Page 64 of Never Submit

She insisted on coming. We couldn’t fucking leave her behind when she crept up behind Mathis on our way to the car.

I glance at her, irritated and grudgingly impressed. Most omegas would have kept quiet or stayed in the foyer with the rest of the pack while Mathis and I met with Torin again. But not Flora.

She’s as edged as a knife and has grown even more bold with her latest pregnancy. It doesn’t help that Mathis has a soft spot for her, so when she demanded to join us in our meet-up, there was no push back from him.

“It’s overkill,” I grumble. “Makes my skin crawl. Will the whole place blow if they catch a fly on their security feed?”

Flora rolls her eyes. “Overkill can keep the pack and my pups alive. And that’s all I care about.”

The elevator dings, and the doors slide open with a smooth whoosh. We step out on the top floor into a wide corridor lined with glass walls and polished metal. Everything about this place screams wealth and power, from the pristine black-and-silver decor to the subtle hum of technology running beneath the surface.

I spot more cameras. Three along the hallway, one trained on the elevator, and two near the double doors at the end. My wolf bristles at the constant surveillance.

“I don’t like this,” I mutter under my breath. “Not one fucking bit.”

“You’d better heel, Dax,” Mathis warns. “I don’t want bloodshed. We came here peacefully because we need Torin’s help. It matters.”

I know.And I hate it, too. The last place I want to be is surrendering to the Steel Claws with our tails between our legs. But Mathis is my alpha, and what he says goes.

That doesn’t mean I’m going to let my hatred for everything Torin and the Steel Claws stand for be in doubt.

Following the instructions we were given downstairs, we push through the heavy doors into Torin’s office, and the air changes.

Torin sits behind a massive desk, the city skyline sprawling behind him through floor-to-ceiling windows. He looks every inch the alpha of a pack like this—tailored navy suit, calculated smile, and the kind of eyes that see everything and trust nothing.

“Welcome, Mathis,” Torin greets smoothly, his voice like polished steel.I hate him. “Dax.” His gaze flickers to me, then lands on Flora. His nostrils flaring, taking in her scent, he hesitates. “And…an omega?”

Flora steps forward before either of us can speak, her chin lifted. “Flora. My name is Flora.”

I choke back a laugh, half expecting Torin to snap at her and put her in her place, but his expression shifts into something close to amused curiosity.

“Flora,” he says as he drums his fingers on his desktop. He glances at Mathis. “I wasn’t aware an omega was needed in our negotiations.”

“She insisted,” Mathis says. “You try arguing with her. I’ve given up.”

Torin smirks. “Of course you have. You don’t have the balls to stand up to your own pack mates.”

“I’m only here to make sure you stick to your word,” she says to Torin. “With my home and my pack taken by Andras, I need a safe place for my pups and my mate. If it takes my being here for you to understand it, then I don’t mind tagging along.”

Torin’s gaze drops to her swollen belly. “I see.”

“Family first,” Flora insists. “Always.”

Torin and Mathis meet eyes, and something passes between them.

“I will do whatever it takes to keep my pack safe,” Torin says, shoulders pulling back. “We have that goal in common.”

“We do,” Mathis replies.

“Then let’s get down to the details.”

Before we can, the door opens again, and I stiffen as Red strides in with Noble trailing behind her.

“You’re not going to lock me out again when there are important things happening,” she insists off the bat. Her gaze settles directly between Torin’s eyes. “You understand?”

She looks…different. Stronger. Goddamn it, she even smells better. There's a quiet confidence in the way she carries herself that wasn’t present before, as if she found a long-buried piece of her soul.

My wolf bristles, hackles raised, torn between instincts and the bitter reality of what she is—Noble’s mate. But knowing that doesn’t stop the surge of possessiveness that claws at my insides.

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