Page 38 of Alpha Hunger

“Casualties?”

“None.”

“Excellent.”

“If I may?”

“Go on.” Anna is listening, eyes wide. I nod, reassuring her everything is fine.

Tarkin groans. “This is not going to sit well with the mayor, the media, the people.”

“Perhaps it’s time to change a few things. Come for a meeting.”

“I’m in the middle of a cleanup here.”

“Come anyway.” I click the unit off.

Anna’s at my desk. She picks up her tennis shoe and puts it back on. I press a thumb on my desk’s panel, and the walls part, revealing a passage to my apartments. Anna stares at her hologram, not at the apartments.

My com unit sounds. The vibration tune tells me this is Melanie. “I have to take this call.”

“Okay.”

Hm. I approach and lift her chin. Big brown eyes lock with mine.

“Breeding with me won’t be a hardship or half as bad as your people have described.”

“No, it will probably be worse.”

I leave the office.

Chapter 13

Anna

An Omega dynamic has very little defense against the Alpha dynamic. The Alphas release pheromones, purr, and go out of their way to woo an Omega. The two, when put together, are said to be explosive in the bedroom. I can attest to that.

Because of some ancient blood test Raven did by applying poison—poison!—from his fangs to my blood, Raven’s caveman brain has conjured a belief that I am his property, likely by his royal birthright, and he is to own me body and soul.

Perhaps on Regha, that’s how it works, but here on Earth, my mama raised me to be self-sufficient and independent. In order to get an education, I’ve gone into debt to my uncle. A calculated risk, I thought. Debt for education is an investment. It would afford me opportunities, open previously closed doors. I wanted to help my struggling parents. Raven’s promise to protect my family is solid. I believe he will protect my family, though not if they cross him like my uncle has.

At his desk, I press my palm on the panel, and it lights up. The IT Telean coded me in after HR hired me and hasn’t yet removed my privileges.You’re firedrings in my brain. It feels like a failure. First, I couldn’t find a damn job for months, and now that I landed a great-paying job, I get fired.

I find the commands for the blinds and press them. The shadows dimming the sun disappear. I spin in Raven’s chair and ogle the Pacific, hoping some positive energy from the sun will help clear my head. If I’m fired, who will do the work? Clearly, Raven’s personal side of business needs my attention. Right? His social pages tell me so. If someone actually worked on this, he wouldn’t have all those red alarm notifications against the blue screen. What if it’s something important?

I walk to my desk and remove my shoes, tuck my feet under my bottom, and open up the holographic screen. Whether he admits it or not, he needs an assistant, and he won’t find anyone more qualified them me. Right? Right. I nod and reassure myself. Despite my dynamic, I’m not just a breeder. I’m also perfectly capable of running his personal office business, and I’m gonna prove it to him.

I set a timer and sprint though the notifications, sorting through the crap that needs no attention, replying to messages when I can do so myself, and leaving out the ones I think he should answer on his own, primarily from people who reach out asking for protection or money. At the top, the message keyword search options appear. Curious, I typeBetaren. Of course, I get nothing in return.Omegasearch, however, gives me results. I sift through those quickly. Raven is a popular, handsome Alpha. His power over the Omegas is clear as day to me. The moment I saw him, he swept me off my feet. I don’t blame anyone for trying to reach out to him, though I’m loving the little trash container where I drop the messages.

Except one from a fake profile namedOmega 349with no image. This one doesn’t hint at interest or ask for money, connections, or favors. I can almost feel the urgency in her message. Clearly, someone really wants to meet with him, and by the way the message is constructed, I’m going to presume it’s a woman. She asked for a meeting tomorrow in district three, not too far from here and in a nice area, a public restaurant, I believe.

“I’ll be there,” I type and hit Send.

“Change of plans.”

Jesus!I scream.

Raven stands at the door. “Scrap the items on the list.”

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