Tyrith

I settled in silence, trying to remain calm. It would be a pain if Lucian started to use his pheromone. It was not a guarantee of how long I would last in this room. As a supreme, his pheromone was stronger than any ordinary alpha. In a battle of pheromones, he would dominate mine with ease. That was clear when he confronted me in college. The memory lingered in my head. How easy it was for him to have me on my knees, panting. Yet, I could not hate him.

Sure, I despised how he won the awards that interested me. It annoyed me how much he refrained from associating with omegas. It was even more irritating how he could unsettle me with a single glance. I didn’t want to be attracted to such a beast. I had to be the bigger person, despite who killed who. The reality of it made me want to drown myself even more.

Lucian raked his hand through his hair. “This meeting is over. You may leave.”

“When will you stop blaming me for our parents’ mistakes? I am not my father, and you aren’t yours.”

His laugh took me by surprise. The vicious sound awoke goosebumps on my body. He eased out his chair. My heart picked up speed. I swallowed aloud. Each step closer prevented air from getting to my lungs. I squeezed my fists tighter. He paused behind me. I never dared move.

“I don’t hate you because of what your father did.” I shivered at his warm breath against my ear. “Well, that is a part of it, but I hate you even more because you’re an omega. A supreme, at that. They say alphas control omegas, but we both know that’s bullshit. If you released your pheromones right now, who would have control?”

I didn’t have to respond. The answer was out in the open. Yes, omegas could affect alphas as they could them. It worked both ways. Still, most omegas and alphas used their pheromones for good. It was an unspoken communication between the two. They used it to initiate a relationship and throughout that relationship. But of course, Lucian would hate omegas for that.

It puzzled me how he could hate omegas when his father was a supreme omega. He was one of the few children born to two supreme fathers. Rumors circulated about his omega father. He was a loving man. He showered his son with too much affection. In return, Lucian loved his dad. What changed that? Him hating me was comprehendible, but to hate all omegas. Too extreme.

“Omegas are a part of our world as much as betas are.” I loathed how small my voice came out. “We have to live with it. However, what you and I feel has nothing to do with the hospital. Orphans depend on that hospital. You can’t punish them because of me. I’ll take any other punishment that does not include harming others. Anything at all.”

“Hmmm.” He came back into view, drumming his fingers on the table. “Fine, I’ll save the hospital. I’ll buy it and keep the name. It would make me a hero in the public eyes, but you’ll have to give me something in return.”

Anything to save the hospital. “Okay.”

His drumming ceased. “Good. How about you do whatever I want for six months without any rebuttal? If I ask you to jump, you jump without even asking how high.”

Funny how he made it seem like I had a choice.

I released my fists. “Fine.”

Lucian resumed his previous position in his seat. “Great. I’ll have my lawyers draw up the paperwork. You will be back here tomorrow to sign it. I’ll have Axel send you the time.”

By the end of his statement, Axel entered the office. “Sir?”

Lucian went back to his paperwork, dismissing me. “Lead Mr. Keiser off my property, will you?”

Axel nodded and looked at me. There was no point in addressing Lucian. He spoke his peace and nothing I would say was going to change that. An irritable man indeed.

I lifted from my chair and followed Axel out. We met up with Odessa seated at his desk. Axel handed me a napkin. I paused, staring at it. His eyes went to my palms.

Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Thanks.” I wiped furiously at the blood in my palms.

“I’ll call the lawyers and have the papers delivered as soon as possible. It should give you time to contact your lawyers for advice and to run through the document.” Axel looked down at his computer screen already making the necessary arrangements.

“And the hospital?” Odessa asked, eyeing the monitor.

“Don’t worry. Lucian is never a man to go back on his words. He might be a lot of things, but he is a dependable man. Once the contract is signed, the hospital will be taken care of. I’ll make sure it happens.”

“Thank you,” I butted in before Odessa said anything else. If anyone could sway Lucian, it was his two best friends: Axel and Ryder. He had a soft spot for them. “We should go.”

“Yes,” Odessa and Axel chorused.

The two guards returned from out of nowhere. They waited until Axel finished what he was doing. I used the opportunity to approach the guard on the left. “Aren’t you going to acknowledge me, Jaxon? You have gotten stronger since the last time we met.”

The last time we met, he was about twelve. He wore the same expression he did when he greeted me at the elevator. The difference was back then he warned me against his brother. A protective little brother. His pheromone got stronger, thicker. It made sense since he was a dominant alpha.

“Yeah,” he fixed his wristwatch, exposing a little of the flame tattoo on his arm. “I got older.”

I could see that. Though he and Axel were brothers, they looked nothing alike. Well, from the half face Axel showed us day in and day out. Axel had softer features with a fit body type. On the other hand, Jaxon was all muscles. Compared to Axel’s caramel colored hair with chunky gray high and lowlights, Jaxon’s hair was bronze colored. Situated next to each other, one would think they were lovers rather than brothers. None looked an age older than the other. Although Axel could pass as someone in his early twenties rather than thirties.

I smiled, remembering how much Jaxon would fuss over his older brother. “Indeed. I see you’re still following your older brother around.”

Jaxon never denied comment. “Someone has to protect him.”

Hmmm, how sweet. A bit of jealousy left a bitter taste in my mouth. Kara often acted older when we were together. Would she have been like Jaxon? I would never know. 

I brushed it off and turned to Odessa. “We should go if Axel is busy.”

The recessive alpha straightened and shut off his monitor. “No, let me walk you guys out.” He led the way. We trailed him, having Jaxon and his guard friend walking behind us.

“We should have lunch sometimes when you aren’t busy,” Axel started once we boarded the elevator. “We haven’t caught up in a while.”

Busy? That was an understatement. We both knew he never visited me more than necessary because of his boss. After all that studying, it was a bit shocking to know he resolved to work for Lucian. I knew the two were inseparable, but Axel could do far better than take orders from that man. He was too good. A kind soul wrapped in the den of a vicious wolf.

“Sure, hit me up when you have the time.” An event that would never happen.

“It will come one of these days.” A light twinkled in Axel’s eyes. “I will be seeing you more often in the next few months.”

Something about the way he said those words did not sit right with me. After signing the contract, my life would no longer be the same. My actions would be based on a beast of a man. God knows if I could survive. Regardless, I did not have a choice. The hospital was the last thing I had of my sister. It was the last wish of hers to help others like her. If it got torn down, that would be it. I would no longer have the strength to get up and smile anymore. My life would be over. So, for this once, I had to let Lucian have the upper hand. I could do whatever he asked and come out the bigger man. Lucian thought his demand would break me, but he had another thing coming. I was not weak and would never be. It was time he understood how strong omegas were.

I forced a smile. “Well, of course. I can’t wait.”

The elevator ride ended, and we parted ways. Odessa started the vehicle and we drove out of the garage. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

I eyed the back of her head. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Lucian is the same person I survived in college. The only reason he mentioned a contract was to mess with me. I could not let that stop me from reaching my goals. I would go to the end of the earth to save the people of Wintercrest. Even if I had to be bound to the devil himself.