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!”
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.”H
“Honey, I am here.” Ryder waltzed into the private restaurant room. He planted a wet kiss on a startled Axel. The poor guy pushed his friend away and wiped his forehead. Ryder pouted and clasped his chest. “Awe, baby, you’re breaking my heart. Didn’t you miss me?”Axel ignored him. Ryder never lost his beam until he looked at me. He leaned into Axel. “What’s wrong with him?”“Tyrith visited the office today,” Axel answered, not bothering to whisper.Ryder’s lips took on an oval shape. The waitress entered the room. Ryder peered up at her with a smile. “Sally, my boyfriend had a terrible day at the office. I want him to feel better. Can you get us the best dessert on the menu?”Red spread throughout the blonde’s cheek. “Yes, sir.” The female retreated without acknowledging the rest of us. Beta or not, they all groveled at Ryder’s feet. His carefree personality made things worse. People wanted to feel good about themselves and Ryder was the guy to make that happen. I was sure the blonde
My heartbeat pounded in my temples. I peeked at Odessa to check if she heard it. Her silence forced me to return my attention to the elevator doors. A ding sounded and the doors opened. I blew out a long breath. The bodyguard from the previous day greeted us with a scrutinizing look. I swore these alphas needed some manners.I brushed past him and down the hall. Voices traveled to us.Jaxon’s grunt floated in the air. “Stop treating him like a child. He’s an adult. If you spoil him anymore, he’ll get out of control.”“Jaxon is just jealous,” a masculine voice teased.Axel’s voice came alive. “You two, stop that. I’m at work.” The tenderness in his tone reminded me of a parent.“Then, tell him to get lost,” Jaxon whined. I chuckled at the sound. Jaxon often came across as a stringent child. To hear him whine came as a shock. “First, he stays at your place, eats your shit, uses your stuff, and now he shows up at your work unannounced. I’m going to call dad.”The small group of men came
Sex.Could you be any more of an idiot, Tyrith? Of all the things, you had to say sex. And in front of Lucian. He was going to think I liked him. God, I wanted to die. How could such a word leave my mouth? Sure, it had been a while since I indulged in such acts. I spent my heat cycle locked in my apartment. My life was fine without sex. At least, I thought so, but to say such a thing. Such abomination. Lucian remained silent, evoking more nervousness. I licked my dry lips. Lucian abandoned his chair. I glanced at the door, calculating the time it would take for me to get to it. Lucian got involved in sports back in college. Judging by his muscular build, he worked out. Me, well, the only exercise I did was run up a few steps a day or rush a patient to the operating room. Nothing too serious.Even if I ran, my escape was not guaranteed. My body went under the previous stress of enduring two dominant alpha’s pheromones. If Lucian released his, I would collapse. If I was not a supreme,
Ryder eased past me to pour himself a glass of whiskey. He gave me the glass and plopped down in my chair. “Should I tell Axel to cancel the rest of your meetings?” He propped up his foot on my desk. “You don’t look like you are in any mood to continue working.”I downed the whiskey with one gulp. “Shut up.”A mischievous smirk slanted his lips. I told Axel not to spy on me in my office. His excuse was to ensure I was always okay. I should have made more fuss about him gaining access to the camera in my office. No doubt he and Ryder were watching.Ryder of all people should not have seen that. I didn’t want to give him any ideas. Things Axel ignored Ryder picked up on. He would often set me up on one date or the other. It was hard to tell what went on in that unstable head of his.I slammed the empty glass on the table and dropped on the couch next to the liquor shelf. This was my fault. I should have reacted differently. It was foolish of me to react to such tedious things. Who cared
Picking up a random alpha at a club was one of my specialties. Once they saw my face or smelt my scent, they were hooked. It was easy for me to seduce this guy. Tall. Sweet. Jovial. Carefree. The opposite of Lucian. He never hesitated when I mentioned my hotel room. Within five minutes we were at the hotel.We made it to the elevator before it closed. The doors reopened and the last person I expected to see perched in the corner with a redhead. I froze for a second too long. A part of me wanted to let the elevator go without us. We could ride the next one. However, my one-night partner boarded the damn thing.I cursed at him and joined him on the ride. Lucian stood behind us. The fact sent my heart pumping against my ribcage. I wished his face were visible. The girl next to him could not have been his girlfriend. I doubt he knew the word relationship. That girl had to be some sort of fling. No scent came from her. Beta. Of course. He wouldn’t dare to touch an omega.The thought irrita
I should have seen this coming. I was the one who signed that contract. He had all rights to prevent me from sleeping around. There was nothing I could do about him. Like an idiot, I allowed him to toy with my head. Like a typical Omega. I bet he was laughing behind my back.I hissed and stomped back up the stairs. Lucian might have won this round, but he would never again.***“Morning, sir,” Odessa presented a cup of coffee. “It’s cappuccino.”I clasped the warm cup and sipped. Cappuccino was my rewarding coffee after a victory. Odessa must have thought I would be in the mood to celebrate. Why wouldn’t she? She booked me a hotel room and expected me to use it to the fullest capacity. It was a pity things went bad.After Lucian left, I never got a wink of sleep. The bed became too large and the suite too quiet. I spent the night finishing paperwork. A sad night for an omega like me. A damn pity indeed. “You look well, sir,” Odessa lied. “Did you have a good night?”“No,” I grumbled.
With Franklin’s help, I was able to get through my surgeries with my brain in tack. On days when my schedule was filled with surgeries, it would leave my body worn out. Not with Franklin present. He helped in every way he could. The students and patients loved him. I could not blame them. Franklin was an alpha with kind qualities and an adorable face. Plus, he was a doctor. Every omega craved for a dependable alpha that would take care of them. Franklin was just that. Back in medical school, he was the life of the school. Everyone looked up to him. Some, if not all alphas, wanted to be him. The alpha to get all praises and omegas attention. Of course, Franklin never cared about such trivial things. He kept his head in books up until graduation. A book nerd was not the right word to describe him. He knew how to have fun and he was always the life of the party. However, he knew how to prioritize his time. His studies came first, and partying lingered in second. He was the one who taugh