7. Eli
It took me almost a half hour sitting in my car staring up at the apartment building before I could actually leave her. Somehow, my brain told me that if I were close, it would be safer, and if she needed me, I could be there in an instant. Yet I knew that determined jut of the chin—I’d seen it too many times on Bailey-Rose to doubt its sincerity. Omegas might be far more submissive than their Alpha counterpart, but that damn stubbornness was no laughing matter.
Once I’d tried to test Bailey-Rose’s resolve, and she ended up going on a three-day hunger strike. After that, I learned negotiation was a far better tactic, which is what I’d done with Lyra. If I hadn’t given her the time she asked for, I had zero doubt she’d double down and make me wait even longer to see her again. Now, I only had to survive a day and a half, barely able to function and fighting the urge to walk right out the front door and back to her apartment.
Usually, I’d go to the office and hide away there, but I knew that whole fucking place would smell like her—the light, clean lily scent that seemed to float on the air teasing you combined with rich, earthy Earl Gray tea, which offered you a sense of peace. Her scent was full of duality, just as I was beginning to see that she was as well. One moment, she’s curled up in my arms, offering me everything I never knew I wanted, then the next, I’m getting kicked out of the apartment like the guest who lingered too long. To be fair, I had promised not to push things or even enter her apartment, but I’d done both.
I dropped my head into my hands, resting on my desk in my home office. For the past hour, I’d struggled to understand the information on our newest acquisition prospect. The company was going under due to the sudden death of the owner, and the kids didn’t want anything to do with the business. What I’d been trying to figure out and failing was if they’d ever made money, but all the numbers blurred together.
Ping.
Hearing the notification of my personal email, I looked up. After three days of silence, the pack I never knew about until a week ago responded to my letter. Part of the reason I took the last-minute business trip was to give myself space and time to figure out what to do without my mother casting hopeful glances my way every time my phone buzzed.
How was I even supposed to reach out to these people? They’d been a pack for a year, believing they had found their new family members. Somehow, a phone call seemed too forward to me and didn’t allow them any time to process the information I dropped into their laps. So after two days of hashing out every pro and con I could think of, an email seemed the best way to go.
I’d chosen to tell them I joined the Scent Matcher program just recently instead of telling them the truth right away. There would be time to explain once we met, and I got to show them I wasn’t a crazy person. The truth never would have stayed hidden, not with the lawsuit I was building against a specific Scent Matcher. Mira Chambers had fucked with the wrong family, and I planned to take her down and strip her of any power she thought she had. Bailey-Rose might have a pure enough heart to move on once her stalker ex-boyfriend was put in jail—I, however, wasn’t. The moment that fucking bastard tried to kidnap my little sister was the day Mira Chambers acquired a target on her back.
Why blame the mother?Well, she’s the bitch who told her abusive son he could pick whichever rejected Omega he’d like. Mira Chambers decided to use her status and power to manipulate the system, so she’s the one I’m holding accountable.
Shoving back from my desk, I walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of scotch along with a glass. The only reason I had a bottle of liquor this expensive was because I’d been given it. Not much of a drinker, I’d never waste five hundred dollars on something like this. However, it came in handy from time to time and went down smoothly. Tossing back the mouthful I poured, I hoped it would prepare me for whatever was contained in that email. Feeling that I’d need a little more courage, I poured about two fingers worth into the glass and returned to my desk. Before I could second-guess myself, I clicked on the email and found five simple sentences.
Eli,
Thank you for reaching out. We’re sure it wasn’t easy after learning we’ve been together for a bit. Everyone agrees we should definitely meet and see where things go. You tell us what would work for your schedule, and we’ll see what we can do with ours. Most of us are free in the evening if that helps.
Pascal Garnet
Fawn
Zachary Evans
Tanner Hill
Shockedat how simple that was to convince them to meet, I slumped back in my chair. I absently sipped at the scotch, trying to come up with the best scenario now that Lyra was part of the equation. While it was common for an Omega to have a varying number of Alphas they were scent-matched to, it was highly uncommon for an Alpha to have more than one Omega. No, uncommon wasn’t the right word. That implied it was something people had heard of but wasn’t typical. The last time a pack discovered they had two Omegas, only two of the six Alphas were matched to both Omegas. It was so special that their story made the news, and the reporter shared that this type of situation had only happened fifty times in the past hundred years. Even doing a quick internet search, I couldn’t find much information the reporter hadn’t shared.
My conclusion, based on what I could learn, told me Lyra might not be matched with any of the other Alphas. However, I did find an article where the two Omegas—a man and a woman—were interviewed. They shared how a special type of bond had formed between them. They didn’t specify what type of bond it actually was, physical through a mark as was typical, or a deep emotional connection from them both being Omegas. To be physically bonded meant an Alpha had left behind a mark from a bite. Some people claimed this phenomenon allowed the pair to share a soul and feel each other’s emotions. Betas could also be brought into the bond with the help of an Alpha’s bite, but the circle wouldn’t be complete.
Feeling restless, I stood and headed out of my office and wandered the house I’d lived in all my life. There had never been a reason for me to move out and find my own place, not when I had Bailey-Rose to look after. Now she was gone, it seemed so quiet, empty, and a little lonely. Crew was probably working in his studio, and my parents were back traveling the globe, using their wealth to make a real difference in the world. Maybe it truly was time for me to move on and build something for myself outside of this home.
I headed out into the backyard, where my greenhouse was located. I hadn’t been able to spend much time there the past few weeks, but I knew the gardener had been keeping an eye on things. As I entered the glass building, I took a deep breath of the fresh, calming scent that the orchids and various types of bonsai gave off. My father, Rawlins, got me into the art of bonsai when I was a teenager when working out wasn’t enough. For some Alphas, the need to control, protect, and provide for those they care about is overwhelming, especially right after their designation is revealed. I struggled with controlling my emotions when it came to people speaking ill or disrespecting anyone I cared about. This happened a lot when Bailey-Rose was born with her heart defect and again at the reveal of Crew’s designation.
Rawlins had struggled much the same as I had, but he took up whittling and other woodworking hobbies to give him an outlet. With a hobby like whittling, he could channel all that need to control and dictate the outcome into what he was creating. I’d always loved nature and helped my mother in the garden when I was little. After a few lessons from an expert on the art of bonsai, I took to it like a fish to water. Orchids had become a new addition when Bailey-Rose went off to college because I couldn’t spend three hours in the gym every day. Orchids are a temperamental plant that need a precise amount of care. Too much or too little, and you’d kill them in the blink of an eye. I was hoping it would teach me how to moderate my need to overdo things when it came to people I loved.
Once I’d taken a pass around checking on all the plants, I sank into my favorite chair. Rawlins had made it for me to keep in here, knowing everyone needed a good napping spot. Resting was a luxury I didn’t partake in often enough, but as I sat here with my eyes closed, I could see her face as clear as day. The way Lyra faintly blushed as my fingers brushed over her hand reminded me of an orchid I had that was a creamy white color with just a hint of pink coloring on the edges of the petal. I smiled, remembering her skin felt just as soft as that orchid’s petal, making me desperate to feel it again.
Sadly, my dream was shattered as my phone started to buzz in my pocket. Pulling it free, I glanced at the name, then answered. “Jonathan, you better have a reason to be blowing up my phone the past two days.”
“I wouldn’t need to keep calling if you’d simply return my calls,” Jonathan shot back. “Normally, I’d leave a message, but we both know you’ll never listen to it, so why waste my breath.”
“Are you going to tell me what is so important, or will you just continue rambling?” I asked.
Anyone else would find my tone rude, but Jonathan and I had worked together for far too long for him to be offended by that. Jonathan was an amazing lawyer and a man I considered a friend. I’d recruited him, or as Jonathan likes to say, stole him, after we worked together proving to the company board of directors I did, in fact, own part of Infinery after my father died. After that, Jonathan proved to me he was a loyal and honest man who could play dirty when needed, and precisely why I chose him to head up the lawsuit against Mira Chambers.
“Calm down, will you? I didn’t expect you to pick up, which is why I left a note with your new assistant. She sounds amazing, by the way,” Jonathan commented.
Instantly, a growl leaked out of me, not at all pleased with the tone in his voice. “She’s off-limits.”
That proclamation was met with silence, something I never thought I’d be able to do to a man who had a quip for everything.
“Understood,” Jonathan assured me, confused at my reaction. “I just want to be clear… she called me after I left a message with Emily. It had been days since I could reach you, so I was worried.”
“What did you tell Lyra?” I demanded.
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Lyra or wanted to hide what Jonathan and I were working on, but most people held Scent Matchers in high regard. If it were common knowledge what I was up to before I had my ducks in a row, it would create a firestorm of media coverage. The last time anyone went after the Scent Matcher organization was over thirty years ago when an Omega had died after being matched to an Alpha who turned out to be abusive. Since then, the process of being added to the system became much more involved. My goal wasn’t to take down the organization as it did good things for millions of people, but those who were given power need to be held accountable.
“Nothing really. I just asked her to leave you a note to call me back about a loophole I found,” Jonathan paused. “Wait, did you really think, as a lawyer, I’d be blabbing about my client’s information to some random person over the phone? Give me a little more credit than that.”
“It’s not that,” I said, trying to calm the man down. “The situation with Lyra is complex, and I just needed to know if I had to explain things to her right away.”
“Complex how? You know what, never mind. It’s not my place to get into your personal matters unless you need legal advice. Moving on to why I called you in the first place,” Jonathan mumbled as the sound of papers rustled. “I just had it… ah, here we are. According to the law of our nation regarding the Scent Matchers organization, we are permitted to go after the organization as a whole if we want, but I don’t see that doing us any good. When I talked to my connection inside the Scent Matcher HR team, they were able to get me a digital copy of their employee handbook. The thing is hundreds of pages long, so I doubt anyone but their legal team and myself has ever read it from cover to cover.”
I pulled my phone away from my ear and switched it to speaker so I could take notes on the pad I always kept by my chair. “Let me guess, you found five different ways for us to attack them.”
“Ten, actually, but who’s counting when you only need one?” Jonathan corrected. “You said from the beginning what you want is for Mira Chambers to be held accountable and for a policy change to be put into place. The brass tacks are Mrs. Chambers violated company policy by giving out personal information to someone who wasn’t a scent match or a potential pack member. Furthermore, her son, Randall, had been blacklisted from the program due to violence against an Omega, which should have put him in jail, no questions asked. Physical or mental abuse of an Omega is a capital offense and brings with it a minimum penalty of ten years in jail, a twenty thousand dollar fine, and all medical expenses to be billed to the abuser. None of that happened because his mother paid off the pack and changed Randall’s name in the system.”
“Have you found proof of all of that?” I asked, jotting down a few things to look into.
Jonathan let out a huff of laughter. “Oh yeah, I’ve got enough to bury this woman for good just on that incident alone. However, it wouldn’t be enough to pressure the organization to enact a policy change regarding those banned from the program.”
Nodding, I rubbed at the upper part of my nose, where I felt a headache starting to build behind my eyes. “We both knew that would be the hardest part of all this. On paper, it makes sense to do what they’re doing, but in actuality, they’re doing more harm than good. How many packs out there are searching for their Omega and never find them because they’re rejected? To me, this whole idea of removing illness and other unwanted qualities from the world by not letting the affected person reproduce is asinine.”
“You’ll hear no argument from me,” Jonathan assured. “My Omega was almost rejected because her brother, an Alpha, was born with diabetes. Millions of people have that and live normal, happy lives with medication and a modified diet. Look, I’m behind you one hundred percent, but I won’t lie to you or make this sound easier than it will be. We can take on this fight, but we have to accept the fact we might not be the people who make the change. It’s going to take work and finding other passionate people to rally with us, but just be prepared if things don’t change right away.”
Jonathan was right. I wanted to raise the battle cry and see this through to the end, but that might not be possible. In no way did that mean I’d back off and just hand the problem over to someone else, yet it was a reality I needed to accept. My father, Adrian, had always told me to pick my battles, know which ones you can win, and which you’ll need help with. I could be the one to raise awareness and bring it to light for those who didn’t know it even happened. Then, when the time was right, hand the torch to someone who could take on this cause full-time. While this was important, I couldn’t give up my role in the family business, nor would I let this take me away from the pack I should have known about all along.
“Your point is well taken, and I agree the main focus needs to be holding Mira Chambers accountable for everything she’s done. Abuse of power in her role cannot be tolerated, and I want to make an example out of her so the next person thinks twice before playing God with someone’s life,” I stated. “The other matter will naturally be brought up in the process, so I’d like to take advantage of that but not let it overshadow the immediate problem.”
The sound of clapping came through the phone, making me smile. “Well said, Eli. You’re a true example of Alpha leadership, my friend. Oh, while you were on your business trip, did you get a chance to chat with that senator, or did he blow you off?”
“He gave me about five minutes before telling me what I was asking wasn’t under the government’s control,” I shared. “Of course, I know that’s not true, but I’m sure he was thinking of all the money in backing he’d lose going after the Scent Matcher organization.”
“Coward,” Jonathan grumbled. “All right, now that I have my marching orders, I’ll get started gathering the evidence to present to the Attorney General’s Office. There’s no way they can turn a blind eye to what that bitch has done when presented with cold, hard facts.”
“You mean your wife, Sandy, can’t turn you down,” I countered. “How is she liking the new position?”
“Never seen a woman so excited to face off with criminal lawyers on a daily basis,” Jonathan answered with a chuckle. “Also, just so you know, I don’t plan on handing this case off to Sandy. I wouldn’t want anyone to think there is bias or mishandling of the case in any way. Mira is going to fight this, and she’s already shown she fights dirty, so we must do this by the book.”
“Whatever it takes,” I agreed. “Now go, enjoy the rest of your Saturday.”
“You too. Try and relax or something,” Jonathan teased, knowing I struggled with that particular skill.
Hanging up, I walked over to a wooden hutch and opened the doors to reveal a collection of vinyl records. I pulled one off the shelf and settled the black disk on the record player, then placed the needle, and seconds later, the greenhouse was filled with the soft instrumentals of my favorite composer. Settled once more in my chair, I grabbed my phone and responded to the men who made up my pack.
Evenings work well for me, too, and I can make any night work with a day’s notice. However, any of you are welcome to come by my office anytime if we can’t find a time that works for all of us to meet. My goal isn’t to disrupt your lives, so take all the time you need to feel comfortable with meeting.
Eli Thatcher