“Fucking hell, Reed,” he mumbled, head bent over the sink as he brushed his teeth. He thought about calling in sick, but that’d just make him look like even more of a coward. So, pulling on a white shirt and grey trousers, he trudged out the flat with all the enthusiasm of a dog being forced to eat green beans.
When he finally pushed open the office door, energy drink in hand, he was met by a wall of new faces. People seemed to fill every inch of the little Child Protection office, a sight that made him uneasy. Hanging over the threshold, he tried to make out what was going on, which was when his eyes slid to the black lanyards around the newcomers’ necks.
Black. Not the blue of West Newton Constabulary. The Metropolitan Police. He swallowed and was about to slip out the office unnoticed, when his back collided with a familiar floral coat and red braid.
“Morning, treacle,” Nancy said, clutching her laptop bag. “Jesus Christ, you look like you’ve just smashed ten wraps of coke. Rough night?” Oliver grumbled and set his energy drink down on the desk. “Wittle Ollie bear got a sniffle?”
“Yes, Nance, that’s some stellar fucking detective work,” he snapped, opening his own laptop bag. Then, glancing back up at the Met officers, he said, “What’ve I missed?”
Nancy clasped her hands together, an excited look on her face. “DS White called me last night. Asked if I wanted to join the team as their family liaison officer.”
And there it was. The arrow straight into Oliver’s fucking heart. He and Nancy were the only two qualified family liaison officers in the department, and if she’d been chosen, they wouldn’t need a second. Sipping his drink, he tried to hide the grimace twisting his lips.
“Well done, Nancy. This is a great opportunity for you.” He tried to say it with genuine enthusiasm, but the words sounded hollow.
“Thanks, love. What about you? Did the sergeant call you last night? I know you went out with him yesterday, so I just assumed…”
Swallowing the last of his drink, Oliver turned his eyes to the computer. “No. No call, Nance.”
“O-Oh, well, I’m sure he just wants to speak to you in person. Chin up, hot stuff.”
Oliver blew his nose and discreetly tried to cast his eyes over the new officers. There were seven, four males, three females, and they all wore perfectly tailored suits just like Lucas. One in particular was shockingly attractive—a six foot alpha woman with a blonde bob cut.
In all honesty, they looked cool as hell, but Oliver wasn’t in an appreciative sort of mood. Slumping in his swivel chair, hewas about to tell the Inspector that he was going home, when Matteus plonked a mug under his nose.
“Here,” he said. “Lemon and honey. For your cold.”
Oliver slid his fingers around the warm cup.“Thanks.”
“Are you okay, Ollie?”
“Yeah, just a cold.”
“You sure? It could be a reaction to the medication, or…” he trailed off.
“Or?”
Matteus knocked his hip against Oliver’s shoulder, shoving him to the side as he squeezed onto the chair next to him. Bringing their white-blonde heads together, he kept his voice low. “Could it be the start of estrus?”
Oliver almost spat out his drink as he stared at his brother. “It’s January.Thatisn’t until May. This is just a cold.”
“Yeah, but a lot of things have changed recently, and I just thought maybe?—”
“Please, just stop. Whatever has been going on between you-know-who and I is nothing. I’m not like you, and I will never be like you. Please, just let it go.”
Matteus frowned, a look of genuine hurt crossing his delicate features. “Matty…” Oliver continued, squeezing his brother’s hand. “I know you just want what’s best for me, but insisting that you-know-who is my mate is pointless.”
“Reed.”
Oliver and Matteus’ heads snapped up as a deep voice spoke behind them. There stood Lucas, towering over them like a Grecian statue; coffee cup in one hand, manila envelope in the other. He wore a crisp navy blue shirt and black tie, his hair pulled back into that sexy fucking topknot.Just how long had he been standing there?
“Yes?” they said in unison.
Cocking a brow, Lucas levelled a finger at Oliver. “I meant that one.”
Matteus prickled in the seat next to him. Despite being an omega, he was still fiercely protective, and as Oliver went to stand, Matteus’ hand close over his knee. Oliver gave his brother a look that said ‘stop being fucking weird,’ before Matteus sighed and released him.
Oliver followed Lucas all the way down a long corridor, across the canteen and through a set of double doors. The stench of cannabis hit them, and Oliver had to cover his nose to stop himself from sneezing. The alpha led them to a little office at the back of the police station, one that was usually reserved for sorting and categorising seized drugs.
