Chapter 1
Chapter one
The First Day
The alarm blared across the small bedroom.
Chloe groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
Then she remembered.
Her eyes flew open.
“Oh my God!”
She sat upright and grabbed her phone.
7:12 a.m.
Her first day.
Her first day at Blackstone Enterprises.
Chloe threw the blanket aside and rushed out of bed.
She had spent weeks searching for a job after graduating from university. There had been applications, interviews, unanswered emails, and enough rejection messages to make her question whether her degree was worth anything.
Then, three days ago, Blackstone Enterprises had offered her a position.
Executive Secretary.
To the CEO himself.
Adrian Black.
Even saying his name made her nervous.
She had heard plenty about him.
Twenty-four years old. Brilliant. Ruthlessly private. The youngest CEO to take control of Blackstone Enterprises.
And, according to everything Chloe had heard, not exactly the easiest person to work for.
She hurried into the bathroom.
“I am not getting fired on my first day,” she muttered while brushing her teeth.
Thirty minutes later, Chloe stood in front of her mirror, adjusting the sleeves of her cream blouse.
She looked professional enough.
At least, she hoped she did.
Her dark hair was pulled neatly back, and she checked her handbag one final time.
Phone.
Wallet.
Identification.
Notebook.
Pen.
Everything.
She took a deep breath.
“You've got this, Chloe.”
Then she hurried out.
---
Blackstone Enterprises was even more intimidating in person.
The enormous glass building towered above the surrounding businesses, its black-and-silver logo displayed prominently above the entrance.
Chloe stopped outside for a moment.
“Okay…”
She looked up.
“This is where I work now.”
Her stomach fluttered.
She squared her shoulders and walked inside.
The lobby was already crowded with employees moving in every direction.
Chloe approached the reception desk.
“Good morning. I'm Chloe Carter. I'm here to report for work.”
The receptionist checked her computer.
“Executive Secretary?”
“Yes.”
“Thirty-second floor. Mr. Adrian's executive office.”
Chloe nodded.
“Thank you.”
She stepped into the elevator.
As the doors closed, she leaned against the wall and exhaled.
Thirty-second floor.
She was actually going to meet him.
The elevator began to rise.
What Chloe didn't know was that someone on the thirty-second floor had already sensed her presence.
---
Adrian Black sat behind his enormous desk, reading through a contract.
He suddenly stopped.
His fingers went still.
Something had changed.
A scent.
Faint.
Clean.
Unfamiliar.
His eyes narrowed.
It wasn't human.
Adrian slowly lifted his head.
For years, he had learned to control the instincts that came with being a Black Mamba shifter.
He had been born into the shifter world.
He knew exactly what he was.
And he knew how rare it was for a full shifter to cross his path without being noticed.
But this scent…
It belonged to something powerful.
Something he hadn't encountered in years.
His jaw tightened.
Another shifter was inside his building.
That alone was unusual.
But the closer the scent came, the more certain he became.
White snake.
His instincts stirred.
Rare.
Very rare.
Adrian pushed his chair back and stood.
Who was she?
And why had he never sensed her before?
---
The elevator doors opened.
Chloe stepped out.
A man in a dark suit approached her.
“You're the new executive secretary?”
“Yes.”
“I'm Ethan. Adrian's right-hand assistant.”
He extended his hand.
Chloe shook it.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You'll be working directly with Mr. Black. His office is down the hall.”
Chloe nodded nervously.
“Okay.”
Ethan started walking.
Chloe followed.
She could feel her heart beating faster with every step.
Then they reached the large black doors at the end of the corridor.
Ethan knocked.
“Come in.”
The voice from inside was calm.
Deep.
Commanding.
Ethan opened the door.
“Mr. Black, your new secretary is here.”
Chloe stepped inside.
And stopped.
Adrian Black looked up from his desk.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Adrian's eyes remained fixed on her.
The scent was stronger now.
Much stronger.
His instincts were practically screaming at him.
White snake.
But Chloe simply stood there, unaware of everything happening beneath the surface.
“Good morning, sir,” she said politely.
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
He studied her face.
Twenty-three, perhaps.
Completely human-looking.
No visible signs of shifting.
No awareness.
Nothing.
Impossible.
Chloe shifted uncomfortably under his stare.
“Is… everything okay?”
Adrian finally looked away.
“Yes.”
His voice was controlled again.
He glanced at Ethan.
“Leave us.”
Ethan nodded and closed the door behind him.
Chloe swallowed.
She suddenly felt very alone.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, studying her once more.
“Sit.”
Chloe quietly took the chair opposite his desk.
She had no idea why the CEO was looking at her like that.
She had no idea why being near him made her senses feel strangely heightened.
And she certainly had no idea that the man sitting across from her had already discovered the one thing she had spent her entire life unaware of.
Chloe Carter was not human.
She was a shifter.
And Adrian Black had just found her.
