Werewolf ceo 4, p.13
Werewolf CEO 4, page 13
Shared territory was fine, and I didn’t have any worries about those places getting attacked, because anyone who tried would be met with the full force of the treaty. So, Harlem, Washington Heights, Upper Manhattan, the Upper East Side, and the Financial District were viable options, as well as everything me and the other treaty leaders owned.
I started flicking through some in Chelsea, and I found a pretty decent-looking apartment going for five grand a month on West Twenty-Fifth Street. I messaged the agent, and they got back to me almost immediately saying they’d be more than happy to give us a viewing right away. It was worth noting that was directly after I’d given her my name, but I wasn’t opposed to using it to my advantage if it meant getting Matt a nice place.
After five minutes, Matt came out of the bedroom dressed in blue jeans and one of his Hawaiian shirts. This one was yellow with pink flowers, and it was just as loud and flamboyant as all the other ones he had.
“As ravishing as ever,” I joked as I stood up from the couch. “I’ve got us a viewing in Chelsea.”
“Sweet,” Matt said as he grabbed his keys from the arm of the couch and slipped them into his pocket. “That was quick.”
“I used my St. James charm,” I said as I started to lead the way out of the apartment. “Without actually meaning to.”
“That checks out,” Matt snorted and slammed the door shut behind him so it locked shut. “So, any particular reason you wanted to come and see me? Other than sourcing me a new palace, of course.”
“Yeah, that was something that snuck up on me,” I said with a sheepish grin. “I forgot what this place was like.”
“I’m telling you, man, it’s not so bad.” Matt shook his head as we started to walk down the stairs.
“Matt, they haven’t even fixed the elevator since I left,” I pointed out.
“That just means we get extra steps in,” he fired back. “In a way, it’s like they’re looking out for us.”
“Shut up,” I said and reached over to ruffle his hair. “There was something else I wanted to talk to you about, though.”
“Lycanthropic things, perhaps?” he mumbled so no one else could hear, even though we were the only ones on the stairway.
“Yeah,” I said. “We finished off the Guild the other night in Central Park.”
“I heard about the damage,” Matt said as his eyes widened. “I had no idea it was you guys.”
“I’ve been meaning to fill you in, but everything’s been a little crazy these past few days,” I sighed.
“So, the Guild is gone,” my best friend said. “Let me guess, someone else has stepped up into the ring?”
“Yep, something called Z-TECH, which we think is run by a guy named Mitch,” I explained. “They’re making drugs that turn wolves into… monsters.”
“Monsters?” Matt frowned in confusion. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Wolves on steroids, except those steroids turn them into nearly brainless zombies who can only think about tearing you apart,” I explained grimly.
“Shit…” the curly-haired human trailed off in surprise. “That’s… That’s not good.”
“No, it isn’t,” I said as we finally stepped outside. “We still don’t know where these guys are hiding, and who the hell this Mitch guy is.”
“And you think I can help?” Matt asked as we both climbed into my Porsche. “I don’t know anyone called Mitch, man, I’m sorry.”
“He’s linked to my dad,” I said as I started the engine and started to head for Chelsea. “He’s been leaving me cryptic messages, and the one last night was ‘Like Father, Like Son.’”
“Your dad?” Matt’s brow furrowed even more. “What the hell would Jasper have to do with a drug business that’s creating zombies?”
“This is what I’ve been struggling with,” I said. “The only thing I can think of is that maybe Mitch saw my dad as competition. Lunar Corp. is like the antithesis of Z-TECH.”
“Big words, Josh,” Matt said with a long puff of air. “Shorten them for me?”
“We’re doing the exact opposite of Z-TECH,” I reworded it. “We’re creating drugs that help dilute wolf powers, like heat suppressants and shift stoppers. Maybe Mitch saw that as a threat?”
“So, it could be a vendetta against your dad that this guy Mitch is putting onto you now that he’s gone?” Matt suggested. “Maybe Jasper did something to him? Maybe he told him to back off or threatened to expose him?”
“I just don’t get why he wouldn’t have told anyone at the business about this guy if it was recent,” I said as I gripped the steering wheel. “And why wasn’t my mom involved?”
“Mary would have shut that shit down faster than you could say ‘werewolf zombie,’” Matt snorted. “But it’s a good point. If it was recent, someone at Lunar Corp. would have had to have known. There would have been some meeting or warning--”
“Just like the shit that went down with Drake,” I said with a sigh. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”
“Hey, you’ll figure it out,” my best friend reassured me. “You always do.”
“Thanks, bro,” I said with a slow nod. “I hope you’re right.”
“I’m always right,” he said as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back in the seat.
I chuckled and cranked up the radio as I drove us to the first apartment. I’d known Matt might not have any answers when I set off this morning, so it wasn’t like I was let down or anything. This entire situation was a mind fuck, and Mitch had clearly managed to be elusive for his entire career, so it didn’t come as a shock that Matt didn’t have any clue who he was, just like the rest of us.
We eventually arrived outside the apartment, and a short, plump real estate agent greeted us with a smarmy smile. She introduced herself as Candace and seemed pretty excited to show us the layout, so we went straight up to see it.
It was fine, but the noise from next door was ridiculously loud. From the way the agent’s face flushed bright red, it was clear she was finding it hard to sell us on it when there was a constant argument going on in the apartment next door.
Matt tried to convince me it was fine and he didn’t mind a bit of background noise, but when the shouting turned into moans and a headboard slamming against the wall, we made a quick getaway.
I started looking again for a place with immediate viewing availability, and I found another nice-looking one for five and a half grand on the Upper East Side.
We hopped into my Porsche and made the journey across town, and thankfully, there were no immediate red flags when the agent took us into the apartment.
It was a really nice one bed, one bathroom apartment on the fiftieth floor. It had a patio on the top floor that everyone could use, and a gym on the ground floor that was available for occupants, too.
It came furnished, and Matt looked like a kid at Christmas as we walked around the relatively large space. The bedroom was the smallest room, but even that had a double bed and a pretty sizable TV on top of a white wicker table opposite it. Not to mention a small walk-in space for clothes.
The living room was lined with bookshelves Matt could put all of his nerdy comics and collectibles on, and there was a large white couch and two matching armchairs surrounding a golden-rimmed glass table.
There was another TV hung up on one of the cream walls that faced the big couch, and there were a few fake plants dotted around the room to add more color. The kitchen was attached to the living room, and it was a small, simple space that consisted of four white marble counters, an oven, and a fridge.
“This place is awesome,” Matt whispered to me as we checked out the bathroom. “Josh, it has a walk-in shower!”
“It’s pretty swanky, huh?” I asked as I inspected the walls to make sure there were no signs of mold.
“Swanky, but still humble,” he said as he held up a finger.
“Swanky but humble,” I repeated his words with a soft chuckle. “Do you want this place? We can go and see more if you’re not fully sold.”
“No, no, I think this might be the one,” he said as he looked around at the gleaming white-tiled walls. “This is… more than I could ever ask for.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said as I patted his shoulder. “After everything you’ve done for me in my life, this is the least I could do.”
“I know but… a twelve-month contract is a long time, Josh,” Matt said with a wince. “A long time to pay for something like this.”
“You think I’m gonna run out of money in twelve months?” I joked. “Come on, Matt, I’m much better at handling money than you clearly give me credit for.”
“It’s not that, I just…” The human sucked in a sharp breath and sighed. “It’s a lot to ask of someone.”
“You’re not asking,” I pointed out. “I’m offering. Besides, you already offered to pay for some of it. And if you refuse, I’ll rent it out anyway so you feel like you have to move in.”
“You son of a bitch,” Matt playfully grumbled. “You’re too good to me, man.”
“Not nearly good enough,” I said with a shake of my head. “I had you bunking with cockroaches the past few weeks.”
“Hey, those guys are my friends, and they pay rent,” he said in mock protest. “But, seriously, it wasn’t like you were forcing me to live there, Josh. You gave me that place out of the goodness of your rich little heart.”
“Ha-ha, very funny.” I playfully rolled my eyes. “So, I can put the offer down on this place?”
“I’d like that,” Matt said with a soft smile. “And I’ll love you forever and ever.”
“Then it’s done.” I winked as I walked out of the bathroom and back over to the agent to close the deal.
We spent the rest of the day filling out the necessary paperwork, and the agents were more than happy for Matt to move in today, so I hired a moving van to get all of his stuff from my old place and get it delivered to his new crib in the Upper East Side.
It was nice to have something to do outside of work and dealing with Z-TECH. For a few hours, I felt like the guy I’d been before my parents had died, even though I knew for a fact he wouldn’t have been able to lug four boxes filled to the brim with heavy collectibles like I could now.
By the time we were finished moving Matt in, the sun was starting to set, and I sent my pack and my girls a psychic message letting them know I hadn’t dropped off the face of the earth and that I’d been helping Matt move in.
Matt slumped against a pile of boxes breathlessly as he wiped sweat from his brow, and I couldn’t help but laugh at how damp his Hawaiian shirt had gotten.
“Are you done for the day?” I asked as I offered him my hand.
“Yeah,” he said as he reached out and let me pull him up. “I need a drink.”
“Josie’s?” I asked with a knowing grin.
“You read my mind, Joshua,” the human said as he slapped my shoulder. “Let’s go, before I end up crashing on this rather nice new carpet of mine.”
“You got it,” I chuckled and led the way out of his new apartment and to the elevator which, thankfully, worked in this place.
Josie’s was a short drive away back to Hell’s Kitchen, and Dean greeted us with a wide grin as we waltzed in through the front doors.
“My two favorite vagabonds,” the bartender said as he pulled out two glasses and started pouring us a beer from the draught. “How have you been?”
“We’ve been good,” I said as we both sat down on the two stools in front of him. “We’ve just moved Matt into a new place.”
“Oh, yeah? Where are you at now, kid?” Dean asked as he finished pouring the drinks and set them in front of us.
“Upper East Side,” Matt said with a wide grin. “It’s nice.”
“I’d say,” the old bartender huffed out a laugh. “Good for you, kid.”
“It’s all thanks to Josh,” the curly-haired human said as he patted me on the back. “He’s hooked me up, big time.”
“Hey, you wanna rent me out somewhere on the Upper East Side, too?” Dean asked with a playful smile. “Free drinks for life.”
“Maybe one day, Dean,” I played along as I pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and handed it to him for the drinks he’d put down. “But not today.”
“I suppose fixing up one person with a place like that is enough generosity for one day.” The bartender winked beneath his thick bushy eyebrow. “Enjoy, and let me know if you need a refill.”
“Thanks, Dean,” Matt said as he raised his glass up.
Dean meandered behind the bar and over to another customer on the other end, which left Matt and I to ourselves.
“How are things going with Amy?” I asked as I sipped on my beer. “I know with everything going on, you probably haven’t had much time to spend together, but you two seemed to get on really great on our double date.”
“Really great,” Matt said with a bashful smile. “Like… really great.”
“That’s awesome, man!” I grinned. “I’m so happy for you!”
“Thanks, Josh,” he said with an awkward scratch of his neck. “I didn’t think anything would come of it, and after everything that happened abroad, I didn’t know if I was ready but… for her, I am.”
“And that is music to my ears,” I said as I leaned forward to squeeze his shoulder. “Just don’t break her heart, alright? You might be my best friend, but she’s a part of my pack. Which means I will have to break your legs.”
“Ha! Duly noted,” he snorted. “And I have no intention of breaking her heart, don’t worry. Leg breaking threat, or not.”
“Good,” I chuckled and brought my glass up to my lips to take another swig.
But then my blood ran cold, and my grip on the glass tightened enough to almost make it shatter.
Because staring straight at me through the window was the hooded figure.
Chapter Ten
I slammed my drink onto the bar without looking behind me, and I stood up before I could even blink. Matt jumped at my suddenness, and his head whipped around in an attempt to try and find what it was that had spooked me.
“Josh?” he asked in confusion. “Uhh, what’s going on?”
“Stay here,” I said lowly as I stared straight at the hooded figure. “And don’t leave this place until I tell you to.”
“Josh, seriously, you’re freaking me out,” Matt said with a shaky laugh. “What is it?”
Then Matt’s head turned to the window, and I watched his face drop in realization.
“Oh.”
“Stay here,” I warned again as I squeezed my fists at my sides. “It’s not safe for you to leave until I’ve gotten rid of that prick, do you understand?”
“Alright.” Matt gulped. “I’ll stay.”
That was all the confirmation I needed before I bolted for the door. The hooded figure turned the moment I took a step away from the bar, and by the time I slammed open the door of Josie’s, he was already halfway down the street.
I growled as I started sprinting after him, and I couldn’t find the energy to care if anyone saw me running at an abnormally fast pace. Not when this guy was right in front of me. Not when I had the ability to take him out and finish this once and for all before he could play any more mind games on me.
So, I didn’t hold back. I heard the fabric of my jeans groaning as my legs carried me down the street, and my feet slammed against the pavement hard enough to leave dust clouds. I thanked God these sneakers had good grip, otherwise I would have been on the ground.
But, as I pushed myself further, the hooded guy did, too.
He made a sudden turn down a side street, and I quickly followed after him without losing any speed. I was on a goddamn mission, and I’d be damned if I let him get away again.
The trees lining the streets flew past me in a brown blur, and I was going faster than the cars that drove past us, but I didn’t care. The hooded figure did another sharp turn down an alleyway, and I turned just as sharply.
There wasn’t much distance between us now. His feet slapped into puddles and echoed down the narrowing alleyway, and I reached my hand out like I had done the first time I’d chased him.
I could hear him breathing heavily as he tried to put some more space between us, but I wasn’t going to let him go this time.
I jerked my hand out further and managed to grab a hold of his hoodie. Then I slammed him into the wall with as much force as I could muster. His arms sprawled out like a squashed bug as his back hit the stone, and he fell to the ground with a grunt.
“You,” I seethed as I grabbed his neck and squeezed. “You son of a goddamn bitch.”
I brought my knee up to his face at an alarming speed and heard bone crunch from the impact. Whoever it was spluttered before it turned into an awful gargling laugh.
I growled as he carried on laughing, even when I brought my knee up to his face again.
“What the hell are you laughing at?” I snapped.
“You… I’m laughing… at you,” he said in between wheezes. “Joshua St. James.”
“Just who the hell are you, huh?” I hissed as I went to pull off his hood, only for him to smack my arm away and roll out of my grasp.
I blinked in confusion at the sudden movement, and by the time I’d processed he was on the other side of the alley, he was rolling up his sleeve and plunging a neon green liquid into his veins through a syringe.
“No!” I yelled and started to charge toward him, but it was too late.
Seconds before I could reach him, he snapped up like a puppet being tugged by its strings, and his limbs popped out as his muscles grew. His hoodie tore and fell to the ground, and I could finally see his face.
I didn’t recognize him, and that was the first thing that ran through my mind. This guy, who had a personal vendetta against me and was tormenting me, was still just a stranger to me.
He had pale, sallow skin that had green veins protruding out of it thanks to the serum he’d injected himself with. He was a wolf, that much was clear from the ears that sprouted from the top of his short light brown hair and the tail that hung down between his legs as he finished shifting. His cheekbones were sharp and high, and even though his face had widened during the shift, it was clear to see this guy was usually skinny as hell.
