The Alpha CEO's Human Mate

Happy Tears

“What was that?” Pam finally asked, swivelling her gaze to look accusingly at Kyle. "Is there some type of bad blood between you and Nikita that I am unaware of? She's a sweet girl and you looked like you were in physical pain just staring at her."

Kyle didn't reply, his jaw ticking as the silence prolonged.

Chris meanwhile was staring at Kyle closely, as if he could sense something no one else could. Kyle shifted in his chair, avoiding Chris’s gaze. Pam let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head. She was a no nonesense type of gal and did not have time for games.

“I think if it’s not going to be her you hire, then it shouldn’t be anyone,” Pam finally declared, standing up to gather her papers. “Now I’m going home boys. It’s been a long day and my girlfriend is waiting for me to go to Aspen for the weekend. If I’d had a flight, I would have missed it already,” Pam added, her gaze softening as she looked at Kyle. “Thanks for letting me use the company jet, but for someone who’s usually so compassionate, you were way too hard on the girl who is obviously the best fit for Executive Chemist,” Pam said matter-of-factly to Kyle before her gaze swept to Chris who seemed to still be staring at Kyle. She then proceeded to walk towards the door and see herself out. “See you all Monday.”

With that, Pam left the office.

“She’s your mate isn’t she?” Chris finally asked with a resigned sigh. He moved his head from side to side, cracking his neck as if gearing up for battle. Kyle’s silence was the only confirmation Chris needed. “s**t this is going to be a wild ride,” Chris muttered before strolling towards the exit himself. He ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair in agitation, clearly not happy with the drama that would eventually unfold.

“Where are you going?” Kyle called out. “We still have to talk about if she’s getting the promotion or not.”

Chris turned to look at Kyle skeptically.

“We all know she’s getting that promotion, mate or no mate. Even you have to admit, there is no other choice but her. However, what we don’t know is how the f**k we’re going to handle this. Mates." Chris shook his head. "Aren’t there rules against boss/employee relationships? How are you going to manage it?”

“I’m not getting into a relationship with her,” Kyle growled out angrily, squeezing the pen in his hand so hard that Chris was surprised it hadn't broken yet.

Chris snorted.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll worship the ground that woman walks on because you’re lucky the moon goddess gave you someone as strong as her.”

“Strong?” Kyle scoffed. “She’s human Chris! I’m the son of an alpha! I should get a mate with alpha blood! Mates are supposed to make you stronger. The last thing I need is a weak mate,” Kyle added crossly. “I need someone capable to help me manage my business too. As a wealthy CEO of a multi-million dollar company, too many people depend on me for their livelihood.”

Chris rolled his eyes.

“You know what…I’m going to go congratulate Nikita while you work it all through that thick head of yours,” Chris ended before exiting Kyle’s office as well.

***

Nikita left Kyle's office feeling like she was on top of the world. She couldn't believe that she had been given such a great opportunity, and she was determined to make the most of it. Hopefully, she’d be getting the promotion. And then she could finally move out of that hell hole….possibly somewhere very far away where Joel , her pathetic excuse for a husband, could never find her.

As she walked back to her desk, she couldn't help but feel grateful for all the support she had received from her colleagues over the years. They had always believed in her, even when she didn't believe in herself. Especially Chris. She really did need to thank him.

"Hey, Nikita,” called Chris.

Nikita turned to look at him making his way over to her desk.

“I just wanted to say congratulations again. You deserve this promotion more than anyone I know," Chris said honestly. “I’ve watched you put your heart into your work.”

Nikita smiled at him. "Thanks, Chris. I couldn't have done it without you though. I really owe you for recognizing my efforts."

Chris put a hand on her shoulder. "You're going to be great in this new role, Nikita. I have no doubt about that."

Nikita’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You mean?” she asked, her lower lip trembling as if she couldn’t quite believe it.

Chris nodded and gave her a wink. Nikita promptly burst into tears. Happy tears. This was the beakthrough she’d been waiting for. She couldn’t believe it! With this new promotion, she’d finally achieved her dream of working in an executive role. And she’d also just secured a future for herself and her two daughters. No more waking up to a house drenched in alcohol. No more scary screaming episodes….

“I’m so happy!” Nikita admitted, reaching for a tissue and dabbing her eyes. “All my hard work actually paid off.”

“Hey..it was always going too,” Chris said, pulling Nikita into a hug. He ran his hand up and down her back as her tears soaked his collared shirt. “Come on woman….stop your crying and go celebrate with your family! Take your girls out somewhere!”

“My girls,” Nikita mumbled in relief. “My girls can finally get on my health insurance.”

She looked up at Chris expectantly who gave a laugh.

“That and more. Just wait for the contract. You know we take care of our own,” Chris assured Nikita, giving her a final pat on her back before backing away. “See you Monday. We all know that you have what it takes to handle this role. I am confident that you will be an asset to our team, and I look forward to working with you in this new capacity. We’re going to be seeing great things from you. I just know it,” Chris said assuredly, backing out of her tiny office after a final wink and smile.

Nikita stared after him, feeling lucky to have someone like Chris rooting for her. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that the last thing her CEO had wanted was to hire her.

She had an inkling that he was going to give her a really difficult time. Squaring her shoulders, Nikita assured herself that she'd faced worse. Much worse. And unbidden, the memories of her deadbeat husband clouded her mind. For a moment, she allowed herself to get caught up in them....thinking back to the last encounter she'd had with him 4 months ago...

A/N: Someone requested to find out about Nikita's husband. So we'll get a small glimpse. Other requests are welcome!