“Perfect timing.” Parker skates over to him.
I follow. “Guess who is our new team manager’s assistant?”
Asher hands us each a cup as he nods. “I walked past her in the corridor, and her scent is...unusual. Almost like it’s being masked somehow.”
“But you accept she has an omega scent,” I press.
Parker cuts in before Asher can answer. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Oliver. I know you’re convinced, but her smell could be an alpha scent.”
“Don’t give me that bull, Parker. Her scent is pure omega.” I cross my arms. “And you know it.”
“Oliver—“ Asher starts, but I cut him off.
“No, I’m tired of dancing around this. We all felt different the moment he came home that night. The night he brought her scenthome with him, and we know why. Hell, I told you that I felt it months ago in New York.”
Parker takes a long drink of his coffee. “Even if you’re right, she thinks she’s an alpha.”
“Because that piece of shit Colton convinced her she was.” The memory of Colton’s smug face makes my blood boil. “He knew exactly what she was and kept her confused.”
Or did he?
“That’s a serious accusation.” Asher’s voice stays calm, measured. Classic Ash—always the voice of reason. “Deliberately suppressing someone’s designation...”
“Is illegal,” Parker finishes. “But it’s hard to prove.”
His phone buzzes. The screen lights up with Jake’s name—Jagger’s biological father. Parker’s jaw tightens as he answers.
“What do you want?” His knuckles whiten around the phone. “No, I don’t care that you’ve found—“ He falls silent, listening. The color drains from his face.
When he hangs up, the phone nearly cracks in his grip.
“Jake found an omega. They’re getting bonded next month.” Parker’s voice comes out raw. “He wants Jagger back.”
“You’ve looked after Jagger for five years. That bastard didn’t want to know him,” I say.
“But the law will be on his side,” Asher says. “At least once he has a bonded pack, and one with an omega.”
“Over my dead fucking body,” Parker replies. “This pack needs to bond.” He glares at me. I’m the one who’s been holding back.
I can’t help but smile, seeing an opportunity as it unfolds in front of my eyes.
This is exactly what we need - a catalyst to make them see what I’ve known all along about Harlow.
“I’ll make a deal.” I set my coffee down on the bench. “You make an effort with Harlow and stop harping about being too fucking old and jaded.”
Parker’s eyes snap to mine. “And?”
“And I’ll sign the paperwork to be a bonded pack.”
“That’s fucking blackmail.”
“I’m not signing my life over without some assurances. I’m not spending my life without an omega.” I pause. I can’t see myself with another pack, but I can’t spend my life omega-less either. “Think about it. We might be able to help her discover her true nature, and perhaps she’ll like this pack. Let her omega emerge and then we can show her what being part of our pack could mean. She might be our scent matched omega.”
“That’s a big fucking ‘might.’”
I arch an eyebrow and continue, “Which I’m certain she is. And then we can bond with her—claim her even—before Jake makes his move.”
“I’m not fucking using her,” Parker growls, his alpha energy crackling through the air.