At one point, my old man must have seen something in me other than the fact that I can shift into a wolf. I’m also highly intelligent, not just some dumb playboy who only knows where to stick it. He put me through college and I graduated with all Honors, despite my playboy reputation.
Just like he did for his other two sons—who were human and not bastards—he gave me a job at Zander Corporation. I still couldn’t tell anybody that I was his son. Not that it mattered who I was though. I wanted to make a name for myself. I started out as a marketing executive and then worked my way up pretty quickly. It wasn’t long before the board of directors recommended me as a candidate for President.
My father and his other sons became jealous and irate, almost to the point of revealing that I was a shifter.
Without my father’s wishes, I accepted the role. With the way things are set up, he couldn’t do anything about it.
His other sons had vacated their positions long ago and had decided to become private investors while pinching off the company profits and taking company-sponsored vacations.
My father still owns the company on paper, but when shares were re-distributed by the board of directors just last year, I ended up with the highest percentage. I had a clear advantage. I was a high-level executive—the highest—and a shareholder.
Now, the board has suddenly turned on me, and I'm pretty sure my father and half-brothers have everything to do with it. They're not above bribery and threats.
I know this firsthand. My father’s the one that convinced me to go AWOL when it was discovered that I’m not some close friend of his who just happens to work for him. I’m his bastard son. His bastard son who’s also a shifter. The cat’s out of the bag. Everyone knows I’m a shifter. The media went crazy when they found out. I’ve been in the news ever since. My shifter status only encouraged the chicks that pined for my cock and my cash to pine for more. They still want to fuck me but for an entirely different reason. I’ve used that to my advantage, but I don’t want that life anymore.
With stories swirling about my father's long history of infidelity, he asked me to present him in a good light, deny the claims that inner family squabbles have kept Zander Corporation from operating at it's best, and then go AWOL for a while to get the media off our backs. Even my pack alpha was a little worried about all the media attention our community was getting. So, I agreed.
The media headlines were scathing.
Shifter bachelor billionaire missing!
Shifter billionaire goes missing after his parentage is revealed!
Where’s playboy Zander now?
That’s why I’m in this place right now.
“You didn’t have plans tonight. There’s no way you don’t know…” I hear Lydia’s small voice across from me. “They knew you were back. That’s why they pushed the meeting up. They’re nothing but snakes in the grass.”
I glance up. She’s looking through the planner I left open on my desk without my permission. I snatch it away from her.
“Anyways, brother, you know our father was lying the whole time, right? When he told you to disappear, it was so he could convince the board of directors to let him take back the company. If the board of directors votes you out, you’d have no control, like at all. He’s trying to take everything from you, Lucas!”
I believe it. My father never planned for me to own the company anyway. Not any shares or anything like that. It just happened that way.
I guess my father thought I’d be content as a marketing executive and never rise to the top, but now I’m President…and I won’t stop climbing either.
Sometimes, I think everything he’s given me was to keep my mother from outing his cheating ass. Maybe he never really saw anything in me at all. But now that the cat’s out of the bag about my parentage, he must want me out of the equation for good.
Not gonna happen.
I grip the armrests of my chair and high alarm rises in my chest.
Lydia keeps talking, tell me things I already know, “You need to go to that meeting now. He’ll make it seem like you abandoned your work. If you lose your shares, you can forget about the plans you had for the company.”
I stay silent in thought. I don’t like stealing companies. I can’t be like my father.
Lydia pounded her small fists on the edge of my desk. "His other lazy-ass sons don't deserve this. You worked your ass off at this company when they were vacationing in Hawaii and Prague and all those other exotic places. Lucas? I know you're having moral issues right now, but please hear me out. You can do this. You don't need them. You have me. You'll have your pack. I don't care right now if mom gets mad."
I grin. Lydia reminds me of someone I know. Me.
“Lydia. How’d you come out so good?” I stand up and ruffle her hair.
“Aw come on, I have the best influence! Now come on, we have to get to that meeting before they lawyers do something we’ll regret. They left you out of it on purpose.”
I raise my hands up and shake my head. “Where the hell do you think you’re going? You’re staying put—”
“The hell I am! Come on!”
I grab my binder and a briefcase and we run down into the garage.
“Let’s take the Ferrari this time. The route there is pretty ditch and incline free!”
I sigh. She’s lucky I’m in one of my odd moods.
“Fine. Let’s go.” I grab the keys for my white Ferrari and we jet off.
I've already had one thing stolen from me. I'll be damned if I let something else be taken.
I’m getting everything back.
Everything.
17
Lucas
“Sir, you two can’t go in there!” The secretary tries to run after us in her heels. It’s not going to work. My dad never hired the smart ones. This new start-up company he’s investing in isn’t going to last. As I look around the office building at the number of vacant cubicles and employees walking around like they have no clue, I already want to start barking orders. But I’m not going to fix my father’s messes anymore.
The secretary is so adamant about chasing us down. When I turn around, I see her in the middle of the hallway, hobbling after us with one heel. Apparently, the other heel has broken off somewhere down the hall.
This is what my father hires now. He hires sex dolls to be his secretaries, the ones he could fuck and not give a fuck about. There’s a new flavor every quarter. I know he’s been fucking her because I’ve caught him on many occasions with his pants down around his ankle with that same girl on her knees under his desk. I never say anything. I just leave the reports on his desk and exit the building.
He can run this new start-up into the ground, but he wasn’t ruining the company I worked so hard to build up when it was virtually falling apart.
We get to the double doors of his office and Lydia pushes them open.
“You guys can stop right there,” the secretary screams, pointing her show at us.
My father, his lawyer, and my other two half-brothers stand up in surprise and shock.
Slamming his fists down onto the table, he screams, “Why the hell are you here, remember what I told you. You were supposed to stay put. Your reputation looks bad to investors. You—”
“That’s a fucking lie. You want to talk about reputation? Your cock has been in nearly every pussy in this office. I know you’re a shitty person, but to try and take the company and leave me out of the redistribution? Well, that’s bull shit and I’m here to give you a taste of your own fucking medicine.”
The lawyers sink back into a corner and my brothers still look like they’re looking at a ghost. They’ve always steered clear of me. I know why. I would break them in two and they know it. But I don’t want violence. I want what I’ve worked hard for and I’m not giving it up.
I can almost see my father’s glasses shaking against the bridge of his nose. Yeah, that’s right you fucking bastard, you’re done.
“Look at you. Cups of
coffee, folders everywhere, you thought you were going to all get a piece of me and leave me out. I’ve been silent for too long. My mom has been silent for too long.”
My father eyes Lydia behind me. “Lydia dear… why don’t you leave the room?”
She inhales and lets out a big, “Fuuuck no! I’m with my brother. I’m with Lucas.”
I don’t scold her for cursing and not listening to her father, but that better be the last time I hear the f-bomb come out of her mouth.
My father grits his teeth. “Do you think I give a rats ass about your mother? I know that bitch has been running around that fucking shifter pack taking the men for a ride. She’s a whore and that’s all she’ll ever be. Do you think these people want the son of a whore running the company?”
“I’ve been running the company for years, father. No one had problems with it then. You know what you promised,” I state, glaring at him.
“I never promised you anything.”
"Oh?" I slap a binder down on the desk. "You're just going to sit there and act like you didn't demand that our CFO wire an accumulation of half a million dollars over a period of a couple months to your new startup? This was after the board of directors voted no to fund it. That's embezzlement."
“You—”
“I had some time while I was away. I’ve done a little of auditing on my own and my suspicions have been confirmed. What are you trying to do, father? Steal money from the profits I’ve made to fund this other venture and then leave me dry in the gust?”
“I—”
“And don’t get me started on your sons…” I turn around to face them. “You wrote cashier’s checks to yourself, took out loans, bought cars, and went on vacation, all while abusing the CFO’s authority. I know she’s a young college grad, but that’s just the lowest of the low. What did you do? Take turns sleeping with her.” When I look back and forth between them at the looks of guilt on their faces, I know I’m not that far off from the truth.
“I take this company two steps forward and you all take it four steps back. I can’t get behind something like that, but if you boys think I’m going to run off with my tail between my legs and leave it to you to take this company down or pin this all on me, you’ve got another thing coming. I’m not going anywhere and you’re not voting me out of anything.”
The lawyers are reduced to a state of panic and bewilderment.
“Do you company-paid lawyers have anything to say?”
“We thought you were missing, sir. They said you abandoned your work.”
“Untrue. So, since I cut the checks to pay you…” I dig into my suit jacket and take out a pen and click it. “Now that you have the papers ready, where do I sign to take full ownership of Zander Corporation? I’m citing a breach of public trust and proof of embezzlement. I want all of the shares transferred to me immediately.”
My father snaps and tries to lunge at me from over the table. I guess he thinks I’m going to take the violent route. Instead, I lift up my phone.
“Did I forget to say this was being recorded? Oh, sorry for my ignorance. I think I must’ve gotten that from you, father. You’ll do as I ask, or I’ll send this to every news station out there. And that’s not all. I’ll press charges to the fullest extent of the law.”
"Sign it, father," one of my half-brother orders. "I'm not going to prison."
My father shrinks back in his chair.
I hand him a pen. “Or…we can settle this the easy way and you’ll sign the company over to me. You can keep this little side start-up of yours, but I want Zander Corporation. Think about it. No one will do you favors, people will ostracize you like the piece of shit you are. Plus. It’s not like you have a real choice.”
He takes the pen.
One of the lawyers gathers together a folder and puts out a few pieces of paper for me to sign as well. “This will give you full control of Zander Corporation…”
My father snaps. “Earnest, what the hell are you doing?”
Earnest laughs dryly. “Hiram, if this isn’t done now, worse things will happen. I can assure you. Your son’s right. You need to settle this now.”
My father’s chest is heaving heavily. This isn’t something he wants to do, but with Lydia's knowledge by my side, my connections and a couple lawyers, there’s big damage we can do.
“Fine…”
My other two brothers sign their portions of the form and try to exit the office unseen, but I catch them.
“Hey, you two.”
They freeze. “W-what?” One of them stutters when he gets angry or nervous.
“Come near me, my sister, my family or my company and I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your fucking life.” This time I flash fang and I don’t care who sees.
They gulp and nod their heads before vanishing through the door.
Lydia has the biggest grin on her face right now. Her tiny canines are glistening too. I guess she wanted to match my aggression. I owe her big fucking time for supporting me. She reminds me every day that she’s a big part of my responsibilities. I’m doing this for her too. We’re going to own this thing together.
I go back in and sign the papers. The lawyers do their part to do what needs to be done. Now that this is going to be behind me, I need to get back one more thing…
18
Lucas
"Found her!" Lydia jumps up and down with her tablet. "And it wasn't even that hard with your help!" She leans over in the limo and shows me the article on Nigel Compton's wedding after getting his wife that was… What the fuck?
“Held hostage?” I bring the tablet closer to read the bold letters. What the fuck are they doing?
“Don’t worry about that. That’s news press gossip. Nothing that can do any damage to you. I’m pretty sure Claire let them know who she was really staying with and that probably scared a lot of people off or else you’d be in jail right now.”
“Hmph. Limo driver, put some more gas into it!” I demand.
“But sir, we’re already twenty miles per hour over the speed limit. We’ll be there in less than twenty minutes. I’m sure a police stop would make us too late.”
Lydia steps in. "He's right. If you try to get there too fast, we'll never get there at all!" She puts the tablet down and crosses her arms. "Haven't you heard of the phrase good things come to those who wait?”
I lean back in my seat and grumble, allowing the cool air to subdue me into being patient. I even have drinks on deck and I pick up my glass of Hennessy on the rocks and take a sip.
“Hey, don’t I get a sip too?” She bats her eyes. “I mean, I did—”
“Not at your age! Don’t even try and use that.”
I gulp down the shallow alcohol and lock the bottle back up in its compartment.
“Ugh, whatever. I can’t wait to be eighteen.”
I smirk. "You have to be twenty-one to drink."
“Oh, come on. Not fair!” She pouts and folds her arms.
“It’s the law.” I sit back and watch Lydia melt in anticipation. The urge to drink won’t even be there when she’s of age. I can bet on it.
We pull up on a big cabin house that has limos and people dressed up surrounding it. I jump out of the limo before it even stops to park.
"Goodness, Lucas," Lydia says, after following suit. She runs over to me and grabs my arm. "Come on, Lucas stop! If you barrel in there, you're just going to get us embarrassed and thrown out."
“Then what? Wait for her to hit the altar and snatch her from him?”
My brain is on overdrive right now. The only thing I want to do is march in and march out with my bride.
“That’s exactly what you need to do.”
Lydia takes my hand and guides me to where a stream of people are heading.
“We don’t have invites, Lydia. Let me handle this.”
When we get to the person who’s checking names off a roster, I smile and put on the works. It’s a woman, and I know the right way to speak to her an
d pile on the charm. I’m known for it.
“Last name, please.” She holds her hand out and looks at me with sparkling eyes.
“Hey, don’t I know you?” I ask.
The woman looks startled. She blushes as her gaze runs across my face. “I don’t think so.”
“Hmmm. I wouldn’t forget those beautiful eyes. You know, maybe I ran into you before and just wasn’t able to forget you.”
The woman is rendered speechless. “Thank you.” She giggles. “You know what, you two just go on, I’m sure you know where you’re going!”
We breeze on through and Lydia makes an exaggerated yuck face when she’s out of sight.
“Gross, women are so easy to fool.”
“Make sure you don’t grow up to be easy then.”
“Please, I’m going to be the most stubborn girl on the face of this planet. I’m going to nab lying ass fuckers.”
Someone overhears her dirty mouth and looks at us.
"Lydia!" She curses like a sailor. I'm going to put a stop to that.
But right now, I’m going to stop the woman of my dreams from being taken away from me.
19
Claire
I’m getting married.
I don’t want to.
But my dad owes a debt, my step-mom might die if I don’t help her, and I’ve already agreed to do it. Plus one slight mishap might bring Lucas trouble and I don't want that. I know Nigel doesn't want to go up against him, but if he feels like things are getting out of control, he'll hurt himself to hurt others and damage will be done.
I rather keep things the way they are. This has to be done.
I sigh and look at myself in the mirror. Peyton comes up from behind me and places her hands on my shoulders. “I’m sorry this is happening. Maybe we can just take his car and run for the hills. This time you and me together. I have family in another state. We can—”
What the Wolf Wants: Howls Romance Page 9
