24. Emmeline
24
Emmeline
“ W
ant to guess who had a very interesting chat with their brother this afternoon?” I ask, giving Sterling a warm smile.
His hand tenses on the wheel, and he shoots me a quick, panicked look before his eyes go back to the road. There’s a thick kind of tension pouring through his green tea and mint scent.
Oops.
I thought this was a safe topic. I figured it was far less heavy than anything else we’re going to be discussing here tonight.
“Why are you so nervous?” I ask, trying to smooth out my smile so he doesn’t see it.
But he laughs, shaking his head. “I’m not nervous. I’m just… curious.”
“Hm. I thought you said we shouldn’t lie,” I tease.
Sterling relaxes ever so slightly, shooting me a smirk. “No, I believe I said you shouldn’t lie.”
I roll my eyes but can’t help the giggles. Since we left the hospital, and my two alphas reluctantly dropped me off at home, I’ve spent the day fretting over this date with Sterling.
He’s been hostile, rude, and kind of combative during all of our interactions together, so him springing this dinner on me this morning just feels a little out of the blue.
I worried myself sick debating whether he’d even show, and yet, somehow, his arrival wasn’t the biggest surprise of the night.
It wasn’t the fact that he dressed for the occasion—a cream, long-sleeved sweater and a pair of dress pants—or that he complimented me and seems to mean it.
No. It’s the fact that he wants to court me. That he thinks I’m someone who is worthy of being pampered.
He came to our date tonight with the intention of asking me—he had a gift for me.
“You’re a bit lost in thought here,” Sterling says, and I notice that we’re only a few minutes away from the Italian restaurant we’ve got dinner reservations at.
“Sorry. Good things, I promise.” I reach over to squeeze his knee gently, not even thinking about it until I hear his sharp inhale.
Fuck.
I yank my hand back, turning to look out the window instead.
“Put it back,” he coaxes. “I was surprised, but your touch is always welcome, Emmeline.”
“Emme,” I correct. “Emmeline is so… long .”
I don’t move my hand back, my nerves too frayed, but I do turn to face him again. Hopefully, it’s too dark for him to see my blush.
“Evander says you’ve convinced him that… that you care.” I shiver in my seat at the low whistle.
“I did not think I made that much of an impression,” he says, flicking the indicator on so that we can pull into the parking lot.
“He was… intrigued, I think,” I offer, not sure how to summarise my brother’s feelings. “But I care less for his feelings right now than I do yours.”
Sterling reverses into a parking bay, not hesitating or doubting the manoeuvre. I’m quite in awe at the fact that he’s parked directly in the centre of the lines, considering it normally takes me at least four times to rearrange myself.
Oops.
Sterling steps out first, rounding the car before I even have a chance to reach for the door handle. He pulls it open smoothly, offering his hand. I hesitate, just for a moment, before slipping my fingers into his warm grasp. The way his thumb brushes against my knuckles sends a little flutter through me.
It feels nice. Comforting.
He feels safe.
The restaurant’s golden lights spill out into the night, casting a soft glow over the sidewalk. Inside, a hostess greets us with a warm smile, leading us through the softly lit dining area to our table.
I catch glimpses of flickering candlelight on tables, the quiet murmur of conversation blending with the clink of silverware, and lots of scents blending together.
Sterling’s hand rests on the small of my back as we weave through the tables, and, I swear, I can feel the heat of his touch even through my dress.
He doesn’t remove it until I’m settled in my seat, and then he slides into the chair opposite me.
A server appears almost immediately, placing two leather-bound menus in front of us and taking our drink orders. The moment we’re alone, Sterling leans back in his chair, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.
He knows I’ve been waiting this entire time to pepper him with questions about my brother, and he’s excited.
Weirdly, I am, too.
“So, you invited my brother to lunch, peppered him with questions about me, and somehow gained his respect,” I recount, raising a brow at my date. “I’m just curious. How did you do it?”
Sterling chuckles. “What, like it was hard?”
I roll my eyes, but the effect is lost when I laugh alongside him.
“I’m kidding. It was… well, I don’t want to say unnerving, but he wasn’t the happiest about being there.”
“Evander’s protective,” I offer, glancing at my menu before meeting Sterling’s eyes. “But he seemed quite impressed with you.”
Sterling’s grin widens, and it’s like he gains confidence just from those words.
“I was honest about my intentions towards you, Emme, and whilst he needed to hear them to be able to trust me, I think that you do, too.”
Sterling leans forward in his seat, reaching across the table for my hands. I don’t hesitate and let him take them, wanting the warmth of his touch. It’s different to the way I react to my alphas—it’s less primal, less raw , and far more… intimate in a way.
“I asked you to dinner because I wanted a chance to…”
“Start over?” I fill in.
He shakes his head. “No, not at all. The way I behaved isn’t something we should forget. Instead, I want to fully explain myself, to talk about my history, to talk about yours. I want to get to know you and to lay everything out in the open. But, right now, I want you to know that I have no intention of walking away.
“I want to earn your trust. I want to show you that I’m worthy of your love. I want to provide for you, to pamper you—to protect you. I was a dick to you that Sunday, and there’s no excuse for my behaviour.
“But what is even more unforgivable is how awful I was when you called—how I’ve been since then. I was… I am far too wary for my own good, and pushing you away and making you feel so unworthy is one of the worst decisions I’ve made in a long time.
“So, tonight is the first night in a long list of days where I’ll be showing you the real me, the one you deserve to know, and hoping that you’ll find yourself capable of… falling in love with me.”
I blink, barely able to catch my breath from his huge declaration when the strong scent of clementine washes over us. I look up and smile at the waitress. She’s not wearing a name tag, but she’s beautiful.
“Here you are,” the waitress says, startling me from Sterling’s gorgeous hazel eyes as she places our drinks down onto the table. “Are you ready to place your orders now, or do you need a few minutes?”
Sterling immediately orders, not hesitating despite the fact that neither of us did more than glance at the menu. Whilst he talks about the soup of the day, I quickly scan the menu to find something that doesn’t offend my delicate stomach.
And hopefully that same meal won’t include an excess of garlic.
Once the server leaves with our orders, I take a sip of my lemonade, watching Sterling over the rim of my glass. He doesn’t fidget, doesn’t waver under my gaze. He just waits, calm and steady, like he knows I have something to say.
I do, and I should be unsettled by how well he can read me.
“That was… a lot,” I say softly.
Sterling nods his head. “It was. I wanted to lay it all out on the table, but maybe I should’ve… layered it in.”
I grin. “Maybe. It helps, knowing that there’s no… nefarious reason for this meeting.”
Sterling’s eyes widen, and his scent darkens. “You thought there would be?” He groans, before I can answer. “I don’t blame you for that. I promise, my only goal for tonight was to have a date.”
Butterflies flutter in my tummy, and I’m surprised at how excited I am.
“You didn’t have to dress up, you know,” I murmur, tracing the rim of my glass with a fingertip.
His brow lifts, his smirk lazy. “I take it you’re not impressed then, little storm?”
“Oh, no, quite the opposite,” I admit, tilting my head. “I just didn’t expect it. I mean, you’ve been acting like I was some terrible inconvenience in your life.”
My thighs tense at my words, but I don’t regret them. He’s made it clear that this date is to get to know each other, and I want to understand. I need to know why he so rapidly changed his mind and what I can expect from him.
Sterling hums, swirling his drink in his glass before meeting my gaze. “It wasn’t personal, Emme. I was just… aware of the security risks that come with welcoming an omega into our lives. With our history, well, it’s a chance that I wasn’t willing to take.”
His history?
Lacey.
It has to be.
“I see.” I cross my arms, raising a brow. “You came to what conclusion, then?”
“That you don’t have a malicious bone in your body. That I want this more than I ever thought I would.” He gives me a tense smile. “That you’re probably more averse to this relationship than we are.”
“Probably.” I look down at my napkin before sighing. “I never thought I’d have a mate—never even dreamed I’d have a pack.”
“You deserve one.” He shrugs simply. “It was that simple in my mind. Seeing your pain, it just… snapped something inside me, and I knew that I couldn’t force you into being the enemy.
“Especially not when we were the ones hurting you. You’re an omega— my omega. A very intoxicating one.”
Heat crawls up my neck, and I shift in my seat. “I thought betas weren’t as affected by omegas?”
Sterling’s lips twitch into a grin. “We’re not. Not on a biological level, anyway. But you enchant me, little storm. You were made to be mine, and that’s all it takes.”
A shiver runs through me at his tone and the way his eyes darken. A beta might not be affected by an omega biologically, but an omega is sure affected by her beta scent match.
My scent spikes before I can help it, and Sterling inhales deeply, letting out a slow exhale like he’s savouring it. He reaches for my hand again and lifts it up, pressing a soft kiss against my scent gland.
Fuck.
My thighs clench, and the perfuming of my scent is undeniable.
I press my lips together, determined to keep my composure.
“So, you decided to, what? Throw caution out of the window? You don’t strike me as an impulsive man.”
His smirk fades, his gaze softening just a fraction, as he holds tighter onto my hand. “Impulsive, no. Confident? Determined? Yes. I wanted you, and I knew I shouldn’t. But seeing your pain last night shattered every single defence I tried to put up, and I won’t be running from it any more, Emme.”
His words steal my breath. My pulse hammers in my throat, and I glance down at my lemonade rather than meeting his eyes.
“I’ve spent my whole life knowing exactly who I am, understanding my place in the world. When I met my pack, it was instinctive, and I knew exactly where I fit in there, too. My role was clear, and I… I love them. Then you came along, and, suddenly, everything shifted in an instant. We weren’t ready, and, even now, I don’t think we are,” he admits. “More than that, though, is that I wasn’t ready for it.”
I don’t know what to say or how to voice my thoughts. He’s the only one who has been so… interrogative. Rude, unsettling, and even abrasive.
But for him to admit it’s because he wanted me… I’m shocked.
“Are you ready for it now?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
His hand squeezes mine, the touch light but deliberate. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
I swallow hard. The intensity of his gaze is almost too much, like he’s silently daring me to believe him.
“Then prove it,” I challenge, lifting my chin.
Sterling chuckles. “I plan to.”
Our server arrives, setting down our plates, and the moment shifts, the tension giving way to something warmer, easier. As we start eating, the conversation drifts to lighter topics—work, random stories, the chaos of dealing with our pack.
He tells me about a particularly disastrous business meeting Paxton dragged him into, and I share a funny moment from my first week at work.
Being with Sterling like this feels good.
Easy.
Like maybe, just maybe, this isn’t as impossible as I thought.
“You’re gorgeous,” Sterling says, laughing as I wipe off the chocolate sauce from my nose.
How the fuck it got here, I’ll refuse to admit.
If he tells anyone I licked the bowl, I’ll… well, I’ll probably just agree. It’s not like my blush wouldn’t give it away, anyway.
“And you’re a tease,” I mutter, my cheeks a brighter red than our tablecloth.
I set my spoon down, still grinning as I wipe away the last remnants of chocolate sauce.
Sterling watches me, amusement flickering in his hazel eyes, his fingers lazily tracing the stem of his wine glass.
“You’re enjoying yourself,” he notes.
It’s not a question, but I nod anyway, settling back in my chair. “I am.”
His smirk softens into something more thoughtful. “Good. I wanted tonight to be… different.”
“Different from what?” I tilt my head, genuinely curious.
Sterling exhales slowly, swirling his drink before taking a measured sip. “From how things started between us. From how I treated you.”
“I think you might have actually surprised me,” I admit.
He smirks, setting his glass down. “Might have?”
I roll my eyes. “Fine. You did.”
“I’ll take that as a win.” His fingers drum against the table, a pensive expression crossing his face. “I meant what I said earlier about wanting to be honest with you.”
I nod, my heart picking up its pace. “Then tell me something honest now.”
Sterling doesn’t hesitate. “Ask me anything.”
My stomach twists, nerves and curiosity warring inside me. There are so many things I could ask, but only one question burns at the tip of my tongue.
I take a deep breath, my fingers tightening slightly around my napkin. “Paxton told me a lot about Lacey last night. And I’m wondering if you wanted to share anything about her.”
The shift in him is immediate, and regret burns in my chest.
Sterling goes completely still, his smirk vanishing in an instant. His jaw tightens, his fingers curling into a fist on the table. The air between us thickens, charged with something darker.
“Why the fuck did he open up about that bitch?” Sterling demands, his hazel eyes darkening. The rage flashes across his face so fast that it takes my breath away.
The reaction is intense—too intense—and yet, against all logic, my body reacts to it.
I swallow hard. I shouldn’t find him sexy when he’s this worked up, right?
I’m not meant to be able to feel the slick in my underwear or the uncomfortable dampness between my thighs that is only beaten out by a burning ache.
Right?
So, then, why do I find myself practically salivating, perfuming, even, over his rage?
“Did he tell you shit about me? About my failures?” Sterling snaps, and I rapidly shake my head. This time, I don’t take any offence at his anger.
From the stories Paxton shared… well, I have no doubt that Sterling’s time with her is going to be just as bad.
He lets out a heavy sigh, looking up at the chandelier in the ceiling before meeting my eyes. “What do you know about my family?”
“Um, very little. You come from a long-line of betas, and you have a family business in protection, right?” I say, thinking about the searching I did when I was applying to be hired.
It was so long ago, I don’t really remember much.
“Partially true. For the last eight or so generations, my entire family have been betas. And, yes, we do have a family business in the protection agency kind of world,” he says with a nod. “But that’s not all we do. Some of my family work with the government, and when we were in university, I was approached.”
“Approached?”
“By the government,” he says carefully, and my jaw drops. “I can’t go into the details, but it was… a big case. I wasn’t sure about taking it on, for more than one reason, but the biggest was that I didn’t want to endanger my pack.”
“Paxton, Uri, and Oscar?” I ask, grateful I didn’t stumble or wince when it came to mentioning his name.
Sterling nods his head. “Yes. Eventually, they were brought in on the details of the case, and we took it.”
“I don’t understand what this has to do with Lacey,” I say, confused.
There’s so much happening here, such a huge mind-blowing experience to know that my pack were spies.
Okay, fine, he never actually said that word, but it feels pretty true.
“You will. Paxton met Lacey first, then me, then Uri, and, finally, Oscar. She was… well, you know exactly what she was like, I’m assuming.”
The anger in his eyes is no longer a turn-on. Not now that I can see it for what it truly is—a mask. He’s hiding his hurt under his rage.
How can you be in pain when you’re angry instead?
That’s a feeling I know well.
“If you want to tell me about her, you can,” I offer quietly.
He doesn’t move. Doesn’t even blink. For three very tense, uncomfortable seconds.
And then he bursts out laughing. I startle, not sure what’s so funny, but he covers his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking, his laughter barely muffled. I glance around, noticing people staring at our table, some not even trying to be discreet, and my anxiety builds.
What the actual fuck?
“What’s so funny?” I demand, crossing my arms in front of me.
He wipes a literal tear from his eyes, grinning at me. “You’ve got nothing to be jealous about. I’d rather fuck a cactus than ever look at another woman.”
Jealous?
I mean, sure, I was at first, but as soon as Paxton explained what kind of person she was, there was no doubt in my mind that they’d ever want her.
He thinks I’m jealous of Lacey?
I groan, shaking my head. “Okay, first off, those are not the only two options that you have. And, secondly, stop deflecting! If you don’t want to talk about her, you don’t have to, but don’t try twisting this into something it’s not.”
My scent thickens, and he clearly notices because his jaw ticks, and he avoids looking at me. I don’t move, unwilling to drop this.
If he doesn’t want to talk about her, he can say that, and we can move on. But, otherwise, I want to know how she hurt him.
Sterling exhales sharply, dragging a hand through his hair before sitting forward, resting his elbows on the table. For a long moment, he just stares at me, his hazel eyes unreadable.
Then, finally— finally —he speaks.
“I don’t know what Pax said about her, but, from my point of view, she was the worst kind of person to ever exist. She was toxic. Evil, even, and I don’t use that word lightly.
“Paxton and I both come from similar kinds of families to her. We come from old money. Powerful, traditional, good-standing families that network and exist in the same upper class kind of societies. Originally, I thought that was why she reached out to us first. Why she picked us.
“She already knew us in a way, and, honestly, I sort of felt the same. She was good—at least, at first. It felt like I blinked, and there she was, living in our house, eating our food, and ultimately ruining our lives.”
I shiver and reach across the table, offering him my hand. I don’t have to wait long before he takes mine, and the gentle squeeze is enough to reassure me.
“She thought she was smarter than me. That she could break me.” His voice is low and controlled, but there’s an edge to his words that is quite scary to hear. The look in his eyes is haunting, and I know that she deserves every inch of his hatred.
I grip my water glass with my free hand, barely feeling the chill from the ice cubes because of how deep the cold inside me goes.
“She tried to gaslight me. Tried to make me question everything I saw, everything I knew. She’d twist every single thing she could—conversations, texts, emails, letters.
“Anything she could warp, she’d try. Her goal was to make me doubt myself—doubt reality. Most omegas, they’d want to challenge me to make sure I could protect them.
“That’s my role in this pack, after all. But her? That bitch? She didn’t play the victim with me—she saved that for Uri.”
For Uri? I swallow hard, my chest aching, but I can’t interrupt, I can’t ask. Not when he’s so focused on the memory of her and what she did to him—to them.
And, honestly, I think this woman’s history with Uri is something he should share. If he ever wants to talk to me.
“She’d challenge me. Try to undermine me in ways that she never could’ve managed if she wasn’t cheating at the game only she was playing. Her goal was to beat me, to make me slip, to make me weak.”
A bitter chuckle escapes him, one that’s colder than me and lacking any kind of humour.
“But she didn’t,” I remind him, squeezing his hand. His hazel eyes snap to mine, and he gives me a small smile. It lacks true warmth, but I know he’s trying.
“No, she didn’t. Because I suspected that there was something off with her—more than just how she was treating us all. She thought she was playing us, but she didn’t realise that I started playing the game, too.”
A shiver runs down my spine at the darkness of his tone.
The fingers on his other hand tap against the table, slow and deliberate, as his scent seems to brighten.
He’s amused. But if it’s something funny, why am I full of such dread?
“What did you do?” I whisper.
He squeezes my hand before letting go and leaning back in his chair. I don’t know whether the distance he’s putting between us is because he needs it or because he’s worried about my reaction to what he’s going to share.
Something tells me it’s the latter.
“I made sure that when she finally made her big move that she’d be the one to fall instead.”
There’s no satisfaction in his tone. No victory, no laughter, nothing. Just a cold, quiet truth that sends a shiver down my spine.
“I mentioned the threat we were working on with the government, well… she was involved on the other side. It was a shit show. So, when they finally came for us… she was the one who let them into our home. She knew our routine, our life, our security features.” He scoffs, shaking his head. “She brought them in and was ready to watch our destruction.”
I gasp, covering my mouth, horrified tears filling my eyes. I whine, low and scared, but Sterling barely moves. He’s still lost in the memories.
This woman, Lacey, she was going to kill my pack. Or watch them be killed? I don’t know. I really don’t know.
“She let them in?” I ask, my tone as shaky as my breath.
“She invited them in, smiling whilst she did it, fully aware what their goal was,” he says bitterly. But then he shifts. His scent lightens, his smirk widens, and he meets my eyes. “But I was prepared, Emme. I had modified our security system without telling anyone—and it’s a good thing I did. I suspected she was a snake, and I was right.”
“This is…” I trail off, choking on my words. Sterling immediately gets up off his chair, moving to crouch in front of me. He turns my chair slightly, taking my hands in his.
His chest presses against my knee.
“Don’t get upset over the past, little storm. We’re fine, we’re safe. It was years ago, and we don’t need to revisit it.”
“But is it really in the past?” I whisper, clutching at his hands like they’re my lifeline. “When you’re still dealing with the effects of what she did to you? When Oscar won’t even allow her name to be said, and Paxton was so terrified about her? Who is to say whatever damage she inflicted on Uri isn’t still messing with him all these years later like it is the rest of you?”
Sterling sighs, and I can smell the authenticity in the way his scent grows stronger. “You make a valid point, little storm. I can’t speak for the others, but, for me, I won’t be able to move on from her until I win the game.”
“And you win how?” I bite my lower lip, watery eyes trained on the beta crouching in front of me.
“When she’s dead, of course.”
The words land like a blow, so sharp and sure, as he stares me down without an ounce of guilt. It’s not a question, not a threat, just a certainty—one day, she’ll be dead.
Not only has he made his peace with it, it’s like he’s excited for the day.
A shiver runs down my spine, and I come to the realisation that Sterling’s far more dangerous than I expected.
He wants her dead.
What does it say about me that the thought of her death doesn’t bother me? There’s no feeling of revolt or anger?
I let out a slow breath and give him a tense smile. “And those people?”
He frowns. “What do you mean? What people?”
“The government thing,” I murmur, glancing around to make sure nobody overhears me so I can keep his secret.
“Gone. Some dead, some imprisoned like her,” he says, squeezing my hand gently.
“I don’t understand. Why were they after you all?” I shiver in my seat, and even his touch can’t help the anxiety I’m feeling.
Sterling gives me a small smile but shakes his head. “I can’t say. But I can promise you it’s over. That part of our life was brief, and it’s closed. Completely.”
“You’re sure?”
I hold my breath, my heart seeming to pause, as the entire room stills. Everything stops as I wait for his answer.
“I’m positive.”
The noise rushes back in. My heart continues to beat. And once more, I can breathe. The weight seems to disappear from my shoulders, and my entire body relaxes.
“Okay.”
Okay.
I smile.
“You’re full of surprises tonight,” I murmur, aiming for teasing, but it comes out softer than I intend.
Sterling smirks, running a slow thumb over the scent gland on my wrist before letting me go and moving back to his own seat.
“I figured it was time I stopped being predictable.”
I want to tell him he’s never been predictable, not really, but the moment between us is already shifting, giving way to something easier, lighter.
And maybe… safer.
I exhale, pressing my fingers to my cheeks in an attempt to cool the heat still burning there. “So, what you’re saying is, I should brace myself for more surprises?”
He chuckles, adjusting the way he’s sitting in his chair. “Oh, definitely.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t help smiling.
He watches me for a beat, a fond expression on his face, before his gaze drops to the table.
“Emme,” he starts, voice lower, more thoughtful. “If I ask you something, will you promise to answer honestly?”
I blink, caught off guard. “I… yeah. Of course.”
After all the honesty he’s given me tonight, it would be extremely hypocritical to now refuse.
Even if I could.
His fingers drum lightly against the table like he’s considering his words. “Why did you assume I wouldn’t show up tonight?”
I freeze.
The question is simple, straightforward. But, fuck me, is it not something I want to explain.
The answer isn’t about him, not really.
It’s about every time I’ve been let down before. Every time I’ve let myself hope, only to be reminded that I don’t deserve anything else. Every time someone has said one thing, then done another.
Why should he be any different?
Sterling doesn’t push when I don’t respond immediately. He just waits and lets me work it out myself. There’s no pressure, and it feels so good .
I exhale shakily, twisting my napkin in my lap. “Because it felt too good to be true.”
His brows draw together, but he stays silent.
“I told myself not to get attached to the idea of this—of you, of your pack.” I swallow. “I figured if I kept my expectations low, it wouldn’t hurt as much when you decided I wasn’t worth the effort.”
Sterling exhales sharply through his nose, his jaw flexing. “You really thought we wouldn’t want you?”
I shrug, suddenly uncomfortable. “I don’t know what I thought.”
The silence between us is thick—heavier than before. Then, finally, he leans forward, his elbows resting on the table as he pins me with a look so serious, so intense, that I can’t look away.
“I need you to hear me when I say this,” he murmurs, his voice steady, sure. “I’m not going anywhere, Emme. Not now. Not ever.”
The air between us shifts, thick with something I don’t know how to name. Something I don’t think I’ve ever really felt before.
But I believe him.
“Does this link to Uri’s disappearance?” Sterling asks softly.
I shiver and look down at my empty dessert bowl. “Maybe. Probably.”
He sighs. “I swear, once he gets home, I’m going to beat the fuck out of him.”
My jaw drops, and I snap my head up to meet Sterling’s eyes.
“He’s still not home?” I demand.
I can’t stop the whine from my omega or the tears that fill my eyes. The trembling of my hands can’t be helped, neither can the racing of my heart.
But you know what I could’ve stopped?
What might’ve been prevented?
My rage.
It seems to flip within a second, and my pain is gone, and the emptiness I felt is now filled.
Anger. Burning, destructive, and maybe even a little murderous.
“He’s still hiding like a fucking coward?” I snarl, and Sterling’s eyes widen, his throat bobbing as he takes in my reaction. “I’m the pregnant one. I’m the one who is dealing with the consequences of our actions, and he thinks that I deserve more stress?”
I let out the most pathetic hiss, causing Sterling to grin at me.
“Did he miss what the doctor said? Did nobody decide to relay that information to the prick who ran away and refused to join us for our first time seeing our baby ? I don’t believe it for a second. Oscar would’ve, even if Uri didn’t want to know.”
Sterling’s grin is instantaneous. “You’re right. Oscar did tell him. He’s sent us all a document full of information that we must obey if we want to be around you for the duration of your pregnancy. Don’t worry, I’m sure this is just the first of many rules he’s going to set.”
I gasp, not sure if I’m horrified or if I’m amused. Both, I think.
But underneath it all is something akin to… love? Do I feel loved? Cared for?
I think I do.
“Trust me, little storm, you do not want to read it,” he teases, and I groan, giggling into my hands as I think about what might be included. “One of my rules is that I must give you all of my long-sleeved t-shirts.”
I lift my head. “Why those ones?”
Sterling moans. “I wish I knew. He just told me that they’re the best ones for what you need. He’s also ordered me to wear them daily.”
I laugh, the warmth I feel spreading, taking over the coldness completely. “I’m sorry. Someone should really rein him in.”
“Not my job.” He shakes his head when I narrow my eyes. “Paxton’s the only one who can truly rein Oscar in when he’s in a hyperfocus. Although, I think you might have the magic touch with what I’ve heard.”
“And what have you heard, Mr Carter?” I ask, leaning in towards him. He smirks, dragging my chair close to his side.
Who cares that we’re meant to sit opposite each other when Sterling’s so desperate for my company? Not me.
He leans in close, and I flip my hair over my shoulders. He brushes his nose against my scent gland, and I shiver as my scent perfumes around us.
Fucking omega traits ruining everything.
His kiss to the skin below my ear is gentle and ever so distracting.
“You’re the perfect omega for our pack, little storm. You’ll pull Uri’s fat head out his ass and make him understand. You’ll make him see what we all should’ve seen from the beginning.”
“And what’s that?” I raise a brow at him.
He smirks, twirling my hair around his finger. “That you’re nothing like that bitch Lacey. That we’re lucky to have you because you’re going to make our life better .”
“Better?”
He nods. “Better,” he repeats, leaning in to brush his lips against my own. The kiss is gentle, soft.
And full of warmth.
I savour his touch, his care, his… well, not love, but something close to it.
“Now, shall we head back to my place?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“Shouldn’t I… go to my home?” My voice sounds smaller than I intended, but I can’t deny how nervous I feel.
He shrugs. “It’s your choice, little storm. You could go home, alone, where we all know you’re going to be mourning the loss of our delicious scents.”
“Mediocre.”
He laughs, and I grin, pressing a kiss to his jaw. Sterling leans in closer, resting his arm over the back of my chair.
“Or you could come back to our house— our home— and confront your alpha for being a spineless coward,” he offers, waggling his brows. “I’ve just got an alert that he’s been kicked out of the place he’s been hiding, so it’s the perfect time.”
I frown. “I don’t understand.”
Sterling shows me his phone, and there’s a text message from who I can only assume is Uri’s dad, based on the contact name of “Mr Rothschild.”
He clicks on the thread, and I don’t hesitate in reading the messages. It probably makes me a bad person, but, hey, I’ve done worse.
Mr Rothschild
Uri’s been sent packing.
Don’t let him come back until he’s talked to that sweet girl of his.
I stare at the message, my pulse thrumming in my ears.
Sent packing.
A sharp satisfaction hums beneath my irritation, but it’s not enough.
Uri ran.
He left me.
I suck in a slow breath, pressing my fingers to my temple as I try to sort through the storm of emotions churning inside me.
Sterling watches me carefully, his phone still in his hand. “So, what do you want to do?”
I lift my chin, the answer coming before I even have time to doubt it. “Take me home.”
Sterling’s brow lifts, and, for a moment, I think he might argue, but then his lips curve into something approving. “Our home?”
I nod, gripping my purse a little tighter. “I think it’s time my alpha stops running from me.”
The heat in Sterling’s gaze sends a shiver down my spine. “That’s my girl.”
He stands, offering me his hand, and I take it without hesitation.
I have a coward to confront.
And he won’t like what I have to say.