THE DOMESTICATED CAT HAHA

We ended up eating warm chicken gratin which he made from scratch. It was the best gratin I had ever eaten and the most cooking that had ever been done in our kitchen since we moved in. The most amazing thing was how the kitchen now looked even cleaner and neater than before he cooked.

"Urmmm... Thank you for the meal. I'm going to my room, make yourself at home." I told Clara's brother.

"Yes. Please rest. I apologize for the inconvenience of my presence." He answered with a straight face.

I just laughed, "You're actually more help than trouble. I just need to get some work done for my next job."

Clara's brother nodded seriously. It occurred to me that Clara's brother was a very serious man. His face had not even flickered a single emotion so far.

He also didn't talk much, and when he did, it was very straight forward. He was exactly the kind of man I didn't know how to talk to.

He made me feel like the smiles I wore and the laughter I peppered in my daily interactions were shallow and superficial.

I retreated to my bedroom and got to work. First the laundry, yes the clothes from my one week trip home were still in my luggage bag. I had to wait for my turn to use the machine, and then I got busy with work... Oh wait, now there was a very hot albeit stoic wolf in the kitchen. I couldn't show him my dirty laundry from last week, could I?

I grinned to myself. It might be funny to see that stony expression crack. I mean, its not like I wanted to be one of his girlfriends until his mate showed up... Oh wait, why did I assume he was unmated? Maybe he already had a mate?

Okay, in that case, there was really no loss. I mean he already commented on my period, and I all but admitted my dismal cooking skills over lunch in a bid to strike up conversation. He had only answered that cooking was a learned skill. Uh-huh. In other words, maybe he was asking me to learn.

Oh well. I grabbed the pile of stinky laundry unceremoniously, and dragged it into the kitchen.

Clara's brother had just finished wiping the last bowl dry. He returned it to it's place on the shelf and turned to look at me.

I carefully watched for some kind of facial reaction, a wrinkled nose, raised brow, shock gasp? But no, he only pressed his lips a tiny bit more so that his mouth was a straight line. It was a very sexy way to arrange his mouth.

Hahahaha. Yeah, I'm a sucker for hot wolves. Mated or not. I mean, how would I know anyway?

"Do you need help?" He asked.

"No." I said.

"Maybe you could change and wash your skirt too." He suggested.

"Why would I want to do that?" And then I had the worst realisation ever. My pad leaked didn't it?

I turned and pulled my skirt to see the bright red stain. OMG, when did that happen? I rushed into the living room and checked the couch. Okay, it's clean. Then I went to my bedroom... Gah, my chair!

I should have showered and changed after lunch. But I just didn't because Clara's brother was there.

I can't believe he had to see that. And he didn't even bat an eyelid!

I grabbed my towel and clothes and a fresh pad.

Okay, I'm sorry... I'm human. I'm a woman. Periods happen every month for me. But I can't believe I stained my skirt in front of Clara's brother.

So embaressing.

If Clara's brother noticed my reddened face, he didn't show it. Of course he didn't show it. His face was like a rock. It didn't show anything.

"I'm going to take a shower." I said. I had a bad habit of stating the obvious whenever I was flustered.

"If you pass me your clothes, I can start the washing machine for you." Clara's brother offered.

If I did that, I would definitely die of embaressment. Did werewolves not understand this delicate emotion called embaressment?

"Ah, no, it's okay." I retreated to the bathroom and locked the door. Wow. I was doing a lot of retreating today.

After that, I tried to hide in my room and read up about Reid Inc's CEO. There wasn't much about him. His name was Stephan Reid. 29. Inherited directly from his grandfather.

And then I struck gold when I accidentally stumbled upon an unofficial forum set up by some employees in Reid Inc. In it there was a treasure trove of of complaints and gossip. From who slept her way to the top, to the best places for lunch.

Ah ha, lots of information about Stephan Reid here. Sounded like a very strict man. He had done a full accounts audit the moment he stepped up to helm and had three teams arrested and seven teams disbanded and a series of layoffs, all within the first year.

Even worse, for the past year, he hadn't been able to retain a single staff in his office. And there was a count of ladies he made cry. It's at 7 ladies and 1 man.

They called him cold and heartless. And speculated that it was because he hadn't found a mate and this had caused his heart to turn to stone. Wolves are always so poetic - even when rumor-mongering about their boss.

He was anal strict about punctuality, personal conduct, and reporting accuracy.

Oh boy. I probably should've researched before agreeing. I probably got this job because they were desperate for somebody, anybody at all.

It's okay, don't panic. If I got fired, I could always go back home to my plan C.

Plan A was to meet my mate in college and marry him. We all know that didn't happen.

Plan B was to become an independent career woman. Still working on it.

Plan C was to go home and work on whatever I find there to do.

Oh, I found a goldmine on the CEO in a single thread entitled "She-Wolves beware".

Apparently Stephan Reid was a very hot and unmated wolf, and female wolves applied for internship or work here just to meet him in hopes that he would be their soulmate.

He was also #4 in the list of most desirable unmated wolves in the Green Packlands. Harvey's name was listed #2. Hahaha. Only #2? How could anyone be more perfect than Harvey?

But the warning was that she-wolves who didnt do their job to his standard would be scolded and sacked. This man was not charming at all.

Later on, Clara and the others came back. I went out to find the four of them sitting stiffly on the sofa opposite Clara's brother.

He was growling lowly, looking straight at Marco.

And then he said, his tone consistently a deadly quiet, "You will duel me. Saturday morning at the address I will send you."

"Wait!" Clara said, "Brother, my mate is a human, you are the Captain of Moon Bell's Lycan army. If you must fight, it must be on equal ground."

Wait, what? Did she say the Captain of Moon Bell's Lycan Army? Marco was so dead.

Clara's brother nodded, "Very well, what would you suggest?"

Maybe Marco might have a chance if the challenge was a dating simulation game. Hahaha.

"My mate will challenge you in love." Clara said.

Wait, what? I burst out laughing. And then stopped laughing when everyone turned to stare.

"Very well." Clara's brother agreed, "Set the terms."

Seriously?

"You need to find your mate, and then show yourself a sweeter and more responsible mate than mine by the end of the year." Clara said with a confident smile.

Love must be blind. Marco a sweet and loving mate? Hahahaha. He's doomed.

"You might have a better chance if you just fight him head on." Mona advised her brother, "I mean, you might pass out quickly and not get killed."

Hahahaha. (Laughing on the inside)

"Very well." Clara brother conceeded, "But until then, if he makes you cry, I will completely destroy him."

Clara swallowed and nodded.

Thus satisfied, Clara's brother took his leave without another word. Not even a goodbye.

"Well, that went well." I joked.

"Don't worry, my brother has not found in mate for years. He just goes from one female to another like a homeless tom cat." Clara said.

Hahahaha. I laughed out loud this time, "So that's the plan?"

"But your big brother was so composed. What if he had already found her?" Marco worried.

"Thats unlikely. And even if my brother finds his mate, I am confident in you." Clara said calmly.

The rest of us burst out laughing at that. Out loud. Very loud.

"Hey!" Marco frowned at us, "Don't laugh. I've got this."

"In your dreams." I laughed it off and headed into the kitchen to take my laundry out of the dryer. Oh, Clara's brother had already done it. Plus he had folded everything into neat piles. Even the panties were folded.

I blinked. Okay. Captain of Moon Bell's Lycan army and homeless tom cat just folded my laundry.

I imagined him going from house to house doing laundry for his women. Hahahahaha.