41. Jordan
Chapter forty-one
Lanie looks up and stores her phone as soon as I walk by her desk with my second coffee of the day. "Jordan, hi," she says absently. "You've just had a meeting dropped on your calendar by Mr. Woods."
My steps come up short.
"Mr. Woods? What does he want to see me for?"
Alistair Woods, our COO, is generally pretty hands-off, especially with me. A few years back, when he asked me if I was an Omega because his pack was looking for one, it was so uncomfortable that we've not been in a one-on-one meeting since.
"It just says performance review." She waves her hand breezily. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."
"Sure," I mutter as I sink down into my desk chair. I'm suddenly very self-conscious about everything I've done recently at work. I know I've taken heat leave and a few other half days here and there, but I've worked for HUG for years, and I've barely taken a sick day in the years I've worked here.
The Alphamatic campaign rolled out this week, and it turned out better than I could have imagined. The first ads driving people to the gym to get their grip strengthener and to enter to win a date with Cyrus will be hitting people's doorsteps in the Sunday paper.
Overall, I'm proud of the work I've done, so I should have nothing to worry about.
Or so I tell myself. Icarus must feel something down the bond because my phone chimes with a text.
Vickasaurous Rex
Why do you feel so stressed out?
COO sprung a performance review on my calendar today
Just a minor freakout, no big
You've got nothing to worry about. You're going to be absolutely fine. Love you.
Love you too 3
Icarus always has a way of calming me down, and if his words hadn't done it, the warm love and affection he pushed down the bond to me would have.
Draining the last of my coffee, I wonder how much caffeine is too much. Should I get a third cup?
Before I can decide, my phone chimes again.
Simon has renamed the group chat Pack Jordan
Vickasaurous Rex has been added to Pack Jordan
Simon
Hey Peaches, Russ told us you have a performance review at work today. I figured we may as well do one with you today, too.
Simon
You excel at humor, affection, and cuddles. Your aptitude at the espresso machine exceeds expectations. You are a valued member of this pack, and we are fortunate to have you.
Vickasaurous Rex
Your time management skills when dealing with four Alphas are second to none. You have the biggest heart and the kindest soul. Every moment with you is better than the next, and there is no replacing you.
Rafe
You're like no one else in the world. There never has been, and never will be, anyone else for me.
Cyrus
You are everything to me.
I stare at my phone, tears streaming down my face, unsure what to say. These men, my Alphas, heard I was nervous and then did the sweetest thing I've ever seen.
Because that's what they are.
My Alphas.
Even though I've only bonded with Icarus, Simon and I are well on our way towards normalcy, and Rafe and I are mending things. Cyrus and I are struggling the most, but I'm starting to realize that that is just as much my fault as his.
Lately, I can't fault him for anything other than my unwillingness to accept him.
And yet, still, they're my Alphas. My body knows it. My Omega knows it.
Eventually, my heart will catch up. Until then, I will enjoy these moments for what they are and continue working on myself so I can eventually welcome them back into my heart.
But what do I even say to these sweet messages? There aren't enough words to express my gratitude for them taking the time to reassure me like this. My fingers shake as I type out a response.
Wow, you guys.
Just … wow.
I didn't know how much I needed this.
Thank you.
I'll let you know how it goes.
It's lackluster and doesn't even begin to scrape the surface of my feelings for all of them, but it's the best I can do until I have time to process it more thoroughly.
Slipping off to the bathroom, I clean up my face, make sure my eyes don't look swollen, and re-tuck my shirt into my slacks. The cream blouse makes my pink-toned skin look milky and soft, and my hair is freshly styled today in pretty waves that skim my shoulder blades.
As nerves threaten to bubble up within me, I pull out my phone and read over the messages from the guys one more time. Their positivity and affection buoy me out the door and into Mr. Wood's office.
I rap on the door and he looks up from his computer with a blank expression. His beard is entirely silver and well-kempt, and his head must be shined with wax to be that reflective. He's a handsome man for his age. A charcoal grey suit jacket hangs on the coat rack in the corner.
He stands up and motions for me to come in. "Shut the door behind you," he instructs.
I sink into the leather chair across from his desk, folding my hands on my lap as I wait for him to begin.
His mouth drops open to speak and then slams closed. An unreadable expression shutters his face, and he leans forward, hands braced on the dark wood surface of his desk. "Omega," he snarls.
I didn't realize the word I used to long to hear could be used in such a mocking way.
"Excuse me?" I say when I gain my voice.
"You're an Omega." His nostrils flare, and he leans forward on his desk, his stance aggressive. "You lied to me. You told me you were a Beta."
"Not that it's any of your business, but I was. It turns out I was extremely late presenting." My hands shake, and I wedge my fingers under my thighs to hide it.
"You should have come to me and told me!"
His voice is nearly at a bark, and I start to tremble in my seat.
This is a new development for me. I've never been around an Alpha bark before, and I had no idea it would affect me this much.
I hate feeling like my body is betraying me by fearing him.
"I did not know there was anything to come to you about. I filed my bonding paperwork with HR so I could go on heat leave…"
"You bonded ?" He stands up and walks around the desk, crowding me. "You knew my pack was interested in you."
"You briefly mentioned it, inappropriately, I may add, five years ago when I was still a Beta." His entitlement has me fired up. Does he think he has purview over every Omega who works for him?
Still, I push backward, plastering myself to the back of my chair. "I was unaware it was company policy to report presentations or bonding to the COO. Can you please show me where that information is in the handbook so I can disseminate it to my team?"
Mr. Wood's face goes red with anger.
After I told him I was a Beta, I didn't hear from him again. He kept his distance as I trained under Milton for my current role. But now that I'm an Omega, he's expressing an interest in me?
This goes past inappropriate.
"I think we're done here," I say, pushing the chair farther away from him so I can escape. I waver a little in my heels but keep my face steely. "I see now this was not about my performance at all."
"We're not done until I say we're done!" he barks, spittle flying out of his mouth. "Your performance has been questioned, and I now see that the complaints may have been legitimate."
I stumble backward, his words a punch to my gut. "That's not true. My work is exemplary."
"Are you calling me a liar?" His pheromones scent the air, sickly sweet, like when you pass an old dumpster, and I quiver a bit. "Sit down, Omega."
"This is so wildly inappropriate," I spit out. "You will address me by my name, not my designation."
His laugh is dry, and he shakes his head. "Just like an Omega to think she has any say in anything." He stalks closer to me and sneers down his nose at me. He's tall, towering over me, with a broad Alpha build that, at this moment, feels designed to make me feel unsafe.
I take another step back, my back pushing against the door and my hand grappling the doorknob. "I will only speak to you with a representative of HR present." I force as much dominance into my voice as possible, even though my body wants to betray me with a whine.
Mr. Woods snarls, stalking towards me. The sweat on my hands has my fingers slipping off the knob. I don't want to turn my back to an angry predator, but it seems like I may have no choice if I want to get out of here.
His meaty hand slams onto the door, narrowly missing my ear, as he barks, "Omega!" and my vision goes black.