Tyrith

Lucian Benedict. The last person I would ever want to ask for help.

I shifted on the leather seat. “Is there no one else?”

Odessa shook her head. Two curly tendrils danced on her forehead. “With the time frame we have, he is the only person close enough to aid.” She hesitated for a second. “He is the one who opted to purchase the hospital. The mall idea is still not clear. There are no concrete facts of what occurred, but he pulled out of the running last night.”

Damn it.

Why did that bastard have to be so wealthy? It did not matter how much money I accumulated over the years. Lucian's wealth was far more superior than any supreme dominant.

I wiped my clammy hands in my trousers. “Why? Do you think he’s finally decided to torture me?”

Why now? He established his hatred for me years ago. I finished college. Started a career. Became something. Made a difference. He could have stifled me back in college. Why now? Why?

“Sir?” Odessa covered her nose with her palm. “Your pheromones.”

My eyes bulged at the statement. 

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! How could I let such a guy rile me up?

“I requested a meeting with him.” Her muffled words did nothing to calm me. “He’s willing to see us today at 1pm.”

I glanced at my wristwatch. Fifteen minutes to one. We had enough time to spare. His head office was two minutes away. “Okay, let’s get going.”

I balled my hand in fists, trying to calm myself. It was one meeting. I would be in and out of his office within minutes. Easy. Nothing too alarming. 

Odessa said nothing and started the vehicle. We rode to the Region building in silence. I used the time to regain control. Odessa parked the vehicle in the underground garage. “Would you like to wai---”

“No, the sooner we get this done, the faster I can get out of this place.” I loosened my tie. It already became suffocating, and I was yet to meet Lucian.

Odessa glanced down at her phone. “We should use the side elevator. His assistant says it leads up to his office.”

Of course, he would know we arrived. Nothing passed him.

I nodded and eased out of the car. Odessa led the way to a wall at the right of where we parked. Upon our arrival, a soft beeping sound signaled the opening of the wall. We stepped inside the box. The secret elevator door closed, and we moved without Odessa touching the buttons to our left.

I tried my best to remain still. We were no longer in college. We became grown men. Sure, he was rich, but so was I. I no longer had to bow my head in his presence.

The elevator dinged and my heart stopped. A flood of pheromones welcomed us. Alphas. They emitted warnings. To me, a mere Omega.

The suited man in front of two alphas eyed us. The neutral expression in his tortilla-colored eyes remained the same as they did in college. His gray limbal ring sparkled. “Welcome, Mr. Keiser. Mr. Benedict will meet you in his office.” The half-faced leather mask hid his smile. The diagonal ventilation area on the mask matched his purple tie.

I recalled it was the same in college. He often wore masks to match the color of his clothes. Everyday, it was a new color. Back in school, most of the students looked up to him as a fashionista. It was a bonus he was an alpha. Though no one has ever smelt his pheromones, he was quite popular. Omegas swarmed him. His soft attractive features attracted alphas. But out of everyone, he hung out with betas.

A stronger minty scent invaded my nose. I trailed the pheromones to the man behind the assistant. His glare matched his warning. ‘Don’t cause trouble’. Not that I ever imagined doing such a thing. Satisfied with his efforts, the dominant alpha shared a glance with his other buddy. Both men stepped back. It did not take a genius to know he was superior to the three men. Dominants. The atmosphere around them pushed others to submit. Such assholes.

The assistant pivoted on his heels, steering us along the hall. “Congrats on your win. Did you get my gift?”

The wristwatch sat among my collection in my jewelry drawer. “I love it. It matches one of my ties. Did you see the papers after? I tried to take the picture with the wristwatch in eyesight.”

A game we have played for years. He would send me a gift and I would get caught in a picture with it as proof of its arrival.

“I was out of the region, so I never got to attend your celebration party. Did Ryder come?”

“He sent me this hotel key with an alpha’s number. The note said I should enjoy myself.”

The assistant scoffed. “Typical. I want to apologize for his behavior. He’s still growing up.”

He was thirty-three years old. Axel spoiled them. No wonder Lucian sent him out of the region. He knew Axel would visit me. Axel allowed his friends to do as they pleased. It was unfair to him. Not because he was a recessive. He was as alpha as those jerks.

We journeyed past the waiting area, Axel’s desk, and to double doors. Axel knocked once and pushed the door open. The supreme dominant alpha perched behind his desk. The anxiety from before kicked back in. I plodded forward. The king on his throne ignored us. Axel ushered us to the two seats in front of the desk. “Is there anything I can get you?”

“Water.” My throat grew dry.

The familiar sweet amber pheromone tickled my nostrils. Hostility bathed him whenever we shared a space. If it had not been for the day in the bathroom, I would never have known how sweet and relaxing his pheromones could be.

I hadn’t noticed Axel left until he returned with the glass of water. He placed the cold glass in my trembling hands. I gulped down the water and returned the empty glass to him. Lucian slammed the folder in front of him shut. It took all my muscles to not flinch. I never even realized paper could be so loud. He passed the folder to Axel. No words passed between the men, yet Axel was aware of his given task.

“Take her with you.” The statement passed over us. Cool. Calm. Authoritative. Those words described his voice.

Odessa eyed me. I didn’t move. Seconds ticked by. She pushed out of her seat and exited the room with Axel. The door lock rang through the room. Trapped with this monster.

He leaned back in his chair. Loose black and gold balayage hair loitered on his forehead. “Whatever you are going to ask me, my answer is no.”

“What?”

“Are you deaf?” He cocked his head to the side. Gold irises burned into mine. “If so, you should get a hearing aid. Wouldn’t want the new mayor of the capital city to be deaf. After all, you should be able to hear the people’s cries.”

“What?”

“Are you trying to annoy me?”

I struggled to comprehend his words. This didn’t … “Why did you agree to meet with me?”

His shoulders bounced. “Axel can be more annoying than he looks. He is not as withdrawn as you think.”

Oh, Axel. Understandable.

I unfolded and folded my fists. “Do you realize that the hospital is being turned into a mall?”

“I don’t care.”

“You’re the Senator. You are supposed to care. Wintercrest is the city of Apocrypth. This is the place everyone comes to. Far and wide. What would the citizens think if the only free hospital we have gets closed and turned into a mall?”

The bastard stared at me uninterested. “You’re the mayor. It is your job to cater to Wintercrest. You can build another hospital.”

“No!” I cleared my throat. “I mean that hospital has been there for many years. Why waste money to build another one when we have one already?” Lucian remained silent. I gritted my teeth. “Are you refusing because of me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

My palms burned. “You can’t let them destroy it. I’ll do whatever you want.”

The alpha rested his thumb and index finger against the side of his head. “Whatever I want? Huh. How about dying?”

“I can’t do that.”

“Figures. There is nothing that you have that I want. The sight of you disgusts me. Why would I ever want anything from you?”

I cackled. “Shouldn’t that be my line? You killed my father, robbed my mother and sister of the support they needed. Robbed me. Then, you made my college life a living hell.”

The muscles in his jaw ticked. “Hell? You have no idea what hell is like. Wasn’t it your father who assassinated mine? If anyone was robbed, it was me. And, from what I recalled, your life went on comfortably. My grandfather made sure of that. Sympathizing because you’re an omega.” He hissed. “I hate your kind. Always so weak.”

“Omegas aren’t weak. It’s alphas like you who suppress us and make us seem meek. With your damn pheromones. I work my ass off. Your grandfather was an alpha who recognized only the strong. If I was weak, he would have never lifted a finger for me. It is you who continues to be childish and playing games. What would he think of you now? What would your parents think?”

Lucian slammed his fist into the desk. “Don’t you ever talk about my family like you know us!”