The sun Twled through the skyline, slicing gold across the glass towers. Eryndor HQ shimmered like it had no memory of yesterday's chao
But everyone remembere
Whispers flitted through the corridors like paper cranes. The girl who'd walked in beside the alpha CEO. The one who'd healed a man with her bare hands. The one who'd made Vivian Zhou, the office queen, choke on silenc
Mei Lin walked through it all with a steady heartbeat. Her braid swung low today — quieter, but not submissive. A small, deliberate rebellio
Her ID tag looked too fresh against her plain blouse. Her desk — right outside Adrian's office — looked too neat. The others looked too scared to tal
"Good morning," she said anyway, voice bright but edge
Half the floor pretended they didn't hear. The other half stare
Inside the glass den, Adrian Li stood by the window, jacket off, sleeves rolled up. The city reflected against his eyes — unreadable, but restles
He'd been awake since dawn. Couldn't shake i
That flicker of light. Her hands on Ethan's wrist. The pull that felt older than logic
His wolf hadn't slept eithe
He heard her voice outside and it hit again — like static under his ski
He muttered, "Damn it," under his breath and turned away from the glas
"Mei Lin.
His voice cracked the morning quiet like a whip. The typing stopped again. She sighed — not nervous, just tired of the theatrics — and walked into his offic
"Routine task, right?" she asked, arms crossed. "Or are you about to throw me into another sci-fi experiment
Adrian didn't answer right away. He studied her like he was searching for an answer written on her skin. "Sit
She didn't. "You ever say please
One corner of his mouth twitched. "Not often enough to make it a habit
He slid a file across the desk. Inside, photos — broken machinery, burned ground, faint traces of glowing residu
"This came from one of our development sites outside the city. Division W reported an accident. I want you to look at it.
Mei Lin frowned. "I'm not a detective
"No," he said softly, "but you notice things others don't
The air tightened. She flipped through the pages, fingers brushing an image that almost hummed beneath her touch. A sharp flash — pain, heat, a voice she didn't recognize whispering her name — then gon
She blinked hard. "There's something wrong with that site. It's… bleeding energy
Adrian's eyes darkened. "Energy
She looked up, wary now. "You already know something's off, don't you
He didn't deny it. "Division W handles experimental tech. It shouldn't be unstable
"Then why does it feel alive?" she muttere
That stopped him. For a long moment neither spoke. The city noise below filled the gap — horns, footsteps, sirens. Life continuing like nothing had cracked ope
Finally he said, almost to himself, "You see more than you admit
"And you hide more than you should," she shot bac
He almost smiled — not from amusement, but relief. Someone finally speaking his languag
By afternoon, the skyline gave way to the outskirts — glass towers shrinking behind them, steel turning to dust road
Adrian drove. Mei Lin stared out the window, watching the city dissolve. The silence between them wasn't awkward this time; it felt… balanced. Like two storms circling the same calm ey
"So," she said finally, "you're taking me on a field trip now? Very CEO of you
He smirked without looking at her. "Think of it as… risk assessment
"Funny. You sound like you're assessing me
He didn't deny it. "Maybe I am
Her gaze lingered on his profile — jaw tight, eyes straight ahead, a man too controlled for his own good. And yet, every so often, something flickered beneath that calm. Something wil
When they reached the site, it was eerily quiet — old factory walls, concrete split like old scars, and that faint shimmer again. The ground seemed to pulse under her fee
She crouched, touching the cracked earth. "It's not just tech. This… this feels wrong. Like something trapped
Adrian knelt beside her. "Trapped
She nodded, then winced — a sudden spike of heat raced through her palm. His hand shot out on instinct, catching her
And that's when it hit — a wave of recognition, fierce and wordless. A heartbeat that wasn't her
For one breathless second, they both froz
He didn't let go. "What did you feel just now
She swallowed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you
"Try me
Her voice trembled, but she held his gaze. "It's like I've known that pulse before… not yours, but something tied to it
His wolf surged against his chest. He forced it down, jaw clenched. "You shouldn't be able to feel that
"Yeah," she whispered. "That's what scares me
They stayed there — two outlines framed by broken concrete and something unseen humming beneath the groun
For the first time, neither of them had a comeback. Just quiet understanding — uneasy, unfinished, but rea
When the Ground Remember
The air changed firs
That subtle hum from the cracked floor deepened into something that felt alive — a bass note thrumming in their bones
Mei Lin staggered back. "What the hell
Adrian's wolf reacted before he could think, body tense, eyes shifting just enough to catch a golden flicke
"Stay behind me," he ordere
"Not happening," she shot bac
The pulse in the ground answered them, rippling out in thin waves of light. It didn't glow bright; it shimmered like the surface of water catching sunlight through fo
Adrian grabbed her arm. The second his skin touched hers, the pulse jumped — brighter, stronger, faste
"Great," she muttered. "Now the floor's synced to us. That's totally normal
He didn't let go. His control was hanging by threads — the wolf inside pacing, restless. She's the key. She's our
He clenched his teeth. "Stop. Talking.
"Then stop—whatever this is
The light rippled outward, then burst in a low shockwave that sent dust and old metal scattering. Mei Lin's braid whipped behind her; Adrian shielded her without thinkin
When it settled, the world was silent again. Just their ragged breathing, and that faint hum now buried deep, like a heartbeat sinking undergroun
She looked up at him — hair loose, dust streaked on her cheek. "You… felt that too, didn't you
He didn't answer right away. His chest rose and fell too fast. "Whatever that was, it reacted to us
"To you," she corrected softly. "You started it
His mouth curved in something caught between a grimace and a grin. "You touched me first
Her glare was sharp enough to slice the tension. "You're impossible
"And you," he said quietly, "are dangerous
They stood there, eye to eye, the air still thick with energy that refused to fad
And somewhere in that silence — past the sarcasm, past the instinct — a small understanding rooted itself
Neither of them was walking away clean anymore
The drive back was quieter than before. The hum in the ground might've stopped, but the echo of it clung to both of them — under their skin, in the rhythm of their breathin
Mei Lin kept her gaze on the window, city lights growing sharper as the car re-entered the skyline. She could still feel the warmth from where he'd grabbed her arm. She hated that she notice
Adrian's hands stayed tight on the wheel. He'd told himself not to look at her, not to think about the way her pulse had matched his, not to question why the scent of her hair kept cutting through the leather and meta
"Don't tell me this happens often at your job," she said finally. "Mysterious glowing ground, near-death light shows, the usual corporate perks
He almost smiled. "Only on Tuesdays
"That's today
"Exactly
The corner of her mouth twitched, and for a moment the tension thinned. But only for a momen
When they reached the tower, the elevator ride up felt longer than usual. Neither spoke. The soft hum of machinery filled the space — too similar to the hum from the sit
By the time they stepped onto the 80th floor, the gossip had evolved. Eyes flicked to them like searchlights. Vivian wasn't in sight, but her perfume lingered — sharp, floral, expensive, desperat
Mei Lin ignored it all and went straight to her desk. Adrian disappeared into his offic
At least, that's what it looked like
Inside, he wasn't working. He'd pulled up her personnel file — the one his HR head had forwarded that morning, sanitized and simple: rural background, top student, minor medical training, nothing unusua
But it was too clean. No records before age ten. No regional documentation. No hospital records
He leaned back, tapping the desk. "Who are you really, Mei Lin?
On the other side of the glass, she felt the weight of his gaze even through the wall
And though she didn't look up, she whispered under her breath
"I wish I knew that too.
The city had gone quiet — that strange kind of stillness that only came after midnight, when the air hummed with all the things people didn't say out lou
Adrian sat in his penthouse, tie loose, laptop untouched. He'd poured himself a drink and hadn't taken a sip. His mind kept replaying the scene at the site — the light, the pulse, her voice when she said it felt aliv
Every instinct said protect he
Every rule said don't get close
He rubbed his temples, exhaling slow. "You're losing it, Li
But the wolf inside only growled, low and satisfied. We found her
Across the city, Mei Lin lay awake in her tiny apartment, ceiling cracked, fan spinning lazy circles. Sleep hovered but never landed. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw that shimmer again — and his hand catching her
The air in her room felt too warm, too charged. She got up, opened the window. The night breeze carried city sounds — traffic, laughter, something faintly electri
Then she saw i
A flash — not outside, but behind her eyelids. A dream that wasn't quite a dream
She was standing in the same broken factory, but it was older, wilder. Roots growing through the floor. Wolves pacing in the shadows. And one of them — silver-eyed — stopped, staring right at he
You came back, it whispere
She woke with a gasp, hand pressed to her heart. The faintest ache pulsed under her skin, same place he'd touched her earlie
Across town, Adrian jolted awake at the same instant, chest tight, pulse racing. The glass of water on his table vibrated, tiny ripples spreading outwar
He stared at it, eyes darkening. "What the hell is happening to us
The night didn't answer. It just watched — the way the city always did, quiet and knowingThe next day started like it had a secre
The air in Eryndor Tower felt charged — sharper than usual, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath
Adrian walked in early. Too early. He didn't greet anyone, didn't glance at the staff lined up for morning briefings. His jaw was tight, his eyes shadowe
"Coffee, sir?" Ethan asked carefull
Adrian's nod was a little too quick. "Black
He didn't add sugar, didn't need it. The caffeine wasn't what he wanted anyway — it was control. Something to anchor his thoughts before they drifted back to he
But the moment Mei Lin stepped onto the floor, that fragile control cracke
She was wearing the same simple clothes, yet somehow she looked… brighter. Or maybe he was just seeing her differentl
She caught his gaze through the glass wall and frowned, like she could feel the same invisible thread tightening between them
"Morning," she called lightly, voice steady but eyes war
He hesitated, then replied, "Morning." It sounded too human for hi
Vivian appeared seconds later — perfume strong, smile sharper. "Adrian, about the new contract meeting
He barely looked at her. "Reschedule it
Vivian blinked. "Reschedule? But the investors
"I said reschedule." His tone left no room for argumen
Her lips thinned. She followed his gaze and found its target instantly. Mei Li
The room chille
Vivian smoothed her blazer, mask slipping back on. "Of course." She turned, eyes burning holes in the back of Mei Lin's hea
Mei Lin didn't notice — or pretended not to. She was staring at the city outside, lost in thought. But inside, she felt it again — that low hum that didn't belong to machines. It was coming from hi
She turned toward his office, just as he looked u
Their eyes met
And for a heartbeat, the world stilled again
Something unspoken passed between them — not love, not yet, but recognition. Like two pieces of a story remembering they once fi
It hit just after noon.
An alarm—short, sharp, electronic—split the air. Red lights pulsed through the 80th floor, washing glass and chrome in warning.
Mei Lin looked up from her desk. "That supposed to happen?"
Ethan's face drained. "Not unless someone's inside Division W's system."
The wolf in Adrian woke instantly. He stepped out of his office, calm but lethal. "Lock down the elevators. Secure floor access. Everyone stays put."
Vivian, halfway through a phone call, froze. "Adrian, what's going on?"
He didn't answer her. "Mei Lin, with me."
She blinked. "Wait—why me?"
"Because whatever this is, it started where we were yesterday."
That shut her up. She followed him into the restricted hallway. The red light strobed against their faces, throwing shadows that looked almost alive.
When the doors to Division W slid open, the smell hit first—ozone and burning metal. One of the energy cores had ruptured. Blue sparks crawled across the floor like veins of lightning.
Adrian's instincts flared. "Don't touch anything."
Mei Lin crouched near the core, eyes narrowing. "It's reacting the same way the ground did. It's… searching."
"Searching for what?"
Her voice dropped. "Not what. Who."
A sudden pulse shot from the machine straight toward her, heat and light flaring like a heartbeat gone wild. She flinched—but before she could move, Adrian grabbed her, pulling her back.
The blast hit the wall behind them, scattering debris. His body shielded hers, his hand braced against the floor beside her head.
For a second, the noise faded. Only their breaths filled the space.
"You okay?" he asked, voice low, almost a growl.
She nodded, eyes wide. "You?"
He gave a short, humorless laugh. "I've had worse."
But his eyes said otherwise. They burned faint gold now, just for a heartbeat—before he forced them back to normal.
Mei Lin noticed. "Your eyes—"
"Later," he snapped. "Can you shut that thing down?"
"Maybe. But I'll need to touch it."
"Absolutely not."
She shot him a look. "Then tell your alpha side to find another solution."
He opened his mouth—then closed it. She wasn't asking permission; she was daring him to trust her.
So he did.
"Fine. But I stay right here."
She approached the flickering core, pressed her palms against the surface. Her fingers glowed faintly again—same light as before, soft but commanding. The machine resisted, then slowly stilled under her touch.
When it was done, silence fell. The alarm cut out. The light faded. The air cooled.
Adrian exhaled, shoulders dropping. "Remind me never to underestimate you again."
She smirked. "Took you long enough."
But when their eyes met again, the banter slipped. What passed between them wasn't flirta
The office was too quiet. The city outside glowed cold and distant, its noise filtered to a low hum.
Adrian stood with his back to the window, the skyline behind him like armor. Mei Lin sat across from him, hair loose from the chaos, a smudge of ash on her cheek.
He'd ordered everyone out. No witnesses.
"You're going to tell me what that was," he said finally.
Mei Lin met his stare head-on. "Which part? The glowing machine or the part where you turned into a human security system?"
"Don't deflect." His tone dropped lower. "That energy responded to you. It's the same signature from yesterday's site."
"Then maybe your tech's allergic to sarcasm."
"Mei Lin."
She exhaled, long and slow. "I don't know why it reacts. I've felt it since I was a kid—like the earth has a heartbeat, and sometimes it gets too loud. I used to think I was crazy."
He studied her. "You're not crazy."
"Then what am I?"
He didn't have an answer. He only knew that the air around her still thrummed faintly, the same frequency his wolf had started echoing since the first day she walked into his building.
After a long silence, he said, "Whatever you are, you're not leaving the company. Not until I understand this."
Her jaw tightened. "So I'm a prisoner now?"
"No. A partner."
The word landed heavier than he meant it to.
Her expression softened—just barely. "That almost sounded human, Mr. Li."
"Don't get used to it."
But she smiled anyway. A real one this time, tired and genuine.
He looked away first. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we start digging."
"Into what?"
"Your past," he said quietly, "and mine."
---
That closes Chapter 6.
Chapter 7 picks up the next morning—same tension, but now there's a mission underneath it. The two of them start chasing the connection between her power and Division W's experiments.
At the same time, whispers start spreading through the company, and Adrian's wolf keeps slipping closer to the surface.
It's where the mate bond starts to make sense, piece by piece, without either of them admitting it yet.
Something deep, instinctive, and uninvited.