Chapter 5 – June
CHAPTER FIVE
JUNE
They’ll have to air out the meeting room behind me because one of the alphas smelled like motor oil and wet cigarettes. I didn’t know that a large portion of being an omega was just praying that anyone who gets near me doesn’t fucking reek .
The man next to me falls into step as I head toward the bathrooms. After last night’s cafe debacle, I told Laura to go back to her flat and get some rest. At least one person dealing with all this should have a shower and a bed.
Meanwhile, I spent the morning taking a sink bath, trying to make myself presentable for the alphas who were in town and agreed to meet with me.
It’s been nothing short of a disaster.
The first alphas I met were two men, friends who stuck together and formed a small pack. While each of them were nice, one smelled like spring onions, and the other freshly cut grass. It wasn’t really my favorite in the files that I combed through yesterday, but I wanted to at least try. When I stepped into the room, both of the alphas had visibly deflated at seeing me, and even though they were polite, I could tell there was no attraction from any of us.
I cut the meeting short and let them go on their way. As much as I can’t stand the thought of multiple meetings, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the alphas who keep walking in hoping to meet their soulmate, someone they want to bond immediately, and instead they get… me.
Splashing water on my face, I stare at myself in the tiny bathroom mirror, chewing on my red and raw lip. I tried to smooth back my hair, but it makes it look even worse. The unwashed state is bordering on fully unkempt, and I tried to put my blouse and trousers back on this morning, only for the trousers not to button from being bloated.
I feel like shit, and I look like it too.
I can’t even force a smile as I wipe my hands off, adjusting the only sweater I have, the one I wore on the flight over and in the elevator. Wearing it, once again, over leggings, just makes me look sloppy. No one is going to want you .
My heart lurches as I step back out, the beta representative waiting for me as he grimaces and nods toward another room. “This one next, Miss Walden.”
Someone from the American embassy contacted me this morning, but legally, I’m barred from travel until the heat passes. They gently encouraged me to find an alpha, or pack, that will take me in. I don’t really relish the thought of staying with strangers while I’m out of my mind, begging for sex, because the pamphlets Denise left for me made it sound like I won’t even be lucid, just horny.
Not terrifying at all .
The embassy representative at least clarified that the London center is on the hook for helping facilitate something for me. Even if all the alphas keep wrinkling their noses when I enter the rooms. Denise told me this morning to be calm because stress makes omega perfumes smell off apparently.
I feel so hopelessly alone in all of this.
As I cross the walkway open to the main lobby, I hear arguing. A man leans over the reception desk, long hair pulled back into a bun as he plants his hands on the surface.
The receptionist stares. “Sir, you are a beta , you cannot submit a pack into our files without an alpha’s approval. That’s not how any of this works.”
“I know but my alpha is on the way, okay? My partner will sign, I just need to see her.”
The sound of the man’s voice makes me stop, clutching the glass railing as I stare.
“Juniper.”
I jolt, looking to the right as one of the alphas from before steps closer. She’s slighter than me, an inch or two taller too, with lean muscle cording up her arms. She and her pack were nice this morning, but I could tell that there was no pull from any of them. They were going to be my option if I only needed a place to ride it out. I’m bisexual — the gender of the alphas never mattered anyway, and her pack was pleasant enough that I didn’t feel like I’d be in danger staying with them.
The alpha keeps her distance from me, a soft frown pulling her features down. “It’s probably going to be difficult to find a pack this short notice, but I wanted to give you this.” She holds out a card, and I lean forward, taking it from her. Her voice softens. “It’s a heat help center, if they… let you out of this place.” The alpha looks around. “You might consider it.”
“Thank you.” I pull the card to my chest, a small lifeboat as the commotion in the lobby gets louder.
“This place lacks what you need .” The female alpha takes a half step closer, her gaze serious enough that it makes me focus. She has so much power in her mere presence, it makes me want to listen, to stop , and heel. “But you don’t have to pack up, regardless of what anyone here says. There are plenty of omegas who wait to bond until later in their life, no one speaks about them. They want to focus on the ones who ‘ find their dream scent match ’ at eighteen.” Her head tilts. “Take care of yourself, please — and go with your instincts, they exist for a reason.”
I open my mouth to… I don’t know. Thank her again? Confirm that I won’t just settle , when the man below us slaps his hands onto the desk.
“I’m not leaving until I see her.”
I look down just as he tips back, his head lifting, his tanned skin washed out under the harsh lighting, his chest heaving as he breathes in. I grab onto the glass railing to keep myself upright as a Black man walks through the front doors, his gait long and gaze furious as he brandishes a piece of paper.
I know them.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Theo is furious .”
Seth snags the paper from Bennett and pushes it across the desk. “File it and let me see her.”
The card in my hand flutters to the floor as I forget all about the alpha next to me, turning sharply and running toward the stairs, taking them two at a time. The security guard at the bottom gives me a wide-eyed look, but doesn’t get a chance to stop me as I run directly toward the reception desk.
Seth looks up sharply, and all the tension in his shoulders sag as he pushes away and meets me halfway. His hands rise, hesitating before he touches me, his voice soft. “This is going to sound insane.”
I stare up at him, my heart pounding, the feeling from last night hitting all over again as we look at each other. “I don’t think it will.”
He nods, his lips parting before he steps closer. “I don’t even know your name.”
My resolve crumbles as I feel his fingers tighten on my shoulders, so right, like they’ve touched me a thousand times before. “I’m June.”
“June.”
The way he says my name is so quiet, a mere whisper as his eyes flicker over my face.
I can feel eyes on us and glance to the side, catching the gaze of his alpha — Bennett — and I step back, pulling into myself as I realize how it must look. He’s bonded , they’re together —
Seth steps forward, then follows my eyes. After a moment, he looks back at me, like he’s taking me in, or afraid I’m not real. “Where have you been staying? Is there somewhere we can talk?”
I open my mouth, startled by the questions, when Bennett walks over. My brain feels sluggish because he’s so undeniably alpha. Even in the open lobby, I feel overwhelmed by the heady citrus scent rolling off of him, mixing with the smell of fudge coming from Seth. I feel a flush creep up my cheeks as Bennett’s eyes look me over, his mouth pulled into a soft smile.
“Hello again.”
“Hi,” I breathe the word, glancing away only to get caught in Seth’s gaze. I fumble, tugging at my sweater, realizing it’s all they’ve ever seen me in. God, they both must think I’m a disaster. “I’ve been staying here.” Clearing my throat, I look between them. “I can’t go anywhere else. But maybe we can go upstairs to one of the meeting rooms.”
Seth nods rapidly, stepping closer and sliding a hand over mine. His touch makes me release my sweater, his smile encouraging. “Let’s do that. Let’s go talk, June.”
“Okay.” I suck in a breath and move to turn, seeing the startled representative that’s been dragging me around all morning halfway down the stairs. Just as I open my mouth to explain, I feel a warm hand against mine, palm to palm. Seth’s fingers intertwine with mine.
I look up at him, slightly startled, but his smile is easy. “Lead the way.”
I tug him up the stairs beside me, brushing past the representative and taking the room I know is empty. It’s the same one I just left, and still smells vaguely of oil and cigarettes, but Seth doesn’t blink, and neither does Bennett as I take a seat, reaching across the table for the abandoned paperwork and shoving it toward them. “The center keeps asking people to fill this out, I think it’s so —”
Seth takes one look at it and then sits down in the chair next to me, scooting it closer. “I’m going to be honest, I don’t give a fuck about paperwork.”
“Seth,” Bennett mutters his name, but it’s almost laughing as he takes the seat behind him, angling it out, not even glancing at the form.
Seth grabs my hand again, squeezing it. “Are you okay? You didn’t look okay last night.” His warm eyes rove over me again and I feel bare as he lingers on my sweater and leggings.
My lip wobbles as I whisper. “Uh…” Why is this so hard? Why do I want to burst into tears because he actually took a minute to notice?
His eyes widen, and in seconds his arms are around me, halfway out of his own chair. Seth pulls me into a tight hug, covering me in him, grounding me while simultaneously keeping me from falling apart. “Sorry if this is weird,” he rambles in my ear, squeezing me. “I just… it feels right, please don’t cry.”
And it does feel right. In the strangest, biological way, when I sink into his touch, my brain quiets, the anxiety gripping my chest loosens its hold. I close my eyes, wrapping my arms around him as I mumble, “I’m sorry the last few days have been a lot and… and…” I hiccup, trying to sort through the onslaught of emotions.
He leans back just enough to touch my cheek. “And this feels right, right?”
I nod.
“You’re coming home with us.” His expression grows serious as he turns his head, looking back at Bennett. “She’s coming home with us.” The alpha watches, something gentle in his eyes as Seth says, “Throw however much money at this that will get her out of here.”
Bennett frowns as Seth leans back. The beta’s touch lingers on my hands, squeezing them both as Bennett asks, “Have they really kept you here?”
“Yes.” I chew on my lower lip, pausing when I taste blood. At this rate I’ll have no skin left on them. I force myself to stop before giving them the condensed version of what the doctor said, and then the hotel, and the embassy. The more I talk, the more the two men in front of me look… angry. I finally taper off, my voice quieting at the end. “I’ve been sleeping in the coordinator’s office down the hall for the last two nights.”
A low whine builds in Seth’s throat and he drops my hands only to shrug out of his jacket. He leans forward to wrap it around my shoulders without preamble, his head jerking to the side as he looks at Bennett. “ Fix this.”
“Done.” Bennett stands, running a hand over his short hair, barely longer than a buzz. He reaches out, squeezing Seth’s shoulder as he passes us, and I turn toward him, leaning unconsciously forward as his scent follows him. Inhaling sharply, I close my eyes for a moment, the citrus invading my senses.
The room is quiet until I open my eyes again.
Bennett looks down at me, his expression unreadable. “Will you?”
“What?”
“Will you come to our pack house?” He hesitates. “We’re not forcing you into anything, but you deserve to be treated better than this — better than whatever they’ve tried to convince you is acceptable .” He surveys the bright conference room, and I wonder if he knows — if he knows I’ve been sleeping on a couch, that the lights are buzzing too loud, that the world is too much .
His lip lifts in a little snarl.
“Because this is unacceptable, June.”
I wring my hands together, Seth’s jacket draped around my shoulders. “Is it… only you two?”
“No.” Seth grabs my hands again, stopping me from wringing them. “No, Arin and Theo will be there too, but it’ll be okay. I promise. They’ll like you.” His smile is soft, gentle. “We’ll get you home, you can sleep in the guest bed, and then we can go from there, okay?”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nod, not understanding the why, but knowing deep in me that I can trust them. They’ve already proven it once, even though the elevator wasn’t a real threat, and they’re still strangers — something in the back of my mind — in my hindbrain, the deep biological part that is all primal instinct and gut reactions — makes me whisper, “Okay.”
Out of all the alphas and the packs I’ve been shoved in front of — none of them have made me feel like this. None of them have been Seth and Bennett.
Seth’s smile widens. “Good. We’re going to take care of you.”