The 70th Floor.
jac
I stand outside of the James Tech building, frozen in place.
Anderson’s hand is wrapped around mine as the rest of our pack surrounds us.
They all wait patiently as I gather my wits about me.
I wonder if I can get them to change their minds.
I look over my shoulder at Taylor, popping my eyebrow up in question as I tilt my head in the direction of the car.
He smirks, then shakes his head as he leans in placing a kiss to the top of my head.
“Any other day Wildfire, any other day.” He whispers into my hair.
I tilt my head up, nodding at Anderson and we start moving to the entrance.
The door opens as we walk to it, a Beta dressed in a suit holds it open, murmuring a soft welcome to Anderson as we all follow him through.
I steel my spine as I walk beside him, hand in hand, bites on display for everyone to see.
Well, most of my bites.
“Mr. James, your father is expecting you. Would your guests like to wait in the lounge while you meet with him?” A small Omega smiles cheerfully at my Alpha, batting her eyelashes. I let out a small growl at the sheer audacity of the girl.
“My pack,” Anderson starts, squeezing my hand reminding me of where we are, “will be joining us for the meeting. If you could call for the elevator to his floor, that would be best.”
“Uhm, yes of course.” She reaches for a button on her desk and moments later an elevator opens behind her, one that I haven’t personally taken before, but know all too well about.
In the James Tech building, everyone except Callum James uses the bay of elevators across the lobby.
Anderson demanding that specific elevator isn’t something the Omega is used to, clearly as she avoids looking at my Alpha again.
Or maybe it’s the daggers I’m shooting her way when she looks at me. Toh-may-to, to-mah-toh.
The elevator dings and the doors slide open.
We all climb into the small but opulent space, the floor is marble and the walls a shiny gold that is mirror-like, reflecting all of our faces back at us.
I see the anxiety written in the way we all stand here, the way our scents mingle with a bitter aroma to them.
The floors tick by, 3.. 15… 29… 58… what feels like hours later we reach the top, the 70th floor.
The James Tech building rises high in Downtown Denver, looming above many of the other buildings that form the infamous skyline in front of the mountains.
The mountains I now call my home. It took several hours for us to get here, so we left early in the morning, after a full day locked away in my nest. My scent shifts to something sweeter as I think about being back there, with my pack. I can’t get enough of these men.
Anderson growls softly, the others shift in closer. Scenting my needs and knowing this isn’t the time. Monty snakes his hand up into my hair, my ponytail provides an anchor for his hand as he tilts my head back to look up at him from where he stands behind me.
“Be a good girl while we're here Jac, and the minute we get back to the car I promise we’ll reward you.” He demands, his emerald eyes burn bright with lust. I nod my head, as best I can with his hand holding my hair.
“Words Sugar.” He reminds me.
“Yes sir.” I whisper breathlessly, my cinnamon scent filling the space within the elevator. Ding.
The door chimes, sliding open slowly. Monty drops his hand from my hair, running it down my back and staying at the small of my back as Anderson straightens his jacket, reaching for my hand once again.
We step off, a unified front. Anderson and Monty to either side of me, Taylor and Luke directly behind.
Leaving no space for anyone to split us up.
The elevator opens into a small hallway, a desk nearby that a Beta sits at.
He’s got glasses that he looks over to see us, and immediately jumps up with surprise, as if the Omega downstairs didn’t tell him we were all on the way.
The Beta steps to the dark wooden door and knocks, opening it slightly to duck his head in momentarily.
When he pops his head back out, he holds the door slightly ajar as he addresses us.
“Mr. James will see you now.” He announces opening the door fully and stepping out of the way. I enter the office behind Anderson, the rest of the guys at my back, Monty’s hand resting on my lower back providing subtle support.
The office has a wall entirely of windows, facing the west looking over the Rocky Mountains.
The natural light crosses the room, luring me into a false sense of comfort.
My eyes drift over the walls, beautiful works of art, shelves of classic literature line the main wall all behind the large wooden desk to the left.
Callum sits in the leather chair, glasses on his face as he studies some papers in his hands.
Trent sits across from him; his eyes widen as he takes us in.
Clearly not expecting me to show up, let alone all of us as a unified pack.
He realizes that I’ve caught his moment of surprise and glares, letting out a growl that has my Omega instincts ready to cower, but Anderson squeezes my hand gently and Taylor’s purr rumbles softly behind me.
I pull my shoulders back, the black fitted dress I picked from my closet and the tall black leather boots creating what feels like armor when combined with my pack at my side. Trent doesn’t scare me anymore.
“Trent. Father.” Anderson acknowledges with little emotion, “looks like we interrupted something?”
The two look at each other, before Callum speaks.
“Anderson, you’re late. Sit. I was just reviewing your brother's paperwork for his bonding this week.” Anderson laughs, dropping my hand to slip an envelope from his jacket pocket.
He moves forward to drop it on his father’s desk but I reach out stopping him.
To my surprise he lets me snatch the paperwork from his hands, I move towards Trent with determination.
“Well Mr. James, unfortunately for Trent, we’ve already bonded.
” I drop the envelope on the desk, sitting down in the chair opposite Trent.
“We completed it Saturday night, the papers are all in order. It really was a no brainer; we’re all scent matches after all.
” Trent's jaw drops as I say the last line. Sitting across from him, I can’t for the life of me see what drew me to him.
It’s now very obvious looking at him to see the fraying edges of his control.
His leg twitches, his fingers play with the hem of his shirt sleeve, his hair is disheveled and lacks the shine it once had.
This is the Alpha who I feared last year, this is the Alpha who lost control of it all the night I left.
“Wait. Was it him?” He asks furiously, an edge to his voice that I recall distinctly from when he would get upset.
“That night at the ball, I smelled something on you, but I couldn’t quite place it.” Trent leans forward, closer to me, his hands clenching the arm rests of his chair. Anger radiates off him, but my Omega knows better than to cower to him now.
I chuckle, as Anderson steps behind where I sit resting his hand on my shoulder.
The others step beside him. I’m sure it would make for quite the photograph, an Omega surrounded by her pack.
With Taylor behind the lens, I know we’d look stunning.
My pack bristles, anticipating the worst, but as I watch as Trent sees that he’s severely outnumbered, and settles back into his seat.
“Yes Trent, that was Anderson.” I lean towards him, my neck stretching out to show off the mark left by the Alpha the other night. “I was scared of you. What you’d do if you found me, found Anderson. God forbid you find us together, but you know what?”
I pause, tilting my head as I look at Trent for what I hope to be the final time, before delivering the final blow.
“I won’t ever miss what we had, your brother and our pack showed me that I deserve far more, I deserve my scent matches. Not the smallest man who ever lived.”