Chapter 13
Sylvan
The glass isn’t tinted enough. The scanner is outdated. The first floor is too open, and the cameras barely cover it.
“Syl?”
I glance at Luciano. He said my name, yet he’s not asking me anything. “What?”
“Did you listen to anything we said on the way here?”
I study the skylights as I answer, “Yes. For some reason, you want technical support here, even though this was meant to be a one-day favour. And in return for said technical support, you will finally allow me to implant trackers in you. Which, may I add, is for your benefit, not mine.”
Ten skylights. Ten different ways to enter.
“Did you put the skylights on the action plan?” I look at him for confirmation, but he’s frowning.
“Yes, I put the fucking windows on the plan.” Then he scoffs and turns away.
Did I upset him?
“Sylvan.”
Ah, Valentin is using my full name. Which means he either wants my attention or I have done something wrong. Possibly both.
I turn to him because eye contact is important.
“Why else did we ask you to come?” he asks.
Which means my first answer wasn’t good enough. Therefore, he believes the secondary reason they gave is more important than the first. Interesting.
“You want me to meet Rue’s sister.”
He nods, then waits. Does he want me to say more? Hmm.
“Considering this job has now extended the one-day period it began as, I’m assuming either a) her business is in complete disarray, and this has become charity work, or b) the most likely answer, you’re attracted to Rue’s sister, and you’re hoping I find the same attraction.”
Luc lets out a long sigh. “Yes, Syl, that’s the main reason.” I nod, but before I can go back to analysing the room, he says, “You’re pretty good at remembering things, right?” I nod again. “Can you think of a time when Val and I liked the same woman?”
I furrow my brows in thought. I’ve seen both of them with women, never the same woman, though. I spend a few seconds trying to remember all those times. I don’t have a photographic memory, but it’s pretty good. I especially try to remember people’s faces.
“No,” I finally answer.
He smiles then, and I’m glad I made him happier. “Exactly, Syl. So this, whatever this is, it’s different. And we haven’t even scented her.”
“Interesting,” I murmur.
“Yes.” Luciano nods emphatically. “It’s very interesting, and we hope you’ll find her very interesting too.”
I pause with that thought. It doesn’t sound quite right. Is he trying to make a joke? No, he looks too serious.
I do find women attractive. I like how they look, how they feel. I’ll sleep with them if and when the need arises. But have I ever found a woman interesting?
No. Not really.
I think it’s interesting how their bodies react to certain stimulation, how they can orgasm multiple times even when they think they can’t, how well they can take a knot… but that’s about it.
They all feel the same, taste the same, there’s nothing really interesting about it—
There’s a sharp tap of heels, and the twins immediately stand to attention. Literally. I don’t speak in idioms. Their hands fall behind their back, clasped, posture straight, their eyes focused intensely behind me.
I stand too, following my pack brothers’ lead as always. I suppose it’s time to meet the interesting omega—
She’s... small.
Genetically, it’s hard to spot the similarities between her and Rue. He’s tall and lean, she’s short and... shapely. His eyes are blue, hers are... green. A bright, icy shade of green. His hair is brown, hers is... pink.
It’s an... interesting choice.
Not just one shade, but multiple, all twisting together in soft curls.
I’m still deciding what I think about it when she’s suddenly right before us, and she smiles.
That... I glance at the others, but they’re looking at me, so I look back. Oh. She’s smiling at me, just me. And that makes me feel... something.
Interesting.
“Hi, you must be Sylvan? I’m—”
“—Revea. Rue’s younger sister.”
Her smile falters a little. Was that bad? Should I not have interrupted? But I already know her name, so it would be pointless for her to repeat it…
But then her smile returns. “Yep, that’s me. Sorry you’ve been dragged into this. I’m sure you’ve got other things you could be doing.”
“You’re right. I was in the middle of a software changeover, but the twins said I could implant them with a microchip that would allow me to track their location and monitor their health, even if they were on the other side of the world. So the pros far outweighed the cons.”
It’s suddenly very... quiet. Revea’s smile is no longer as big, but it’s still there, barely.
Then she glances at the twins, and for some strange reason, my chest tightens. I find myself thinking… I want her to look at me again.
“Do you have a central PC?”
***
Revea shows me to her office, situated directly above the reception desk, only accessible by a single set of stairs against the far wall. The elevated view allows a direct view of the waiting area where we were just standing. Tactically, it’s well planned.
Structurally, the entire building has been. The only major security threats are the skylights. Even the revolving glass doors for the entrance work well, making it easy to lock someone inside.
However, that’s where the positives stop.
Although the salon looks aesthetically pleasing, the inside systems are a mess. Everything is out of date, incomplete, or simply inadequate for a business.
I make detailed notes on everything, listing each issue and categorising it by urgency. When I realise how easy it is to hack into the CCTV, I move it to the top priority.
Not only is the CCTV system not secure, meaning anyone can hack in and watch, but the cameras themselves are old. I flick through the live footage. Doesn’t take long. Five cameras. That’s it.
I make a note: inadequate.
The quality: grainy, no sound. Inadequate.
I’m about to move on to the sign-in system when she appears on screen.
I pause, finger hovering over the left click of the mouse, and watch.
She’s speaking with someone—a client, I assume—as they sit down in a chair. I can only see Revea’s side profile from this angle because the cameras are stationary and can only be moved by hand. I make another note of that.
But I still don’t click away.
I guess I can keep this screen up while I work on the other systems. Monitor the continuity of the footage.
Which is what I do.
Three hours later, I’m almost done with my report. It shouldn’t have taken that long, but I know why, because I’ve been casting glances at the live footage in the corner of my screen every chance I could find. Sometimes, she went out of frame, and I’d have to filter through to find her again.
Three hours of undisturbed surveillance, and I’ve learnt a lot about the pink-haired omega.
She’s good with people. I guess that’s a requirement of a job like this, being social, but the way she interacts seems so easy.
Natural. Not rehearsed or part of a role, it’s real.
She looks after her staff, checking in on each member, lingering when necessary, giving small smiles of reassurance, stepping in to cover someone when their appointment overruns.
I also see the way others react to her. Her staff respect her; there’s no hesitation when they need something. She always makes time for them, listens, even when she’s in the middle of styling someone’s hair. People gravitate towards her.
And my pack brothers are no different. Hanging back, yet stepping in at any chance they get, even refilling her water. Sometimes, she looks a little caught off guard by them, unsure how to react; other times, she smiles.
In three hours, I’ve realised a lot of things. One being that I like the way Revea smiles when she thinks no one is watching.
When the door to her office opens, I continue staring at the screen, like I didn’t watch her ascend the steps with food and drink in hand.
“Hey, just came to see how it’s going,” she says, walking towards the desk.
She places the food on the coffee table, and aside from my typing and clicking, it goes quiet.
I pause. Am I meant to say something? But she didn’t ask me a question.
I peer up from my screen, and she’s there, smiling at me. But it’s not like the ones from the footage; this one is smaller, less sure. A little forced.
“Do you need something?” I ask, that way she’ll have to answer—that’s what happens when you ask a question.
Her brows furrow a little. “Me? Erm, no. I just came to check on you.”
I nod, continuing with my work.
She doesn’t move away, but that’s fine, this is her office after all, and I don’t mind her standing there.
“Don’t you need to take a break?”
“No,” I reply, continuing to type.
“Do you only answer direct questions?” This time, her voice sounds a little sharper, and that makes me frown.
I lean back to face her properly. “As opposed to…?”
Her brows rise, then she murmurs a quick, “Okay then…” before pointing to the screen. “How is it looking?” She seems to remember something as she adds, “The systems, the cameras, all of it.”
I glance down at my notes, scanning them over before summarising with one word. “Inadequate.”
“Sorry?” She sounds a little shocked.
I take that emotion as a cue that she needs me to say more.
I look up from my notes and meet her wide eyes.
“Your systems are inadequate. Nothing is segmented. I was able to hack into everything because they’re all on the same switch, and it seems a few people have before me.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some of your data has already been stolen and sold on the dark web.
But the one positive of having bad CCTV is that people are less likely to watch it—no one wants to live stream anything with such poor quality. ”
When I finish, I realise Revea seems to be breathing a little heavier.
“Are you okay?” I ask, because her face seems to drain of the soft pink blush I remember.
She doesn’t answer. Which is strange because I’ve asked a question, and you’re supposed to answer. Unless…
“You look unwell,” I say.
She just stares at me, or maybe through me. She doesn’t seem very focused, and her eyes look a little cloudy.
Suddenly, she closes her eyes tightly and turns away from me. “I’m fine,” she murmurs, but she doesn’t sound fine.
It’s too quiet, like she had to force those words out, and she isn’t looking at me anymore. Why did she turn around?
I start to stand, I’m not really sure why, but she’s already walking away as she says, “You’re right, I don’t feel very well. I’m gonna go home early.” And with that, the office door shuts behind her.
I sit back down, staring at the door, frowning. That was… strange.
I find my gaze darting to the glass wall so I can watch her walk through the lobby.
When she disappears around the corner, I go back to the CCTV footage.
She’s walking quickly, but a woman with strange half-glasses stops her.
They have a quick conversation, the woman rubs Revea’s back, then I watch her leave through the back exit, walk across the car park, and into her car.
She doesn’t leave straight away, but five minutes later, she does.
And for some reason, something in my chest feels tight. I let myself acknowledge that sensation for a while.
I’m about to go back to finishing my report when the office door opens again.
“Syl, what happened?” Luciano asks, and I can tell he’s trying to sound calm, but his tone is too low for that.
“With what?”
His jaw grits, a sign I’m familiar with, one that means I’ve irritated him, but I don’t understand why. He’s the one asking vague questions.
“With Revea, Sylvan.” Valentin steps in. He’s always much calmer than his brother, and he’s much better at being specific too.
“Nothing happened.”
They both frown at my words, which means I’m missing something.
“Sylvan, Revea was just in this office with you, and a few minutes later, she’s rushing out of here crying.”
Something sharp and painful happens inside me. “She was crying?” I don’t know why I repeat that; they just said she was.
“Yeah, and then she’s rushing out of here.” Luciano moves closer to me, placing both hands on the desk. “Syl. What did you talk about?”
“Her systems, like you asked me to.”
“And?” He lowers his head, then looks straight at me.
“And how they’re inadequate.”
Luciano’s mouth slowly opens and stays open. I wait for him to speak, but realise it’s open for another reason. He’s in shock.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, looking to Valentin for help.
“I know you wouldn’t have meant to, Syl. But I think telling Revea that might have upset her.”
“Upset her?” I frown. “Why would someone be upset about artificial systems? You’re wrong. She wasn’t upset. She told me she felt unwell.”
“Course she did,” Luc murmurs, and it sounds sarcastic.
I look to him, not understanding, and my expression must show it because he sighs, softening his gaze.
“Sorry, Syl. I’m being an ass, it’s just…” He wets his lips, then edges onto the desk. “I really like Revea, Syl. I don’t think I’ve ever liked anyone the way I like her. And I think she’d be a really good match for this pack, for—”
“—me,” I finish.
“Yeah.” He sighs with a tight-lipped smile.
“Me too, Syl,” Val adds, running a hand through his hair. “Which is why we wanted her to meet you. We’re pack, what you want matters to us, so if you don’t like Revea, if this isn’t going to work, then you need to tell—”
“I like her.”
Valentin’s dark brows furrow deeply; Luciano’s mouth hangs open again. Both expressions of confusion and shock.
“I like her,” I repeat. “She’s… interesting.”
“Holy fuck,” Luciano whispers, eyes wide as they dart over my face. “Seriously? But you’ve hardly spoken to her?”
“I’ve watched her on the CCTV.”
“Okay… maybe don’t start your next conversation with that,” Luciano says, glancing over at Valentin, then back at me. “Can we hash out a hypothetical, Syl?”
I nod.
“Let’s just say she was upset by what you said. How could we fix it?”
“Do you really think I’ve upset her?” I look between them, the tightness in my chest starting to feel like a hard knot.
Valentin moves to stand beside his brother, eyes intent on mine. “Let’s just focus on one thing at a time, Sylvan. How could we fix it?”
I swallow. “Well, you two couldn’t. You don’t know how to segment systems, or stop hackers, or improve a sign-in system.”
I wait for them to add their suggestions to the hypothetical, but instead, Luciano nods again, but more like he’s encouraging me rather than agreeing.
“But I do,” I say, feeling the need to rub at my chest. “I can fix it.”
When the twins give me a small smile, I realise that’s what they were waiting for me to figure out.
I look over my extensive notes. “You’ll need to tell Kaiden our software changeover is going to be delayed.”