I feel a flare of envy at the observation, but I learned long ago to stop comparing myself to alphas. Plenty of other people were always happy to do it for me, which is why I worked so hard to prove I wasn’t limited by my designation. I was equal to any other guy – both on and off the field. “But he works for Paragon?” I persist.
“Yep, and he’s packmates with Corbus Janssen. I think they’ve been friends for a while.”
“Right.” That explains the alpha’s constant questions about Corbus when we were back at her place. And as I chew on that bit of news, something slithers in my belly; cold and unpleasant. Bram might be built like an alpha poster boy, but the owner of one of the biggest gemstone brands in the world is miles out of my league. “That’s a pretty rich crowd to be running with, Katie.”
“Workingwith,” she corrects me, tugging my jacket further over her face. “Although…” When she doesn’t say anything more, I flick back my collar to find her cheeks flushed and her orange blossom scent thicker than ever. “They’ve offered me a job, but only because of the omega they’re courting. His name is Dash, and he’s a really talented dancer. Lead principal, in fact, for one of the best companies in the city.”
I raise my brows at her, because it’s just dawned on me that she might not be perfuming for the uber alpha, after all. I’m friends with a couple of male omegas and they both have that mix of sweet and spicy scents.Could this principal dancer have rubbed off on her?It’s not the worst picture that’s ever popped into my head. “It sounds likeyoulike this omega.”
“I do.” Her eyes go hazy, and when she bites her lip, there’s no way I can stop my body from reacting. Katie wears her every emotion on her face, and right now she looks pretty smitten. “I’ve seen him dance, and he’s amazing. But he’s also under a lot of pressure with opening night coming up, so when I helped him out at work, his alphas asked me to make it a formal arrangement. Like a companion thing.”
It's not easy to sit still as images of Katie and some ballerino twined around each other flash through my mind, but as I absorb her words, I can feel the hair rise on the back of my neck. “You’re saying these alphas employed you to be theirpack companion?”
She winces at my incredulous tone. Or maybe it’s the look on my face, because I don’t know whether to curse or growl. “That’s not fucking acceptable, Katie. You don’t play back up to any omega.”
Understudy.That’s what they call it, isn’t it? Like second-string in football, where if you’re really unlucky, you spend the whole season warming the bench while some alpha gets all the glory. I know fuck all about ballet, but I know plenty about being labeled second best, and I won’t ever let that happen to Katie.
“It’s not like that,” she argues, but I can hear the uncertainty in her voice. “It’s a job, but they’re also helping me out.”
I just bet they are.Fucking assholes.I don’t know why I’m surprised that a couple of alphas would take advantage of her like this. They probably think they’ve hit the jackpot with an unbonded omega who’s also got the biggest heart in the world. Katie will do just about anything to help their omega because it’s second nature to her, but the reality is she needs someone to put herfirstfor once.
“Let me take you to my hotel,” I beg as the SUV pulls over to the curb. We’re in the fanciest section of the fanciest street in the neighborhood, and I scowl as I stare up at the imposing building ahead of us. “I don’t have a mansion in Lenox Hill, but I have a good job and a decent apartment back in Chicago. I care about you, Katie, and I’ll never treat you as if you’re worth less than some other omega.”
“Lachlan.” She sounds frustrated, but some primal part of me likes the way she’s still clutching my jacket. “It’s not like that with Dash. You’ll get it when you meet him.”
She sounds so confident, I can’t help but give her the benefit of the doubt. The arrangement sounds shady as hell, but she’s clearly besotted by the male omega. And while she might have shit taste in alphas, she’s always been true to her heart.
But that thought slips from my mind as Bram gets out of the car and stares back at us, his gaze fixed on Katie in a way that screamsownership.
I’m out of the car before she’s unbuckled her seatbelt, my vision going red as I storm over to the giant asshole.
“You asked her to be yourcompanion?” I spit, grabbing him by the front of his shirt. It’s like trying to wrestle a brick wall, but I’ve had plenty of practice manhandling opponents his size. “You piece of shit. You don’t think she’s been through enough with her fucking ex telling her she’s worthless? And now youbuyher – like some kind of cheap toy – for the omega you really want…”
“Calm down.” The alpha’s voice rolls over me like a three-hundred-pound linebacker, and as my knees weaken, I’m certain he’s commanded me. I’ve heard that an uber’s dominance can put you on your face, but I realize it’s just his hand coming down on the back of my neck, the huge palm pressing against the top of my spine. “Your concerns are valid, Lachlan, but they’re also misguided. We’ve offered Kate a position here, but not because we don’t value her.”
I blink up at him, my fury giving way to confusion. His gaze is intense, but there’s no hint of eyeshine, and I try to dredge up what I know of ubers. They’re too rare to feature much in the training I’ve taken at Safe Haven, but I remember reading that along with voice commands, their gaze can also pack a punch.
Because a six-foot-six monster doesn’t have enough brute force on his side.
I brace myself for whatever he’s going to throw at me, but the longer our eyes lock, the more it’s like I’m trying to fight with my favorite cozy blanket. Or at least that’s the way it feels as his hand gently grips my neck, his thumb an inch away from my barely formed scent gland. “She’s more than second best,” I protest, but it sounds weak even to my own ears.
“Of course, she is.” His voice, by comparison, is a confident rumble. “Why else would we be moving her into our home only a few days after meeting her?”
“Um, hello?” I blink away from the alpha’s intense amber eyes and into the face of a dark-haired omega. He’s standing on the steps of the building behind us and is wearing loose black pants and a thin gray tank that accentuates every lean muscle in his body. When he catches my gaze, his dark eyes dance with mischief. “Is this a private brawl or can anyone join? Fair warning, I just did a workout, so I’m pumped!”
He dances down the stairs –barefoot, which is kind of dangerous, even in this fancy neighborhood – and comes over with his hand extended in my direction. “Hi, I’m Dash. Thanks so much for looking after Kate.” He pumps my hand with a surprisingly strong grip, then rushes over to my rental and peers in the window. “Hey, sweetheart.” He turns back to frown at me, his voice low with worry. “Corbus said she’s been sick. Is she okay?”
I blink at the beautiful guy in front of me. There’s no denying it – he’s smoking hot, with high cheekbones and a pouty mouth. “Ah, yeah. But you should ask her yourself. I’m not going to talk about Katie behind her back.”
“Perfect answer,” he beams at me. “So, how about we all go inside and have some hot chocolate?”
I don’t really see how that’s going to fix anything, but when Bram opens the door, I nudge past him to reach Katie. She’s still clutching my jacket, but she ducks away when I try to pick her up, stepping straight into the omega’s arms instead. Their kiss is brief, but it still scrambles my brain, and I’m staring after them as they head up the stairs, arms linked as they murmur quietly to each other.
“If you leave your keys with me, our driver will park your car in our garage.”
I snap a startled look at the uber, who’s so close I don’t know what the fuck has happened to my survival instincts. “I’m not staying,” I say shortly, shoving my keys into my pocket. “But I want to make sure Katie is okay here.”
“Of course.”
