In Her Place

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CHAPTER 13

~Zara's POV~

I was in luck today—Snow had been tied up with meetings and calls, leaving us almost no time to cross paths. 

I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing it meant a break from the constant tension that seemed to crackle between us.

Why was I so glad? Because I'd already woken Astrid and with Glacier's aura so close, I knew she'd be eager to push forward, testing limits neither of us was ready for. 

But for now, she was resting, giving me a little peace to focus on my work. 

I glanced at the pile of documents on my desk and sighed. It felt like a punishment for teasing Snow—being his wife and his employee had its perks and disadvantages. 

This was definitely one of the downsides.

When I finally finished my tasks, I decided to head up to the next floor to meet the Vice-CEO of Aurora Conglomerate Inc. 

The moment I stepped out of the elevator, I felt the shift in the atmosphere. Eyes followed me, whispers floating around like little bees buzzing in my ear.

As I walked into the office, I couldn't help but think of my mother's words, 'Never let them see you sweat'. She'd taught me to stand tall, even when faced with adversity.

Growing up, my alpha wolf's presence gave me an edge, but my resilience made me unstoppable.

"Look at her," one of the women muttered, not even trying to hide her disdain. Not that it would matter, I had incredible super hearing thanks to my alpha wolf. "Walking around like she owns the place."

"She's probably using her connection to the CEO," another snorted, loud enough for me to hear. "That's how she got the job, I heard."

So that's how they want to play it?

I paused mid-step, a smile playing at the corners of my lips. I could feel the heat of their glares on my back, which only made me straighten my shoulders. 

"Jealousy is a terrible look on you," I said over my shoulder, keeping my voice light but loud enough for them to hear.

One of them, a woman with sharp red nails and a high ponytail, sneered. "And arrogance doesn't suit you either, Mrs. Zephyr," she shot back, emphasizing the last part with a smirk. "Or should I say, the CEO's little pet?"

I turned slowly, facing her directly. Miss Blake's eyes narrowed, her gaze lingering on my wedding ring. I recalled the office gossip about her failed engagement and realized her hostility ran deeper than mere jealousy.

"Oh, I'm far more than just that." I smiled sweetly. "But thank you for the compliment. You know, it takes a lot to be both the wife and the boss's right hand."

I knew news of me being his woman would soon be the talk of the company. How they knew was something I was still working with myself but I didn't care.

People talk when they are either jealous, scared or just being shitty to themselves naturally.

The woman's smile faltered, her expression darkening. "You think you're special?" she challenged, taking a step closer, her tone dripping with hate. "You're just another pretty face trying to sleep her way to the top."

I felt a flash of irritation and could hear Astrid stir, pushing against my control. I kept my composure, though, not giving them the satisfaction of seeing me lose my cool. 

Instead, I took a step closer myself. My smile was still perfectly intact.

"If you think that's all it takes," I replied calmly, "then I suggest you try it yourself. Oh wait…" I tapped my chin lightly in a thinking manner. "You already did, didn't you? And look where it got you—still stuck in the same spot, whispering like a naughty teenage schoolgirl."

There was a collective gasp from the small crowd that had gathered and the woman's face flushed an angry red. "Why you—"

Before she could finish, the door to the Vice-CEO's office swung open and a tall man in a sharp suit stepped out. 

His eyes swept over the scene, taking in the group of gossiping employees and my calm stance. 

Mr. Hunt's smile seemed genuine, but I detected a hint of curiosity in his eyes. Was he sizing me up for my role within the company, or was there something more at play?

"What's going on here?" he asked after peeling his gaze from me, in a deep authoritative voice, instantly silencing the room.

The woman with the red nails faltered, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "We were just—"

"Clearly wasting time," I cut in, turning to the Vice-CEO with a pleasant smile. "I was just on my way to see you."

He raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips as he turned to the woman. "Is there a problem, Miss Blake?"

Miss Blake stammered, "N-no, Mr. Hunt, no problem at all."

"Good. Then everyone can get back to work." He turned to me, his smile widening. "Mrs. Zephyr, if you would please come in."

I gave Miss Blake a pointed look before following him into the office, feeling a surge of satisfaction. A small victory, maybe, but a satisfying one nonetheless. 

I stepped into Mr. Hunt's office, the momentary satisfaction of putting Miss Blake in her place still lingered, but the meeting passed quickly and professionally. 

He barely acknowledged the scene that had unfolded outside his door. In no time, we wrapped up, and I headed back to Snow's office.

As I reached the floor, I tried sensing him but I felt nothing giving me the brief joy of another escape from him and Glacier. 

Snow was likely not done with his calls by now, which meant our next interaction would be probably at home. I smiled confidently, pushed the door open and stepped inside.

To my horror, I saw the big bad wolf in sheep's clothing at his desk, engrossed in something on his iPad, but as soon as I walked in, he looked up, his sharp eyes locking onto mine.

His lips stretched into a dangerous smile, one that screamed 'got ya'' and I had to try and mask my fear. 

He had masked his scent, fooling me completely. Seems he realised I was kind of avoiding him.

"You're back," he stated in a low and smooth voice, sending a ripple of tension through the room.

"Yes." I kept my tone light but was unable to ignore the way the air felt heavier when he was near.

He put down the iPad and leaned back in his chair, watching me with an unreadable expression. "How did your meeting go?"

"Productive," I informed him, sitting down across from him. "Though I had an interesting encounter outside Mr. Hunt's office."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

I smirked, crossing my legs. "Let's just say your employees have a lot to say about your wife."

His lips twitched, but he didn't smile. "I'm sure they do." He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the desk. "And how did you handle it?"

I met his gaze, feeling a flicker of amusement. "I handled it quite well, thank you very much."

My big mistake as the next thing I knew, Astrid mistook my boldness for flirting and the next thing, she let her aura out, earning a deep appreciative growl from Glacier. 

Oh… Shit!