Oh right. My phone is ringing.
It could be a client, or it could be my Omega.
Please, be Shadow.
I answer the call using my headset.
“Lennox Security Systems.”
“Owen? What’s wrong?”
Shit.I’m still being a dumbass.
This is why I shouldn’t answer calls without checking who they’re from.
Ezra, our absentee lead Alpha, is on the line.
A flurry of emotions come over me on hearing his voice.
I’ve missed him so much, and I’m so fucking mad at him.
This is his fault. He’s the reason Shadow’s unsettled.
“Who said anything was wrong?” I ask, somehow managing to keep my cool.
“You sound … tense,” Ezra replies.
“I haven’t had my second coffee hit yet. Why are you calling so early?”
I hold my breath, waiting to see if he’s going to make more out of it.
He sighs softly, and I know he’s not going to.
He called for a reason.
Checking to see how we are isn’t it.
“I need a favor. It’s a big one.”
“Huh,” I murmur.
It’s not like him to ask for anything, I mean besides making us agree to his lengthy absences for all the important work shit he feels he needs to do.
That’s a whole other story.
“I’ve got a lot to do today. What’s the favor?”
“I need a security team who can work at the Omega academy here in Cressidan City, starting tomorrow. No Alphas, and they need to be beyond reproach.”
“What’s the contract length? Is it short-term, like yours, or permanent?”
“Permanent. The place is running on a skeleton crew right now.”
“It’s a big ask,” I admit. “I don’t know if we’ve got anyone who’s willing to relocate, and I only know a couple guys in the city who might be interested in the work.”
“Well, we have a major issue with trust, so anyone you can personally vouch for would be better than the other options they have.”
“Mm hm,” I murmur, as I lean forward and access the phone tracking app on my laptop.