4. Riley
4
Riley
I hand my jacket over so it can be hung away as I curse myself internally. I’m way too early for my meeting. That’s what I get when I’m in an unfamiliar city and out of my element.
One of my usual clients asked me to scope out this city since they recently gained a new source here, but the source couldn’t look into things themselves. So, they sent me over, with a very nice allowance to spend on whatever I want, I have to admit.
Luckily, the city isn’t totally unfamiliar.
Someone I’ve worked with a few times told me that this is his favourite place to eat and that it’s a great place for networking and making connections in the industry.
So it made sense to have my first meeting here, somewhere that I know at least a little bit about.
Speaking of the devil.
“Riley!” Jorge’s always upbeat voice pulls my attention away from my brooding and his cedar scent manages to ease my nerves. “What are you doing in my neck of the woods?” Somehow he seems even happier to see me than usual.
When I met Jorge for the first time a couple of years ago, we immediately hit it off. He can be silly and impulsive, but he’s reliable and easy to work with. We don’t see each other very often, but when we do, it’s always fun.
And he’s easy on the eyes. Even though I have no sexual interest in him, I can still appreciate a well-built body.
If he wasn’t waiting for his Omega to pair bond with, I would have proposed we’d start a pack together. We enjoy being together, we work well together, and I could see a future for us.
But he’s not interested in packs, just to be paired with the Omega he’s had his eyes on for years. So, I make sure to enjoy our time together to the fullest, because it could end at any moment.
“You told me that this was a good place to eat. So, since I’m in the city, I thought I should check it out.”
“Work? Pleasure?” He looks me up and down, his eyes sparkling when he notices I’m dressed up more than usual.
“Work, sadly enough. Though, I had been planning to call you to see if you were free later this week. But it seems I don’t have to.” Talking to him makes me a lot less nervous about the rest of the evening.
The host comes back, looking very awkward. “I’m sorry, Alpha Faulkner. Your guests haven’t arrived yet. Can I offer you a complimentary drink and a table while you wait?”
Of course, they’ve not arrived yet, I’m over an hour early. The host doesn’t have to look so uncomfortable about something that’s very obviously and clearly my own fault. But I guess that’s how things are done in fancy places like this.
“Or, you can join me and my companions? I’m sure we can keep you entertained until the others arrive.” Jorge offers me his arm.
“Are you sure?” I don’t want him to do something he shouldn’t, which he has a habit of doing when we’re together.
Sometimes I feel like I’m his big sister when he acts like this, and at other times… At other times it’s very clear that his feelings for me are not familial at all. Not in a sexual sense, but like we’re already part of a pack.
Many people mistake us for pack mates when they meet us for the first time. Which we aren’t. Which always makes things awkward and complicated.
He leans closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “I was sent here to get you. My companions would really like to meet you.” He winks, smiling broadly. That would explain his excitement at seeing me.
“I think I’ll take you up on that drink.” I look at the host. “Thank you. I’ll be joining his table while I wait. I’d be very grateful if you could come get me once my guests have arrived.”
Then I turn to Jorge. “Who are these ‘companions’ of yours?”
“You’ll see.” He grins as he puts my hand on his arm and almost drags me over to one of the tables in the large dining area.
People at various tables start to rise, but at a quick shake of Jorge’s head they sit down again.
They’re not dressed very formally, though well enough not to stand out too much. The way they moved, they’re well trained and I noticed the way their hands went to their weapons. Security.
But, why?
Jorge doesn’t travel with security, so they’re not here for him. Even though they seem to listen to him.
Odd.
Other guests have noticed the commotion and are now staring at us, but Jorge keeps pulling me along to a table where three people are waiting, their eyes on us the whole time.
I feel a strange thrill go through me. What’s going on?
“Relax. It’s all good.” Jorge keeps his voice low as we slow down and stop in front of the table.
The gaze of the male Alpha sitting in the middle is intense as he takes me in, his eyes filled with guarded curiosity.
He’s very attractive with his long dark hair pulled back, putting all his piercings on display. And the dark red suit and black dress shirt fit him perfectly. He looks good and he knows it too.
He’s clearly the one in charge.
The female Omega sitting on his right side is looking at me with open desire and delight.
The light purple dress looks both appropriate and comfy as it hugs her every delicious curve. The way she’s pulled up her hair makes her cute face look even softer, accentuating her Omega-ness.
Though, the look in her eyes is a lot less cute and a lot more dangerous, for my ability to control myself, anyway. That girl sees something she likes, and the feeling is mutual.
The male Alpha on his left side is assessing how much of a threat I am, and I haven’t passed yet. Good, because he’s clearly taking things seriously.
He’s broad, probably taller than I am, and covered in scars. His dark grey suit is well-made, though he looks uncomfortable in it. He’s probably not used to wearing them, he looks like he’d be more comfortable in jeans.
The Alpha looks older than Jorge and the others, older than me even, but the way he sits with them, he’s very clearly part of the pack.
He doesn’t turn me on like the Omega does, or pique my curiosity like the Alpha in the middle, but he looks like he’d be fun to go out drinking with or have at my side while we kick some ass. I probably wouldn’t mind either, even both in a single night.
“Everyone, this is Riley Faulkner.” Jorge lets go of my arm and motions towards the Alpha in the middle. “Riley, this is Mathew Page, and his pack.”
I blink, not sure how to react.
One moment I’m trying to control my pheromones over some very interesting and attractive people, and the next moment I’m introduced to Mathew Page?
Jorge —someone who tends to take life a little less seriously than he really should— is casually introducing me to Mathew fucking Page ?!
The criminal organisation head whose ruthlessness is infamous even outside of our circles. And he introduces the guy like this ?
I was aware that the two men knew each other. Jorge has mentioned that he regularly works for Mathew, but I didn’t know the two were this familiar with each other. That he can introduce one of the most feared men in our line of work so informally?!
Wait.
What was the other thing he said?
Mathew’s pack ?
I didn’t know Mathew had a pack. As far as I know, he’s on his own, unmated.
When did that happen?
Mathew Page smiles slightly as he shoots Jorge a sharp look. “You could have done that much more tactfully. It looks like you fried her brain with that information.” Then he looks at me, his eyes starting to twinkle.
And I have a strong need to grab him by the front of his shirt and kiss his pierced lips, tug on the rings to see if that makes him moan.
Fuck. I need to keep my pheromones in check.
This is very unprofessional. I’m talking to a fucking legend here…
I’ve got to keep my cool.
Mathew chuckles softly. “I’m sorry, he meant to say our pack.”
I twist to Jorge, surprised. Why didn’t he tell me about this before?
Jorge holds up his hands. “It’s still very new.”
“We last saw each other two weeks ago…” He didn’t tell me a thing back then.
“Very, very new. As in, it happened a few days after I came home.” He grins.
I stare at him for a few moments, confused. Then my heart aches and I struggle to keep a pleasant expression on my face.
How can he look so happy?
How can he look so comfortable?
He’s been waiting to pair bond with his scent matched Omega for years, and now he’s suddenly part of a pack? And not just anyone’s, but Mathew fucking Page’s pack?!
Jorge’s eyes soften. “I’ll explain it later. It’s a bit of a long story. Please, take a seat.” He motions to the seat next to the cute Omega and then sits down on a chair that seems to have been magically added to the table on my other side.
Mathew smiles as he catches my gaze, either ignoring or not noticing the storm of emotions going through me. “Let me introduce the rest of the pack. The girl who’s flooding you in her honey pheromones is Vera, our Omega.” His voice is filled with tenderness as he touches her arm and she beams at him.
Then he nods to the very tall Alpha on his other side, an interesting look passing between the two. “And this is Caleb, her first Alpha.”
I glance to Jorge again. He never told me that the Omega he was waiting for was already bonded to someone. He must have known, right? But he only mouths ‘later’.
Vera leans closer and the desire in her pheromones makes my mouth water, pulling my attention away from Jorge for a few moments. Fuck, not only does she look so freaking good, she smells good too.
“How do you know Jorge?”
“We met on the job a couple of years ago. And when he’s got business in my area, we usually meet up for dinner or to hang out.” The words spill from me, happy to focus on something else, but I wonder if I might have said too much when the mood at the table changes.
Mathew’s eyes widen in surprise before he shoots Jorge a dark look. “A couple of years ago?”
Jorge shakes his head slowly, looking uncomfortable. “I don’t want to get into that right now. We’ll talk about it when we get back home.”
“Years?!” Mathew’s voice turns cold.
The word feels even more sinister because he’s able to keep his pheromones under control so well that they don’t fluctuate at all, not even when he seems furious.
“At. Home.” Jorge nearly growls the words as his pheromones flare, not so much in anger but in discomfort, fear.
I have no idea what’s going on, but the anger in Mathew’s eyes and the way Jorge seems to cower starts a low rumble in my chest.
Jorge puts his hand on my arm, using his pheromones to try to ease the situation. “It’s fine. It’s okay.”
This doesn’t look ‘fine’. It looks like something is off here, very off. No matter how attractive Mathew Page might be, the way he acts towards Jorge is not okay.
I know that Mathew is famous for being ruthless, but with his own pack mates?! How can he treat his own pack mates like this?
“Mathew.” Caleb’s voice is low and his dark wood scent rolls over the table. A warning to behave and not make a scene.
The rumble in my chest stops dead in its tracks and I stare at the tall Alpha.
It wasn’t even meant for me, but I still responded.
Huh?
What’s going on here?
The pheromones at the table are all getting mixed together and messing with my head.
I feel like something big is happening, I’m just not clear what it is exactly. It’s like I’m missing something, some key piece of information.
“Riley, would you like something to drink?” Mathew’s anger seems to have disappeared as he looks up to catch the attention of one of the servers.
“Yes, thank you.” I glance around the table, trying to figure out what choice would be the appropriate one, when I notice that both Jorge and Caleb are drinking wine but Mathew and Vera are drinking water.
Mathew catches my look and smiles. “Moral support. This lovely creature here can’t drink for the next nine months, and I didn’t want her to feel like the odd one out.” He slides his hand up her shoulder and she leans into his touch. If she could purr, she would, as her pheromones are filled with bliss.
Oh, that’s interesting. “I don’t want to be rude, but are you pregnant by any chance?”
Her face flushes as she nods, making me crave to reach out to her and feel how warm her skin gets. “Hopefully.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” She smiles brightly and when she looks at me, it’s hard not to reach out and touch her. She must notice something because she carefully touches my hand, sending electricity through my body and nearly frying my brain.
How can I react this strongly to someone I only met moments ago?
I want to nuzzle her neck, take in her pheromones as much as possible, touch her all over and hold her tightly against me.
Is this what it feels like to meet your scent matched Omega? It’s overwhelming but feels good too.
Something seems to come through the haze, an awareness, though I can’t describe what it is exactly.
I glance up at Mathew and the sadness and longing in his gaze as he looks at the way Vera touches me makes my heart ache. It makes me wish I could take him in my arms and comfort him.
What’s going on?
Why would Mathew look like that? It isn’t jealousy at Vera touching me, it’s… It’s about me !
It’s like he wishes he could touch me like she’s doing.
Why would an Alpha look like that?
And why would I want to comfort him?
Why would I instinctively want to comfort another Alpha like that?
Something isn’t adding up here.