Chapter 3: Unlikely Alliances

The following days were a blur of emails, meetings, and constant reminders that Adrian and Kai were from opposing worlds. Every glance or text they exchanged only made the tension grow thicker, even though neither of them had fully acknowledged what was happening between them.

By Thursday afternoon, Adrian was back at his desk when his phone buzzed. A simple message from Kai, no explanation, just:

"We need to talk. Meet me at my office after work."

Adrian frowned, glancing at the clock. He had a million things on his plate, but something about the tone of the message had him intrigued. Maybe it was the hint of urgency in Kai's words, or maybe it was the fact that the more he interacted with the werewolf, the less he could resist the pull to understand him.

The workday dragged on, but by the time the evening arrived, Adrian found himself standing outside a sleek building in the city's business district, the glass reflecting the dimming sunset. He didn't know why he felt like he was walking into a trap, but there was a gut instinct that told him something important was coming. Something that could change everything.

He stepped inside, the elevator ride smooth and silent, and when the doors opened, he was greeted by a receptionist who motioned him toward the back office.

Kai was standing by the large window, his back to Adrian as he stared out over the city. His posture was tense, shoulders stiff.

"You came," Kai said without turning around, his voice a little softer than usual.

Adrian didn't reply immediately, instead taking in the state of the office. It was clean, polished, with minimalist décor, but there was a certain coldness to it. It was the kind of office that screamed "corporate wolf" all sharp edges and a façade of control.

"Yeah, well, you made it sound important." Adrian leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms.

Kai turned around slowly, his expression serious. "It is important," he said, his voice low. "But first, we need to talk about something that... might change everything."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "What's going on, Kai?"

The silence hung in the air for a moment before Kai spoke again, this time his words slow and deliberate.

"It's about the project we're working on..."

Adrian turned to leave the room, but the air between them was still too thick, too charged with everything unspoken. Kai's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You're not what I expected," Kai said softly.

Adrian cocked a brow, still facing the door. "What did you expect?"

Kai leaned back against the desk, arms crossed loosely. "Cold. Arrogant. Dangerous."

Adrian glanced over his shoulder, smirking. "You're not wrong on any of those."

Kai chuckled, and the sound was softer than Adrian anticipated—less mocking, more curious. "And yet... you took care of me that night. You didn't have to."

Adrian's smirk faded just slightly, replaced by a flicker of something deeper. "Don't read too much into it. You were a drunk mess. Leaving you on the street would've been bad PR."

"Uh-huh," Kai said, clearly not buying it, his golden eyes glinting with amusement. "Sure."

Adrian turned fully now, walking back toward him slowly, like a predator sizing up his prey. He stopped just a breath away, close enough to feel the warmth of Kai's skin radiating into his own.

"Careful," Adrian murmured, voice a low rasp. "If you start thinking I have a heart, you'll end up disappointed."

Kai didn't flinch. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll find out what's hiding behind all that smug confidence."

For a second, neither of them moved. The tension between them wasn't just professional anymore—it was electric. Dangerous.

Adrian's lips quirked. "You're playing a risky game, wolf."

"And you like that, don't you?" Kai said, not backing down.

Adrian leaned in just slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "More than I should."

Kai's breath hitched, just enough for Adrian to notice. And then—like a crack in the perfect façade—Adrian stepped back, breaking the moment like it was nothing.

"We start Monday," Adrian said coolly. "Don't be late."

He turned and left, the click of the door sounding far too final behind him.

Kai stood there, heart pounding in his chest, a slow smile creeping onto his face.

"Well," he whispered to himself, "this is going to be fun."