked aggressively uninterested.
Five minutes later, he started spinning a pen lazily.
Ten minutes later, he drank another iced coffee.
Fifteen minutes later-
Lucas realized Danny was secretly playing games beneath the table on his phone.
The Alpha King stared silently.
His mate really was unbelievably lazy.
And somehow-
Lucas found it adorable.
A sharp female voice suddenly interrupted the meeting.
“Mr. King.”
Lucas looked up coldly.
Serene stood near the entrance.
Elegant as always in a silver dress that matched her pale hair.
But the moment her eyes landed on Danny-
Her expression stiffened.
The scent.
Even she could smell it now.
Mate.
Her nails dug into her palm instantly.
This human?
This sleepy, careless human was the mate Lucas had become obsessed with?
Impossible.
Danny glanced at her briefly before politely sliding farther into his chair and returning to his game.
Serene almost twitched.
Lucas noticed immediately.
And smiled faintly.
Interesting.
“My king,” Serene said softly while approaching him, “the northern delegates have arrived.”
Danny’s fingers paused briefly at the words.
My king?
He looked up slowly.
Lucas met his gaze calmly.
Danny frowned slightly.
King.
Right.
That was his name.
Still…
Something about the way everyone treated Lucas felt strange.
Like fear hidden beneath respect.
Danny decided it sounded exhausting and lost interest instantly.
Meanwhile Serene moved closer toward Lucas deliberately.
Too close.
“You missed lunch again,” she murmured intimately.
Lucas didn’t even glance at her.
“I’m busy.”
Serene’s eyes darkened slightly.
Then she looked toward Danny directly.
“So this is the famous Reed heir.”
Danny blinked lazily.
“…I guess?”
Her smile sharpened.
“I expected someone more capable.”
Several businessmen looked ready to faint.
Ethan closed his eyes briefly.
Ah.
Bad decision.
Danny, however, simply nodded thoughtfully.
“That’s fair.”
Serene froze.
“…What?”
“I’m not very capable.”
Danny sipped his coffee peacefully.
“I get tired easily.”
The room fell silent again.
Lucas lowered his head slightly.
Was he-
Laughing?
A low amused sound escaped him unexpectedly.
Everyone stared in shock.
The terrifying Lucas King was laughing during a meeting.
Because of this human.
Serene’s face tightened immediately.
Lucas had never looked at her that way.
Never softened.
Never smiled.
Yet this lazy human had done it effortlessly.
Lucas finally spoke calmly.
“Continue the meeting.”
The investors hurriedly resumed their presentations.
Another twenty minutes passed before it became Reed Group’s turn.
Everyone turned toward Danny expectantly.
Danny stared back blankly.
One executive whispered urgently, “Mr. Reed… your presentation…”
“Oh.”
Danny stood slowly while carrying his coffee.
He walked toward the screen without urgency.
Lucas watched him with open fascination.
His mate truly feared nothing.
Not even unknowingly standing before the most powerful werewolf alive.
Danny glanced once at the prepared slides.
Then shrugged.
“I want this deal.”
Silence.
One investor blinked.
“…Excuse me?”
Danny pointed lazily toward the screen.
“Your hotels need better interior branding in Asia. Reed Group already dominates luxury imports there.”
Lucas rested his chin against his hand silently.
Danny continued casually.
“You need us more than we need you.”
Several executives gasped quietly.
Ethan almost admired the bravery.
Danny looked directly at Lucas then.
Those sleepy eyes met Lucas’s storm-colored ones again.
And suddenly Lucas remembered exactly how those same eyes looked half-lidded beneath moonlight six months ago.
Dangerous memories.
Danny tilted his head slightly.
“So just sign the deal.”
The room nearly stopped breathing.
No one talked to Lucas King like that.
Ever.
But Lucas only stared at him quietly.
Beautiful.
His mate was beautiful even while demanding billion-dollar deals like asking for takeout food.
Then Lucas noticed something.
Danny’s sleeve had slipped slightly while holding his coffee.
A faint bruise marked his wrist.
Lucas’s expression darkened instantly.
Who touched him?
The air pressure in the room shifted dangerously.
Danny blinked in confusion.
Why did the room suddenly feel colder?
Lucas stood slowly.
Every werewolf present immediately straightened.
Then-
To everyone’s complete shock-
The Alpha King walked directly toward Danny.
Stopped in front of him.
And gently fixed the slipping sleeve back over his wrist.
The movement was absurdly careful.
Tender.
Possessive.
Danny froze.
The touch felt familiar.
Warm.
Like rain and moonlight and something he almost remembered.
Lucas lowered his voice softly enough that only Danny could hear.
“You should dress warmer.”
Danny stared up at him blankly.
His heart suddenly beat strangely fast.
And he had absolutely no idea why.
