Chapter 23 #2
That’s going to change.
Yet my heart also aches because seeing Papa reminds me of Bird who is still missing in the Institute.
Has Bird been sold to a new pack yet? Will I be too late to rescue my brother?
I take a steadying breath.
I admire the bravery of both Dad and Papa to show their love in front of everyone and stand up against their Alpha.
The other board members have been looking down their noses at my parents like they stink.
Dad may be an Omega, but when Ryan was the Head Alpha, he was never treated with disrespect.
I bristle.
“Is this true?” A female Alpha and fellow billionaire, Mrs. Heverbook, who appears to be only a couple of years older than me with sly eyes, shakes the files.
She ignores me, looking to the other Alphas, Icarus and Lionzio, to answer instead.
When they stubbornly don’t reply, her assessing gaze settles on Dad and Papa.
Papa dips his head, nuzzling at Dad’s neck to hide.
Dad arches his brow. “Oh, are you wondering why I am sitting at this table? Why my daughter is?”
Mrs. Heverbook tosses her hair. “I’m not staying if I’m expected to talk to Omegas. This is the annual meeting, but it appears that Maya is having a joke at our expense.”
Several other members mutter their agreement.
I lean forward, pressing my palms on the shiny surface of the giant ebony conference table.
“Everything in that file is true. Not only that but it can be proved. I intend to lead this company in an entirely new, cooperative direction, however, that gives shares to staff and involves them in decision making.”
“Beta staff?” Dr. Tramell can’t stop himself from exploding.
The Doctor is an eminent professor and Traditional. He is a bald Alpha in his sixties with a permanent sneer plastered on his thin face. I remember him attending most of Maya’s social gatherings, at which us Frost kids had to perform.
He would pat me on the head in a patronizing way with a muttered good Omega.
Somehow, I hated that the most.
My gaze darkens. “Omega staff, as well.”
At least half of the board members, including Dr. Tramell, immediately spring to their feet in disgust and outrage.
But I was expecting this.
I am more surprised, and pleased, that the other half remain where they are. Some are still reading through the file, appearing genuinely shocked and appalled. Others simply seem intrigued or at least, interested enough to see where this is going.
“Sit down,” Lionzio’s bellow freezes the Alphas who are readying to leave.
The hairs rise on the back of my neck.
Lionzio doesn’t need a gun to sound dangerous.
His rage burns through the bond.
“Thank you,” I say, quietly. “Either you accept this — and me as the company’s new owner — or I present this information to the authorities and allow them to take every single member of you down along with the hotel.”
“Nonsense,” Dr. Tramell blusters.
But the other Alphas have paled.
“You must have known that this was going on. You have a duty of due diligence.”
“You still can’t force this.” Dr. Tramell shakes his head. “There are twelve of the wealthiest Alphas in the world in this room, along with your eminent Head Alpha. Who are you? A pack of Rejects, a whorish rock star, and a whole bunch of nobody Alphas. No court would believe you over us.”
“You’d take that bet?” I press, as my heart beats faster.
Piper and Zero are scanning the people at the table carefully, ignored because they’re not Alphas.
Big mistake.
Zero and Piper gesture secretly at certain Alphas.
Icarus’ eyes gleam darkly, as he nods.
It has never been about convincing the board. It has been about pretending that we needed to in order to pick out the rotten apples that would ruin the barrel, even if we manage to oust Maya.
Because Hatton had already lined up a shady buyer for the diamond and established a company for our shares. At least, he did using Icarus’ name because the laws are still unequal, and an Alpha needs to sign off on business documentation.
The majority of Omegas can’t even work.
I am about to create the most revolutionary company in America.
What Hatton established, using Icarus as a cover but in Dad and my names, has been enough to make this vote unnecessary.
Enough to have the secret company that bought up the shares in my name and Dad’s — because I insisted that we did this together — give us the control.
Mrs. Heverbook barks a sudden laugh. “Well, here’s my winter entertainment, and I thought that you were amusing enough when I watched you on stage.
I never thought that I would see the day when an Omega dad and daughter attempted a boardroom coup.
Let me give you a piece of advice: Maya Frost is your Head Alpha and CEO.
She will most likely kill all of you if she finds you here.
I am feeling generous; call it the spirit of the season.
Leave now and start behaving, then I won’t tell her about this naughtiness.
I have always envied Maya, you know. You may be older than the normal Omega I would go for but you really are pretty, pet.
I could show you what it is like to have an Alpha be gentle with you. ”
“Such a kind and generous offer,” Dad drawls, biting his lip like he’s considering the offer. I know that he’s acting. I struggle not to laugh. “This weak, stupid Omega is grateful.”
Mrs. Heverbrook’s sharp expression immediately becomes sugary sweet.
“Sometimes Omegas just forget their place and overreach. I find that a gentle hand leading them back to the right path works better than a harsh one. I know that your Alpha doesn’t agree with that.
How about we agree to meet up, and you could show me how grateful you are? ”
To my shock, it is Papa who immediately twists on Dad’s knee and growls at the Alpha. “Don’t touch him.”
“It’s okay.” Dad’s eyes are hard, as he soothes down Papa’s tense neck. “She won’t because I am removing her from the board, effective immediately.”
This time, there is uproar around the table.
Inside, I am soaring.
I have waited for this day my entire life.
It is glorious.
Mrs. Heverbrook looks like her pet chihuahua has just mauled her.
“You can’t do that.” Dr. Tramell slams his hand down on the table hard enough to make it shake. “I am putting in a complaint to your Head Alpha. Hopefully, after this charade, she will send you to the Institute for reconditioning. You are a disgrace to—”
“And I’m removing you.” I point at Dr. Tramell.
He gapes at me.
Slowly, the rest of the Alphas quieten, as a sense of unease ripples through them. They have never been spoken to or treated like this by Omegas.
It is blowing their minds, and the smartest amongst them know that we would never be acting like this unless we could back it up.
It would be suicide.
Icarus nods at Piper, finally.
My gaze shoots to the most important paperwork of my life, which is clutched under Piper’s arm.
I never thought that I would care about Icarus’ papers and files, which I am normally so careless with (and Icarus sometimes fucks me over on his desk).
Piper gives a wicked grin, before dramatically throwing the papers across the table. The dozen suited board members jump.
“Proof that they can do that, Alphaholes.” Zero arches his brow.
“The Omegas at that table can remove every last one of you if they want. Yeah, this is a bloody coup. Read those and fucking weep. Cooper and his daughter now own fifty-one percent of the Omega Hotel chain of hotels. It gives them the power to remove whoever they want.”
“And that’s you,” Icarus says, frostily, pointing at one of the Alphas, “you, you, you, you, you, and you.”
I realize that it’s the Alphas who stood up and two others, who Piper and Zero must have been observing.
The Alphas cuss, but nobody moves to attack us.
Lionzio and Icarus are too dominant.
Plus, we do have the law on our side.
This is business.
And we’ve won.
My smile widens.
Dr. Tremell scrabbles at the papers, dragging them up and reading them with shaking fingers.
Mrs. Heverbrook doesn’t even bother.
She narrows her eyes at Dad. “It doesn’t matter how you pulled this off, pretty Omega. Your Head Alpha will still destroy you for this.”
“Even if she does,” Dad says, before catching my eye and giving me a sad, serious smile, “I would have freed my daughter and granddaughter, who are part of the Sinner pack and no longer under Maya’s power any longer. It will have been worth it.”
My eyes burn.
“What are you doing?” Maya’s snarl from the doorway makes Papa flinch.
I simply square my shoulders.
Piper and Zero immediately move to block her like they’re Alphas.
Maya is standing in the open doorway dressed in a smart business suit. A diamond necklace gleams at her throat: one of the Frost pack’s heirlooms, which she has stolen, along with the pack name and inheritance, falsely.
She is staring around the boardroom in horror at the files spread in front of the pale and shaken board members, as well as her pack members seated unexpectedly in her meeting.
My anxiety spikes.
Here we go.
Ellington stands behind Maya. He is dressed in a silk cerise designer suit, which is creased like maybe he has been treated roughly. He is also wearing a teal coat over it, which he is hugging tightly around himself.
He is swinging his cane, as if it can distract from his busted lip and swollen eye.
Was he punished because Hatton didn’t match at the ball? Because of the show that I put on with the Alcotts to make sure that Hatton would remain unbonded?
After all, Ellington is held responsible not only for his son’s behavior but that of all the Omegas.
I am surprised at how much that thought makes my stomach twist.
Hatton walks at his dad’s elbow, as if he’s ready to catch him in case he collapses. It would be subtle, except I’m looking for it.
How many times have I missed it?
How often did I think that Hatton was being clingy to his favored First Omega, when in fact he was being protective?