Chapter 52
Chapter Fifty-Two
~Harlow~
Thane parks in the underground lot, and everyone hops out of the car while I try to come up with an excuse that will get me out of the building for however long the meeting will last. But I know there is no way out of it once Thane grips my elbow and tugs me toward the elevator.
"Maybe it would be best if I’m not here?" Thane glances at me. "You know, with me being an Omega. I wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable," I tell them as the elevator goes up.
"None of us have time to bring you home. It will be fine," Thane says while jamming the button a few extra times, as if it will make the metal box we’re crammed in go any faster. I pray it gets stuck halfway up, and he’ll have to cancel the meeting.
But we all know my luck is non-existent, so of course, it goes directly to our floor without incident.
The doors open, and I see Leila leaning on my desk, frantically typing away on her phone. She looks up and tosses her arms in the air.
"Hell, not one of you can answer your phone?" she hisses. Thane growls at her. Leila narrows her eyes at him, holds a finger to her lips, and points to the conference room. Thane looks toward it before pulling his phone from his pocket. I glance at the clock. It’s still a few minutes before ten.
"He got in early," Leila hisses.
I take a step back, only to bump into Rhen. He grunts when my heel connects with his toes, his hand gripping my elbow.
"Fuck, how long?" Thane hisses at her.
"He’s been here half an hour already; said he has to head back earlier than expected," Leila says. Thane curses, turning to look at us. His eyes fall on me. My panic is making me sweat profusely and sweat means pheromones. Thane grips my arms.
"What is going on with you? Pull yourself together and go grab the Obsidian Pack files. He holds one of our largest contracts. We lose this deal, and we will lose other contracts too. You need to pull yourself together," he snarls, and I gulp.
"Rhen, Raidon, with me. Leon, watch over Zara," he says. Rhen and Raidon follow him down the corridor to the conference room, disappearing inside.
"Well, call if you need me, but I have to go let the technician in on level 2," Leila says, heading for the elevator just as Leon grabs my hand. He tugs me to my desk and pulls out my chair before dumping me in it.
Shaking myself, I breathe through my mouth, trying to ignore all the heady, dominant Alpha scents, hoping it will ease my discomfort.
I switch my computer on and log in. I find the files and quickly send them to Thane's tablet, which I hear beep a few moments later.
I move on to checking their emails, and Leon leans in closer, sniffing me.
"Fuck Zara, are you sick?" he asks, touching my forehead. All I can smell is my pheromones; if that Alpha walks out right now, I’m screwed. He’ll know an Omega is here. I can hear them talking, yet I focus on my computer when Leon sweeps my hair over my shoulder.
"Damn, you smell good," he groans behind me. It suddenly occurs to me that Leon can probably dampen my scent.
"Feed on me," I tell him, grabbing his tie and jerking him closer. Leon shrieks, clearly not expecting the forceful invitation, but he can leech on me as much as he wants as long as it means killing my damn pheromones.
"What? You actually want me to?" he asks, shocked. I turn in my seat to glare at him.
"Fucking feed on me, now! I do not want to send that prick into a rut over my damn scent," I growl at him. Leon tilts his head to the side, observing my face.
"I'm not supposed to without Raidon or one of the others with me," Leon says, though his eyes darken, turning a deep crimson, and I can tell he wants to.
"Here, spray some de-scenter on," he says, opening the drawer in my desk and dousing me in it. He chokes and coughs on it, and so do I. Yet it only dampens my scent, it doesn't rid me of it. I’m gone, in full flight-or-fight mode, but I can do neither to escape the situation.
"Ah, Thane wants us to bring coffee in," Leon says, dropping the can into the drawer. I don't move as he walks down toward the kitchenette.
"Zara! I don't know how to work the coffee machine!
" Leon hisses, waving me over. I nibble my lip, glancing at the door. To get to the kitchenette, I have to pass the glass-paneled conference room. Looking around my desk desperately, I grab a folder and use it as a shield to cover my face, pretending I’m reading it.
Yeah, real smooth, not at all obvious that I’m hiding. Leon passes the mugs to me while I get a tray and start the machine. I busily make the coffees and set them on the tray before giving it to him. Leon stares at me funnily before he laughs.
"Seriously, you're not scared of Thane, but that fool gets you all freaked out?
" Leon chuckles and moves toward the conference room, slipping inside.
I peek out the door, waiting for the Alpha to turn his head away as Leon enters the room.
When he does, I dart for the elevator, but I don't escape Thane's gaze.
I know I’ll get Thane's fury for this later. As I dart past, Thane looks up. My eyes widen when I hear him excuse himself. I run for the fire exit, knowing the elevator will take too long. My hands hit the door, and I’m almost free when Thane's hand wraps around my arm.
"Where do you think you're going?" he growls. "I knew you would run," he snarls, shoving me toward the conference room.
I turn, needing to leave, only to smack into his chest. He grips my arms. "Fucking settle down. You fuck this up, and there will be consequences."
"Please, I’ll go sit with Leila. Just don't make me go in there.
I don't want to be up here with that Alpha," I plead, as he looks down at me.
When I hear his voice behind me, every muscle in my body tenses.
His scent reaches me, and I hold my breath.
Why, why do the stupid serums have to affect us like this?
"Thane, is everything alright?"
I cringe at his deep voice before I hear him sniff the air. I swallow.
"Everything is fine. Just having issues with the Omega. You know how they get," Thane answers, looking past me.
"I'm surprised you have one here after everything with Harlow," Mr. Bowman says as Thane turns me toward the conference room. I face the imposing figure standing by the door. I gulp, my eyes running over the monster responsible for killing my sister. He wears a gray, tailored suit. He’s clean-shaven and bulky.
He smiles before blinking. As soon as recognition hits, the smile slips off his face.
"Yeah, things change, I guess," Thane says, nudging me forward. The Alpha's eyes are locked on mine, and mine are on his.
"Zara, this is Alpha Jake Bowman from the Obsidian Pack. Jake, this is Zara, she’s an assistant here."
He looks between Thane and me.
"You found her," Mr. Bowman whispers, sounding shocked. I only just catch his words, and my heart nearly stops.
"Pardon?" Thane asks, and the Alpha shakes his head.
"You found one. An Omega, I mean," he corrects himself. He holds his hand out to me. I take a step toward Thane and grip his wrist. The Alpha ignores my reaction and grabs my hand.
"Zara, such a pretty name. I knew someone by that name once," he says, his grip tightening on my hand. He jerks me toward him and out of Thane's grip.
"Fuck, you smell just like her too," he groans, burying his face in my neck before sweeping my hair over my shoulder. He groans lewdly, pulling me flush against him, and all I can do is hold my breath.