Chapter 160

10:38 Chapter 8: Ayla I woke up the next morning feeling extra sore from our first training session the day before. Theo said we could wait a day, but I teased him about saying something about not going casy on me. In hindsight, I may have been a little overzealous. By the time I was back in the apartment running the shower, I could barely move. But I managed to strip out of my sweaty clothes and spent an absorbing amount of time under the hot water.

Thank the goddess for the packhouse’s endless supply.

The shower door opened and Theo stepped inside.

I groaned. “Not now, babe,”

Theo laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I’m just here to shower. And since you are determined to spend the day in here, I have no choice but to join you.”

“Sorry,” I said, moving out of the spray.

“It’s okay, hon,” he said. He kissed my cheek and grabbed the soap and washcloth. “Come here.”

We scrubbed each other down. Theo even washed my hair, which was nice since I wasn’t sure I could lift my arms that high. But when we got out, I was feeling much better. I was sore but energized. While I had a full day scheduled, it was a casual workload.

So I dressed in some comfy leggings and a flowy tank top. Theo was back in slacks and a button–up, which I knew he wasn’t ecstatic about.

“More investor meetings today?” I asked.

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10.38 D “I have to see Malcolm off this morning. Then I have a couple of video calls around lunch,” he said as he put on his watch. “But these should be far more pleasant, at least.”

“And you’re sure everything is okay with the business?” I asked. “I know I’m the reason you’ve missed...”

“Everything is great, babe,” he interrupted. “You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about. Dad and I started building the business while I was in college, and we set up the management and operations so that I could step back once it got on its feet.”

He hugged me from behind. “We always knew being the Alpha would take precedence. I’m still the primary owner and have the final say in major decisions, but I trust my people. So, I promise. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Okay,” I said with a smile.

“You know I wouldn’t keep anything like that from you, right?” he asked. “Everything I have is yours, Ayla. If something happens, you’ll always be part of the solution.”

I reached back and cupped his cheek, rubbing my fingers across the beard he had been growing out.

“What does your day look like today?” he asked.

“Research,” I stated. “I said I’d get some things together for Professor Armand to review. We’re meeting on Monday after class.

Then I start Luna training with your mother this afternoon.”

“That’s right,” he drawled. “I believe she is relinquishing her office to you today.”

“Her office?”

“Yeah, she has the small office across from mine,” he informed me.

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10:38 “Dad realized real quick that she needed her own workspace for her duties.”

“Oh,” I said. “Speaking of workspaces. Jimmy and I were concerned that the cellar may not be the best place for us to work on the Waar Pak investigation. All the coming and going may make the utility shed a bit more conspicuous.”

“Yeah, he mentioned that. I’ve been thinking about it, too,” Theo said. “I’m having the packhouse blueprints sent over. I may have a solution for that if everything checks out. Luckily, your mate is a half–decent contractor.”

He kissed my neck and slapped my butt on his way out of the bathroom. I pulled my hair dryer to finish getting ready but was turned suddenly. Theo grabbed my face and kissed me hard.

“I’ll see you later,” he said. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I giggled.

After he left, I dealt with my hair, grabbed a granola bar from the kitchen, and opened my laptop. I still had to read Zeff’s letters before I could head down to the cellar with Mina. I pulled up the email and clicked on the attachments.

I was surprised to find myself actually wanting to write responses to them. The first was from a woman who had been with her partner for six years, but he wasn’t her fated mate. They had been discussing taking each other as chosen mates for a while, but she recently started to feel like he was pulling away from the idea.

The second was about a young she–wolf who was about to graduate and had the opportunity to go to a college she had dreamed about attending. However, she didn’t think her family would approve because it was in another pack’s territory.

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10:38 And the third was from a mother whose mate recently passed away.

I still wasn’t convinced I was the right person to be giving them advice, but I did feel for the authors and wanted to help. I shut down my laptop and pushed it aside, weighing my options. I decided to take the day to think about it. Theo was right about having a lot going on. I’d see how the day went and decide when I saw him that evening.

I slipped on a pair of flats, grabbed my bag, and headed for the cellar.

“You’re still getting paid for all this work, right?” I asked Mina as I set my bag down next to my chair.

Mina looked up from whatever test she was running.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah,” she replied. “Theo said if the precinct can’t find the budget, he’ll take it out of the pack funds. This does affect all of us, after all. But that’s why I’m still waiting on the lab assistants.”

“Do you really think we’ll need them?” I asked.

Mina gave me a look. “To process all of this? Yeah.” She sat back in her chair. “It’s not even about analyzing everything. We need to organize and catalog it all. That should help us with the analysis. Plus, who knows what else they’ll find at his other properties. They haven’t gotten a team out there yet.”

I looked over at the metal container that held the stuff from my father. I wasn’t sure I wanted it to be mixed in with everything else. Maybe I would have Theo move it to our apartment for the time being. Just until I had some time to really go through it.

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