TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 281

Two hundred and eighty one

Wesley POV

My intercom buzzed, interrupting us. I pressed the button.

“Yes?”

“Alpha Cameron has asked everyone to proceed to the council conference room. The meeting is about to begin”

I pushed myself to my feet and reached for my suit jacket. Barbara stood as well. She stepped closer and straightened my collar before smoothing the front of the jacket. Together, we left my office and headed toward the council floor.

Long before we reached the conference room, I could already hear the voices filtering into the corridor.

The meeting hadn’t started yet. It was waiting for me. Meetings like this usually ended one way: with a headache and today’s felt determined to prove me right.

The moment Barbara and I stepped into the conference room, the conversations softened before picking up again in quieter tones.

That was what happened whenever the future Alpha walked into a room full of people who were busy deciding whether he deserved the title.

I swept my gaze across the long oval table out of habit. Dad sat at the head of it, talking quietly with Mom and Uncle Franklin. Aunt Nadia leaned over to point out something on one of the pages. Their daughter, Emma, was already there, half-listening to a council member while absentmindedly scrolling through her tablet.

Anita had somehow beaten us here despite storming out only moments ago. She lounged in her chair with one leg crossed over the other, spinning a pen between her fingers. She caught my eye and grinned. I looked away.

Then I saw Brandon. The pig was already watching me. He leaned back in his chair with one arm draped lazily over the backrest, wearing the kind of smile that existed for one reason only: to irritate me.

There had always been two Alpha bloodlines in the pack. Ours ruled. Theirs waited. Officially, they were our closest allies. They were the contingency should the ruling bloodline ever fail to produce an heir capable of leading.

They had spent decades waiting for us to stumble.

Brandon’s father, Uncle Martin, had spent most of his adult life convinced my father wasn’t fit to lead. Now Brandon seemed determined to convince everyone that I wasn’t. 1

He spread his hands dramatically the moment he saw me.

“Well, there he is. So good of you to finally join us.”

I pulled out my chair without looking at him.

“We were discussing the Northern trade agreement. I thought perhaps you were… occupied.”

His pause was deliberate.

“As future Alpha, it’s understandable if you’re finding it difficult to keep up with everything.”

I met his eyes.

1/7

“I don’t remember telling you I struggle with multitasking.”

A few council members exchanged amused glances.

Brandon’s smile tightened, and Dad cleared his throat.

“Enough.”

The room quieted. He never had to raise his voice.

“We’re here to discuss business, not each other.”

Brandon apologized with exaggerated innocence. Dad opened the folder in front of him.

A large projection flickered onto the screen behind him.

Charts, projected revenue, supply routes, and shipping costs.

The room shifted into business mode.

Dad looked toward me.

“Wesley.”

I straightened.

“You’ve been leading the negotiations so far. Given the scale of the project, I think it’s worth considering additional oversight.”

I already knew where this was going. Brandon smiled before anyone even spoke.

Dad continued.

“I’d like Brandon to work alongside you.”

“No.”

Silence followed.

“Son, it’s a large responsibility. Delegating isn’t weakness.”

“I didn’t say it was.”

Brandon chuckled.

“You see, Uncle Cameron? This is exactly what I mean.”

He looked around the table as though inviting everyone into the conversation.

“Wesley refuses to let anyone touch his projects because he’s terrified someone else might do a better job.”

“I don’t remember asking for your psychological assessment.”

He smiled wider.

“It’s obvious.”

Mom spoke. “Brandon, dear. Everything doesn’t have to become a personal attack.”

“I’m simply making observations, my lady.”

+15 Bchus

2/7

Two hundred and ghly one

+15 Benus

“You’ve mistaken observations for insults.”

He gave her an apologetic smile that fooled absolutely no one.

“My apologies, Luna. But someone has to tell your son that carrying the weight of succession is looking difficult. Most future Alphas would’ve completed their coronation preparations by now. Perhaps he’s overwhelmed.”

My blood boiled. I refused to take the bait. He wasn’t worth the satisfaction.

I turned away from him and faced the projection instead.

“If everyone is done discussing my supposed sluggishness, I’d like to discuss the trade agreement.”

Dad’s mouth twitched. He knew exactly what I was doing. I clicked the remote. Brandon’s projections disappeared, and mine appeared in their place.

“I reviewed the Northern proposal again last night. The current agreement focuses almost entirely on mineral exports. That’s profitable in the short term, but it leaves us dependent on a single market.”

I changed the slide.

“If we include agricultural technology, medical exchanges, and joint manufacturing rights, our projected revenue increases by eighteen percent over five years while reducing our exposure to market fluctuations.”

The room grew noticeably quieter. Uncle Franklin seemed pleased. His daughter, Emma, who was the assistant project manager and also part of the accounting team, looked up from her tablet.

“These projections are solid. I like this.”

“So do I,” Anita added.

Questions began coming from every direction. I answered them all. By the time the discussion ended, the skepticism I’d walked into had shifted into approval.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Brandon glaring at the screen. The look on the fool’s face made the afternoon.

worthwhile.

Dad closed the final folder.

“Now,” he said, glancing between Barbara and me, “onto happier news.”

I felt every pair of eyes turn toward us. Barbara stood first. I followed after. Dad’s smile widened.

“As many of you already know, Wesley and Dr. Barbara have recently begun courting.”

Applause erupted around the room. Someone whistled. Several council members rose to their feet.

Henry, Barbara’s father, stood with obvious pride shining across his face.

“I couldn’t ask for a finer young man,” he said warmly.

More applause followed. Congratulations echoed from every direction.

“Two respected families.”

“A blessing for the pack.”

Barbara smiled graciously, offering a wave as more well-wishers congratulated her. Standing beside her, I returned polite smiles and nodded at familiar faces.

3/7

wo hundred and eighty one

+15 Bohus

From the outside, we probably looked exactly like a devoted couple, but only Barbara and I knew the script was borrowed.

4—–

“I don’t think Brandon means any harm, though,” Anita said, slipping her arm through mine as we stepped out of the conference room. The doors closed behind us, muffling the conversations that immediately erupted inside. “I- mean, Uncle Martin might’ve spent half his life trying to get under Dad’s skin, but Brandon genuinely wants to help.”

“I don’t need his help. If I get stuck with anything, Charlie’s more than capable of helping.”

She clicked her tongue.

“You really don’t know how to relax, do you? Lighten up, brother dear. Nobody’s going to steal your throne.”

We walked side by side through the corridor.

“There’s actually something I wanted to ask you.”

I looked at her.

“Shoot.”

“It’s about Barbara.”

Oh fuck.

Anita was frighteningly observant beneath all the tattoos, leather jackets, and wild jokes. Most people dismissed her within five minutes of meeting her. They saw an Alpha princess who worked nights as a DJ, swore too much, and laughed too loudly. Then they’d realize, usually far too late, that she’d noticed everything they’d been trying to hide.

I kept my face neutral.

“What about her?”

She hesitated.

“So…” Her grin slowly spread. “Did you guys fuck or something?”

“Good grief, Anita. Do you always have to ask questions like that?”

She laughed so hard she nearly let go of my arm.

“It’s a valid question.”

“It isn’t.”

“It absolutely is.” She nudged me with her shoulder. “Last week, there wasn’t the slightest indication that you saw Barbara as anything more than a friend. Today, she’s your fiancée. Even Charlie looked like someone had been hit with a frying pan when Dad announced it at that dinner.”

“Well. To satisfy your curiosity, we haven’t fucked.”

“So you really are taking things slow.”

I ignored her.

4/7

wo hundred and mighty oru

+15 Bonus

“Are you sure this is what you want? When everyone started clapping back there, you looked like someone being marched to his execution.”

I let out a dry laugh.

“That’s dramatic.”

“You know I’m right. I’m just saying, she’s going to be your wife. She’s my best friend.”

She corrected herself almost immediately.

“My best friend’s sister.”

There was the faintest crack in her voice. It was gone almost as soon as I noticed it.

“You don’t have to do this just because you’ve both been carrying the same grief,” Anita continued. “I know, Barbara cares about you. I know she’s stayed by your side ever since Beatrice died. But grief isn’t a foundation fona marriage.”

I looked ahead.

She wasn’t judging. She sounded worried.

“You of all people shouldn’t be giving me relationship advice. You’re the last person I’d ask. But to satisfy your curiosity, love comes in different forms. It doesn’t always have to be loud and disgusting like Mom and Dad.”

She shuddered dramatically.

“They’re revolting.”

Despite myself, I laughed, because Anita and I couldn’t stand our parents flirting in public.

“I just want stability,” I admitted after the laughter faded. “Barbara knows me. She understands my bad days. She knows when to leave me alone and when to force me out of my own head.”

I glanced at Anita. “What else am I supposed to look for?”

She walked beside me in silence. Then she froze.

“Oh. Shit.”

I followed her gaze.

Across the open atrium, Isabella was walking with three women from administration. A cardboard archive box rested in her arms as they chatted among themselves.

Anita’s fingers dug into my sleeve.

“Hold me, Wesley,” she whispered. “I’m about to have a stroke.”

I sighed.

“You’re unbelievable.”

As though she’d sensed us watching, Isabella turned her head. Our eyes met across the corridor. She looked like a startled deer that had wandered onto the wrong path.

A second later, she hurried after the other women.

5/7

station fondeghty one

+15 Bahus

I looked sideways at Anita.

“You’re stalking the poor girl.”

“I am not.”

“You’ve frightened her.”

“I merely admired her.”

“From across the building.”

“I admired enthusiastically.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

Anita, meanwhile, was vibrating beside me.

“She’s adorable.”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“You have to help me.”

“No.”

“Where does she live? What does she like? When does she finish work?”

“She’s straight.”

“How relevant is that? She might be bisexual.”

She winked.

“I find this conversation deeply uncomfortable. And for your information, she and her son are staying at Mom and Dad’s house.”

Anita stopped walking. Her mouth slowly fell open. I expected the obvious question about her son, but she surprised me.

“You mean… she lives with Mom and Dad?”

I nodded.

“As far as I know.”

The biggest grin I’d seen all day spread across her face.

“Oh, this is fate! The universe practically dropped her into my lap.”

I started walking again.

“The universe gave her temporary accommodation. If you want the history of her parents, grandparents, and great -grandparents, go interrogate Mom. I have work to do.”

She stood rooted to the spot before running after me.

“Oh my God. Don’t you see?”

“I see a disaster waiting to happen.”

6/7

Two hundred ond nighty one

+15 Bchus

“I’m moving back into Mom and Dad’s house.”

I laughed.

“So you and Mom can argue every single day?”

“I don’t care.”

“You’ll last forty-eight hours.”

“I’ll last forever if Isabella’s there. I’ve honestly never felt this giddy before.”

She meant every word, which was exactly why I was worried.

“Don’t build castles this quickly,” I said quietly.

She frowned.

“What?”

“You’re imagining a future with a woman who barely managed to stay in the same room as you.”

“She was nervous.”

I stopped walking and looked directly at her.

“Trust me on this one. That woman isn’t someone you can charm into saying yes.”

My mind drifted back to my encounters with Isabella. She’d refused me and walked away. Most people would’ve surrendered to temptation, but she hadn’t.

She had a mind of her own, and once she’d decided something, she held on to it with both hands. But of course I couldn’t tell Anita.

“Then I’ll give her every reason to change her mind. I’d rather fail trying than spend the rest of my life wondering what would’ve happened if I’d done nothing.”

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