His personal assistant

He was going to be the worst Alpha in the history of the Zander Alpha princes. He was going to die a loner. His mother was currently on his neck. He was supposed to find someone as soon as possible to provide a grandson for her. He wasn't a bitter person, but he wished his mother was the one who was on that sick bed instead of his father.

All she did was whine and cry all day like a teenager. She gave no reasonable advice, talked about nail polish and purple robes all the time. He would go mad if she whined anymore about his trapped situation.

He had a calling, to sustain his bloodline and retain the heritage of his forefathers in Havana. Finding a mate was like finding a pin in a pile of clothes. Impossible. That was the point. 

As he made his way into the VIP lounge, his eyes caught sight of red hair. Now this was something that caught his interest. Just as the person was coming into view, someone tapped his arm from behind. He turned furiously to find the head of his orderlies.

"Your highness, we are ready to leave. The convoy is ready, your highness." 

"Cut me some slack, will you? What if I don't even want to go anymore? Go back down and wait for me. I'll join you when I'm ready." After dismissing him, he turned to redirect his focus on whoever it was with the red hair. 

This was no ordinary woman. She was walking with great grace and poise. He prayed inwardly that she would raise her head so he would see her face. Their paths were going to cross anyway. He was descending the stairs and she was ascending. His eyes lowered down to her shoes and he didn't know why, but her tall heels bothered him. 

The woman's ankles gave way to the ground and Kain sprang forward to catch her, preventing her from hitting the ground face first. He was yet to see her face, but he knew it was worth saving. His hands were wrapped around her waist, something he didn't think he could do ordinarily. This was new. Typical Kain might help a woman in distress, he just wouldn't wrap his arms around her waist. Like she was his mate. His mate?

Eager to dump her somewhere so as to get on his way, he straightened her up so she could stand on her own. The action only caused her to stagger, and she clung ferociously to his biceps for support. Their chests met in the middle, he could hear her heart beating wildly.

Slowly, she raised her head. Her emerald green eyes lit up her face. Kain felt his heart clench and unclench. He had never felt drawn to any woman as he  was to this woman in his arms. Her eyes searched his face, her mouth trembling as if she wanted to say something but could not. His heart clenched again and he pursed his lips, willing his heart to remain calm and composed. 

He was never one to take full notice of women, not to mention being detailed about noticing their facial features or the scent of their body wash. He was losing his mind, and this time around, he was going to look for it.

"Well?" He asked. She seemed to recollect where she was because she quickly disentangled herself from his arms. Kain didn't look at her twice as he walked past her.

He didn't need distractions like this. But he couldn't ignore the way his heart had reacted back there. His orderlies opened the backseat door of the car as soon as he got out of the building complex.

Esmeralda watched as the man walked out of the building complex. She felt like hurling a brick at his retreating figure. She hoped he was a random client. If he was an executive in Price And Prize, she wouldn't be able to look him in the eye ever again.

She concentrated on her steps this time as she walked into the executive block of the complex. Ravina was waiting for her inside. Esmeralda hated that there was someone in the royal fashion house who would be reporting back to her mother on a daily basis.

Her search for Ravina was, however, short lived when someone shouted her name. She stood still, wondering for a moment if there was someone else who bore her name.

"Furler." Now, she knew it was her. She turned to see a slender woman with an athletic build coming towards her. Perhaps she was the gym instructor? She heard the royal fashion house had a gymnasium. 

Esmeralda assessed the woman quickly. Platinum blonde hair, straight legs, springy walking gait and charming eyes. The woman was in her late twenties, Esmeralda made a rough count in her head. The woman could be four or five years her senior.

"I'm Ravina. I'm sure you've heard about me." She said, stretching out her hand for a handshake. Esmeralda took it and shook her hand.

"I'll brief you a little so you'll have background information before he arrives. Your office is going to be really tight at the moment, but I know you can handle it." As if on cue, she stopped in front of an open office. Esmeralda cringed at the files piled up to form a shaky stairwell on the almost invisible desk.

"I'll warn you, the prince can be really scary at times. You see that dent in the ceiling up there?" Esmeralda's eyes followed Ravina's pointed finger. She nodded when she saw a mark, a huge imprint that looked like someone had hurled something or even smashed something right there. But why the ceiling?

"The prince did that." Ravina continued. 

"You know why you're here. I'll leave you to it. That's the company's landline. Once the prince arrives, the receptionist will ring you."

"Why?" Esmeralda asked.

"So you can wait for him in his office to undress him.  The office next door is his office. It has an executive suite inside of it. If you're lucky enough, he'll show what it's like inside. Then, Esmeralda," The woman paused.

"No matter what happens, don't ever go to the palace. Everything you do ends here. Let me add this, Esmeralda. Don't allow your emotions to get in the way of your vision. If you need anything, ring me."

Esmeralda was left alone now in the office. Ravina's blood rose scent was fading away. She was long gone. Esmeralda knew she was alone in this, no matter how many spies her mother had in the fashion house.

First, she was going to start with the files on the table. She was going to discard all of the files. There was no way she would sit down to go through all of them one at a time. The previous personal assistant had been unable to do it. Why would she then?

Prince Kain was just returning from an impromptu council meeting. His father's health was improving, a good sign that the universe was on his side. The outcome of the meeting however was what had his head blowing up. His father had declared him unfit to inherit any of his properties, including the fashion house he had been banking on.

As his orderlies opened the car for him to get down, he saw two cleaners from the fashion house carrying boxes filled with files. He recognized the files from the ones that had been sitting on the desk of his last personal assistant. 

Zukor, the head of his orderlies noticed his distraction and offered to call one of the cleaners. The woman hurried over to them.

"Why are there so many boxes? Haven't you cleaned before?" Zukor asked, pinning her one of his stern looks. The woman rubbed her eyes as she spoke.

"The new personal assistant asked us to dispose of the old files." Zukor dismissed her and asked her to go on with her work. He went to relay her response to the prince who was leaning leisurely on his black Ford.

"She says the new personal assistant asked her to dispose of the old files." 

"The new personal assistant has resumed?" The prince asked.

"Inarguably so." 

"I won't be down until evening." Zukor watched as the prince marched past him. In the few years he had spent working for the prince, he had come to understand that some people were better left alone. The prince topped the list of such people. He was battling with his heart. When Zukor first heard the rumor, he didn't believe it. Hell, he still couldn't believe it. But one day, the prince had gotten incredibly angry. His teeth clicked, and his nails tore out of his flesh as he tried to shapeshift.

It was unsuccessful, but it cleared some doubts. It never happened again, and Zukor himself feared that the prince might have forgotten his own bloodline.

As Kain marched his way into the VIP lounge, his subordinates steered clear out of his way. He knew the receptionist always dialed his personal assistant once he got back from an outing. Unless this one was yet to get the memo. He was barely three feet away from the door when it opened.

There was no way…The woman from the VIP lounge! Her red hair was no longer up in a bun. It cascaded freely down her shoulders now. Since when did he start taking notes of things like these? Red hair, green eyes, fierce spirit and a strong aura. There was something forbidden about her that drew him to her. She was everything he wished for. Wished for.

This woman was his. The urge to claim her was growing. The animal in him was growling. Crouching, ready to pounce and lay its claim. This new feeling was new. His heart was yet to miss a beat. He was yet to feel the gnawing feeling he always felt, like in the VIP lounge when she was in his arms. 

He watched as shock registered on her face before recognition. 

For the first time, Kain felt real emotions. This was the first woman to hold his attention. He had to fight it. She was his personal assistant. His subordinate. Was fate teasing him again?