Page 114 of Feral Alphas

“Yeah?”

“I’m headed out for my appointment now. Rose is playing Uno in the hall.”

“Okay, I’ll be right out.” He sounds a little breathless and I wonder if he’s exercising. He’s been looking more ripped lately so he must be doing something besides sex. I only notice because Rose has him doing housework without a shirt most days; it’s not like I’m looking on purpose.

My anxiety rises as I drive across the city to the lawyers’ office. Harkman and Laurance towers over the city block as I find parking and make my way to ground level. Flags flutter around the open, landscaped square in front of the teal glass building. Blue, it’s a color everyone trusts, without being the patented baby-blue of the Omega Center. I suck in a breath and push through the glass doors.

“Welcome to Harkman and Laurance. How can I help?” The bubbly receptionist has gold-plated chopsticks pushed through her neat updo, matching the gilding on the cornices and elevators. They’ll drain money from me here like leeches and use it to paint their ceilings with gold.

“I have an appointment with Mr Laurance. My name is Kye Romdine.”

Her lashes flutter up at the sound of my last name, and I’m ushered up the elevator and into a plush waiting room within a minute.

People swarm through the office outside my sheltered glass cube, carrying files and boxes, some waving and talking animatedly. All frantic, no doubt managing important cases, or rather, rich people’scases. Harkman and Laurance deal predominantly with business and financial law. They’d never be seen dead representing something like murder or dirty crimes.

Shiloh Laurance doesn’t keep me waiting long. He and his legal aide flutter into the room, talking about another case as the big boss snaps out instructions and his platinum-haired assistant frantically takes notes down in her tablet.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr Romdine.” Shiloh Laurance says, waving me into a chair. “I called you in because we have some bad news. Your father has filed a claim against your apartment.” He holds his hand out for a folder which the legal secretary hastily passes over. “Related assets have been frozen. They’re claiming you’re a repayment liability without the means to service the debt.” He checks his notes as my stomach drops to the floor. “Thankfully you don’t have any other equity listed on the mortgage to get tangled up in this.”

Mr Laurance sighs and folds his hands together. “The other party have been in contact already to say they’re willing to settle privately. They’ve requested face-to-face negotiation next week.”

I huff a breath out through pursed lips and his brows rise.

“We can take whatever direction you like, but a fight in the Romdine family will be front page news on every outlet. All your assets and situations may end up being exposed. They definitely will be if we go to court and your father doesn’t put a gag order out.”

I tap my finger on the table. “He’s trying to force my hand.”

“It would be good if we understood his intentions so we can fight them,” he suggests neutrally.

“He wants me to join a particular pack.”

MrLaurance frowns. “You have a pack registered with your personal details.”

I nod. “Exactly. But he doesn’t know that yet, I think.”

He blinks at me but takes it in his stride. I’m sure he sees messy situations all the time. “What action would you like us to take? We can counter sue for domestic interference, or harassment, if we have some evidence. We can agree to a meeting to at least see what they want, or we can proceed with defense against financial liability.”

I’m headed away this weekend for my concert, so I don’t want to think about any option right now. I crack open the water bottle on the table as I try to collect my thoughts.

Mr Laurance clears his throat. “Forgive me raising it, but according to the overview you gave us, it will be extremely difficult to prove financial viability for a 1.1 million loan when your income from music is intermittent. We’ll need to pull your bank statements back to the inception of the loan, and the cost for a drawn-out trial is substantial. I’m sure you know that.”

Yeah, money that could be better spent on my omega. Should I walk away from the apartment I chose with my mother and cut all ties with the Romdines? What happens to my sister then?

I take another sip of water and then recap the bottle. “Set up the meeting on the condition they come to Darinian. I’ll be in Benixes City for my concert this weekend, so use my itinerary as a reason. Let’s see what he has to say.”

I know what my father wants to say, because he’s a stubborn coot who never gives way first. But there’s the slightest chance he might change his mind when he learns there’s an omega in the picture. Not that I want to use Rose like a bargaining tool, but the walls are closing in around me.

More importantly, judging by the reporters getting in my face at the mere hint of Romdine family discord, I don’t want to see my new pack dragged into public scrutiny. They’d have a field day with the feral alphas’ story, and someone would be bound to get wind of Luka’s history.

I can’t put them through that, so I may need to cut the last fragile tie to my past.

The only thought that warms me is knowing my pack brothers won’t cast me aside because I have nothing to bring to the table. For them, and Rose, Kye is enough.

Chapter forty-three

Rose

“Alright folks, let’s give this a try,” Luka announces, laying out wash cloths, a bucket of warm water, and the soap on the dining room table.

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