Page 14 of Auditing the Alpha

“Better than I have in years,” I admitted, stretching. Various muscles protested—pleasant reminders of the previous night’s activities.

Klaus’s nostrils flared slightly, and his eyes darkened. “You smell like me now,” he said, voice dropping to that low register that made heat pool in my belly.

“Is that a good thing?” I asked, pulling the blanket around me as I sat up.

“Very good,” he confirmed, turning back to the stove. “For wolves, scent is… important. Intimate.”

I climbed out of bed, wrapping the blanket around my waist, and padded to the bathroom. The mirror revealed a spectacularhickey at the junction of my neck and shoulder—exactly where Klaus had bitten me. I touched it gently, remembering the sensation of his teeth pressing into my skin.

When I emerged, Klaus had set two plates on the small table by the window. He’d put on a henley, much to my disappointment, and was pouring coffee into mugs.

“The roads?” I asked, gesturing toward the window.

“Plows came through an hour ago,” he replied. “We can head out after breakfast.”

I nodded, suddenly uncertain about how to proceed. Last night had been intense, revelatory, and absolutely outside my normal experience. In the clear light of day, with no blizzard or whiskey to blame, I wasn’t sure what came next.

Klaus seemed to sense my uncertainty. “Jordan,” he said gently. “We can take this at whatever pace you need. Nothing has to be decided today.”

I smiled gratefully and sat down at the table. “Thanks. It’s just… a lot to process. Werewolves. Mates. Pack dynamics.”

“And you still have an audit to complete,” he added with a quirk of his lips.

“God, the audit.” I shook my head. “Talk about a conflict of interest now.”

We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. The food was delicious—Klaus apparently had many talents beyond woodworking and transformation.

“So,” I said eventually, “what happens now?”

Klaus set down his coffee mug. “Professionally? You finish your audit. I’m sure you’ll find everything in order.”

“And personally?”

His amber eyes met mine across the table. “That depends on what you want, Jordan. I meant what I said—this is your choice. Being a potential mate doesn’t obligate you to anything.”

I considered this. “And if I want to… explore this? Whatever this is between us?”

The smile that spread across his face was worth any uncertainty. “Then I’d be very happy to explore it with you.” His expression grew more serious. “But you should know what you’re getting into. The full moon is tomorrow night. You’ll see me—all of us—at our most wolf-like.”

A shiver that wasn’t entirely fear ran through me. “What does that mean, exactly?”

“We shift fully,” he explained. “Not Hollywood werewolves walking on two legs—actual wolves, just larger than natural ones. We retain our human minds, but our instincts are stronger.”

“And you want me there for this?” I clarified.

He nodded once. “If you’re considering a place in my life—in the pack’s life—you should see all of what that means.”

It was a fair point. “Okay,” I agreed. “Full moon werewolf party it is.”

Klaus laughed, the sound warming me more than the coffee. “It’s more of a run than a party, but yes.”

After breakfast, I borrowed more of Klaus’s clothes—everything I’d brought was still at the inn—and we headed back to civilization. The world outside was transformed, blanketed in pristine white that sparkled in the morning sun. Klaus drove carefully on the freshly plowed roads, one hand resting casually on my knee.

At the inn, Martha gave us a knowing look that made me wonder if the entire town was in on the werewolf secret. Klaus walked me to my room, lingering in the doorway.

“I have pack business to attend to today,” he said, sounding genuinely regretful. “Preparations for the full moon.”

I nodded, trying not to show my disappointment. “I should catch up on actual work anyway. Send the preliminary findings to my boss.”