Page 21 of Magnus

For the first time in a long while, possibly ever, I was at peace. Like I was precisely where I was supposed to be.

Mila twitched in her sleep, her brow furrowed. A nightmare. She’d had a few since learning she was a wolf shifter.

“Relax. You’re safe,” I murmured, stroking her hair.

Her expression eased, and my heart clenched as she burrowed into me.

I silently vowed to always protect this amazing woman fate had brought me.

Chapter 10

Mila

Magnus was my bright spot among my frustrations. Another two weeks had crept past, and we were no closer to discovering the identity of my blackmailer, even with the weight of Magnus’s resources behind us.

I racked my brain, recalling past jobs I’d taken in an effort to pinpoint any disgruntled customers who’d targeted me in their crosshairs. But my jobs had been clean–in and out, leaving no traces behind. Or so I’d thought until Magnus had exposed me. Uncovering my infiltration had only taken his cousin a matter of weeks. It had been a blow to my ego, proving that no one was untouchable.

But I couldn’t regret the events that had brought me to this point. Being with Magnus was nothing short of perfect. Being loved and cherished was everything I’d always wanted. I had a family now in the shape of Magnus, his brothers, and his parents, all of whom I’d spoken to on the phone–apart from the youngest, Orson, who was currently off-grid at the Alaskan branch of Grizzly Guardians. None of his family had judged me, which was a minor miracle in itself. They’d accepted me as Magnus’s mate and forgiven my part in the mess I’d created. It was humbling, and I was grateful for the second chance Magnus had given me.

The man was my soul mate, with or without our mating bond. I loved him with everything in me. I’d spend the rest of our lives making him proud and using my skills to protect him and the company his family had built. Just as he protected me.

I sighed, rubbing my aching temples. I missed him. He’d left early this morning for a meeting and wouldn’t be back until late tonight. I’d grown accustomed to working with him in his office and sharing lunch, which was often interrupted because we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. We’d christened his desk, the couch, the floor, and one particularly delicious coupling had occurred against his office door with his secretary just outside.

Stick that up your impossibly short skirt, Ms.Porcelain Teeth. That man is mine.

My stomach growled loudly, and I was surprised to see it was lunchtime already. I stood from his desk, stretching my aching muscles, and headed out of the office to the bathroom before grabbing myself something to eat.

A cleaner murmured, “Good afternoon,” as she pushed her cart along the corridor.

I smiled and returned her greeting. She looked familiar, and I realized I recognized her from the IT floor, where she was usually based. Guess she’d been promoted to the “boss’s” floor.

Entering the ladies, I stepped into a cubicle and took care of business. As I flushed the toilet, I heard the door open and close. This floor only held the meeting room and Magnus’s office, so it was unusual to run into anyone else. Perhaps it was Ms. Porcelain Teeth, although her desk had been empty as I’d passed, and I’d assumed she’d gone to lunch. Exiting the cubicle, I moved to the sink to wash my hands.

The hairs on the back of my neck lifted, and a shiver skittered down my spine a split second before a hand clamped over my mouth. My eyes flew to the mirror, clashing with the cold gaze of the cleaning woman, just as I felt a sharp scratch on my arm.

Darkness obscured my vision, consuming my thoughts and my ability to scream.

The pain in my head was everywhere. My skull felt like it was cracking open, and my mouth held a metallic twang. I licked my parched lips, trying to moisten them, and grimaced as my tongue hit a tender spot. Had I bitten my lip? I couldn’t remember.

Peeling my eyes open, I groaned as my vision swayed and blurred. My stomach rolled with nausea. I was suddenly aware that I was lying on the ground on my side, my face resting on a wood floor.

As my eyes adjusted, I could see I was in what appeared to be a cabin. My hands were bound. I yanked at the ropes, but they were too tight, and I only managed to chafe my wrists.

“Welcome back, Mila.”

I startled at the voice behind me. Gingerly, I rolled over, regretting the movement instantly as pain lanced through my head. I struggled to focus on the woman sitting on a chair a few feet away. My eyes widened as I recognized the cleaning woman, although it seemed obvious now that her role in the company went far beyond dusting and vacuuming.

I took her in. She was slim, likely in her forties, although her complexion was unblemished by wrinkles. Her nose was small, her lips full, and her dark hair hung past her shoulders. She would be beautiful if not for the absence of warmth in her demeanor and the malice in her blue eyes. There was something familiar about those eyes…

She stood and moved closer, holding out a bottle of water. “Here, drink this.”

I struggled into a sitting position, and she held the bottle to my lips. I glugged thirstily, some of the water spilling down my chin and onto my creased blouse. It burned going down.

“Who are you?” I managed to spit out between coughs. “Where the hell am I?” I demanded, forcing the words around my thick tongue. What the hell had she jabbed me with?

Her smile was cold, and a glint of madness flashed in her eyes, making her look unhinged. “Where you are is unimportant. As for who I am…” She tugged at her dark hair, which slipped free of her head to reveal shoulder-length silver hair. “My name is Shannon. I’m your mother.”

My eyes widened, and my mouth dropped open. My mother?