A/N

Picture of Mr. Talon Gregor (Steve Carell) on the side. Isn't he cute ^-^

This chapter is unedited so please excuse the errors.

*****

Suzzanah's POV

The minute the word 'Mate' left the CEO's lips, a rush of warmth coursed through my body, and I felt as though something that had been sealed inside of me for a very long time had been awakened.

But that warmth was almost instantly replaced by a cold sweat when every bowed head jerked upwards and I was met with a multitude of shocked and confused stares.

My neck moved stiffly from side to side, like a door hinge in desperate need of oiling, taking in the sight of all those people gaping at me.

What just happened?

In front of me, Master Cole and Mr. Penson were giving me the same shocked stares. Master Cole's gaze shifted from me to the CEO, then back to me again in a short second before he quickly cleared his throat and placed a hand on the CEO's back.

That action caused the CEO to visibly snap out of a daze and he looked away, blinking several times before his shocked expression was replaced by an emotionless one and his gaze returned to mine.

I gulped under his intense stare. Mate? Like friend? I'm pretty sure I didn't know him. Maybe I was supposed to repeat it.

"Ma-", as soon as I started to repeat the word mate, the CEO's eyes went wide in what looked like panic before he yelled out,"Mat-REE!!"

I frowned. Mate-Ree?

"MATREE!!" he yelled again and everyone in the room flinched away in fear and bowed their heads again as a young blonde dressed elegantly in a crisp suit and skirt came tripping down the stairs to stand raggedly in the middle of the parted crowd panting wildly.

"Sir?!" she squeaked shakily.

Matree? I could have sworn the CEO had said Mate.

Every bowed head in the room was throwing confused glances at me and Miss Matree. Mr. Penson and Master Cole were exchanging suspicious glances and a very uncomfortable looking CEO was glaring uncertainly at a breathless and scared looking Matree.

And I was standing in the middle of the sea of confused yet bowed people with my body bowed but head raised, unsure of which action to completely follow through. I must have been looking like a duck, a constipated duck.

"What took you so long?" the CEO barked out, "do I have to install loud speakers in your room now for you to hear me?"

"S-s-sorry S-s-sir", she stammered out looking just as confused as she looked scared.

"I have work for you", he replied stiffly before giving her some business related orders, and all the while he kept throwing side glances my way. And somehow, judging by his expression he looked like he really desperately wanted to avoid looking at me.

Well he was doing a banged up job of it so far, I thought frowning at his rude behavior towards Miss Matree. But before I could glare at him some more a hand landed on my head pushing it down into the sea of bowed heads.

I struggled to get free but a familiar nasal whisper made me stop my thrashing.

"Miss Winters!" Mr. Talon whisper-yelled," what in the name of all things well mannered and obedient do you think you are you doing?! Do you want to die?"

I scrunched up my eyebrows, "Mr. Talon, now you're exaggerating. He won't kill me for not bowing to him, that's crazy"

"You're right! Killing you will be one of the better punishments he could ever give you! He will probably do much worse", he whispered shaking his head vigorously in panic, "Always bow in front of your superiors I said, you stuck your head out like a lawn mole! Don't even make eye contact I said, you glared at him as though you had lasers coming out of your eyes! Do you even realise what your actions can get us both into?"

I was about to shake my head saying no when suddenly the murmurs died down and one authoritative deep, velvety voice called out loudly," Talon Gregor!"

"That!" Mr. Talon whisper-squealed as we both stiffened together at the CEO's voice which was doing strange things to my heart.

Mr.Talon inhaled deeply before slowly raising his head above the crowd which was still awkwardly bowed. Didn't their backs hurt? Mine did.

"S-sir! Alp-s-sir, yes sir. I'm h-here sir, as always h-here s-sir!" he blabbered and I winced at his word vomit.

"And the young lady with you?" I heard the same deep handsome voice voice of the CEO say.

Lady? Did he mean...

I got my answer immediately as Mr. Talon hit the top of my head before tugging me upwards to stand straight. I staggered on my feet as my gaze focused on the drop dead gorgeous CEO standing before me with a hard look on his face. I gulped.

"Bow, booooow!"

I looked wearily at Mr. Talon, suddenly he was a dog now?

"Boooow! Boooow!" he continued whispering jerking his head downwards.

I narrowed my eyes at him and was about to look back at the CEO when Mr. Talon placed his hand on top of my head again and quickly pushed it downwards. Oh! This bow!

But as soon as my head was bowed I heard a low angry growl fill the hallway and everyone around me shuddered. Immediately Mr.Talon's hand disappeared from on top of my head and I slowly stood straight again to see the CEO glaring daggers at Mr. Talon who looked about ready to faint.

What was that sound? Did someone bring in their dog?

As soon as my face was in view again, the CEO's eyes snapped to mine.

"What's the commotion there?" he asked, rapidly shifting his gaze from me to Mr. Talon.

"N-n-nothing Sir, I was j-just explaining a few r-r-rules to the new employee"

"New employee?" he asked and I nodded and did a quick bow.

He said nothing but continued to stare at me with unwavering eyes. I squirmed uncomfortably under his intense gaze. He was looking at me like he couldn't believe I was standing before him, almost as if he was having a conversation with himself about me in his head. He stared for so long that I started to wonder if he was alright, but I knew better than to ask. His eyes widened and I mirrored his expression unconsciously. Immediately he narrowed his eyes at me and I narrowed mine at him but was rewarded by a sharp leg nudge by Mr. Talon.

How much longer was he going to stare? Its not like I would suddenly grow facial hair and horns and turn into a cow or something.

But suddenly he looked away, exasperation clear on his face as though he was having a mental battle, and losing. He clenched his jaw and surveyed the crowd.

"Rise", he said strongly and in complete unison all the bowed people rose and stood in attention and the two bear sized men in front of me hid me from the CEO's unwavering gaze for which I was overjoyed.

"You are all dismissed. Please return to your duties immediately", his voice echoed in the hallway followed by the sound of him walking away.

Immediately the crowd began to scatter back to their places while I was juggled around by the moving people untill I managed to get back to my own room. I saw Mr. Penson follow the CEO to some other room and figured he wouldn't be needing me immediately. Not long after I was joined by a dishevelled looking Mr. Talon.

"I can't understand what just happened", he said as he collapsed into a nearby chair," please enlighten me as to why you just had that heart to heart, eye to eye with the CEO?"

"I'm not really sure myself", I told him as I scrunched up my face in recollection. " Maybe I reminded him of someone he knows but even if I did, it didn't seem like it was someone he liked"

"Its the CEO we are talking about. I doubt he likes anyone", Mr. Talon replied uncaringly before abruptly shooting out of his chair and gasping mutliple times,"oh dear! Oh NO! If he finds out I said that he will have my head!"

He paced the small room in panic mumbling things to himself and banging his fists on his head . I tried to get him to calm down but he was in a world of his own so I thought I'd go and get him a glass of water from the cooler down the corridor. I quickly told him to wait and jogged to the cooler. When I was going back with the glass of water I almost collided with Mr. Penson.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir", I apologised quickly to which he smiled and nodded but said nothing as he continued to look at me with thoughtful eyes.

Okay...I definitely had something on my face.

"Sir?"

"Hmm", he replied absently.

"Is something the matter?"

He thought over my question for a few seconds then asked," tell me Miss Winters, are you from around here?"

"No sir, I'm not. I'm was born in California but I grew up in the Middle East"

"Do they have any wolves in the middle East?"

"Pardon?" My features scrunched up in confusion.

"Wolves, are there any where you are from?"

"I...don't know. I don't think so...", I unconsciously put my index finger to my lips as I thought about his question.

"Have you ever seen any?" he pressed further.

"No sir", I said getting more confused by the second.

"Do you know anything about them?"

Okay...my boss's obsession with this animal seemed a little bit unhealthy. Or was knowing about wolves part of my job requirement?

"Not really, except that they are...carnivorous", I replied absently.

The sound of his laughter surprised me.

"I see, alright then", he replied shaking his head while smiling to himself.

"Should I know more?"I asked unsurely.

I was expecting an immediate answer but he pondered my question for sometime then looked at me at and replied softly," I wonder..."

"Huh?"

"Can you please follow me Miss Winters, right now", he walked ahead with long strides and I wiggled nervously at my spot for a few seconds before following after him.

He turned three corridors before we reached the same elevator that the CEO had come out of this morning. Oh no, not the elevator again! Wait, wasn't this a private elevator? Could I really go in there?

Mr. Penson quickly motioned for me to enter and I sighed inwardly as I walked into the dreaded metal box, hoping the ride wouldn't be long. And just before the elevator doors closed, I saw a gaping Mr.Talon looking horrified at my predicament. I shrugged my shoulders helplessly and that's when I noticed that I still had the glass of water in my hands.

The doors closed and I gulped and stared at my feet. Relax Suzzanah, think of an open field. I closed my eyes. A large field of flowers with lots of fresh air, lots of bright light and LOTS of open space. Open space, open space, OPEN SPACE-

"Miss Winters?" My eyes shot open on hearing Mr. Penson's voice. He was waiting outside the elevator with a questioning look on his face. I cleared my throat and muttered sorry, then quickly walked out of the elevator. That was fast. Wait, which floor was this?

It was by far the most lavishly furnished floor I had seen. I gaped at my surroundings. Two eyes were not enough to take in the beauty of this place. I followed Mr. Penson down another corridor. He walked so fast that I wondered if he had wheels attached to his shoes. Were skates allowed at work?

He stopped when we reached large wooden double doors. This was the first wooden door I had seen here, all the others were glass. I nervously looked around the corridor feeling rather out of place in such expensive surroundings.

Mr. Penson raised his hand as though he intended to knock but suddenly decided against it and soundlessly pulled the door open. With a swift jerk of his head he motioned for me to follow and strode in like he owned the place. I tottered after him uncertainly, with the glass still awkwardly in my hand.

The room we entered was dark and suddenly I felt as blind as a bat. I staggered around the room afraid of bumping into something...or someone! That's when I heard a conversation, a heated one.

"I'm telling you its nothing!"

"I've known you for long enough to know when you're lying. And this time I know you're lying."

"It's none of your business Cole!"

Master Cole? Was this his room?

"If she is who I think she is then it is my business! It's the business of the entire kingdom!"

What Kingdom?

"But she isn't. And I don't want to talk about her any longer!"

And that other voice? That deep handsome voice...please don't tell me!

"Avoiding the topic won't get us anywher-"

"CUT IT OUT! I'M DONE TALKING ABOUT THIS! She is a nobody! She means nothing to me, and for the last time, she is NOT my-"

The voice that I had by now recognised as the CEO's stopped abruptly and I thought I heard him sniffing. Again?

My eyes had slowly started adjusting to the dark and I was desperately trying to find Mr. Penson. I could hear heavy footsteps getting closer to where I was standing and my heart rate picked up. If anyone saw me here without Mr. Penson around, they would think I was eavesdropping!

I squinted in the dark but I still couldn't see Mr. Penson. I fumbled around trying to hold onto something so I wouldn't faint from panicking. My hand came in contact with the wall and I let out a sigh of relief. From the other side of the wall something thumped against my hand. And the soft wallpaper felt great against my palm.

I trailed my hand upwards, away from the thumping, till my fingers went around a smooth, thick trunk that felt unnervingly similar to...skin! Tingles exploded at my fingertips running up my forearm and arm and all the way down my body. I felt as if I had been zapped with electricity and an overwhelming warmth coursed through my body. The figure, which was definitely not a wall, stiffened and I heard a sharp intake of breath. I gasped but before I could pull away, large warm fingers wrapped around my wrist preventing me from withdrawing my hand. Whose hand was that?!

More tingles exploded around my wrist and I was nearly seeing stars. My body refused to move as I found myself wanting to lean into the large frame standing by me. I couldn't think straight, all I could feel were the fireworks exploding inside of me and the warmth that radiated off this person and engulfed me and, much to my dismay, made me feel safe and somewhat...happy.

Suddenly, bright light flooded the room and my eyes snapped shut. A few seconds later I slowly opened my eyes but as they adjusted to the light, what I saw me left me wanting to dig a hole in the marble floor, jump into it and never come out.

There I stood in the corner of a large luxurious looking office room, with Mr. Penson at the far end of the room holding the curtain cords and looking smug while Master Cole was staring wide eyed at my wrist, which was firmly grasped in the CEO's hand, while my fingers encircled the CEO's neck!

Oh dear God!

My head jerked upwards as and I found myself staring into the breathtakingly handsome face of the shocked CEO. I was dead meat!

Slowly my eyes trailed down to the glass that was still firmly clasped in the palm of my other hand. I have a feeling someone in this room is going to need this cold glass of water more than Mr. Talon...

*****

A/N

Hello again! I hope you liked this chapter. HAPPY LATE NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! I hope it turns out great :)

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Angel