Page 19 of The Omega Project

I just give him a noncommittal smile, since Tyler Creed has already been on my mind more than he should. Not just because of the help he gave me with Rick - especially since my ex is the kind of man who only really listens to other, more powerful men - but because of his relationship with Soren Hill. It will be a long time before I forget the stark devastation in Creed’s eyes when he spoke of his mate’s suffering.

He’s in pain… Nearly every hour of every day.

“So, what part of the project do they have you working on?”

I startle at the question, but I’m grateful for the change of topic. “Um, I’m not sure yet.” I think of the multi-page NDA I signed and decide to keep it vague. “I think I’ll just be looking through old data, and maybe checking over a few interviews. They talked about wanting fresh eyes on their findings.”

Clark hums and taps the side of his coffee cup. “That’s odd. Tony said you were a special consultant. I assumed that meant they’d have you on some of the top-secret stuff.”

I raise a brow, more curious than ever. “Really? They haven’t gone into much detail with me yet.” I think of Soren Hill’s file and suddenly wonder if I was given it as more thanjust background material. I can’t think how I’d help Soren specifically, given that his alphas have no doubt moved heaven and earth to ease his suffering, but it just makes me more determined to dive in and see what I can contribute. “I’m not sure what kind of consultant I’d make. Well, not unless you’re talking about the eating habits of bees.”

Clark’s gaze shifts to where my bee pendant rests against my blouse. “That’s right. Derek said you’re the queen of the hive.”

“Their devoted slave, more like,” I laugh. “My research is looking into making the Western honeybee more resistant to disease, through adding supplements to their diet.”

“I’m struggling to see the connection with switches,” he admits.

“Well, bees are famous for switching sexual roles. Disrupting a single gene causes genetically female embryos to develop as males.”

“Hmmm,” Clark smirks at me. “You really are one of those cool science kids, aren’t you?”

I snort at him, since Clark has to be the coolest human being to ever walk the planet. “I’m just a big nerd, which is why Derek and I get along so well. We’re both the opposite of cool, but also kind of okay with that.”

Clark chuckles and gets to his feet, leaning in to give me a quick hug. He smells delicious, and I have to admit it might be the highlight of my day having his arms wrapped around me, even if it’s just in affection. I’m not stupid enough to get a crush on a guy like Clark, whose contentment with his pack radiates from every pretty pore.

“Well, good luck with the rest of your first day,” he tells me. “And let me know if I need to send a care package to Derek. He must be running pretty low on Cheezels and Red Bull by now.”

I give an exaggerated shudder. I might have my own snacking habits, but energy drinks have never appealed to me, whileDerek treats them like liquid air. “Don’t encourage him. I’ll take him some chicken soup if he’s up to visitors.”

“Thanks for looking after him.” Clark pauses at the door and gives me a wistful glance. “I felt bad moving out, you know? But I’m glad he has you, Emily.”

“I’m glad I have him, too.”

I spend the rest of the morning reading through the high-level project documentation then start delving into the case studies. I have access to the team database, but I can’t find anything on Soren Hill, Vast Horizons, or the Command Method, and I’m feeling a little frustrated as I get up and head to Langston’s office. He’s working out of a meeting room not far from my own workstation, and as fascinating as I find the project documentation, I haven’t been able to resist glancing his way more often than I care to count.

“Hey, do you have a moment?”

He looks up from his laptop, and the heat in his eyes reminds me of how it felt when he scooped me against him in the car, breathing me in so hard I felt like all the oxygen was pulled out of the air. “Um… I was just wondering why I can’t find Soren’s case file in the database.”

Langston is out of his chair before I’m finished, moving around me to close the door. Instead of returning to his seat, he perches on the edge of the meeting table and folds his arms across his chest. “I should have been clear in the car. Soren isn’t part of the core project, and information about him is confidential.”

In the small confines of the room, his scent surrounds me, and I have to hold my breath so I don’t lean into him. “Then why did you share his file with me?”

He gives me a long, slow blink, but his face is frustratingly blank. “You asked about our omega. I didn’t want to lie to you, Emily, and especially not about Soren.”

I mull that over for a moment. If Soren is such a big secret, why did they risk bringing me into their circle? What ‘new eyes’, as Clark put it, can I bring to a long-running project that will make any real difference? “Okay, but I got the impression you wanted me to focus on his case.”

“We do.” Again, his face is impassive, but his eyes seem to be telling me a different story. “In fact, Finn wants you to meet him, if you’re up to it.”

“Of course.” I glance through the glass window and see our boss headed this way. Everyone on the floor is staring at him, but he looks like a man on a mission, not slowing down or stopping to chat with anyone. A strange mix of panic and anticipation swirls through me as his pale gaze connects with mine. “You meannow?”

Langston is frowning when I glance back at him. “Only if you feel up to it.” He opens his mouth to say more, but Finn is stepping into the room, and Langston pushes away from the table, standing at my side. “I thought we’d be meeting up after lunch. Emily is still getting settled in.”

“Now works for me,” Finn replies, and when his gaze returns to mine, I’m reminded of my initial reaction to him. Not just of a wolf prowling through the woods, but of the way he made my knees weak and my underwear damp, all with the simple brush of his fingers against mine. “We can talk more downstairs, if you like. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.”

I nod, and while Langston grabs his phone and pass off the table, Finn doesn’t move from the door. “I can take care of this, Lang, if you want to stay here and work on other things.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” The two alphas aren’t doing anything aggressive, but a crackle of tension fills the air as they stare at each other. “I should come along, just in case.”

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