THE CAT AT MY DOOR

I packed my things on Monday morning to leave. Marco and Fred came over to my desk because Mr Philips told them to beg or steal or whatever to make me stay. So they role-played for the sake of Mr Philip's wolf hearing their desperate plea for me to change my mind. It got quite comical.

Marco, who now sported Clara's fang marks under the collar of his shirt and Fred begged over-dramatically, promised me the moon and a fully paid trip to the Bahamas and back with the rest of my team (themselves), and finally Fred promised to marry me.

There was a lot of laughter until Mona stormed over. I laughed and said quite clearly, "No, thank you."

Then the two guys went back to Mr Philips office to tell him they tried.

We went out to the nearby sushi restaurant for lunch. I told Clara she could call me anytime if she needed help.

And then I went home early.

It's over. I'm gone. I'm sad to leave my friends behind. We had been together since High School, they were always there for me, but it's time I braved the world on my own.

There was a man waiting outside our apartment door.

He was wearing an expensive suit, and had long black hair fastened behind him in a ponytail. He looked vaguely familiar... But I had always been bad with faces, "Yes, may I help you?"

He growled lowly at me. Lycan? Hmm... Should I be calling Harvey? He was well dressed, probably not rogue. Pack wolves were safe right?

"I'm looking for my sister." The man said. His voice was low and quiet and sent a shiver down my spine.

"I think you've got the wrong address." I told the man.

I smiled at his hotness. OMG. Stop that. Do you want him to offer to make you his mistress? No matter how hot a wolf is, if he isn't your mate, he will never love you.

He stepped closer, "Her scent is on you."

And you sir, have the most gorgeous scent of a newly opened box of chocolates. The expensive type with fancy paper and gold lettering.

He continued, "I'm her brother. Clara moved out of my apartment yesterday. Are you her room mate, Mona?"

"Oh." I offered him my most reassuring smile, it looks like my friends had been up to something, "You're Clara's brother. I'm Serene. Clara doesn't get off work till 6."

I unlocked the door.

Clara's brother stepped in with me, "I know."

Then why are you here at 2pm in the afternoon?

"How many of you live in this apartment?" Clara's brother asked.

Why was he asking?

"Would you like a seat, Clara's brother?" I asked, "Tea? Coffee? (Or me?)"

OMG what the hell was wrong with me? Must be the adrenaline of quitting my job.

"Do you have bottled water?" Clara's brother asked.

I retreated into the kitchen.

"Only the sparkling type with fruit." I opened the fridge door, "Lemon or starwberry?"

Marco was going to have to pay me back for whatever Clara's brother consumed.

"Lemon." He decided from the living room. I guess he was the type of man who didn't go near kitchens.

I returned to the living room to pass him the bottle. He stood up at my approach. We sparked at first touch.

"S***, static." I caught the bottle before it fell. Luckily I hadn't opened it. Then I put it on the table.

Clara's brother sat back into the sofa. He was staring at his hand. I retreated back into the kitchen.

I texted on our team chat, "Clara's brother is here."

There was a long pause. I almost thought they were at a meeting or something.

But then Marco replied, "Ok, don't panic."

Which meant they were all panicking on the other side.

"Please don't tell my brother about Marco." Clara texted, "He'll kill him."

I looked at the man drinking sparkling lemon water on our sofa. Yes, he looked very deadly. "So what do I tell him?"

"She's Mona's roommate." Marco texted.

Okay...

"You know he has wolf sense of smell right? He smelled Clara off me right from the start."

Another pause.

Then Marco texted, "You may panic now."

That was not helping.

Actually I was pretty busy. I needed to write to Reid Inc's HR to update them that I can start as soon as tomorrow, catch up on my laundry, update my résumé, and research more about my new job and boss. I didn't really have time to cover for Clara, or babysit her very hot brother.

Plus I was feeling hungry, guess a few pieces of expensive sushi wasn't quite enough for lunch.

I went back out to the living room, "I'm about to make some lunch, can I get you anything?" (Please say no.)

"Yes. Thank you. Whatever you're having is fine." Clara's brother said.

I returned to the kitchen and texted, "I've solved it. I'm cooking lunch for him. With some luck, he would eat my cooking and die."

"Your cooking isn't that bad." Fred texted.

"Compared to Mona's anyway." Marco texted.

"I don't think a dead man like you should make fun of his sister's cooking." Mona texted.

"I'm sorry for the trouble." Clara said, "Please tell him I will explain everything when I get back."

"I have laxatives in my medicine pouch." Marco told me.

"I don't think human medication has the same effect on Lycan." Clara texted.

"Won't hurt to try." Marco said.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Clara texted.

Awww... If Marco was a wolf, he would probably say something manly now like, "You're my mate. It is my responsibility to protect you with my life." Or something to that effect.

"Any chance you can beat him up like you did those thugs last Friday?" Marco texted. Because Marco was a human... A pretty unathletic one at that.

Wait, Clara could kick butt? Wow. Tsumiki-chan was real.

"Sorry, my brother is a much better fighter than I am." Clara replied, "But I will protect you, don't worry."

I worried. For a moment, I seriously considered the laxatives.

My cooking skills were not that great, but I figured I could put together a roast chicken salad, at least with the leftover roast chicken I bought at the deli yesterday. Maybe if Clara's brother was still hungry, he might leave to get more food.

I looked for the roast chicken that should be in the fridge but it was gone. I found an old lemon, a packet of mixed salad, and a tomato though.

Hmmm... What should I do about the chicken? There was some chicken meat in the chiller but I wasn't a great cook. The last time I cooked chicken, it came out hard and dry and tasteless. I was only a better cook than Mona because I had never burnt down the kitchen like she had. Twice.

I popped back outside again. In lieu of fire safety, I guess I will go out to get some takeaway.

"Do you mind sushi?" I asked cheerily, "I just have a craving."

Clara's brother got up and came over to the kitchen, "Perhaps it would be better to eat hot food in your condition."

What condition? Oh, he smelled my blood. Stupid werewolf sense of smell. And how would he know what was better for a woman in my condition to eat? His sister didn't even know what PMS was.

I guess Harvey wasn't the only hot Lycan man who had lots of experience with human mistresses.

Aw man, what's wrong with me? PMS. I blame the PMS.

"I can help prepare lunch if you are feeling unwell." He offered, his expression never changing.

"I'm feeling unwell?" I asked stupidly.

"That's why you are home early, is it not?" He asked.

I shook my head and laughed, "Even if I were bleeding to death, I would finishing my work before leaving. I'm home because I quit."

"That's a pity." He said, "Clara said you helped her out a lot. I am grateful to you."

Awww... Clara told him that?

"She would have been fine with or without help. She is very capable." I decided to inform Clara's brother.

"May I use your kitchen?" He asked.

"Yeah, use whatever you like." I shrugged casually.

Clara's brother put the salad and lemon back in the fridge. Then he took out the chicken and after a quick stock take around the kitchen, completely surprised me by actually cooking.